USN Deck Jackets period / repop

[thor]

Collection of deck jackets seen worn by crew on the conning tower of ill-fated sub USS THRESHER (jackets appear to have official USS THRESHER patches sewn on the chest)

 

[North American Sojouner]

QUOTE="thor, post: 2347878, member: 17000"]I just retired after 26 years on Active Duty & Reserves. I was a Senior Chief Boatswains Mate; I basically was in charge of all the operations on the deck of the cargo ship: cargo loading and transfer, rigging, crane operations, mooring, anchoring, helicopter flight deck operations, etc.[/QUOTE]

Congrats on the retirement "Boats". I can tell you from my experience, the foul weather gear they issued to us sucked...lol. I froze my *** of on many occasions. The smart bridge watch bought some long johns and kept them in the rack. Worse watches were low visibility. Wet, damp, cold and fricken scary. I'm out.
Zim
first ship

second ship

 

[Peacoat]

@thor, Do we know the cause of the sinking, or is that still classified? Obviously, something bad happened, but do we what that was?

 

[thor]

Initially they blamed a faulty pipe weld (some reports are still classified) but new theories revolve around electrical failure of the coolant pumps.
Back in 1963 they did not want to assume (or publicize) that there was any fault with the sub’s reactor or engineering design.
@Peacoat the loss of USS SCORPION is shrouded in even more mystery and intrigue!

 

[North American Sojouner]

Initially they blamed a faulty pipe weld (some reports are still classified) but new theories revolve around electrical failure of the coolant pumps.
Back in 1963 they did not want to assume (or publicize) that there was any fault with the sub’s reactor or engineering design.
@Peacoat the loss of USS SCORPION is shrouded in even more mystery and intrigue!

I retired at the Naval Submarine Base in St. Marys Ga. Was my last tour. The diesel boat museum in there if you ever get down there. Only a few miles off of 95.
Zim

 

[thor]

Dive tender is wearing early model A-2 deck jacket; diver is Navy master deep-sea diver Carl Brashear.

 

[Peacoat]

He doesn't look too happy about being strapped in. Dive tender looks familiar.

 

[thor]

@Peacoat, Brashear just has the usual laser focus on the upcoming underwater job. The tender takes care of all the hardware and connections (the grunt work), the diver is free to worry about the dive job ahead. I’ve known a lot of divers and afew SEAL’s from my 26 years in the Navy. They all seem to have that same “game face” of complete seriousness.

 

[handymike]

View attachment 227733 View attachment 227734
Collection of deck jackets seen worn by crew on the conning tower of ill-fated sub USS THRESHER (jackets appear to have official USS THRESHER patches sewn on the chest)

@thor, can you identify the men in that Thresher photo?
My dad's cousin was on it. I’m wondering if he might be pictured.

 

[thor]

@thor, can you identify the men in that Thresher photo?
My Great-uncle was on it. I’m wondering if he might be pictured.

Unfortunately I can only be sure (reasonably sure) that the photo of USS THRESHER shows her commanding officer, LCDR John Harvey. He took command in Jan. 1963 (relieving former CO, Commander Dean Axene) just 3 months before her tragic sinking.

 

[thor]

Very interesting 1960’s photos of Navy icebreaker USS ATKA doing a resupply of some base in Antarctica. Among the clothing worn are some A-2 deck jackets and the Chief in his khaki uniform (with CPO cap!) riding a landing craft on the way ashore.

 

[thor]

 

[Doctor Damage]

View attachment 238727 View attachment 238728
...and the Chief in his khaki uniform (with CPO cap!)...

"My ears are cold"

 

[thor]

"My ears are cold"

His ears are cold, but the rest of him looks pretty cool

 

[thor]

 

[Doctor Damage]

Just refreshing this thread since (like many threads) it often gets forgotten.