Tours

> Mike wrote:

I'd love to! Don't know when I might be in the area, but I'll let you know if
I'm nearby. What boat are you stationed on?

Mike M. wrote... "I'd love to! Don't know when I might be in the area, but
I'll let you know if I'm nearby. What boat are you stationed on?"

I'm stationed on board the USS Hyman G. Rickover (SSN 709), a Los Angeles
class Nuclear attack submarine built in 1984.

Any other Q's?

  -Mike W

> Mike W wrote:

What's your job?

Mike M Wrote

"What's your job?"

Actually, it's kinda convoluted. I'm originally a Nuclear machinist mate, but
am actually an ELT. An ELT does all of the water chemistry and radiological
controls associated with the reactor and its various water streams.

To make matters more complicated, I've been removed from the ELT division
(also known as RL division) to make me the head engineroom computer
weenie-
also known as the Logroom Yeoman. Imagine the poor flunky that does Mr.Scott's
paperwork, and I'm it...

Does than answer your question?

  -Mike W

> Mike W wrote:

Sure. Sounds interesting. Do they allow tours of most of the sub? Or is there
any restricted areas like the reactor room?

"Do they allow tours of most of the sub? Or is there any restricted areas like
the reactor room?"

Well, the entire engine room (about half of the sub) is classified, to
therefore, no tours. However, what I think are the coolest areas, Control and
the Torpedo room are not classified, and assuming you're a US citizen, you're
ready to rock and roll.

Ever touch a tomahawk cruise missile?

  -Mike

> At 05:36 PM 8/29/96 -0400, you wrote:

Um, uh, what about a foreign national living in your country's best ally and
neighbour? After all, we didn't buy any British Trafalgar subs because you
told us not to.:)

"Do they allow tours of most of the sub? Or is there any restricted areas like
the reactor room?"

Well, the entire engine room (about half of the sub) is classified, to
therefore, no tours. However, what I think are the coolest areas, Control and
the Torpedo room are not classified, and assuming you're a US citizen, you're
ready to rock and roll.

> Ever touch a tomahawk cruise missile?

No I never touched a tomahawk. However, I have guard a whole load of the

land based ones (Long time ago now).

> Mike wrote:

Cool! I wish had some vacation time right now!:)

> Ever touch a tomahawk cruise missile?

No, but I've faced down a bunch of 'em in a Harpoon game a few years
ago.  ;-)

Mk

"Um, uh, what about a foreign national living in your country's best ally and
neighbour? After all, we didn't buy any British Trafalgar subs because you
told us not to.:)"

Which "foreign" are you referring to?

Incidentally, I'd trade a couple of batch one LA's for a Trafalgar any day...
Now, the Improved LA, that's a different story...

  -Mike

> At 09:35 AM 8/31/96 -0400, Mike wrote:

Canada, and I promise not to buy anything Cuban.:)

> Incidentally, I'd trade a couple of batch one LA's for a Trafalgar

There was talk in the late 80s of Canada buying a dozen nuclear submarines. It
later seemed to be a political move by Brian Mulroney and the Conservative
party. The cost was about C$12 billion over about a dozen
years, and after their re-election they killed the plan and thus "saved"
C$12 billion! (For you Brits, Canadian "billion" is the same as American
"billion"; Canadian English as an interesting amalgam of American and British
English). The leading contenders for the contract were the Trafalgar class and
the top French submarine. There was some talk that Canada dropped the nuclear
submarine plan on the insistence of the US government (I don't know if it was
because they didn't like the idea of Canadians having nuclear attack boats, or
the idea that those boats weren't American made).

> Mike wrote:

"Nope. But I've slept on a Mk 48 Mod 4, beneath a UGM-84B. Donks have
even less room than 688s."

  I'm with you on the sleeping issue- must say I spent an entire Med
cruise cuddled up against a Mark 48 on one side, and the Tomahawk on the
other...
Not much fun down there.

I take it you've been on a 688?

  -Mike

"You should try it on an SSG, as opposed to an SSN. The smell of the diesel
comes out after a few months on shore. Sorta."

Yuck.

"Only for a few minutes. Roomy. Luxury. Ever been on an Oberon? A Type 209?
Or, Godde Forbidde, a Type 206? See, I used to work for the makers of Sonars
on the d*mn things..."

Been on a 206 as one of those goodwill ambassador type things while we were in
Norway earlier this year. Not pleasant. It's interesting how the "roomy,
luxury" scale varies. I've had boomer squids come down to my humble 709 and
say it's the worst thing they've ever been on. Now there's luxury, a 726 class
SSBN...

  -Mike

> At 04:31 PM 9/2/96 +0000, you wrote:

I must agree. The US Air Force only made me sleep in a tent (tiny space) a
couple of times. Mostly we were in nice warm, snug hotel like barracks.
Wing-wiping is much easier that being a squid, a grunt, or a jarhead.

Jay

True luxury is joining the airforce and not having to spend months either
under or on the sea; while living in a tiny space for months on end!

 ----------
From:  FTGZG-L[SMTP:FTGZG-L@bolton.ac.uk]
Sent:  02 September 1996 10:18
To:  FTGZG-L
Subject:  Re: Tours

"You should try it on an SSG, as opposed to an SSN. The smell of the diesel
comes out after a few months on shore. Sorta."

Yuck.

"Only for a few minutes. Roomy. Luxury. Ever been on an Oberon? A Type

209? Or, Godde Forbidde, a Type 206? See, I used to work for the makers of
Sonars on the d*mn things..."

Been on a 206 as one of those goodwill ambassador type things while we

were in Norway earlier this year. Not pleasant. It's interesting how the
"roomy, luxury" scale varies. I've had boomer squids come down to my humble
709 and say it's the worst thing they've

ever been on. Now there's luxury, a 726 class SSBN...

  -Mike

> On 2 Sep 96 at 10:18, Wuerthele@aol.com wrote:

> "You should try it on an SSG, as opposed to an SSN. The smell of the

Anyone yet been on a Foxtrot - now there's rocket science (not). At
92 metres it's large for a conventional - but I don't think I'd havce
enjoyed staying on her for too long.

> Wuerthele@aol.com wrote:

> I'm with you on the sleeping issue- must say I spent an entire Med

You should try it on an SSG, as opposed to an SSN. The smell of the diesel
comes out after a few months on shore. Sorta.

> I take it you've been on a 688?

Only for a few minutes. Roomy. Luxury. Ever been on an Oberon? A Type 209? Or,
Godde Forbidde, a Type 206? See, I used to work for the makers of Sonars on
the d*mn things...

----------------------      <> <>    How doth the little Crocodile

> Nick Meredith wrote:

> Anyone yet been on a Foxtrot - now there's rocket science (not). At

Nope. A Type XXI, yes. But I haven't yet visited the Foxtrot that's in the
maritime museum in Sydney. A bonus if you're coming to the Olympics in 2000.

----------------------      <> <>    How doth the little Crocodile