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As said on Monty Python: And now for something completely different. My dad enlisted in the Navy at 17 years old and went to the Great Lakes Naval Training Center for his basic training, and then on to Submarine School in Groton, Connecticut. He graduated from Sub School shortly before his 18th birthday.
He completed his first successful war patrol as an 18-year-old in the Pacific during WWII. Even though there have been many changes to the Submarine School in Groton, submariners from any era would feel like they would always be welcome there.
The first submarine you see in the video is berthed at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) in Portland and is open to the public. It is a diesel-electric submarine with a teardrop hull that appeared in the movie The Hunt for Red October.
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Completely.
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My father served on the Cod in its 7th and 8th patrols. They were the first boat to come on the Dutch sub O-19 after it ran onto Ladd's Reef. The Cod tried to tow the O-19 off the reef without success. They evacuated the Dutch crew before trying again without success to destroy it with cannon and torpedo.
The Cod took the Dutch crew to Fremantle in Australia where they had a party. The Cod's battle flag bears a martini glass
The Cod is now in the harbor in Cleveland.
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A few years ago, a group from our community got to tour a nuclear submarine at the Norfolk Navy Yard. One of our neighbors is a retired Rear Admiral who commanded a nuclear sub in the 1970s. Fascinating tour.
One highlight was when one of the ladies had quite a difficult time climbing the ladder to the exit hatch. There's no alternative way out.
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I remember sub school. It was the easiest 12 weeks of my Navy training, having just finished a grueling year in the nuclear power pipeline.
In fact, it was easy for all of us nukes. It took about 30 minutes to finish all of our homework and studying, then we'd head out to the golf course, tennis courts, and whatever summer entertainment we could find. The remaining students - diesel boaters, strategic weapons guys, and supply officers had to spend hours learning the material. We'd come in the next morning all tanned, rested, and eager to go. The other guys were tired, had bloodshot eyes, and could barely stay alert.
In the end, almost everyone graduated. Our group had one last "Crazy Thursday," which was dinner at the Ground Round. However, this time we had it on Wednesday because the married folks wanted to hit the road. This was a particular surprise to our favorite waitress Janet, who switched from Thursday night to Wednesday to avoid serving us. You see, we told her we were graduating, and the final Crazy Thursday was going to be the CT to end all CTs. She could barely stand us because we always sang to her before we left for the evening:
"We love you Janet, oh yes we do.
We love you Janet, we will be true.
When you're not with us, WE'RE BLUE! [yelled]
Oh Janet, we love you!"
Needless to say, we left her the mother of all tips . . .
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