I Remember When This Class of Boats Were New

[strikehawk]

In late 79 and early 80 I was working the roof on the Saratoga getting ready for our Med Cruise. Part of our work ups were a series of UNREPS with ships other than our oilers and stores vessels. I remember the USS Oliver Hazard Perry pulling along our starboard side for fuel and thing how different she looked from my dad's tin can the Moore. She was brand new at the time, her power plant, a jet engine, just purring as she matched us and took on her JP5. I remember her break away song, every boat has at least one, ours was Take This Job And Shove It most of the time, hers was the opening theme from Star Wars. That song fit her too and I had never seen a ship just open up and leave us standing still. I can still remember that day.

Today I found this.....

http://www.actionnewsjax.com/content...J9b905TjQ.cspx

At the end of the year all those fast and sexy FFG's are going to be a thing of the past and gone forever. When I was in I was an Airdale not a Tin Can Sailor, but my old man was and I grew up on his sea stories. The stories from the USS Moore were the best and the also made me appreciate a good looking Tin Can when I saw one.

[PRB]

I remember those Perry class FFGs. The most fun I had watching those guys take on fuel from us was in the middle of a big storm. The FFG was rolling 45 degrees either side, and when she rolled our way it looked like her masts were going to hit us. It was pretty impressive. Then the hose parted (oops) and I guess they figured they had "enough" gas, because they didn't try again...

[FSX68]

I remember her break away song, every boat has at least one, ours was Take This Job And Shove It most of the time, hers was the opening theme from Star Wars. That song fit her too and I had never seen a ship just open up and leave us standing still. I can still remember that day.

When I was with VF-154 (Black Knights -F4J) onboard Ranger, the breakaway was....you guessed it, the William tell overture aka long range theme song. hi ho silver. When they pulled into
port , the sailor of the month would don a lone ranger outfit and sit on this replica of Silver (a real piece of GSE gear) and all this would be at spot #1
One the Forrestal (Forrest fire) it was Jerry Reed's East bound and down (going to the med) coming home they would change the east to west.

[PRB]

Enterprise breakaway song was the Star Trek song, of course! When we left port they played "On The Road Again" by Willie Nelson. I hate that song now!