AKRefugee Posted February 3, 2011 #1 Posted February 3, 2011 The U. S. S... Constitution (Old Ironsides), as a combat vessel, carried 48,600 gallons of fresh water for her crew of 475 officers and men. This was sufficient to last six months of sustained operations at sea. She carried no evaporators (i.e. fresh water distillers). However, let it be noted that according to her ship's log, "On July 27, 1798, the U.S.S. Constitution sailed from Boston with a full complement of 475 officers and men, 48,600 gallons of fresh water, 7,400 cannon shot, 11,600 pounds of black powder and 79,400 gallons of rum." Her mission: "To destroy and harass English shipping." Making Jamaica on 6 October, she took on 826 pounds of flour and 68,300 gallons of rum. Then she headed for the Azores , arriving there 12 November.. She provisioned with 550 pounds of beef and 64,300 gallons of Portuguese wine. On 18 November, she set sail for England . In the ensuing days she defeated five British men-of-war and captured and scuttled 12 English merchant ships,salvaging only the rum aboard each. By 26 January, her powder and shot were exhausted. Nevertheless, although unarmed she made a night raid up the Firth of Clyde in Scotland . Her landing party captured a whisky distillery and transferred 40,000 gallons of single malt Scotch aboard by dawn. Then she headed home. The U. S. S. Constitution arrived in Boston on 20 February 1799, with no cannon shot, no food, no powder, no rum, no wine, no whisky, and 38,600 gallons of water. GO NAVY! ****************************
1joeranger Posted February 3, 2011 #2 Posted February 3, 2011 They must have had a compliment of SEALS!!!
bluemax Posted February 3, 2011 #4 Posted February 3, 2011 ...and your point is? In 1987, I was onboard the USS Constellation (Connie) in the Indian Ocean. We had been at sea for over 90 days which earned each crew member two cans of beer. (Another retired CPO)
CaptainJoe Posted February 3, 2011 #5 Posted February 3, 2011 Bluemax, the problem was, you didn't scuttle any ships. You can't take on rum it you don't go ashore , unless of course... You scuttle some ships! Dooooooah!
1joeranger Posted February 3, 2011 #6 Posted February 3, 2011 Careful Captain, you are talking to a Chief, which outranks most any day of the week!!
Brake Pad Posted February 3, 2011 #7 Posted February 3, 2011 You have to think of this from a fishes point of view. More artifical reefs to live in.
CaptainJoe Posted February 3, 2011 #8 Posted February 3, 2011 Exactly! Brake Pad 1joeranger, Besides, I was Air Force enlisted... Got the CaptainJoe nick-name from flying civilian planes and piloting boats on the Ohio and kanawha Rivers here in WV.. So.... Bluemax definately outranked me... No insults intended... just trying to provide some humor... Although... now that I think about it, I'd never sign up to do anything that didn't allow me to "partake in a little celebration" on the weekends... Besides friends of mine in the Navy, said they more than made up for it when they got shore leave...
bluemax Posted February 3, 2011 #9 Posted February 3, 2011 I could tell you what we were doing in the Indian Ocean, but then I would have to kill myself. The good part was that when we were done doing what we done did, we pulled into Fremantle, Australia. Since this is a PG forum, the tale ends here.
1joeranger Posted February 3, 2011 #10 Posted February 3, 2011 Exactly! Brake Pad 1joeranger, Besides, I was Air Force enlisted... Got the CaptainJoe nick-name from flying civilian planes and piloting boats on the Ohio and kanawha Rivers here in WV.. So.... Bluemax definately outranked me... No insults intended... just trying to provide some humor... Love the nick-name and the chief didn't get to be chief without being thick skinned. I am now also realizing that I wasn't as funny as I thought I was since I am having to explain all this. Also no need to apologize for being Air Force!!! :stickpoke:Hopefully we can sit down over beers or vodka one day and tell a few VFR or IFR stories! Maybe then the Chief will join us and tell us all about the Indian Ocean and Austria!!!
Squidley Posted February 3, 2011 #11 Posted February 3, 2011 Hopefully we can sit down over beers or vodka one day and tell a few VFR or IFR stories! Maybe then the Chief will join us and tell us all about the Indian Ocean and Austria!!! Now that is a date that I can go for, when and where fellas!
etcswjoe Posted February 3, 2011 #12 Posted February 3, 2011 http://i760.photobucket.com/albums/xx248/etcswjoe/Linked/MVC-630F.jpg Took this when the ship was in Spain.. Get me started on Sea Stories and I will never shut up.
bluemax Posted February 3, 2011 #13 Posted February 3, 2011 "Hopefully we can sit down over beers or vodka one day and tell a few VFR or IFR stories! Maybe then the Chief will join us and tell us all about the Indian Ocean and Austria!!!" I'm not only IN, but buying the first round! George
CaptainJoe Posted February 4, 2011 #14 Posted February 4, 2011 Sounds like a plan to me! to borrow a phrase "I love it when a plan comes together!"
1joeranger Posted February 4, 2011 #15 Posted February 4, 2011 " I'm not only IN, but buying the first round! George Hell, I was hoping you would buy them all!
donphantasmo Posted March 13, 2011 #16 Posted March 13, 2011 I've been in the Navy since 1999, and A LOT has changed. The drinking, has not changed one bit. People just have to be smarter about it, now-a-days. But, it's still waaaaay out there...
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