{"id":2309,"date":"2020-07-28T06:00:00","date_gmt":"2020-07-28T10:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/?p=2309"},"modified":"2021-10-15T12:40:12","modified_gmt":"2021-10-15T16:40:12","slug":"41-haze-gray-and-underway","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/41-haze-gray-and-underway\/","title":{"rendered":"#41 – Haze Gray and Underway!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Trivia Questions (Answers @ end)<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

  1. Who said, \u201cAny man who may be asked in this century what he did to make his life worthwhile, I think he can respond with a great deal of pride and satisfaction\u2026 I served in the United States Navy.\u201d?<\/em><\/li>
  2. In what movie (and who said it), \u201cGet to the choppah!\u201d<\/em>?<\/li>
  3. Who sang (and what song) the following lyrics:
    If I had told her that I loved her<\/em>
    She would have stayed til who knows when,<\/em>
    but I guess she couldn’t understand it<\/em>
    when I said I wanna be your friend,<\/em>
    because a friend would never doubt you<\/em>
    or ever put you uptight,<\/em>
    and now I wonder\u2026<\/em><\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n
    <\/div>
    Blog #41 (Audio)<\/div><\/div>
    <\/div>

    Listen to the audio of this blog, read by Andy Adkins. Click the \u201cAudio<\/strong><\/em>\u201d button below.<\/p>\n<\/div>

    Published: <\/span>October 15, 2021<\/span><\/div>
    <\/div>Audio by Andy Adkins<\/a><\/div><\/form><\/span>2<\/span> Downloads<\/span><\/span><\/div><\/div>
    <\/div>\n\n\n
    \n\n\n\n

    I left the Navy in July 1977, more than 47 years ago. I wrote about that \u201canniversary\u201d a few weeks ago in an earlier blog<\/a>. I still remember walking across elevator #3 toward the after brow, carrying my seabag over my shoulder and my 11-string Greco guitar (that\u2019s another<\/em> story for later) in my hand. One final salute (in civilian clothes) and off I went.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Over the years, my wife and kids had suggested several times that we take a cruise.  I seemed to have always found a lame excuse: \u201cI\u2019ve been on one.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Finally, in 2008, my wife & I joined our son, his future wife, and her parents to take my first \u201cnon-Navy\u201d cruise. It was the first time I\u2019d stepped onboard a ship larger than a small fishing boat. And that first night I told Becky, \u201cWhy did I wait so long?\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    That trip brought back many (MANY) memories for me. But I digress\u2026 this blog post is NOT about that<\/em> cruise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Haze Gray and Underway<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

    This is a phrase you won\u2019t hear in the Army, Marine Corps, Air Force, or Coast Guard\u2026 unless, of course, the Marines use the Navy as their personal Uber<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    You won\u2019t hear submariners use this term either, though they may try to argue. It\u2019s a phrase typically associated with Navy surface ships, which BTW, are a \u201chaze gray\u201d color as opposed to the dark gray or black color of submarines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"USS<\/a>
    USS Kitty Hawk, CV-63
    (Click to enlarge)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

    I had been in the Navy for more than 1\u00bd years; I was a 3d Class Petty Officer (ABH3); and I was well-versed in aircraft firefighting and had driven several different types of Crash firefighting trucks, all while stationed at NAS Agana, Guam<\/a><\/em><\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    But when I stepped aboard USS Kitty Hawk<\/em><\/strong> in March 1975, I was a FNG assigned to the V-1 Division<\/strong> \/ Crash<\/strong>. I worked on the flight deck, so I had to learn quickly what to do, when to do it, and where I should be, and more importantly, where I should NOT<\/em> be (don\u2019t cross that \u201cfoul line\u201d). Otherwise, I might find myself in a world of hurt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    We had a great Crash crew, led by CWO2 Bos\u2019n Ty Robuck<\/em>, Crash<\/em> LPO Jeff Atteberry<\/em>, Asst Crash LPO Shelby \u201cBig Willie\u201d Williams<\/em>, and a dozen other sailors dedicated to their job. They all helped break me in to my new assignment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Synchronized & Choreographed<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

    V-1 Division had about 80 sailors; the Air Department, about 500. But the entire ship had 5,500 (3,000 ship\u2019s company and 2,500 air wing). I knew this at the time, but because I was caught up in my own \u201cflight deck\u201d world, I rarely had the opportunity to visit other departments on the ship. It didn\u2019t dawn on me just how well synchronized a ship had to be to get underway\u2014everyone doing their jobs in order to safely make it out to sea. But, we all made it work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    I\u2019m sure I\u2019m not the only one, but if I could go back and make an announcement to the entire crew over the 1MC, I\u2019d say this: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \u201cThank you all for what you do. You helped make my one and only cruise, Westpac \u201975<\/em>, challenging and memorable\u2014something I will Never Forget<\/em><\/strong>. I couldn\u2019t tell you back then, but I\u2019m telling you now.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Saying Goodbye to Loved Ones<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

    While I wasn\u2019t married, nor did I have a girlfriend, a lot of my fellow shipmates were, many with kids. Most had mixed feelings about heading out to sea\u2014they hated leaving their families, but they loved being back on the ocean. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Not many people outside the military understand that complex lifestyle or those feelings. I think that\u2019s one reason I took section duty when we returned for a fellow V-1 Crash or Yellow Shirt who had family waiting. It just seemed like the right thing to do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Heading Out to Sea<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

    Not all shipmates would agree, but when you\u2019re in the Navy and accustomed to working aboard a ship (for me, an aircraft carrier flight deck), I loved heading out to sea. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The routines of getting underway, the tugboats, the BMs working the shore lines, the ship’s bells and whistles, the Captain’s announcements over the 1MC… it was almost like “leaving home to go home.” <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    During the day, you could watch as the ship moved through the channel, past the other Navy ships docked in the bay, past Point Loma and the Old Point Loma lighthouse, and out into the deep blue sea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The flight deck is about 60 feet above the water line, so we had great places to observe our surroundings from not only the flight deck but also the catwalks. Heading out, I\u2019d usually be on the starboard side, watching as we passed the lighthouse. Heading back in to San Diego, I\u2019d want to see North Island, so again, I\u2019d be on the starboard side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    I know there were guys on the hangar deck looking out through the massive hangar bay elevator doors, guys on the aft sponsons catching a glimpse, and of course, all those perched in their spots on the island superstructure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    San Diego is the 2d largest surface ship base in the U.S. (Norfolk is the largest). Even though Kitty Hawk’s<\/em> home port was North Island, we could still see the activity at the main base from the flight deck.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    We Were Never <\/em>Alone<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
    \"Kitty<\/a>
    USS Kitty Hawk, CV-63 Battle Group
    Photo credit: PH2 Hensley
    (Click to enlarge)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

    There were a lot of ships home ported there and when we got underway, others in the fleet were already out waiting for us or about to get underway themselves following us. That was also a comfort, knowing there were other Navy ships in the carrier battle group accompanying us on the cruise. We were not alone\u2014we were never<\/em> alone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    There\u2019s something about standing on the flight deck, high above the water, feeling the cool breeze coming over the bow, breathing in the fresh ocean air, and just taking it all in. \u201cThe wind in our faces, the salt in the air, and the glory of another fine day in the Navy.\u201d<\/em> I miss those days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Of course, there are other \u201cthings\u201d I don\u2019t miss about the Navy, but let\u2019s keep this post positive, shall we?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Squadrons Flying Aboard<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

    When we first left port, the flight deck was bare, except for Crash equipment, aircraft tow tractors and tow bars, and a few other odds & ends. No aircraft were on board yet, but they\u2019d join us in the next couple of hours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"\"<\/a>
    USS Kitty Hawk, CV-63
    Flyover
    (Click to enlarge)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

    The CVW-11 Air Wing<\/em> squadron maintenance & administration personnel were already on board. I can\u2019t remember how long it would be after we passed Point Loma, but the pilots would fly the aircraft from their various squadron bases (most in California) out to Kitty Hawk<\/em>. I imagine it\u2019s the same routine in today\u2019s Navy. That would be the first recovery of the cruise and helped us \u201cget our act together,\u201d so to speak.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Nighttime<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

    If you haven\u2019t been on a ship, it\u2019s hard to describe the nights when at sea. But if you can imagine being on the beach late into the night with no campfires, no ambient light, 5,000 of your closest friends near you, and no alcohol\u2026 well, you get the idea. Beauty without booze.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    We flew at night. The enemy never rests, why should we? Sometimes, we\u2019d fly 24 hours around the clock, but not that often during Westpac ’75<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"Flight<\/a>
    Aircraft Director @ Night
    (Click to enlarge)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

    At night, everyone needed to be more cautious, especially during flight ops. There are no flood lights on the flight deck. Aircraft follow \u201cYellow shirt\u201d director signals who use cone-shaped flash lights. You had to constantly watch yourself around the aircraft, even those parked and tied down. I\u2019ve got more scars than I can count on my shins from tripping over those blasted tie-down chains in the dark.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    When the Air Boss<\/em> announced over the 5MC (the flight deck PA system), \u201cStandby to recover aircraft,\u201d that meant it was time to go to work. During recovery operations, instead of landing aircraft every 20-30 seconds as we did during the day, they\u2019d spread it out to 60 seconds on a clear night. Longer if it was cloudy or stormy. Those were some \u201cinteresting\u201d times, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    At sea, I tried to find time to embrace the serenity of the ocean after a full day and night of flight ops. Many times, I\u2019d take in those brief glimpses up at the clear sky of millions of twinkling \u201chorizon-to-horizon\u201d stars in between recovering aircraft.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Then again, there was the opposite spectrum of calm, mirror-like water versus the raging storm-tossed water crashing over the bow, 60 feet above the waterline. In those rough seas, I\u2019d look over at an accompanying tin can destroyer a hundred yards off the starboard side and watch its bow dip completely<\/em> underwater while Kitty Hawk<\/em> cruised over the tops of the waves and be thankful I was on my<\/em> ship and not that<\/em> one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Cruisin\u2019 After<\/em> the Navy<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

    On my first cruise after <\/em>I left the Navy\u2014some 30+ years later in 2008\u2014I knew exactly where I wanted to be when we left port. The bow!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    No problem\u2026 there was plenty of room and only a few others up there. Feeling that slight salt breeze, smelling the clean air\u2026 the movement of the ocean\u2026 yeah, it was one of those happy \u201ctriggers\u201d that immediately took me back to getting underway aboard Kitty Hawk<\/em>. Well\u2026 except for a few things like no aircraft flight operations, no duty stations, no hollering CPOs, but plenty of booze. Yeah, I could get used to that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    What little hair I had was all wind-blown, but I didn’t care. The salt spray was in my face and on my glasses, but I didn’t care. I had to squint at the bright sun, but I didn’t care. I was at sea, “Hair’s Gray” and Underway. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Nights on the cruise? Well, let\u2019s just say that party goers are sometimes louder than an A-6 Intruder ready for launch on Cat 2. But, I will say this\u2014there was more <\/em>alcohol on the Holland America cruise than on Kitty Hawk<\/em>. And, no tie-down chains. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    I hope that in today’s COVID world, you might be able to find that wind blowing in your face, see those millions of twinkling stars when you look up at the night sky, smell that fresh sea air and remember… those good times you had when you can proudly say at one time, “I was haze gray and underway.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Stay safe, my friends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Until we meet again,<\/em>
    Andy<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"NEVER<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

    Andy Adkins is a US Navy veteran (\u201973-77) and the author of several books. His newest novel, NEVER FORGET, is the story of A Vietnam Veteran\u2019s Journey for Redemption & Forgiveness. NEVER FORGET is FREE (eBook, PDF) for all veterans. Download your FREE<\/strong> copy HERE<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Previous posts mentioned in this blog:<\/p>\n\n\n\n