Being on the Island was great.
I was duty coxswain one time and had to pick up a load of mines. My eyes did not count correctly and I wanted to get back. Loaded to many mines and shipping containers. Water was lapping at the walkway alongside the storage area all the way back and because I loaded wrong the stern was almost out of the water. Props were almost out of the water. Just had to be careful when I came in to the landing on the Island. Then there was the time we went over to pick up another boat. We were…
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There was a TM that I worked with in the TM exploder shop. He had a comb over that had to be 9 inches long. He be getting ready to go on liberty and I would run my hands through his hair. 20 minutes later, he would be ready to go again.
I was on the island from JAN 61 - Feb 63 it was a good tour of duty I got married and my first child was born there we were married over 42 years when she died. I have been back to Japan many times and will go again nest march.
Fred Bergey MNCM Ret
Sorry Phil, the generator comment was meant for Robert.
Generator? Not sure of that one. I was gone for 8 months over the winter of 64-65, must have been during that period when the generator and boat accident {?}problem happened. At least at my age my memory is not there.
Wow Phil, I missed the generator fiasco; that is unreal. Here's another example of a 'normal' military day.
Tony Sciara, another TM, and I were on Mike boat standby. It was late, rainy, freezing ass cold in mid-Winter, and there was a full gale going on but we received a request to pick up a MN team from the main base on the north side of the bay. This was not the normal sheltered landing, but the sheer face of the landing close to the supply stations. They could have easily taken a truck but thought the Mike boat would be faster.
It took 30 minutes to cross that short straight, taking in a ton of water over the ramp. Once we got to the pick up point the waves were 4-6 feet and increasing. One of the MN was on his way down the sheer ladder and we were both yelling for him to get the hell back since wind and waves were pushing the boat all over the place. He came down anyway and the Mike ramp hit him hard, square in the back knocking him into the bay.
It took 20-30 seconds for him to come back to the surface, about the same time it took me to get to the bow without doing a header. Since we were all in heavy foul weather gear he probably weighed a good 200+ pounds even being a small guy. I grabbed his parka to hold his head above water until someone else could help me pull him in.
Another 30 minutes back to Azuma and a 30 second note to the Chief before we headed to main base. I stayed with the MN in the Mike boat bay while Tony and one other guy handled the boat. Lots of blood and a sinking dude. He help barely awake until we landed when a group from the hospital were there to meet us.
He wound up OK but never saw him again. Just another day on the rock, albeit an interesting one.
It is funny. I remember going to the Cal Lab and talking to the ET. He would tell me about how to calibrate the clocks and pressure devices for the mines. When I left my company and retired. I was doing Calibrations among other things.
You really do learn things in the Navy that help you in life.
I was working with the pistol team in one of the caves when I had to crank up the generator. Damn crank came off the motor and the end banged me under the chin. Blood all over, the guys ran me to the hospital on base. Long boat ride. I had been doing a lot of dental work and the pain shots were not doing me any good so the doc got a couple of sailors to hold me down. 4 stiches later, he was done and I hurt like hell.
I can remember charging those forklift batteries all night long and listening to the radio. They would tell the survival time in the sea. I figure we stood 4 hour watches, but it did seem like all night now.
Robert, I remember a fire in the hammerhead cab caused by a main motor shorting out. Ono, the honcho of the Japanese contractors crawled out on a scaffold under the cab that was hanging by some safety wire. I then had to haul my ass onto the scaffold to hand-off extinguisher bottles...fortunately not as far as Ono. Scared the holy crap out of me.
Phil, I never learned to operate the hammerhead, but one weekend, we were talking and we got someone to train it out over the water. I jumped off the thing twice. Hell of a fall.
Weekend duty was something else. Too much time on our hands. One time we put a face shield on a bucket so we could see out and attached air hose to the top. Then went walking in the water off the island. Ah, to be young.
Will Smith, here is my e mail. wyomnc@yahoo.com drop me a line, have some Yokosuka info you may find interesting. Phil Beckwith MNCRET. Take care, nice to see a familiar name. Our ranks are thinning.
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