Russian Subs Patrolling Off East Coast of U.S.

geetrue · 08-06-09, 05:31 PM

Okay just one more won't hurt ...

There we were on a dark and cloudy night on a diesel submarine running on batteries ten miles off the coast of Russian back in 63 with spooks (CT's) onboard to moniter any signals a Russian test fire launch could send back when out of no where a large contact is acquired.

I was just training to be a sonarman and couldn't tell what anything was yet all I could do is tell you where it was.

So I asked the man training me what it was, because it sounded big.

Petersen was his name and a damn good first class he was too.

So he takes the phones and listens and says, "That sounds like an aircraft carrier"

This contact is getting closer and closer till conn wants to know what it is.

Sonar/Conn what is that thing?

Conn/Sonar sounds like an aircraft carrier sir ...

Captain to the control room down below the conn says, Bring her up to periscope depth.

A few minutes go by and the captain requests for Petersen to come to the conn. So I am left all alone for the first time in the black hole of calcutta (sonar was called that in the old boats).

When Petersen gets to the conn ... the captain says, "Here take a look at your aircraft carrier"

It was a big ass cruise ship all lit up cruising down the coast of Russia.

He just kept trying to explain that four screws is four screws to him, but of course they didn't
have any aircraft carriers yet and our fleet didn't steam 10 miles off the coast of our neighbor in those days.

08-06-09, 05:31 PM	#39
geetrue Cold War Boomer Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Walla Walla Posts: 2,837 Downloads: 5 Uploads: 0	Okay just one more won't hurt ... There we were on a dark and cloudy night on a diesel submarine running on batteries ten miles off the coast of Russian back in 63 with spooks (CT's) onboard to moniter any signals a Russian test fire launch could send back when out of no where a large contact is acquired. I was just training to be a sonarman and couldn't tell what anything was yet all I could do is tell you where it was. So I asked the man training me what it was, because it sounded big. Petersen was his name and a damn good first class he was too. So he takes the phones and listens and says, "That sounds like an aircraft carrier" This contact is getting closer and closer till conn wants to know what it is. Sonar/Conn what is that thing? Conn/Sonar sounds like an aircraft carrier sir ... Captain to the control room down below the conn says, Bring her up to periscope depth. A few minutes go by and the captain requests for Petersen to come to the conn. So I am left all alone for the first time in the black hole of calcutta (sonar was called that in the old boats). When Petersen gets to the conn ... the captain says, "Here take a look at your aircraft carrier" It was a big ass cruise ship all lit up cruising down the coast of Russia. He just kept trying to explain that four screws is four screws to him, but of course they didn't have any aircraft carriers yet and our fleet didn't steam 10 miles off the coast of our neighbor in those days. __________________