From:
CONNIE MOORE satyr@siscom.net
Sent: Wednesday, July 04, 2001 3:45 PM
Subject: Re: The After Battery
HEY
HEY HEY
Well said.
I rode the Rotten Rat (USS Raton) for just over three years and then went to the Volador a four battery Guppy II which lent new meaning to no room, was also SUBFLOT ready boat which meant that every time some body sneezed or a russian sub was detected between California and Hawaii we were out there or on four hour stand by.
The rotten rat never did 45 days at a time off Valdivostok where after twenty or twenty five days we went through our dirty dungarees to find some thing cleaner than what you were wearing to put on.
I left her to put the Snook SSN-592 in commission which was the last of the 6 Skipjack class subs and we made the first WestPac cruise for a true fast attack. I loved it. We didn't have to go quiet and breathe bad air, we just ran off and left them and then sneaked back in. We also spent over 100 days at sea during the Cuban blockade.
In those days we could only go into Okinawa and Subic because we were nuke. After returning to San Diego in Dec 1962, I decided to go to shore duty after 11 years at sea. Went to Medregal in early 1966 in Pearl ( hate that place). Then, swapped to Sablao to return to My beloved San Diego.
Sabalo was a great Boat. Got shanghied to Percomm for Sea Devil SSN 664 in New Port News and then transferred to Hammerhead SSN 663. Many long 85 day trips to Berrants Sea Norfolk to Norfolk. The Hammer was a great sub we did a lot of stuff but too much time at sea. Food was good, air was good, shower every day.
My two best boats were the Rotten Rat and Snook. Will always cherish my time out there.....
Connie
Moore