[MRCA] Blue Eyed Alligator

[Robert Downs]

That brings back a couple of memories.  As an ETN3 I got stuck on the line
handling party when USS New Jersey BB62 came through Long Beach Summer of
1968 on her way to Vietnam.  We (USS Valley Forge LPH-8 originally CV-45)
had just come from there.  I put in a special request chit to transfer to
New Jersey but nothing came of it.  I don’t recall the swimming pools being
mentioned, though.  They probably didn't want a bunch of visitors.  :-) 

Robert Downs

-----Original Message-----
From: mrca-bounces at mailman.qth.net [mailto:mrca-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On
Behalf Of B. Smith
Sent: Monday, September 30, 2019 18:57
To: Military Radio Collectors Association
Subject: Re: [MRCA] Blue Eyed Alligator

  Flying out of Cam Ranh "Feet Wet" down the coast we always contacted 
the ship to obtain latest hot fire information. It was amazing to see 
the large shells go down range they were about the size of a small 
Volkswagen.
Z

On 9/30/2019 4:28 PM, Ray Fantini wrote:
>
> While talking to Joe W4VAG at Gilbert he told us about back when he 
> was in Vietnam his unit was having a problem with enemy fire from a 
> hill. The Air Force was unable to assist being it was getting dark and 
> they had him contact on HF call sign “Blue Eyed Alligator” after 
> relaying the coordinates two huge red objects flew over and a large 
> part of the hill they were taking fire from disappeared, two more 
> salvos followed of two rounds each with similar effect. The next day 
> examination of the site reviled nothing but churned up earth and 
> fragments of trees.
>
> The Blue Eyed Alligator was the call sign of the Battleship New 
> Jersey, she received that name because when recommissioned for Vietnam 
> two 40 mm Anti-Aircraft guns were removed and Captain J. Edward Snyder 
> Jr. thought it would be beneficial for crew moral to install swimming 
> pools in the remaining gun wells.
>
> From the air the two pools appeared as blue eyes in the forward 
> section of the ship.
>
> Looking into this saw that they just had a 50th anniversary “Pool 
> Party” on the ship in New Jersey:
>
> https://www.battleshipnewjersey.org/event/pool-party-on-the-battleship/
>
> It’s amazing some of the things are friends have been involved with.
>
> Ray F/KA3EKH
>
>