February 16, 1988 Onboard the Sammy B 30 years ago today, we were underway for Day 37 of MEF 1-88. Worked midnight - 7 am & 7 pm - midnight. General quarters most of the day, went through the Straits of Hormuz and entered the Persian Gulf. 147 days before returning home to Newport, RI. February 17, 1988 Onboard the Sammy B 30 years ago today, we were underway for Day 38 of MEF 1-88. Worked midnight - 7 am & 7 pm - midnight. Pulled into Sitra Anchorage in Bahrain. 146 days before returning home to Newport, RI. Navy’s Vital Home Port in Persian Gulf: U.S.-Bahraini Ties: A Delicate Balance February 18, 1988 Onboard the Sammy B 30 years ago today, we were anchored at Sitra Anchorage Bahrain for Day 39 of MEF 1- 88. Worked midnight - 7 am & 7 pm - midnight. 2 1/2 hours sleep. Went on liberty in Bahrain with Artie Dirocco. Went to the "mall", ate pizza, and called home. "Pretty wild place." 145 days before returning home to Newport, RI. Shane Dietert: I liked Bahrain. I had a good time. I’m not sure when but there’s was one time when we anchored there someone fell between the floating dock and the water taxi. Bob Lewis: Frank wasn’t it? Shane Dietert: Bob Lewis I believe you’re right Bob. It was Scott Frank. February 19, 1988 Onboard the Sammy B 30 years ago today, we were anchored at Sitra Anchorage Bahrain for Day40 of MEF 1- 88. Worked midnight - 7 am. 3 hours sleep. Went on liberty in Bahrain. Played volleyball & basketball at ASU Bahrain. Went downtown and walked around/shopped some. Found some interesting people. 144 days before returning home to Newport, RI. Gary Goodale: I am really loving all of these posts that you have made over the last 40 days, it really explains the shit hole we were in when we were over there. Iranian gunboats are flying the flags of neutral Persian Gulf nations to enable them to surprise and attack merchant ships in the territorial waters of the United Arab Emirates, the Bahrain-based Gulf News reported. The gunboats are manned by Iranian Revolutionary Guards and cannot be distinguished from fishing boats that ply the waters off the busy southern gulf coast, the newspaper said, quoting shipping sources. The sources refused to name the ship that sighted the disguised gunboats for fear of Iranian retaliation, the Bahraini newspaper said. Meanwhile, a French warship found and destroyed a mine drifting in the northern Persian Gulf, French naval officials said. February 20, 1988 Onboard the Sammy B 30 years ago today, we were underway in the Persian Gulf for Day 41 of MEF 1-88. Worked midnight - 7 am and 7 pm - midnight. The Navy was beginning RIF (Reduction in Force) and I found out my my extensions in the Navy past 4 years may be terminated, so I may be getting out of the Navy in May. Received mail. 143 days before returning home to Newport, RI. Michael McCarey: Wow, the plot thickens. Can't wait to see how this one turns out. Shane Dietert: I hope it has a different ending this time. LOL Tony Dizillo: I know Shane, I hope I have a very quiet birthday in April. The Associated Press MANAMA, Bahrain The marine radio in Qatar issued warnings Friday to vessels in the Persian Gulf after a ship reported what appeared to be a mine off the sheikdom's western coast. The radio advised ships to stay clear of the area between Qatar, which juts north into the gulf from the Arabian Peninsula, and the island nation of Bahrain. Shipping executives said a ship that did not identify itself reported sighting an object that was "black, with points." There was no confirmation that it was one of the numerous mines sown in the gulf since the Iranian-Iraqi war began. February 21, 1988 Onboard the Sammy B 30 years ago today, we were underway in the Persian Gulf for Day 42 of MEF 1-88. Worked midnight - 7 am and 1 pm - 7 pm with a 2 hour general quarters during the day. Confirmed I will be getting out of the Navy in May. "Have the short timers blues!". Passed a burning oil rig that was attacked back in December. 142 days before returning home to Newport, RI. Tony Avery: Doug Thomas forgive my memory— was it your choice to leave the Navy? Doug Thomas: In the end, yes it was. The story gets a bit cloudy as time will tell........... Tony Avery: 1 more question...counting days to return to Newport. If you left in May, you would not have completed the tour with the Sammy B and returned to Newport? Doug Thomas: You are correct. If I took the early out, I would leave the Sammy B early and return to Newport for discharge. Michael McCarey: Short timers "blues"? Not how I remember it. LOL Tony Dizillo: Short timers excitement, I had that in Italy on way back to Gulf in '90. February 22, 1988 Onboard the Sammy B 30 years ago today, we were underway in the Persian Gulf for Day 43 of MEF 1-88. Worked 7 am - 7 pm. Met with the CO/XO and it appears I will be discharged from the Navy on May 13. Had a flight deck bbq. 141 days before returning home to Newport, RI. Brad Gutcher: Great shot of Sk1 Thompson. Miss that guy. Anyone know where he is. February 23, 1988 Onboard the Sammy B 30 years ago today, we were underway in the Persian Gulf for Day 44 of MEF 1-88. Worked 7 am - 7 pm. Me & Michael McCarey were confronted by RMC Williams about staying and both said no way. Time for some clarification/soul bearing. I have had personal issues over the years with my decision at the time to leave the ship while it was in the Persian Gulf. Looking back as a much older adult, I realize it wasn't the best decision. But you have to realize who I worked for (RMC). It seemed he took every chance he could to make my life miserable. Even in my Coast Guard years, I had no desire to ever make E-7 because of him. Until one day I had a great mentor point out "Why don't you make E-7 and be the Chief that he wasn't?" Anyway, I'm ok with it looking back at the bigger picture of life, but just one of those small pieces of the puzzle that make up who I am. 140 days before returning home to Newport, RI. Michael McCarey: Doug, we both had similar paths to this day. For some of the same reasons, I was willing to opt out. In hindsight, I am happy how it turned out. But a few years later the effects of this deployment, however, caused me to leave the Navy after 10 years. Shane Dietert: I thought about re-enlisting or joining the reserves. Because of him I didn’t do either. He impacted a lot of people in a negative way. Jodie Juneau Parmer: I so very much understand leaving a job (retiring, in my case) because of a superior who makes the lives of their employees miserable. It's sad that a good career has to end on such a bad note. Doug Thomas: Sorry to hear that, Jody!!! But it sounds like you know exactly what I'm talking about. MANAMA, Bahrain A U.S. warship, arriving in the Persian Gulf on Monday as the newest addition to the Navy's escort squadron, fired machine-gun warning shots to chase away two fishing boats that ventured too close. Although the craft proved to be harmless, a U.S. official said, the boats at first appeared to be Boston Whaler-type vessels, often used by Iran's Revolutionary Guards to attack commercial shipping. The official said the Trenton fired after the boats approached within 3,300 yards of a U.S. convoy, 30 miles off the coast of Dubai, at about 3 p.m. He said the ship issued verbal warnings that were not heeded U.S. Warning Iraq to Control Planes or Risk Losing Them February 24, 1988 Onboard the Sammy B 30 years ago today, we were underway in the Persian Gulf for Day 45 of MEF 1-88. Worked 7 am - 7 pm. 139 days before returning home to Newport, RI. Public Relations Coup in Gulf of Oman: U.S. Navy Mounts Daring Rescue - - For Whale February 25, 1988 Onboard the Sammy B 30 years ago today, we were underway in the Persian Gulf for Day 46 of MEF 1-88. Worked 7 am - 7 pm. Received mail and was thinking of home a lot, woke up at 3:30 am and was unable to get back to sleep before watch at 7. 138 days before returning home to Newport, RI. February 26, 1988 Onboard the Sammy B 30 years ago today, we were underway in the Persian Gulf for Day 47 of MEF 1-88. Worked 7 am - 7 pm. Woke up at 3:30 am again. Slow day, possibly pulling into Bahrain on March 15. 137 days before returning home to Newport, RI. February 27, 1988 Onboard the Sammy B 30 years ago today, we were underway in the Persian Gulf for Day 48 of MEF 1-88. Worked 7 am - 7 pm. Woke up at 3:30 am again. 136 days before returning home to Newport, RI.