set condition one mike: USS Lucid MSO 458

Friday, July 16, 2010

USS Lucid MSO 458

http://stocktonhistoricalmaritimemuseum.org/

4 comments:

GaryJuly 18, 2010 at 12:42 AM
I like those illustrations and your blog, former Excel sailor here, got out just around the time you went in, cruised with Pluck a few times before or after our degaussing period at Point Loma.
I started a Blog like this (but yours is much better)a while back but just didn't have the time to keep up on it since I drive truck for a living.
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gallywatchcaptain-USS Pluck MSO 464July 20, 2010 at 7:29 PM
Thanks for the compliments. Excel.. always a beautiful sight to see her in formation. Gary, I have some questions about the kites, can you answer them? Bob
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GaryJuly 22, 2010 at 3:07 PM
I was in the deck force before transferring to Engineering, so I might have some info on the kites.
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gallywatchcaptain-USS Pluck MSO 464July 23, 2010 at 6:13 PM
Can you email me at gallywatchcaptain@gmail.com
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Condition One Mike

"Condition One Mike" (Cond1 M) is a special type of General quarters aboard Ocean Going Minesweepers. The ship is at full alert and all battle stations are manned. The crew is deployed about the weather decks, the only persons left inside the skin of the ship being the helmsman and lee helmsmen. Bed mattresses are placed on the overhead of the pilot house for the benefit of those two crewmen in the event of a mine detonation too close to the ship. The deck crew is stationed on the fantail and tasked with deploying and recovering the sweep gear. This is hazardous duty, a mixture of some of the same hazards found on flight decks, with wires under high tension and sailors working in very close proximity to such wires, explosive cutter cartridges which have to be armed one at a time as they are set out and disarmed before being brought back on board , often by a Boatswain's mate or Gunner's mate hanging over the very ass end by a safety harness. They are armed and disarmed with a small cotter pin similar to a hand grenade. The whole scene is very similar to the modern TV show "Deadliest catch", but the crab pods are mine sweeping devices, and the "catch" are big round and cylindrical BOMBS capable of sinking an aircraft carrier.