Seeing this video, and reading the comments has brought back a lot of memories. I was an AW in HSL-35, from 77-80. With dets on Kinkaid, Sterrett, Knox, and Kirk. Thanks for bringing it all back.
I served aboard USS Ainsworth as an ET during late '81 to early '85. Did one deployment in 1983. Got the CIWS during our winter 1983-1984 refit in Charleston , SC. Overall, I enjoyed my time aboard her. Like to tell folks the Navy paid me for three years of Caribbean Cruises! I also acted as bridge phone talker between Captain/OOD and the Helo officer back aft. My station was that tiny box on the starboard side of the bridge. Helo officer is in a similar box on starboard side of the helo hanger.
Amen to the "real men" characterization, from someone who did five cruises and flew 2000 hours in the "hookey two"; I did one cruise with an HH-2D (HSL-31 Det B) and on my last cruise my HSL-34 det flew 50.2% night time--with 65% of my time at night. Thanks for the video. I didn't know anyone even had personal video cameras in 1977.
Noticed that the Ainsworth didn't have the CIWS at that time. I was on the Elmer Montgomery (FF-1082) in the very early 90s. One thing that didn't change are the helos... hehe. Love the Sea Sprite. Thanks for the post :)
Chuck, Thanks for this wonderful clip---brought it all back to me in a hurry. I flew 232 as a Greenchecker in the early 1990s with Det 6, together with Ray Trygstad, Mike McCabe and Doug Keller. What a beautiful bird she was...and a great paint job. Thanks! Doug Pugliese
+hombresinombre, did you hear back from flyboy73? I was trying to get in touch with him for any other footage he has. Ron Pickett - FTG2 1977 Med cruise
You video was sent to me by a shipmate - USS Davidson DE/FF-1045. We now have some video for our ship's files on L.A.M.P.S. Thank you!!! Mike Peck Records USS Davidson DE/FF 1045 Reunion Assn. 5608 Benton Ave Edina, MN 55436 2011 Reunion - Charleston, SC Aug 4-7
I cheated. I recorded a bunch of sounds with a cassette recorder figuring that someday I'd figure out how to put them together. You backseat guys were great! We were flying back from Rosey Roads to meet the ship docked at St Croix. We got there after dark and couldn't see the ship because they were dressed up and blended in with the dock lights. Our AW guided us right in on radar. I finally saw the ship about fifty yards out. We were lined up and on glidepath.
Didn't the East coast LAMPS squadrons use a 3 digit aircraft numbering system? I was in West coast LAMPS (33, 35, and 37) and we used the 2 digit system.
Only a true connoisseur could tell the difference between an insanely tiny flight deck and an insanely tinier deck. Having landed on both, I can avow that the extra 3 feet beam of the Knox Class doesn't seem like that much more on a dark stormy night.
