Comments on: APB for 378 Sailors Past and Present http://www.cgblog.org/2009/11/14/apb-for-378-sailors-past-and-present/ An Unofficial Coast Guard Blog Mon, 22 Mar 2010 00:13:48 -0400 hourly 1 By: 378EO http://www.cgblog.org/2009/11/14/apb-for-378-sailors-past-and-present/comment-page-2/#comment-5305 378EO Thu, 14 Jan 2010 21:13:35 +0000 http://www.cgblog.org/2009/11/14/apb-for-378-sailors-past-and-present/#comment-5305 Now that all the fightin's over (at least I hope so), thought I'd comment. 378's are near and dear to my heart having been an MPA for nearly three (98-2000) and EO of one for four years. What a great ride those were. The hardest, most rewarding work I'd ever done or since, but I'd do it again tomorrow given the chance. Fire's yes, little flooding once in a while - nothing out of control. The boats are old but so are the old guys (and gals) who sail them - they have experience. The old adage of "been there, done that" gets morphed into "been there, experienced it and I'll do my best to ensure it doesn't happen again (wrt fire/flooding casualties) - "I know what to look for this time around and I'll teach my fellow coasties to watch for it too so we can mitigate the damage if and when it happens again. As someone said above, machinery is not an exact science, it fails (and sometimes horribly) from time to time. The cause of many of the engineroom fires on 378's is the way the MDE's are operated - CO's want to clear the sea bouy and dial up a full bell. Them ol' Fairbanks Morse engines (aka Oil Pumps) don't like that, you have to burn the oil in the exhaust manifolds/ring collectors off SLOWLY (and while it's still inside the manifolds). Oil flashes off at 455 deg F, keep the exhaust temp around 500 deg F until the smoke clears...then you can wind'm up to do whatever you want.<br><br>As far as morale, I think you'll get the same answer from every Cutterman - doesn't matter what cutter you're on - it's the people standing side by side with you that makes the morale good or bad, your tour a good one or a bad one. Typically, it's very good or very bad – you get out what you put in. I remember many times pulling into GTMO and playing softball until the MP's kicked us off the field around midnight – not a beer in sight (well, maybe a couple), telling sea stories about banana rats while walking back to the ship. Great times. The crew makes the ship, it has always been like that, and always will be like that.<br><br>For you current 378’ sailors out there - you may not realize it now, but these could be the best years of your life. You'll look back at them and tell sea stories about them until you're old and gray. I know I do, I'm a little old...and a little gray now and I do (tell sea stories). I envy you all. Be safe and take care of one another, on the ship or off.<br><br>378EO Now that all the fightin's over (at least I hope so), thought I'd comment. 378's are near and dear to my heart having been an MPA for nearly three (98-2000) and EO of one for four years. What a great ride those were. The hardest, most rewarding work I'd ever done or since, but I'd do it again tomorrow given the chance. Fire's yes, little flooding once in a while – nothing out of control. The boats are old but so are the old guys (and gals) who sail them – they have experience. The old adage of “been there, done that” gets morphed into “been there, experienced it and I'll do my best to ensure it doesn't happen again (wrt fire/flooding casualties) – “I know what to look for this time around and I'll teach my fellow coasties to watch for it too so we can mitigate the damage if and when it happens again. As someone said above, machinery is not an exact science, it fails (and sometimes horribly) from time to time. The cause of many of the engineroom fires on 378's is the way the MDE's are operated – CO's want to clear the sea bouy and dial up a full bell. Them ol' Fairbanks Morse engines (aka Oil Pumps) don't like that, you have to burn the oil in the exhaust manifolds/ring collectors off SLOWLY (and while it's still inside the manifolds). Oil flashes off at 455 deg F, keep the exhaust temp around 500 deg F until the smoke clears…then you can wind'm up to do whatever you want.

As far as morale, I think you'll get the same answer from every Cutterman – doesn't matter what cutter you're on – it's the people standing side by side with you that makes the morale good or bad, your tour a good one or a bad one. Typically, it's very good or very bad – you get out what you put in. I remember many times pulling into GTMO and playing softball until the MP's kicked us off the field around midnight – not a beer in sight (well, maybe a couple), telling sea stories about banana rats while walking back to the ship. Great times. The crew makes the ship, it has always been like that, and always will be like that.

For you current 378’ sailors out there – you may not realize it now, but these could be the best years of your life. You'll look back at them and tell sea stories about them until you're old and gray. I know I do, I'm a little old…and a little gray now and I do (tell sea stories). I envy you all. Be safe and take care of one another, on the ship or off.

378EO

]]> By: Arkangel99 http://www.cgblog.org/2009/11/14/apb-for-378-sailors-past-and-present/comment-page-2/#comment-5030 Arkangel99 Thu, 19 Nov 2009 12:04:02 +0000 http://www.cgblog.org/2009/11/14/apb-for-378-sailors-past-and-present/#comment-5030 Some like the Morenthau DID have fire problems.Not when i served on her, but at least three before. The CG has always done more with less and these tough ships have taken a lot of beatings in their 40 years of service. They are great ships. Having been on two. I can say that i loved serving on them. I did fly but never worried about the flight ops or my shipmates OR the stability and landing system on the flight deck. Semper Paratus! Some like the Morenthau DID have fire problems.Not when i served on her, but at least three before. The CG has always done more with less and these tough ships have taken a lot of beatings in their 40 years of service. They are great ships. Having been on two. I can say that i loved serving on them. I did fly but never worried about the flight ops or my shipmates OR the stability and landing system on the flight deck. Semper Paratus!

]]> By: arkangel99 http://www.cgblog.org/2009/11/14/apb-for-378-sailors-past-and-present/comment-page-2/#comment-5029 arkangel99 Thu, 19 Nov 2009 11:56:32 +0000 http://www.cgblog.org/2009/11/14/apb-for-378-sailors-past-and-present/#comment-5029 OOps. late night...378 feet as in 378'. OOps. late night…378 feet as in 378'.

]]> By: Arkangel99 http://www.cgblog.org/2009/11/14/apb-for-378-sailors-past-and-present/comment-page-2/#comment-5028 Arkangel99 Thu, 19 Nov 2009 11:54:47 +0000 http://www.cgblog.org/2009/11/14/apb-for-378-sailors-past-and-present/#comment-5028 When I got my first billet on a 378" i was a little leery because the rumors were WHEC 722, the Morgenthau had had 3 serious engine room fires. One had fatalities or serious injuries. This was years before I was on board. She was comissioned in 1969 and served in Vietnam during Opertion Market Time. The ship never had any problems when I served on her, or heard about any other WHEC's having fire problems. My second WHEC was the Munro. Never any worries about fire..... When I got my first billet on a 378″ i was a little leery because the rumors were WHEC 722, the Morgenthau had had 3 serious engine room fires. One had fatalities or serious injuries. This was years before I was on board. She was comissioned in 1969 and served in Vietnam during Opertion Market Time. The ship never had any problems when I served on her, or heard about any other WHEC's having fire problems. My second WHEC was the Munro. Never any worries about fire…..

]]> By: Richard Ritz http://www.cgblog.org/2009/11/14/apb-for-378-sailors-past-and-present/comment-page-2/#comment-5026 Richard Ritz Wed, 18 Nov 2009 22:28:23 +0000 http://www.cgblog.org/2009/11/14/apb-for-378-sailors-past-and-present/#comment-5026 I did 6 tours on 4 different 378’s. I was stationed aboard the Midgett as a FA right out of Boot Camp (1976) and retired off the Jarvis as a MKCS (also the CSC) in 2006. <br>On each tour the engineering crew was by far the tightest group. We normally worked longer hours then the rest of the crew, more so as the ships got older. And, as the ships got older and the op tempo increased, the ships were more prone to problems (Fires, flooding, systems failing, machinery OOC etc).<br>Bottom line; if I could go back for another tour, I’d be there in a heartbeat and I’m pretty sure most prior 378 snipes would be right behind me I did 6 tours on 4 different 378’s. I was stationed aboard the Midgett as a FA right out of Boot Camp (1976) and retired off the Jarvis as a MKCS (also the CSC) in 2006.
On each tour the engineering crew was by far the tightest group. We normally worked longer hours then the rest of the crew, more so as the ships got older. And, as the ships got older and the op tempo increased, the ships were more prone to problems (Fires, flooding, systems failing, machinery OOC etc).
Bottom line; if I could go back for another tour, I’d be there in a heartbeat and I’m pretty sure most prior 378 snipes would be right behind me

]]> By: Kennebec_Captain http://www.cgblog.org/2009/11/14/apb-for-378-sailors-past-and-present/comment-page-2/#comment-5023 Kennebec_Captain Wed, 18 Nov 2009 02:11:48 +0000 http://www.cgblog.org/2009/11/14/apb-for-378-sailors-past-and-present/#comment-5023 I joined the Gallatin in June of 1975 in the shipyard in Curtis Bay straight from boot camp. It was impressive to see the rooster tail at full speed. It was an impressive ship. We had a few minor engine room fires while I was there from fuel leaks onto the hot exhaust parts. The standards of seamanship was high, from time to time we passed a line to a fishing vessel and towed it in in bad weather, that, for me, was the high point. Quality of life wasn't a priority then, the food was awful, if helo or boat ops occurred during meal times you were out of luck, no late meals, you had to hope the helo didn't return during he next meal or you'd miss that one to. The cold weather gear I was issued had seen hard use. I'd say overall, nice ship, poor treatment of fresh this E-3 who was seeking a career at sea. I joined the Gallatin in June of 1975 in the shipyard in Curtis Bay straight from boot camp. It was impressive to see the rooster tail at full speed. It was an impressive ship. We had a few minor engine room fires while I was there from fuel leaks onto the hot exhaust parts. The standards of seamanship was high, from time to time we passed a line to a fishing vessel and towed it in in bad weather, that, for me, was the high point. Quality of life wasn't a priority then, the food was awful, if helo or boat ops occurred during meal times you were out of luck, no late meals, you had to hope the helo didn't return during he next meal or you'd miss that one to. The cold weather gear I was issued had seen hard use. I'd say overall, nice ship, poor treatment of fresh this E-3 who was seeking a career at sea.

]]> By: jdolbow http://www.cgblog.org/2009/11/14/apb-for-378-sailors-past-and-present/comment-page-2/#comment-5020 jdolbow Tue, 17 Nov 2009 23:14:27 +0000 http://www.cgblog.org/2009/11/14/apb-for-378-sailors-past-and-present/#comment-5020 surface force you were warned and are now banned from commenting. surface force you were warned and are now banned from commenting.

]]> By: Anon http://www.cgblog.org/2009/11/14/apb-for-378-sailors-past-and-present/comment-page-1/#comment-5017 Anon Tue, 17 Nov 2009 14:47:50 +0000 http://www.cgblog.org/2009/11/14/apb-for-378-sailors-past-and-present/#comment-5017 I think what Surface_Force was referring to was the inference that fire had gutted or destroyed an engine-room. Engines of that vintage and size, run at those durations, well-maintained or not, are going to have failures. Failures tend to cause things to break. Breakage can cause fire to sprout where it's not supposed to.<br><br>I'd guess that the fire protection system and DC planning / prep / training prevented any fire breakout from getting out of hand or seriously threatening life or ship during your turb failure. The crews of those ships are competent and trained - I was on one. Even during an alarm I never wandered into 'what if' territory that would consider abandon ship as an option (I saved those thoughts for a couple of hairy situ's in the Arabian Gulf:))<br><br>Fires onboard ship happen. That's why built in systems are in place, that's why people train for the contingency regularly, and because of that shipboard fires rarely claim lives or cost ships.<br><br>SF's comment was to reply to the 'fire gutted' comment. I'm not sure any WHEC has ever been towed back to port. <br><br>The newer ships are going to have fires as well. Mechanical systems are imperfect. Things fail. Things happen. Shipboard pers. are always ready for that, so it's always under control. I think what Surface_Force was referring to was the inference that fire had gutted or destroyed an engine-room. Engines of that vintage and size, run at those durations, well-maintained or not, are going to have failures. Failures tend to cause things to break. Breakage can cause fire to sprout where it's not supposed to.

I'd guess that the fire protection system and DC planning / prep / training prevented any fire breakout from getting out of hand or seriously threatening life or ship during your turb failure. The crews of those ships are competent and trained – I was on one. Even during an alarm I never wandered into 'what if' territory that would consider abandon ship as an option (I saved those thoughts for a couple of hairy situ's in the Arabian Gulf:))

Fires onboard ship happen. That's why built in systems are in place, that's why people train for the contingency regularly, and because of that shipboard fires rarely claim lives or cost ships.

SF's comment was to reply to the 'fire gutted' comment. I'm not sure any WHEC has ever been towed back to port.

The newer ships are going to have fires as well. Mechanical systems are imperfect. Things fail. Things happen. Shipboard pers. are always ready for that, so it's always under control.

]]> By: julietecho http://www.cgblog.org/2009/11/14/apb-for-378-sailors-past-and-present/comment-page-1/#comment-5015 julietecho Tue, 17 Nov 2009 08:15:04 +0000 http://www.cgblog.org/2009/11/14/apb-for-378-sailors-past-and-present/#comment-5015 I was also there for the record breaking drug bust I was also there for the record breaking drug bust

]]> By: julietecho http://www.cgblog.org/2009/11/14/apb-for-378-sailors-past-and-present/comment-page-1/#comment-5014 julietecho Tue, 17 Nov 2009 08:05:06 +0000 http://www.cgblog.org/2009/11/14/apb-for-378-sailors-past-and-present/#comment-5014 I was on the Sherman as a E-3 as well, it was a rough time but I enjoyed it. As for Surface Force and his determination that none of the plants on the mighty 378 have been completely destroyed. That's an out right lie. I was in the hole when part of the out-put fan on our #2 Turbine cracked up and broke of inside the engine. The incident later caused a fire in the exhaust lagging for that engine. It was completely destroyed and I was there for replacement of that engine as well. Not but 2 weeks later the thrust bearing on the #1 Main Diesel failed as well, we had to do an entire top end over-haul on that engine while replacing the others. We were working full force 2 shifts (day and night) and had twJulietEchoo augmentation teams. One from the mat and one assebled and sent to us from Pac Area. I was on the Sherman as a E-3 as well, it was a rough time but I enjoyed it. As for Surface Force and his determination that none of the plants on the mighty 378 have been completely destroyed. That's an out right lie. I was in the hole when part of the out-put fan on our #2 Turbine cracked up and broke of inside the engine. The incident later caused a fire in the exhaust lagging for that engine. It was completely destroyed and I was there for replacement of that engine as well. Not but 2 weeks later the thrust bearing on the #1 Main Diesel failed as well, we had to do an entire top end over-haul on that engine while replacing the others. We were working full force 2 shifts (day and night) and had twJulietEchoo augmentation teams. One from the mat and one assebled and sent to us from Pac Area.

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