Comments on: A Day in the Life of a DV

By: Rey Dominguez, Jr

Rey Dominguez, Jr — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 22:12:59 +0000

I read the article and it was great. But as to “Wow” factor, back when NAS Alameda was still open, I and USS DRUM (SSN-677) stopped there during the Fleet Week Festivities in 1991, I believe. We were parked behind USS Texas, which, at the time was a CGN, and across the pier from a carrier, the name of which escapes me right now. But the WOW we most appreciated was from some Blue Angels ground support guys who happend to see our itty-bitty sail poking above the pier, and went and found our submarine tied up next to these hulking grey shapes. We took them through all the spaces save for engineering and they were very impressed and appreciateive of our impromtu tour belowdecks. Top-Gun meets Bottom-Gun as it were. Got autographed pictures and stuff. It was great. Then hordes of people, completing their tour on the carrier, found their way to our submarine. Good lord. All of a sudden, it seemed like USS Drum became part of the tour. Duty section became tour guides as long as people could navigate the access ladders and narrow passageways. It was a headache to sort out but it was rewarding in the end.

By: Kris, in New England

Kris, in New England — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 14:16:54 +0000

I’m with FbL – though I’m not just a tinge of green – I’m full-blown kelly green ovah heeya.

By: craig mclaughlin

craig mclaughlin — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 12:37:20 +0000

virgil,

Concur. That piece was anthologized in “Holidays in Hell,” I believe. Which is also a must read. Most of the articles in it are twenty or more years old, so a little dated, but still brilliant. Sort of a compendium of bad places to vacation- like Lebanon, South Africa and Epcot center.

By: virgil xenophon

virgil xenophon — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 12:26:44 +0000

Funniest O’Rourke piece I ever read was in Harper’s mag., about a side-splitting regaling of a trip down the Volga in late 70’s with bunch of aging lefty hippies who thought the SU was paradise-on-earth, but brought their own toilet paper, being forewarned of “shortages” in this workers “paradise.” LOL descriptions of reality of CCCP observed v ideological “blinders” of lefty crowd–a bunch so obtusely disgusting that O’Rourk ends spending all his time drinking with the only sane people on board with any sense of humor at all–the Russian crew. A must read!

By: xairboss

xairboss — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 14:45:17 +0000

Entertaining DVs in the tower could be a pain in the backside but having First Lady Nancy Reagan call you “Boss” was kinda nice

By: Skippy-san

Skippy-san — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 13:30:16 +0000

603,

Actually no-it took cash and a strong liver to be in the 127 wardroom.

“Bunch of refugees from a CAAC ward.”