My
Duties at NavSta,
Bremerton
(LimDu) Jul 1981- Aug 1982
I
was living with my family in Jackson
Park, Naval
housing near the Naval
Hospital, Bremerton and was committing to work by
bicycle (Motobecane Mirage, a French road touring bike), riding
first to the Seattle
/ Bremerton ferry and then continuing
on on the Seattle side to Todd Shipyard where the USS Reasoner
was
undergoing overhaul. One morning in July 1981, while
cycling to work, when I lost control and crashed. I
landed on my head and elbow and slid on asphalt for some 15 ft.
Helmets were not in
vogue or even required then, but I wore a Skid
Lid and believe it may have saved my life, unfortunately, my left elbow
was
shattered
and I
went to
the Naval Hospital, Bremerton where they performed emergency surgery
and they put
me back together with 7 pins and a screw. After the surgery I
was assigned to the Limited Duty Division at Naval Station, Bremerton.
(Now part of NavBase,
Kitsap)
At first my LimDu assignment
was at the main desk of the Corpsman
barracks of the Bremerton Naval Hospital.
This bored the puddin' out of me, but it was better than checking ID
cards at the Navy Exchange.
I heard of the new hydrofoil program
and that they
needed
help with their pre-commissioning program so I asked for a change of
duty.
I was assigned to the PHM
Mobile Logistic Support Group (PHM MLSG).
The PHM
hydrofoils
were being built by the Boeing Marine Systems in Renton, WA and the MLSG
was preparing for crew training and commissioning. They had been
receiving charts
and didn't know what to do with them and, as a QM2, I just walked into
the job. Basically I received and set up chart portfolios,
assembled navigation pubs and messages in preparation for each
boat. The
boats did not have a navigation department and and Operation
Specialists
(OS) were cross rated to
perform the QM duties, so as each crew arrived I was in charge of cross
training personnel. Because the PHMs were going
to
Florida, the crews were
from the East Coast and the they knew nothing of Puget Sound. I
knew Puget Sound well, so I also
served as pilot until the crew became proficient and
their ship was commissioned. I then did it all over again for the
next PHM as it was built.
I was just a QM2, and thought I was just doing normal stuff. I
was
surprised when I found that I was able to have my PQS signed of through
QMC. I even had half of my PQS for QMCS signed off.
After each PHM was
commissioned there was a time between boats when things were really
quiet for a while. I only had to work half days and would spend
noon time at the base bowling alley where they
had half price mid day specials. (I bowled in two leagues then.)
One day
I was asked if I was entering the
entering try outs for the Navy NW Regional Championships. "How
much is it?" I asked? "Well, you're on LimDu which means you are
assigned to NavSta Bremerton, so it is free." Hmm. 21 free
games. Kind of a no brainier. I bowled my 21 free games and
qualified to represent NavSta Bremerton in my division. They sent me
TAD to the
Bangor Bowling alley and even gave me per diem for food and
drinks.
Wow!
With an established league
average of 154, I
was basically an average bowler,
however that week I bowled a 162 average to win my division. That
included a 268 high game for the division high game and a 611 series
for the division high series. I was the only bowler
that year to clean sweep the division titles.
The rest of my LimDu was a
delight. There was no stress. My time was my
own. I got to work in my rate, got to get underway and got to
drive
PHMs.
During the year of LimDu I
underwent two major and two minor
operations. There are still two pins in my left elbow and my will
not completely straighten which means I can not perform push ups.
In Aug 1982 I was released
for full active duty and was transfered to
USS Durham (LKA-114).
Return to: