So interesting....My parents were both in the navy and I had a boyfriend who was a naval officer, so stories of life in the Senior Service always feel cosy to me. There's an ex-submariner at the Edinburgh Fringe who does a great show about his experiences: Eric's Tales of the Sea - recommend!
Loved this! Thanks, Kevin. The submarine officer I was married to, in a millenium long ago and far away, told me nothing, and I mean NOTHING about life aboard the fast attack sub on which he was sonar officer, other than having to be awakened constantly when messages came in, and the loud clicking of shrimp. Oh, and how brief the showers were, and cold. And how good the food, much of which, uneaten, they loaded into sanitary and blew when they were coming in to port. And that the sub tender they tied up to, that did their laundry, had 2 pieces of equipment he never actually saw but clearly visualized and believed in, one that snatched all the buttons off of shirts and one that ate one of ea. pr. of socks.
Yes, I know. I made 2 really good friends among the other newlywed wives of men attending sub school in New London Ct. and their husbands were on fleet ballistic missile subs so they knew when their husbands would be home and away and could make plans. I went to work at Pfizer reporting to a woman who lived in a cottage on the banks of the Thames that the subs came up to reach the base. She had a hobby of trying to learn the names of all the subs. She kept a clipboard, pen & binoculars on the window sill and when a diesel sub came up the river out of Long Island Sound it made her door knob rattle so she'd rush to the window and grab her binocs. When I went to work for her she learned from me that the 352 was the Halfbeak and she'd call me and say "your husband's coming home, rush your lover out over the balcony".
"When you get promoted to officer, as far as the Navy is concerned you have left the Navy and rejoined. When you join the Navy, you are allowed to leave the Navy for any reason in the first three months and that was my plan all along." -- I'm surprised they haven't cracked down upon that ruse.
I should have written about the sleeping arrangements! When you first join a submarine you have to pass your Part Three test and you are not entitled to a bed until you do. I slept in a home made hammock in the sonar space.
To pass your Part Three test you have to learn what every machine does, where every valve is and every fire extinguisher and every breathing apparatus. In the grand finale, you go from one end of the sub to the other answering questions about what fuel the torpedoes use and how to work the underwater telephone.
Did you have to hot rack or share bunks with others, or was there enough space on the boomers (or bombers as you British call them) for even the enlisted to get their own bunks and hammocks?
Also it’s interesting that you seem to be implying that the fast attacks like the swiftsures and trafalgars didn’t have hot racking. As far as I know, hot racking is still a thing in the USN even amongst the newer Virginia’s
I was kind of dodging the question because I wasn't sure. My friend was on S Boats and T Boats and he just confirmed that junior rates had hot bunking.
My friend joined the Navy at the same time as I did but he just left the Navy last week! It blows my mind. I left the Navy 36 years ago but he is just leaving now. He must have been the longest-serving sailor in there!
So interesting....My parents were both in the navy and I had a boyfriend who was a naval officer, so stories of life in the Senior Service always feel cosy to me. There's an ex-submariner at the Edinburgh Fringe who does a great show about his experiences: Eric's Tales of the Sea - recommend!
Loved this! Thanks, Kevin. The submarine officer I was married to, in a millenium long ago and far away, told me nothing, and I mean NOTHING about life aboard the fast attack sub on which he was sonar officer, other than having to be awakened constantly when messages came in, and the loud clicking of shrimp. Oh, and how brief the showers were, and cold. And how good the food, much of which, uneaten, they loaded into sanitary and blew when they were coming in to port. And that the sub tender they tied up to, that did their laundry, had 2 pieces of equipment he never actually saw but clearly visualized and believed in, one that snatched all the buttons off of shirts and one that ate one of ea. pr. of socks.
One thing about Bombers, Norma Jean, is that they are really big. Much bigger than attack subs. And they have nice hot showers. 😎
Yes, I know. I made 2 really good friends among the other newlywed wives of men attending sub school in New London Ct. and their husbands were on fleet ballistic missile subs so they knew when their husbands would be home and away and could make plans. I went to work at Pfizer reporting to a woman who lived in a cottage on the banks of the Thames that the subs came up to reach the base. She had a hobby of trying to learn the names of all the subs. She kept a clipboard, pen & binoculars on the window sill and when a diesel sub came up the river out of Long Island Sound it made her door knob rattle so she'd rush to the window and grab her binocs. When I went to work for her she learned from me that the 352 was the Halfbeak and she'd call me and say "your husband's coming home, rush your lover out over the balcony".
"When you get promoted to officer, as far as the Navy is concerned you have left the Navy and rejoined. When you join the Navy, you are allowed to leave the Navy for any reason in the first three months and that was my plan all along." -- I'm surprised they haven't cracked down upon that ruse.
I think they closed the door behind me, Your Holiness.
Great read, thanks for sharing this with us!
Thank you, lobster!
Absolutely love this Ragged. So it was basically like Hunt For Red October every day I guess.
Just like that!
I should have written about the sleeping arrangements! When you first join a submarine you have to pass your Part Three test and you are not entitled to a bed until you do. I slept in a home made hammock in the sonar space.
To pass your Part Three test you have to learn what every machine does, where every valve is and every fire extinguisher and every breathing apparatus. In the grand finale, you go from one end of the sub to the other answering questions about what fuel the torpedoes use and how to work the underwater telephone.
Did you have to hot rack or share bunks with others, or was there enough space on the boomers (or bombers as you British call them) for even the enlisted to get their own bunks and hammocks?
There was one guy near me who had a valve just above his stomach and someone would come and open the valve every couple of hours.
We had enough space for a bunk each but they used to hot bunk on the conventional submarines.
Also it’s interesting that you seem to be implying that the fast attacks like the swiftsures and trafalgars didn’t have hot racking. As far as I know, hot racking is still a thing in the USN even amongst the newer Virginia’s
I was kind of dodging the question because I wasn't sure. My friend was on S Boats and T Boats and he just confirmed that junior rates had hot bunking.
My friend joined the Navy at the same time as I did but he just left the Navy last week! It blows my mind. I left the Navy 36 years ago but he is just leaving now. He must have been the longest-serving sailor in there!
Am I to assume that you were/are a submarine?
In fact no. I’m just a civilian with a passing interest in military matters. And what an amazing career your friend must have had.
Well it’s been a pleasure chatting. Cheers!
Cheers!
You might be right. It was a long time ago and I forget! I'll ask my friend.
By conventional do you mean diesel-electric?
Yes
Thanks! I’m still getting used to the lingo on the other side of the Atlantic
Some of the bunks did not have enough space to sleep on your side but my bunk was luxurious in comparison!