I served the board the USS Downs DE 1070 reclassified to FF 1070. I was stationed on the Ff 1070 Downes in 1975 and 1976 - Home Ported at 32 St, San Diego Naval base. I was a boiler technician on the ship. One thing that stands out to me is that the lifeline are not that large. They were cables and not these large white lines that I see on the model. Another difference in the 1970s was there was no phalanx system on the fan tail. It was a 4 x 4 rocket launcher for Sea Sparrow rockets.
My dad was a HTC on the USS Reasoner FF-1063 from 1980 to 1983 when he retired. When he was on the Reasoner it didn't have the CIWS, it had a BPDMS Basic Point Defense Missile System on the fantail. Unfortunately I never got to go on board the Reasoner. He passed away in July of 2011.
I served on USS Marvin Shields. DE/FF 1066 from 1973-1977 as a machinists mate. Over 2 westpac cruises was the helo fueler, gq was after steering, underway watches were either engine room top watch or throttles. Marvin Shields was equipped with BPDMS missile launcher on stern and IVDS(independent variable depth sonar) under the launcher.
I too served on the Mighty Marv from 1977 to 1981. Two Westpacs, stood after-steering for a very short time, then on the bridge as Lee Helm during Unreps. They finally figured out that an FTG shouldn't do that. Also got down in the Engine Room and Boiler Room as the DCPO and cleaning before LOE prior to OPPE. GQ was Gun Plot on the 53F Radar. We may have run across one another as I stood POOW or Asroc Roving Patrol in my first year on-board. What I learned was: Snipes had a hard life and they earned my respect. Had a few good friends there (one being an MM3.) Fair winds and following seas to you!
I served on board the USS Brewton FF-1086 station in Pearl Harbor, HI and attached to DESRON 33 as a Fire controlman in the Weapons Division. Nicked named the Bubba Bee by the crew in honor of Lt. John C Brewton, US Navy SEAL from Alabama. I served form 85' to 89'. The Brewton also transported the remains of the Unknown Soldier from Hawaii to California. The Brewton is still in service today in the Taiwanese Navy as the Fong Yang FFG-933.
USS Bowen, FF-1079. I was in the weapons dept. in the mid 70's. My primary duties were with the gun director. Really enjoyed the travel but the work was much harder than I expected. Once you set to sea everything switches to port and starboard duty, 12 hours on 12 off, plus all the watches and drills. It was lonely business for a naive 20 year old.
I never really thought about it, but I suppose it could be a bit much (or not enough) for a young man. I haven't ever sailed on anything bigger than a tallship, and have never been at sea for more than a few days at a time, we also had 3 watches, so we were 8 on 16 off with dog watches while under way. Can I ask how the gun director worked? Was that for the 5"54, or the Ciws?
To all My Shipmates that have Shared the Relam of King Neptune ..... I bid You "Fair Winds and Following Seas".......... To those who have gone before me and after "Til We Meet Again"
My first ship, USS Whipple FF-1062 out of Pearl Harbor. Arrived there as a push button E-4 Sonar Tech in 1980 and left 5 years later as STG1 and LPO of AS Division. Made 3 Western Pacific/Indian Ocean/Persian Gulf deployments on her, I was single and when not deployed, hanging around Hawaii. What great memories.
I was an EW on the Whipple (DE1062), reported on board July '74. They made it an FF in '75. I came as a pushbutton EW3, left as an EW2. Great ship, still in service in the Mexican Navy. Made one WestPac and a yard period.
I love your build! I was a sonar tech aboard USS Moinester (FF-1097), the last of the Knox Class. I think she still serves the Egyptian Navy as The Rasheed. Frigate sailors are a close bunch since the crews were small compared to other ships. I hope to someday see a new Constellation class frigate back in the fleet. It was a great experience but the lifestyle wasn't easy.
Thank you! I've gotten that impression about the closeness of the crew from the stories my father tells. As for the Constellation class, I think you may get your way soon, and it's about time in my opinion! I think the US Navy has been lacking in counter-sub capabilities for a while.
@baconx4, I was also stationed on the Moinester from 9-75 till 8-79, I was a TM and worked with your Sonar predecessors. I have 2 of these small Knox models and 1 of the bigger ones, gonna have to get started on them.
I served on the USS Valdez FF1096 (76-80) in the Enginering department as an EM2. We did have a helicopter on board when we were on a major cruise. The cruise's I made with the USS Valdez were the Med, North Atlantic, Africa (Morocco, Dakar Senegal, Djibouti, Kenya) Caribbean readiness training Guantanamo Bay. I did cross the equator and I am a Shellback. We also had a full bird Captain that was in charge, and we got to pull into a lot of nice ports because of his rank. Those were some good times.
I was a Quartermaster on board the USS Fanning (FF-1076) Knox class until 1986. You didn't find much info about the Knox but it was the cold war, and we were keeping Typhoons away from the US coastlines. (Always remember, Frigate Sailors Do it Better with 1 screw)
Oh, but they were involved in important operations. I was the ship’s Photographers Mate on board U.S.S. Vreeland FF1068 in the Persian Gulf in 78-79, when the pro American Iranian Shah was overthrown by the anti American ayatollah. When the poop was officially starting to hit the fan in the Mideast, it was a lonely place militarily. Just the destroyer Mullinix, Flagship LaSalle and the Vreeland in a theater that was increasingly anti American. We made an abrupt u-turn as we were headed to the Seychelles for an R&R port call, (never did make it) to patrol the coast of Iran with no liberty for quite some time, as the only pitiful American show of force. Anyway, all that to say, we were the hors-d’oeuvre until the main meal af the American fleet got there. The rest is ongoing history. So, a Knox Class Frigate was the tip of the spear in that theater of operations, so to speak, at least for a short while. You’ll not read much of that in the ships history. Vreeland was also, on that same cruise, the first American man o’ war to port at Mogadishu, Somalia in over 10yrs, after Soviet involvement in that country. As far as the beautiful scale model you showed, first, thank you for that on behalf of all Knox class sailors. It’s nice to see how classy and sleek that class of ships actually were after all these years. By the late 70’s, Vreeland didn’t have the raised gunnels on the foc'sle. There was no phalanx aft of the hangar deck, but a basic point defense missile launch. Vreeland was sold to the Greek navy after decomm in 1992.
Thank you for the story! That's a pretty good one, although, I can think of worse navies to serve in than the Greek one! I suppose I misspoke when I said they never served in any meaningful operations. I was thinking about how they came after WWII and so they couldn't have been in any earth shattering battles like Midway. The Cold war was something else entirely though. I can only imagine what it was like at certain points sitting on that powder keg!
I was a Sonar Technician onboard the USS W.S. Sims (FF-1059) "Mighty Fine". I was onboard for 6+ yrs. There are many events i was involved in but the most dramatic was when the Space Shuttle Challenger Explosion, We were on site and picked up alot of the fuselage, Cold and Very Touching to see it unfold over our heads.
Man, that must have been horrifying. I didn't know any of the Knoxes helped out with that. Thanks for the story. On an unrelated note, I have to ask this since you were a sonar technician. a buddy of mine who served on a CG said he was on deck when they pinged their sonar, and he immediately saw a giant cloud of red brown in the water near the bow. He told me he thought they must have liquidated a whale or something. Could sonar actually do that? Thanks again!
@@professorbellbuilds We had been down at the Andros Range, and things were just quite and peaceful on our journey back to Mayport. I took the opportunity to tune in some music on an old(OLD) receiver. I found a real strong station coming out of Florida. It was within minutes then that I heard the tragic news of the explosion that took so many of the wonderful folks on the Challenger. I got a quick radio check with Cinclantflt on the red phone and called the skipper up on the bridge with the sad news. He immediately called Cinclantflt and was assigned to kick it up to flank (as I remember it) and get to the scene to assist. We were the first ship on station, and, subsequent to some super efforts by our deck/air ops guys managed to only recover a deck full of destruction. There were a great many of the guys teary eyed, but worked their tails off nevertheless. I still cherish the beautiful award certificate we received for a truly wonderful effort. The ship was awarded the Coast Guard Meritorious Service Medal. Every time another shuttle goes up, I, as well as many of you I am sure, hope it never happens again............................ As Stated by a Radioman on board, To the best of his ability We were also given a Large Certificate and Honors by NASA and POTUS.
@@professorbellbuilds www.usssims1059.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/wreckage1.jpg............ Jim was a sonar tech when he was onboard the USS W>S> Sims... Pictures of the Space Shuttle Challenger that we Fished out of the Alantic Ocean after it Exploded Over our heads. The debris was then off loaded to the USCG Corpus Christi.... Need anymore proof to prove a person that served onboard one of these KNOX CLASS FRIGATES FOR YEAR LIKE YOUR FATHER........... Yes i am upset.
@@professorbellbuilds sorry if i seemed out of line but we pinged a large object, it was later to found at that location as the Nose of the Challenger. It was a horrible day to see this happen and know that several people have lost their lives. But Yes the "Silly Willy" was on location and was awarded the USCG Meritorious Service Medal.
@@professorbellbuilds Also when the marine barracks was bombed in Beirut Lebanon we were on station with the USS Jersey, She had pulled off the Gunline to get stores and take a break. The Sims then had her postion Yes a "KNOX CLASS FRIGATE" on the Gun Line relieving a "Battle Wagon".... We were called to fire for effect, we fired several rounds to to the spotter then the LAST ROUND TO FIRE ON BERIUT was the USS WS Sims (FF/DE 1059)... Then as stated "The Guns Fell Silent" ..... Yes there are Several Proud Knox Class "Tin Can Sailors" who were Honored to Serve Their Country as a United States Navy Sailor............
FIRSTLY..Tell you Dad, " Thank You for your Service, Sacrifice, and TIME!"...from a USN Veteran 20+ years Secondly, I Was assigned to a KNOX-class FF back in '84, fresh "Shower Shoe" ( not even a Boot ) SN. I was stationed onboard USS GRAY FF-1054, a sister ship Probably at the same Naval Base, around LBNSY ( Long Beach, CA ), I was an OSSN.🤔 I was on GRAY for about 1.5 years, until they decommissioned her, then transferred to a few FFG of the OLIVER PERRY-class. Sadly, they decom Long Beach and was transferred on that FFG to San Diego....while serving onboard that FFG, but after several years...decom That ship. Transferred to another FFG...served onboard that one, for several years, and would you know it....Decom Her. Then sent to my last FFG where I served for my final years...before they "decom" ME!! Four (4) ships...all FF/FFGs, but the KNOX-class was ALWAYS my favorite.... retired as an OS1 and LPO! AS For the Model....... I LIKE IT!! Sure I might be bias, but hey as you said, 'Professor BB', "...Look at That 5"/38 gun!!!" And for ME....That was the clincher, When, onboard GRAY, that 5" gun was firing....Oh, I KNEW we were going to "Hit" something!! ( BHAM.....BHAM.......BHAM ) I mean ..... The Whole SHIP shuttered... As for the FFG....well they had a 76mm gun and when They fired their gun I ALWAYS said to myself, "...are we going to hit something, or Get hit by something??" (phew, phew, phew, phew, phew) Anyways.... I enjoyed your build, I enjoyed Why you built it, and I HOPE it keeps the memory of your Dad's time In............ the United States Navy!!!🏴☠🏴☠🏴☠🏴☠
I was on the USS Joseph Hewes FF-1078 from 1982-1985. Met it in GITMO after my schooling. I worked on the ASROC launcher and stood Sonar watches while at sea, It was such a great ship and crew. That was a time in my life I will never forget.
I served aboard two Knox Class Frigates, 1977-79 USS Brewton FF-1086 in Pearl Harbor and 1980-81, USS Hewes FF-1078 in Charleston as an STG. Hello to my shipmates out there!
Served aboard the USS Marvin Shields FF-1066 from Feb1977 until Sep1981 out of San Diego. Did two WestPacs on Mighty Marv as well as a year in Todd Shipyards in Seattle (now live south of Olympia.) Gun Fire Controlman on the MK 68/AN-SPG53F Radar Set and Mark 47 computer. In Gun Plot for GQ. Mighty Marv was sold to Mexico, renamed the ARM MARIANO ABASOLO F-212. She sailed for many years and last I knew was tied up along with the other three frigates sold to Mexico. My understanding is there are two Knox museum visit ships in the world: one in Turkey at the İnciraltı Maritime Museum and another in Asia...possibly Thailand? My ship did not have a hurricane bow until after 78 and never had the "Chr__t It Won't Shoot!". Only Basic Point aft. We deployed with a SeaSprite and in '77 it was flown quite often when the hanger wasn't closed over it. And by the way...that "stacky" thing is the "Mack"....combination mast and stack. Lived on board and did/saw a lot (plane-guarding wasn't much fun.) I'm a Shellback and still have my certificate. I too have the model and the photo-etch kit...and font and printable decal sheets to make the name...but haven't put it together yet. Wish you and your Dad "Fair winds and following seas!" Thanks for the video!
I was on board USS Badger FF-1071, between 76-78 . Right around 1980, the ships received that "hurricane bow. The forward-most 30 (or so) feet where the foc"sle was raised up another 4 feet from the flush deck. Previously , none of the Knox class had that. Also, they didn't have Phalanx CIWS, on the fantail. Most had BPDMS. (Basic point defense missile system) . A box-like launcher that held 8 sea sparrow misses. Some Knox class also had IVDS. A hatch opened from the transom, and a Sonar on a cable was towed.
I was a storekeeper on USS W S Sims FF-1059 right out of A-school 1977-1980 good times about 3 years ago i looked up my skipper CDR. Reaves thru his daughter who was 3 years old in our 78 med cruise book it was a trip talking to him on the phone after 40 plus years were getting old.
Great job Professor! I've been hoping for a larger scale version to come along one of these days. I spent four years in the engine room, and aux 1 machinery space as a machinist mate on FF1055. Their attempt to make a single screw screw ship by hot rodding it to run at 1200 psi steam didn't quite meet the goal. We almost lost two guys in Aux1 when a main steam line burst. Got the plant on enough to limp into Subic bay for a 90 day stint welded to the pier while metallurgists analyzed the entire main steam piping system. Found the failed section to be carbon steel when it should have been chromoly! We escorted tankers in the Persian gulf during the tanker war. Served with a great group of hole snipes, and keep in touch with a couple still to this day. Long live the tin can sailors!
LOL, the gulf was a fairly restricted area to navigate, and we were there to deter the troublemakers, so we adjusted to their speed. Especially when loaded! Since we were primarily an ASW ship we took them in the first third, handed them off to an FFG, who then handed them off to a DDG as they got to the deepest point for loading at Kuwait, I believe. We worked with the Stark for some time before rotating home. We were heading from Hawaii to San Diego when the Stark was attacked. Thought for sure we would be turned around for some serious trouble. That turned into a political mess.@@professorbellbuilds
@@professorbellbuilds No, but I knew guys that were; Yokosuka sailors tend to stay over there. Operations Specialist, we ran the Combat Information Center, and yes intel was a part of my job.
I served on the USS Ainsworth from Sept. 1978 until Sept. 1982 (minus some time spent at SWOS in Newport, Rhode Island.) When I reported aboard she was in the middle of a baseline overhaul in the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard. My first sight of her was sitting in dry dock, scaffolding and cables running the length of the deck, holes cut in her side, and streaks of dirt everywhere. It was almost like a scene out of . She was rough, tumble and oddly beautiful. In November 1979 we set sail for deployment to join the Middle East Force. This was immediately after Iran seized 52 American hostages at the U.S. Embassy in Tehran. We would spend 84 days straight underway without a port call, most of it with battle stations partially manned and ready. We spent most of that time in the northern part of the Persian Gulf patrolling between Kharg Island and the Iranian mainland, always making sure we were 24 NM out to sea. Basically, we were the bait on the end of a long hook which stretched south into the Arabian Sea where three aircraft carriers were waiting for any excuse to come to our defense. I remember that the two navigational points we used on our north/south patrol were called Point Kermit and Point Gonzo. The carriers were assigned to Piggy Station. (The Muppets were popular code names back then.) We returned to Norfolk in April of 1980, very much intact and tired, but with a sense of having completed our mission successfully. This was reflected in the 4 page message of commendation sent to us by COMIDEASTFOR. Ironically, we did too good a job, because when we redeployed to the Med eighteen months later, our assignment was switched back to the Middle East when that same commander asked for us by name. No good job is ever left unpunished in the U.S. Navy. LOL. My four years was the equivalent of a post-grad course of study in real life military service.
That's a cool story, thanks for sharing that! I do kinda wish this were a full hull model to show off the sonar dome and single screw, etc. (I used to refer to my wife's pregnant belly as her sonar dome!). It's funny, I've heard a lot of stories about bait ships dinking around off a coast trying to be as low hanging fruit as possible. It almost makes me laugh though since they're usually FFs or CGs or other heavily armed and very capable ships. Personally I wouldn't want to tangle with the US Navy regardless, but you would think that if you're trying to entice an attack you'd use a vessel that wasn't so obviously able to ruin everyone's day by itself! Mabye that's why the Navy developed the LCS! Thanks again for the story.
I served aboard USS Moinester FF-1097 in the late 70s as an Operations Specialist.The Knox class was one of the most beautiful ships ever put to sea by the US Navy. That bow could cut through anything. Too bad your dad's ship didn't run helo ops. We sure did. Lots of chasing Soviet subs around the Med. And as far as seaworthiness, once coming back across the Atlantic, we got into a BAD storm ... she took an 89-degree roll! Came right back up. I think Chief Lynch even got a little green around the gills on that one!
I agree, the Knoxes are good looking. I might go so far as to say the coolest looking ship in the Cold War Navy. I do remember Dad telling me stories about helo ops, but I think it was just touch and gos. If I remember correctly he liked volunteering for firefighting during those because most of the time he got to sit around and work on a pile of gedunk. By the way, how easy/hard was it to track Soviet subs?
I served as a GMT 3 onboard the USS TRIPPE DE 1075 ( FF) from 1972 to 1975. We were home ported in Newport RI, then reassigned to Charleston SC. It was later sold to the Greek Navy. Do to damage caused by a fire, thus they decided to use it for target practice
I served on a Knolx class frigate from 89 to 92. She was decommisioned. Seeing this model and her profile brings back so many memories...all the men I served with on her. Thank you for this. I need to find a model kit for her...USS DOWNES FF 1070. FFH (Frigate from Hell) as our captain nick named her.
I served as as corpsman on the USS Thomas C Hart (FF 10929) from 1976-1979. The ship was only several years old when I checked aboard so it was a great ride. Many fond memories of my shipmates and ports of call in South America and the Med.
@@kennethjames9416 I like those too. Have you ever built any Russian IFVs? I want to build a BTR-70, I always thought they looked cool. Anyway, if you ever do get a wild hair and decide to build a ship, I think you'll find it enhances your eye for detail. Especially since I prefer the 1/700 scale for ships, I feel like photo etch and tiny details on planes are much easier. Then again, I guess the same result could be achieved by just assembling lots of detail on your planes too!
I served on USS Vreeland FF-1068 from ‘86-‘90. Vreeland was the only Navy ship involved in Operation Just Cause, the invasion of Panama in Dec. “89. Great job on the model & thanks for sharing.
Thank you! That's nuts about Panama. I've never really done any research about it, but just at first glance it seems weird that there would be only one ship for the operation. Did the Coast Guard do most of the work on that one, or was it just a smaller operation than I'm imagining?
I personally loved the Knox Class i did 3 years on the USS Whipple FF-1062, and did 3 years on the USS Brewton FF_1086 both of which i think are still around the Whipple was i believe given to the Mexican Navy and the Brewton sold to Taiwan. As far as the model, there were no rails going around the mast, but there was a walkway of sorts that went all the way around it, there were UHF antennas also mounted to it i spent a lot of time up there doing maintenance on the antennas, the SPS-10 is also missing that was mounted above the SPS -49 i believe is what the bigger radar is. It seems all of the communications antennas are missing from the model kit but i guess thats because of its scale, anyway it was a single screw and even though it shook a lot when it did, it could reach 27 knots on occasion lol loved the Knox class FFs.
I've heard that they were comfortable ships, and Dad seems to have fond memories of the Lang. Thanks for the info regarding missing or superfluous gear. It's actually pretty incredible how different each one of these ships were in the details. I used a bunch of reference photos, and that "Knox Class" book, and even still as soon as I presented it to my father, he set about telling me all the things that were incorrect. Apparently on that aft platform above the hangar there wasn't anything at all, and the sailors referred to it as something like "steel beach" since they would go sun bathing there. I wish I had known when I was building it since that would have made an interesting scene! I also wish I had you around when I was building this to set me straight on the comms equipment. It would have been cool to represent the communication antennas. I have a few tricks up my sleeve for making incredibly small lines, cables and antennas even in 1/700 scale. . .
The flight deck was called Steel Beach where we would hold cook outs on occasion and people would sun bathe, we actually did use the hangar and the flight deck for its intended purpose which was to land i believe they were called SH2 (LAMPS) helicopters when we deployed and when not in use the helicopter was either chained to the deck or inside the hangar which could extend out to fit the helicopter inside. It was an anti submarine search helo. The line rigging you have on your model actually does represent some of the communications antennas, the lines from the mast going forward were HF Receive antennas and the lines on back of the mast going aft are HF Transmit antennas but there were quite a few more. The platform above the hangar had a lot of HF transmit antennas i do hope not many sailors went up there to sun bathe considering our HF transmit antennas could put out over 1000 watts of nut roasting power. There were quite a few differences between the Knox class frigates, some had the CIWS and some had the BPDMS launchers on the fan tail some had doors in the back of the ship which when opened the towed array sonar could come out and deploy and some did not have the doors in the back. Anyway TMI mode i apologize LOL @@josephbell4896
Not TMI at all! That's the sort of detail and info that you miss in most history books. Most historians would think it trivia, but what a great Cold war factoid that Cold War Frigate sailors could risk impotence if they sunbathed in the wrong place! That equipment may have been missing form the Lang, She was a reserve ship when my father served, and from the way he tells it, there were a bunch of things that either weren't there, or were repurposed.@@tomcarrion8881
Very nice build, looks like you got the resin recipes and wave technique down nicely. I think all ship dioramas should be built this way, it adds a lot of character. Its also a nice nice kit, however I'm sure the detailing was good and tight. Have you tried looking for a webpage on the ship? I'll bet there's one with lots of history and crew members, maybe even reunion dates. The military , of every branch, are fanatics about their units.. I know the USS Indianapolis had one and a reunion each year as did the Doolittle Raiders. A side bar to Naval history. I'm not sure there is a kit for it, however, throughout WW2 the Germans tried to get an aircraft carrier in service It was named the Graf Zeppelin. It is one of those " what if" scenarios that could have changed the war. Like another movie, " The Eye of the Needle" based on a true story. Also, have you put in the ships name into an eBay search, there may be tons of memorabilia available . Once again nice build. Use some brown stain and varnish to give the stand a little panache. Did you catch the Viking movie :-) Cheers until the next video.
I think my dad belongs to a facebook group for the Lang, but I'm not sure how involved he is. As for the Graf Zeppelin, I've seen kits for it and for the Peter Strasser. I've mostly been interested in Japanese CVs as the Pacific war has always been an area of particular interest to me. I've got an Akagi kit in my stash and an idea for a neat display, but I don't know when that will materialize. Finally, I have not had time to find the Viking film, though I did recently purchase a Russian film: Battle for Sevastopol. I'm excited for that one, but as school is just around the corner I may not have time for a bit. Alas. . .
I was stationed on the U.S.S. STEIN (FF-1065). Because she was an older KNOX CLASS SHIP she had ASROC LAUNCHER ON THE BOW OF THE SHIP AND A BPMDS LAUNCHER ON THE STERN.
Very cool! I think aesthetically I like the indecent R2-D2 better. . . What does BPMDS stand for? Also, I have to ask: were you around for the giant squid attack?
@@professorbellbuilds Basic Point Defense Missle System, We had that on the Badger FF-1071 also. I served as a 26CX Sonar Tech on the Badger, aka the "Bucky B"
Cool! I just looked it up, it appears to have had a livelier service than the Lang. . . when you say your first ship was FF 1093, do you mean you sailed on her, or that you built a kit of her?
@@stevenpiper970 Cuba then? How does my Lang stack up with your memories of the Capodanno? May I ask what your rating was? Do you have any fun stories?
I was stationed onboard the USS Moinester FF-1097 from 9-75 to 8-79, all peace time service and made 3 Med deployments, It was less than a year old when I got there and looked like hell, they were installing a new sonar gear and had hoses, wires, and ropes everywhere and work going on all over the place. Other than the Stein and their sea monster story, none of our class were famous like say the New Jersey. But we took that new sonar gear and with our other sister ships became the premier anti submarine hunters of the surface fleet. I made 3 Med deployments with the first one having the most excitement, an ASW plane tracked a Russian sub K-22 till it entered the Med, where it turned the tracking over to us and the rest of the ASW squadron, we tracked the sub for 2 weeks, which at the time was considered extremely hard if not impossible with active sonar, till in the Ionian Sea, where the Russian collided with the USS Voge. Later in the deployment, we were support ships for Operation Fluid Drive, an evacuation of civilians from Lebanon. The last 2 had no where near that excitement un less you count the storm that we encountered with flight deck nets being drug in the ocean, stern doors knocked loose from a large wave and cracking the overhead above Sonar Control. All in all, a walk in the park.
Well, at least you know she was seaworthy! I never heard about the sea monster. . . I'll have to look that up. As for the New Jersey, I guess it was cool, but I tend to appreciate the workhorses more than the showhorses! That must have actually been pretty exciting to track a Russian sub (or was that fairly common?). The closest thing I can remember is my Father telling me about Russian fishing boats following his ship around hoping to retrieve their garbage. . .
The only times subs let you ping on em back then, they want to listen and record your active sonar for study. It was very exciting to track the sub, with our new sonar and the rest of the ASW squadron, the sand crabs who had installed it were taking notes, figuring out tactics and how to use it as we did it
@@dennishill2343 ooooh! I think I had read about that once, but I never really thought about it. So, if they knew you were coming, they could just shift to a different temperature layer? That's crazy! Are there different frequencies that you can use to penetrate these, or are you limited to certain layers? Also, dumb question: is this related to why my spoon sounds different when it clanks against a cup of hot tea verses the same cup of cold water? I'm going to bother the Geology and physics Professors at school about thermocline now!
Very cool, but. . . what's a BT in the hole? I learned my sailor jargon on a tallship, so I'm not as adept at Navy talk. Is this something like the mail buoy watch, or replacing the batteries in the sound powered phones? Do you have any fun or interesting stories about the Ainsworth?
Boiler Technician 2nd class. I was the Oil King and also Repair Party 5 damage control leader. Repair 5 and the Oil Lab were in the same Starboard side passageway. I still keep up with several of my old shipmates.
@@daronemccormick3797 Thank you! Does "oil" include fuel oil? I thought I remembered somewhere that these were diesel powered, but now I can't find anything that specifically states what they burned.
You forgot a BT "Punch", Sonar Pings, Lower the Mast when going under bridge, Look a B1 RD, or a GU 11, toss bottle in water and tell aft watch it is a Japanese Mini SuB periscope flowing us. @@professorbellbuilds
Very nice build. I was on USS Hepburn (DE-1055) before they were reclassified as frigates. I am a Plank Owner. This class ship underwent a lot of changes over the 30+ years that they were in service in the USN. When commissioned they did not have the Hurricane bow, or the point defense missile system in the back. Also, the hanger bay was not a retracting type. So it would depend on how long the Lang was in service when your dad was on board as to her configuration. If you like, I can send you a really good picture of USS Hepburn in her original configuration pulling into Pearl Harbor Hawaii and you'll see the major differences.
Thank you! What's a Plank Owner? Certainly the FF's would have to change quote a bit, the Us Navy and technology certainly did! I'd love to see those pictures!
A Plank Owner is a member of the original Crew. Hepburn was commissioned 7/3/1969 and was the second of the class put in commission behind Knox a month earlier. How can I send you a picture?@@professorbellbuilds
I was a sonarman on the USS Hepburn FF-1055 from 82 to 85. That was before she fitted with the hurricane bow. I also did a wes-pac and became a shell back on her. Good times.
@@ernicirizarry2168My father always wished that he had been a shell back. Apparently my uncle earned that distinction, but the process as he described it seemed rather unsanitary!
