The Down Range Forum
Member Section => Down Range Cafe => Topic started by: Timothy on June 29, 2013, 04:02:55 PM
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Some of you might know of my background but this film puts it all out there. Even though I only did this mission for a few short years, I was damn good at it while I was active. It's science, nothing more but for the better part of forty years, the Soviets couldn't leave port without the US Navy knowing about it..and yes, there are things that I still cannot discuss after all these years.
The Keflavik, Iceland facility was the hotbed of the entire system and I am honored and privileged to have learned the craft there!
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I'd almost bet Ballard knew my step-dad..
That's kinda cool...
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That they can hear EVERYTHING doesn't surprise me.
The fact that they can sift through all the biologic and seismic noise and follow the ones they want is mind boggling.
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Mitch, I was reading an article years ago about how the Navy was identifying individual whales by their "voices".
They also talked about how whales from different oceans had different "songs", but that the whales from one ocean would learn and adopt songs from whales in other oceans .
If you live near the ocean DO NOT FART IN THE WATER .
They WILL hear you.
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Timothy, I am proud to say that my wife was an OTA and when I first met her she would not tell me what she did. I was able to research it and found out quite easily much to her surprise.
Mike Mc
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Yankee, I was active in the rate before they made the OTA designation. We were all just OTs. I'd guess your wife enlisted after me! I was active 75-79. Either way, it's a small world!
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John Woods, a close friend of mine, was the sonar guy on the Pintado - I'd guess a little earlier than when you were active. He died last year, only in his early 60's too, very bright and funny guy, I miss him.
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So, I'm guessing the TASS that my ship deployed is no longer in use. ;D I remember chasing a few Novembers. Harassment tactics.
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Sorry for the loss of your friend Bic!
The SOSUS system was active in the late 50's and manned by Sonar Techs. In 1969, a small group of ST's were asked to volunteer for a classified rating, Ocean Systems Tech (OT). Sonar guys were the foundation but the differences in how the data was collected prompted a new job classification. Those of us in early to mid 70's went to the same Sonar School facility in Key West. A pretty nice first duty! In late 76, they move the school to Norfolk Naval Shipyard. There were OT's aboard some ships but it was pretty limited to the TASS ships that FBG mentioned. Most of us, including a old mate of mine from Iceland spent their entire Naval careers and never set foot aboard a "floaty thing"! My friend has 34 years, retired as a Captain and he has no sea time at all...
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So, I'm guessing the TASS that my ship deployed is no longer in use. ;D I remember chasing a few Novembers. Harassment tactics.
Maybe not in the same platform but I wouldn't make that assumption... :)
November Class...old boats...harassed a few myself back in the day! First Soviet nuclear submarine class if I recall!
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Maybe not in the same platform but I wouldn't make that assumption... :)
November Class...old boats...harassed a few myself back in the day! First Soviet nuclear submarine class if I recall!
That's correct
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/November_class_submarine
The Project 627 (Russian – проект 627 "Кит" (Whale), NATO – November) class submarine was the Soviet Union's first class of nuclear-powered submarines. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) used the standard radio communication phonetic alphabet to denote submarine classes. November Class was the designation for this initial series of Soviet nuclear-powered torpedo attack submarines, which were in service from 1958 through 1991.[1][2] All disposed[3] Submarine K-3, the first nuclear submarine built for the Soviet Navy, might be preserved as a memorial.[4]
http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=Soviet+submarines++November+class++wiki&qpvt=Soviet+submarines++November+class++wiki&FORM=IGRE
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Heard a guy on the radio years ago talking about his experiences and pushing his book titled the Silent Service (I think). he was interesting and i got the book for my dad (RIP) who loved this kind of history. Really good book, writing was OK but the stories more than made up for it. One memorable one was the efforts to get a 5 mile long elevator cable to raise a russian sub wreck with the GloMar Explorer. Hard to keep that purchase a secret.
Thanks for your service.
Joe
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Timothy.... thank you for your service... I had the opportunity to work with a couple of Navy CTs (Thai linguists) while at Clark AFB , Philippines (72-73).... I worked with the finest linguists and Morse intercept operators of the service cryptologic agencies (Naval Security Group, Army Security Agency, and USAF Security Service)... who due to the nature of their job, never received public acknowledgment of the quality of work they did... and many were first term enlisted men and later women...unfortunately, only a catastrophic incident brought the dangers they faced daily to light.... for those interested you might look up "Rivet Joint", and "Combat Apple" for a look at the friendly skies of SEA
http://www.nsa.gov/public_info/_files/c130_shootdown/shoot_down_60528.pdf
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1969_EC-121_shootdown_incident
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Liberty_incident
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Les, I knew of at least one of these incidents but not because of my military service. The C-130 shot down over Armenia has a Gerald Medeiros listed in the middle column of the PDF link you provided.
I've known his brother for nearly 25 years and worked with him for over ten! We spoke of the incident on several occasions. His brothers (Gerald) remains were mixed up with another crew members remains and buried in Louisiana. Due to some research, dumb luck and a persuasive family, DNA evidence was able to prove who he was and his remains were interred at Arlington in about 1998 or 1999 with full Honors! His mother was able to attend and finally get some closure after years of Government ineptness.
Thanks for service as well. It truly is a small world sometimes...