# Toasty in my workshop



## fossil (May 29, 2008)

It's a pathetic excuse for a "summer" day here in Central Oregon...cold and rainy.  But I'm toasty in my workshop.  Rick


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## fossil (May 29, 2008)

Pook said:
			
		

> ...seems u could turn the air primary down?



A little deceiving, because of the lighting and no flash, the exposure was a bit long...makes the fire look more "roaring" than it really was.  But, then, I did take it with a good burning fire just before throttling it back a bit.  Rick


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## fossil (May 29, 2008)

Pook said:
			
		

> barrell get hot?



Gets warm, but not too hot to hold my hand on.  I know it's combustible, and it's a little close...I paid _real close _attention to it when I was first burning the stove.  The barrel and the wooden box on the other side aren't a problem.  I watch the temps pretty closely, and I've got a long season of burning experience now with this setup.  Rick


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## fossil (May 29, 2008)

Pook said:
			
		

> u know it gets hot & dries so maybe it aint got to get so hot...
> i'd fill it with beer 2b safe



It's an old nail keg...and I mean old.  Ain't gonna hold no liquid nothin'...besides, I don't like my beer that warm.  Rick


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## Carl (May 29, 2008)

Wow Rick, if I had my stove that hot this time of year it would drive us outside. Very nice setup and awfull clean for a shop.  

74 today and supposed to stay that way for a week and maybe get warmer after that.

I saw from one of your other posts you were on an aircraft carrier. I was in the Navy for 4 years in 1965-69. Much better than the draft and getting shipped off to Vietnam.  My twin brother waited and soon after I enlisted he was in line and they said you are now a proud Marine.  Not for me but he spent only 2 years and got wounded in Vietnam but not seriously.

I was a storekeeper and traveled the Med and East coast. I volunteered for Operation Deepfreeze and wintered over at McMurdo Base instead of going to Vietnam. I think it was a wonderful place compared to the alternative.


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## fossil (May 29, 2008)

Just colder than it's s'posed to be here at the end of May.  I've been burning in the shop pretty much every day, at least in the mornings for a while to get the chill off.  Wish it was 74* here, which is a lot closer to what's average.  I want to be at least average!  

1969 was the year I started my service.  I, too, enlisted in the Navy to avoid the alternative.  I ended up making it a 30+ year career, but that's certainly not what I had in mind when I joined.  I was mostly a PacFlt sailor, I've never been to the Med nor to Europe...just all over Asia & the Pacific.  In my first years in the Navy, I was fascinated by the idea of wintering over...I coveted that service ribbon of various shades of ice-blue.  Ended up with my share of fruit salad to wear, but you had a very unique experience that few people ever have.  My carrier duty was late in my career, I was Chief Engineer of Kitty Hawk '93-'95.  Best job I had in my whole career.

I'm really glad that both you and your brother came home safe and sound...so many didn't.  Rick


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## Jags (May 30, 2008)

Rick - did you know that the kitty is now in its final sail before decommissioning?  Sad to see the last oil burner go.  She was the sister to my ship (Ranger).

Nice looking shop ya got there.


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## fossil (May 30, 2008)

Yeah, jags...that's been scheduled for quite a while now.  We had to wait until the Japanese finally consented to put a nuclear powered carrier in Yokosuka to replace Kitty Hawk as our forward-deployed platform.  Some capital investment in modifications to the facilities there were also required.  Yes, she's our last conventionally powered carrier.  If I can swing it, I'm going to try to make it to the decom ceremony.  Rick


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## Jags (May 30, 2008)

fossil said:
			
		

> Yeah, jags...that's been scheduled for quite a while now.  We had to wait until the Japanese finally consented to put a nuclear powered carrier in Yokosuka to replace Kitty Hawk as our forward-deployed platform.  Some capital investment in modifications to the facilities there were also required.  Yes, she's our last conventionally powered carrier.  If I can swing it, I'm going to try to make it to the decom ceremony.  Rick



Give her a salute for me!


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## fossil (May 30, 2008)

Jags said:
			
		

> Give her a salute for me!



Will do, shipmate.  Rick


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## BrotherBart (May 30, 2008)

In 1967 I was in training at Ft. Eustis. One weekend I was in Norfolk walking around and made a right turn between two rows of row houses and was immediately confronted with the side of the John F. Kennedy which was parked behind the houses. At that range it took my breath away.  I was less than two blocks from the side of the middle of that big sucker and it was towering over me and the people's back yards.

Wow!

PS: Had to fire the stove this morning here in the basement.


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## fossil (May 30, 2008)

There wasn't a day that passed during my association with Naval Aviation and Aircraft Carriers (which both pre-and post-dated my tour as Engineer in Kitty Hawk) when I wasn't awestruck by the ships and how we made them work, and what our normal daily (and nightly) routine was all about.  5000 people, 70-some odd aircraft of a few different flavors, underway and operating.  Flight ops (launches & recoveries) day and night.  Yeah, while in port, I drove to work like everyone else on the freeway, but when I got onto the North Island Naval Air Station and turned toward my parking spot by the side of the towering ship, I couldn't help but think of what a special opportunity I'd been given.  It never became routine.  It was amazing.  I miss it (the ships, the sailors, and the sea).  I'll never forget it.  Rick


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## BrotherBart (May 30, 2008)

I guess it was a little different from five guys in a Chinook with a case of C-Rations. Oh well. Water scares the hell out of me and boomers even more.

Good friend's kid got his Porpoises in the sub corp just before the Navy invited him to leave for slugging a cop in port. I could never imagine closing that lid and living down there in one of those boats. Give me the safety of hanging below six rotor blades in an aluminum can 9,000 feet up any day.

You go sailors.

Little story. When our unit first went over they hauled the Chinooks on a carrier. When one of the pilots was flying off the ship the aft rotor blades took out their antennas. It got a little nasty out there. I don't think Army was a good word on that ship after that. But a few years later when we hauled Bob Hope, and especially Ann Margret, out to a carrier they liked us more.


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## fossil (May 30, 2008)

BrotherBart said:
			
		

> I guess it was a little different from five guys in a Chinook with a case of C-Rations.



Yeah, I went for a few rides in some of those bone-shakers.  Of course, for us Navy guys, they had to provide, in addition to the cranials & floatcoats, mouthpieces to keep our teeth from chipping and plastic raincoats to keep all the dripping hydraulic oil off our clean & pressed uniforms.   :lol:  You really need to take a trip out here to Oregon...they even sell 12-packs here now.  Rick


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## Hogwildz (May 31, 2008)

BrotherBart said:
			
		

> I guess it was a little different from five guys in a Chinook with a case of C-Rations. Oh well. Water scares the hell out of me and boomers even more.
> 
> Good friend's kid got his Porpoises in the sub corp just before the Navy invited him to leave for slugging a cop in port. I could never imagine closing that lid and living down there in one of those boats. Give me the safety of hanging below six rotor blades in an aluminum can 9,000 feet up any day.
> 
> ...



To hel with Bob Hope, where the pic of Ann? Shes still hot


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## Jags (Jun 2, 2008)

Jags Scariest ride #3 in anything military:


Special weapons detachment, Fallon NV., waiting for jets to return from missile shoot. ex nam pilot walks into hanger - "anybody want a ride?"  SURE was the response from 2 of us.  Hmmm....up, backwards, flip the chopper around, so the pilot could see, with 2 sailors splattered on the floor of this thing.  Was not prepared for that.  The fun part began when we got to strap on to a 50 cal at the gunner door, and shoot tin cans on the ground.  Priceless.



As to not hijack the thread = Done burning wood here.  Low 80's for the weekend, and looking good from there.


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## BrotherBart (Jun 2, 2008)

Hogwildz said:
			
		

> To hel with Bob Hope, where the pic of Ann? Shes still hot



Here she is bro.


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## fossil (Jun 2, 2008)

Who would ever have thought that someday Ann Margaret would hijack one of my threads on Hearth.com?   :bug:   Rick


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## BrotherBart (Jun 2, 2008)

fossil said:
			
		

> Who would ever have thought that someday Ann Margaret would hijack one of my threads on Hearth.com?   :bug:   Rick



I think she is Navy. She had on her dress whites.


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## fossil (Jun 2, 2008)

Request permission to come aboard!      Rick


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## Jags (Jun 2, 2008)

BrotherBart said:
			
		

> fossil said:
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Ohhh SNAP!


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## savageactor7 (Jun 7, 2008)

fossil real nice/clean shop you have there…

…I just had wrist surgery on the anniversary of the greatest sea borne evasion in the entire history of man…that is why I’m here on the computer on the lovely day, in a cast from my knuckles to just above the elbow.

I stumbled upon this post and wanted to give a shout out to my brothers fossil, Carl, Jags, and BrotherBart.

I went in the Army in 68 and was put in the army’s navy in Ft Eustis …later on I was reassigned to NIOTC at Mare Is, CA where I was the only army guy in class of sailors learning the strategies of PBR warfare. Later served in RVN often ran into a few of my navy buddies I meant at NIOTC.

Also BrotherBart, in ’70 I was Norfork when the JFK came home to a brass band…everyone deserted the ship…my wife and I toured the ship for 45min before we saw the 1st soul. We both sat in those dentist like captains chairs for over 15 min before the MA came out of the radio room to have a smoke break just to say 'enjoy your tour'….LOL.

Later on during the Reagan administration I joined the Army reserves was activated a few times…currently activated but on convalescence med leave in sep I have 29 good years.  

Cause my wife never worked ‘TriCare for life’ is my objective but also I enjoy still being able to serve the Republic and mostly the comradeship...anyway...that's that.


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## fossil (Jun 7, 2008)

Comrades in arms, we are.  Actually, my wife is retired Navy as well.  We're now on Tricare standard, as there's no military healthcare facility anywhere near us.  Working OK so far.  TFL will come when we reach Medicare age in another 5 years or so.  Take good care of that wrist, savage, and heal soon!  Rick


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## BrotherBart (Jun 7, 2008)

savageactor7 said:
			
		

> I went in the Army in 68 and was put in the army’s navy in Ft Eustis …



Sounds like we were at Eustis at the same time. I used to sneak down to the boats where a friend worked to eat the good meals they had since they bought provisions at the grocery store and cooked their own.

For field exercises we climbed on those things and invaded Fort Story.


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## savageactor7 (Jun 7, 2008)

thanks fossil, yes we are brothers. Tricare rep told me when I retire at age 60 (next feb) I'll be eligible for TFL @ 475 per year...so I dunno. Sure there's a deductible that's no prob, I worry about the major medical that can bankrupt you.

 BrotherBart you must be talking about the LCU boats, those were one of the many boats I trained on...yeah for the army they lived large and that's what I was hoping for. But truthfully I never ate as well as when I was attached to the Navy...esp the fresh fruit. The army had good looking fruit but it always tasted like tennis balls...the Navies fruit was sweet and melted in your mouth just like God intended.


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## fossil (Jun 7, 2008)

Yeah, we had a lot of fruits in the Navy.   :smirk:   Rick


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## R&D Guy (Jun 7, 2008)

Nice stove Rick!  This long winter has really made we want to rip out the gas fireplace and install a wood stove.  I hope everyone gets a summer this year.


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## BrotherBart (Jun 7, 2008)

R&D;Guy said:
			
		

> Nice stove Rick!  This long winter has really made we want to rip out the gas fireplace and install a wood stove.  I hope everyone gets a summer this year.



It is 92 here. Supposed to be 96 tomorrow. If somebody needs a summer I will loan them this one.


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## burntime (Jun 7, 2008)

BTW 2 thumbs up on the avatar, its redneck in a good way ;~)


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## fossil (Jun 8, 2008)

BrotherBart said:
			
		

> ...It is 92 here. Supposed to be 96 tomorrow. If somebody needs a summer I will loan them this one.



I think it actually broke 50* here today.  By the middle of next week we could even see something like 65*.  By all means, BB, send me some of that warmth...but please keep the humidity.  That's one of the things I ran away from.  Rick


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## stoveguy2esw (Jun 8, 2008)

BrotherBart said:
			
		

> savageactor7 said:
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gawd! i was at eustis in 86 (not 68) but the "army's navy" still does "t school" there. we shared a barracks with them , was "e co 2nd training bn". 

as for chinooks, biggest thiing i remember about them (was in a hook company in korea in the early 90's) was, if it wasnt leaking hydrolic fluid , dont get on board! the crew guys called em boeing rainstorms but they are dang good birds.


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## Elderthewelder (Jun 8, 2008)

Rick

Former Midway sailor here, just wondering if you were on the Shitty Kitty when she was homeported in Yokosuka?
 I had some real good times their and on shore duty in Atsugi


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## fossil (Jun 8, 2008)

Elderthewelder said:
			
		

> Rick
> 
> Former Midway sailor here, just wondering if you were on the Shitty Kitty when she was homeported in Yokosuka?
> I had some real good times their and on shore duty in Atsugi



Nope, Elder, I was in the Pentagon in the Carrier Program Office when the decision was made to send Kiity Hawk instead of Constellation to replace Midway.  This was after my tour on KH.  Back in '86-'89, I was a member of the dreaded PACFLT Propulsion Examining Board, and had occasion to visit nearly every conventionally powered ship in the 3rd & 7th Fleets, including Midway.  Did an exam on Midway in Subic Bay in about '89 or so.  I've been to Yokosuka a number of times (as well as Sasebo, and even Kujiro on Hokkaido), though never stationed in Japan.  Always had a great time, and enjoyed & respected the Japanese very much.  Been to Atsugi once, too, waiting for a MAC flight home in '79 ( I think).  Take care, shipmate.  Rick


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## Elderthewelder (Jun 8, 2008)

fossil said:
			
		

> Elderthewelder said:
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Actually (not that it matters) it was the Independence that replaced the Midway in 91 and the Kitty replaced the Indy not too long after that. It is my understanding that the George Washington is in progress of replacing the Kitty now. It will be interesting to see the outcome of that, having a CVN homeported their

Speaking of the Connie, I made my first cruise on her in 85, that was the first cruise of any carrier with the F/A18


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## fossil (Jun 8, 2008)

Elderthewelder said:
			
		

> ...Actually (not that it matters) it was the Independence that replaced the Midway in 91 and the Kitty replaced the Indy not too long after that. It is my understanding that the George Washington is in progress of replacing the Kitty now. It will be interesting to see the outcome of that, having a CVN homeported their
> 
> Speaking of the Connie, I made my first cruise on her in 85, that was the first cruise of any carrier with the F/A18



Yup, Elder, yer absolutely right.   :red:    Forgot all about Indy being there, even though she was there when we (KH) visited in '94, and I knew her Engineer...he was the guy who relieved me in my Pentagon job.  The debate I remember in the Puzzle Palace was whether it should be KH or Connie that replaced _Indy_...Midway was long since departed, and is now a museum in San Diego.  I've been retired for 8 years, and those sorts of things are kind of blurring for me.  It's rare that I get a chance to talk about any of that with anyone who has a clue what I'm talking about (as if I do!).  It took a loooong time to get the Japanese to consent to having a nuke carrier homeported there, and some major mods had to be done to the facilities in Yoko to support her.  Yes, it will be interesting.  In '85 the Hornet was a darned near brand new aircraft, wasn't it?  First ones I became familiar with up close were flying off Ranger in '89, along with the F-14's, & the good ol' A-6's, & etc.  Rick


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## myzamboni (Jun 9, 2008)

Wow, this is bringing back memories.  My dad was COMPATWINGSPAC ~'82-'85  out of Moffett Field.   I feel like what I am reading is a conversation he would have whenever ran across other former servicemen.  At the time I was a kid so it did not seem that interesting., but since he's been gone for 20 now it makes me wish I paid more attention.


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## fossil (Jun 9, 2008)

Well, Zambo, now _you're_ bringing back memories.  I was born in Oakland in 1948.  Moffett Field was just "always there".  The blimp hangars!  I wish I'd listened more to both my grandfather _and_ my dad.  Rick


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## Jags (Jun 9, 2008)

fossil said:
			
		

> First ones I became familiar with up close were flying off Ranger in '89, along with the F-14's, & the good ol' A-6's, & etc.  Rick



Rick, I would of been there on the flight deck, wearing a green shirt.  
More than likely, I would have been carrying a SIMS cable and a tool pouch.  VF2 (F14's) and Jags on the back of the cranial.  Did you see me? :cheese:


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## fossil (Jun 9, 2008)

Jags said:
			
		

> ...Did you see me? :cheese:




I'm sure I must have...spent enough time watching the plat monitor down in Central Control.  I was a temp fill in the Main Propulsion Assistant slot while they found a permanent replacement for an unscheduled loss, just before deployment.  I met the ship in Pearl, and was aboard until Australia.  Had hernia surgery aboard out in the IO somewhere.      Rick


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## Jags (Jun 9, 2008)

fossil said:
			
		

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Yep, I was on that cruise.  Believe it or not, I remember some scuttle butt about someone having "emergency" hernia surgery.  Was that you?


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## fossil (Jun 9, 2008)

Jags said:
			
		

> Yep, I was on that cruise.  Believe it or not, I remember some scuttle butt about someone having "emergency" hernia surgery.  Was that you?



I s'pose it was...but it wasn't exactly an "emergency".  The Flight Surgeons found that I had a hernia while I was getting a physical (who knew?).  They offered to fix it for me, and I said OK, let's do it.  CAPT Hickey wasn't thrilled, he thought I should just wait until I got back home, but he said if I wanted to do it there, go ahead, so we did.  It was interesting.  Still sore as all get out when we had our brief sojourn at Diego Garcia, but I managed to get off the ship for a while.  Gotta love that Percocet.   ;-)   Rick


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## Jags (Jun 9, 2008)

fossil said:
			
		

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Burner Bob (Hickey) was a pretty cool dude.  As it turns out, we both knew where a VERY secluded bar in the jungles of PI (Philippines) was, and got to hang out a drink beers with him as his "personal" lieutenant got to chase them for us.  Always loved to see him go off the pointy end.  Kept the flames rolling until he was out of site (hence burner Bob).  Got to meet him for other reasons, but we are not going to go into that.

Had fun in Diego G, but nothing to do but shoot sharks, play volleyball and drink.  Better not touch those damn birds!


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## fossil (Jun 9, 2008)

Jags said:
			
		

> ...Burner Bob (Hickey) was a pretty cool dude.



I liked him a lot.  Last time I saw him was in about '93.  Inport North Island, I was Engineer on Kitty Hawk, and we had a USO show on the flight deck, I think it was 4th of July.  Country music singers/groups.  Clint Black among them.  Burner was a one-star then.  I was glad to see him make Flag, he deserved it more than some others I saw make it.  Oh well, we didn't get to "vote".  Rick


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## Jerry_NJ (Jun 9, 2008)

I had passed on this thread several times, the title just didn't attract my interest..who knew it would be a bunch of sea and war stories from a bunch of vets.

I had exchanged with Rick a few weeks back my brief experience on the Kitty Hawk, had a non-ops ride on her in about 1963/4.  I rode up on the run from Alameda NAS to Bremerton ship yards, where she got "re-fitted" or something.   Oakland, CA brings back navy memories too, I went through a 90-day special (navy reserves only) boot camp there at what was then NAS Oakland, sitting on the one side of the Oakland Airport, I think.  So, Small World. 

My active duty was limited to a total of about 4 years, including 6 months as a drill instructor on temporary active duty, during the time I had the ride on the Kitty Hawk - Rick, were you in the engine room on that trip?   I stayed in the reserves, thinking I'd put in my 20 that way.  After graduation in electrical engineering I applied for a direct commission, I was an AEC (Chief Aviation Electrician) at the time, and given they wanted me to sigh up for another 4 years in the reserves, and given there was some reserve activations for Vietnam going on, I decided to take my discharge.  So, I'm really a career civilian, but I liked the navy and it helped put me on the right (or at least better) path given my under-motivated mentality when I graduated from high school.

I don't understand some of the medical related discussions, I understood one of the advantages of a military career was benefits at retirement, and early retirement too.  I read stuff I'm familiar with, Medicare and Secondary Health insurance to cover big ones, of which I've had one (open heart surgery).


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## fossil (Jun 9, 2008)

Jerry_NJ said:
			
		

> ...Rick, were you in the engine room on that trip?



Gee whiz no, Jerry.  63/64 I might have been in the engine room of my Sea Scout boat in Berkeley, but not in Kitty Hawk.  I joined the Navy in '69, turned 21 in Boot Camp in San Diego.  My association with Naval Aviation & carriers didn't really begin until about 1990.  Rick

EDIT:  I guess I'd have to say it really started with my temp duty in Ranger in '89 that Jags & I are reminiscing about.  Rick


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## Jags (Jun 9, 2008)

fossil said:
			
		

> Burner was a one-star then.



No kidding?  Glad to see that "one of the good guys" made it.  I was out by then.


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## Jerry_NJ (Jun 9, 2008)

Rick,

Yes, I've got you by 9 years, age wise.  

A one-star, gee back in the good old days, a Navy Captain going to flag rank went directly to Rear Admiral, two-stars.  I'm sure that didn't go well with the other services.  Is a one-start still called a Commodore? Or is that now Rear Admiral?


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## fossil (Jun 9, 2008)

Jerry_NJ said:
			
		

> Rick,
> 
> Yes, I've got you by 9 years, age wise.
> 
> A one-star, gee back in the good old days, a Navy Captain going to flag rank went directly to Rear Admiral, two-stars.  I'm sure that didn't go well with the other services.  Is a one-start still called a Commodore? Or is that now Rear Admiral?



Keep in mind I've been retired for more than 8 years, and you know how the Navy likes to change things just to keep everybody on their toes...but, the use of the title "Commodore" to designate a one-star ended sometime after WWII, I think, and nobody wore one star.  We used (and presumably still use) Commodore to refer to the guy in charge of a squadron of ships, regardless of his actual rank...similar to the way we use "Captain" for the CO of a ship, even though he may actually be a Commander or whatever.  At some point, the one-star rank was "reactivated", but the title Commodore was not applied to it.  One-star Admirals are called "Rear Admiral", as are two-star Admirals.  For some time, the one-stars were called "Rear Admiral, Lower Half", and the two-stars "Upper", but I'm not sure whether or not those terms are still used.  You're really stretching the outside of the envelope of my memory cells here, Jerry.      Rick


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## Jags (Jun 9, 2008)

Although, not matching your guys "seasoned" status as far as age goes ;-P , I remember the upper half, lower half part, but heck, I've been out for 17 years now.


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## myzamboni (Jun 9, 2008)

fossil said:
			
		

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The flyboys still used Commodore at Moffett in the early 80's (although Rear Admiral was also used but  (I bet that went well during Tail-Hook)) as  my father's office was right next door to the Commodore in the basement of Bldg 17 at the end of the parade field.


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## fossil (Jun 9, 2008)

myzamboni said:
			
		

> ...(although Rear Admiral was also used but  (I bet that went well during Tail-Hook))



 :lol:   I knew a lot of those guys.  I wasn't there.  That's my story, and I'm stickin' to it.  Rick


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