I just posted the USS Cole ship tour, so now the Fleet Week series is complete! USS New York: th-cam.com/video/siitNmsXPxk/w-d-xo.html USS Cole: th-cam.com/video/YGQbhV4AYIQ/w-d-xo.html
No offense man but, you really should have used better equipment. Is this shot on an older iPhone? If money isn’t a huge issue, then consider upgrading to the latest and set your video settings to record at 4K resolution and 60 frames per second.
@@Av-vd3wk I have the Sony a7iii but the mic jack is broken at the moment. I've yet to take it to repair or fix it myself so I used my iPhone 14 Pro. Most of the video was shot with the ultra-wide lens so the quality takes a toll in darker rooms such as the control room. I prioritized getting more in frame as opposed to the highest quality. I figured it's a tight space so go as wide as possible but I hear ya! Would've loved to bring my mirrorless with the 20mm f/1.8 lens I have. I am, however, happy with the audio which matters most in this case.
it’s funny to see tents over the hatches of nuclear submarines, this again speaks of how much nuclear submarines have not been thought out. Autumn is a quick descent, almost from the hatch right into the premises of the nuclear submarine, in order to get into the Russian nuclear submarines you need to go quite a lot down to get inside. Another minus is the Spartan conditions of the crew, this indicates the real autonomy of the ship. And another minus is low automation, a large crew on such a small nuclear submarine speaks of this.
LOL. This is tightly edited propaganda - look at how you eat it up. This delusion is only weakness, so no wonder Republicans lost Iraq....and Afghanistan....and Vietnam, Cambodia+ Laos. Military Worship is UnAmerican+ Sick.
Not sure, but I get the impression that submarine commanders need to be more level headed than surface commanders since being a domineering prick inside a submarine can have a very adverse impact on the crew's morale and, hence, combat effectiveness due to the confined spaces.
@@stevedavenport1202 as a 30 year submarine veteran we develop the best. He started out pretty good. I had the good fortune to see him throughout his career. Not only was he was tactically and professionally excellent, he always treated people very well and always took time to say hi and catch up.
The Captain is so professional and humble. When the journalist asks him what it takes to be the head of the boat, he says "I think anybody can do it". Of course, nothing is further from the truth. Not everyone could even hack being an enlisted submariner out at sea for three months. As for making it to Captain or XO... yeah anyone can do it... anyone who's very very smart, thinks clearly under pressure, nearly straight A student with a college degree, and you have to study nuclear physics with all the math. Then get selected to command your own boat. Sure, anyone can do it! :) :)
@@JoelFrancoVlogs I subscribed and you have some great vids... one reminded me when I used to work in Florida. Hey if you ever get the chance to film onboard an aircraft carrier or other big naval vessel, I'd be all over that vid. Thanks for posting, bra.
I never would have thought I would see a Xbox 360 controller being used to control anything in a nuclear sub, but it makes so much sense and is one of the most financially responsible things I’ve seen while in the military😂 great tour!
@@JH-dr4xoWell there’s a huge difference in a makeshift sub vs a multi billion dollar military nuclear powered sub that can level a country anywhere in the world 💀 that and they’re not diving 13k ft down in the ocean because that’s WAYYYYYYYY past their floor
@@xXtuscanator22Xx BIBLE calls us all to be real, sober minded souls, who live holy lives on earth. BIBLE calls nor expect nobody to be: - religious of any kind - monk - nun BIBLE expect us to turn our LACK OF KNOWLEDGE into KNOWLEDGE OF TRUTH (HOSEA 4:6) Each human life on earth: - repent - BORN AGAIN and GO AND SIN NO MORE - be baptised in HOLY SPIRIT /THE COMFORTER - LIVE HOLY = soul, after earthly death in HEAVEN. Easy logic, asks no degree in anything. Bible calls us to give out RIGHTEOUS JUDGMENT, no to keep our mouth shut and support everything with blind eyes and deaf ears. See no evil, speak no evil and hear no evil - that old saying, it belongs to masons, am I right again? The vow of silence of theirs. SOULS, dare to read and study BIBLE (KJV) and search about FREEMASONRY.
I served in the US Navy as a submariner from 1973 til 1993 on several Fleet Ballistic Missile boats. The technology back then was from the 1950's and 1960's, when electronics was individual transistors and vacuum tubes. By comparison the Control Room on the USS Indiana looks like the bridge of the Enterprise from the latest Star Trek! But even back in my day we still had the best cooks and best chow in the Navy (and Pizza Night on Saturdays!)
I served from 1972-1993. Three submarines, two aircraft carriers, two land based NPTU's and instructor at Naval Submarine School, Groton. Know what you mean. My boats were closer to WW2 diesel boats than the Virginia class. The CO reminds me of the CO's I served with. He didn't just get lucky to be in his position. Extremely smart and most importantly, relies on his crew to do their jobs. Steve, thank you for your service. MMC(SS) USN Ret.
@@douglasreeves9938 Of the submarine officers I've met, I lived in Groton, New London and East Lyme (I'm an Air Force Vet, but have a lot of submariners in my family), they were all cut from the same cloth as this guy. Laid back, mellow, self-deprecating. All were some of the most intelligent, thoughtful men I've ever had the opportunity, and good fortune, to meet.
@@GaryMCurran It's not a coincidence, though. There are brilliant people with mild temperament and there are brilliant people with anger issues. In nuclear subs, which, the officer here said, could stay under water for as long as foods last.... you physically can't have senior officers with anger issues, no matter how brilliant they are! My niece, an officer, is current with the US Navy in San Diego, where she grew up, when her own father was a sailor... she's very mild mannered. With my temperament, I would cause a lot of issues under water, if I had to stay in tiny spaces like this. I wouldn't be & shouldn't be promoted, as a sailor or mariner, even if I had the IQ of Tao or Newton.
I’m an AF vet. This is the first video I’ve seen of a leader who owns it all. He doesn’t make excuses, but highlights all the people that make the sub successful. Great leader destined for new duties. It’s so impressive he needs no one to describe every inch of his sub. Not a lot of folks can do that effectively.
Yes he is maybe being a bit too humble saying that anyone could do it. Every submarine commander I have met has been of the character that you described.
As an ex-Royal Navy submariner, this is very interesting. The pride the CO has in the boat and his crew is tangible. His comment that he 'got lucky' to be CO is very humbling, these guys are the best of the best. Clearly the technology has moved on since I was at sea on Swiftsure class.
I was fortunate to go on a cruise on the HMS Courageous in 1983 for a mine exercise. I became friends with most of the submariners at Faslane. Great people
I was looking at our first "submarine" called The Turtle. Lol It was basically a hollowed out wooden ball with bicycle pedal propulsion-a bicycle type pedal inside with a shaft going through the hull to a propeller outside. Lol. It was good for a few minutes being down then the one man crew had to come up for air. Putting the pics of the little ball submarine beside the CIC of one of today's fast attack or boomers allows one to see just how far technology has advanced.
My favorite part was hearing the commander talk about all the food they make on board. You can just tell from the way he talks that he really enjoys his job. God bless him.
Best sub YT I've seen. Ex-Navy here. 1965-69. Shore-based at Norfolk D&S Piers at the Antisubmarine Tactical School as TD2. Thank you to our present day Navy and the work they do to preserve our democracy and despite a traitor in the form of an ex-POTUS.
@@JesseTrapp66TDS(Trump Derrangement Syndrome) has entered the chat. SOMEONE is living rent free in the OP's head. 😂 It's been almost 4 years, buddy. Seek help.
Can you help me understand his rank insignia? I thought Navy captains have 4 gold bars with a star on their shoulders and a silver eagle on their left chest.. I'm observing his uniform, and he has 3 gold bars with a star on his shoulders and a gold eagle on his left chest. Is there different leveled captains? I'm not familiar with naval ranks.
@@eldiablo3794 His actual rank is Commander (3 stripes). Regardless of rank, the commanding officer (CO) of a ship is referred to as Captain. What you see on his left chest is not an eagle but the dolphin insignia showing he is a qualified submariner. Hope that answers your question.
Interesting. I just watched again and didn't see any TLDs on the other 2 or 3 crew members I saw in the video, either. Maybe they're only required for entry to the engineering/reactor spaces. That's how it was on a carrier back in the 80s.
The CO appears to be one awesome f’ing guy! The manner in which he praises his crew is solid leadership. He specifically harped on how smart his crew is and how awesome the chow is, in front of the galley staff. Additionally, he downplayed his role and said he was lucky to be the CO. I bet morale on that boat is high.
The Skipper spoke about the crew/people as being the reason he's already served 20 years - what a wonderful positive, highlighting the quality of these sailors!
Great tour! The CO is so humble and respectable. Considering it is in one of the military's most strict branches, he is just an incredible leader as you can expect most.
I couldnt do this job. Being stuck in this thing for a over a year is just nuts. I have all the respect in the world for these men and women. Thank you!
Many thanks to the U.S. Navy for allowing this visit, and to the Captain for his tour of the ship and his professionalism. Also, a big thank you to Joel for taking the effort to make this presentation happen....very, very cool!
Man I know I'm not the only sailor who can't help but to grin and feel special whenever someone post a video of a tour. I absolutely love that Joel is so excited and geeked to get on board and I'm proud of the job he did and that he is so respectful and has such good manners. That's a real man
There are extremely few people that I put on pedestals, but sub commanders are among them. Nuclear reactors, command of personnel in a very challenging environment, trusted with gigantic decisions without the benefit of kicking it uphill to your boss....man, those people are tops in my book.
And that's why they don't put up with shit from anyone. They have such a massive amount of responsibility and trust placed on them and they rarely get much of a break while underway.
@@richiephillips1541 The best and brightest dont go enlisting on subs haha. Takes a special kind of breed to handle that stuff mentally. Hot, humid, no sun for weeks, no privacy, cramped.
One of the best sub tours I've seen lately. I joined the Navy in 1964 and put a Thresher Class sub in commission in 1966 and sailed aboard her until 1968. I then sailed a WW II diesel sub for a few weeks in the reserves. The experience of a lifetime. I haven't been aboard a Virginia class yet. I know about the baking as I worked with the night baker and we made 15 loaves of bread a night plus any other bakery that was required for the next day. The food was great and I assume it still is today! Thanks for the tour!
I'm happy for you to have had this tour. I'm a Navy vet myself, but the MAJOR reason why I changed my mind to attend Submarine training was only because of that archaic "hot-racking" system. I'll be damned if I was going to share my rack with ANYBODY. Until today, I wasn't sure the Navy still employed this hot-racking system. While I was not a sub crew member, I can attest to the quality of food and skills of the culinary crew on our subs, even back in my day. In any event, I enjoyed my Navy life from more than 50 years ago. I've always had tremendous respect for our submariners. To me, they represent the best of our Navy.
That was pretty amazing. I served on a submarine dry dock in Connecticut repairing subs. And we were only able to see inside with special permission from the Captain. That fact that you got such a detailed tour and got to see some otherwise off limits areas is pretty awesome.
We share the same name catching my attention. I have worked for 31 years on the South Coast building ships for our NAVAL Fleet and understand the pride “We” feel when you spend 3-5 years of your life building a ship to then watch it sail away successfully! Submarines have always sparked an interest in me even though we haven’t built one since the 80’s.@mark bond6196
Unbelievable how different this sub is from the 688 class. I was a nuke on the Asheville (SSN-758) and I have to say I had no idea COs like this guy even existed. What an amazing person. Too bad so many dirtbags get through, then get promoted. Excellent video!
I worked on the 598 & 608 class Subs in Scottland 1962-1964 as a pipe fitter E5 and looking at this Boat WOW what a difference . The CO would be someone i would like to go to sea with . A very smart man and gives all the credit to his crew for the success of running the boat . I have been retired 39 years now as HTCS and it is great to know MY NAVY IS IN GOOD HANDS
I was a submariner (good god!) 40 years ago. Watching this makes me think of the Star Trek Next Gen episode where the new Enterprise finds Scotty and brings him out of the transporter buffer, 76 years later, and he is somewhat baffled by all the new tech on Enterprise D. I was good at my job, back in the day, but I would not be of much use on this beast.
The skipper of this boat seems to really know his stuff for sure and has a very good way about how he presents himself and also how he explains things. Thank you for your service and for keeping our country safe from our enemies who are sitting in wait.
ASVAB = Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery of Tests. My GT ( General Technical ) Score on the ASVAB I took when I enlisted in the US Army in 1979 was 133. I qualified for any MOS I wanted.
The USS Cole was built at my shipyard I’ve worked at for 31 years and I feel extreme pride in her first build early in my career and it’s re-build after the terrible explosion that took so many lives in Yemen. Such a horrific event that I feel great pride in getting the vessel back to ship shape; it was in very bad condition along her port side. I feel so sorry for the loss of lives and their families! Every time I hear about the USS Cole so many memories flood my mind; both good and bad but I feel so blessed just being a small part in her success!#GoNavy#USS Cole#🇺🇸
Folks, This is what America is all about. This man exemplifies what a real leader is. People have no idea what this man has been through to to achieve his position. God bless America and all of it's Military. Thanks a million for this fantastic video. Jim DAV
I love how proud he is of his crew. The way he talked about his mess hall crew is so evident he’s really thinks the world of the people serving under him.
As a US Naval Veteran listening to the commander, I feel most confident that he is one hell of an outstanding leader with a dedicated and proud crew. As any sailor can tell you (even the officers) the military is "run" by the enlisted men and women. Their dedication and professionalism is a direct reflection of their leadership. Outstanding!
I was an officer on one of the last diesel-electric WW 2 vintage boats from 1966 - 1972. My last job was as the chief engineering officer. I can assure all here that the captain here is a truly superior individual. "I got this job 'cause I was just lucky", is mega pablum. Nuclear power school to learn the reactor 20 years ago was a big deal just to get selected. He is required to KNOW every detailed aspect of ALL ship's functions. The technology for all aspects of the boat is amazing.
Based on you being an officer, that would have made you at least 28 to 30. so add 50 years to that and you must be at least 80. I'm impressed that you still play round on the internet. I would be sitting in my lounge chair with a blanket on my knees having a cuppa tea and trying to remember my Wife's name. 🙂
@@qre268Zrtb The brain food that ALL us geriatrics MUST HAVE is Liquid B-12 get it from your local health food store, or Amazon. Your math is excellent for the age. I am raging out loud about the destruction of the country bY the Demented Fool criminal with the open border CATASTROPHE. If I WAS YOUNGER I WOULD BE LEADING A PARADE OF TORCHES AND PITCHFORKS. APATHY AND IGNORANCE ARE OUR DEATH PILLS.
I was a shipfitter at Electric Boat shipyard 1976-1998. These Virginia class boats are sooo different from the 688, Trident submarines it's amazing!!! COC on the middle level deck and crew berthing on the upper level???? Totally opposite of what I helped build. No BIG Ballast Control Panel? Wow!!! And ladders on 688's and Trident submarines are vertical, to lum bob vertical. Absolutely amazing how the insides have changed since I was a shipfitter
The Nautilus SSN 571 was the first Submarine to have a staircase installed. Also you will notice the staircase handrails. They are "separated" so that sailors don't use them to slide down without using the steps. Kinda messed up because if you try you will lose your balance and crash into gear at the bottom. Older Submarines didn't have that separation. Planners thought it was unsafe.
I was in Bangkok at a 5 star hotel in the gym sauna and there were a couple of Navy Commanders in there. I invited them to dinner on me as my small way of paying respect but they agreed to have a drink as they were busy somewhere else later. I was struck by their humility and more important how smart these guys were. They made me proud to be an American just like this guy who is giving the tour of this sub. God bless him and of course God bless the NAVY and America. Thanks for your service guys.
Touring a Surface ship and a Submarine is a culture shock to me. The one that gave me a sense of trust is with the Submarine crew. They treat each other as family, both Enlisted and Officers. They are focused with their work, can joke around with each other, and treat each other with respect. Great job for keeping the World Safe. Sacrificing your time away from your family and friends without communication.
Kudos to the Commanding Officer! So impressive and such humility to share credit so generously with his crew of what surely must be extraordinary, young, dedicated and brave individuals.
ok wow so happy to hear they do 24 hour days. I served back when it was 18 hour days 6 hours on, 6 hours maintence and 6 hours sleeping allthough you rarely got the 6 hours sleep due to drills. It was awful. So many of my fellow sailors ended up haivng major mental health problems due to the complete lack of sleep. To this day it's extremely hard for me to get more then 5 hours of sleep and i'm tired for most of the day. Glad to hear they are actually taking mental health seriously. Still amazed they can't make a submarine with enough racks though.
I served on two submarines; USS Sam Rayburn and USS Alabama. Wow, the memories sure flooded back. We operated on the 6 hour schedule. It was really hard. Every third day you were up 24 hours. I can vouch for the CO’s comment that submariners are top notch. Things break at sea and can be terrifying, but smart well trained sailors take the right action and save the ship.
It was really bad for nuke electricians. Most of the time we would do 30 hours up 6 hours (ha) of sleep. My record was 105 hours awake but I was hallucinating the last few hours it seems. Slept for a really long time after that and they let me! But when I qualified EWS and went 4 section. OMG!!!!! And I was the ELPO at the time so no maintenance for me. I actually got to watch movies with the coner pukes.
I'm a former hospital porter with 23 years service in A&E, Delivery Suite, Theatres and lodge, and I found this submarine tour fascinating and the captain is an admirable guy.
First, congratulations on getting the skipper to give you a personal tour. That's outstanding. Second, he is such a good explainer. I haven't been on a submarine since the early '80s. So much has changed, it's amazing. Thanks for the tour!
most impressive... I sleep very well and peacefully at nights knowing these awesome young men are in command of this level of advanced technology are on patrol.... Thank you for your service to our great nation... 👍😎👍
My step son is a submariner, not sure I could ever do that or not. But the one thing that has to be the best would be the camaraderie with the crew. Too many jobs people have it is so very hard to work with the people around you and here, like he said. You do not have to like everybody but you do think of them as family
The CO was very gracious and gave you a great tour. What always amazes me is how they always never talk about the engineering rates bot Nuclear and Non nuclear who make the power and electricity that makes the submarine go. They, for the most part have completed the hardest training the Navy has to offer, as long as two years before they ever step on board and never get any real recognition. Also knowing the CO had to come from that program, they all do, you would think he would have at least mention this half of the crew. That was one thing the always bothered me others in the engineering rates on each of the 4 submarines I served on.
Having been a crew member of several different types of subs during the Cold War I was amazed at all the changes and computer automation. The captain appears to be a great skipper. He gave an excellent concise explanation and most of all, he praised his crew. He is an excellent example of what it takes to be a leader in order to take 150 crew members and very lethal ship thousands of miles underwater on various missions and come back at a designated time. ❤
I am a Plankowner on the USS SPRINGFIELD (SSN 761) we launched on Jan 4, 1992. We were the newest and best sub at the time. We even had a few items that were meant for the next generation. Watching this video makes me feel like I was driving. Model T Ford. 😂😂😂. Excellent video
I was in the Navy back in the late 60s.. stationed at Roosevelt Roads Puerto Rico.. I was a journalist on the base Newspaper.. and got a tour of a Nuclear Sub back then.. and man have they changed... since then.. thank you for the tour..
I’ve never gotten the chance to server onboard a fast attack, however I did serve on a boomer and a trident II. My first ship was a destroyer tender, it was ok. My neighbor was a submariner, and after speaking with him, one request chit and two weeks later I found myself in Groton, Ct. in sub school. The rest is history. A-gang nation. Best job in the Navy.
I served on the USS Growler, SSG-577, way back in the early 1960's and this video was a time warp in my understanding of the submarine service. I couldn't have been more amazed if I had a tour of a space ship. Luckily the Growler has survived and is tied up next to the carrier USS Intrepid in NYC and now anyone can experience the powerful advances in this branch of the service. That said it seems most of the "good stuff" - crew comradery, the great chow, the mutual respect between the officers and crew and so much more has remained over the 60+ years since my tour. Great video Joel. ⚓
This is just crazy to me!! I was on a very old "boomer"; USS Kamehameha (SSBN-642, Gold crew) from 1985-89 during the Cold War. She was commissioned in 1965 until 2002, the longest-commissioned nuclear submarine the Navy has ever fielded. Then I cross-rated to the hospital corps and went "green-side". Such memories! This boat seems immense by comparison, and almost unrecognizable in its technology. Ours was much closer to a WWII fleet boat in that regard.
A cousin of mine did years on LA class subs then went ashore his last several years before retiring with 22 years. I got a tour of the Minneapolis-St.Paul LA class sub. Cripes that thing was cramped. My cousin was a torpedoman's mate and I don't think I could take a bunk being squeezed between torpedo racks. Can't believe he never cracked his skull being 6'1". I'm 6'3" and banged my head every couple minutes. They had a couple gages covered up, one being the depth gage. My cousin took his secret clearance seriously and wouldn't even give a hint at max safe dive depth. But I don't need to know. Crazy how much essential stuff is crammed into those tubes.
@@LuvBorderCollies Yeah, we could say "greater than 400 feet (try like quadruple that) and greater than 20 kts submerged", but now pretty much everyone knows the operating limits of the old boats like mine. A few of us had to sleep on MK48 torpedoes when we had ORSE people onboard, as we barely avoided hot-racking normally. And the only people that had staterooms were officers and missile techs.
Grandson and I toured a WW2 boat in Wisconsin last summer. The crew sure was cramped. No real toilets , tiny showers and they stayed a long time. Whoa! New boats are so much bigger. Sailors are outstanding. Thanks
I was on the USS Salt Lake City (SSN-716) from 1998-2001 as a sonar technician. One of the best times of my life, and something that I am very proud of. This is so very different, and yet still very familiar. Good to see that the Navy is still producing top notch professionals, I worked with some of the very finest people I have ever known in my entire life.
@@dannydaw59 Just men (unless you count FTs as women...which I do). Women officially started on OHIO Class SSGN conversions about, eh, a dozen or so years ago. Now, they're on SSNs.
What a great commander and leader! So proud of the men and women who quietly keep us safe while sacrificing many of the luxuries that we take for granted.
Thanks for the tour! And in case you were wondering, yes USS Indiana crew and former crew are all considered honorary Hoosiers and eligible for in-state tuition.
BTW Ships Sponsors certainly take care of their namesake. I was Stationed onboard the Nebraska and always went to a free football game. All costs included. Travel and lodging as well. To them you were a celebrity, You earned the key to their State. And your status.
Im glad you enjoyed the FREE tour. Not many things are free these days, but the caretakers of Nautilus are the Best of the Best of Active US Submariners. There is even a selection Process to ensure such. You must be crisp in all respects.
I was on the very first VA and this is quite possibly the best tour video I've ever seen in the 20 years since her launch. Fantastic work, looks like a great captain and crew.
I was in sub school when the Virginia was commissioned in 2004. She was the first submarine I ever toured. My shock when I went to the fleet and I was assigned to the Chicago. She's being decommed now. The VA class seems so strange to me as I watch this and I wonder if I could qual on this boat
This maybe the best SSN tour I've seen and I had one when I served may years ago. As Navy Vet, I've never been hazy gray and underway on a big gray boat. I'm a vet NAVAIR Aircrewmen and flew over many thousands of square miles of ocean. I've the greatest respect for sailors and submariners that go to sea. This Skipper talking about the food his crew serves is heart warming. That he evidently really gets the value of good food personally, suggests to me that his is a happy and effective boat.
Great tour. I had the awesome opportunity to tour the USS Alaska at Bangor, WA in 1999. What a great time that was! Totally different systems back then. Aim High!
Joel Franco, I would like to give a big Thank You to you and your crew. What an experience you had. This was not what I was expecting for a tour. And nothing of anything that I have seen on other submarines back in 1980's. An XBox controller. That blew my mind, and all touch screens for all systems. wow. They replaced all the old analog valves and flight controls of the years I was last on a sub. Again Thank you. I just joined your channel and looking forward for all your videos. Peace and be safe. ✌👍
Do you remember those "auto-pilots" (I forgot the name of it) for the old pre-Ohio and LA-Class boats for the helm/fairwater planes and stern-planes that were so cantankerous that they never used them? Apparently they fixed that!
How cool! When the C.O. that took the media on tour, showed the misspelling of Randophl on the table, and right next to it is Ripley, my home county in Indiana. Small world.
Not sure how I came across this video, but glad I did! Thanks for filming and taking us along !!! The commanding officer was amazing and very passionate about his role and sharing it. Thanks again!
God that 18 hour day was brutal. Always awake or attempting to sleep at different times for an entire months long underway was brutal. Glad the Navy finally figured it out....
A-Ganger on the USS Colorado. Indiana is moored to a pier probably 15 piers away from my boat lol. Good to know i wont need to tour in person anymore lol. Its very funny to me seeing civilians be baffled by the inside of the boat and its just everyday life to me now. What happened to me lmao😂
That is a very professional and personable CO. Like the CO I had, he probably knows everything. I was onboard an late-LA class around the turn of the century. These have changed a lot. Excellent video work. Thank you for posting this. It was great to watch!
OMG. That was so awesome! Thank you so much for filming this and letting us see what its like inside a Virginia class. So cool of the Navy to let you do this!
That was pretty cool. I learned some things. That's the first time I've seen the control room of a Block III Virginia class. A lot different than earlier boats. I've never been aboard a modern sub, only WWII era subs. I was in the Navy but I was on a Spruance class destroyer, a skimmer, or surface fleet guy not a bubblehead, or submariner.
AWESOME tour!! I was a cook (Mess Specialist) on shore at the ASW base in San Diego mid 1970's. They had an A-B crew back then. When the A crew was under way, the B crew was fed well while doing training on base. Eggs to order, omelets, ham steaks, real turkeys at Thanksgiving, fresh baked breads and deserts. Never made it onto a ship, so it was nice to see the inside of a Sub. Thanks.
I come from a large Navy Family with two retired Captains and other officers. My husband served on the Thresher and was chosen to instruct at the S1C Nuclear Prototype Propulsion Plant. I watched the awesome, awesome technology advancement on the USS Indiana with great pride. Thank you sir for this tour.
I salute all submariners; I could not stand being closed in like that! I was in the Navy '83-'88 as a CTT at NSGA Misawa, Japan, and loved shore duty (so, do I rate even lower than a pollywog? LOL!) So much has changed in the field I was in, technology-wise, but as for the "other" side we monitored, they're more trouble than ever, unfortunately.
I sleep just fine because of people like this crew. Thank you for being there. Also,it they wanted in the future because of led lights, you could harvest LED grown micro greens and extend even longer,if needed. Just a idea lol.
The Captain is very impressive. I hope he and others like him can help the Royal Australian Navy commission their Virginia class boats and crews in the next few years.
The Skipper was my XO during my tour on the USS North Carolina (SSN-777) a few years ago. The guy is great, always bringing up the energy, a real honor to have served with him. It makes me proud to see his success and devotion has continued with the crew of the USS Indiana.
I was a nuclear trained EM1(SS) on the USS Bremerton (SSN-698) back in the 1980s. I would love to see the engineering spaces on a modern SSN to see how much they have changed. BTW, I hated hot racking. In my day, only sailors that were not "qualified in submarines" had to hot rack . It was a great incentive to get your dolphins as fast as possible.
I got a tour of Bremerton back in the early 2000's when she visited Seattle. Only this I recognized was the battle lanterns!!! I qualed in a Thresher boat in the 60's!
No one had to hot rack aboard the USS George C Marshall(SSBN654G) while I was aboard. We had a Command initiative for 100% qualification, I passed the Qualification Board with about 1 week left on my 1st patrol. No one was on the Dink list on either of my 2 patrols.
@@jamesdarcy3902 Difference between SSBN and SSN. We had more men than racks, including strapping extra racks to the top of torpedos. If we achieved 100% qualification, the junior ranks would still have hot racked.
The size of the control room is absolutely amazing especially when you think about it. It’s not even a third of the ship. It’s a small portion. 😮 the innovative ways of the human brain have evolved so crazily well it’s amazing.
I just posted the USS Cole ship tour, so now the Fleet Week series is complete!
USS New York: th-cam.com/video/siitNmsXPxk/w-d-xo.html
USS Cole: th-cam.com/video/YGQbhV4AYIQ/w-d-xo.html
No offense man but, you really should have used better equipment. Is this shot on an older iPhone? If money isn’t a huge issue, then consider upgrading to the latest and set your video settings to record at 4K resolution and 60 frames per second.
@@Av-vd3wk I have the Sony a7iii but the mic jack is broken at the moment. I've yet to take it to repair or fix it myself so I used my iPhone 14 Pro. Most of the video was shot with the ultra-wide lens so the quality takes a toll in darker rooms such as the control room. I prioritized getting more in frame as opposed to the highest quality. I figured it's a tight space so go as wide as possible but I hear ya! Would've loved to bring my mirrorless with the 20mm f/1.8 lens I have. I am, however, happy with the audio which matters most in this case.
@@JoelFrancoVlogs i thought it was fine
it’s funny to see tents over the hatches of nuclear submarines, this again speaks of how much nuclear submarines have not been thought out. Autumn is a quick descent, almost from the hatch right into the premises of the nuclear submarine, in order to get into the Russian nuclear submarines you need to go quite a lot down to get inside. Another minus is the Spartan conditions of the crew, this indicates the real autonomy of the ship.
And another minus is low automation, a large crew on such a small nuclear submarine speaks of this.
Good stuff!
This Commander is the epitome of an exceptional leader; articulate, competent, enthusiastic, knowledgeable and exceedingly well trained. Bravo!
I like him too! seems like a good person and leader to boot!
Right... Because i expected a complete ninkapoop
@@watnoudan but there have been complete “nincompoops” in charge of nuclear submarines.
LOL. This is tightly edited propaganda - look at how you eat it up. This delusion is only weakness, so no wonder Republicans lost Iraq....and Afghanistan....and Vietnam, Cambodia+ Laos. Military Worship is UnAmerican+ Sick.
I served under him he is a great man
I was the skipper's company chief at the USNA. Very proud of him. Its great to see he is still the same great guy.
What year at the navy academy was he?
I knew this guy was from Annapolis.
@@studinthemaking '03
Not sure, but I get the impression that submarine commanders need to be more level headed than surface commanders since being a domineering prick inside a submarine can have a very adverse impact on the crew's morale and, hence, combat effectiveness due to the confined spaces.
@@stevedavenport1202 as a 30 year submarine veteran we develop the best. He started out pretty good. I had the good fortune to see him throughout his career. Not only was he was tactically and professionally excellent, he always treated people very well and always took time to say hi and catch up.
The Captain is so professional and humble. When the journalist asks him what it takes to be the head of the boat, he says "I think anybody can do it". Of course, nothing is further from the truth. Not everyone could even hack being an enlisted submariner out at sea for three months. As for making it to Captain or XO... yeah anyone can do it... anyone who's very very smart, thinks clearly under pressure, nearly straight A student with a college degree, and you have to study nuclear physics with all the math. Then get selected to command your own boat. Sure, anyone can do it! :) :)
Great point. And yeah, he was amazing. Really knew his stuff (as he should!) and was very welcoming. Thanks for watching!
@@JoelFrancoVlogs I subscribed and you have some great vids... one reminded me when I used to work in Florida. Hey if you ever get the chance to film onboard an aircraft carrier or other big naval vessel, I'd be all over that vid. Thanks for posting, bra.
Served on an SSN, 1977-81. This control room does not look similar! I know the functions are the same. The equipment is different
Yeah - I would not have wanted just anyone to command my boat, but it was nice that he did not come off as cocky as he deserves to be.
Do submariners ever have to eat MREs while out on patrol?
I never would have thought I would see a Xbox 360 controller being used to control anything in a nuclear sub, but it makes so much sense and is one of the most financially responsible things I’ve seen while in the military😂 great tour!
At least not Logitech
Yeah the whole controller thing certainly did not age well 😬
@@JH-dr4xoWell there’s a huge difference in a makeshift sub vs a multi billion dollar military nuclear powered sub that can level a country anywhere in the world 💀 that and they’re not diving 13k ft down in the ocean because that’s WAYYYYYYYY past their floor
@@xXtuscanator22Xx BIBLE calls us all to be real, sober minded souls, who live holy lives on earth.
BIBLE calls nor expect nobody to be:
- religious of any kind
- monk
- nun
BIBLE expect us to turn our LACK OF KNOWLEDGE into KNOWLEDGE OF TRUTH (HOSEA 4:6)
Each human life on earth:
- repent
- BORN AGAIN and GO AND SIN NO MORE
- be baptised in HOLY SPIRIT /THE COMFORTER
- LIVE HOLY
= soul, after earthly death in HEAVEN. Easy logic, asks no degree in anything.
Bible calls us to give out RIGHTEOUS JUDGMENT, no to keep our mouth shut and support everything with blind eyes and deaf ears.
See no evil, speak no evil and hear no evil - that old saying, it belongs to masons, am I right again? The vow of silence of theirs.
SOULS, dare to read and study BIBLE (KJV) and search about FREEMASONRY.
@@JH-dr4xothe titan sinking had nothing to do with the controller but how badly it was build from carbon
This is the kind of leadership you always hope for. He said he stayed in because of the people, but he IS the people that make you want to stay in.
I served in the US Navy as a submariner from 1973 til 1993 on several Fleet Ballistic Missile boats. The technology back then was from the 1950's and 1960's, when electronics was individual transistors and vacuum tubes. By comparison the Control Room on the USS Indiana looks like the bridge of the Enterprise from the latest Star Trek! But even back in my day we still had the best cooks and best chow in the Navy (and Pizza Night on Saturdays!)
I served from 1972-1993. Three submarines, two aircraft carriers, two land based NPTU's and instructor at Naval Submarine School, Groton. Know what you mean. My boats were closer to WW2 diesel boats than the Virginia class. The CO reminds me of the CO's I served with. He didn't just get lucky to be in his position. Extremely smart and most importantly, relies on his crew to do their jobs. Steve, thank you for your service. MMC(SS) USN Ret.
My brother Chuck Leibee was a submariner from 1970 -1993. He was stationed in Spain until 1975, then at Northwest listening station from 1975 -1980.
@@douglasreeves9938 Of the submarine officers I've met, I lived in Groton, New London and East Lyme (I'm an Air Force Vet, but have a lot of submariners in my family), they were all cut from the same cloth as this guy. Laid back, mellow, self-deprecating. All were some of the most intelligent, thoughtful men I've ever had the opportunity, and good fortune, to meet.
Thank you for your service 🇺🇸
@@GaryMCurran It's not a coincidence, though. There are brilliant people with mild temperament and there are brilliant people with anger issues. In nuclear subs, which, the officer here said, could stay under water for as long as foods last.... you physically can't have senior officers with anger issues, no matter how brilliant they are! My niece, an officer, is current with the US Navy in San Diego, where she grew up, when her own father was a sailor... she's very mild mannered. With my temperament, I would cause a lot of issues under water, if I had to stay in tiny spaces like this. I wouldn't be & shouldn't be promoted, as a sailor or mariner, even if I had the IQ of Tao or Newton.
I’m an AF vet. This is the first video I’ve seen of a leader who owns it all. He doesn’t make excuses, but highlights all the people that make the sub successful. Great leader destined for new duties. It’s so impressive he needs no one to describe every inch of his sub. Not a lot of folks can do that effectively.
Yes he is maybe being a bit too humble saying that anyone could do it. Every submarine commander I have met has been of the character that you described.
Wrong. Anyone who is in a "profession" who does NOT know his role/job description inside and out has no right to be there.
why are you sneding me emails stop
As an ex-Royal Navy submariner, this is very interesting. The pride the CO has in the boat and his crew is tangible. His comment that he 'got lucky' to be CO is very humbling, these guys are the best of the best. Clearly the technology has moved on since I was at sea on Swiftsure class.
I was on valiant boats
Hello brother from a different country.
I visited Swiftsure when she docked in Liverpool as a schoolkid. Must have been 1978-79.
I was fortunate to go on a cruise on the HMS Courageous in 1983 for a mine exercise. I became friends with most of the submariners at Faslane. Great people
I was looking at our first "submarine" called The Turtle. Lol It was basically a hollowed out wooden ball with bicycle pedal propulsion-a bicycle type pedal inside with a shaft going through the hull to a propeller outside. Lol. It was good for a few minutes being down then the one man crew had to come up for air. Putting the pics of the little ball submarine beside the CIC of one of today's fast attack or boomers allows one to see just how far technology has advanced.
My favorite part was hearing the commander talk about all the food they make on board. You can just tell from the way he talks that he really enjoys his job. God bless him.
He really enjoys the food. Just like I did. You never know when it will be canned eggs and such.
Best sub YT I've seen. Ex-Navy here. 1965-69. Shore-based at Norfolk D&S Piers at the Antisubmarine Tactical School as TD2. Thank you to our present day Navy and the work they do to preserve our democracy and despite a traitor in the form of an ex-POTUS.
Traitor? Who's a Traitor?
@@JesseTrapp66TDS(Trump Derrangement Syndrome) has entered the chat. SOMEONE is living rent free in the OP's head. 😂
It's been almost 4 years, buddy. Seek help.
Best submarine tour I've seen yet. As a Navy vet myself, I really appreciate the CO's respect for, and pride in his crew.
Can you help me understand his rank insignia? I thought Navy captains have 4 gold bars with a star on their shoulders and a silver eagle on their left chest.. I'm observing his uniform, and he has 3 gold bars with a star on his shoulders and a gold eagle on his left chest. Is there different leveled captains? I'm not familiar with naval ranks.
@@eldiablo3794 His actual rank is Commander (3 stripes). Regardless of rank, the commanding officer (CO) of a ship is referred to as Captain. What you see on his left chest is not an eagle but the dolphin insignia showing he is a qualified submariner. Hope that answers your question.
The good crew keeps him out of trouble. You best respect the person who can throw you under the bus in a heartbeat.
He also isn't wearing his TLD. @@xpatsteve
Interesting. I just watched again and didn't see any TLDs on the other 2 or 3 crew members I saw in the video, either. Maybe they're only required for entry to the engineering/reactor spaces. That's how it was on a carrier back in the 80s.
The CO appears to be one awesome f’ing guy! The manner in which he praises his crew is solid leadership. He specifically harped on how smart his crew is and how awesome the chow is, in front of the galley staff. Additionally, he downplayed his role and said he was lucky to be the CO. I bet morale on that boat is high.
He sure was awesome! I’ve asked the Navy to somehow get this video over to the CO so he could see the comments.
My sentiments exactly
The Skipper spoke about the crew/people as being the reason he's already served 20 years - what a wonderful positive, highlighting the quality of these sailors!
Great tour! The CO is so humble and respectable. Considering it is in one of the military's most strict branches, he is just an incredible leader as you can expect most.
this is very scare, my cat is sad
is he coast guard or navy?
@@mberge1 air force
I couldnt do this job. Being stuck in this thing for a over a year is just nuts. I have all the respect in the world for these men and women. Thank you!
Many thanks to the U.S. Navy for allowing this visit, and to the Captain for his tour of the ship and his professionalism. Also, a big thank you to Joel for taking the effort to make this presentation happen....very, very cool!
Man I know I'm not the only sailor who can't help but to grin and feel special whenever someone post a video of a tour. I absolutely love that Joel is so excited and geeked to get on board and I'm proud of the job he did and that he is so respectful and has such good manners. That's a real man
There are extremely few people that I put on pedestals, but sub commanders are among them. Nuclear reactors, command of personnel in a very challenging environment, trusted with gigantic decisions without the benefit of kicking it uphill to your boss....man, those people are tops in my book.
And that's why they don't put up with shit from anyone. They have such a massive amount of responsibility and trust placed on them and they rarely get much of a break while underway.
Don't forget the crew. It takes a trained, qualified crew to complete its mission.
@@amiabledave50 Yes, you are correct. Sub crews are vetted seeking the best and brightest. It takes a dedicated team.
@@richiephillips1541 The best and brightest dont go enlisting on subs haha. Takes a special kind of breed to handle that stuff mentally. Hot, humid, no sun for weeks, no privacy, cramped.
@@rykehuss3435 Yes. Not everyone can handle it. Thank goodness some can.
One of the best sub tours I've seen lately.
I joined the Navy in 1964 and put a Thresher Class sub in commission in 1966 and sailed aboard her until 1968. I then sailed a WW II diesel sub for a few weeks in the reserves. The experience of a lifetime. I haven't been aboard a Virginia class yet. I know about the baking as I worked with the night baker and we made 15 loaves of bread a night plus any other bakery that was required for the next day. The food was great and I assume it still is today! Thanks for the tour!
I am from Indiana and I’m so proud of those men & women that man that ship. I loved getting to see it. Thank you for this video.
Proud to be a Hoosier!
I'm happy for you to have had this tour. I'm a Navy vet myself, but the MAJOR reason why I changed my mind to attend Submarine training was only because of that archaic "hot-racking" system. I'll be damned if I was going to share my rack with ANYBODY. Until today, I wasn't sure the Navy still employed this hot-racking system. While I was not a sub crew member, I can attest to the quality of food and skills of the culinary crew on our subs, even back in my day. In any event, I enjoyed my Navy life from more than 50 years ago. I've always had tremendous respect for our submariners. To me, they represent the best of our Navy.
Hot-racking will always be a thing but your bed will always be warm lol.
That was pretty amazing. I served on a submarine dry dock in Connecticut repairing subs. And we were only able to see inside with special permission from the Captain. That fact that you got such a detailed tour and got to see some otherwise off limits areas is pretty awesome.
We share the same name catching my attention. I have worked for 31 years on the South Coast building ships for our NAVAL Fleet and understand the pride “We” feel when you spend 3-5 years of your life building a ship to then watch it sail away successfully! Submarines have always sparked an interest in me even though we haven’t built one since the 80’s.@mark bond6196
You didn't get to see anything. Basic tour for the crowds.
I’m a US Marine; I learned so much about the submarine and life on board thanks Sir for the knowledge & detail in the video!!!!
I like the commander hes very humble.. "as for my position I just got lucky." that statement says alot about a guy.
Unbelievable how different this sub is from the 688 class. I was a nuke on the Asheville (SSN-758) and I have to say I had no idea COs like this guy even existed. What an amazing person. Too bad so many dirtbags get through, then get promoted. Excellent video!
I can confirm this, my time on the Seawolf class I met way too many horrible officers.
I wasn’t a sub guy but was thinking the same thing. I wish my COs were actually human, let alone this guy.
@@stoves5877 I heard a former CO of the Seawolf took it out for sea trials without an emergency propulsion generator and almost sank the boat.
@@diltzm that sounds about right
Well you only see this public image side of him. Of course its going to look good
I worked on the 598 & 608 class Subs in Scottland 1962-1964 as a pipe fitter E5 and looking at this Boat WOW what a difference . The CO would be someone i would like to go to sea with . A very smart man and gives all the credit to his crew for the success of running the boat .
I have been retired 39 years now as HTCS and it is great to know MY NAVY IS IN GOOD HANDS
Captain is a great leader. Gave all the praise to the crew, humble and very competent. Thank you for your service guys
That was in front of cameras. Who knows what he is like any other time. But I'm sure he is better than most.
What an interesting video clip. My father was on submarines when he served in the British Navy (1930 - 1941).
What a difference from then 'till now !!
I was a submariner (good god!) 40 years ago. Watching this makes me think of the Star Trek Next Gen episode where the new Enterprise finds Scotty and brings him out of the transporter buffer, 76 years later, and he is somewhat baffled by all the new tech on Enterprise D. I was good at my job, back in the day, but I would not be of much use on this beast.
A mouse how quaint. Transparent Aluminum is cool also.
@@lawrenceleverton7426
Good reference!
Relics was the episode name.
@@DarthVader-1701
Thanks! I couldn't recall it.
The skipper of this boat seems to really know his stuff for sure and has a very good way about how he presents himself and also how he explains things. Thank you for your service and for keeping our country safe from our enemies who are sitting in wait.
I enjoyed this so much. My co-workers & I built that submarine at along with NN. I recognized so much of the everywhere he showed. Awesome 👍
This man looks like an excellent leader. Very humble, very knowledgeable and very confident. Al traits of a good leader
ASVAB = Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery of Tests.
My GT ( General Technical ) Score on the ASVAB I took when I enlisted in the US Army in 1979 was 133.
I qualified for any MOS I wanted.
It is nice to see the USS Cole... A naval academy classmate was the Commanding Officer of the USS Cole when it was bombed by the terrorists.
Seeing it made me cry. I was pier security for the Uss Bataan in the Middle East and had a similar incident 1 year before but did not get blown up.
I came here to say that it is impressive to see the USS Cole in this video. No one seems to notice or recognize the history behind this vessel.
The USS Cole was built at my shipyard I’ve worked at for 31 years and I feel extreme pride in her first build early in my career and it’s re-build after the terrible explosion that took so many lives in Yemen. Such a horrific event that I feel great pride in getting the vessel back to ship shape; it was in very bad condition along her port side. I feel so sorry for the loss of lives and their families! Every time I hear about the USS Cole so many memories flood my mind; both good and bad but I feel so blessed just being a small part in her success!#GoNavy#USS Cole#🇺🇸
Did he keep his Command after the bombing? Seems like they always look for scapegoats when shit happens..........
SALUTE! Retired Army Infantry. Tried to stay in the Paratroopers as much as possible. Every branch excels at what they do. GO NAVY!
Folks, This is what America is all about. This man exemplifies what a real leader is. People have no idea what this man has been through to to achieve his position. God bless America and all of it's Military. Thanks a million for this fantastic video. Jim DAV
I love how proud he is of his crew. The way he talked about his mess hall crew is so evident he’s really thinks the world of the people serving under him.
As a US Naval Veteran listening to the commander, I feel most confident that he is one hell of an outstanding leader with a dedicated and proud crew. As any sailor can tell you (even the officers) the military is "run" by the enlisted men and women. Their dedication and professionalism is a direct reflection of their leadership. Outstanding!
The Navy is run by Chiefs. They make it go.
@@lawrenceleverton7426AMEN! “Ask the Chief”, a common phrase in the US Navy 😉
I was an officer on one of the last diesel-electric WW 2 vintage boats from 1966 - 1972. My last job was as the chief engineering officer. I can assure all here that the captain here is a truly superior individual. "I got this job 'cause I was just lucky", is mega pablum. Nuclear power school to learn the reactor 20 years ago was a big deal just to get selected. He is required to KNOW every detailed aspect of ALL ship's functions. The technology for all aspects of the boat is amazing.
Based on you being an officer, that would have made you at least 28 to 30. so add 50 years to that and you must be at least 80. I'm impressed that you still play round on the internet. I would be sitting in my lounge chair with a blanket on my knees having a cuppa tea and trying to remember my Wife's name. 🙂
@@qre268Zrtb The brain food that ALL us geriatrics MUST HAVE is Liquid B-12 get it from your local health food store, or Amazon. Your math is excellent for the age. I am raging out loud about the destruction of the country bY the Demented Fool criminal with the open border CATASTROPHE. If I WAS YOUNGER I WOULD BE LEADING A PARADE OF TORCHES AND PITCHFORKS. APATHY AND IGNORANCE ARE OUR DEATH PILLS.
Aye!!
I was a shipfitter at Electric Boat shipyard 1976-1998. These Virginia class boats are sooo different from the 688, Trident submarines it's amazing!!! COC on the middle level deck and crew berthing on the upper level???? Totally opposite of what I helped build. No BIG Ballast Control Panel? Wow!!! And ladders on 688's and Trident submarines are vertical, to lum bob vertical. Absolutely amazing how the insides have changed since I was a shipfitter
The Nautilus SSN 571 was the first Submarine to have a staircase installed. Also you will notice the staircase handrails. They are "separated" so that sailors don't use them to slide down without using the steps. Kinda messed up because if you try you will lose your balance and crash into gear at the bottom. Older Submarines didn't have that separation. Planners thought it was unsafe.
I served on a 688, and it’s amazing how different the boat is compared trine. It was good to see the CO personally giving tours, too. tours
This commander is awesome! I bet the crew love this guy. So competent but unassuming. Thank you Sir!
I was in Bangkok at a 5 star hotel in the gym sauna and there were a couple of Navy Commanders in there. I invited them to dinner on me as my small way of paying respect but they agreed to have a drink as they were busy somewhere else later. I was struck by their humility and more important how smart these guys were. They made me proud to be an American just like this guy who is giving the tour of this sub. God bless him and of course God bless the NAVY and America. Thanks for your service guys.
Touring a Surface ship and a Submarine is a culture shock to me.
The one that gave me a sense of trust is with the Submarine crew. They treat each other as family, both Enlisted and Officers. They are focused with their work, can joke around with each other, and treat each other with respect.
Great job for keeping the World Safe. Sacrificing your time away from your family and friends without communication.
Kudos to the Commanding Officer! So impressive and such humility to share credit so generously with his crew of what surely must be extraordinary, young, dedicated and brave individuals.
ok wow so happy to hear they do 24 hour days. I served back when it was 18 hour days 6 hours on, 6 hours maintence and 6 hours sleeping allthough you rarely got the 6 hours sleep due to drills. It was awful. So many of my fellow sailors ended up haivng major mental health problems due to the complete lack of sleep. To this day it's extremely hard for me to get more then 5 hours of sleep and i'm tired for most of the day.
Glad to hear they are actually taking mental health seriously.
Still amazed they can't make a submarine with enough racks though.
I served on two submarines; USS Sam Rayburn and USS Alabama. Wow, the memories sure flooded back. We operated on the 6 hour schedule. It was really hard. Every third day you were up 24 hours. I can vouch for the CO’s comment that submariners are top notch. Things break at sea and can be terrifying, but smart well trained sailors take the right action and save the ship.
I don’t miss the 18 hour days. I was on the H.M.J. for 4 years as a NAVET.
Thank God we moved back to 8s instead of those god awful 6s.
It was really bad for nuke electricians. Most of the time we would do 30 hours up 6 hours (ha) of sleep. My record was 105 hours awake but I was hallucinating the last few hours it seems. Slept for a really long time after that and they let me! But when I qualified EWS and went 4 section. OMG!!!!! And I was the ELPO at the time so no maintenance for me. I actually got to watch movies with the coner pukes.
Did you ever serve with a guy named Robert Clark. He got off the Rayburn at Goose Creek then went to the Tennessee.
I'm a former hospital porter with 23 years service in A&E, Delivery Suite, Theatres and lodge, and I found this submarine tour fascinating and the captain is an admirable guy.
First, congratulations on getting the skipper to give you a personal tour. That's outstanding. Second, he is such a good explainer. I haven't been on a submarine since the early '80s. So much has changed, it's amazing. Thanks for the tour!
Terrific tour! Thanks to the awesome men and women who serve on the subs - as well as everywhere else.
most impressive... I sleep very well and peacefully at nights knowing these awesome young men are in command of this level of advanced technology are on patrol.... Thank you for your service to our great nation... 👍😎👍
Don't forget the ladies, they've been at it alongside the lads for over a decade now...
They don't patrol for your safety. They patrol for bankers that dont even live here
My step son is a submariner, not sure I could ever do that or not. But the one thing that has to be the best would be the camaraderie with the crew. Too many jobs people have it is so very hard to work with the people around you and here, like he said. You do not have to like everybody but you do think of them as family
The CO was very gracious and gave you a great tour. What always amazes me is how they always never talk about the engineering rates bot Nuclear and Non nuclear who make the power and electricity that makes the submarine go. They, for the most part have completed the hardest training the Navy has to offer, as long as two years before they ever step on board and never get any real recognition. Also knowing the CO had to come from that program, they all do, you would think he would have at least mention this half of the crew. That was one thing the always bothered me others in the engineering rates on each of the 4 submarines I served on.
The CO wasn't wearing his TLD. Bad habit to get into.
Quite a big space inside the submarine..WoW
Having been a crew member of several different types of subs during the Cold War I was amazed at all the changes and computer automation. The captain appears to be a great skipper. He gave an excellent concise explanation and most of all, he praised his crew. He is an excellent example of what it takes to be a leader in order to take 150 crew members and very lethal ship thousands of miles underwater on various missions and come back at a designated time. ❤
I am a Plankowner on the USS SPRINGFIELD (SSN 761) we launched on Jan 4, 1992. We were the newest and best sub at the time. We even had a few items that were meant for the next generation. Watching this video makes me feel like I was driving. Model T Ford. 😂😂😂. Excellent video
I was in the Navy back in the late 60s.. stationed at Roosevelt Roads Puerto Rico.. I was a journalist on the base Newspaper.. and got a tour of a Nuclear Sub back then.. and man have they changed... since then.. thank you for the tour..
I’ve never gotten the chance to server onboard a fast attack, however I did serve on a boomer and a trident II. My first ship was a destroyer tender, it was ok. My neighbor was a submariner, and after speaking with him, one request chit and two weeks later I found myself in Groton, Ct. in sub school. The rest is history. A-gang nation. Best job in the Navy.
I served on the USS Growler, SSG-577, way back in the early 1960's and this video was a time warp in my understanding of the submarine service. I couldn't have been more amazed if I had a tour of a space ship. Luckily the Growler has survived and is tied up next to the carrier USS Intrepid in NYC and now anyone can experience the powerful advances in this branch of the service. That said it seems most of the "good stuff" - crew comradery, the great chow, the mutual respect between the officers and crew and so much more has remained over the 60+ years since my tour. Great video Joel. ⚓
Hello brother. I was stationed in Groton Connecticut and New London during the Cold War
Joined in 1964. Commissioned Flasher SSN 613 in 1966 and rode Cusk SS 348 as a reserve in 1969. Got out in 1970.
This is just crazy to me!! I was on a very old "boomer"; USS Kamehameha (SSBN-642, Gold crew) from 1985-89 during the Cold War. She was commissioned in 1965 until 2002, the longest-commissioned nuclear submarine the Navy has ever fielded. Then I cross-rated to the hospital corps and went "green-side". Such memories! This boat seems immense by comparison, and almost unrecognizable in its technology. Ours was much closer to a WWII fleet boat in that regard.
A cousin of mine did years on LA class subs then went ashore his last several years before retiring with 22 years. I got a tour of the Minneapolis-St.Paul LA class sub. Cripes that thing was cramped. My cousin was a torpedoman's mate and I don't think I could take a bunk being squeezed between torpedo racks. Can't believe he never cracked his skull being 6'1". I'm 6'3" and banged my head every couple minutes. They had a couple gages covered up, one being the depth gage. My cousin took his secret clearance seriously and wouldn't even give a hint at max safe dive depth. But I don't need to know. Crazy how much essential stuff is crammed into those tubes.
@@LuvBorderCollies Yeah, we could say "greater than 400 feet (try like quadruple that) and greater than 20 kts submerged", but now pretty much everyone knows the operating limits of the old boats like mine. A few of us had to sleep on MK48 torpedoes when we had ORSE people onboard, as we barely avoided hot-racking normally. And the only people that had staterooms were officers and missile techs.
The CO said the Doc office was not so interesting. I was an ELT and was always next door reading his books. Checking out his cool equipment as well.
Grandson and I toured a WW2 boat in Wisconsin last summer. The crew sure was cramped. No real toilets , tiny showers and they stayed a long time. Whoa! New boats are so much bigger. Sailors are outstanding. Thanks
That would be the ex-USS Cobia SS 245. I've toured her a number of times.
I was on the USS Salt Lake City (SSN-716) from 1998-2001 as a sonar technician. One of the best times of my life, and something that I am very proud of. This is so very different, and yet still very familiar. Good to see that the Navy is still producing top notch professionals, I worked with some of the very finest people I have ever known in my entire life.
So how deep can they actually dive 😊
Fellow ST here (85-05). I rode Sea Trials on INDIANA. #fastattacktough
Admiral Rickover would insist...
We're there men and women on board back then?
@@dannydaw59 Just men (unless you count FTs as women...which I do). Women officially started on OHIO Class SSGN conversions about, eh, a dozen or so years ago. Now, they're on SSNs.
THANK YOU,THAT WAS THE BEST TOUR IVE BEEN ON.
What a great commander and leader! So proud of the men and women who quietly keep us safe while sacrificing many of the luxuries that we take for granted.
Thanks for the tour! And in case you were wondering, yes USS Indiana crew and former crew are all considered honorary Hoosiers and eligible for in-state tuition.
Since most subs are named after states, do the others make that exception as well?
that is just so very awesome
BTW Ships Sponsors certainly take care of their namesake. I was Stationed onboard the Nebraska and always went to a free football game. All costs included. Travel and lodging as well. To them you were a celebrity, You earned the key to their State. And your status.
X-Box periscope control… that is awesome! What a great Boat and Crew! Hope we 🇦🇺 move forward with a version of the Virginia class.
I went to the Submarine Museum in Groton today. This was fantastic. What a contrast between this boat and SSN571
When I was on submarines the Nautilus was tied up right next to us when it was operational.
Im glad you enjoyed the FREE tour. Not many things are free these days, but the caretakers of Nautilus are the Best of the Best of Active US Submariners. There is even a selection Process to ensure such. You must be crisp in all respects.
@@lawrenceleverton7426 Heading down again next weekend, I made a generous donation last time and I will do so again.
Love this Captain! Submariners were my favorite community when I trained in the Navy
Commander…Sorry
The USS Cole. That's a name I haven't heard in a while. She got a lot of attention in 2000
I am glad we have captains like this guy. I am pretty sure he can get the job done. Great video.
I was on the very first VA and this is quite possibly the best tour video I've ever seen in the 20 years since her launch. Fantastic work, looks like a great captain and crew.
I was in sub school when the Virginia was commissioned in 2004. She was the first submarine I ever toured. My shock when I went to the fleet and I was assigned to the Chicago. She's being decommed now. The VA class seems so strange to me as I watch this and I wonder if I could qual on this boat
Big thanks the Navy and the Captain for this wonderful tour.
Listening to this sub naval officer. I bet he's also a pretty good Naval pilot also. FLY NAVY!
This maybe the best SSN tour I've seen and I had one when I served may years ago. As Navy Vet, I've never been hazy gray and underway on a big gray boat. I'm a vet NAVAIR Aircrewmen and flew over many thousands of square miles of ocean. I've the greatest respect for sailors and submariners that go to sea. This Skipper talking about the food his crew serves is heart warming. That he evidently really gets the value of good food personally, suggests to me that his is a happy and effective boat.
Great tour. I had the awesome opportunity to tour the USS Alaska at Bangor, WA in 1999. What a great time that was! Totally different systems back then. Aim High!
It's very abnormal to be given a guided tour by the C.O. of a ship. What a cool tour. thanks for sharing.
Joel Franco, I would like to give a big Thank You to you and your crew. What an experience you had. This was not what I was expecting for a tour. And nothing of anything that I have seen on other submarines back in 1980's. An XBox controller. That blew my mind, and all touch screens for all systems. wow. They replaced all the old analog valves and flight controls of the years I was last on a sub. Again Thank you. I just joined your channel and looking forward for all your videos. Peace and be safe. ✌👍
Do you remember those "auto-pilots" (I forgot the name of it) for the old pre-Ohio and LA-Class boats for the helm/fairwater planes and stern-planes that were so cantankerous that they never used them? Apparently they fixed that!
I sailed a Thresher Class. Not much automatic there! 😀
Thank you for this superb tour. I served on the USS BLUE RIDGE home ported in Yokosuka, Japan and this is my first tour of à US Sub. Thank you
How cool! When the C.O. that took the media on tour, showed the misspelling of Randophl on the table, and right next to it is Ripley, my home county in Indiana. Small world.
Of the chain. Great technology and great crew. The training submariners get is first rate. Thank you for your service. I have terrific admiration.
Not sure how I came across this video, but glad I did! Thanks for filming and taking us along !!! The commanding officer was amazing and very passionate about his role and sharing it. Thanks again!
God that 18 hour day was brutal. Always awake or attempting to sleep at different times for an entire months long underway was brutal. Glad the Navy finally figured it out....
Go 4 section and its the midshift for me.
A-Ganger on the USS Colorado. Indiana is moored to a pier probably 15 piers away from my boat lol. Good to know i wont need to tour in person anymore lol. Its very funny to me seeing civilians be baffled by the inside of the boat and its just everyday life to me now. What happened to me lmao😂
What a charismatic Commander and what an amazing Ship. Thank you for making this documentary and greetings from germany!
That is a very professional and personable CO. Like the CO I had, he probably knows everything. I was onboard an late-LA class around the turn of the century. These have changed a lot. Excellent video work. Thank you for posting this. It was great to watch!
OMG. That was so awesome! Thank you so much for filming this and letting us see what its like inside a Virginia class. So cool of the Navy to let you do this!
That was pretty cool. I learned some things. That's the first time I've seen the control room of a Block III Virginia class. A lot different than earlier boats. I've never been aboard a modern sub, only WWII era subs. I was in the Navy but I was on a Spruance class destroyer, a skimmer, or surface fleet guy not a bubblehead, or submariner.
AWESOME tour!! I was a cook (Mess Specialist) on shore at the ASW base in San Diego mid 1970's. They had an A-B crew back then. When the A crew was under way, the B crew was fed well while doing training on base. Eggs to order, omelets, ham steaks, real turkeys at Thanksgiving, fresh baked breads and deserts. Never made it onto a ship, so it was nice to see the inside of a Sub. Thanks.
I come from a large Navy Family with two retired Captains and other officers. My husband served on the Thresher and was chosen to instruct at the S1C Nuclear Prototype Propulsion Plant. I watched the awesome, awesome technology advancement on the USS Indiana with great pride. Thank you sir for this tour.
That’s a good video. The Captain seems like a really good, and impressive, guy. I’d serve under him.
Yeah... See that pig fly over that rainbow 😂
Being from Indiana, this was interesting. Elkhart and Elkhart County makes a great number of RV's. A submarine has more room than a motorhome!
I salute all submariners; I could not stand being closed in like that! I was in the Navy '83-'88 as a CTT at NSGA Misawa, Japan, and loved shore duty (so, do I rate even lower than a pollywog? LOL!) So much has changed in the field I was in, technology-wise, but as for the "other" side we monitored, they're more trouble than ever, unfortunately.
HAHA! the Polywog statement made me laugh but yeah!!!
There is something lower than a pollywog in the Navy. They are called Midshipmen. Id even go as far as saying Junior Officers as well.
I was a surface Naval Officer, so the last sub I toured was in 1968. A lot is the same, but still many advances since then. Thanks!
I sleep just fine because of people like this crew. Thank you for being there. Also,it they wanted in the future because of led lights, you could harvest LED grown micro greens and extend even longer,if needed. Just a idea lol.
The Captain is very impressive. I hope he and others like him can help the Royal Australian Navy commission their Virginia class boats and crews in the next few years.
amen!
The Skipper was my XO during my tour on the USS North Carolina (SSN-777) a few years ago. The guy is great, always bringing up the energy, a real honor to have served with him. It makes me proud to see his success and devotion has continued with the crew of the USS Indiana.
I was a nuclear trained EM1(SS) on the USS Bremerton (SSN-698) back in the 1980s. I would love to see the engineering spaces on a modern SSN to see how much they have changed.
BTW, I hated hot racking. In my day, only sailors that were not "qualified in submarines" had to hot rack . It was a great incentive to get your dolphins as fast as possible.
Well, shipmate, I think you'd be glad to hear it's still only those dinq ass nubs!
I got a tour of Bremerton back in the early 2000's when she visited Seattle. Only this I recognized was the battle lanterns!!! I qualed in a Thresher boat in the 60's!
@redmarble5624 The berthing Bill coordinator must've hated your guts.
No one had to hot rack aboard the USS George C Marshall(SSBN654G) while I was aboard. We had a Command initiative for 100% qualification, I passed the Qualification Board with about 1 week left on my 1st patrol. No one was on the Dink list on either of my 2 patrols.
@@jamesdarcy3902 Difference between SSBN and SSN. We had more men than racks, including strapping extra racks to the top of torpedos. If we achieved 100% qualification, the junior ranks would still have hot racked.
Having the level of competence to deter aggression is why we rarely have to use it. Great tour
The size of the control room is absolutely amazing especially when you think about it. It’s not even a third of the ship. It’s a small portion. 😮 the innovative ways of the human brain have evolved so crazily well it’s amazing.