Durham (LKA 114) - Naval Cruise Book

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lVlar 14 1968 tight that personnel wearing moustaches had to have them registered When the balance crew filled out there were about 250 men Because of the close living conditions in the barracks the crew became well acquainted with one another Familiar names to most in those early days may have been SN lVllke lVloon lVlullens SN Gary Gooby Treatch EIVI3 Larry Herbie Herbert RD3 Arne Hut Huhtala BIVI3 Ken lVloose Levander BlVl3 Chuck Penner ElVl3 Jim Fluff Flynn RD2 Dan Olongapoe Long CYN3 Bob Antone BlVl3 Bob Weller SIVI2 Bill Harris and BlVl2 Bill Higg Higgins to name several. There are some who might still remember how many times RD3 Tom Clemmets got short sheeted, or how many times FA Paul Carrol was written up, or how many times BlVl3 Glen Babula raced his car around the dipsty dumpster before the base police flagged him down The rest might remember the night FTG3 Alan Gruver made his debut at the Aerodrome, though the Shore Patrol were probably closer to the truth in calling it a bust out One night SN Will Cagle decided to spit shine his shoes in the barracks. He lighted a can of paste wax polish, but let it burn too long and couldn't put the fire out. Grabbing one of the old foam-type fire extin- guishers off the wall, he opened it up on the spreading fire. The fire was quickly put out, but the extinguisher couldn't be, until it completely emptied itself of its contents. To just about everyone on the south side of the Chesapeake Bay Tunnel Bridge, Tidewater Area was a household word heard on every news broadcast and used at least once in every third sentence. After several months the crew became more familiar with certain clubs in this area, which were occassioned more often than others. Those of us with wheels and money made it into Virginia Beach, The World's Largest Resort Area. Here were the Peppermint Beach Club, Rogues Gallery the Golden Garter, art shops, sandal makers, and miles of open beaches. Those of us with wheels and money but less incentive, crowded the Jolly Roger on Wesf Ocean View Money but no wheels Louie s by Gate Two No wheels and little money The Aerodrome or the Tradewinds Still there were many of the guys who took in a show or went bowling ln town good cider and fresh talent could be had at the Folk Ghetto Further north on Tidewater Drive lVlama s for pizza and Ledo s for ShrDrc2x?vntown Norfolk as a bustling center of social activity left a bit to be desired lt had its hospital its Negro ghetto used furniture stores and pawn shops Its importance and popularity though seemed to rest in its location To the south and west Norfolk was bordered by a legendary and much frequented branch of the James River A bridge to the south took one into Portsmouth where DURHAIVI held her fitting out period North and east roads branched out to the Norfolk Naval Base Newport News Chesapeake Bay Little Creek Amphibious Base Lynnhaven lnlet Fort Story and Virginia Beach lVlany enjoyed Norfolk simply because it was a coastal city lts late autumns could be enjoyed almost through December though it was usually too cold in those late months for more than just a stroll along the beaches When the wind blew at all it was almost a full gale The trees along Ocean View Blvd all had their contorted limbs bent permanently inland by the late season coastal storms By January when the crew had returned from their Christmas leave period it was apparent that the DUR HAlVl would not be ready for delivery in February and maybe not even by lVlarch The Precommlssionlng Detail in view of the number of people who had already reported and the length of time before DURHAIVI would be ready for them launched a broad flexible training program which still accounts for the majority of training the present crew has received Over seventy people were sent TAD lTemporary Additional Dutyl to the USS RANKIN lLKA-1031 USS WRIGHT lCC-21 refrigerated stores ship REGAL destroyer RICKETTS and the USS DEWEY lDLG-141. The RAN KIN left for the Caribbean when there was still snow on the ground in Norfolk while the DEWEY made a Mediterranean cruise The offices in building N-30 slowly emptied as officers, likewise, began filling various school quotas Some of the schools were close enough that the ritualistic nooner cribbage games held in room 222, second deck, building N-30, did not have to be entirely interrupted Of the more regular players lBob Rodriguez, Eric Werner, Bob lVlcGrath, Claude Freaner, Tom lVlartin, and Randy Smithl enough usually showed up with their brown bag lunches to create the normal noise level. The two week Nuclear, Biological, Chemical Warfare school, to which Bob lVlcGrath was sent, put a hurt on his attendance at the games for a couple days. After a brief value judgment, though, he stopped going to school in order to get back to the cribbage circle. No one thought much of it, least of all Bob, until one morning that same week, his two day instructor happened to see him sitting in on a hand. When the crew finally moved on board April 29, 1969, in Portsmouth, people were still being sent to schools, some as far away as San Francisco, California. Between February 1, 1969 and April 25, 1969, over 10,889 man days of training had been held. One man would have had to go to school for almost two full years in order to accomplish the amount of training the balance crew received in less than three months. ln that period, each man graduated from an average of over six different schools. QOCXJ were graduates of shipboard grlemfighting, and 79'X, graduated from Damage Control c oo.

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Dec.26g1967 U C up for the show and was sincerely disappointed when she didn't see them or the white marlin they said they would catch. The balance crew was another segment of DUB- HAlVl's crew, which, unlike the nucleus crew, was composed of mostly new people, Seaman Apprentices directly out of boot camp and six Ensigns fresh out of Officer Candidate School. Balance crew members check- ed into the Fleet Training Center, Norfolk Naval Base. There, in Building N-30, the majority of their training was received. They numbered 163 at the end of November. Under the prospective Executive Officer, Commander John l. Bradbury, the balance crew was organized into shipboard divisions and departments and carried out all administrative functions of the ship. Here were located the personnel and dispersing offices, and the infamous barracks K. Barracks K was an antiquated building that pre-dated most of the men living in it. The reading room could only be used for watching television after the sun went down due to a lighting problem. When the television was secured at 2330, everyone mustered down in the Chief lVlaster at Arms office to catch the late shows on his set. Few of us would admit to ever having called it home, but no one can forget the times which were had there. One time in particular was the incident involving the Naval Investigating Service. They had become suspicious of the use of the attic in the barracks after a several week observation through the attic window. One day, unbeknown to the command they entered the attic and placed several people in custody. The empty beer cans which were found and the psychedelic decor led to the suspicion of the use of drugs especially marijuana. A hastily conducted locker inspection revealed only some incomplete sea bags and a few questionable photo- graphs As a result of the incident though several persons were placed on report and things became so l l l . Dec.26,l967 . AND SHE? A. I gp d0f75 My G01 7211? gitfrlwvp 9 U7 Boo WHAT I H2300 T fALl1f'QG, ,, WA Q li 3 an 6 ll x 21, we-ii-'T ,Q TELEPll0lJEi 1292 V l l ' If f . 4 ' r ,sv 1 4 f ff, WZ! X f 1 f 1, 4 lx, A - ,gym-A f O w ' 1 if R I F I 1 M X 4 3, f wk H 'il te ., L. 7' l' fl' 'JW it

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