Carl Priddy

OK, I am unclear as to who that is in the video? And, "governor's mansion across the street"? Does that make you the Lt Governor or something?

Glad you survived!

P&L,

carl.

Dave Alley

So somehow this makes sense for us - a good chainsaw story brings out comments like honey to a bear.  My suspicion is that most of us who use chainsaws regularly have at least one story that we would prefer not to own up to but just can't help telling.  I also suspect that they fall into the widowmaker category or where the tree's understaning of the laws of gravity differed from that of the person with the saw.  I have at least one of each.  I still don't understand how that tree jumped up and hit me in the back of the head.  I do live by one absolute rule - no chainsaws when I am in a tree or on a ladder - handsaws yes, chainsaws no.  Having said that, the rule does not apply to putting the saw in the bucked of my tractor and climing a ladder up into the bucket to use the saw.  (If only I could teach my wife to drive the tractor this would get easier.)

Jim, I am glad you are going to be fine.  And remember, the rest of us are all saying "Whew that could have been me"

Dave

Joseph Castillo

Ok, Jim. The video shows you looking much less heroic than your explanation. That's a leaf blower not a chainsaw. Although cutting through major limbs I guess would qualify as an heroic act. I would stick with the story of being pushed over by your ex-girlfriend, Kim. 😂

Looking forward to seeing you in Oct - keep those power tools in the garage! Glad you're safe - stay that way!

Mike Brennan

If you aren't a little afraid of chainsaws, you probably shouldn't be using one.

I was CDO for SUBGRUNINE one Saturday when we got a call saying the Command Master Chief would not be coming to work on Monday, because he had been cutting firewood, and the chainsaw cut into the top of his foot. 

Yeah, everyone I told cringed and made that face that you just made.

Mike Seward

Try using one at 60 feet in the air.   And yes limbs do defy gravity and fall upwards.  You can never get above the danger. 
 

Chaz Johnson

Classmates,

I have started a project to digitize all my photos from the Academy.  I have just posted by first set.  It includes 31 slides from Swab Summer and our first cruise on the Eagle.  You can see them if you click on the "Classmate Photos" tab above and go to the "Slide Shows."

As you can imagine these pictures are not of the best quality.  I do have photo editting softwear so I fixed them up as best as I could.  

I also did the best I could at identify our classmates in the photos.  I'm sure I got some wrong.  I know I missed some people too.  Please take look and if you think I need a correction or addition to the title on the picture let me know by picture number.

I have already scanned in pictures from 3rd Class cruise.  They include pictures from Antwerp, Paris, Barcelona, and Rota.  I am in the process of editing them and will post them some time next week.  My plan it to get them all done before the reunion.

I hope you enjoy them.  I am having a great time pulling the all together.

See you in October.

Chaz

Bryon Ing

Nice job Chaz!!!  Hopefully others will upload their 'cadet days' pics.  If they have time & technology to digitize the old printed photos!! 🤔😉

Chaz Johnson

Classmates,

Once again I have posted photos that I digitized.  

This time the photos are from 3rd Class Summer Cruise.  They start after the Swab Summer photos I previously posted.  I have added pictures in the following categories: EAGLE, Antwerp, Paris, Barcelona, Rota and Random. 

There is a Random file because I wasn't sure which of the other categories applied.  For example, there is a picture of Mark Williams, Jay Hickman, Mike Rand and me.  I don't know which port it was taken in.  All of the Random pictures have a comment about the information I am missing.  If you know, let me and I will move the picture to the right group.

I am currently editing pictures from 2nd Class year and scanning in pictures from 1st Class Cruise.

My pictures have a gap after 1st Class Cruise because, as some of you may remember, I was medically discharged on 22 July 1977.  I decided where to go after 1st Class Cruise when I get there.

I hope you enjoy the trip down memory lane eventhough there are too many pictures of me. 

As I said before, if you are in one of the pictures I posted and I didn't list you, let me know and I will make a correction.

See you at the reuinon.

Chaz

Charlie Casartello

Wow Chaz. These are great photos. In '75, I was on the other cruise (Hamilton over to Lisbon then Malaga and Rota, Eagle back) but I recall a yarn about Mike Rand and a third floor window in Paris. Could be the story to which you referred. Thanks for sharing these memories.

Chaz Johnson

You got it Charlie.  I can fill in the details later.

Bryon Ing

Chaz, I was on phase 1 Eagle crossing with the storm by the Azores. I can't recall who slid off the six cadet helm during the 2300 hours sail stations and caught the ready boat stancheon between their legs to prevent going overboard. Wild night. Before sails down, we were heeled over with the berthing area bport holes in the water!!  As we pulled into Antwerp I got to climb the mast to replace the commissioning pennant pigstick. That was wild also. However was not part of the crowd being pursued for capturing souvineer flags!!  More on our train visit to Amsterdam and the Le Harve stop with visit to Paris but I'll save that for Homecoming!! 
 

Charlie:  haven't seen you registered for the 45t yet.  When you do how about getting Wally K & Psycho W plus all the other Mass-boys to register?  Join the Oct party!!

Carl Priddy

Enjoyng the Eagle cruise pics Chaz! I remember that pop-up storm that interrupted our slumber first weekend out. My sail station was main royal, loved heights, still do. Afraid of widths though, as mine is increasing. 

P&L,

carl.

Charles Barker

Chaz Johnson

I'm working on 2nd class year.  They will be up soon. Does anyone remembe the name/nickname for the DC training ship/device at the training center in Philly.  It's the one where the lock us inside and we fix pipe leaks to keep the ship form tilting past a certain point.

Bob D'Eletto

Buttercup

Kerry Watterson

Bryon - that was me that slid off the 6 person helm that night and just managed to NOT go overboard.  Didn't think anything of it at the time - just scrambled to get back to helm platform,  But in thinking about it afterwards, I realized Holy Sh*t, ain't no way they ever would have found me at night in those conditions!

Oh, to be 18 and clueless again!

Chaz Johnson

Thanks Bob.

Bob Hayden

WRT that storm while crossing in EAGLE... I was aloft on the main upper topgallant when Ron Rabago was laying out, not clipped and lost his grip.  Fell back and if not for rigging behind him, he was gone.  I'll never forget the look on his face.  And why do those storms always happen at 0100?  

Chaz Johnson

The thing I remember about that night is that I could not go aloft.  Earlier in the day we had boat ops and I was faking out the halyard for and aft from the crusifix. LT Thorn came up and asked me if I was doing it right.  I told him I thought it was correct.  He said no it should be thwart ship.  So I set up the line as he directed.  He was wrong but I didn't know it until the "let go" command was given and the line caught me in back of my knees and almost lifted me over the rail.  I got incredible rope burns and my knees wrapped which restricted my ability to climb.  I can still here Thorn when he came to sick bay to check on me.  "Well, did you learn anything?"  I said yes but I didn't tell what I really learned.

Chaz Johnson

Sorry I got that backwards.  I had it thwart ships and he told me to make it fore and aft.

Carl Priddy

I think photo 25 in John Slay's list is Terry Colpitts with his camera. RIP Terry.

Chaz Johnson

Classmates,

It's me again.  I just uploaded another bunch of pictures.  The start with 2nd Class Summer and include pictures for the 2nd class school year.  

The next group I will post will be from 1st Class Summer Cruise to include pictures from Copenhagen, the Kiel Canal, London and our time on the Gallatin from London to the end of our cruise.

After that I fould some more picture from Swab Year and 3rd Class Cruise.

Lastly I found some pictures from 1st Class Year.  I'm not sure where I got them because I wasn't there.  Most of the appear to be real clear.

That's all for now.

78 is Great!

Chaz

Chaz Johnson

Hey guys it's me again.

I just posted some more pictures.

This time its 1st Class Summer Cruise.  Included are pictures from Copenhagen, the Kiel Canal, England, and pictures from the last leg of the cruise from London until we departed for the rest of our summer programs.  In my case it was a departure back to the Academ to be medically discharged.

Enjoy. 

More to come,

Chaz

Chaz Johnson

Classmates,

The pest is back.

I just uploaded 85 more pictures.  They are from 1st class.  As most of you know I was not there.  Who took these pictures and how I got them are a mistery to me.  That said many of these pictures are in the 78 Tide Rips.  Regardless of their origin, I don't think there are any copywright issuse so I edited and posted the anyway.  The good news is that since I was not there, there are no pictures of me to clog up the works.

The pictures fall into the following categories: Drill, School Year, Sports, a Picnic at Stonington, Billet Night and Graduation. 

I did my best at identify who's who.  I'm pretty good with faces and I had my copy of Tide Rips to help with names.  I did have some trouble with the drill pictures because no one was smiling.  All pretty stowic. I'm better when someone has an expression on their face.  That said, if I am wrong let me know and I will make corrections.

I have 52 more pictures to edit.  The are from swab and 3rd class year.  I missed them on the first go round.

Enjoy,

Chaz

Bryon Ing

All, the registration deadline ends tonight.  However, due to the great response so far, we are taking reservations thru the weekend. We absolutely need to provide hard numbers and other info to our vendors and the hotel on Monday...so this is the real last call. Over 70 classmates are registered and our class advisor, VADM Jim Hull and his wife Judy will be joining us this year.  
 

Also, the initial response for the class golf on Friday was great!!   Thus we’ve arranged for additional tee times and can now accommodate up to 32 players.  Again sign up soonest!!!

Any questions, please e-mail. 
Yours in service,

Bryon Ing

ingland78@gmail.com