Something you've done that 99.9% of TW members have not

isn't that more like a Chinese smokey?

 

Killed an owl, five jack rabbits and a magpie, all in one night of driving in nevada

 

Got blown overboard off USS Independence during Taiwan Contingency ops in '95. Rescue swimmer was in the water (from the SAR helo) before I even surfaced. Got winched up to the helo, and THEN my autoinflator went off!

Water feels like concrete from that distance....especially when you're also moving laterally at a pretty good clip. Have fubar'd vision in my left eye from hydrostatic shock when I faceplanted in the ocean.

Had Swim Call in the Arabian Sea off USS Eisenhower last year.

 

Yes, swim call IS still allowed. Did not get my ass chewed, the JBD failed and collapsed when the E-2C went to full power.

Edit: And has always been allowed through my full period of service, from Feb 1991 to March of this year. If it "was not allowed" it was your ship's CO's policy, not Big Navy's.

Edit #2: Was picked up by an SH-3; CAG-5 did not have SH-60's until a year or two later.

 

Don't beleive it.. A man overboard would not have been called to response that quick. Even if the deck seaman on watch saw you, even if the SAR helo was in the air. Sucks to be that guy though. Only jack asses get blown off he deck for having there head up there ass during flight ops. I'd love to read the mishap report. It would have been posted navy wide.

 

Oh man been in since 91 so your a story tellin joe navy lifer, I love it. That jbd failure must have blown you all past elevator 3 and over the finger past a huge cat walk and Into the sea. And I just don't recall jbd's being known for failing but hey I'm not a lifer I haven't seen it all


Edit: and who stands behind a jbd while a C-2 or E-2 is on full power for launch??

 

Crew said they saw me going airborne, figured it would not end well. (They were off the starboard quarter, not far from where I hit.) Tell you what, jump into deep water from 75+ feet up and see how long it takes to get to the surface, wearing full FD gear, a SINS cable over your shoulder Pancho style, and an Airframes Shooter pouch. You sink pretty quick.

BTW, I was on deck and headed into FD Medical when they called it away. MMCPO was PISSED when I didn't muster!

I have a copy somewhere in the reams of paper I kept when I mustered out..I'll see if I can find it.

And if I can get my scanner to work, I'll scan pics from the swim call.

 

broke my shoulder throwing a baseball...

 

INDY ain't that big; no finger to speak of, and the Aft El is just behind the island.

And I've seen JBD's do some wierd shit; VMFA-312 had to crane one of their -18's off the Enterprise because the JBD came UP underneath the jet.

 

How in the hell...

 

12 years old. Lefty pitcher. went to cooperstown and played for a week. placed 15th out of 80 something teams the week we were there. came home. was warming up before a small fall league game just to get more playing time. apparently over stressed it and it split on me. dont remember the full details of what exactly broke. but yeah.

i guess i can also say that not many people placed 15th and an international baseball tournament at the age of 12 ahahaha.

 

Having had a couple surgeries on my right shoulder due to a fall from a jet(8 inches lateral separation; it's bolted on) all I can say is OWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW....I know your pain!

 

Whats a swim call??

 

The ship comes to a stop, Drops anchor (if shallow enough!), puts out a RHIB or two as shark watch/lifeguards, and all hands not on watch are invited to jump in and swim. With the carriers, they have alloted times for different departments (too many people on board to watch at one time) to go.

RHIB-Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat, used to retrieve dumb/unlucky sailors from the water, or to deliver SEALs on missions of mayhem.

 

oooo cool

 

Ive heard of guys on subs having what they like to call black beaches. Is that legit as well?

 

A dumb assed AMS3 running like hell to get to a broke jet!

 

Dunno, you'd have to ask a bubblehead (submariner); sounds like a Steel Beach party. (Picnic on the flight deck)