[GreenKeys] 11/11/07

[Don Robert House]

Thanks for the story Ira.  My stomach is just a bit iffy just reading  
it.  When I was stationed aboard the USS Randolph CVS-15 we headed up  
Task Group Alpha, an ASW task group.  Our carrier was fast but  
uncomfortable at 32 knots.  We carried lots of fuels and would often  
refuel our destroyers.  It was a real artistic talent the bosuns had  
to have to keep the black oil lines from parting when refueling in  
anything but a calm sea.  Luckily our NATO tour in 1966 had us in the  
North Atlantic at a time when it was as calm as a lily pond.

Again, thanks for sharing.

Don
K9TTY


On 11 Nov 2007, at 8:53 PM, Ira B. Rothenhoefer wrote:


If you are interested please send your Name, Branch of Service, Job
Specialty, Highest Rank Attained, Years of Service and Date
Discharged I'll add your name to the list.


Ira B. Rothenhoefer   USN   Radioman   RM3 (E4)   1956-1960   Jan 1960


Served aboard the USS O'Brien DD725, The USS St. Paul CA73 (notice the  
Hull
nr), and the USS Mansfield DD728.

Made 2 far east cruises on the O'brien. New Zealand and Australia twice.
Got caught in a typhoon somewhere out there.  They had 12 knots rang  
up in
the engine room, but we were just maintaining headway and we were being
blown backwards.

     They had always told me that destroyers were unsinkable in heavy  
seas,
but have learned that if they take some water down the stack, it's all
over.  I never read my history about Halsey!!!!

      We took a 59 degree roll during that storm.  I was in the  
starboard
op position. Had my knees locked under the table, the ship rolled to  
port,
then starboard, then back to port and just layed there for it seemed a
long time.  Probable only 5-10 seconds, then righted herself.  Don't
really know what happened.  Probably got a rogue wave or the ship just
wallowed a little somehow.

      I had looked out earlier in the evening, from what I called the  
back
porch.  It was the the 02 deck, the one above the torpedo tubes just aft
of the forward stack, and the crest of the waves were probably 40-50  
feet
above where I was standing.  Foam was just streaming from the tops of  
the
waves from the wind.  Of course the ship was doing the usual, diving  
under
to the NR2 gun tub, then when it launched from the top of the wave, the
screws came out of the water.  What fun.  I did go up to the Bosun's
locker, just for fun.  It was like the fastest elevator you ever got on.
Almost leaved the deck when it free fell.  WhooooHooo.  What else would
you expect form an 18 year old!!

      Transferred to the St Paul,  The shack had been completely  
refitted.
Had a whole bulkhead of ANURR 390's, (14) plus 11 TTY machines.  I think
there were 2 model 14's or 15's with the TD unit. The rest were mod 28  
RO
I did quite a bit of tape cutting, but liked the cw better and swapped
with one of the Radiomen there.

       My job daily, or the watch duty, was to set the duplex cw circuit
with NPN for the whole watch.  We had COM7THFLT aboard and had piles of
999 coded group messages.  (hope the statute of limitations has ran out,
not sure I should divulge this info),  So I would send them on cw.   
Had a
chrome plated vibroplex, with red handles, that I bought from the  
radioman
shipping out. Case and all.  Did the same when I left.  $5.00 bucks, got
my money back.  Gosh I wish I had kept that thing.

     Transferred to the Mansfield to California for discharge.


Barney/NO0N
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