Comments

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  Joe Rhea August 12, 2009 at 8:15am

  Has anyone else ever pondered why our rate really went away? I heard stories as far back as A school (1982) that the rate was going away. We (ML's and PM's) were really true craftsman of our trade and very few people did what we did in the Navy.
  
  Did we not fight hard enough to prove our worth and seek out the most challenging jobs, push ourselves to the limits and show the powers to be the real potential of the rates, or were we content just making plaques and enjoying early liberty?
  
  The Navy got out of the Maintenance business, the Tenders went away (all but 2) and Molders and Patternmakers ratings were just a casuality of the ever changing Navy.
  
  After 1996 I continued to wear the ML rating badge for almost 4 yrs until I was finially forced to change it.
  
  Being a Navy Molder was the best job I think I ever had or at least the one I got the most satisfaction from. It was hot, heavy, dirty work but the people were great (most of them) and the feeling at the end of the day was awsome. The only job that I really looked forward to the next day.
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  Craig Lami August 11, 2009 at 11:50pm

  Once I left there, I never seemed to be able to get out of San Diego except to go WESPAC.
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  Richard caswell August 11, 2009 at 11:43pm

  Hi Craig,
  
  I was in Charleston aboard her from 84-87 a bit after you left I do remember seeing your name on paperwork in the shop The best duty I had in my career was there I did a 6 month maintenance stitch on a YRBM that was like we used to say Handing out basketballs type of duty lol.
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  Craig Lami August 11, 2009 at 11:37pm

  Richard,
  When were you on the Holland? I got on it in Rota in Dec 73 and rode it back to Charleston. I stayed there about 2 years and then left to go to B School. Capt. J. J. Badget was the CO. Best one I ever served under.
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  Richard caswell August 11, 2009 at 11:29pm

  sounds good to me
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  Craig Lami August 11, 2009 at 11:28pm

  Ya know. The fastest way to kill this blog is to turn it into a political battleground. There are plenty of other places to fight that battle. Lets keep this blog to Navy Molders.
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  Richard caswell August 11, 2009 at 11:16pm

  Aww comn man some is true But I grew up in Hawaii am I not American?? I am sorta neutral on that statement, watch "sicko" because I lived in England for 3 years and used National health not a bad deal I am watching My folks on Medicare pay more than they need for BASIC health care and prescriptions We are a great Country but we arent perfect.
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  Craig Lami August 11, 2009 at 9:39pm

  I had a division officer that wanted a half dozen letter openers with a submarine for a handle and they were flat on the back. We were told to make the six he wanted and no more. We gave him his 6 and the next time he came down to the shop, we had a 4 x 4 foot bottom board up against one wall and about 20 of the letter openers sticking out of it. Had a Molder named Doc in the foundry on the Holland about '73. He was teaching us the fine art of knife throwing.
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  Steve Clark August 11, 2009 at 3:14pm

  When my brother (who was really into building custom cars) found out I was working in a foundry, he would send his own patterns for gear shift knobs etc. the patterns were made out of the craziest stuff like a skull shifter he made out of Bondo and damn if that thing didn't come out perfect (poured in aluminum) it's probably out there somewhere in some old Mustang.
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  Richard caswell August 11, 2009 at 3:11pm

  Man I miss that Zinc Taste MMM MMM