Visit to historical stuff in Hampton Roads

Last commissioned battleship, USS Wisconsin (BB-64) is currently tied up in Norfolk, VA, and is being used by the "Nauticus", a Naval Museum in downtown Norfolk.

Here are a few shots of and around the currently commissioned, but inactive, battleship (and around the museum):

Tied up next to her, a tall ship (too lazy to go look @ it)

Memorial for the State of Virginia, of those loved and lost (idea of letters home scattered in the wind)

Battleship (of course), view from the parking garage across the street.

Bearing down on us!

Main Engine Work

Pulling cylinder liners (replaceable liner that the rings seal against, and cooling water runs over). It is showing lots of rust or corrosion...(all the orangeish reddish color), apparently cooling water treatment wasn't doing its job.


Rocker arm assemblies from the cylinders we pulled


Cylinder head resting on deck, note the valve stems sticking up.



Inside port main engine reduction gear (single reduction, single helical).



After pulling cylinder head, jacking engine over to pull this piston (note all the carbon @ top of piston!)



Port Main Engine turbocharger (Left Bank)


Just after a head was pulled, a shot showing some indications of "blow by" past the piston rings.


Flying pistons! Piston has been pulled and is being moved by the overhead crane into our piston stand so we can remove the wrist pin, separating the piston and the connecting rod.



Ride em cow-engineer ;)

Right vs Left according to the Bible

"The heart of the wise inclines to the right, but the heart of the fool to the left." --Ecclesiastes 10:2 NIV

Saw this on a facebook group I'm a member of....I laughed my ass off.

For my little sister

MM2 Scharf, stationed on the USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76)

I'm proud of you.

Marine Engineering Blog?

After having merited a "link" from Fred Fry International's Maritime Monday for the second time, I've come to realize I am in a unique position, especially among the rest of the Bear Flag League (California bloggers of whom I am a member, due to my current permanent residence in Kern County), in that I can put forth maritime concerns (especially those featuring engineering as they can have implications ashore as well).

I'm not sure if I can scour the internet and bring forth many concerns that he does, but I can discuss happenings within Military Sealift Command, as many of you all out there are U.S. Taxpayers, and your money pays for a lot of the competence and INcompetence that goes on in any federal bureaucracy.

In this coming September, I'll have been sailing for Military Sealift Fleet Support Command for 2 years, and done at least a 4 month tour on 4 different vessels, all different classes of ship as well.

Ship 1:
USNS Mount Baker (T-AE 34)

Ship 2:
USNS Saturn (T-AFS 10)

Ship 3:
USNS Zeus (T-ARC 7)

Ship 4:
USNS Kanawha (T-AO 196)

I just barely reported to the Kanawha, and we're tied up in Norfolk,VA, almost ready to head into the shipyard for our stanrd overhaul and work. As I've previously mentioned I hope I'll be able to post tons of pictures, maybe with me in a few shots.

Kanawha's powered by twin Colt-Pielsticks, twin shafts with Controllable Pitch Propellors.

USNS Kanawha

Yippe ki yay (however you spell that).

Another long time no posting time....?

Onboard the USNS Kanawha as a 3rd A/E. This ship has an unmanned engine room so it's a little different. I don't stand watches but every third day I stand the "duty", and I still work normally during the normal working hours. We're set to go into the shipyard soon and we're tearing apart the main engines. Awesome, I hope to have lots of pictures.

If you ran across this webpage and wish to say hello, post a comment in the most recent post, please (or email me!)

Brief Synopsis

Well Folks, my time on the Zeus is almost up. She's going into the shipyard soon, and my plan might be a little different from what I expect. I do wish to drive across country back home to California (with plenty of pictures along the way, hopefully fun, too), hopefully with my father. Even if I don't I may end up doing it on my own (I've flown across country enough times). I'll continue to update this as my plans change.

American Airlines Terrorist Dry Run?

h/t: Little Green Footballs
American Airlines Flight 62: A Terrorist Probe?

This is not meant to scare, but it probably will. Consider yourself informed and warned that the threat is real. This crew reported that they were not prepared that something of this nature could be happening to them.

Flt 62, Paris to MIA [Miami], a few weeks ago. 2 maybe 4 mid-eastern types causing minor disturbance from the get-go. Nothing that the FAs [flight attendants] couldn’t deal with, but, in hindsight, they seemed to be pushing the envelope. Cross-cabin activity, hanging out in the forward galley, complaining about everything, etc. Mid-Atlantic, the FO [First Officer, or Co-Pilot] called to return to the cockpit after his crew-rest break. One of the perps [perpetrators] was in the forward galley, was instructed by a FA to go aft, but didn’t. As the cockpit door opened, another perp suddenly appeared from around the galley, dropped his shoulder into FO while the first one got in the way of the FO’s attempt to block the other...here I’m not certain...so....wait for the movie.

FO (one of our first FFDO’s [Federal Flight Deck Officers*]) was about to pull his flashlight to use as a weapon in a counter attack, but thought better of it not knowing how many more perps he might have to fight, called “lockdown” to the FB [secondary “B” First Officer], inside the cockpit, who slammed the door. As soon as the perps heard the word lockdown, they retreated to their seats.

I’m not doing justice to the story, but, if not an attempt on the cockpit, this was a serious probe.

Crew considered divert, but since the threat diminished and seemed to be contained, they pressed on towards MIA. Flight was met in MIA by FBI, FAMS [Federal Air Marshal Service] (none aboard, by the way), AA [American Airlines] Security suits, etc. During the de-brief, which lasted several hours, the FAMs told the pilots that they would have “dropped” both of the perps with the first shove near the cockpit door. Perps claimed to not understand English, were detained for 4 days and deported, back to Paris, when they are free to attend Sunday school, tell their buddies of their Adventure and plan their next move.

Enjoying the story so far? It’s good we can’t carry guns on Int’l [International] trips, eh?

Upsetting is that we all have to learn of this, by happenstance. Why didn’t you and your last crew know of this? We took a delay yesterday while this FB detailed the entire event to my crew. Believe me, there were no disbelievers that the terrorist threat is real in my crew by the time we boarded.

I’m more than upset that this is still a secret! The FB is a man I’ve flown with often, trust completely and attended FFDO (Federal Flight Deck Officer) training with a year ago January. I hope I’ve presented his story accurately, but am certain that the basic details are very close.

Hm, why weren't the passangers asked for help? I know you're absolved by law if you're asked for help in subduing another belligerent passenger, and I'm sure there were at least a FEW people on board who were pissed off enough to knock the ever loving crap out of those asses. There still is a threat. As long as Islamic countries live in the third world, and continue to allow their extremist factions to literally interpret the koran, so as to cry jihad on the western world, there will always be a terrorist threat.

Irony

Trip down Memory Lane

USNS Zeus (T-ARC 7)

I have now reported to the USNS Zeus (T-ARC 7), currently in Guam. Here's some publicly available information on the ship (following my own precedent).



USNS Zeus is MSC's only Cable Repair Ship and is part of the 23 ships in Military Sealift Command's Special Mission Ships Program.
• Length:
513 feet
• Beam:
73 feet
• Draft:
26 feet
• Displacement:
14,934 long tons
• Speed:
15.0 knots
• Organization:
Military Sealift Fleet Support Command
• Civilian:
54 crew
• Military:
27 military/sponsor personnel
• Owner/Operator:
Government-owned, Government-operated

Oops

Well I haven't been online or done anything to this blog in forever. I know I probably should, 'cause I do have friends I still somewhat maintain from this. I initially started it in the wake of the 2004 election, because I sort of wished to get involved politically. However sinc ethen politics have turned me off to itself... kinda weird I know. However, this eventually became more of a personal diary of how I am doing (which for some is needful, especially since I work and sail onboard ships, so I'm often not within cellular phone reach so this and email is the only way to contact me.

I got off the USNS Saturn just after thanksgiving, but my family was all still at home in Bakersfield (tough for my little sister as she lives and works in San Diego on board the USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76)), so we were able to enjoy Thanksgiving together the day after. I also was able to enjoy my birthday, November 27 (I'm 25 now), and then of course, Christmas. I reported the day after Christmas to CSU-West (Customer Support Unit West), the place where all CIVMARs (Civilian Mariners, like myself) report when we're waiting for a ship, and we're still on duty. We actually earn our base salary while we're waiting around day after day. Last time I did this, I was waiting for 3 weeks before I was sent to the USNS Saturn. That's long, too, for someone like me (engineering officer). Most of the dime-a-dozen people like AB's (Able Bodied Seaman), OS's (Ordinary Seaman), SU's (Steward Utility), and some of the other Engineering ones, too: EU's (Engine Utility), Wipers, and so forth, usually end up in there sometimes for a month or two.

I'm currently staying at the Howard Johnson Express on Hotel Circle in Mission Valley. It's awesome here 'cause its really close in (the closest Government Contracted hotels to Point Loma Sub Base, actually), really close to Old Town San Diego (honestly, I could walk to Old Town, would take somewhere close to 15-25 minutes, but I could do it), and within an easy short drive to my little sister's apartment (near Qualcomm Stadium, for the SD Chargers). Here's hoping I get a decent ship and a safe travel to it, as well as a safe and fun wait here in San Diego.

Cheers
-Henry

Distractions

HowManyOfMe.com

There are: 8 people with my name in the U.S.A. How many have your name?

I thought there'd be more than that. The funny part is I already know one other living one, my father....(that's right, I'm Henry the FOURTH), my grandfather and great grandfather are both dead.

Why Daddy is a Republican

Ran across an advertisement for a book titled Why Mommy is a Democrat. I was perusing the website for this heinous book, and I realized the level of indoctrination many Democrats want to do to children. I don't believe politics should be introduced in ANY child who is too young to understand the REAL concepts involved. Politics is not a simple matter of "Mommy protects us" or "Mommy makes us share our toys.

The sampe pages for the book shown just exemplify the horridness of anyone who would actually use this book to teach their children to become Democrats. Let me introduce them, The author is showing us that Democrats want to rule over us like Mommy does, that we (the masses) are nothing but children and need to be told EXACTLY what to do to make life better.


In one word: Socialism. Sharing one's wealth with someone less fortunate should be a personal decision. If one is destitute, then society does have an obligation to keep him from dying, but oftentimes such destitution is the cause of his own life choices. What this page is telling us is Democrats want to FORCE us to share our wealth. What if I worked hard for the money I make, and I would rather spend it on myself, because I've earned it?


Now this one just borders on the ridiculous. Let's just tell the kids that Democrats make you safe and everything will be all right. Everybody has a real vested interest in keeping their constituents safe. However, lax border security, defending criminals while victims suffer, gun control measures that make it harder for law-abiding citizens to own a gun(often for self-protection), appeasement attitudes towards this countries enemies (need I go on?), all show "Democrat" attitudes towards your safety. To equate politician's interest in keeping you safe with a mother's instinct is ludicrous.


Sure, as long as they go to state-run up schools through secondary education (high school). However, once you hit college age, that is up to you. Does any Democrat have any clue about community college? Community College is the stepping stone to anywhere (many of the requirements for entry into a Bachelor's program at a 4-year school are bypassed when transferring from Community College), and literally costs a few bucks a semester. To depict an Ivy League school in such an illustration is outright propaganda. The only people allowed to get into Ivy League are either the rich down to upper middle class (I'm not just talking incomes, those types tend to be very elitest), and that is regardless of whatever your political leanings are. Kerry and Bush both went to Yale(notice who the young male in the figure is drawn to look like) at about the same time, getting quite similar grades. Ask any of those top "pedigree" families and they would upturn their noses about letting "just anyone" in, except for the token charity case, often well publicized in the media.

Just using the example pages, reading the pages just turns you off, as it reads exactly like a religious book, indoctrinating children young into a certain political standpoint. I don't have a problem with most children's books that DO teach children about morals and values, as long as they mention all people should live up to that standard. If someone had written a book titled "Why Mommy is a Republican", I would be ridiculing the book for the exact same reasons...children too young for politics are TOO YOUNG FOR POLITICS (if you want to ask what age, just look @ how the book was written, if you think a child of a certain age would read at this level, then they are way too young for politics).

My how times have changed

Remember the good old days when everyone in New York was a Yankees fan (and NO ONE admitted to being a Mets fan?). Times have changed as evidenced by the defeat of the Yankees at the hand of the Detroit Tigers. The St. Louis Cardinals just recently defeated the Mets in game 5 of the NL Championship series to come to a 3-2 lead agains the Mets. I wonder if in game 6 (and the the Mets win) in game 7 of the NL Championship series, if all of New York will become Mets fans (imagine the irony).

Update: The Mets won game 6 to tie it 3-3, and then game 7 was tied 1-1 up until the 9th inning..when the cardinals pulled ahead to win 3-1

World Series: Detroit Tigers vs St. Louis Cardinals.