Finally have my own command

SSN_638 · 01-17-10, 09:05 AM

Greetings, all!
My name's Bob Williams, and 35 years ago I was a quartermaster aboard the USS Whale (SSN-638). For you non-navy types, that's navigation

. I was also qualified for and stood watch at the helm/planes, passive sonar stack and a number of non-underway watches. I volunteered for the ship's machinist position and made a couple of underway repairs to steam valves on the lathe back in the engine room. Once, while we were transiting the North Atlantic, I got permission from the OOD to practice 'bottom contour' navigation - using the fathometer to compare actual ocean depth to what our charted position predicted. During this practice I encountered a previously uncharted feature. I assembled all of the pertinent data and the Skipper submitted it to the Hydrographic Office and, a few months later, I received a letter from them stating that the new feature, an undersea mountain, was now named "Williams Seamount"

! I still have that letter.

Our home port was New London, Connecticut and while I was on board we made several six month deployments to the Mediterranean Sea and a "Northern Run". Unfortunately, I can't go into any detail about the Northern Run mission, but I can tell you that in the Med our chief function was finding and shadowing Soviet ballistic missile subs. I absolutely loved being a submariner - I'd wanted to be one since reading "Up Periscope" when I was 11 years old.

So, when my friend Gary (Freebird on these forums) bought Silent Hunter 4 with the U-Boat missions for me for Christmas, I was overjoyed! This sim is AWESOME!!! I've been able to apply all of that knowledge about subs and submarine warfare and I've been doing almost nothing but eating, sleeping and laying waste to the Japs since I got it

. I'm currently in command of the USS Skipjack, on my fifth patrol in the Solomons, and so far we've sent 170,000 tons to the bottom this time out. Last patrol we sunk 212,800 tons in 45 days. I'm running in 'Hard' mode - none of that automatic targeting for me, thank you very much.

I look forward to swapping sea stories with you guys. Good luck and good hunting.

Onkel Neal · 01-17-10, 10:26 AM

Howdy Bob, welcome aboard. Always glad to have the genuine article in our group. Yes, SH4 is a real jewel, these games have come a long way since they began:

At some point, you may want to try Sub Command or Dangerous Waters, they simulate nuke subs and bring a whole nother level of gameplay.

cheers
Neal

AVGWarhawk · 01-17-10, 11:57 AM

Ah, Williams Seamount. Now that is just neat. Welcome aboard and enjoy the boards. Thank you for serving!

frau kaleun · 01-17-10, 12:08 PM

Welcome aboard!

Catfish · 01-17-10, 01:16 PM

Hello William, and welcome to Subsim

Good to have a real mariner around

Greetings,
Catfish

Jimbuna · 01-17-10, 01:24 PM

Welcome aboard matey

August · 01-18-10, 11:10 AM

Welcome!

01-17-10, 09:05 AM	#1
SSN_638 Watch Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Vermont, USA Posts: 21 Downloads: 2 Uploads: 0	Finally have my own command Greetings, all! My name's Bob Williams, and 35 years ago I was a quartermaster aboard the USS Whale (SSN-638). For you non-navy types, that's navigation . I was also qualified for and stood watch at the helm/planes, passive sonar stack and a number of non-underway watches. I volunteered for the ship's machinist position and made a couple of underway repairs to steam valves on the lathe back in the engine room. Once, while we were transiting the North Atlantic, I got permission from the OOD to practice 'bottom contour' navigation - using the fathometer to compare actual ocean depth to what our charted position predicted. During this practice I encountered a previously uncharted feature. I assembled all of the pertinent data and the Skipper submitted it to the Hydrographic Office and, a few months later, I received a letter from them stating that the new feature, an undersea mountain, was now named "Williams Seamount" ! I still have that letter. Our home port was New London, Connecticut and while I was on board we made several six month deployments to the Mediterranean Sea and a "Northern Run". Unfortunately, I can't go into any detail about the Northern Run mission, but I can tell you that in the Med our chief function was finding and shadowing Soviet ballistic missile subs. I absolutely loved being a submariner - I'd wanted to be one since reading "Up Periscope" when I was 11 years old. So, when my friend Gary (Freebird on these forums) bought Silent Hunter 4 with the U-Boat missions for me for Christmas, I was overjoyed! This sim is AWESOME!!! I've been able to apply all of that knowledge about subs and submarine warfare and I've been doing almost nothing but eating, sleeping and laying waste to the Japs since I got it . I'm currently in command of the USS Skipjack, on my fifth patrol in the Solomons, and so far we've sent 170,000 tons to the bottom this time out. Last patrol we sunk 212,800 tons in 45 days. I'm running in 'Hard' mode - none of that automatic targeting for me, thank you very much. I look forward to swapping sea stories with you guys. Good luck and good hunting. __________________ Bob "Willy" Williams QM2(SS) There are two kinds of vessels - submarines and targets...

01-17-10, 10:26 AM	#2
Onkel Neal Born to Run Silent Join Date: Jan 1997 Location: Cougar Trap, Texas Posts: 21,293 Downloads: 534 Uploads: 224	Howdy Bob, welcome aboard. Always glad to have the genuine article in our group. Yes, SH4 is a real jewel, these games have come a long way since they began: At some point, you may want to try Sub Command or Dangerous Waters, they simulate nuke subs and bring a whole nother level of gameplay. cheers Neal __________________ SUBSIM - 26 Years on the Web

01-17-10, 11:57 AM	#3
AVGWarhawk Lucky Jack Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: In a 1954 Buick. Posts: 27,343 Downloads: 90 Uploads: 0	Ah, Williams Seamount. Now that is just neat. Welcome aboard and enjoy the boards. Thank you for serving! __________________ “You're painfully alive in a drugged and dying culture.” ― Richard Yates, Revolutionary Road

01-17-10, 01:24 PM	#6
Jimbuna Chief of the Boat Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: 250 metres below the surface Posts: 181,360 Downloads: 63 Uploads: 13	Welcome aboard matey __________________ Wise men speak because they have something to say; Fools because they have to say something. Oh my God, not again!! GWX3.0 Download Page - Donation/instant access to GWX (Help SubSim)

01-18-10, 11:10 AM	#7
August Wayfaring Stranger Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 22,711 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Welcome! __________________ Flanked by life and the funeral pyre. Putting on a show for you to see.

01-17-10, 12:08 PM	#4
frau kaleun Rear Admiral Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Skyri--oh who are we kidding, I'm probably at Lowe's. Again. Posts: 12,706 Downloads: 168 Uploads: 0	Welcome aboard!

01-17-10, 01:16 PM	#5
Catfish Dipped Squirrel Operative Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: ..where the ocean meets the sky Posts: 16,904 Downloads: 38 Uploads: 0	Hello William, and welcome to Subsim Good to have a real mariner around Greetings, Catfish