I worked at MSC (Pacific) from 1981-1985. One of the funniest stories is about a guy from Boston who wanted to get on a Cable Layer “Aeolus” as it was close to his home. He didn’t go out to Oakland and “Get: orders,physical, travel orders”, he went up the gangway and told the purser he was the “new 3rd engineer and his orders would be coming”. They paid off another 3rd engineer and “Dick” took his place. Eventually somebody in the office sent out some paperwork for this guy.
I just bet there are a few MSC old timers who remember Captain O’Reilly. He made quite a name for himself. It was the mid 70’s, I was 2nd on the Kingsport, she was in Hamilton, Bermuda, when Capt O’Reilly joined the vessel. A few of my shipmates and I were arriving back to ship after having a few cold ones. We stood and watched a little drama unfold. The Captain arrived only moments before us, he had lots of luggage, AB’s struggled with them, one AB was about to take the Captain’s golf bag when the good captain berated him by letting him, and all with 100 yards, know that no one touches his golfing stuff. So, the good man climbed up the gangway with his treasure when someone on deck hollered “WATCH OUT BELOW.” Golf clubs were raining down, some into the drink, the golf bag was upside-down, its cover not secured. To his credit, Captain O’Reilly shook his head, smiled, “It’s been a long day,” he said. We heard him ask as he made his way into the ship “was anybody hurt?” No one was, but he earned a new nickname that day.
[QUOTE=Too bad steam is gone;81853]I worked at MSC (Pacific) from 1981-1985. One of the funniest stories is about a guy from Boston who wanted to get on a Cable Layer “Aeolus” as it was close to his home. He didn’t go out to Oakland and “Get: orders,physical, travel orders”, he went up the gangway and told the purser he was the “new 3rd engineer and his orders would be coming”. They paid off another 3rd engineer and “Dick” took his place. Eventually somebody in the office sent out some paperwork for this guy.[/QUOTE]
Sounds about right to me. Here’s just a few.
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The time we accidentally set fire to our shipyard office while having a barbeque? That was a good one - especially at shift change at the front gate, where our offices were…
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Or the pair that wrecked so many rental cars while at the shipyard, when Avis delivered a replacement for a damaged one, the tow truck driver just looks at them and says,[I] “Oh, you again.”
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Or the enterprising engineer that ate macaroni and cheese for months to save money instead of spending his food allowance on food, only to have to pay it back because he had no actual receipts except for the macaroni.
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Or the boneheads that stole “just a few” blank government checks (the computer ones just like your tax refund used to come on - good as cash - from the Oakland supply deport and had a grand time cashing them up in Reno
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Or the time the mail bag came to the ship and was left outside the purser’s office over the weekend, as everyone stepped over it or walked past it. On Monday we learned there was $568,000 in cash in the mail bag, it being “registered” mail.
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Or when the captain ordered a room inspection to determine and end whoever was stealing these great tasting salted cashew nuts from the cargo. The engineers found the nuts in the sewage lift pump station by dinner time. Culprit not identified.
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Or the cooks who thought it great fun to tip the 20 gallon rice cooker into the galey disposal instead of the trash can. Oh yeah - nothing like a little cement in the drain system.
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Or the cook, on the first day the ship was delivered, that decided to warm up a large can of beans in the oven before opening the can. So much for the brand new oven door.
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Or the white cracker from Florida who fanicied himself a fighter and invited his coworker to the dock to settle something. The black QMED, universally admired as one of the best shipmates out there, settled it on the spot. Cracker later sets a small fire in the messroom near the toaster to make it look accidental, but is discovered. This leads to dismissal.
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Or the electrician who fancied a smoke during cargo ops - in the pump room. Whaaaaat?
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Or the bosun, who had been aboard for about 3 years. His wife called looking for him when the ship was at homeport. AB on watch - “[I]N[I]o -[/I] he isn’t aboard, he is out cashing his overtime check.” [/I] Wife, [I]“What’s that?” [/I]So AB dutifully explains about half of pay is in overtime which can be paid directly onboard …
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Or the engineer that discovered an lluminating new use for MiniMag Lights with some of the Navy girls aboard. Still sails with the outfit.
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Or the fellow that was warned on reporting aboard not to flush his cigar stubs down the vacuum toilets. He did. Toilet stops working. Upon rooting branch line, cigar retrieved. Toilet removed from aforementioned cabin until engineers satisfied fellow had learned his lesson, otherwise known as " awaiting important spare parts’"
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PA announcement “[I]Chief engineer. War Department on the Pier[/I]”
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Third engineer calls wheelhouse, " [I]Fire, fire, fire, space xxxxxx, electrical panel[/I]. [I]Not a drill"[/I] 2nd mate: “[I]Don’t bother me with your petty aggravations.”
[/I]16. Or the OS that loved his codeine coolers, made with red wine and just a touch of codeine cough syrup.
- Or boinking the scientist girls that used to come on some of the more interesting special mission ships.
And the good times, and the hard times fondly remembered with so many shipmates that have passed away, along the way. They were good people doing what people do - and I’ve seen some names mentioned along these threads… .The one’s who you would sail with in a rowboat to Antarctica, and the ones you wouldn’t piss on to put out if they were on fire.
UniBlob ! I love it.
One third engineer I relieved ordered lube oil purifier parts but f—ed up the government part number and got a pull lanyard for a howitzer. Every time I saw the storekeeper he asked me if I wanted that part.
A fireman showed up to work early one morning in only his shower shoes in Boston in November, talk about a small “hydrant”.
We were sitting in the mess awaiting an unrep. operation. The chief engineer was a corpulent guy with a billy-goat gruff demeanor. The chief engineer stood behind the electrician, unbeknownst to “electro”. The electrician made reference to that “fat f—er” and everyone’s face at the table told electro he was in trouble. Electro turned his head around, The chief says “You pissed in your Corn Flakes, now eat em.” Even the chief cracked up with us about it.
[QUOTE=+A465B;81863] the good times, and the hard times fondly remembered with so many shipmates that have passed away, along the way. They were good people doing what people do - and I’ve seen some names mentioned along these threads… .The one’s who you would sail with in a rowboat to Antarctica, and the ones you wouldn’t piss on to put out if they were on fire…[/QUOTE]
I fondly remember Chief Engineer Moose Lightburn, I would sail with Moose in a rowboat to Antarctica. He’s gone now - so many are but time marches on.
[QUOTE=Too bad steam is gone;81878]The chief engineer was a corpulent guy with a billy-goat gruff demeanor.[QUOTE]
Hummmmm? No way would I ask, nor should I, bet’cha I know though.
[QUOTE=Too bad steam is gone;81878]We were sitting in the mess awaiting an unrep. operation. The chief engineer was a corpulent guy with a billy-goat gruff demeanor. The chief engineer stood behind the electrician, unbeknownst to “electro”. The electrician made reference to that “fat f—er” and everyone’s face at the table told electro he was in trouble. Electro turned his head around, The chief says “You pissed in your Corn Flakes, now eat em.” Even the chief cracked up with us about it.[/QUOTE]
Hummm? No way would I ask, nor should I, bet’cha I know though.
[QUOTE=Too bad steam is gone;81878]One third engineer I relieved ordered lube oil purifier parts but f—ed up the government part number and got a pull lanyard for a howitzer. Every time I saw the storekeeper he asked me if I wanted that part. .[/QUOTE]
This isn’t an MSC story but it reminds me of the time:
I was on a drillship in India and needed new wire stays for the mast so the AB’s climbed the mast then gave the measurements to the Captain. Only the old man he was Canadian and used to the metric system so he screwed up the apostrophes on the work order.
Instead of writing: four 24’ long galvanized wire stays with lighting arrestors
He wrote: four 24" long galvanized wire stays with lighting arrestors
Six months later the stays arrive and they were manufactured locally with great care, every splice was perfect but… they were each only 24 inches long!
The moral is be careful what you wish for in India… most are VERY literal people.
[QUOTE=john;81931]This isn’t an MSC story but it reminds me of the time:
I was on a drillship in India and needed new wire stays for the mast so the AB’s climbed the mast then gave the measurements to the Captain. Only the old man he was Canadian and used to the metric system so he screwed up the apostrophes on the work order.
Instead of writing: four 24’ long galvanized wire stays with lighting arrestors
He wrote: four 24" long galvanized wire stays with lighting arrestors
Six months later the stays arrive and they were manufactured locally with great care, every splice was perfect but… they were each only 24 inches long!
The moral is be careful what you wish for in India… most are VERY literal people.[/QUOTE]
Not MSC either, but one time I ordered, 6 each 3’’ heavy duty gate valves. Some how I wound up getting one 36" gate valve. I would have thought them having to use the crane to move it should have gave it away!!! Plus the biggest pipe on the entire boat was only 12"
[QUOTE=john;81931]… I was on a drillship in India and needed new wire stays for the mast so the AB’s climbed the mast then gave the measurements to the Captain. Only the old man he was Canadian and used to the metric system so he screwed up the apostrophes on the work order.
[/QUOTE]
Stonehenge!!!
I made a simialr mistake in the yard in Korea. We were due to get the cleat on the kingpost replaced, one of the horns was bent out at about a 45 degree angle. The shift super asked me as I was leaving for the night what did we want to replace the cleat with. I told him a new one, just like that one. I returned the next morning to find a brand new cleat, witjh the horn bent at 45 degrees.
[QUOTE=jdcavo;81965]Stonehenge!!!
I made a simialr mistake in the yard in Korea. We were due to get the cleat on the kingpost replaced, one of the horns was bent out at about a 45 degree angle. The shift super asked me as I was leaving for the night what did we want to replace the cleat with. I told him a new one, just like that one. I returned the next morning to find a brand new cleat, witjh the horn bent at 45 degrees.[/QUOTE]
As funny as this is all of us know how true it is. When it comes to shipyard we really need to be careful of what we say as you never know how they will take it.
[QUOTE=ChiefRob;81952]Not MSC either, but one time I ordered, 6 each 3’’ heavy duty gate valves. Some how I wound up getting one 36" gate valve. I would have thought them having to use the crane to move it should have gave it away!!! Plus the biggest pipe on the entire boat was only 12"[/QUOTE]
That’s funny and often the case. This was not MSC, but once I ordered an impeller for the main condensate pump. To our surprise It arrived in a big wooden crate, upon opening the crate we found an impeller for the main circulating pump. Yes, proper specs were included in the order. I could mention similar instances but it would be redundant. “You can never tell what will walk in the door”
[QUOTE=Sweat-n-Grease;82003]That’s funny and often the case. This was not MSC, but once I ordered an impeller for the main condensate pump. To our surprise It arrived in a big wooden crate, upon opening the crate we found an impeller for the main circulating pump. Yes, proper specs were included in the order. I could mention similar instances but it would be redundant. “You can never tell what will walk in the door”[/QUOTE]
Just received an email from an old ship mate, telling me this was indeed MSC. Yes, I remember, he’s correct. Shoot, I’m 72, should be allowed some slack. :o
I sailed with Moose as well. What a shipmate. I learned recently of the passing of another MSC great. Ingolf Rode. Otherwise known as Tiny. Tiny was a giant of a man, both in stature and in humanity. He wasone of the kindest, smartest, wisest people I have ever met. I am saddened beyond all comprehension at his passing. At the risk of violating TOS on this site I also would like to remember the following shipmates from MSC (in no particular order) Shawn Cooney, Scott Searles, Capt Peterson, Roger LaGrone (lovable moron), the late great Jimmy Weir (bosn extrodinaire) Jimmy Meadows, James Krider, and so many more whose names escape me in my mild inebriation right now.
And I remember captain oreilly (no cap intentionally). Rot in hell, you prick, along with viteri! And if I have to do an extra year in purgatory for saying that, so be it.
Funny story on the Rigel in Palma circa 1982. Junior purser sent to airport in ship’s renal car to get mail. didn;t show up for three days. Did show up without car, virtually naked and beaten bloody with no money of his own. Whaddaya think happened?!!
In about 1988, while Master on a 225’ T-AGOS, someone ordered a part for a small motor. We received a nose strut for an F-14 fighter aircraft. Navy Supply System kept insisting that we had to take and pay for the part, until we sent a message to the world in response to a supply system message, stating that we would order the entire aircraft piece by piece. Someone came the next day and collected the never-signed-for nose strut.
[QUOTE=LauHalaLana;82142]In about 1988, while Master on a 225’ T-AGOS, someone ordered a part for a small motor. We received a nose strut for an F-14 fighter aircraft. Navy Supply System kept insisting that we had to take and pay for the part, until we sent a message to the world in response to a supply system message, stating that we would order the entire aircraft piece by piece. Someone came the next day and collected the never-signed-for nose strut.[/QUOTE]
You missed an opportunity - just think - you could take all the parts to your home garage, put together a brand new F-14 for your week-end fun. You’d be a big hit at your local FBO.
[QUOTE=seadog6608;82138]I sailed with Moose as well. What a shipmate.[/QUOTE]
Thanks for posting those words. Moose and I stayed in contact for awhile, that was when he lived in NJ, after he moved to Bermuda, and I to the West Coast and did some heavy sailing time, we lost contact. I always meant to reconnect. I’m sorry to say I took too long.
[QUOTE=seadog6608;82138] I learned recently of the passing of another MSC great. Ingolf Rode. Otherwise known as Tiny. Tiny was a giant of a man, both in stature and in humanity. He wasone of the kindest, smartest, wisest people I have ever met. I am saddened beyond all comprehension at his passing. At the risk of violating TOS on this site I also would like to remember the following shipmates from MSC (in no particular order) Shawn Cooney, Scott Searles, Capt Peterson, Roger LaGrone (lovable moron), the late great Jimmy Weir (bosn extrodinaire) Jimmy Meadows, James Krider, and so many more whose names escape me in my mild inebriation right now.[/QUOTE]
Not to worry one bit, your post is most appreciated, thank you. I’m also sorry about your losses. I do recognize several names but most likely due to ship talk, I don’t think I sailed with any.
[QUOTE=seadog6608;82138]And I remember captain oreilly (no cap intentionally). Rot in hell, you prick, along with viteri! And if I have to do an extra year in purgatory for saying that, so be it.[/QUOTE]
Having the privilege of sailing with Golf Balls O’Reilly I feel you deserve special dispensation.
[QUOTE=seadog6608;82138]Funny story on the Rigel in Palma circa 1982. Junior purser sent to airport in ship’s renal car to get mail. didn;t show up for three days. Did show up without car, virtually naked and beaten bloody with no money of his own. Whaddaya think happened?!![/QUOTE]
Perhaps he was in the local Gay Follies when something went terribly wrong.
[QUOTE=Sweat-n-Grease;82163]Thanks for posting those words. Moose and I stayed in contact for awhile, that was when he lived in NJ, after he moved to Bermuda, and I to the West Coast and did some heavy sailing time, we lost contact. I always meant to reconnect. I’m sorry to say I took too long.
Not to worry one bit, your post is most appreciated, thank you. I’m also sorry about your losses. I do recognize several names but most likely due to ship talk, I don’t think I sailed with any.
Having the privilege of sailing with Golf Balls O’Reilly I feel you deserve special dispensation.
Perhaps he was in the local Gay Follies when something went terribly wrong.[/QUOTE]
Thanks, SNG! Gay follies indeed! The Rigel wasn’t known as Queen of the Reefers for nothing! forgot to say too that he also lost the mail! I was at MSCLANT from 1980-1997. Some of the best seamen it has ever been my priveldge to meet worked there as well as some that would fail as ballast. BTW, I was with Moose on the Comfort. We were both Plankowners on there. In 1982 as a long haired O/S I got assigned to the Vanguard. o’reilley was Captain and as you know he would never speak to any of the crew. We got underway the day after I arrived and I was on watch and not assigned any work. So I picked up a radiator brush and started sweeping. I could see o’reilley talking to Lenny Spanagle, 1/M, (RIP) and gesturing towards me. Spoondoggle comes over to me and says, “The Captain wants to know, when was the lat time you got a haircut”? I thought about it a moment and replied, “About the same time the last hair fell out of his bald head!” Doghouse here I come! I was one wise assed kid.
The east coast sailors sound like us west coast MSC people. We had: Dutch Schultz, Capt. OD Dotson (great ship handler), “Red Line Red”, Three Fingered Mac, The “Eye” brothers Popeye, Leveye, and Bad Eye, Jim Bbbbbbbbbeyers,. There was one chief engineer who had a contract out on his life in Subic so he couldn’t go outside the gate. He died as the placement port engineer in Oakland and it was rumored there was a huge party celebrating this guys death. He was universally hated by all.
[QUOTE=Too bad steam is gone;82871]The east coast sailors sound like us west coast MSC people. We had: Dutch Schultz, Capt. OD Dotson (great ship handler), “Red Line Red”, Three Fingered Mac, The “Eye” brothers Popeye, Leveye, and Bad Eye, Jim Bbbbbbbbbeyers,. There was one chief engineer who had a contract out on his life in Subic so he couldn’t go outside the gate. He died as the placement port engineer in Oakland and it was rumored there was a huge party celebrating this guys death. He was universally hated by all.[/QUOTE]
I wasn’t at MSC for many years, looks like 5 years as I look back (counting my 6 months on the Geiger in 62) but I sure have wonderful memories of the men and ships. There were “characters” both good and bad. Captain O’Reilly made a nasty comment, in front of crew during a life boat drill, about my tattoos. I normally would let such nonsense roll off my back but not this time. After the drill (I was the 1st A/E ) I asked the Captain if I may have a private conversation with him. He accepted. No need to post what I said other than the good captain didn’t have a thing to do with me ever again. He was such an ass, almost unbelievable. How he got away with his shit is not known but we all thought he had something on those in the home office.
Captain O’Reilly let it be known, most every day, he was a Kings Point graduate. Always wondered why this was necessary.
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