Bravo Zulu, FC2 Basilio, from a TD2 from the early 70s! The Nav has come a long way since my time, in good part due to what you women sailors, from SR to Admiral, have achieved. When our all male Naval Air Station was "integrated" by the first batch of aviation designated enlisted WAVES, the level of civilized behavior improved immediately. Suddenly the maintenance shops and the flight lines, the chow halls, and the EM club ceased being "animal houses". A "brave new world". Thank you for your service!
Thank you for the video. For us non navy types i always wondered what it was like on a ship. Our country is lucky to have men and women like you who are willing to go out to sea and serve our country. Thank you.
Thanks for the video. Looks like things have improved in berthing compartments. We older sailors like to share our own memories; yes, it was quite a difference. However, as a young sailor, it was fine with me being cramped as we were. No curtains, no strapping in, just a canvas bottom laced onto a metal frame, with a small mattress stacked 3 high. If I ever located a spare pillow, it promplty disappeared, so I slept without. Never felt uncomfortable sharing space with my tin can family. Life was new, exciting and it was all an adventure that I thoroughly enjoyed.
I was on a Knox class Frigate and I preferred the bottom rack, it made relieving the watch every four hours less distracting. We didn't have curtains. The main drawback was the surf lapping up against the rack in bad weather and the slimy barf trickling down from the guys above you. I was in "OPs" berthing almost in the bow of the ship, this accentuated the pitch and you could feel a little air occasionally as the ship dropped into a trough. A shipmate was actually thrown out of an upper rack and sustained severe back injuries once when we steamed through a Cat 3 hurricane with 55-foot seas. I was also directly above the sonar dome so sometimes I felt like I was sleeping inside a merry-go-round at a fair. Underway we worked 18/7 anyway so getting to sleep was never a problem.
1088 here, weps dept, STG2 forward berthing, but just aft of 2nd div small berthing under the 5 inch. if you were right above the dome, you fell asleep in anchor windless lol. had bottom rack since i could trice up and not make my rack lol
Nice job, young lady! I would have liked to see something like this back in my day because I had no clue what to expect when I was assigned my first (and only) duty station. I spent 3yrs, 4 mo. on a DDG. Came aboard as SN out of A school and left as E5 and always had the luxury of a middle rack. This was in the 70's so not quite as nice as shown here, but I never thought the berthing compartments were small. Everyone I berthed with I also worked with and often did things together with when on liberty so just felt kind of like family.
@@JoannBasilio How did you access "secret compartment" on your rack for extra key? MR-3 Hood(machinery repairman) USS BLANDY DD-943, 74-76 and USS VULCAN AR-5, 76-77. Both out of Norfolk, Va
@@JoannBasilio Tried to advance to MR-2, the E-8 aboard the VULCAN AR-5, would NOT sign my completed papers. He said I was not "leadership material". Never any captains mast, never on restriction, (never confined to ship) still think this was personal and wrong, could have made E-5 pay for six months. Also after I got out, Honorable discharge, the VULCAN AR-5, was on the news as the first, if not one of the first to have female personnel on board, only in Port at the time. Pier 5 main base, Norfolk. Thank you. God bless
@@JoannBasilio pardon me, one other thing, in four years, never went "mess cook" service. Drill team in boot. MRFA when I went aboard BLANDY, had a e-3 with me that was not rated, he left for school in San Diego, only person aboard for my rating. Made E-3 then E-4, then transferred to VULCAN, the BLANDY was going to the ship yard for over haul. Dodged mess cooking, but working in the machine shop was not always a "picnic" either. Take care. Dale
Jeez, I thought we had it bad in the Army 47 years ago. Even in basics we had bigger lockers. But I do like how tight the issued blanket is in your rack. And thanks for your service Ret. SSG T.E.Ancas ENGR USA
Great video. I was in the nav in the early 80s. Two of my ships had the new style racks like yours and the third had the older generation where it was just a curtain between you and the next guy and the bottom rack flipped up slightly for cleaning underneath. We didn’t have the lockers you’re using for shoes. It’s not always what you do to serve your country, it’s mostly what you give up. Thank you and all your shipmates for your service.
I spent 20 years of my life on these machines. I fixed them, trained on them, bled on them, cursed at them, hated them, loved them, retired from them, miss them. Thank you young lady for taking the watch.
People on ships like yourself have it tough especially your living quarters. Huge sacrifices you make for lack of space and privacy. I was in the service between 1980-93. But served as an Army Ranger and regular Army in Germany. Met a lot of ship personal back in the day. Thanks for you're service and sharing...
Not much has changed from the early 80's when I was onboard a cruiser. I was middle rack most of the time onboard Where your birthing compartment is located in the ship makes a HUGE difference on how it rides on even moderate seas 🤣 I lucked out ours was middle forward in the hull so wasn't too bad on pitch an roll at sea Thanks for bringing back memories I like
Wow. I appreciate the tour. I'm a Submariner and we had hardly any room at all in our berthing compartments but now I see on Destroyers there's not that much more. Thank you so much for your video!
Thank you for watching! I haven't had the opportunity to tour a sub yet, but I'm curious to see what your situation was like! Thank you for your service (:
I come from a family of Navy / Seabees / nuclear weapons. I was the first to blow off the Navy and joined the Army, 1986 to 2008. The navy helped us a lot with CAS while I was in Iraq, 2004 to 2005. Thank you for your service!
@@JoannBasilio Funny you should ask. I used to watch war movies when I was a kid. I remember watching some of the navy ships sinking, and the men were trapped inside. For some reason, drowning to death scared the hell out of me. But I was ok with taking a bullet on land. So, I joined the army instead of the navy. My dad was in the navy (special weapons) for 20 years. My 2 uncles retired from the Navy Sea bees, 20 / 30 years. My brother did 6 years in the Navy Seabees. He got out and I talked him into joining the army. He did about 28 years in total service.
@@davidlambert3892 CAS = Close air support: In military tactics, close air support is defined as air action by fixed or rotary winged aircraft against hostile targets that are close to friendly forces, and which requires detailed integration of each air mission with fire and movement of these forces.
Men in my family have served for 4 successive generations in the USN, until me. My dad and grandpa were extremely adamant that when it came time for me to do my service, I would join the USAF. I'm glad I listened to that one piece of advice. I was ready to go to the USN and my dad was able to secure me a tour on a DDG. After I saw the berthings I went outside and called the USAF recruiter :P
Back in 1980 considered all 4 service branches as had 2 older bros who served (U.S. Army 1968 - 1970, Vietnam tour & U.S. Navy 1972 -1975 USS Holt). The USN's famous recruiting tag line from their 1970's TV ads was "NAVY, It's not just a job, it's an Adventure". I eventually chose the USN (1981 - 1985) right after HS grad. because of its history, traditions, and more chance to travel and see other lands as growing up in a poor large family, our parents never took us anywhere beyond what the NYC subways would. A ship's berthing is cramped with a limited bathroom but you get used to it.
I always picked the Top rack so I could sit up. And, the space over the rack light can be used as a desk for studying. I kept my boots at the end of the rack on top of the lockers. The only challenge was leaping out of the rack in response to general quarters while everyone was scrambling to grab their uniform. I would grab my boots drop them to the deck (at that moment the fellas know I will be dropping down on top of my boots), slide out of my rack on top of my boots while pulling up my trousers. I was on a carrier so no need to worry about flooding my berthing compartment and no straps to keep me in the rack.
Navy, E-5 on CVN, 97-07, A few upgrades you have there. We had 130 in our berthing, same space for living room, coffin rack, 1 stand up locker and that was it. Thank you for the video, I can now show others when I try to describe the berthing area.
@@Mike_61610 as a disabled man who would have loved to serve my country I’m sorry you feel that way. I will never know what that feeling is. But when I see a member of any Military service I feel Honoured to be in their presence!
@@jamesfrommanitoba6363 Im sorry you never got a chance to serve. It is much appreciated when people thank us for service but at the same time it is extremely awkward. Most of us just want to do whatever it is that we have to do and leave. We are no better than anyone else.
@@Mike_61610 I agree with you Mike, it is a little awkward. I usually say I'm lucky they allowed me to stay in and try to make a joke about it and ease the awkwardness. I'll tell you on the computer here to avoid awkwardness- thanks for your service young man.
@@johngorman2916 as a joke I usually tell people “you’re welcome” or “no problem” or I tell them “I’m only doing it to get paid” haha. But thanks still awkward over the internet.
I always preferred the middle rack. The drawback was like she said shipmates used it like a desk to put stuff on or used it as a ladder to top rack. In rough seas we just tried to wedge ourselves with our feet and legs. Great video young lady. Thanks for the memories and your service. K. Hawk 70 - 71, Midway 75 - 78, Sacramento 82 - 83, Flint 83 - 84.
Wow! That’s a lot of sacrifice. You go out for 3-4 months and back for that amount of time. Thanks for doing your part keeping me safe. Army1980-1983 mechanized infantry 3rd armor Division. West Germany... damn good beer!
I've been retired almost as long as I was in... but I'm pretty sure I folded my blanket and put it at the foot of my mattress. And once a week we had to strip our racks and 'air out our mattresses' when underway. The EEBD's were above us, attached beneath the rack above us.
Lot more room than a WW2 Destroyer Escort. They were made of canvass laced to a frame. That made them easier to stay in when it got rough. Off of Halifax I pulled rank and slept in the shop work bench. Nice warm steel bunk. North Atlantic in winter is not warm.
Was a spec in my ships mess, slept in the small racks (about half arm in height) but moved to the big ones and I'm so happy when I finally moved. I can finally sit up straight
SO much better berthing on newer ships. I was a Marine onboard Tarawa (LHA-1) at one point, and she was laid down in 1971. Stacked 5 high, old basket racks and no storage. Fast forward to Pearl Harbor, launched in the late 90's and it was like stepping into a cruise ship by comparison.
Joann, Thanks for your service to our nation. And, past, I assume, the Philippines. Blessings to you. You serve when many fellow Americans chose not to. You make the Navy great! Keith (Army)
@@JoannBasilio I visited the Philippines. Then, I was blessed enough to be homeported there for five years. If you haven't visited, I hope you get to. It's wonderful.
@@JoannBasilio My homeport was Subic Bay. 1985-1990. Two ships. We were underway 85% of the time. But when I was home, the people were warm and friendly, the food was out of this world delicious (masarap), and the countryside was beautiful.
@@TheBatugan77 Olongapo City, 1972. It was like Dodge City, meat wagon going up and down the street with cut up sailors, broken bones, etc. We pulled in after fire missions at Yankee Station and surface raids up north, an old Gearing tin can crew, many are gone now, we sailed into Agent Orange waters, my shipmates and I got everything from diabetes to prostate cancer. Never fail to document ANY injury, no matter how slight you think it is; screw the warrior mentality- it's a pile of crap so document it so you don't get screwed after separation- a nexus to military service is gold to the V.A. And ladies, NEVER blow off a MST incident as just a good 'ol boys thing, assault is assault, the Navy has never got that idea to the top ranks.
This was so cool. I always wondered how cramped it was in those ships. Thanks! By the way, you are a stunning young woman. Thanks for your service! Go get em.
Nice job Joann, quite an improvement from the 1970 USS Constellation I was on. Wow, separate personal lockers, that’s livin’ large. I had a middle bunk and frequently suffered from claustrophobia and do to this day. If a TV or movie scene shows someone being stuffed in a car trunk I get the heebie-jeebies. Not blaming the Navy but they were the first one to assign me to a coffin.
Hi Joan. I was in the Air Force long ago, but love to tour ships whenever I can. Thanks for your videos. Thanks for your service. I will be watching all your posts. Great job.
JB, in my navy days right after HS (1981 - 1985) no EEBD's, the top bunks had no underbed storage so all top bunkers were given a separate storage locker for your clothes and personal items. Think the lockers & bunks were gray instead of beige and the floor was green instead of blue. Never had a middle rack, only the bottom or top bunk on 3 different depts. on 2 ships, USS Kalamazoo AOR-6 & USS Long Beach CGN-9. By the time made E-5 we were at the shipyards at PSNS Bremerton, WA for major overhaul & retrofit including all the berthing spaces (they gave us a floating barge for temp. housing) so got a cheap studio apt. off base until my HD in Sept. 1985 and back home to Queens in NYC to begin college.
I had a top rack on the USS Guadalcanal and for the USS Guam , Detroit and USNS Concord I had bottom racks which where the prized racks especially when your drunk. Lot of good times back then it’s been 30 years ago already I was a AMS 2 ( AW ) when I got out because of a injury would do it all over again if I could.
Thanks for the look back Joann. And thank you for your service. I had a top rack for a time in my first ship which I had to share with part of a firemain. Moved from there to a center rack at the first opportunity. Even over the course of nearly 40 years (GADS I'm old) there hasn't been a lot of change in berthing. My first ship was a Spruance class, CARON (DD 970) and OPS berthing in her was on the 2nd deck amidships. 80 men. When women were brought in to the ship's company, enlisted women berthed in a 50 or 60 "man" berthing, 2nd platform deck just under the forward end of the superstructure.
@@robertf3479 any advice you would like to share to anyone who may be reading through these comments? (for myself too, I plan on going back AD once I'm commissioned!)
@@JoannBasilio OCS? NROTC? Very cool! When I was on active duty I always said we never had enough GOOD officers, the best ones were usually those who had previous enlisted service. Advice ... well, whether you are on sea duty or shore duty be prepared for 'culture shock,' especially if you are new to the service ... but I KNOW you know that already Joann. My advice would be more for those who are new. Be prepared for long hours working, short hours sleeping and depending on your rate (job specialty) learning a whole new vocabulary and language (no, not 'seafaring' as practiced by Bosun's Mates.) Your time in the service (doesn't matter which service) will be what you make of it. I entered in 1972, intending to do my 4 years and get out ... I retired as a PO1 (E-6) 21 years later and would have stayed longer if they would have let me. I was in Electronic Intelligence though I a 'support guy' (Radar O'Reilly with a James Bond clearance.) I was able to do a lot of interesting things, travel to a lot of interest places. Japan, Washington DC, Great Lakes Training Station (4 years on staff), learned how to drive and fight a destroyer (my OPS boss' idea,) run a communications center at sea, get harassed by Soviets in the Black Sea (see TH-cam video USS Caron rammed) ... and more. Yeah, parts of the job both ashore (Great lakes) and afloat sucked (6 month deployment stretched to 9 months) and others were great (Liberty in Israel and Japan.) Yeah, I'd do it again and I have a wife who supported me the whole time, she was a PO3 when we married.
@@robertf3479 Yes I agree with everything you said! Mustangs were my favorite officers to work for because they were more relatable, unlike most of those who came from the Academy... My current plan is to join the Dental Corps after I get my Bachelor's, so I will be going through ODS. I still have a couple years until then, so stay tuned if you'd like! haha were you an RDC in Great Lakes? Thank you so much for taking the time to reply back, I really appreciate it and I'm sure future sailors will too. (:
Interesting to see that all the racks have coffin lockers, not just the bottom & middle. Also, shower shoe cubbies? lol Our shower shoes when onto hooks in our racks along with a towel & there was no ventilation. Let me tell you those shower shoes and towels would get very funky! It's good to see they put the EEBA's right in the racks these days. We would have had to grope our way to them. I remember the drill where you had to practice getting to the EEBA, putting it on, then making your way to the secondary exit. We did all that blindfolded. None of us did too well, but what the heck, we were all young & going to live forever! Didn't matter the USS Stark had just been attacked and the one Exocet had hit the berthing area right where my rack was. Good times! I wouldn't trade the experiences for the world but I'd never do it again.
Wow! The Navy has definitely made some improvements then. Also, about the coffin locker, we did have one set that didn't have a locker for the top rack. That person was given a bigger stand up locker to compensate. Thanks for your comment! (:
Love the SpongeBob effects. I am a big fan of him.☺ Thank you for sharing your world with us and thank you for your sacrifices/service to our great country.
Thank you for a informative presentation,didn't expect 3 years but thank you for your dedication and service.I would like top rack for its relative privacy.
Top video! I've always been fascinated by the areas where you sleep and the bathrooms! I always thought the bits with the emergency breathing apparatus in was filled with tissues! 😆 Also, smart G-Shock! I'm also a collector myself. Many thanks for making the video and thank you for your service!
Hey! Thanks for watching and stopping by to leave a comment! The EEBD container does look like it can hold tissues hahaha it may as well have been with how much I've cried in my rack... Have a great weekend 😁
@@JoannBasilio Thanks for your reply! Sorry to read you've cried a lot in your rack. It's either tissues or disposable gloves they looked like in there. What time do you guys and girls have to get up in the morning?
Wow, I really enjoyed watching this video. I have my oldest son, US Marines, number 2 son, is US Army and in the future my daughter will be US Navy soon. Proud of you inspiring and serving America. I am a US Air Force Security Police Military veteran. GOD bless America.
@@assassin7250 That, I am not familiar with. Now in the days world, things are different. A US Navy Recruiter would be the bet source to answer that one.
@@JoannBasilio I started on the west coast for about five years and then was transferred to the East coast Navy and was on various ships and duty station throughout my twenty year career and would not change anything seeing the world was fun enjoy your time in the Navy and thank you for your service
I was on the same boat, bottom rack too. right next to the hatch going down to sonar as far forward as you can get. heavy seas felt like being in a very fast express elevator between 5 floors lol. prima inter optimas.
Thanks for sharing. I was in the Navy in the early in the late 80's and 90's onboard the USS Arkansas CGN-41. I was on the top rack with a steam pipe value by my stomach and three high. It wasn't easy climbing up there all the time. The guy on the middle got mad at me sometimes because I did step on his rack to get in. No choice. Luckily, he was Christian and said he had to forgive me.
That was a great video. Simple yet informative. I like how you explained everything on the rack. Maybe next a video tour of your Galley area. I think people would find that interesting as well.
Good job, PO2 Basilio. It looks like the living arrangement problem with men and women was solved on your ship. I remember my Spruance class destroyer berthing compartment where guys walked naked to the shower, often, and it was all open. I couldn’t comprehend how it could be solved with such limited space available. Thanks for your service, from an ET2 of long ago (middle racks are the best, btw!)
@@JoannBasilio No. Females were not allowed aboard combatants.They served on tenders and Type 3 shore duty, which counted for sea duty in the mid 80’s. I worked with female ET’s and had an ET1 as a boss on my shore command in San Diego. To be honest, the stories from the Tenders and mixed crews scared the crap out of me when I heard there would be female sailors aboard destroyers and such. It was hard before the internet age when we only received actual letters from loved ones and we were away for months at a time with no direct contact. It sounds like a more sane experience with the internet availability and maybe a little more balanced environment helped as well?
@@loyalrammy wow! so interesting. I guess its becoming more common nowadays to allow females onboard other types of ships now. I think just recently we're allowed to be on submarines. I know that frigates didn't have females either before decommissioning. What scared you about the idea of having mixed crews?
@@JoannBasilio We heard horror stories of guys who served with female sailors on Tenders being blamed for harassment and it seemed to them (the guys) that they their side of an issue was never believed. Being at sea with no communications with wives/girlfriends drove some almost crazy. At times a “Dear John” letter would arrive with 3 months left in a West PAC cruise and things would get seriously crazy. Also, most sailors in the 80’s were smokers/dippers and the “at sea” store would run out of Copenhagen and Skoal. Dudes would be dipping Marlboro’s out of desperation...lol. So add nicotine withdrawal to girlfriend withdrawal to port of calls at Subic Bay, Diego Garcia,etc.....and no feasible way to talk to those back home. Now add female sailors to that stew of humanity and it seemed like a crazy mixture to everyone that I spoke to on the ship. In retrospect, maybe that wasn’t totally fair, but Tender duty seemed like a horror show and we didn’t want that on a war ship.
@@loyalrammy oh wow yeah communication is definitely way better now! Internet can support emails, access to social media and even ordering stuff off of amazon and receiving it onboard within 2 weeks. I can't imagine only having to communicate through letters... what a time. Thanks again for your comments. Its fun to think of different perspectives and how Navy life has changed throughout the years. Also, smoking and dipping is still a big thing onboard. I hear of non smokers and dippers keeping a stash in the their rack to sell once the ship's store runs out. They can make lots of money doing that. Supply and demand! hahaha
Nice vid. Im so glad I was in the army instead of the navy. I would have just embarrassed myself with my claustraphobia. Waaaay to small in there for me. I would be so paranoid of getting trapped below decks. Too many war movies I guess. My barracks room in Germany had 6 guys in it and we had probably 4 times the space, We all had our own big ass stereo systems and In my room we had four refrigerators for our beer and such. I didnt realize we had it so good. A Btry 1/81 FA (Pershing) Neu Ulm Germany. Wiley Kaserne
Go Navy!!!! I served from 87 to 91, I never served on a ship, we were in bases that didn't exist, hahaha!!! I hunted subs. Thanks for sharing, shipmate! Thanks for serving, I appreciate you. What is your rating? I love the new uniforms, so much better and more comfortable than the old dungarees! You said "it's 12 girls", nah, it's 12 sailors! I met my wife in the Navy, she's my favorite sailor!
Thank you for this information. Very interesting. 💚Also, you're super cute and charismatic. 🇺🇲❤💙 best regards, love and prayers from the Republic of Ireland 🙋♂️✝️🇮🇪💚🧡
Very interesting, obviously your space is far smaller then what I'm thinking of but I'm impressed that you rack and the rack I had in the Marines are so similar makes sense to have under the bunk storage just hadn't seen it as a civilian up till then. Excellent video thank you for making a short tour of your ships berthing, I wish the Marines still did sea service that would have been my dream come true. Thank you for your service, stay safe and stay salty!
My old 210 Coast Guard cutter had one cubicle with only 4 racks. The Penthouse. You could actually sit up in bed. I was there for over a year, big pimpin it
Brings back memories of my 3 week training cruise as a guest on USCG Barque Eagle. I was 54 at time and the middle rack as a challenge. I think Eagle had less headroom and the spacing between racks was less. There were no lee cloths, but the clearance to the rack above was so small that I couldn't roll over without my should jamming the bottom of the rack above. At least it kept us from ending up on the deck when the ship rolled, and did it ever!
1956 and you haven't lived until you spend a couple of weeks on a troop ship. Mine was the 962 foot long WW2 scow called the General E.D. Patrick out of Yokohama, 8 knots max to San Francisco. 400 Marines in the bow, 500 Air Force in the stern all crammed into 8 high canvas/pipe racks. You had maybe an inch between you and the guy above you. Naturally the Captain thought it would be fun to head out into a storm, a sea state so bad that we weren't allowed on deck. No waiting lines for the chow hall because everyone was barfing their guts out on the deck and drinking fountains overflowing. I honestly don't understand why anyone other the a Navel Aviator with decent Officers quarters would join the Navy. USAF 1955-1959 with a year in Korea
My first unit was a 210 Coast Guard boat back in 2019, slept on the 2nd deck (engineering berthing). It was first come first served on racks but the middle is always the best. There were a couple of times I almost fell off my rack due to waves
@@JoannBasilio No because that type of ship isn’t capable of going through hurricanes plus we rarely run into hurricanes underway. It’s either sit in port until it passes or avoid it if we’re underway
I served as a Sonar Technician on two Knox Class Frigates, USS Brewton FF-1086 (Pearl Harbor) and USS Hewes FF-1078 (Charleston). I deployed twice in four years, WesPac/IO Cruise (1979) and Med/Black Sea Cruise (1980). I was a Cold War Veteran (no active conflicts during my enlistment). Weapons Division Berthing was the most forward on these ships, two decks below the ASROC Launcher. Sonar shared berthing with TMs, GMTs, GMGs and BMs. Sonar had a lot of equipment rooms aboard due to the mission of the Frigates (ASW), and there was extra room to stash goodies and even be alone if we needed privacy. I considered myself lucky back then. The racks and lockers were similar, and so was the hierarchy of where you slept. About 60 or so sailors slept in Weapons Berthing. A few had to be 'encouraged' to shower on a regular basis. There were no female sailors on combatant ships when I served (1977-81). It's good to see females doing the same jobs that were reserved for men only back then. BTW, two berthing compartments shared one head (four showers, toilets and sinks) and one lounge with CCTV. Things were very hectic and we had no privacy in the forward head before chow in the morning! Hurry up and wait was the norm. I arrived at my first ship while she was in drydock at Pearl. Seaman and below were assigned fire watch with civilian welders during the work day. We were in six watch sections (we stayed and slept aboard every six days) and were transported from an assigned enlisted barracks when not pulling an overnighter on the ship in dry dock. We left for 'lunch' daily at the EM Club when not on duty. I was assigned a welder that only worked five hour days. At lunch, he would say, "See ya tomorrow!". I returned to the barracks at 1600 hours like everyone else... There were six of us that repeated this during regular working hours for about five months. We were sworn to secrecy. No one ever caught on. It was great duty for a Seaman Apprentice. Soon, the ship was ready for Sea Trials. No more EM Club, just drills, drills and more drills! And after this we deployed to the West Pacific, some of the best Liberty Calls on the Planet. Beautiful places, smiling faces... Then onward to the Indian Ocean and some not so great ports of call. I became a Shellback in the IO. Not one of these 'Modern Navy' ones. I feel like I earned the title. Our Division Torpedoman won the Beauty Contest in a bedsheet toga and a mop head wig. Because of this, Weapons ASROC Division had the Honor of going through the stations first. We were then Baptized into the Ancient Order of the Deep and invited to join the other Shellbacks in initiating the rest of the crew. To the Torpedoman's horror, he was saved for last. I felt like I was in the 'real' Navy now! It was the highlight of my experience. I made STG3 on the East Coast. The Med/Black Sea cruise really sucked in comparison. Things cost much more, and there was a real element of danger there. People weren't as friendly either, and some were just complete a--holes! One thing is for sure, on both coasts. I met many good sailors (a few bad ones) and made friends for life. Here's hoping you find many good shipmates (4 LIFE).
Wow! Thank you for sharing your story Derek! I giggled reading that you left for "lunch". I know exactly what you mean. I'm glad that the rest of your guys were able to keep the secret and hang out for a bit and not rush to get back to the barracks before 1600. Cheers to some great memories shipmate!! Standing by for more here in the comments in case you have some sea stories you'd like to tell. (:
@@JoannBasilio Thanks Joann! Here's something else about 'lunch' at the EM Club... Someone thought it would be a good idea to hire a stripper to entertain the 'lunch' crowd at the EM Club. That is, until some of the Navy wives caught their husbands, dollars in hand, doing the 'lunch thing'. Being single and 19 at the time, I was glad to be able to finally drink my beer in peace in preparation for the afternoon off. Nothing like a rowdy bunch of sailors to kill your buzz. And as a bonus, I could save a few dollars between paydays.
@Joann Basilio Did you ever pull a 'Mail Buoy' watch on the bow of the ship, equipped with a boathook and a pair of binoculars? How about being sent with an empty pail to see the LPO in the Boiler Room to bring back a 'bucket of steam'? All in good fun, I'm sure, but you might have brain damage if you did not catch on right away...
@@dereksuddreth8672 wow why am I not surprised of the lunch thing hahaha. you were allowed to buy beer at 19 during that time? were you in a foreign port, or was this okay as long as you were on base?
@@dereksuddreth8672 luckily I was never tricked into doing any of that. I have heard of people charging their glow belts in the microwave or leave it out in the sun... Now that I think of it, I think glowbelts might be a new thing. Did you have those when you were in???
On my FFG my rack was right next to the PA speaker. When I was a midnight worker/day sleeper I heard music and announcements all day. I learned George Strait songs in my sleep.
I was stationed onboard the USS Saratoga CVA-60 1969-70 USS Ranger Cv-61 1970-71 &72-73 USS Nimitz CVN-68 1977-78 & 79-80 USS Constellation CV-64 1984-85. When I was stationed onboard the Saratoga we had no privacy curtains. And like on my first cruise onboard the USS Ranger Cv-61
That looks similar to my berthing on the Elliot (DD967), 1980. I had the top rack and loved all that extra space. We didn't have those straps but I don't recall anyone falling out of his rack. The storage space and vertical lockers were the same, though.
Our First Division had the forward berthing compartment where the movement was extreme in rough seas. When we were underway riding out WestPac typhoons, some used rope to tie themselves into their racks (1970's-Adams Class DDG). Spruance was commissioned during my time and I was a bit envious of those getting to work with the new Mk 86 weapons systems.
hello Joann, just found your channel, this video is the first one I saw, reminded me of when I was in the army though we didn't have cute girls ;) looking forward to checking out your vlog, Good night from Vancouver.Michael
I'm with you Bill. Those truly were the best days of my life. RVAW 110, VAW 114, VAW 115, HC-11, VAW 122. 69 - 93. Don't you wish you could go back and relive those years. AZC Retired
I always loved the bottom rack, I could put all my books in the rack, there not noticeable as much. Later on, it was the middle rack, it was okay. You get used to it after a while.
Stick it out in the reserves. I joined Army Reserve in 1988, went AD in USAF 2000 and then went reserve (USAF) again in 2006. 30 years came and went. Some sucked, most were great. I just retired and looking forward to a nice pension from reserves!
The main problem, with the bottom rack is that the top rack steps on your rack to access his locker, especially if there are standup lockers next to the racks. The XO, being an officer, will mark you unsat instead of blaming the correct person. On an oiler, we had around 40 mm in our berthing, with two tables and ,maybe a dozen chairs. On a gator freighter, we had 150 racks, one table and 8 chairs. The marine berthing had no tables.
I’m 6’4” tall and loved the top rack. That’s when I was much younger and more agile. And “sliding the rails” to get down those ladders quick. Probably one of the reasons my knees and back are shot to heck now.
@@JoannBasilio Nope, nothing in my medical records about injuries. When you’re young and in shape you think you’re bulletproof and can do anything. Catches up with you when you get older. Go to medical for ANY little ache, sniffle, head injury, headache, etc. Get everything in your medical record so you have it as evidence for service connected disability after you get out. Something I wish I knew when I was in.
Thank you for your service I just have one question, after your tour of duty, or when ever you can , would you ever go on a cruise ship for a vacation?
Not too much different since a DDG during Vietnam. Before deploying we were told we could put up curtains on our coffin bunks. My mom made me some blue curtains and mailed them to me, but on returning to San Diego they had to come down and we had to get haircuts.
I am a former navy Pilot, did three WESTPACS on CVN-70. My first stateroom was four Officers. My next was just two. I remember all the O-4s wanted to get the lower staterooms on the lower-levels, so flight ops on the deck don’t wake them up.
I served on Kitty Hawk... our berthing was toward the stern and very loud during landings. :) But I was working the flight deck so actually rarely trying to sleep when there were flight ops going on.
Berthing racks have gotten a lot fancier since I was in the Navy. I was on a guided-missile destroyer (USS Buchanan DDG-14) and had a middle rack. No privacy curtain, no towel rack, no air conditioning, no book nook, no PPBE, no secret compartment. And no straps to keep you from rolling out of your bunk. We used to have to tuck our sheet and blanket under the mattress in order to secure ourselves. And at that time (early 80’s), no women were allowed to serve on ships.
Bravo Zulu, FC2 Basilio, from a TD2 from the early 70s! The Nav has come a long way since my time, in good part due to what you women sailors, from SR to Admiral, have achieved. When our all male Naval Air Station was "integrated" by the first batch of aviation designated enlisted WAVES, the level of civilized behavior improved immediately. Suddenly the maintenance shops and the flight lines, the chow halls, and the EM club ceased being "animal houses". A "brave new world".
Thank you for your service!
Any of my fellow submariners watching this are just in awe of how much space there is. You live basically live in a castle. lmao
You're absolutely right about that, Shipmate!
Theres not enough money on the world for me to go on a sub.
@@dbeast024 Well, that's why the Submarine Service is an all-volunteer service. One must volunteer, or be asked to volunteer, and then accept.
@@schnertblatt Ik bud at MEPS a while back they wanted me to go on a nuke sub
@@dbeast024 See? But since you didn't want to go to subs, you didn't have to. We only wanted people aboard that REALLY wanted to be there.
Thank you for the video. For us non navy types i always wondered what it was like on a ship. Our country is lucky to have men and women like you who are willing to go out to sea and serve our country. Thank you.
I am happy to be of service! Thanks for watching (:
Thanks for the video. Looks like things have improved in berthing compartments. We older sailors like to share our own memories; yes, it was quite a difference. However, as a young sailor, it was fine with me being cramped as we were. No curtains, no strapping in, just a canvas bottom laced onto a metal frame, with a small mattress stacked 3 high. If I ever located a spare pillow, it promplty disappeared, so I slept without. Never felt uncomfortable sharing space with my tin can family. Life was new, exciting and it was all an adventure that I thoroughly enjoyed.
Thanks for sharing Vic! I'm glad my video sparked good memories for you.
I was on a Knox class Frigate and I preferred the bottom rack, it made relieving the watch every four hours less distracting. We didn't have curtains. The main drawback was the surf lapping up against the rack in bad weather and the slimy barf trickling down from the guys above you. I was in "OPs" berthing almost in the bow of the ship, this accentuated the pitch and you could feel a little air occasionally as the ship dropped into a trough. A shipmate was actually thrown out of an upper rack and sustained severe back injuries once when we steamed through a Cat 3 hurricane with 55-foot seas. I was also directly above the sonar dome so sometimes I felt like I was sleeping inside a merry-go-round at a fair. Underway we worked 18/7 anyway so getting to sleep was never a problem.
Also on a Knox class - called a DE then- had the bottom rack next to the fire control room.
FF-1065. I had the top rack, and at 6'3" I really appreciated it!
1088 here, weps dept, STG2 forward berthing, but just aft of 2nd div small berthing under the 5 inch. if you were right above the dome, you fell asleep in anchor windless lol. had bottom rack since i could trice up and not make my rack lol
I served on a Knox as well, FF1055, USS Hepburn, I always took a top bunk, so nobody would step on me trying to get into theirs =)
@@twisted5278 not to mention that sweet sweet air conditioning straight from the vent. The only downside is the 1MC going off I'm your face.
Nice job, young lady! I would have liked to see something like this back in my day because I had no clue what to expect when I was assigned my first (and only) duty station.
I spent 3yrs, 4 mo. on a DDG. Came aboard as SN out of A school and left as E5 and always had the luxury of a middle rack. This was in the 70's so not quite as nice as shown here, but I never thought the berthing compartments were small. Everyone I berthed with I also worked with and often did things together with when on liberty so just felt kind of like family.
congrats on making E-5 in such a short amount of time! Thats awesome
@@JoannBasilio How did you access "secret compartment" on your rack for extra key? MR-3 Hood(machinery repairman) USS BLANDY DD-943, 74-76 and USS VULCAN AR-5, 76-77. Both out of Norfolk, Va
@@JoannBasilio Tried to advance to MR-2, the E-8 aboard the VULCAN AR-5, would NOT sign my completed papers. He said I was not "leadership material". Never any captains mast, never on restriction, (never confined to ship) still think this was personal and wrong, could have made E-5 pay for six months. Also after I got out, Honorable discharge, the VULCAN AR-5, was on the news as the first, if not one of the first to have female personnel on board, only in Port at the time. Pier 5 main base, Norfolk. Thank you. God bless
@@JoannBasilio pardon me, one other thing, in four years, never went "mess cook" service. Drill team in boot. MRFA when I went aboard BLANDY, had a e-3 with me that was not rated, he left for school in San Diego, only person aboard for my rating. Made E-3 then E-4, then transferred to VULCAN, the BLANDY was going to the ship yard for over haul. Dodged mess cooking, but working in the machine shop was not always a "picnic" either. Take care. Dale
Jeez, I thought we had it bad in the Army 47 years ago. Even in basics we had bigger lockers. But I do like how tight the issued blanket is in your rack.
And thanks for your service
Ret. SSG T.E.Ancas ENGR USA
Great video. I was in the nav in the early 80s. Two of my ships had the new style racks like yours and the third had the older generation where it was just a curtain between you and the next guy and the bottom rack flipped up slightly for cleaning underneath. We didn’t have the lockers you’re using for shoes.
It’s not always what you do to serve your country, it’s mostly what you give up. Thank you and all your shipmates for your service.
Thanks for sharing!!
FFG sailor here. Berthing compartments for E6 and below... 84 guys. Coffin lockers, one tiny wall locker. That's ZIT!
dude it's the same zhit on a Nimitz class, at least for AIMD, and I'm sure it's WORSE for other depts
Thank you for your service young lady.
I spent 20 years of my life on these machines. I fixed them, trained on them, bled on them, cursed at them, hated them, loved them, retired from them, miss them. Thank you young lady for taking the watch.
Legend!
What was your rate?
People on ships like yourself have it tough especially your living quarters. Huge sacrifices you make for lack of space and privacy. I was in the service between 1980-93. But served as an Army Ranger and regular Army in Germany. Met a lot of ship personal back in the day. Thanks for you're service and sharing...
It’s not as bad as it seems, newer DDGs are pretty nice.
Not much has changed from the early 80's when I was onboard a cruiser. I was middle rack most of the time onboard
Where your birthing compartment is located in the ship makes a HUGE difference on how it rides on even moderate seas 🤣 I lucked out ours was middle forward in the hull so wasn't too bad on pitch an roll at sea
Thanks for bringing back memories I like
Wow. I appreciate the tour. I'm a Submariner and we had hardly any room at all in our berthing compartments but now I see on Destroyers there's not that much more. Thank you so much for your video!
Thank you for watching! I haven't had the opportunity to tour a sub yet, but I'm curious to see what your situation was like! Thank you for your service (:
@@JoannBasilio I hope you get a chance to tour a boat; it'll be an eye-opener! Oh, and thank _you_ for _your_ service, Petty Officer Basilio!
I was a rider one a few exercises and the best place to sleep was on the empty torpedo racks.
@@schnertblatt ye aint never sprayed a hunnid rounds
@@wilmadongfit7586 Nope, never did.
I come from a family of Navy / Seabees / nuclear weapons. I was the first to blow off the Navy and joined the Army, 1986 to 2008. The navy helped us a lot with CAS while I was in Iraq, 2004 to 2005. Thank you for your service!
Thank YOU for your service! (: What are some things you liked or didn't like between the Navy and the Army?
@@JoannBasilio Funny you should ask. I used to watch war movies when I was a kid. I remember watching some of the navy ships sinking, and the men were trapped inside. For some reason, drowning to death scared the hell out of me. But I was ok with taking a bullet on land. So, I joined the army instead of the navy.
My dad was in the navy (special weapons) for 20 years. My 2 uncles retired from the Navy Sea bees, 20 / 30 years. My brother did 6 years in the Navy Seabees. He got out and I talked him into joining the army. He did about 28 years in total service.
What is CAS?
@@davidlambert3892 CAS = Close air support: In military tactics, close air support is defined as air action by fixed or rotary winged aircraft against hostile targets that are close to friendly forces, and which requires detailed integration of each air mission with fire and movement of these forces.
@@matthewadams9900
That's funny. We had a Collision Avoidance System called CAS.
Great vid and thank you for your service and you and your families sacrifice to our country ❤️ thanks for having our backs ma'am.
Men in my family have served for 4 successive generations in the USN, until me. My dad and grandpa were extremely adamant that when it came time for me to do my service, I would join the USAF. I'm glad I listened to that one piece of advice. I was ready to go to the USN and my dad was able to secure me a tour on a DDG. After I saw the berthings I went outside and called the USAF recruiter :P
Did you join the air force yet
@@lablabdog sorry, maybe my comment was misleading, I already joined and left the USAF. Got my honorable and DD214 a few years ago! Thanks buddy!
@@rawhides did you enjoy your time in the AF? how many years did you do and what was your afsc?
Back in 1980 considered all 4 service branches as had 2 older bros who served (U.S. Army 1968 - 1970, Vietnam tour & U.S. Navy 1972 -1975 USS Holt). The USN's famous recruiting tag line from their 1970's TV ads was "NAVY, It's not just a job, it's an Adventure". I eventually chose the USN (1981 - 1985) right after HS grad. because of its history, traditions, and more chance to travel and see other lands as growing up in a poor large family, our parents never took us anywhere beyond what the NYC subways would. A ship's berthing is cramped with a limited bathroom but you get used to it.
I always picked the Top rack so I could sit up. And, the space over the rack light can be used as a desk for studying. I kept my boots at the end of the rack on top of the lockers. The only challenge was leaping out of the rack in response to general quarters while everyone was scrambling to grab their uniform. I would grab my boots drop them to the deck (at that moment the fellas know I will be dropping down on top of my boots), slide out of my rack on top of my boots while pulling up my trousers. I was on a carrier so no need to worry about flooding my berthing compartment and no straps to keep me in the rack.
Navy, E-5 on CVN, 97-07, A few upgrades you have there. We had 130 in our berthing, same space for living room, coffin rack, 1 stand up locker and that was it. Thank you for the video, I can now show others when I try to describe the berthing area.
Your an amazing young lady, thank you for your service! It blows me away how tight your sleeping arrangements are. Thank you for the video.
If you ever see a service member out in town, don’t go up to them and thank them for their service. It’s an awkward feeling. Trust me.
@@Mike_61610 as a disabled man who would have loved to serve my country I’m sorry you feel that way. I will never know what that feeling is. But when I see a member of any Military service I feel Honoured to be in their presence!
@@jamesfrommanitoba6363 Im sorry you never got a chance to serve. It is much appreciated when people thank us for service but at the same time it is extremely awkward. Most of us just want to do whatever it is that we have to do and leave. We are no better than anyone else.
@@Mike_61610 I agree with you Mike, it is a little awkward. I usually say I'm lucky they allowed me to stay in and try to make a joke about it and ease the awkwardness. I'll tell you on the computer here to avoid awkwardness- thanks for your service young man.
@@johngorman2916 as a joke I usually tell people “you’re welcome” or “no problem” or I tell them “I’m only doing it to get paid” haha. But thanks still awkward over the internet.
Shoe coveys, Book coveys, curtains & a personal blanket! **** WOW!!! Living the good life!
absolutely lol
Was thinking the same thing..talking about spoiled..😆 🤣
Lockers, cubbies, rack pan, ironing board, living room with couches, one head for 12 enlisted ... this is luxurious compared to an SSN.
@@Algebrodadio did my time on an LST, and a older tico cruiser. things were not this nice on either of those.
I always preferred the middle rack. The drawback was like she said shipmates used it like a desk to put stuff on or used it as a ladder to top rack. In rough seas we just tried to wedge ourselves with our feet and legs. Great video young lady. Thanks for the memories and your service. K. Hawk 70 - 71, Midway 75 - 78, Sacramento 82 - 83, Flint 83 - 84.
Wow!
That’s a lot of sacrifice.
You go out for 3-4 months and back for that amount of time.
Thanks for doing your part keeping me safe.
Army1980-1983 mechanized infantry
3rd armor Division.
West Germany... damn good beer!
Actually, Navy ships deploy for 6 to 8 months with a minimum of six, for regular cruises such as Westpac or Med Cruise.
Hooahhh! Spearhead (82-87) Hanau
I've been retired almost as long as I was in... but I'm pretty sure I folded my blanket and put it at the foot of my mattress. And once a week we had to strip our racks and 'air out our mattresses' when underway. The EEBD's were above us, attached beneath the rack above us.
Lot more room than a WW2 Destroyer Escort. They were made of canvass laced to a frame. That made them easier to stay in when it got rough. Off of Halifax I pulled rank and slept in the shop work bench. Nice warm steel bunk. North Atlantic in winter is not warm.
Was a spec in my ships mess, slept in the small racks (about half arm in height) but moved to the big ones and I'm so happy when I finally moved. I can finally sit up straight
SO much better berthing on newer ships. I was a Marine onboard Tarawa (LHA-1) at one point, and she was laid down in 1971. Stacked 5 high, old basket racks and no storage. Fast forward to Pearl Harbor, launched in the late 90's and it was like stepping into a cruise ship by comparison.
USS Nashville for me. Top rack with a hot pipe like 8 inches from my face.
@@coolbreeze2.0-mortemadfasc13 I joined in 1967. I was on a Destroyer DD-703, a WW2 ship. These are luxary from what I've seen.
Joann,
Thanks for your service to our nation. And, past, I assume, the Philippines. Blessings to you.
You serve when many fellow Americans chose not to. You make the Navy great! Keith (Army)
I have not served in the Philippines, I was born and raised in America. Regardless, thank you for your comment and your service as well (:
@@JoannBasilio
I visited the Philippines. Then, I was blessed enough to be homeported there for five years. If you haven't visited, I hope you get to. It's wonderful.
@@TheBatugan77 wow!! Where was the base?
@@JoannBasilio
My homeport was Subic Bay. 1985-1990. Two ships. We were underway 85% of the time. But when I was home, the people were warm and friendly, the food was out of this world delicious (masarap), and the countryside was beautiful.
@@TheBatugan77 Olongapo City, 1972. It was like Dodge City, meat wagon going up and down the street with cut up sailors, broken bones, etc. We pulled in after fire missions at Yankee Station and surface raids up north, an old Gearing tin can crew, many are gone now, we sailed into Agent Orange waters, my shipmates and I got everything from diabetes to prostate cancer. Never fail to document ANY injury, no matter how slight you think it is; screw the warrior mentality- it's a pile of crap so document it so you don't get screwed after separation- a nexus to military service is gold to the V.A. And ladies, NEVER blow off a MST incident as just a good 'ol boys thing, assault is assault, the Navy has never got that idea to the top ranks.
This was so cool. I always wondered how cramped it was in those ships. Thanks!
By the way, you are a stunning young woman. Thanks for your service! Go get em.
Nice job Joann, quite an improvement from the 1970 USS Constellation I was on. Wow, separate personal lockers, that’s livin’ large. I had a middle bunk and frequently suffered from claustrophobia and do to this day. If a TV or movie scene shows someone being stuffed in a car trunk I get the heebie-jeebies. Not blaming the Navy but they were the first one to assign me to a coffin.
Hi Joan. I was in the Air Force long ago, but love to tour ships whenever I can. Thanks for your videos. Thanks for your service. I will be watching all your posts. Great job.
Thanks Lou!
I was on an FFG. We didn't have straps holding us in. Our top rack was not like that. Top rack got Box Lockers. We were extremely crammed.
Ship life looks like hell tbh! Thank you for your service.
Trust me, you have NO idea 🥴
Thank you! Ship life really is unique.
Retired AO1 here. 92-2012. Man do I miss those racks. Best sleep I have had ever. Want to put one in my garage. Thanks for your service PO2.
Good idea! Maybe install one of those 25 cent horse rides underneath to make you feel more at home?
I was on top and mine did not have a cover so I had a lot of room. Wow, like a blast from the past, served 1981 to 85 active.
JB, in my navy days right after HS (1981 - 1985) no EEBD's, the top bunks had no underbed storage so all top bunkers were given a separate storage locker for your clothes and personal items. Think the lockers & bunks were gray instead of beige and the floor was green instead of blue. Never had a middle rack, only the bottom or top bunk on 3 different depts. on 2 ships, USS Kalamazoo AOR-6 & USS Long Beach CGN-9. By the time made E-5 we were at the shipyards at PSNS Bremerton, WA for major overhaul & retrofit including all the berthing spaces (they gave us a floating barge for temp. housing) so got a cheap studio apt. off base until my HD in Sept. 1985 and back home to Queens in NYC to begin college.
Sure different than the Forrest Sherman Destroyer I served on in the 80's. Great vid shipmate!
Thank you for watching!
They've come a long way since the Gearing Class I was on in the 60's. Thanks for the video.
Which tin cans were y’all on?
@@lelandgaunt9985 USS Dupont DD-941 80-82 Persian Gulf and Beirut
@@dennisfoutch6431
Aye , thank you last Sherman left is the turner joy.
I had a top rack on the USS Guadalcanal and for the USS Guam , Detroit and USNS Concord I had bottom racks which where the prized racks especially when your drunk. Lot of good times back then it’s been 30 years ago already I was a AMS 2 ( AW ) when I got out because of a injury would do it all over again if I could.
Used to have to lift bottom rack with strap, tilting and hooking rack up so deck underneath would not gather dust bunnies.
Anyone in our berthing on the bottom was required to 'stow' their rack for daily morning sweepers and inspection by the XO.
Awesome video! This was very informative and it gives a glimpse into life in a berthing on a ship. Thank you for your service.
Thank you for your support! I appreciate the encouragement
Thanks for the look back Joann. And thank you for your service.
I had a top rack for a time in my first ship which I had to share with part of a firemain. Moved from there to a center rack at the first opportunity. Even over the course of nearly 40 years (GADS I'm old) there hasn't been a lot of change in berthing. My first ship was a Spruance class, CARON (DD 970) and OPS berthing in her was on the 2nd deck amidships. 80 men. When women were brought in to the ship's company, enlisted women berthed in a 50 or 60 "man" berthing, 2nd platform deck just under the forward end of the superstructure.
Thank you for taking your time to comment. I love seeing people reminiscing about their service. (:
@@JoannBasilio Thank you for sharing a glimpse into yours. I served 21 years, retired in 1993. Would I do it again? In a hot second.
@@robertf3479 any advice you would like to share to anyone who may be reading through these comments? (for myself too, I plan on going back AD once I'm commissioned!)
@@JoannBasilio OCS? NROTC? Very cool! When I was on active duty I always said we never had enough GOOD officers, the best ones were usually those who had previous enlisted service.
Advice ... well, whether you are on sea duty or shore duty be prepared for 'culture shock,' especially if you are new to the service ... but I KNOW you know that already Joann. My advice would be more for those who are new. Be prepared for long hours working, short hours sleeping and depending on your rate (job specialty) learning a whole new vocabulary and language (no, not 'seafaring' as practiced by Bosun's Mates.)
Your time in the service (doesn't matter which service) will be what you make of it. I entered in 1972, intending to do my 4 years and get out ... I retired as a PO1 (E-6) 21 years later and would have stayed longer if they would have let me. I was in Electronic Intelligence though I a 'support guy' (Radar O'Reilly with a James Bond clearance.) I was able to do a lot of interesting things, travel to a lot of interest places. Japan, Washington DC, Great Lakes Training Station (4 years on staff), learned how to drive and fight a destroyer (my OPS boss' idea,) run a communications center at sea, get harassed by Soviets in the Black Sea (see TH-cam video USS Caron rammed) ... and more.
Yeah, parts of the job both ashore (Great lakes) and afloat sucked (6 month deployment stretched to 9 months) and others were great (Liberty in Israel and Japan.) Yeah, I'd do it again and I have a wife who supported me the whole time, she was a PO3 when we married.
@@robertf3479 Yes I agree with everything you said! Mustangs were my favorite officers to work for because they were more relatable, unlike most of those who came from the Academy... My current plan is to join the Dental Corps after I get my Bachelor's, so I will be going through ODS. I still have a couple years until then, so stay tuned if you'd like! haha were you an RDC in Great Lakes?
Thank you so much for taking the time to reply back, I really appreciate it and I'm sure future sailors will too. (:
Interesting to see that all the racks have coffin lockers, not just the bottom & middle. Also, shower shoe cubbies? lol Our shower shoes when onto hooks in our racks along with a towel & there was no ventilation. Let me tell you those shower shoes and towels would get very funky! It's good to see they put the EEBA's right in the racks these days. We would have had to grope our way to them. I remember the drill where you had to practice getting to the EEBA, putting it on, then making your way to the secondary exit. We did all that blindfolded. None of us did too well, but what the heck, we were all young & going to live forever! Didn't matter the USS Stark had just been attacked and the one Exocet had hit the berthing area right where my rack was. Good times! I wouldn't trade the experiences for the world but I'd never do it again.
Wow! The Navy has definitely made some improvements then. Also, about the coffin locker, we did have one set that didn't have a locker for the top rack. That person was given a bigger stand up locker to compensate. Thanks for your comment! (:
Hasn’t changed at all since I was on my ship in the late 90s. I’m shocked you got a lower rack as an e5. Normally our LPOs got the lower racks
Great tour and thanks for serving our nation, young sailor!
Thank you!!!
Love the SpongeBob effects. I am a big fan of him.☺ Thank you for sharing your world with us and thank you for your sacrifices/service to our great country.
I love spongebob too! My coworkers/friends gifted me a wooden hook that had a spongebob quote on it as my going away gift 😂
Thank you for a informative presentation,didn't expect 3 years but thank you for your dedication and service.I would like top rack for its relative privacy.
Top video! I've always been fascinated by the areas where you sleep and the bathrooms! I always thought the bits with the emergency breathing apparatus in was filled with tissues! 😆 Also, smart G-Shock! I'm also a collector myself. Many thanks for making the video and thank you for your service!
Hey! Thanks for watching and stopping by to leave a comment! The EEBD container does look like it can hold tissues hahaha it may as well have been with how much I've cried in my rack... Have a great weekend 😁
@@JoannBasilio Thanks for your reply! Sorry to read you've cried a lot in your rack. It's either tissues or disposable gloves they looked like in there. What time do you guys and girls have to get up in the morning?
you look great in ur uniform Joann .. great video ..
thank you!
Hello. I love these kind of videos. Thank you for your videos and thank you for your service. ❤️👍
Hi thank you for watching! (:
Wow, I really enjoyed watching this video. I have my oldest son, US Marines, number 2 son, is US Army and in the future my daughter will be US Navy soon. Proud of you inspiring and serving America. I am a US Air Force Security Police Military veteran. GOD bless America.
Thank you for your service as well!
Hey man, I wondered can deaf n hard of hearing join Navy?
@@assassin7250 That, I am not familiar with. Now in the days world, things are different. A US Navy Recruiter would be the bet source to answer that one.
I remember having to stop the flooding from you guys head on duty days because someone flushed their weave down the drain.
Wasn't mine lol
Unbeweaveable!
That's the kind of thing that makes for some unhappy HTs. I feel for you Mr Nance.
Wow. You guys have a lot of space. This destroyer's enlisted berthing is even better than an officer's stateroom aboard the old SSN I was on.
I'm glad i picked the Seabees....yall can keep your cramped living spaces. I'll play in the dirt any day. haha
Great content!! Thank you for sharing!
Thank you for stepping up and serving .
Thank you!!!
I rode TAD on the USS Essex. When I got to berthing, the racks were stacked four high. I think the top rack had snowcaps and clouds.
Nice tour,
good speaker,
good video,
thanks for sharing.
Thank you!
Thank you for the tour living space haven’t changed much since I was in the navy a lot of years ago
Where were you stationed?
@@JoannBasilio I started on the west coast for about five years and then was transferred to the East coast Navy and was on various ships and duty station throughout my twenty year career and would not change anything seeing the world was fun enjoy your time in the Navy and thank you for your service
Brings back memories. Thank you for the video!
Glad to bring you nostalgia! Thanks for watching (:
HEY! Thank you for your service beautiful lady....
I had a bottom rack. DDG-13 in the 70's. Ours were canvas on aluminum frame. Yours is nice. The curtain is nice too!
I was on the same boat, bottom rack too. right next to the hatch going down to sonar as far forward as you can get. heavy seas felt like being in a very fast express elevator between 5 floors lol. prima inter optimas.
Thanks for sharing. I was in the Navy in the early in the late 80's and 90's onboard the USS Arkansas CGN-41. I was on the top rack with a steam pipe value by my stomach and three high. It wasn't easy climbing up there all the time. The guy on the middle got mad at me sometimes because I did step on his rack to get in. No choice. Luckily, he was Christian and said he had to forgive me.
Hello thanks for watching and leaving a comment!! Do you miss shiplife sometimes?
That was a great video. Simple yet informative. I like how you explained everything on the rack. Maybe next a video tour of your Galley area. I think people would find that interesting as well.
I appreciate the tour. Thank for your service to this great nation!
Thank you! (:
Thank you Joann.
thank you for your service, you a very beautiful young lady.
Thank you!
Can I be your Simp too?
@@Mike_61610, haha.
@@Mike_61610 whats a simp? is that some new zoomer lingo?
Good job, PO2 Basilio. It looks like the living arrangement problem with men and women was solved on your ship. I remember my Spruance class destroyer berthing compartment where guys walked naked to the shower, often, and it was all open. I couldn’t comprehend how it could be solved with such limited space available.
Thanks for your service, from an ET2 of long ago (middle racks are the best, btw!)
Hello former ET2, thank you for your comment! Were there no females onboard your ship at the time?
@@JoannBasilio No. Females were not allowed aboard combatants.They served on tenders and Type 3 shore duty, which counted for sea duty in the mid 80’s. I worked with female ET’s and had an ET1 as a boss on my shore command in San Diego. To be honest, the stories from the Tenders and mixed crews scared the crap out of me when I heard there would be female sailors aboard destroyers and such. It was hard before the internet age when we only received actual letters from loved ones and we were away for months at a time with no direct contact. It sounds like a more sane experience with the internet availability and maybe a little more balanced environment helped as well?
@@loyalrammy wow! so interesting. I guess its becoming more common nowadays to allow females onboard other types of ships now. I think just recently we're allowed to be on submarines. I know that frigates didn't have females either before decommissioning. What scared you about the idea of having mixed crews?
@@JoannBasilio We heard horror stories of guys who served with female sailors on Tenders being blamed for harassment and it seemed to them (the guys) that they their side of an issue was never believed. Being at sea with no communications with wives/girlfriends drove some almost crazy. At times a “Dear John” letter would arrive with 3 months left in a West PAC cruise and things would get seriously crazy. Also, most sailors in the 80’s were smokers/dippers and the “at sea” store would run out of Copenhagen and Skoal. Dudes would be dipping Marlboro’s out of desperation...lol.
So add nicotine withdrawal to girlfriend withdrawal to port of calls at Subic Bay, Diego Garcia,etc.....and no feasible way to talk to those back home. Now add female sailors to that stew of humanity and it seemed like a crazy mixture to everyone that I spoke to on the ship. In retrospect, maybe that wasn’t totally fair, but Tender duty seemed like a horror show and we didn’t want that on a war ship.
@@loyalrammy oh wow yeah communication is definitely way better now! Internet can support emails, access to social media and even ordering stuff off of amazon and receiving it onboard within 2 weeks. I can't imagine only having to communicate through letters... what a time. Thanks again for your comments. Its fun to think of different perspectives and how Navy life has changed throughout the years. Also, smoking and dipping is still a big thing onboard. I hear of non smokers and dippers keeping a stash in the their rack to sell once the ship's store runs out. They can make lots of money doing that. Supply and demand! hahaha
Nice vid. Im so glad I was in the army instead of the navy. I would have just embarrassed myself with my claustraphobia. Waaaay to small in there for me. I would be so paranoid of getting trapped below decks. Too many war movies I guess. My barracks room in Germany had 6 guys in it and we had probably 4 times the space, We all had our own big ass stereo systems and In my room we had four refrigerators for our beer and such. I didnt realize we had it so good. A Btry 1/81 FA (Pershing) Neu Ulm Germany. Wiley Kaserne
Thanks for sharing and thank you for your service!!
Go Navy!!!! I served from 87 to 91, I never served on a ship, we were in bases that didn't exist, hahaha!!! I hunted subs. Thanks for sharing, shipmate!
Thanks for serving, I appreciate you.
What is your rating?
I love the new uniforms, so much better and more comfortable than the old dungarees!
You said "it's 12 girls", nah, it's 12 sailors!
I met my wife in the Navy, she's my favorite sailor!
Thank you for this information. Very interesting. 💚Also, you're super cute and charismatic. 🇺🇲❤💙 best regards, love and prayers from the Republic of Ireland 🙋♂️✝️🇮🇪💚🧡
Wow! I've never been called charismatic before, thank you (:
Very interesting, obviously your space is far smaller then what I'm thinking of but I'm impressed that you rack and the rack I had in the Marines are so similar makes sense to have under the bunk storage just hadn't seen it as a civilian up till then.
Excellent video thank you for making a short tour of your ships berthing, I wish the Marines still did sea service that would have been my dream come true.
Thank you for your service, stay safe and stay salty!
Thank you watching and leaving a comment! Thank you for your service as well. Have a great day!! (:
My old 210 Coast Guard cutter had one cubicle with only 4 racks. The Penthouse. You could actually sit up in bed. I was there for over a year, big pimpin it
Brings back memories of my 3 week training cruise as a guest on USCG Barque Eagle. I was 54 at time and the middle rack as a challenge. I think Eagle had less headroom and the spacing between racks was less. There were no lee cloths, but the clearance to the rack above was so small that I couldn't roll over without my should jamming the bottom of the rack above. At least it kept us from ending up on the deck when the ship rolled, and did it ever!
1956 and you haven't lived until you spend a couple of weeks on a troop ship. Mine was the 962 foot long WW2 scow called the General E.D. Patrick out of Yokohama, 8 knots max to San Francisco. 400 Marines in the bow, 500 Air Force in the stern all crammed into 8 high canvas/pipe racks. You had maybe an inch between you and the guy above you. Naturally the Captain thought it would be fun to head out into a storm, a sea state so bad that we weren't allowed on deck. No waiting lines for the chow hall because everyone was barfing their guts out on the deck and drinking fountains overflowing. I honestly don't understand why anyone other the a Navel Aviator with decent Officers quarters would join the Navy. USAF 1955-1959 with a year in Korea
My first unit was a 210 Coast Guard boat back in 2019, slept on the 2nd deck (engineering berthing). It was first come first served on racks but the middle is always the best. There were a couple of times I almost fell off my rack due to waves
Wow, did not know there were waves in those brown puddles...
You guys didn't have the hurricane straps?
@@JoannBasilio No because that type of ship isn’t capable of going through hurricanes plus we rarely run into hurricanes underway. It’s either sit in port until it passes or avoid it if we’re underway
This is pretty cool. Also, Im glad you are putting some content out again.
Thanks for sticking around! (:
Great vid! Thank you for your service!
Thank you! 😁
I served as a Sonar Technician on two Knox Class Frigates, USS Brewton FF-1086 (Pearl Harbor) and USS Hewes FF-1078 (Charleston). I deployed twice in four years, WesPac/IO Cruise (1979) and Med/Black Sea Cruise (1980). I was a Cold War Veteran (no active conflicts during my enlistment). Weapons Division Berthing was the most forward on these ships, two decks below the ASROC Launcher. Sonar shared berthing with TMs, GMTs, GMGs and BMs. Sonar had a lot of equipment rooms aboard due to the mission of the Frigates (ASW), and there was extra room to stash goodies and even be alone if we needed privacy. I considered myself lucky back then. The racks and lockers were similar, and so was the hierarchy of where you slept. About 60 or so sailors slept in Weapons Berthing. A few had to be 'encouraged' to shower on a regular basis.
There were no female sailors on combatant ships when I served (1977-81). It's good to see females doing the same jobs that were reserved for men only back then.
BTW, two berthing compartments shared one head (four showers, toilets and sinks) and one lounge with CCTV. Things were very hectic and we had no privacy in the forward head before chow in the morning! Hurry up and wait was the norm.
I arrived at my first ship while she was in drydock at Pearl. Seaman and below were assigned fire watch with civilian welders during the work day. We were in six watch sections (we stayed and slept aboard every six days) and were transported from an assigned enlisted barracks when not pulling an overnighter on the ship in dry dock. We left for 'lunch' daily at the EM Club when not on duty. I was assigned a welder that only worked five hour days. At lunch, he would say, "See ya tomorrow!". I returned to the barracks at 1600 hours like everyone else... There were six of us that repeated this during regular working hours for about five months. We were sworn to secrecy. No one ever caught on. It was great duty for a Seaman Apprentice.
Soon, the ship was ready for Sea Trials. No more EM Club, just drills, drills and more drills! And after this we deployed to the West Pacific, some of the best Liberty Calls on the Planet. Beautiful places, smiling faces... Then onward to the Indian Ocean and some not so great ports of call.
I became a Shellback in the IO. Not one of these 'Modern Navy' ones. I feel like I earned the title. Our Division Torpedoman won the Beauty Contest in a bedsheet toga and a mop head wig. Because of this, Weapons ASROC Division had the Honor of going through the stations first. We were then Baptized into the Ancient Order of the Deep and invited to join the other Shellbacks in initiating the rest of the crew. To the Torpedoman's horror, he was saved for last. I felt like I was in the 'real' Navy now! It was the highlight of my experience.
I made STG3 on the East Coast. The Med/Black Sea cruise really sucked in comparison. Things cost much more, and there was a real element of danger there. People weren't as friendly either, and some were just complete a--holes!
One thing is for sure, on both coasts. I met many good sailors (a few bad ones) and made friends for life. Here's hoping you find many good shipmates (4 LIFE).
Wow! Thank you for sharing your story Derek! I giggled reading that you left for "lunch". I know exactly what you mean. I'm glad that the rest of your guys were able to keep the secret and hang out for a bit and not rush to get back to the barracks before 1600. Cheers to some great memories shipmate!! Standing by for more here in the comments in case you have some sea stories you'd like to tell. (:
@@JoannBasilio Thanks Joann! Here's something else about 'lunch' at the EM Club... Someone thought it would be a good idea to hire a stripper to entertain the 'lunch' crowd at the EM Club. That is, until some of the Navy wives caught their husbands, dollars in hand, doing the 'lunch thing'. Being single and 19 at the time, I was glad to be able to finally drink my beer in peace in preparation for the afternoon off. Nothing like a rowdy bunch of sailors to kill your buzz. And as a bonus, I could save a few dollars between paydays.
@Joann Basilio Did you ever pull a 'Mail Buoy' watch on the bow of the ship, equipped with a boathook and a pair of binoculars? How about being sent with an empty pail to see the LPO in the Boiler Room to bring back a 'bucket of steam'? All in good fun, I'm sure, but you might have brain damage if you did not catch on right away...
@@dereksuddreth8672 wow why am I not surprised of the lunch thing hahaha. you were allowed to buy beer at 19 during that time? were you in a foreign port, or was this okay as long as you were on base?
@@dereksuddreth8672 luckily I was never tricked into doing any of that. I have heard of people charging their glow belts in the microwave or leave it out in the sun... Now that I think of it, I think glowbelts might be a new thing. Did you have those when you were in???
On my FFG my rack was right next to the PA speaker. When I was a midnight worker/day sleeper I heard music and announcements all day. I learned George Strait songs in my sleep.
That sounds horrible.
I was stationed onboard the USS Saratoga CVA-60 1969-70
USS Ranger Cv-61 1970-71 &72-73
USS Nimitz CVN-68
1977-78 & 79-80
USS Constellation CV-64 1984-85.
When I was stationed onboard the Saratoga we had no privacy curtains.
And like on my first cruise onboard the USS Ranger Cv-61
thanks for the tour. and , thanks for your service
Thank you!
That looks similar to my berthing on the Elliot (DD967), 1980. I had the top rack and loved all that extra space. We didn't have those straps but I don't recall anyone falling out of his rack. The storage space and vertical lockers were the same, though.
Our First Division had the forward berthing compartment where the movement was extreme in rough seas. When we were underway riding out WestPac typhoons, some used rope to tie themselves into their racks (1970's-Adams Class DDG). Spruance was commissioned during my time and I was a bit envious of those getting to work with the new Mk 86 weapons systems.
hello Joann, just found your channel, this video is the first one I saw, reminded me of when I was in the army though we didn't have cute girls ;) looking forward to checking out your vlog, Good night from Vancouver.Michael
Thank you!
I miss my Navy days.
AMS-1 retired 1965-85
I'm with you Bill. Those truly were the best days of my life. RVAW 110, VAW 114, VAW 115, HC-11, VAW 122. 69 - 93. Don't you wish you could go back and relive those years. AZC Retired
I always loved the bottom rack, I could put all my books in the rack, there not noticeable as much. Later on, it was the middle rack, it was okay. You get used to it after a while.
I liked my bottom rack too! It was easy for me to crawl in and out. I stayed there even after making E-5 and had the option to move to a middle rack.
Much nicer than when I was in the navy, 1960s.
Was on a 60's build DDG, this is palatial
Stick it out in the reserves. I joined Army Reserve in 1988, went AD in USAF 2000 and then went reserve (USAF) again in 2006. 30 years came and went. Some sucked, most were great. I just retired and looking forward to a nice pension from reserves!
The main problem, with the bottom rack is that the top rack steps on your rack to access his locker, especially if there are standup lockers next to the racks. The XO, being an officer, will mark you unsat instead of blaming the correct person.
On an oiler, we had around 40 mm in our berthing, with two tables and ,maybe a dozen chairs. On a gator freighter, we had 150 racks, one table and 8 chairs. The marine berthing had no tables.
This is luxury . I was on WW 2 Destroyer in Vietnam Era and we had 60 people in Engineering Divisions sleeping in smaller quarters
I’m 6’4” tall and loved the top rack. That’s when I was much younger and more agile. And “sliding the rails” to get down those ladders quick. Probably one of the reasons my knees and back are shot to heck now.
yikes! hope you're getting a disability paycheck for that shipmate!
@@JoannBasilio Nope, nothing in my medical records about injuries. When you’re young and in shape you think you’re bulletproof and can do anything. Catches up with you when you get older. Go to medical for ANY little ache, sniffle, head injury, headache, etc. Get everything in your medical record so you have it as evidence for service connected disability after you get out. Something I wish I knew when I was in.
@@HankHill757 solid advice!
@@JoannBasilio And see if you can get a full copy of your medical and personal records before you get out. It’s much harder tying to get them later.
Thus is so interesting, my ship which is also a DDG Is in Drydock and its nice to actually see the berthing actually put together!
I'm glad you found this video interesting! Is your ship out of drydock now?
@Joann Basilio yes, we're finally out of drydock and in our basic phase!
Thank you for your service I just have one question, after your tour of duty, or when ever you can , would you ever go on a cruise ship for a vacation?
Great video 👍 Thank you for your service!
Thank you!
Not too much different since a DDG during Vietnam. Before deploying we were told we could put up curtains on our coffin bunks. My mom made me some blue curtains and mailed them to me, but on returning to San Diego they had to come down and we had to get haircuts.
Joann, thank you for the Tour, and you have a Sub.
Thanks for being here Gerald! I'm glad my video brought back some good memories for you (:
I am a former navy Pilot, did three WESTPACS on CVN-70. My first stateroom was four Officers. My next was just two. I remember all the O-4s wanted to get the lower staterooms on the lower-levels, so flight ops on the deck don’t wake them up.
do you miss it?
I served on Kitty Hawk... our berthing was toward the stern and very loud during landings. :) But I was working the flight deck so actually rarely trying to sleep when there were flight ops going on.
Looks like a big improvement from some of the old ships like the USCG Cutter Ingham in Key West that literally had canvas hammocks for the seamen.
wow canvas hammocks!
Berthing racks have gotten a lot fancier since I was in the Navy. I was on a guided-missile destroyer (USS Buchanan DDG-14) and had a middle rack. No privacy curtain, no towel rack, no air conditioning, no book nook, no PPBE, no secret compartment. And no straps to keep you from rolling out of your bunk. We used to have to tuck our sheet and blanket under the mattress in order to secure ourselves. And at that time (early 80’s), no women were allowed to serve on ships.
Joann I was on the Nimitz loved the Navy