My Third Ship...Hunley

This is my third ship. She is the USS Hunley (AS-31) and I reported aboard her in August 1984. She was located at Site One, Holy Loch, Scotland. Site One is where the Fleet Ballistic Missile Submarines (SSBN's) started their deterrence patrols from. This was during the bad old days of the cold war and the United States needed to keep the pressure on the Soviets. We did this by arming these submarines with nuclear tipped missiles...scaring the crap out of them because the boats (submarines) would disappear for 90 days and nobody knew where they actually were...not even the U.S. Navy. Now before you start calling on congressman...they were assigned patrol areas off the coast of Russia, but these area were large and the boat tiny, so nobody actually knew where they were. The Hunley was assigned as a tender to the submarines. This meant that she repaired, rearmed, replenished, outfitted, and supplied the boats. I was assigned to the Operations Department as a Quartermaster Second Class (QM2). I corrected the navigational charts and publications. I fixed and maintained navigational equipment. Mostly, I supplied the boats with charts and expertise. You see, I was a recognized leader in celestial navigation and the Quartermasters from the submarines wanted to learn how. It was a good job.

I also loved Scotland! The people were warm and friendly. I met a nice woman and had a son there. Although we never married I have remained in touch. My son, Christopher, lives in Dunoon with his mother, Angela. I like the whole atmosphere...the bagpipes, the public houses, the beer, the fish and chips, and the beauty of the place. I was sad the day I had to leave. I knew the day I was promoted to QM1 that I would be getting orders. In July 1986 I received them and I was to report as the Leading Quartermaster (the boss man) aboard the USS O'Bannon (DD-987).