JOHN W. SAWITZKI SK2 The Admiral Zumwalt era. Twin 3”/50  mounts (cruise missiles were reserved for our Warsaw Pact adversaries).  Navy Special Fuel Oil powered.  NTDS a rumor.  No first-class mess –or- rack curtains at first. Stewards were almost all from the Philippines and were not allowed to strike in other rates. Cracker-Jack sailor suits (no civvies on board please) Water was always in short supply. Women personnel were “WAVES” and not aboard combatant  ships. Break-Away ditty was. “Born to Be Wild”. Escort DD’s were more often than not Fram-2 DD  rust buckets. Phantom Jets on the carriers.

Zumwalt: This revolutionary side-burned admiral really shook things up with his “Z-gram” directives that. were sent directly to the ships, bypassing some reluctant higher ups..  There were many changes. Watches no longer had to wear undress blues at sea. Lowly seamen met with the Captain in “rap sessions”.  Stewards began to strike in other rates. Some career types predicted the end of the world!

Like a True Nature’s Child:: Prior to Zumwalt, break-away songs were often of the patriotic or elevator music type. After a vote, we adopted “Born to Be Wild”. I recall  the reaction from a bird-farm when we first used it from my vantage point as phone talker on forward refueling station,. The enlisted people on the carrier  all gesticulated and pointed. The brass up on the carrier bridge also seemed to notice the novelty. (damn hippies!)

Oops!: Once while anchored off  Italy, the motor-whale boat was used to haul a torpedo up the coast to a cruiser. The X.O. was aboard. Unfortunately, a basic check had not been made, and the motor-whale boat ran out of fuel and had to be rescued. This did not enhance the career of the engineman in charge.

Parallel Parking: In an amazing show of seamanship, Captain Reeg  backed the Pratt into Old San Juan harbor without tugs. The waves were crashing over the fantail. Career designated individuals had never seen anything like it!

ST 1 David L. Cook, I came aboard the Pratt in 1967 as a STG 2 as leading petty officer of the fire control division made up of SONAR, Torpedo and Missile Fire Control personal .  I transferred from the USS Farragut DLG 6 to the Pratt  in Mayport, Florida to volunteer for a west pack cruse to Viet Nam.  The highlight of being part of the SONAR gang was the band they put together called,  "The Lower Sound" made up of SONAR Men and the ship's Corpsman.  The Captain and SONAR Chief would come down to the SONAR equipment room and sing along with the band when they practiced.

I had the privilege of detecting our first Sonar contact when on station in the Gulf of Tonkin of a enemy torpedo boat coming out to attack us.  We lost three shipmates on our tour off the shores of Viet Nam. 

The ship also had the honor of landing the first Air Force "Jolly Green Giant" on our fantail making naval history and also refueling helicopters while they were in flight.  It was a good ship with a good crew and I am very proud to have served on Her.

Tim Bubla (SM2 SW)... The William V Pratt was my first ship back in 1986. The crew from 86-90 remember me best as the most Jr Sailor in Pratt History to earn the ESWS pin. "Squared Away" you might say...Yes but that wasn't always the case....Inport Charleston, Portside Midships Quarterdeck and I had the 20-24 Messenger Watch. (I had always been the class clown in school and had the record for the most visits to the principals office) So it was normal for me to keep cracking jokes to help the watch go by quicker. I had finally talked the POOW into letting me pass some words over the 1MC. Everything was going great. Then at 2100, right on schedule, we see the Navy Exchange Mobile Canteen making its final visit for the night. "Bubla, you know how to pass the word for the canteen right?"...Yes I replied as I started turning on all the circuits for the 1MC. Topside...Officers... Engineering ect ect..."On Board the Pratt", I heard my voice echo, "The Roach Coach is now making its approach". What followed next was a flurry of excitement, I heard the unified laughter of the crew from below decks as the OOD called out to the POOW..."Get him off that 1MC!!!". Just then the XO called up and the CDO flew out the Port side 02 Level Door. As I later learned the correct word to be passed was "The Naval Exchange Mobile Canteen is now on the pier" And So for the next concecutive 14 days the story continued...Inport Charleston, Portside Midships Quarterdeck and I had the 00-04 Messenger Watch (all 14 days)....T. Bubla

Fred "Seaman" Lehman...Seaman Lehman here! Came aboard May 1st,1967(Mayday) in Mayport. My first ship! Just looking at the massive superstructure, and the clean lines of this flush-decked Guided Missile Frigate sent chills down my spine! As I see it, the COONTZ class DLGs were the most impressive looking of all navy ships! Made the Westpac cruise, made some life-long friends, and to his day take great pride in having been a part of it all. It was truly the thrill of a lifetime for me. As a Seaman in first division, I was give the honor of being one of the ships boat coxswains. I also stood watch as helmsman and lee helmsman, lookout, and messenger! After some time, I was appointed as leading seaman and duty Boatswains Mate. Our BMC was a terrific guy; David Beatty from Florida. Chief Beatty eventually retired and then worked as a Firefighter at the Mayport base. He has since passed away, as so many former shipmates have. I was what was called a "kiddie cruiser" which was actually a "minority" enlistment. Went in at age 17, and was released from active duty the day before my 21st birthday. I left the navy and the PRATT on September 27th, 1968. My experiences on this warship of fine men are the greatest memories a guy could ever have. It instilled in me a deep love of the sea, all the ships and all the crews, and all the naval and maritime history and traditions of our country. I've made a career based on those experiences, as a deck officer(first mate) on U.S. Government vessels. Have served in 10 ships of the Army Corps of Engineers these past 30 some years. PRATT sailors; it is an honor to know you!
Regards, Fred "Seaman" Lehman

John Mulrooney (SK2, Ret.) I saw the "PRATT" close to her demise. I was staying in the old barracks at the base with my son who was then a Cub Scout. We were allowed to use the base facilities while on tour of the sites in down-town Philadelphia. On the last day of our trip, on the way off the base, we were given permission to tour by bus the old ship yards. Here we saw a pocket carrier and I believe it was the IOWA both in dry-dock being prepared for the Mothball Fleet. As we were on our way out and turning the last corner I noticed a bow with a familiar shape. Passing by another ship that blocked my view I was able to see 44 painted on the bow and my heart almost jumped out of my chest. As I was grabbing my son in the excitement of all those memories, we turned further to reveal the yellow red-led and sealers of a ship entering her final days. I was heart broken and at the same time furious with the Navy. How could they retire such a worthy vessel who had served us all so well? To be frank, I was crushed as though I had watched the death of a family member. It took me years to over come that image. Almost as many years as it has taken me to accept the ever ticking of the clock and the moving of our generation into the later half of our lives. Today as I celebrate my son's 21st birthday and watch as he leaves a SK3 for a deployment aboard the USS Barry (DDG-52). I am struck by the thought that he is the 5th generation of sailors named John Mulrooney who have all gone to the sea in ships. As heart breaking as it is to reflect on our history it is at the same time a source of great pride to know that we were and are part of a great history of men who loved our ships and our shipmates. Fair winds and following seas to you as well!

This story was actually told by my cousin tonight, he was on the U.S.S. Pratt. His name is Larry Passalacqua Larry was an electrician on board the Pratt, and during the General Quarters drills, his spot was in a little room about the size of a gym locker and he was in charge of making sure the batteries were all fully charged. So he would sit there the entire time bored out of his mind. His new wife Carol, would send him tapes with about a couple hours of records off of the radio so that Larry would have a taste of what was goin on back home. So one drill Larry was sitting in his little room and brought out his little tape player. The speaker on it was only about a 2 inch speaker, and he looked up at the much bigger 12 inch speaker on the wall. So he thought that his music would sound alot better on this much bigger speaker and brought out some wire (being an electrician he had no problem rigging this up) and started playing his music on the big speaker. Little to Larry's knowlege, his music is now playing on every LAST speaker on the
ENTIRE ship during General Quaters. Back on the bridge (where the music is also playing) the captain turns to the X.O. and simply says "Find him..." and he is STEAMED. Larry is sitting in his room boppin along to his rock music and the door of his compartment FLYS open and theres the X.O. with MPs behind him on either side. They drag Larry out of his spot, and start ripping his locker apart looking for drugs and what not. Larry's clean as a whistle which makes the XO even madder, and the XO says to him "Just one screw up sailor...and your ass is mine"...and leaves
the room completely trashed for Larry to clean.

"Sweepers, sweepers....Man your brooms." The Red Sea was a trip I'll always remember. I used to take care of the boatswains' locker in the anchor windlass, and one afternoon after the call went out for sweepers, my buddy (who shall
remain nameless), Marcus came up to me with his broom, and said that he didn't feel like sweeping that day. He took a nap in the boatswains' locker just under the bullnose of the ship. A half hour or so went by, and I locked up the locker, forgetting about Marcus. I had some chow, showered, and went on liberty for a few hours. I got on the liberty boat, had some fun out in town, drank a bunch, and came back to the ship to get some more money. BM2 Walsh was POOW, and he said that he found Marcus in the boatswains' locker when he took the duty section to the locker to fetch some tools. Walsh laughed at me for being so
reckless. I felt bad, laughing only on the inside. I'd locked my best friend in the boatswains' locker. Later on in the deployment, I came off the midwatch, and was really tired. I stumbled down the ladder to my berthing, and I heard
something like water spilling on the floor. I turned on the light, and there was a drunk BM2 Walsh relieving himself on my bunk. He thought it was the head, I guess. I lucked out, because I had to get a new mattress, and there were only officers' mattresses left, so I had the thickest mattress out of all the enlisted guys on board. I think I made out pretty well. Gotcha, Walsh.

John Sawitzki -SK2 USN (1968 to 1972) I stood next to a palm tree at fleet landing, Istanbul, with the ship's seal tied around my neck with a lanyard. The large street lights cast an eerie pinkish glow on everything in the vicinity.  It was about 1900 hours, and I was marooned with a handful of other Sixth Fleet personnel. As I gazed out on the beautiful Med lights of the anchored ships, I thought about the events of the day. Oh yes did I mention that it was snowing! There was an ominous sign early that day during the sea-and-anchor detail, when a group of fisherman waved their fists at us and said we had torn their fishing nets. Then, a couple of ferry boats carrying gesticulating, banner waving, Turks began to orbit around us and a few of the other ships. Turkish patrol boats made sure they kept a proper distance.
 
    I had the duty, so when the Disbursing Officer told me that I was going ashore with him on business, it sounded good to me. There was a problem with our fresh vegetable vendors that had to be dealt with. The Disbursing Officer put the ship's seal around my neck and said: "Be sure to come back with the seal . or don't come back!" I listened on the Mess Decks when a well-dressed fellow from the U.S. Consulate instructed the liberty section how to act ashore. Using very somber tones he read out a laundry list of what not to do. Because of Ataturk's picture, don't slap any coins on the counter! Don't look at the women! Whatever you do, stay away from the Asian side! Beware of Gypsies and shoeshine boys! Next a chief told the liberty section that would be going on liberty no matter what!
 
   Dealing with the Turkish vendors at fleet landing was quite an experience.  Some of the multi-page contracts appeared to be in Turkish. No matter .using Pratt resourcefulness, the contracts were signed and the impressive seal,.affixed. . It dawned on me that we might have just transferred the State of Delaware to the Ottoman Empire. No matter, that problem was above my pay grade! 
 
     I was to wait around to transfer some chits to some SK's from another can. They never showed. Things started to get interesting. Liberty personnel were hurriedly transferred back to their ships.  I could see the 2nd lieutenant in the operations shack gesticulating wildly while he talked into his radio mike. It seems there was rioting in town near the university. When the wind shifted, you could smell something burning. The Pratt motor whale boat was delayed due to
mechanical difficulties.
 
     A gunnery sergeant with forearms that looked like auto mufflers gathered up the few remaining personnel. "Listen Up" he said. "You all know there is some heavy hoya goin on." "This . is Fleet Landing Alpha". "In case Fleet Landing Alpha is compromised  . make your way down to fleet landing Bravo which is down by that old customs house." Then after a theatrical pause he grinned and said: "In case Fleet Landing Bravo is compromised. . the water temperature is 57 degrees!"
      I began to contemplate the usefulness of the ship's seal as a weapon and  swore that if I survived the experience,  no snipe would ever get a requisition filled on the Willie V.! Then to our great relief, a few truckloads of Turkish soldiers showed up. I am a fan of the Turkish army to this day.
 
     Later, a large launch from the carrier took everybody back to their respective ships. Naturally, the Pratt was the last ship. I didn't mind the delay a bit!
 

David Kuzara I was on board the Wm. V. Pratt from the fall of 1969 until the fall of
1972. On one occasion, It was late at night, we were well out to sea, and there
was nothing to do A bunch of us Fire Control Techs were bored, so we decided
to create a little excitement.  We put a small battery and a light bulb in a
"doctor's latex glove, and blew up the glove.  We threw it overboard at the
bow and ran for cover.  The Aft watchman spotted the light in the water, and
called the bridge.  They turned the ship around and approached the "light"
in the water.  Anyone who knows, understands the turning a warship around in
the middle of the ocean is not a trivial thing.  Anyhow, they tried to snag
the "light" with a gaff hook, but it popped the glove and it sank.  That was
the only thing that saved us.  We never told anyone.  Until now.

We were, I believe, in the Mediterranean when this next incident occurred.
We were due for refueling, and the oiler, USS Marias AO-57 pulled alongside.
We realized that they were a well adjusted crew when we saw the huge sign on
the side of their ship, which had a caricature picture of a donkey, along
with the slogan: "The Marias, passing gas".  They requested a personnel
transfer highline, which we supplied.  They sent over an Ensign, who
proceeded to climb up to the bridge and wash our windows.  It was hilarious,
and help relieve the tedium of long, eventless cruises.

One time we were participating in a missile shoot at Culebra, off Puerto
Rico.  We were shooting at Ryan Firebee drones.  There were several ships
involved in the exercise, so we had to take turns.  Eventually, it got late
and we were advised that no more drones would be launched.  We were allowed
two more missiles, but we didn't have anything to shoot at.  The word came
down from the XO that we were to fire those last two missile, no matter
what.  I locked our tracking radar onto some noise at about 50,000 yards.
We fired an HT missile at the noise.  Then we locked on to the HT missile,
and shot it down with a BT missile.  Everyone was happy, although I don't
know how they explained that to the Culebra Coordinators.  It was a
spectacular waste of taxpayers' money, but it was also a reconfirmation of
what determined sailors can accomplish when put to the test.

We were patrolling in the Mediterranean, when sonar detected a Russian sub.
We decided (I say we, but most of the crew would have preferred to go back
on patrol) to try to stay on top of the sub as long as we could.  We tracked
it out through the straits of Gibraltar, and into the Atlantic.  As I
recall, we were not at General Quarters, but were on alert.  Eventually, the
sub, which was a Russian Juliet Class Sub, with two missile launchers in the
sail, was forced to surface.  Being a diesel powered sub, it had run out of
air, and then some.  It was like a scene from "Run Silent, Run Deep".  The
hatches opened, and green fumes poured out, followed closely by Russian
sailors.  That was when I decided that all this was patently ridiculous.

---

OS2 Ed Williamson Saw your sea-story section and wanted to add one of my own.  I
enjoyed my time aboard the "Willy-V" from 1977-80 even though I did
not know it at the time.  I was an Operations Specialist. I joined
the crew on the last part of the 1976-77 Med. cruise and served with
some of the most unique individuals I had ever met.

After the cruise we settled down to a yard period in Charleston, then
did many "Solid Shields" off the Virginia coast.  For three weeks we
sailed in sight of the beaches, (and the comely young lasses in
bikinis) the fast food restaurants and all the comforts of home.  One
of our crewmen had had enough and dived in the water and attempted to
swim to shore.  The Pratt ceased operations and called man
overboard.  As they did the sailor was swimming for all he was worth
toward the beach but could not outrun the motor whaleboat.  He was
dragged back on board and put on restriction.  

Three days later we were sent back to homeport because of a bad
storm.  OS3 Webster and I had the Sea and Anchor station above the
bridge.  The ship was sailing up the river to the NAVSTA when a
terrible rain began.  We were soaked, could not see a thing and
requested many times to be secured. (Denied!) Just as I though it
could not get any worse, the Captain played "Take This Job and Shove
It!" over the 1MC. It was great and I laughed so hard it almost
seemed worthwhile.  We secured, went out on liberty in Charleston,
and to my knowledge never got sent on a Solid Shield ever again.

---

 

Paul D. Richmond

We'd just pulled into Fort Lauderdale for a little R & R after an 11 bird missile shoot off San Juan.

Dave Kazarra, ?, and I were about to leave to go to Crazy Greg's at A1A and Las Olas when Captain Reeg mentioned to us that we'd do better in Fort Lauderdale if we had our uniforms on. I didn't tell him I grew up living just 5 miles west from where we were standing. Upon our return I saw I think a P150 running for all it's worth with it's suction line in the aft steering. I think Del Piano or someone in that group told me that one of the rudders had sprung a leak and we were set to go into Jax. Ship Yards after leaving Lauderdale as the leak was that bad. When we pulled into the dry dock there appeared some confusion as the yard master had approached the OOD LTjg Dennis Taylor and stated that the divers couldn't't put the blocks under the hull as we had too much of a list to port. As I had the Security Watch and it was at that time I caught the last half of the conversation. Dennis repeated what he said and I came back with "Pass the word, ALL HANDS NOT ACTUALLY ON WATCH MOVE TO THE STARBOARD SIDE OF THE SHIP". Dennis hesitated for 2 seconds and turned to the P.O. of the watch and said, "Pass the Word"! The look on the faces of the crew was puzzled but the look on the faces of the yardmaster and Dennis was priceless. "Security Watch Reports All Secure", and I was on my way.  

BM2 Tom Walsh: While serving on the Pratt, I have many fond memories, but this funny one stands out. We were in Ft Lauderdale during spring break {tough time to be there}...Well I was the Capt gigs coxswain...and I had duty on a Sunday, the CO {CMDR Fedyszyn} was schedule to attend a brunch and wanted to arrive by his gig, as we are cruising the intercostals waterway of Ft Lauderdale, the CO requests i speed it up or he will be late, yes sir i replied, opening up the throttle....within minutes we had been stopped by the local police on their boat...yelling at me...telling me to slow it down, yes sir i replied after the scolding by the police...CMDR Fedyszyn sticks his head up from the cabin and says "Just maintain a safe speed boats."
 

PN3 Bradley

 

I was on the Pratt from '88 until we decommissioned her in Sept of '91.

I enlisted as a PNSN and was capped to PN3 by Captain Thomas R. Fedyszyn (Hey, I still remember how to spell his name!).  Great skipper.  I still remember doing aerobics on the fantail w/the XO  (LTCMDR Hart) the supply officer (LT Phillips) and a few others while at sea.

Shortly after we left for a 4 week cruise to Portsmouth, England in '89 I
think, we were notified that a hurricane was heading toward South Carolina. Well, the closer we got to Portsmouth, the closer that hurricane got to Charleston and the night before we pulled in we were told that the eye of hurricane Hugo had passed right through our home port.  We sent about 10 shipmates back to Charleston on emergency leave the day after we pulled into Portsmouth.  

A bunch of our guys including the captain, the XO and the CMC got into a big brawl at a local hangout that was frequented by British squids.  I'm told by many sources that the captain and the XO actually threw some blows.  I do know that we left one guy there at a hospital in Portsmouth to recover from the injuries he suffered after being thrown through a window.  

I was at a local KFC in Portsmouth when the cute young thing waiting on me asked me what American ship I was on and when I replied "The USS William V. Pratt" she burst out laughing.  It was then that I remembered that in England, Pratt is slang for butt.

I'll never forget the time we were departing from Port Vendres, France.  We were anchored out quite a ways, but not far enough for 3 very cute young, topless, girls to reach us by powerboat.  I still remember the huge smile on LTJG Clarence Outler's face as he stood on the fantail telling the bridge via sound-powered phone that he was motioning the girls to turn around, but of course he wasn't doing anything of the sort, that is until somebody on the bridge (probably the XO) finally realized that the girls were getting closer and closer and ordered LTJG Outler to turn them back.

Although I was on the Pratt for only 3 years, and in the Navy altogether for 4 years, I was on it enough  to realize what a great crew we had.  YN2 Terry Dukes, you out there?  PN3 Troy Evans?  YN3 Solomon?  

 

Pratt Norbert Pestana, ET2, 1966 to 1970.

8/30/66 entered Navy. Right out of boot camp E2 assigned to 1st Division December 21, 1966 on the Pratt. Did nearly a 4 year tour on the Pratt, Deck ape to ETR-2 in two years, enlisted under a 120 day delayed entry and A school guarantee, turned out to be a lie,

January 30,1967 assigned to BX division (ploy to assign 1st division personnel to below decks work to clean up boiler room and fire room). Feb 12 got assigned to mess cooking 3 month assignment, better than being a snipe. May 25, 1967 got approval to strike for ET. June 2, 1967 transferred to OE division. December 4, 1967 sent mess cooking again another 2 month assignment. April 8, 1968 got word I had made ETR-3. Made E-5 ETR-2 in October 16, 1968 2nd rocker while in Gitmo. Maintained IFF and supported radar. Escaped the active Navy 6/25/70

Served under Lt. Mitchell and Lt. Gilliand, Electronic Materials Officers.

Served with ETR-2 Luckette, ETR-2 Picarski, ETN-2 Hillman, ETR-3 Daryl Smallwood, ETN-3 R. Smith, ETN-2 L. Jeffcoat, Chief Russell ETCS, D. Richburg ETN-3 R. Tolrud ETR-3, Bob Kalil ETN-3. to mention a few.

Unit Commendation for getting a Russian sub to put up his snorkel during a hurricane in the North Atlantic while operating with the Wasp. The water was so rough they sent the rest of the task force home while we chased him down a 2nd time to put up a snorkel.

Vietnam veteran of two Northern Search and Rescue Duties, didn't save many stricken airman but overheard some pretty intense transmissions while our pilots tried to get "feet wet" and dealing with damaged aircraft.

Saw the New Jersey doing gun fire support as part of a shore bombardment operation from about 50 miles north while on station. Those guns looked they were hurling flaming volkswagen's at the cong.

Nearly shooting a captain in Guantanamo while on OOD watch, (he was drunk and wouldn't show his ID as he approached our brow. His XO saved him by finally waving their ID's, his ship was nested outboard of ours. I had my hand on my 45 and was about to do the deed. Then there was the drunken brawl on the cattle wagon (cut down 40' tractor trailer with bus seats) used to take us from the EM club to the ship with mixed crews from several ships, what genius thought of that!!!! also in Gitmo.

Guantanamo and sea trials for JFK

Missile shoot at Rosy Roads and gunfire support practice at the island of Calebra.

Going up the James River to get nuclear ASROC’s

Fear of 5” 54 and rapid fire jam, reduced firing rate to under 50 rounds per minute to avoid. Then plane dragging sock for target practice almost got hit by us.

ECM and the Pratt appearing to be doing 400 knots as reported by pilot when seeing his radar from his aircraft showing us.

Visits to Hawaii and San Diego

Olongapo/Subic Bay, Forestall came in damaged but they still manned the rail, Navy pride at a high price. Seeing jeepey's lining up to take you for a ride to the clubs. Don't take a left at the fork because that was the dark side. Feeding aligator's chicks for 25 cents. Bob Kalil saved the chick for himself ;).

Visit to Tokyo, seeing the bullet train and Yakoska ship yard. Eating at Suhero's were you selected the dish by pushing the floor button on the elevator.

Parallels to the movie USS Bainbridge DLG-13 and our weapons officer in the north Atlantic during a sub chase, which we also did in real life and received unit commendation with star. That same type of gung ho officer was OOD while on Vietnam SAR.

Finger printing Russian Radars and finding out later their lack of stability not sophistication was what made them interesting for awhile. Operated WLR-1 during NSAR off Vietnam.
Jolly green giant crash on our fantail and dash to Da’nang Vietnam to get it off and back to Northern SAR before 24 hrs. elapsed.

Getting a hope chest home from Hong Kong stored in TACAN room that was taking on water thru vents during a monsoon.

Fresh water wash down during the Panama transit was fun

RDSN Tagliareni beat the XO at chess while reading an X-rated book at the same time. Loved that!

Hubert Humphrey’s visit to Copenhagen Denmark and the dash down the straight to get there in time. Goat fish uniform and proud fox. Desron 82 and Squadron 8 daming the fishin' boats, "I'll pay for any damage" when he took the helm from the captain, rang up 22 knots and made it to Copenhagen by midnight.

Trips to Caribbean, San Juan, Ocho Rios, 5 years later returned for Honeymoon with my new bride Helen.,

St. Thomas and St. Johns, deep clear water memories, and Aracebo swimming.

First snow in Instanbul turkey and threat to kill serviceman. Did MP duty and got to visit the Hilton there.

Naples and the blue grotto and the blue girls

Rota Spain and the trip home. get me outta here any way I can. Made some calls around the base and somehow strings were pulled and I was on the plane ride home the next day.

Blue nose ceremony and LTJG’s pants missing while painting it crossing the arctic circle

Gun shot during changing of the watch nested outboard of a repair ship.

Recreation committee decision to buy a color TV for the Acey Ducey mess and the captains daughter’s need for a teen club party smelled fishy so I surveyed the crew on their thoughts, almost got captain's mast for that, something about organizing the crew to mutiny. Those guys just can't take a joke.

The three amigos buying Suzuki 350's all at the same time (Bob, myself and I can't remember the 3rd person (a radarman). Then later that year being stopped on new years eve for going to fast to quick in Mayport and two of us got off ok but one, wound up with a captains mast for mouthing off to much to the police and shore patrol. Another time we all turned 21 within a few days of each other. We decided to get served even though one of us was still under 21, the bartender asked each person in turn for their ID's and as luck would have it he asked the two of us that were already turned 21 first and when he got to the third he said "hell your to ugly to be less than 21" and we were all served.

The previous ramblings are some of my casual thoughts on my Pratt experience, the facts are in my mind only and could be a fiction but they are the way I remember them. These shared memories are for my shipmates, if they can start a conversation or a memory or just a 'yeah we did this or that and the seeds of conversation are started that is what I put them down for. Share if you like with those that have an interest.

Norbert

WHEN I THINK BACK  FORTY TWO YEARS AGO, TWO INCIDENTS THAT STILL MAKE ME LAUGH ARE , A FICTIONAL CHARACTER CALLED OMAR MUNG. A FUZZY LITTLE CARTOON CHARACTER WHO STARTED SHOWING UP. HIS CAPTION WAS DRAWN ON STATUS BOARDS, COFFEE CUPS, BULKHEADS AND EVERYWHERE IMAGINABLE. THINGS GOT OUT OF HAND WHEN SOMEONE DREW OMAR ON THE CAPTAINS COFFEE CUP. THE SECOND INCIDENT WAS ONE OF THE CREW BOUGHT A BABY ALLIGATOR ON BOARD, WE HAD HIM FOR SEVERAL WEEKS, FEEDING HIM RAW CHOP MEAT .ONE MORNING OUR CIC COMMANDER READ US NAVY RULES AND REGS, AND THE ALLIGATOR HAD TO GO .THE NEXT MORNING WE ALL WENT TO MUSTER IN DRESS BLUES AND SAID FAREWELL. I HAVE A LOT OF FOND MEMORIES SERVING ON THE PRATT, THE GUYS IN THE RADAR DIVISION WERE THE BEST AND HOPE TO SEE SOME OF THEM IN AUGUST 2004.        
                                         
Apondman

WITH THE FORTH OF JULY JUST DAYS AWAY, I'D LIKE TO REMEMBER THE GREAT TIME WE ALL HAD IN CANNES IN 81.A VAST MAJORITY OF US SPENT THE DAY AT A CERTAIN BAR WHO'S NAME ESCAPES ME NOW. IT WAS OWNED BY A BRIT AND HE TREATED US ALL LIKE FAMILY. THIS IS ONE OF MY BEST MEMORIES OF THAT CRUISE IN 81.LIKE TO SAY HI TO ALL OF MY SHIPMATE FROM THAT CRUISE AND HOPE TO SEE A LOT OF THEM AT THE REUNION IN 2004.
FROM THE BEST COOK EVER ON THE PRATT!!
STONEY TUCK

I was onboard from August 1980 to October 1983. I have too many memories to type them all. From an Ensign with a Mickey Mouse watch to tours in Central America, where the command stated "you will go and you will have fun."
     The most memorable incident happened when GMG2 "Bud" Lavelle dropped a high explosive projectile, with a point detonating fuze 10 feet and no boom. The fuze was even bent at a 45 degree angle and bent the metal plate it hit. After that he was nicknamed "Lil' Jesus." We just knew someone was looking after us.
     I am now retired with 22 years, on March 31, 2003.
Your shipmate,
Jeffrey Maddrey
GMG1(SW) USN/RET

 

I have fond memories of the Pratt.  Rodney McDaniel was skipper when I was aboard.  The Pratt was very good to me; I went aboard as a PO2 in July of 1973 and 2 years and 11 months later I was initiated into the CPO mess as the Navy's newest Gunners Mate Chief.    It was a real experience to put a ship into commission.   She was recommissioned in 1973 and the Pre-Com experience was great.  Pratt did things that no one thought possible for a ship to do.  After our first Med Cruise we had been back in CONUS for just a few weeks with the vast majority of the crew on end of cruise leave when the Navy said we need Pratt.  The Dahlgren at the beginning of a UNITAS cruise had a collision in the Panama Canal and could not continue.  Capt. McDaniel replied that Pratt would be ready for sea in 24 hours.  Of course no one in the Navy hierarchy believed that since our store rooms were empty and a lot of machinery had been dismantled at the end of the cruise, and they offered him more time.  We didn't need it Within 24 hours of being notified we were going to take Dahlgren's place, Pratt was ready to go.  The crew that was not on leave managed to load all the supplies needed for a six month deployment with a 24 hour working party.  The ship waited only a couple of extra days in order to retrieve as many of her crew as possible from leave and liberty.  We got underway doing what everyone in the Navy said could not be done, and Pratt was superb throughout that deployment.

      I believe all of our success was do to Capt McDaniel and the best XO I ever had, LCDR Andress, handpicking the original commissioning crew.  I have two or three memories of Capt  McDaniel that I enjoy remembering.  Shortly after reporting aboard in Philadelphia I had the Duty Driver watch and Capt. McDaniel needed a ride somewhere and right after we left the ship he had me stop at the head of the pier and we sat there for about 15 minutes looking straight down the bow and talked about what a good looking ship she was.  The kind of skipper he was can be shown by two other short tales.  Once at sea off Charleston Harbor we had a young sailor who had a burst appendix.  The harbor was shrouded in a bad fog and we were told we couldn't enter port until after it had lifted.  The Skipper had the special Sea detail set and informed Port control we were on our way in.  We broke every speed limit the harbor had and he took us through the fog with radar.  We were doing 15 knots when we went under the Cooper River bridges.  Thirty minutes after telling them we were coming we were alongside the pier.  It saved the sailors life.   The other story is more personal.  I was the special Sea Detail Helmsman as both an E-5 and an E-6.  We were entering a port in Argentina that required we transit up a river for more than an hour.  None of us had ever been there before.  It just so happened that a young ensign had the incoming con and as we moved up the river he failed to remember to give me rudder angles for the turns; he just gave me the course he wanted me to come to.  He was my new division officer so I was not about to correct him in front of the whole bridge. So I just told another officer that was on the bridge and standing right in front of the Helm station, to get out of my way and I looked out the bridge windows and drove her like a car; eyeballing the buoys out the window and watching the gyro.  Capt. McDaniel started to come out of his chair to correct the situation, but paused, watched for a few minutes, nodded at me and settled back into his chair.  Made me feel like a million bucks.  We made port just fine.  Best Skipper I ever had.  He was forever   doing things like that.  He was forever holding swim call at sea for us, or allowing us to stop and fish in the middle of the gulf stream.  If you hooked onto something really big he would use the ship like a fishing boat to maneuver for the best position to catch what ever it was you had hooked.

      I am sorry, I'm afraid I have done the equivalent of "Running off at the Mouth".   I will stop now.

                          Bob Jordan GMCS (SW) USN Ret.