{"id":3880,"date":"2021-04-06T06:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-04-06T10:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/?p=3880"},"modified":"2021-10-05T11:01:46","modified_gmt":"2021-10-05T15:01:46","slug":"77-bremerton-shipyards-april-77-adios","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/77-bremerton-shipyards-april-77-adios\/","title":{"rendered":"#77\u2014Bremerton Shipyards April \u201877: Adios"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><u>Trivia Questions (Answers @ end)<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\" type=\"1\"><li>Who said, <em>\u201cBeauty is everywhere. You only have to look to see it.\u201d?<\/em><\/li><li>In what movie (and who said it) did we hear, <em>\u201cDon\u2019t you know somebody back east is sayin&#8217;, &#8216;Why don&#8217;t he write.&#8217;\u201d?<\/em><\/li><li>In what song (and who sang it) did we hear the following?<br><em>I been all around this great big world<\/em><br><em>And I seen all kinds of girls<\/em><br><em>Yeah, but I couldn&#8217;t wait to get back in the States<\/em><br><em>Back to the cutest girls in the world<\/em><\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Thanks to those who commented on my previous blog, <strong><em><a href=\"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/76-set-the-mail-buoy-watch-fng-tasks\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">#76\u2014Set the Mail Buoy Watch\u2026 FNG Tasks<\/a><\/em><\/strong>. Several comments were spot on and reminded me of things I\u2019d forgotten. Here\u2019s a few more shared \u201cmemories:\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><em>\u201cMonkey Watch. 1992, USS JFK. Going through the Straits of Messina, there was a cable stretched between the toe of Italy and the island of Sicily. There was one particular AOAN who was late to everything. Gave him a 2&#215;4 and told him that monkeys like to swing along the cable and jump onto the ship, so if he sees one he should knock it overboard.\u201d<\/em><\/li><li><em>\u201cIn the artillery, it was &#8216;lanyard grease.&#8217; For those that aren&#8217;t familiar with the lanyard, it&#8217;s the rope that you pull that fires the gun.\u201d<\/em><\/li><li><em>\u201cGet me a bucket of relative bearing grease.\u201d<\/em><\/li><li><em>\u201cFetch a portable pad-eye puller.\u201d<\/em><\/li><li><em>\u201cA ream of ID-10-T forms.\u201d<\/em><\/li><li><em>\u201cWhere is the sky hook I sent you for?\u201d<\/em><\/li><li><em>\u201cSent an airman to the local Western Union for a Mammogram&#8230; in today\u2019s Navy, I would be fired&#8230;\u201d<\/em><\/li><li><em>\u201cFresh out of boot camp, third day in the squadron, I was sent to Maintenance Control to get the keys for an E-2A Hawkeye so the ADJ&#8217;s could do an engine turn.\u201d<\/em><\/li><li><em>\u201cPut a guy on mail buoy watch and he found it! Apparently a buoy broke loose after a storm and was floating around off the coast. Damn\u2026\u201d<\/em><\/li><li><em>\u201cI stood the Mail Buoy watch on Yankee Station in 1967 and not a single mail bag got past me!\u201d<\/em><\/li><li><em>\u201cWould give the boot airman a trash bag for exhaust samples on F14s and go get a can of electrical smoke.\u201d<\/em><\/li><li><em>\u201c\u2026 and the bullet proof paint for battle helmets.\u201d<\/em><\/li><li><em>\u201cWas in line for sick bay and a FNG was in front of me. We got to talking, and he told me he was sent down to pick up a set of fallopian tubes. I didn&#8217;t have the heart to tell him what was going on.\u201d<\/em><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"sdm_download_item \"><div class=\"sdm_download_item_top\"><div class=\"sdm_download_thumbnail\"><\/div><div class=\"sdm_download_title\">Blog #77 (Audio)<\/div><\/div><div style=\"clear:both;\"><\/div><div class=\"sdm_download_description\"><p>Listen to the audio of this blog, read by Andy Adkins. Click the \u201c<em><strong>Audio<\/strong><\/em>\u201d button below.<\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"sdm_download_date\"><span class=\"sdm_download_date_label\">Published: <\/span><span class=\"sdm_download_date_value\">October 5, 2021<\/span><\/div><div class=\"sdm_download_link\"><span class=\"sdm_download_button\"><form action=\"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/?sdm_process_download=1&#038;download_id=5223\" method=\"post\" class=\"sdm-g-recaptcha-form sdm-download-form\"><div class=\"sdm-recaptcha-button\"><div class=\"g-recaptcha sdm-g-recaptcha\"><\/div><a href=\"#\" class=\"sdm_download darkblue sdm_download_with_condition\">Audio by Andy Adkins<\/a><\/div><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"download_id\" value=\"5223\" \/><\/form><\/span><span class=\"sdm_download_item_count\"><span class=\"sdm_item_count_number\">0<\/span><span class=\"sdm_item_count_string\"> Downloads<\/span><\/span><\/div><\/div><div class=\"sdm_clear_float\"><\/div>\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Forty-four years ago this past week, <strong><em>USS Kitty Hawk<\/em><\/strong> steamed out of the Bremerton Shipyards after a year-long, 100 million dollar overhaul and headed back to her home port in San Diego. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft size-large is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/KittyHawk_DependentCarsAboard-1024x677.jpg?ssl=1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/KittyHawk_DependentCarsAboard.jpg?resize=227%2C150&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"USS Kitty Hawk returns from Bremerton\" class=\"wp-image-3884\" width=\"227\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/KittyHawk_DependentCarsAboard.jpg?resize=1024%2C677&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/KittyHawk_DependentCarsAboard.jpg?resize=300%2C198&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/KittyHawk_DependentCarsAboard.jpg?resize=768%2C508&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/KittyHawk_DependentCarsAboard.jpg?w=1253&amp;ssl=1 1253w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 227px) 100vw, 227px\" \/><\/a><figcaption>USS Kitty Hawk returns to San Diego from Puget Sound Naval Shipyard with dependents&#8217; cars aboard.<br>Photo credit: PH2 Kevin Prange.<br><em>(Click to enlarge)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I\u2019ve written a few times about our time in the <strong>Bremerton Shipyards<\/strong>, 1976-77. If you want to read those they are blog posts <a href=\"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/30-uss-kitty-hawk-bremerton-shipyards-part-1\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>#30<\/strong><\/a>, <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/31-uss-kitty-hawk-cv-63-decommission\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">#31<\/a><\/strong>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/42-the-shipyards-part-2\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>#42<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For those of us who wanted to drive, the CO gave us four days to get from Bremerton to San Diego. Since I had my new \u201976 Chevy truck (aptly named the \u201cChet Mobile\u201d), I took advantage of that glorious drive along the coast. With &#8220;three-on-a-tree&#8221; and a 350 cubic inch engine, I easily cruised down the highway. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Driving alone, I occasionally picked up a hitchhiker\u2014hitchhiking was a lot safer back in the mid-seventies than it is now. Some were more talkative than others, but it was nice to have a little company along the way. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Magnificent Coastal Drive<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Once I crossed the state line to Oregon, I drove down the coast with an unending number of magnificent views. It was some of the most breath-taking scenery I had ever seen, and I certainly took my time. The long stretch of road had minimal development and only small seaside towns along most of the way. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignright size-large is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Bremerton-ChetMobile-1024x715.jpg?ssl=1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Bremerton-ChetMobile.jpg?resize=197%2C137&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"The Chet Mobile (Chevy)\" class=\"wp-image-2343\" width=\"197\" height=\"137\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Bremerton-ChetMobile.jpg?resize=1024%2C715&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Bremerton-ChetMobile.jpg?resize=300%2C209&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Bremerton-ChetMobile.jpg?resize=768%2C536&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Bremerton-ChetMobile.jpg?w=1149&amp;ssl=1 1149w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 197px) 100vw, 197px\" \/><\/a><figcaption>The &#8220;Chet Mobile&#8221; (1977)<br><em>(Click to enlarge)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A few months earlier, I had purchased a camper top for my truck. With some help, I built two storage boxes and lined the truck bed with thick foam and carpet I had scavenged from the shipyard. Shipyard workers knew how to horse trade.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Chet Mobile was quite comfortable to sleep in. I did all my cooking on my Coleman stove and, with my guitar, serenaded some of the other campers in campgrounds I stayed along the way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In the three-plus years I&#8217;d served in the Navy, I really didn&#8217;t have much <em>alone <\/em>time to myself. I mean, boot camp, &#8220;A&#8221; school, NAS Agana, Guam, and now the <em>Kitty Hawk<\/em>. It was rare when I had more than a few hours at a time&#8230; alone. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And here I was with four days of driving&#8230; driving along Highway 101 (and yes, listening to both country music <em>and <\/em>the California beach scene music). It gave me time to think&#8230; <em>really <\/em>think about my future. I knew it wouldn&#8217;t be a career in the Navy; four years was enough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>90 Days and a Wake-up<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I had 98 days and a wake-up before leaving the Navy. I &#8220;sorta&#8221; had an idea of what I wanted to do next. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I&#8217;d taken a night course in electronics at Olympic Community College while in Bremerton and loved it. Even though I had flunked out of Florida State University (with a 0.7 GPA), I knew I wanted to return to school (this time, University of Florida) and pursue a degree in electronics engineering. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That&#8217;s one of many things I thought about on that long drive. Plus, I also learned a very valuable lesson. When you&#8217;re able to spend a long time, alone with your own thoughts and little to no disruption, you can think through and solve many of &#8220;<em>your <\/em>world problems.&#8221; <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That&#8217;s a lesson that would help me through many of my &#8220;journeys.&#8221; <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I took advantage of the full four days to drive to San Diego. I wasn\u2019t in a hurry since I didn\u2019t have anywhere to stay if I arrived <em>before <\/em>the ship. <em>Kitty Hawk<\/em> docked at the North Island pier about four hours before me. That was good timing, because I also needed a parking sticker from the main base.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Back Aboard\u2014I\u2019m Home<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Even though I had a phenomenal trip down and the scenery was spectacular, it felt great to be back aboard <em>Kitty Hawk<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It\u2019s hard to describe to someone who hasn\u2019t spent time on a ship, but those of us who have \u201csea time,\u201d know full well that feeling. Some ships are better than others, but almost every Navy veteran I know has that one special ship. For me, there was only one\u2014<em>Kitty Hawk<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There were several hundred dependents that rode back down with the ship, and it took a while to get them off the ship\u2014I helped offload the last few groups along with their cars they&#8217;d parked on the flight deck. They also needed to find housing on the base, so that is the reason the ship had a short stand-down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The first few days on board were little more than muster, keep yourself busy, and \u201cturn to\u201d which was the Navy\u2019s way of simply saying, \u201cClean up.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Yellow Shirt Director<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Once we were back in San Diego, the <strong>V-1 Division<\/strong> Officer, <strong>Lt. Lockram<\/strong>, reassigned me to a <strong>Yellow shirt<\/strong> director and I ended up in <strong>Fly 3<\/strong>. Fly 3 was the aft area of the flight deck; Fly 1 was the bow, and Fly 2 was amidships.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It was to be one of the best experiences in my life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft size-large is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/YellowShirtDirector36.jpg?ssl=1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/YellowShirtDirector36.jpg?resize=188%2C145&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3306\" width=\"188\" height=\"145\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/YellowShirtDirector36.jpg?w=800&amp;ssl=1 800w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/YellowShirtDirector36.jpg?resize=300%2C232&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/YellowShirtDirector36.jpg?resize=768%2C593&amp;ssl=1 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 188px) 100vw, 188px\" \/><\/a><figcaption>My original jersey: Yellow Shirt Director, #36 (1977).<br><em>(Click to enlarge)<\/em> <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I also carried several other collateral duties, including the Division Yeoman, the Division Training Petty Officer, the Division Career Counselor, and the Division First Aid Petty Officer. To tell you the truth, I didn\u2019t mind; I was a short timer <em>and<\/em>\u2026 I was now a Yellow shirt\u2014what could be better than that?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When I first went onto the flight deck as a director, I was in training (I had a yellow jersey with a big \u201cT\u201d stenciled on the front and back). But since I had been around for a while and made the <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/49-westpac-75-after-six-months-were-coming-home\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Westpac \u201975<\/a><\/strong> cruise, it didn\u2019t take me long to learn the ropes. My good friend, <strong>Smitty<\/strong>, also a Fly 3 director, helped me out, especially in the tough spots.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>A Little Different From Fishing Boats<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I&#8217;ll tell you&#8230; it was a lot easier to either tow or taxi an aircraft moving <em>forward <\/em>than backing it up. The tow tractors were initially a challenge. While I had backed up a lot of small fishing boats over the years, the dynamics of backing up an aircraft were completely different.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Backing up a fishing boat on a trailer goes the <em>opposite <\/em>way of the steering wheel since there is only a single point of contact: the trailer hitch. Since aircraft tow tractors have two points of contact: the trailer hitch on the back of the tow tractor <em>and<\/em> the nose wheel of the aircraft where the tow bar connects, the aircraft follows the way the tractor turns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It sounds confusing\u2014and it is\u2014but you quickly get used to it. That&#8230; or else you find another job. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I had arrived aboard <em>Kitty Hawk<\/em> in March \u201975 and initially assigned to <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/ready-a-veterans-journey-you-light-em-we-fight-em\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Crash &amp; Salvage<\/a><\/strong>. When I drove the crash trucks, I was constantly in somebody\u2019s way. The Yellow shirts always yelled and told me to \u201cmove; you&#8217;re in the way.\u201d Now it was my turn, but since I had been in Crash\u2019s shoes, I asked a little nicer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Sea Trials<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After a major overhaul like the one we had in Bremerton, the ship had to endure all types of training and qualifications, not only to make sure everything worked properly, but also to train the crew and the air wing. This keeps the Navy in top operating condition\u2014training, more training, and additional training on top of that training.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-pullquote alignleft\"><blockquote><p>Our first time out at sea was almost like a homecoming. It wasn\u2019t just me; it was the <em>entire crew<\/em>, at least those of us who worked on the flight deck.<\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Our first time out at sea was almost like a homecoming. It wasn\u2019t just me; it was the <em>entire crew<\/em>, at least those of us who worked on the flight deck. I sounded like a lifer, but it felt fantastic getting back out to sea and into the routine of flight operations. Those 14 to 16-hour days weren\u2019t so bad after all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After a Westpac cruise, I guess many sailors appreciated the time back on land&#8211;I get that, and I was one of them. But I tell you&#8230; when you head back out to sea after working boring 8-hour days in port for a year, well&#8230; it just feels right. At least it did 45 years ago. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Am I the only one that feels that?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>New Aircraft Aboard<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignright size-large is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/F14_Director-CatLaunch.jpg?ssl=1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/F14_Director-CatLaunch.jpg?resize=312%2C222&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"F14 USS Theodore Roosevelt CVN 71\" class=\"wp-image-3347\" width=\"312\" height=\"222\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/F14_Director-CatLaunch.jpg?w=1024&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/F14_Director-CatLaunch.jpg?resize=300%2C214&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/F14_Director-CatLaunch.jpg?resize=768%2C548&amp;ssl=1 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 312px) 100vw, 312px\" \/><\/a><figcaption>F-14 Tomcat lining up for launch on USS Theodore Roosevelt CVN-71. Photo credit: PHAA Nathan Laird.<br><em>(Click to enlarge)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We got the Navy\u2019s newest fighter, the <strong>F-14 Tomcat.<\/strong> They were bigger than the <strong>F-4 Phantoms<\/strong>, but to me, did not look as mean. Instead of a fixed wing that folded up for parking, the F-14 had wings that retracted back toward the rear of the plane, almost like a bird tucking its wings for a dive. The wings fully extend for takeoff, but during flight for speed, they retracted in the swept wing position, providing less wind resistance and letting the F-14 quickly reach supersonic speeds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Also known as a \u201cTurkey,\u201d the F-14 could reach speeds of 1,500 mph or Mach 2+ at altitude and could break the sound barrier at sea level. It carried a crew of two: a pilot and a RIO, similar to the F-4 Phantom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Originally designed in 1958, the F-4 Phantom saw almost twenty years of service, and would now be replaced by the F-14. We trained with the same squadrons we had during Westpac \u201975 and many of the same pilots\u2014they had learned to fly the new F-14s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Civilians would become familiar with the F-14 Tomcat when the movie, <strong><em>Top Gun<\/em><\/strong>, came out in 1986.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft size-large is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/S-3_Viking_USSKittyHawk.jpg?ssl=1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/S-3_Viking_USSKittyHawk.jpg?resize=272%2C179&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"S-3 Viking landing aboard USS Kitty Hawk\" class=\"wp-image-3889\" width=\"272\" height=\"179\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/S-3_Viking_USSKittyHawk.jpg?w=1024&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/S-3_Viking_USSKittyHawk.jpg?resize=300%2C197&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/S-3_Viking_USSKittyHawk.jpg?resize=768%2C505&amp;ssl=1 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 272px) 100vw, 272px\" \/><\/a><figcaption>S-3 Viking (VS-29 Dragonflies) lands aboard USS Kitty Hawk, April 1, 2981. Photo credit: PH3 Carlos Correa.<br><em>(Click to enlarge)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We also got the newer <strong>S-3 Viking<\/strong> anti-submarine warfare aircraft. They were nicknamed \u201cHoovers\u201d because they sounded like a vacuum cleaner when they applied full power. These guys replaced the older gasoline-powered S-2 \u201cStoofs\u201d and carried a crew of four. Similar to the S-2s, their mission was to drop sonobuoys and helped track enemy submarines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A distinguishing feature of the S-3 was the huge cockpit window, similar to the old AMC Pacer automobile. When the movie <strong><em>Wayne\u2019s World<\/em><\/strong> came out, the scene in Garth\u2019s AMC Pacer of everyone singing Queen\u2019s <strong><em>Bohemian Rhapsody<\/em><\/strong> and bobbing their heads in time to the music reminded me of the S-3.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>In the Crotch<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Between the time <em>Kitty Hawk<\/em> returned to San Diego and the time I left the Navy in July 1977, we were at sea six times. I was a Yellow shirt in Fly 3, <strong>Flight Deck Director #36<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignright size-large is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/KittyHawkAngle.jpg?ssl=1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/KittyHawkAngle.jpg?resize=250%2C107&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-101\" width=\"250\" height=\"107\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/KittyHawkAngle.jpg?w=512&amp;ssl=1 512w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/KittyHawkAngle.jpg?resize=300%2C129&amp;ssl=1 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 250px) 100vw, 250px\" \/><\/a><figcaption>Aircraft carrier &#8220;crotch&#8221; &#8211; highlighted.<br><em>(Click to enlarge)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The third time out I asked <strong>ABH1 &#8220;Mac&#8221; Mackay<\/strong>, the Fly 3 LPO, if I could become the <strong>Gear Puller<\/strong>, the Yellow shirt that stood on the angle of the flight deck directing aircraft out of the recovery area after they\u2019ve trapped. It only took a couple of cycles training with Smitty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You stand in the crotch, between the angle and #2 catapult, just forward of the #2 JBD, just starboard of the foul line. You could be in deep doo-doo if anything happened so, as Smitty put it, \u201cthink about where you are and where you want to jump.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The job was simple: wait until the plane trapped safely, run out to meet the plane and make sure the pilot sees you (you\u2019re about twenty feet away) and give him the \u201chook up\u201d signal. If the hook raises properly, start taxiing him out of the recovery area, turning him to the starboard side, give him the signal to fold wings, and pass him along to another Yellow shirt in Fly 2. Then thirty seconds later, do it all over again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This was my favorite job on the flight deck. I don\u2019t know why, but I enjoyed this post more than any other during my short 2\u00bd years aboard <em>Kitty Hawk<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There was, however, one harrowing experience that almost changed my mind. I wrote about it earlier, <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/between-a-rock-and-a-hard-place\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">#3\u2014Between a Rock and a Hard Place<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The \u201cFalcon Codes\u201d<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">During an at sea time, one of the Yellow shirts found a listing of what was commonly known as <strong>Falcon Codes<\/strong>. I don\u2019t know who created these, but the idea was to provide a shortcut of \u201cthoughts\u201d that you couldn\u2019t say over radio frequencies. Most were vulgar and since you would get your ass chewed out if you muttered \u201cBeats the crap out of me\u201d or \u201cYou must have crap for brains,\u201d you would instead say \u201cFalcon 103\u201d or \u201cFalcon 173.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For those of you who are interested, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.azadkinsiii.com\/glossary_falcon.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">here\u2019s a link to the Falcon Codes<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">My favorite? <strong><em>Falcon #169<\/em><\/strong> (\u201cI love the xxx Navy, and the Navy loves xxx me\u201d).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Until we meet again,<\/em><br>Andy<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Previous posts mentioned in this blog:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><a href=\"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/76-set-the-mail-buoy-watch-fng-tasks\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">#76\u2014Set the Mail Buoy Watch\u2026 FNG Tasks<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/30-uss-kitty-hawk-bremerton-shipyards-part-1\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">#30\u2014USS Kitty Hawk @ Bremerton Shipyards, Part 1<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/31-uss-kitty-hawk-cv-63-decommission\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">#31\u2014USS Kitty Hawk, CV-63 Decommission<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/42-the-shipyards-part-2\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">#42\u2014The Shipyards, Part 2<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/49-westpac-75-after-six-months-were-coming-home\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">#49\u2014Westpac \u201975: After Six Months We\u2019re Coming Home<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/ready-a-veterans-journey-you-light-em-we-fight-em\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">#10\u2014You Light \u2018em, We Fight \u2018em<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/between-a-rock-and-a-hard-place\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">#3\u2014Between a Rock and a Hard Place<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Answers<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\" type=\"1\"><li>Bob Ross.<\/li><li><strong>Dances with Wolves<\/strong> (1990), Timmons (Robert Pastorelli). <\/li><li><strong><em>California Girls<\/em><\/strong> (1965), Beach Boys; written by Brian Douglas Wilson, Michael Edward Love.<\/li><\/ol>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Trivia Questions (Answers @ end) Who said, \u201cBeauty is everywhere. You only have to look to see it.\u201d? In what movie (and who said it) did we hear, \u201cDon\u2019t you know somebody back east is sayin&#8217;, &#8216;Why don&#8217;t he write.&#8217;\u201d?&#8230; <a href=\"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/77-bremerton-shipyards-april-77-adios\/\" class=\"readmore\">Read more<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">#77\u2014Bremerton Shipyards April \u201877: Adios<\/span><span class=\"fa fa-angle-double-right\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[59],"tags":[206,74,123,83,203,169,272,271,7,146,84,16],"class_list":["post-3880","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-navy","tag-a-veterans-journey","tag-agana-guam","tag-bremerton-shipyards","tag-crash-salvage","tag-f-14-tomcat","tag-f-4-phantom","tag-falcon-codes","tag-s-3-viking","tag-uss-kitty-hawk","tag-v-1-division","tag-westpac","tag-yellow-shirt","content-layout-excerpt-thumb"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>#77\u2014Bremerton Shipyards April \u201877: Adios &#8212; A Veteran&#039;s Journey<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"After spending a year in the Bremerton Shipyards, we headed back April 1, 1977 to San Diego, our home port. 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