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June 28, 2006
Born 30 years too late
When I was a kid, I dreamed of becoming a military pilot, counting men like Chuck Yeager, Richard Bong, Pappy Boyington and Joe Foss as colleagues and comrades in arms.
However, by the time I entered junior high school, my vision started deteriorating, and soon reading the 20/20 line on the eye chart without help was a fading -- and blurry -- memory. Glasses disqualified me from ever getting into military flight school, and so I made do with a life-long and continuing interest in military aviation, albeit from the sidelines.
When I turned 17, I joined the Navy, signing up for a shot at getting into the submarine service. Within six months, I was at the wheel of the USS Blueback, piloting the sub during a lengthy deployment to the Far East.
It wasn't a bad trade; the submarine service was an elite branch of the military, with high morale, extra money, and smart, motivated -- not to mention very odd -- guys crewing the sub. More than a few of us sported glasses, clearly having opted for the next-best-thing to being a fighter jock.
And, best of all, driving the boat was a lot like flying a plane, albeit on instruments.
Now, a quarter-century later, technology is giving guys with dreams of flight a second chance -- and hurting the submarine service.
Free laser eye surgery is causing a manpower crises in the U.S. Navy. That's because, for nearly a century, the submarine service depended, without much thought, on bad eyesight to get the high quality people it needed. While aviation has always attracted many of the best people, those who did not have perfect eyesight, despite all their other sterling qualifications, were turned away. In the navy, many of these eyeglass wearing hard chargers saw submarine service as a reasonable alternative to flying. Submariners were an elite force, but perfect eyesight was not required. For years, no one really paid much attention to the fact that many submarine officers wore glasses. But it's an issue now.
Over the last two years, all of the American military services have been offering free laser eye surgery. This was considered a good investment, as troops who didn't have to wear glasses were much better off. Every soldier knows what a hassle eyeglasses can be in combat, because they get a taste of it in basic training. The running and jumping, the dust, explosions and general chaos often send eyeglasses flying, or leave them damaged. Moreover, combat soldiers are now more likely to use eyepiece sights (sniper scopes, night scopes, or the sight for the main gun on an M-1 tank), and these are easier to use without glasses. Each of the services set up its own clinics on many bases, and allows troops elsewhere to get the procedure from civilian eye doctors. The procedure itself only takes about ten minutes, and activity must be restricted for 30 days after so the eye can heal. The laser procedure has gone through several generations and is quite fast, effective and safe. The problem rate for the troops is practically zero.
Laser eye surgery (often called "lasik") has also become a support item for combat pilots. The US Navy loses about eight pilots a year to failing eyesight. Laser eye surgery has proved capable of restoring that eyesight to standards required for carrier pilots. The procedure also expands the pool of potential pilots, as many promising prospects are turned away because their eyesight is not good enough. Many notable aces in the early years of air combat had eyesight problem that would have kept them out of flight school today. Modern warplanes are faster and less forgiving than in days past, so the near perfect eyesight has become a requirement.
But the military is finding out that all those eyeglass wearing warrior types used to end up somewhere, and where they aren't going these days, is missing them. Just ask the submarine admirals who can't keep their crews up to strength any more. The solution has been to offer large cash bonuses to those willing to serve in subs, or other critical jobs that used to be filled by people with eyeglasses.
Lucky bastids.
Sigh.
Ah, well. I wouldn't trade my time aboard the Blueback for anything.
Still, I wonder what it would have been like, hurtling down the flight deck in my fighter, soaring into the sky on afterburner, doing victory rolls, Immelmans and practicing the Thach Weave amongst the clouds.
Posted by Mike Lief at June 28, 2006 07:46 AM
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What the sub admirals need right now is Jerry Bruckheimer. If he made a hit show out of this, enrollment would go through the roof. CSI:Sub. Without the murder. Or maybe with.
First of all, submarine neophytes, the virtual tour of this thing is pretty wild. It's not like the old ride we know at Disneyland. I went through the Torpedo room, the Galley, the Sonar room, the Control room and the Engine room. You better enjoy standing because I counted a total of two chairs. The Maneuvering room is located at the back of the sub, surprising us slower types. At the front of the sub, an area with rows looks like a sitting rooom, maybe for the guys to watch a movie at the end of the day. Not so. Those rows are torpedoes.
OMSI has the finest online gift shop I've ever seen. After the Blueback, check out the gifts. Unreal.
Posted by: Vermont Neighbor at June 28, 2006 10:18 AM
Well, Mike, I feel your emotions. I needed to have been born about 1898 to have fulfilled my dream to be a heavy cruiser captain in 1941-1943.
Of course, I would be dead now and I wouldn't know you . . . which is a time-travel issue, I guess, to be dealt with in some other forum.
Posted by: The Little Coach at June 28, 2006 11:28 AM
Little Coach --
It's a problem. Truth be told, I was born too early and too late. Like you, I'd have gladly served in World War II, faking my way into the cockpit, or ending up on a ship -- probably a fleetboat sub, so I guess the early 1920s would have sufficed.
As far as you having had the opportunity to know me, as a result of you being denied your late 19th-century birthdate, well, missing out on your destiny to command a warship in the greatest war in history is a small price to pay in order to enjoy my friendship.
Or not.
Sucks, huh?
Posted by: Mike Lief at June 28, 2006 07:51 PM
Vermont Neighbor --
If you peer up at the top tier in the torpedo room, you're looking at my first bunk aboard the Blueback.
We had plywood sheets bolted across the top torpedo racks, with mattresses running port-starboard -- about half a dozen, if I recall correctly.
The junior crewmen clambered up and over the torpedoes at the end of their watch, crawling over snoring shipmates, then collapsing onto their rack, pulling a sleeping bag over them to cut the chill, without bothering to get out of their uniforms -- hell, not even taking off their boots, sometimes.
It was tight quarters, but what the hell, that 36-inch by 72-inch space -- even though it had no privacy and was noisy, cold, and rarely dark -- was mine, all mine.
Posted by: Mike Lief at June 28, 2006 07:58 PM
Mike, that is the coolest thing I've heard in a while. I live in Portland--I haven't been to see the Blueback yet, mostly because I'm waiting for my little son to be a smidge older so he can enjoy it too. Good for you.
Did you ever get your private pilot's license? A Cessna 172 isn't as sexy as an F-14, but it's pretty fun anyway.
Posted by: Anwyn at June 29, 2006 08:32 AM
Americans are soft and spoiled rotten. Sure, I could take a swipe at rabid West-wingnuts too, but I won't.
Mike, I'm guessing your house is as neat as a pin. Your desk is clean and orderly. Not a coffee ring in sight, or a misplaced paper.
Where you slept in the torpedo room is what we call on airplanes, the luggage rack. I don't know how you guys got enough rest to function. Hats off to our military guys and girls who put up with so much.
Tour update: use the - and + on the virtual tour because it's hard to see what's what. I thought I spotted a civilianesque washing machine, but probably not. There was no door.
Hunt For Red October was based on your sub, apparently. So now I'm curious to see how guys deal with the close quarters, the time away.
My questions for you Mike:
How long was your (underwater) deployment
How many men were on the sub
Is that a two-foot eggbeater in the Galley
How did the Cook handle meals
If the guys had a little standoff, did anyone get knocked out
Did they provide decent shower facilities
The extra pay you got you certainly earned. Truthfully, the tour is so cool looking, better than a movie filming on location, the glamour should be enough to bring in new recruits. If people aren't claustrophobic, a sub is a high-tech, exciting environment.
Posted by: Vermont Neighbor at June 29, 2006 09:28 AM
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099810/trivia
"The USS Blueback features in the film. It is seen dramatically breaching the surface. Also, shots inside the Russian Alfa were taken in the Blueback's torpedo room."
Posted by: Anwyn at June 29, 2006 11:27 PM
Thanks for that Anwyn. Now when we see those scenes inside the Alfa, we can think of Mike trying to get some decent shuteye.
Also, you're lucky to live near the museum. When your son is old enough, he is going to have a blazing fun time running around that place!
Posted by: Vermont Neighbor at June 30, 2006 08:39 AM
Oh, we've been to OMSI, just not to the submarine as yet. There is one room at the museum that's fitted up for guys and gals as little as him. For the rest, I think a kid needs to be at least eight to appreciate it. But we'll go to the sub long before that. I'm extra curious now, knowing that a blogger I read was on it. And I love the book The Hunt for Red October, too.
Posted by: Anwyn at June 30, 2006 09:53 PM
Er, btw Mike, don't you mean you were born 30 years too *early*? I.E. you were of military service age long before lasik would've allowed you to be a fighter jock?
Posted by: Anwyn at June 30, 2006 09:54 PM
Anwyn --
Good catch on the Early vs. Late question. Both are accurate: born too early to get my peepers fixed before flight school, born too late to fight in WWII.
And, no, I never did get my private pilot's license, although I have done a lot of flight-simming.
And I also enjoyed the Hunt for Red October. I remember reading the book while I was in the Navy, thinking to myself, "This guy Clancy knows way too much for a civilian; someone's been talking out of school."
The book was very popular in the fleet, and the movie was damn near as good.
Posted by: Mike Lief at June 30, 2006 11:25 PM
Vermont Neighbor --
How long was your (underwater) deployment?
The longest we spent at sea was about 30 days, running on the snorkel to charge our batteries when surfacing at night was not an option.
How many men were on the sub?
About 100 men, approximately 90 enlisted and 10 officers.
Is that a two-foot eggbeater in the Galley?
Looks like it to me.
How did the Cook handle meals?
Breakfast was cooked to order (we wrote what we wanted on scraps of paper and handed them to the cook). Lunch and dinner were family style, the cook passing platters out from the galley, which we passed 'round. Midrats were usually serve yourself.
The Crew's Mess only sat 20 guys at a time, including the chiefs' table, so we lined up in the passageway from the galley forward, throught the battery compartment airlock, past the sonar shack and through berthing.
The guys going on watch ate first, then the off-watch contingent, with the fellows coming off watch usually last.
If the guys had a little standoff, did anyone get knocked out?
There were the occasional fights, but they were rare; the ability to get along in cramped quarters was part of the job description. Notwithstanding that, everyone understood when fisticuffs became necessary.
Did they provide decent shower facilities?
Sure! Two shower stalls, each about 24 inches on a side, for 90 guys.
Did I mention one of the showers was filled from deck to overhead with 16mm films for movie call? No videotapes yet.
So there was only one shower for 90 guys. But that was okay, seeing as how we were only allowed one shower a week -- if the distillation plants were working.
The worst was more than two weeks without showers; the air-conditioning plants failed, boosting temperatures into the 100s, with 100-percent humidity -- and it was up into the 120s (or higher) in the engineering spaces.
There's a reason why the old diesel subs were known as "pig boats."
Posted by: Mike Lief at June 30, 2006 11:41 PM
Mike, thanks for these details from the sub. Really interesting stuff.
Q: How long was your (underwater) deployment?
A: The longest we spent at sea was about 30 days, running on the snorkel to charge our batteries when surfacing at night was not an option. >>
>> That's a long excursion; the site mentions excursions of up to 8 months. Teamwork and cooperation, teamwork and cooperation. And a high tolerance for body odors too, apparently!
----
Q: How many men were on the sub?
A: About 100 men, approximately 90 enlisted and 10 officers. >>
>> Tiiight quarters. Everyone must have LOVED stepping out of the hatch for fresh air! The metal ladder was noticable too. No stairs really, but a ladder to get to the different floors. You guys got a serious workout.
----
Q: Is that a two-foot eggbeater in the Galley?
A: Looks like it to me. >>
>> I would love to hear where the cooks ended up. Maybe I'm wrong but it seems like it might be one of the hardest jobs on the sub, just because of the lack of space and the amount of men.
----
Q: How did the Cook handle meals?
A: Breakfast was cooked to order (we wrote what we wanted on scraps of paper and handed them to the cook). Lunch and dinner were family style, the cook passing platters out from the galley, which we passed 'round. Midrats were usually serve yourself.
The Crew's Mess only sat 20 guys at a time, including the chiefs' table, so we lined up in the passageway from the galley forward, throught the battery compartment airlock, past the sonar shack and through berthing.
The guys going on watch ate first, then the off-watch contingent, with the fellows coming off watch usually last. >>
>> At least you got a personally-cooked breakfast! Probably a huge luxury, the best part of the day. Especially with no mail delivery. And I'm guessing they had some pretty darn good coffee 24/7, because of the nature of the work. And the lack of really decent sleeping quarters.
----
Q: If the guys had a little standoff, did anyone get knocked out?
A: There were the occasional fights, but they were rare; the ability to get along in cramped quarters was part of the job description. Notwithstanding that, everyone understood when fisticuffs became necessary. >>
>> I bet there are some good stories and good friendships that came from these adverse conditions.
----
Q: Did they provide decent shower facilities?
A: Sure! Two shower stalls, each about 24 inches on a side, for 90 guys.
Did I mention one of the showers was filled from deck to overhead with 16mm films for movie call? No videotapes yet.
So there was only one shower for 90 guys. But that was okay, seeing as how we were only allowed one shower a week -- if the distillation plants were working.
The worst was more than two weeks without showers; the air-conditioning plants failed, boosting temperatures into the 100s, with 100-percent humidity -- and it was up into the 120s (or higher) in the engineering spaces.
There's a reason why the old diesel subs were known as "pig boats." >>
>> That's a serious level of discomfort. I'm pretty spoiled and it would sure take a lot of effort to fit in with 100+ temps. I really think most of us take it for granted, the physical discomfort and sacrifice by the people who choose to serve.
----
These are great stories. Hope to hear more!
Posted by: Vermont Neighbor at July 6, 2006 07:32 PM
Mike, I plan to pick up your book on closing arguments.
You should write a lighter book about sub life.
Has anyone seen McHale's Navy? Before my time. It doesn't run on TV Land, as far as I know. So if this show involved subs, I don't know.
There's definite sitcom material in here. Throw in a grouchy anti-American character to reflect today's politics and you've got conflict. A guy like Klinger except he makes borderline barbs against the efforts of the sub.
I'm thinking Tales from the Sub: Or How I Learned To Shower in a 24-inch Crawlspace.
Posted by: Vermont Neighbor at July 7, 2006 07:34 AM