Stories from My years on the Small 1961-1966

[scotty]

Who does not remember Fay RD1? For thoses of the before years and thoses
of the after years. Radarman Fay was a robust sailor. His uniform material I could have used to made two for me. I have two long remembered adventures of Fay this one for today other to follow. It was on the 1962 cruise I am not for sure that I am calling it correctly any way it was either circle william or x-ray the hatches are battened down with dogs pulled down
tight There were limited ones with a circular hatch in the center. This allows access for quick enters and exits. Having a securing wheel that secured the hatch after closing. Well there was such a hatch on the fantale going to the berthing area, and it was secured because we were taking rough water over the sides. For not a real good excuse he desided to use this hatch instead
of going to the second deck and back all the way through the ship to the area. Well this robust Sailor got stuck. We could not decrease our speed and Capt Smith would not of anyway. With water comeing over the fantale
Shipfitters had to torch him out and then repair the cut to secure the hatch.
I Slept in that living quarters and was really up close to this very wet and non ending stories on board the Small.
More to come Scotty

[scotty]

The date I don't remember but the incident will never be forgotten. We are in the Tonkin Gulf (as we were most of our time underway), either pickett duty (story of white feathers), torpedo boat chasing (Story of first time High speed surface targets of 80 knots +), Fire support of our boys on the beach (The time we fired all our ammo and was firing target practice shells sand filled), plus many more. Weather was fair with clouds. The Sea state was a 5 and we were doing our twenty degree rolls and riding out the state of 5. When all of a sudden we have a life threating case of a ruptured appendix with none other, RD1 Fay (the robust sailor). They called in a rescue Sea Plane (The one in the cruise book that we are trying to sink with 50 caliber fire power), It took all the mustered effort of the ships life boat crew to transport Fay in the lifeboat to the awaiting Sea Plane. After somewhat of a life time they finally got Fay in that Small hatch to the aft of the plane. To be continued tomorrow with th erest of the story. Scotty

[scotty]

The date I don't remember but the incident will never be forgotten. We are in the Tonkin Gulf (as we were most of our time underway), either pickett duty (story of white feathers), torpedo boat chasing (Story of first time High speed surface targets of 80 knots +), Fire support of our boys on the beach (The time we fired all our ammo and was firing target practice shells sand filled), plus many more. Weather was fair with clouds. The Sea state was a 5 and we were doing our twenty degree rolls and riding out the state of 5. When all of a sudden we have a life threating case of a ruptured appendix with none other, RD1 Fay (the robust sailor). They called in a rescue Sea Plane (The one in the cruise book that we are trying to sink with 50 caliber fire power), It took all the mustered effort of the ships life boat crew to transport Fay in the lifeboat to the awaiting Sea Plane. After somewhat of a life time they finally got Fay in that Small hatch to the aft of the plane. To be continued tomorrow with th erest of the story. Scotty The Plane has to acheive a speed of 180 knots in order to gain enough air lift over the wings to become airborne bu tthis speed causes a hull suction that is broken by firing of two attached jettison rockets. Well one of the rockets didn't fire allowing the slightly raised hull to crach into a five foot wall of water. At 180 knots it was like hitting a brick wall at nearly 200 miles per hour. The hull was crushed inploding the front of the plane killing the pilot out right and badly injuring the co-pilot With Fay and attendent knee deep in incoming Sea water.( The rest of the story tomorrow=Scotty