I know, there has been a thread for Servicemen to tell what branch, grade, etc. they were. I thought it'd be time for thread to post one's funniest or weirdest Experience. I'll start....
It was a sunny Sunday Afternoon on board FGS Lütjens, the last Guided-Missile Destroyer of the German Navy. Together with the German Replenisher FGS Berlin, the German Frigate Bremen and the french Frigate FS La Fayette we were en route to Reykjavik, Iceland. I had the Navigation Watch on the Bridge. Normally accompanied by another Crew mate trained in Navigation, I stood my Ground alone. It was supposed to be a quiet Day. No exercises, no nothing.
Until the Skipper got bored.
He came to the Bridge to inform the Officer of the Watch that we would conduct RAS (Replenishment at Sea) Approaches with the Berlin. He had arranged that on short Notice. The junior Officer came to the Bridge for each were to conduct one RAS Approach. After the last junior Officer finished his Approach, the CO came to me.
CO:"Mr. Marquardt, you have the Conn!" (Telling me to take Control of the Ship as Officer of the Watch)
Me:"I beg your Pardon, Sir?"
CO:"You have the Conn, Mr. Marquardt!"
Me:"Begging the Captain's Pardon again, may I remind you that I am just an E-5 and that I am currently the only Navigation Personnel on the Bridge?"
CO:"Mr. Marquardt, I might reconsider, if you can show me a Tree on our present Course within the next 30 Miles. Otherwise YOU HAVE THE CONN!"
Me:"Aye Sir. Attention Bridge, I have the Conn!"
Bridge Personnel"Mr. Marquardt has the Conn"
Helmsman:"Rudder steady at Course 025 True. Magnetic Course 029. Engines at Ahead Half rotating for 15 Knots!"
Me:"Aye. Rudder 15 Degrees Starboard. Engines Ahead Full Rotation for 25 Knots.
Helmsman:"Rudder 15 Degrees Starboard. Engines Ahead Full Rotation for 25 Knots. Aye. Engineering reporting Engines are rotating for 25 Knots"
Me:"Aye."
CO:"Mr. Marquardt, what is your Intention?"
Me:"My Intention, Sir, is to do a full Circle, let the Berlin pass us and approach them at their Starboard Quarter, Sir!
CO:"Alright, carry on."
Helmsman:"Heading passing 360 Degrees, Sir!
Me:"Aye. Make your Course 020 Degrees, Engine Ahead Full, Rotation for 18 Knots!"
Helmsman:"Making my Course 020 Degrees, Engine Ahead Full, Rotation for 18 Knots! Engineering reporting Engines are rotating for 18 Knots!"
Me:"Aye. Captain! My Intention now is to approach the Berlin with a Speed of 18 Knots. As soon as our Bow passes their Stern I'll drop Speed to RAS Speed of 12 Knots!
CO:"Very well!"
Honestly I was scared as Hell. I felt like I was just guessing you know? It was highly irregular, that a junior Officer was in Charge of all that, even with the CO by his Side. As we were finally in Position, I made minor course Corrections (within 1 Degree) to keep my Distance to the Berlin. I looked up to their Bridge Wing. I saw the Berlin's CO, XO, Navigation Officer, Officer of the Watch. I was somehow a bit intimidated.
Guess what the Co did. He whistled to the Berlin's CO. He then tapped his right hand on his left Shoulder boards and then tapped on mine just as wanted to say "I don't know how you run things on your ship, but on mine we don't need Officers for just an easy Task".
CO:"Alright, Mr. Marquardt, let's disengage.!
Me:"Aye Aye Sir! Engines Ahead full Rotation for 25 Knots!"
Helmsman:"Engines Ahead Full Rotation for 25 Knots! Aye!
CO:"You know Mr. Marquardt, you did this quite well. I think I'll let you handle the next real RAS"
Me:"You're kidding, Sir! Right?"
CO:"Do I give you the Impression of kidding, Mister!"
Me:"I guess not, Sir!"
I handled this Ship for another Quarter of an hour, but believe me, for the rest of the Journey, I almost got a Heart Attack every I heard the 1MC saying "All hands, prepare for RAS".
NOW GO AHEAD AND TELL US YOUR STORY!!!
It was a sunny Sunday Afternoon on board FGS Lütjens, the last Guided-Missile Destroyer of the German Navy. Together with the German Replenisher FGS Berlin, the German Frigate Bremen and the french Frigate FS La Fayette we were en route to Reykjavik, Iceland. I had the Navigation Watch on the Bridge. Normally accompanied by another Crew mate trained in Navigation, I stood my Ground alone. It was supposed to be a quiet Day. No exercises, no nothing.
Until the Skipper got bored.
He came to the Bridge to inform the Officer of the Watch that we would conduct RAS (Replenishment at Sea) Approaches with the Berlin. He had arranged that on short Notice. The junior Officer came to the Bridge for each were to conduct one RAS Approach. After the last junior Officer finished his Approach, the CO came to me.
CO:"Mr. Marquardt, you have the Conn!" (Telling me to take Control of the Ship as Officer of the Watch)
Me:"I beg your Pardon, Sir?"
CO:"You have the Conn, Mr. Marquardt!"
Me:"Begging the Captain's Pardon again, may I remind you that I am just an E-5 and that I am currently the only Navigation Personnel on the Bridge?"
CO:"Mr. Marquardt, I might reconsider, if you can show me a Tree on our present Course within the next 30 Miles. Otherwise YOU HAVE THE CONN!"
Me:"Aye Sir. Attention Bridge, I have the Conn!"
Bridge Personnel"Mr. Marquardt has the Conn"
Helmsman:"Rudder steady at Course 025 True. Magnetic Course 029. Engines at Ahead Half rotating for 15 Knots!"
Me:"Aye. Rudder 15 Degrees Starboard. Engines Ahead Full Rotation for 25 Knots.
Helmsman:"Rudder 15 Degrees Starboard. Engines Ahead Full Rotation for 25 Knots. Aye. Engineering reporting Engines are rotating for 25 Knots"
Me:"Aye."
CO:"Mr. Marquardt, what is your Intention?"
Me:"My Intention, Sir, is to do a full Circle, let the Berlin pass us and approach them at their Starboard Quarter, Sir!
CO:"Alright, carry on."
Helmsman:"Heading passing 360 Degrees, Sir!
Me:"Aye. Make your Course 020 Degrees, Engine Ahead Full, Rotation for 18 Knots!"
Helmsman:"Making my Course 020 Degrees, Engine Ahead Full, Rotation for 18 Knots! Engineering reporting Engines are rotating for 18 Knots!"
Me:"Aye. Captain! My Intention now is to approach the Berlin with a Speed of 18 Knots. As soon as our Bow passes their Stern I'll drop Speed to RAS Speed of 12 Knots!
CO:"Very well!"
Honestly I was scared as Hell. I felt like I was just guessing you know? It was highly irregular, that a junior Officer was in Charge of all that, even with the CO by his Side. As we were finally in Position, I made minor course Corrections (within 1 Degree) to keep my Distance to the Berlin. I looked up to their Bridge Wing. I saw the Berlin's CO, XO, Navigation Officer, Officer of the Watch. I was somehow a bit intimidated.
Guess what the Co did. He whistled to the Berlin's CO. He then tapped his right hand on his left Shoulder boards and then tapped on mine just as wanted to say "I don't know how you run things on your ship, but on mine we don't need Officers for just an easy Task".
CO:"Alright, Mr. Marquardt, let's disengage.!
Me:"Aye Aye Sir! Engines Ahead full Rotation for 25 Knots!"
Helmsman:"Engines Ahead Full Rotation for 25 Knots! Aye!
CO:"You know Mr. Marquardt, you did this quite well. I think I'll let you handle the next real RAS"
Me:"You're kidding, Sir! Right?"
CO:"Do I give you the Impression of kidding, Mister!"
Me:"I guess not, Sir!"
I handled this Ship for another Quarter of an hour, but believe me, for the rest of the Journey, I almost got a Heart Attack every I heard the 1MC saying "All hands, prepare for RAS".
NOW GO AHEAD AND TELL US YOUR STORY!!!