Its been 17 years since I was part of all that and my wife still has to offer an explanation every once in awhile to someone that he’s just “using his explaining voice”.
I pushed boots for a while, and every once in a while, when things aren’t gong just right, I get “that voice.” That voice that can control a company clear across the parade deck. And I often find those words slipping out that fit so well, where no other “civilian” word will do.
“You can take the sailor out of the Navy, but it is impossible to take the Navy out of the Sailor.”
Vic, you did quite well. To tighten things up a bit…
“Monkey Shit” is like plumbers putty only better. It is used to pack through hull or through bulkhead fittings to make them watertight.
"Blackshoes"are the real Navy, the surface sailors (skimmers) and submariners (bubbleheads). “Brownshoes” are the avaition Navy (airedales), a different Navy altogether.
“Acey-Duecy club,” a club for first and Second Class Petty Officers, E-6 and E-5, respectively.
Steve
I never pushed boots, but always got a bunch of the youngsters for their first real job in the USCG. Many times, I felt like I should add Nanny to my resume. My Uncle paid to send me to 5 weeks of recruiting school. Gradeated first in my class. Worked one day in a recruiting office and after drop kickin 3 long hair smart aces out the door vowing it would be a cold day in a hot place before something like that came in my Guard, I recieved fresh orders the next morning as XPO of the Cutter Sumac. T’aint it funny how things work out. Good boat, good crew, great old man and I was doing what I liked. Spent the rest of my days on the “Muddy”, except one short period of piloting an elevator for some muckity mucks in Galveston.
Hehehe… Last night at the market, I saw “Creamed Chipped Beaf” in the frozen food aisles and said, “Hey, In the Navy they call this “Creamed Foreskins” …”
I thought I was going to be killed right there on the spot!!!
I bet you said it in one of those sudden silences that happens whenever we say something “interesting” .
And nobody else heard of course .
Mike
Mike Morgan said:
I bet you said it in one of those sudden silences that happens whenever we say something “interesting” . And nobody else heard of course . Mike
What on a shingle?
As I remember we had two things served on a ‘shingle’ (toast). The ever popular ‘creamed chiped beaf’ and also ‘ground beef’ that had some kind of thin red sauce. After the ground beef style the line to the Head was sometimes longer than the ships store. I just remembered it was also refered to as SOS s*#t on a shingle.
You guys really got the old gray matter kicking around up there. Nick Jr
Curmudgeon said:Oh, that's right. The "Silent Service" ate better than us mere mortals. How would you know?;)
What on a shingle?
SteveF
When I was in Uncle’s Navy,
I think we called submariner’s “Squids”.
I was a “Snipe”. I needed a fresh air pass to go up on deck. No I wasn’t a boilerman, but close. I was a machinist mate, driving one of the four main engines.
Airedales were still called that, but I forget what we called Yeomen, deck hands, gunners, etc. Hell, it’s been forty years ago! 
jb
Well if you like trivia ? Guess this… Absolutely nothing to do with trains… This is military tho… Now who, what, when and where ??
Well. it has the flavor of Fire Base Khe Sahn, USMC, 1968. How close am I?
Steve
Your in the right country, not USMC. Time frame is close tho…
6/14th is in the picture but we had the same set up where I was located 7/15th in 1971 which was there a wee bit before I arrived. I saw this all dismantaled and then was shanghaied into another job for my duration in Nam. Boy is that an ever interesting story in 1972.
Still, what is this and where ? What did we do there ?
Cheers,
John Bouck said:Hmmmm.
When I was in Uncle's Navy, I think we called submariner's "Squids". I was a "Snipe". I needed a fresh air pass to go up on deck. No I wasn't a boilerman, but close. I was a machinist mate, driving one of the four main engines. Airedales were still called that, but I forget what we called Yeomen, deck hands, gunners, etc. Hell, it's been forty years ago! :) :) jb
I thought a “Squid” was what a “Jarhead” (US MARINE) called a sailor. Different times, I guess.
JB, can you still talke Snipe? Snipe is a language used in the steam machinery rooms because it is just too D*mn loud in the hole (not “hold,” that is for the Pork Chops) to use normal language. It is made up of grunts, postures and motions to communicate what the CHENG wants done. CHENG = CHief ENGineering officer, the Engineering Department Head.
Yoeman, Deck Apes, Gunners, Skivie Wavers and so on are called “Topsiders” by the “Snipes.” “If you ain’t in Engineering, you are just along for the ride.”
In all this no one has mentioned…FNG…wonder why??..
<I thought a “Squid” was what a “Jarhead” (US MARINE) called a sailor. Different times, I guess. >
Steve,
It could be. We’ll have to ask TOC!
Can’t remember much of the Snipe language. Just the usual middle finger sign.
And yes it was noisy! After a cruise, when we went “cold iron”, we weren’t used to the quiet in the hole. We’d still shout for a day or two, like we were all deaf.
jb
Oh, Lord, if I post what we called Yeomen, Bob would have his second deleted posting ever…
Worthless skimmers, the lot.
Ken Brunt said:
Anybody still have their P38 layin around? Mine still works…does a better job than the electric one…
Ken, Ive got a few here and there.
Steve Featherkile said:
Well. it has the flavor of Fire Base Khe Sahn, USMC, 1968. How close am I?
Steve If you were there in '68 you might have had one of these…
Darryl Noble said:
Steve Featherkile said:
Well. it has the flavor of Fire Base Khe Sahn, USMC, 1968. How close am I?Steve If you were there in '68 you might have had one of these…
Had quite a few of those…didn’t keep any for souveniers though…