Just thought I'd start this thread as a place to swap "fishing stories" for all armed forces members - active duty, reservists, retired, vets, national guard, etc. since we have more than one thing in common.

We own Fits, previously owned Fits and/or are more interested in cars than average. Otherwise we wouldn't be part of this forum.

Hey military discounts would be a good start :-)

During the course of postings here, I know there's quite a few of us in this forum - DemonFit, Occam, Texas Coyote and others.

Anyway, I'm a Navy vet., mostly west coast, pacific area. Bought my used '08 A/T Sports Fit as my son's DD 11 mo. ago and found/joined this forum. I hijack it every chance I get :-) Clocking at 45k mi. now. Let's say we're still in the mentor-apprentice relationship as far as car stuff goes - maintenance, best practices, etc. I know my priority was chasing skirts at his age. :-) Altogether in the family, there's 4 vehicles in the "fleet" that "Dad" has to take care of. My main DD/weekend car is an '02 WRX, 1st owner and still kickin' dust at over 107k mi., hence, my sig...

BTW, just found out by accident recently that Home Depot gives 10% discounts. Just show your mil ID. I was hauling stuff from there with the Fit (my blue mule...). Whipped out my credit card to pay and the cashier saw my mil ID and mentioned about the 10% disc. Nice! Just an FYI.

Now your turn...

 

Navy vet here. East coast sailor who served on the USS Iowa BB61. Battleship duty is where it was at!!

This is me as a boot on Commissioning Day down in Pascagoula, MS before going underway to be stationed in Norfolk, VA



And this is my boat doing a Broadside. My GQ station was cradle operator of the center gun of Turret 3 (aft turret). I was the guy behind the breech of the gun who laid the 2700# projectile down so the rammer man could put it in. I then helped the gun captain put in (6) 110# bags of powder.




I later struck down to Engineering and became a BT

 

Retired/ honorable discharge as of 10OCT2010
6 years served.



I did that for a funny pic.. Lol

I actually was:
Air Force
Air Traffic Controller: RAPCON Specialist

 

Subway: 50% off
Homedepot: 10% off
Crackerbarrel: 25% off
Lowes: 10% off
Chickfila: 50% off
Vivid racing: 25% off? (can't remember, it's on their web site)
Ill update more later

 

Hey shipmate! Was wondering if anybody was going to post. BTW let me ask you this - you were on the Iowa's 1st commisioning or 2nd? lmao... You'd be old as dirt if you say 1st. :-) Hell of a pix there. You're one of a handful (alive) to have experienced that. Well I had pictures on the Big MO when she was still a floating museum in Bremerton before she got recommisioned. Awesome 16-inchers.

I'm an airdale (avionics) so was on the big bird farms - Big E (Enterprise) and the Vinson.

Hey JC there's a few of you guys (flyboys) here on the forum. :-) The others just haven't sounded off yet.

Thanks for sounding off guys!!!

 

I'm only a YOUNG 45 and was on it for the THIRD commissioning!

Commissioning dates:

February 22, 1943
August 25, 1951
April 28, 1984

I really do feel fortunate to have served on "The Big Stick". It's amazing how when you speak to fellow sailors (or military buffs) and their eyes bug out when I tell 'em I served on a BB and they immediately start asking tons of questions about how it was to be on her.

 

Heheh, my bust. Forgot about the Korean one :-) Yeah about the time she was being recomissioned I had 2 classmates in instructor class going there. Old gunnies (a few left qualified on the 16-inchers) who were "invited" back so they can qualify the young 'uns like you :-)
They were taking the course so they can get the training up and running.

 

Most of the crew was fresh out of bootcamp and were in need of seasoned sailors to teach and guide us and one BMC came out of retirement to serve on the Iowa. Of course, he had a special tie to her as he served on the Iowa during the Korean War and this way it would be his first and last ship (17 in total). Good ole BMC Crop

 

Hey you got a piece of history under your belt bud. Something to tell your grand grand grand kids :-) Heheh, my only claim to fame if you can call it that, I was on the Big E when she got stuck on a sand bar in Alameda.

Just imagine coming home after an 8-mo. deployment (back then was SOP), seeing the pier, the families, the balloons, etc. at a distance and then come to a screeching halt and listing. Carriers don't do that. Well we made the 6PM news - nationally even :-)) Big snafu!!! It was like breaking down in front of your own driveway. We were a good maybe 0.5-0.6 mi away from the pier.

 

Wow! I couldn't imagine that happening but it his hilarious! I can just see it now. The sailor sees his wife/GF, is stuck and can't get to her and she just exasperates the matter by flashing him!! LOL

 

Yeah pretty tense onboard. People wanted to jump off and swim. This was before cell phones bud. Binoculars was the thing then... but only aggravated the moment.

We were scheduled for 11AM and tied up at 6PM. 10 tugs couldn't move us so we waited for the tide for some help. Crazy... yup only in the military... builds character right? lmao...