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Ships Down Through Theyears CNO TESTIFY BEFORE PAY COMMISSION 0Th Stress Uniqueness of Militaryservice

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FEBRU RY 1978 NUMBER 733 FeaturesA WINE AND WATER hristening ships down through theyears CNO TESTIFY BEFORE PAY COMMISSION 0th stress uniqueness of militaryservice astering English football at the source urial at sea aboard USS Boulder (LST 1 190) I 22 US$ SHREVEPORT (LPD 12) , ship with a vital mission in today's Navy 27 MIL TARY SEALIFT COMMAND avy men and civilians working together at sea 34 IT'S A SAREX oiling enemy attempts to capture downed pilots 38 IT'S MORE THAN A GAME ommand interest is one key to advancement 42 NE\ 'SEA PAY PROPOSAL LAUNCHED lore dollars for longer service at sea Covers Front: Co lmander Ira H. Coen, Jr., has the conn aboard the nuclear-powered attack sub1 larine USS Hawkbill (SSN 666) off Hawaii. Photo by LT Franklin D. Peele. Back: Mrs. Iolph Briscoe, wife of theGovernor of Texas, christens the nuclear- powered g1 lded missile cruiser USS Texas (CGN 39). See page 4. Photo by PHAN William F. :lynn. Departmc 1ts 2 Curl !nts 37 Information Exchange 24 Beal rigs 48 Mail Buoy Chief of I aval Operations: Admiral James L. Holloway II I Staff: LT Bill Ray Chi! of Information: Rear Admiral David M. Cooney JOC Dan Guzman Dir. Print M Jia Div. (NIRA): Lieutenant John Alexander JO1 Jerry Atchison Editor: John F. Coleman JO1 (SS) Pete Sundberg News Editor: Joanne E. Dumene PH1 Terry Mitchell F Dduction Editor: Lieutenant Jeff Zakem 502 Davida Matthews Layout Editor: E. L. Fast 502 Dan Wheeler Art Editor: Michael Tuffli 503 Francis Bir Research .Editor: Catherine D. Fellows Edward Jenkins Page 27 Elaine McNeil Electronic Technicians Needed for Surface Nuclear Program 0 The Navy is looking for petty officer grade electronic technicians (ETs) who want to serve as reactor operators aboard nuclear- powered surface ships. The ETs are needed for the Navy’s projected expansion of the surface nuclearfleet, especially in Virginia and Chlifornia class cruisers. Interested ETs must have fourto eight years of service, proven performance as technicians and demonstrated leadership ability. Applicants accepted for the program will get one year ofnuclear-power training and then serve as reactor operators aboard nuclear-powered surface ships. Graduates will be required to serve a minimum of three years atsea after they complete thetraining. Nuclear trained personnel currently receive significant financial incentives, including the maximum amount authorized for shortage specialty (proficiency) pay and the maximum allowed for reenlistment bonuses. The nuclear propulsionprogram also offers a unique opportunity for theoretical and practical trainingin nuclear reactor physics and reactor control electronics. Applications should be sub- mitted via the commanding officerto theChief of Naval Personnel (Pers 5N). Further details are inBuPersNote 1520 of Dec. 3, 1977. California, Hawaii Residents to Have State Tax Withheld 0 California and Hawaii are the latest additions to the growing list of states thathave asked the Defense Department to withhold state income taxes from the paychecks of their militaryresidents. In California, the tax will be withheld only while military people who areCalifornia residents are stationed in that state. The withholding program started Dec. 1 for Hawaii and Feb. 1 for California. These additions bring to 29 the number of states participating in the state income tax withholding program. First Quarter FY78 Recruiting Results Announced 0 The Navy Recruiting Command attained 9 1 percent of its One-Navy enlisted programs goals for the first quarter of FY 78. Eighty-one percent of the 17,859active duty, non-prior service, men and women recruited were high school graduates and 88 percent were eligible to attend Navy Class “A” School. TheOne-Navy recruitinggoal for FY 78is 94,735. Navy Relief Society Offers Loans for Education Interest free loansto aid dependent children of Navy and Marine Corps servicemenin obtaining a college education or vocational training are available through the Navy Relief Society. Total school loan limitis $6,000 with a maximum yearly loan limit of $1,500. Approval of loansis based on the student’s need as determined by family size and income. Applications for 1978-79 school year loans may be obtained bywriting Navy Relief Society, Room 1228, 801 N. Randolph Street, Arlington, Va. 22203. Deadline for re- questing applications is March 15. 2 ALL HANDS LANTFLT Ships Make Africa/SouthAmerica nt Three U.S. AtlanticFleet shipsmanned by 1,555 Navy men countries,two So ancities and two Caribbean portsduring a 10- week trainingdep the South Atlantic. USS Inchon (LPH12), USS Spruunce (DD 96 Vuldez (FF 1096) began thedeployment Jan. 16 d States forAfrica. In addition to independent ions, the U.S. ships also may participate in small- scalecombined some host military units. The task group is scheduled to ret Navy Prepared If Sea Dutyfor Women is Naval Personneldevelopedhas a atant ships permanently, and gaged in combat. This would be avy proposed amendment to the m a minimum of 25 percent, cent of the billets on certain ships designated for . Initially, however, the minimum percentagewill s from a shortage of enlisted women in the past, thesmall need for women officers to leadership positions like de- be eligible to serve for per- enders, the training aircraft e ships. All ship types could U.S. Ships onth rescued 43 ast of Sicily. The rol from the aircraft 3 -- BY ED JOHNSON - 1 r “Sailorsbelong on shipsand ships belongat sea” chimesthe Old Navy adage, but, even way back then, each 1 bV of those shipswas christened. L ”’ Thoughseagoing vessels have changed over the ages, the care given each christening has not. To this day, many believe that anyone who violates a launching ritual, places a curse on a new ship. Each ship must be properly blessed in order to be protected. Amid fanfare, speeches, andbene- dictions, every 20th century Navy ship is christened and formally receives her name as she sits ready to enter the water. The woman designated as ship’s sponsor performs the christeningrite which begins, “I christen thee . in the name of theUnited States of America.” Thesponsor then draws “- back the net-encased bottle, usually champagne, and smashes it against the bow. Properlychristened, the newly namedvessel slips down the greased shipways,her bunting and streamers w ”- I 4 ALL HANDS - whipping in the wind. Protocol having injured spectator could sea. When theship was blessed and been observed, anothership will sail worse, especially if he released, the rollers bearing the ship’s without a curse. sent at a christening in the weight, started forward. The offerings Thoughship launching ceremonies c. The South Sea island- wereimmediately crushed and their havebeen standardized for themost blood drenched the ship and shipways. part regardless of location or type of Successfully launched accordingto tra- ship, centuries agothe protocol de- oyal blood-for each dition, the ship was assured a long and pendedon thecountry wh.ere the he islanders were con- useful life. launchingtook place and the attitude Eventually, as seafaringcommuni- toward each country’s particular deity. ceived a living spirit ties became more humane-or sacrifi- Sometimes, however, common sense ssociation with pro- cial humans less availablethe launch- prevailed and ceremonies were changed ing ceremony wasmodified so that as the need for change was perceived. it entered the winereplaced blood. The Greeks are For example, after a mishap occurred believed to have been one of the first in a 19th century launching in England, to substitute wine for blood and even aseemingly insignificant but perma- today just before a Greek ship enters nentalteration was made-the chris- the water for the first time, her cap- tening bottle was secured by a lanyard tain-observing the ancient ritual- to theship’s stem. This change was raises a container of wine to his lips, instituted when a sponsor-whose eye- takesa sip and pours the remainder sight was none too keen to begin with over the deck. (according to witnesses)-swung the The Greeks werealso one of the unsecured bottle toward the bow and, frst to begin blessing a new ship with in her excitement, missed. The bottle James Cook witnessed sev- water. Like the Romans of later days, slippedfrom her hands and crowned they believed that water was a symbol one unfortunate commoner. of purification”an appeasement to the If the incident is considered from a gods to ensure a safe ship. ceremonialperspective-rather than froma legal perspective since a suit (-+) February 1978 5 The United States has at various the vessel, scrambled about attempting however, were native sons of Ken- times used both water andwine to to solve the problem. No luck. tucky and considered a bottle of spring christen ships. The choicedepended Embarrassed, they admitted to offi- water to be something less than ade- largely on public sentimenttoward cials that no rational explanation could quate to christen a first class fighting temperance. Still, there are Bostonians be offered, though they believed it was ship, especially one named for a state who will, to this day, swear that wine is an ill omen for all iron-hulled ships. As more famous for its bourbon than its the only christening liquid that can do nightfall approached, both spectators spring water. the job right becausethe first attemptto andworkmen departed andwent When those disheartened Kentucki- launch the USS Constitution in 1797 in home. ans heard the sponsor’s words and saw Boston was unsuccessful. The custom- When workers returned the follow- water“defile” THEIR ship, they ary bottle of water was broken across ing morning, Michigan was not on her openedtheir travelling bags and . herbow and nothing happened-the ways.During the night,without any- well, a local newspaper account writ- ship didn’t budge. A second bottle of one watching, she had successfully ten at the time tells it better: watersmashed squarely on her bow launched herself without the benefit of “.
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