Misc data and adventures of a Tayopa treasure hunter

[Real of Tayopa]

Holigans navy for sure.

 

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[audigger53]

Holigans navy for sure.

You have no idea, LOL.
When we came back from the Med cruse, after the hurricane to get there, as we went up the river into Norfolk to D&S piers, we were doing 18 Knots. As we started to turn into the piers, the Capitan looked at the Officer of the Deck and said, "Don't you think we're going a little to fast?" All Emergency Reverse!" Now the screws are so big that at the Fantail I saw all kinds of things get sucked up from the bottom. One of them was a wire milk crate! They sounded the Collision Alarm as we were aimed right at a Nuc Sub tided to it's pier. I watch a guy come out of the conning tower of the sub and without touching anything else dive airborne onto the pier, roll and start running down it. We "bumped" the sub and backed away. The Capitan leaved back in his chair took his rank badges from his shoulders leaned back and threw them out the door of the bridge into the water, saying "Well there goes someone's Career, Mister." So there I was on the only Destroyer to ram a US Nuc Sub at the pier and later ram a pier in Key West.

 

[audigger53]

Holigans navy for sure.

Late June, 1967 we found out that we were going to Nam. The captain held a ship's meeting and told all that we were going to go around the world. Then the 6 Day War came along and the Suez Canal was shut down. Well almost 80% of the guys that were getting out extended for the cruise. So we had another meeting and the captain said that to make up for it, we would go to the Land Downunder at least once if not twice. Well the head of the Destroyer group heard about that and said, "there is no way we are going there, it is too far and they don't have anything I want to buy." We then had another ships meeting inside with all outside speakers turned off and all hatches dogged down. "We will go to war when they catch us!"
We left Norfolk and stopped over night at Panama City for Liberty. Went up to Diego and had liberty there. Went to Hawaii and stopped for Liberty there. Stopped at Guam and people went ashore wearing their work jackets and came back looking fatter than when they left. They had opened the liquor shore for us but only for beer, so the guys were buying a case and sticking it inside their coats. We pulled in to Yokosuka, Japan and laid over. Then went out and escorted a Carrier for our "War Money" and went to Subic Bay. Left Subic and back to Yokosuka. From September through Oct, we did this. R&R in Hong Kong and Taipei during this time frame. Finally went to the gunline and fired gunfire support for FO's. Fired over 3000 rounds in 3 weeks with the biggest spot back from an FO of 150 feet. At the end of the month there was a radio call for the Captain while he was on the bridge. It was from the Admiral of the 7th Fleet (Westpac).
"You SOB, I've seen your gun record. Your going to do another month on the gunline."
"Ok, but what are you going to do with the rest of the Destroyer squadron? We are all due to leave Dec 26th to go back home."
"You SOB your never have another Command!"
"I'm Commander R.W.Leary, Captain of the USS Leary, where would I go from here anyway?"
The Leary was named after his Grandfather and he was the Captain of it.
We all left on Dec 26th and came back from the war to the states with an other stop in Hawaii and San Francisco, then back through the canal to Portsmouth, VA. to go to the shipyards there.
Leary's Navy is what we were and proud of it!

 

[audigger53]

Holigans navy for sure.

I have no idea how many guys lives we saved while on the gunline. Someday I hope to run into someone that remembers "Homerun" putting the 5 inch round right were it needed to be to save their life. That was the Leary's call sign, Homerun.

 

[Real of Tayopa]

home run, home run Incidentally, how did you home in on an unseen target for the first shot with out taking out one of our guys ? For we airdales, we had a forward observer.also for that first shot navy style coffee/

Coffee was available 24 hrs to keep someone from bouncing a screwdrive off of all four walls,i ran a Nordan bombsight overhaul shop for a while. I was a master Horizintal Bombardier, 11 mil average, but I couldn't beat your average in general from 10,00 ft..

 

[audigger53]

home run, home run Incidentally, how did you home in on an unseen target for the first shot with out taking out one of our guys ? For we airdales, we had a forward observer.also for that first shot navy style coffee/

We used FO's. Sometimes we got worried because we fired the first round and didn't hear back from them for the next spot. We would call them back and ask if they were OK. They would answer, "Sorry, you did so good on the first one, we didn't need any more." Almost all of them were fired with an "Up 50 Spot". That gave 80 feet in front, 40 feet to the rear and 40 feet each side as a 90% kill rate. That was with a 5" inch 55 LB round of HE. Average range to first stop was 7-9 miles. We did have one give us lots of spots back even before the first one hit. Fired about 10 rounds, no questions asked until he stopped giving spots. Seems that we got 8 out 12 trucks in a convoy, he was guessing where they would be when the round would come in. He was really good and had worked with us before. Other than him, biggest spot to come back in the 3 weeks was 150 feet. We had a good Plot and gun crews. Plot was where the Gun Fire Control Computer was located. WWII vintage and Analog, not Digital but it worked very nicely.

 

[audigger53]

When we got to the Gunline, we fired missions first the first day and then the other Destroyer was to fire first the second day. @ ships deployed at the same location in case one was busy and another fire mission came in. On the second day when we were on backup call the other ship fired the first mission and the first spot back was add 1000. The next spot was again add 1000. Then the last spot was drop 2000. After that they used us as first call everyday unless we were out rearming and refueling. That was why we fired so many rounds in 3 weeks, always first call, the USS Cony did beat us with 5000 rounds in 4 weeks only because she was at a "hotter" location. She had single barrel 5" 38 mounts, while ours were doubles.

 

[Real of Tayopa]

I took my bombardier training at Dahlgren,Virg. Vaval Proving ground. in 42. They were testing the 5 / 38. it was a mean sob for blast unless right behind it/ The 18" was not so bad. My hats of to your gunnery Officier.

 

[audigger53]

I took my bombardier training at Dahlgren,Virg. Vaval Proving ground. in 42. They were testing the 5 / 38. it was a mean sob for blast unless right behind it/ The 18" was not so bad. My hats of to your gunnery Officier.

My 12 on/12 off shift was in the Gun Director with the forward mount. Our bunks were under the after mount. only took 3 days to sleep through the gun blasts, but it took a week to sleep through the power casings hitting the deck above me. Some times we shot so many missions that we couldn't police up the casings and they would roll off the side of the ship. Also learned to sleep with a wool blanket totally covering me as the blasts would bring down the rock wool from above. Outside temp was 80-90F and there was no air conditioning if the wind wasn't blowing.

 

[Real of Tayopa]

Those casing are expenive, plutocrat. So you kmow about the 5 / 38 blast, naturally, we had an iron door which had not been installed yet. Ii lay on the floor, and every time the gun fired it would rise about a foot, then crash beck down, adding to the racket.

On the 18 incher, it wa a sort of roar, not bad. So one day I styed outside of the block house when they fired it, all that I could see or feel was that I was surrounded with fire, if I had been closer to the muzle , I would have been fried. However I never tried that with the 5 / 38

Actually it was fun, I even had the chance to dissasemle a German machine gun from a German Messersmit 210 I believe,that temp had the armorors temp stumped. I don't think that they appreciated an 18 yr old showing them hpw.,

 

[Shortfinger]

Hooligan Navy? Certainly not me….. Well, I do have a story or two. One night I was on mid watch in the enclosed operating station for the #1 plant. There were 3 of us enlisted watch standers, and one (junior) officer of the watch. About 2:30 AM, the Officer of the Watch nodded off, and was soon sound asleep and snoring. The three of us put all of our alarm light switches in flash/test, turned off all of the lights in the space, crouched down below the desk, and hit the alarm horn test switch. He came awake a blaring alarm horn, all of the alarm lights flashing, and no other lights in the space, and no other watch standers. It must have seemed to him to be a major disaster……We couldn’t hold our laughter very long, but it probably took 10 years off his life. He never fell asleep on watch again, at least when he was with any of us, so I count this as a public service.

JB

 

[Real of Tayopa]

short finger, your'e as bad as AU. How'd we ever win a war ??

Icidentally for those of you that have questioned me by em, what is a 5 / 38. The navy distinguished betwen various 5 " canon by following the 5 inch bore by the barrel length In this case the barrel measured 38 times the bore dia

 

[PROSPECTORMIKEL]

HATS OFF, to all of you!

I'm really enjoying learning from all of you, and your tales.
Well told and informative.

Thanks for your service

#/;0{>~

 

[Oroblanco]

Keep 'em coming!

 

[Ditlihi]

Ditto!!!

 

[audigger53]

short finger, your'e as bad as AU. How'd we ever win a war ??

Icidentally for those of you that have questioned me by em, what is a 5 / 38. The navy distinguished betwen various 5 " canon by following the 5 inch bore by the barrel length In this case the barrel measured 38 times the bore dia

End of Nov. 67 our Destroyer group was tasked to go up and shell Hanoi. Now Navy Intelligence stated that the fish net markers at 2000 meters and then for every 1000 meters were just fish nets and not a problem. Well the only ships ever hit either went inside the fish nets or steamed straight out from the shore. That's how the Duport (spelling may be off) had the after mount blown off. at 21,000 yards. The NV walked it up the wake until they hit the Duport. We were using the Dash Helo for spotting the other destroyers. Had a TV camera on it and a transmitter. The receiver was mounted just below the Gun Directors radar dish and we were locked on to the Dash. CIC watched it go into a cloud and tracked a Mig at 90 degrees to it enter the cloud. We then lost all contact with the DASH. The officer accountable for the Dash came onto the bridge and wanted to send a landing party ashore for it. The Capitan told him , "No it is 3000 yards inland and it is a war right off, Your not responsible for it." BTW that officer was a 5 year graduate from Annapolis, not the brightest light at night, as they say.

 

[audigger53]

End of Nov. 67 our Destroyer group was tasked to go up and shell Hanoi. Now Navy Intelligence stated that the fish net markers at 2000 meters and then for every 1000 meters were just fish nets and not a problem. Well the only ships ever hit either went inside the fish nets or steamed straight out from the shore. That's how the Duport (spelling may be off) had the after mount blown off. at 21,000 yards. The NV walked it up the wake until they hit the Duport. We were using the Dash Helo for spotting the other destroyers. Had a TV camera on it and a transmitter. The receiver was mounted just below the Gun Directors radar dish and we were locked on to the Dash. CIC watched it go into a cloud and tracked a Mig at 90 degrees to it enter the cloud. We then lost all contact with the DASH. The officer accountable for the Dash came onto the bridge and wanted to send a landing party ashore for it. The Capitan told him , "No it is 3000 yards inland and it is a war right off, Your not responsible for it." BTW that officer was a 5 year graduate from Annapolis, not the brightest light at night, as they say.

Dupont was the name of the destroyer. What bothered me was it had a 5" 54 and we had 5" 38's. Our max range was 18,700 with new barrels and the Dupont was still firing at the gun emplacement when the after mount was blown away. The Officer of the Deck and the Capitan of the Dupont should have3 been held accountable for that for not zigzagging coming out of the run. IMHO

 

[Real of Tayopa]

SPEAKING OF OFFICERS, the air corp, and the navy, then, considered them differently, The aircorp considered them officers, while the Navy considered them just another rating, but not of a superior light. Although both required you to destroy the sight and to commit suicide to avoid an intact sight and operator to fall into the enemy's hands, this despite the enemy having had the complete spec, since 1935,, YEAFH NOT BEING AN oFFICER MY WORD WAS NEGLIGEABLE SNICKER.

The airforce gave up on precision bombing with the Nordan bombsight and finally resorted to carpet bombing in where only the lead bomardier actually used the sight, the following Bombardiers merely toggled a switch whem a light showed on the lead plane. He would pointedly bomb short allowing reaction time to cover the target. Where as the Navy in general stuck to individual bombing. However in the case of the Navy, no horizontal bombardier could hope to hit a moviNg ship. All the OIC had to do was to watch the aircraft with binoculars , then ,as soon as he saw them released , order a turn, It was a guessing game from then on. Did he intend to turn to the right, left, or continue straight ahead, or possibly a short zig zag. speed up, slow down, or any combination.

The airforce had tables nicely printed out for the ballistic coefficent for to the bomb, air speed, altitude etc.Where as in the navy I had to take a temp reading every 1000 ft, temp. to acertain the density of the air, where in the North/ South actually to do the bombing -- in order to account for the difference of the earth's surface rotation speed, according to Latitude, here entered a slippage factor depending upon the air mas through which you were bombing etc.Then set up the Bombsight for trail angle, drift, from then on it was basically automatic.

If you had set up the basic data it was simply a matter of synchronising your erection speed of your sight to correspond with no effective
movement of the cross hair of the sight on your target When you had it correct there would be no deviation of the cross haiirs and your target.

You had a small vert dial with two parallel lpointers one would be adjustibe, the other , represented by a moving pointer, would be you. The release would be automatic when they matched..

For this they gave a commmision ? Most bombed by watching the lead bombardiers light. Any destroyer jerk could do that

You had a similar problem, the correolis force. You were doing damn good to place all of your shots within A fifty square meter target. my hat's off to you.

 

[Shortfinger]

Okay, here’s another one. This is how we won the war (although we really didn’t win this one, but we probably could have if they had let us). I didn’t see this first hand, but it was told to me by one of the participants when I came aboard. Early on, when the ships were on the gun line, there would almost always be a MIG loitering around, just barely within missile range. All of the ship borne missiles at the time were “beam riders” so they needed to follow a targeting radar beam to, or near to, the target. The MIGs could tell the difference between the search radar and the targeting radar, so, if anyone put a targeting radar on them, they would just turn and run for the coast, and out of the range of the missiles. So, one of the gunners mates had an idea. The next time a MIG came out to play, they slewed the targeting radar off about 15 to 20 degrees from the MIGs location, and launched. When the missile was close to the target, they slewed the radar beam (and hence the missile) onto the MIG. By the time he could recognize the threat, and start to turn, the missile was there. After that, the MIGs all stayed well out of range of the missiles.

JB

 

[PROSPECTORMIKEL]

AUDIGGER, why would you guys use so much ammo, when you had the ability to simply line up perpendicular to the shore and dock the ship?

Or did they only do that on U. S. Docks?...

:-)