tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5657347751045557115.post6389905093714238744..comments2024-03-25T10:30:24.579-07:00Comments on Dan The Navy Man: 'Great Mistakes'Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5657347751045557115.post-51355823132803154392020-12-28T23:45:09.116-08:002020-12-28T23:45:09.116-08:00I did an EM-C Schools tour in '83 and came bac...I did an EM-C Schools tour in '83 and came back with the ex-wife and family in '89-'90 to be the Support Branch Head for EM/IC Schools. It was COLD both times but the Staff tour wasn't too bad. Four Christmases there, our kids gained friends and really learned what Military Brat life is like. <br /><br />My second wife and I live a hour's drive from Great Mistakes now, since she didn't have the benefit of being an active duty Navy wife a trip to GLakes and the Exchange is a treat for her. We visit the old Base once a month or so (whenever the wife can convince me to make the drive). She has seen the schools side of the base but never got the "Grand Tour" of that side till last spring. We drove down to the waterfront, weeds and broked trees everywhere! I was severely dissapointed when we drove over to the old Hospital side, NOTHING LEFT! Thats right, bare weed covered ground. The Hospital, and most of the buildings have been leveled and the place looks like an empty homeless camp that was abandoned by even the homeles folks. We drove by my old duplex in Housing to find that it too was empty and falling into disrepair, SAD!DaveUSNrethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05647499017702037482noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5657347751045557115.post-88656919694290188882020-12-28T16:14:57.982-08:002020-12-28T16:14:57.982-08:00Bootcamp, '82. Then BE/E . . . We really did h...Bootcamp, '82. Then BE/E . . . We really did hold hands, trying to get to the enlisted club in the blizzards of GL . . .FTM 1 ((SW)noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5657347751045557115.post-68621276592236025202017-11-23T17:58:31.820-08:002017-11-23T17:58:31.820-08:00Winter 78-79 ET"A" school. Before they ...Winter 78-79 ET"A" school. Before they put the kibosh on POV's on base at NTC for non-rates, there was this old beater yellow car parked where steam from the heating pipes would frost it up several feet thick. The passenger side door had frozen puke all down it like icicles that lasted until spring... I confess I walked right over the fence to shortcut in and out of the base a time or two, the snowdrifts were tall and packed enough. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5657347751045557115.post-6200331470084698652017-03-12T10:59:02.837-07:002017-03-12T10:59:02.837-07:00I was there in the winter of '79 as well (EM &...I was there in the winter of '79 as well (EM "C" School, I think). The amount of snow on the ground was unbelievable. It was so cold that my buddy and I would get up early, run from the barracks to the canteen, thaw out for 15 minutes, and sprint the rest of the way to class. The only other place that approached the cold was the shipyard in Bath, Maine.daver852https://www.blogger.com/profile/06067533090226229731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5657347751045557115.post-78697746892709282072017-03-11T22:11:24.421-08:002017-03-11T22:11:24.421-08:00MM "A" School in winter of '71-'...MM "A" School in winter of '71-'72. -56ºF. One of the reasons I live in The Sunshine State.<br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14839745455206425846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5657347751045557115.post-34167951055005285262017-03-11T16:16:55.067-08:002017-03-11T16:16:55.067-08:00Also from central Florida, BE/E and EM A school in...Also from central Florida, BE/E and EM A school in 79, I'd never been so cold, at least until I got stationed at Groton, CT.Timhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05901585515951920536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5657347751045557115.post-197072741256843792015-06-08T11:19:11.815-07:002015-06-08T11:19:11.815-07:00From 21Jun-23DEC73, RTC, BE&E and EM 'A...From 21Jun-23DEC73, RTC, BE&E and EM 'A' school. From the heat of the summer to the coldest of winter, Great Mistakes sucked. (Although, it wasn't as cold as getting Blue Nosed in the N.Atlantic in the fall of '76) Good thing I found and hooked that cute blonde HM WAVE I saw at the Philly airport the day I shipped out for boot. She helped me deal with the cold in more ways than one.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5657347751045557115.post-32962323148341011622015-05-27T17:14:05.945-07:002015-05-27T17:14:05.945-07:00nobody it seems has ever commented it was actually...nobody it seems has ever commented it was actually warm ever was there oct 72 till April 73 froze solid<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5657347751045557115.post-74625562365120167802015-05-02T04:37:48.251-07:002015-05-02T04:37:48.251-07:00I was there for boot camp, BE/E and FT 'A"...I was there for boot camp, BE/E and FT 'A" school in winter of 72-73 . It was so cold they cancelled much of fire school training as the hoses froze up. I swear the waves on the lake were frozen in place. Worse was that they were running BE/E school in shifts and lucky me got to go at night when it was even colder marching to and from class. I do remember one of the chiefs telling all of us that the Navy had tested us and knew we were smart enough to pass. If we didn't pass it was because we were lazy and he had plenty of extra duty to cure us of that! Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5657347751045557115.post-2153450600990550602015-05-01T14:15:40.646-07:002015-05-01T14:15:40.646-07:00Went to FT School 64-65; now that's when you h...Went to FT School 64-65; now that's when you had the bone-chilling wind blowin' up yer ass off Lake Michigan. Nothing like going to Galley 5 to pick up Midrats for the 'Watch' on a rickety old bicyle while you shined a flash-light to keep from getting run over.... Day-um!!!WestPacWilliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04230117241175965718noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5657347751045557115.post-83925090361489309552015-05-01T09:46:24.652-07:002015-05-01T09:46:24.652-07:00Went to gun school in 79 (the year of the record s...Went to gun school in 79 (the year of the record snow) It was a little easier for me as an E-6. Not all the boot camp duties the majority of the sailors up there had. But the place sucked. I swore I would never return, and I haven't. Florida is much better.Billnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5657347751045557115.post-90654596445978969512015-05-01T08:07:59.833-07:002015-05-01T08:07:59.833-07:003 times at Great Mistakes. FC "A" Phase ...3 times at Great Mistakes. FC "A" Phase 1 1980 FC "A" Phase 2 and CIWS 1982. Instructor RTC, MK86, and ET "A" 1995-1999. Who you calling a masochist? Medically retired as FC1. Used to ell the kids from warmer climates that in the event they felt themselves freezing up they should assume a proper military pose so that they would look good on the Admirals lawn until the spring thaw when their training would continue.Rey Bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10012367889283331447noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5657347751045557115.post-9228722820266624842015-05-01T06:07:10.953-07:002015-05-01T06:07:10.953-07:00As an MMC assigned 2nd Reg., SSC in 1985 I wonder...As an MMC assigned 2nd Reg., SSC in 1985 I wondered WT...? After IT school, I was assigned to the 22nd Batt. as a company commander. This was a BE/E Battalion. Later promoted to MMCS and Batt. Commander. Finished out my career on USS SAVANHA AOR-4.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com