A Song from "1966"
The U.S.Coast Guard Cutter Spar WLB
- 403 / Her and her crew back in 1966 cruise.
To see all my videos ? Click below.
Go to Stories & Comments, Click below.
Click onto dot to go to the Spar's watery grave.
Now we are in Bootcamp, Cape May New Jersey "1965" Oscar Company 59.
A Boot camp story.
A story in boot camp.
As we all got our shots in the arms with air guns we were lining up to have more work done like animals, not
cruel but just a number, and no compassion. Today was a day we all had out date with the dentist. There is one thing I wouldn't
mind and that was just to walk on by. No such luck. As we were getting teeth cleaned, checked and all the other
fun things they do in your mouth. Its amazing how far they can stretch your mouth open without it ripping on the sides. Well,
it was my turn & I heard the officer ( at the time I didn't know of what degree he was ) say to the chap with this
3 ringed needle where to stick me several times with that large tool. But this is what bothered me immensely, he was
training on me, he was a student in Cape May. And now I was his target. This one day set me back for 2 1/2
weeks. It was decided that one of my wisdom teeth had to go. But next to it was a tooth in need of a lot of work, such as
root canal and then to cap it later on. But not so, the officer said to give him plenty of Novocaine, he was yanking both
of them at one time. I now heard him say there is a large gap between the two teeth, so we'll get to use this new gel,
it suppose to clot the blood. At this point it was clotting my mind. It finally came to them to go in and get
those two teeth. What a big mistake, mainly for me, they were having a tough time teaching this new student to stitch me up.
I had to say something after a certain amount of time went buy while I was swallowing blood. They stitched and they used their
new wonder gel.
We do not have a winner, the gel was not doing what it was made for. I bled
a lot and was put on no duty. My company graduated without me, Oscar 59, then another company then one more, everyday I needed
new sheets and pillow cases because of all the blood lose. After two weeks of bleeding I was able to be placed into a company
which I knew no one and I graduated. Then it turns out the school I applied for, enginemen school in Groton would start
in 2 to 3 months, so I was stuck in Cape May pumping gas and changing oil. Just one of many boot camp stories. Its funny
how certain things come back to ones self.
In boot camp your most trusty piece, is
your weapon, it is your M1. She was 9 pounds.
To know more about this rifle, Click onto photo below.
Completed basic, Training on
29 October, 1965.
News Paper Clipping Completing Basic Training.
My Mom & Dad With Tom
Huff , At the time I didn't know he would be coming home with us for a visit, before going to his duty station which was in Florida.
A Boot Camp Story.
Boot camp memories
seem to be more memorable then most out of the four years I was in the Guard. I have mentioned somewhere
in my site about going to all the religious meetings at night during the whole week, such as Methodist, Catholic and so on.
The reason ?
You could smoke when ever you wanted to. It was the one thing the Coast
Guard couldn't deprive you of, that was religion.
This one night I came out first to smoke a cigarette, and there was
about 5 or 6 of us out there. The only way you could recognize a recruit to someone out of boot camp was the
green canvas ammo belts we had to wear. I said to these guys watch this, I removed my belt and put it on the side
of the wooden steps. The first guy out and down the steps did not have his hat on, so I made it look like I was just
walking by, and I yelled at him " Where is you're hat you stupid puke ) ? Then I yelled get down
and give me twenty and I want to hear you say them out loud, I cant hear you !!
He did about ten when I noticed to the left of me was a
third class petty officer and a chief walking towards us. I quick went and grabbed my ammo belt and put it on, then
I looked back at the guy I pulled the prank on, I didn't realize how big and tall this guy was. I just had visions
of what he could do to me if he got his hands on me. His eyes were fixed only on me. I shrugged my shoulders
and looked at him, as to say "OH WELL" its hard to believe I never saw the guy after that night. Oh yeah I
did quit going to that Wednesday night meeting, maybe that's why, the other 3 were enough. There is another Boot
Camp Tale.
My Original photo, for
my U.S. Coast Guard ID card.
363 - XXX
Click onto all pictures to enlarge.
Ron
Powell,me & brother Bill, we went into the Coast Guard under what they called back then was The Buddy System , join together
stay together, well , from that day on and out of boot
camp we never seen each other until we were discharged. Such is life.
Tom Huff outside my home in Philadelphia PA for a Visit before leaving
to go to Florida where his orders were cut.
Ron Powell ,Tom & Bill Hough
with both of our parents at graduation ceremony from boot camp in Cape May NJ.
Tom Huff And Myselfin front of my parents
house in Philadelphia,PA. 1965.
Tom Hough & Tom Huff, just out of boot boot camp in Cape May NJ. 1965,we were in Oscar co. together.
Tom And Carl , He was from Providence
RI ,We were In Oscar Co. No. 59, together in "1965".
A
Picture Of Cape May NJ Training Center In "1965".
A
Real Puck , Right out of Cape May NJ.
This is a Volkswagon I pinstiped
when I was transfered to the Spar.
Boot camp and the cigarette.
A Boot Camp Story, I was in Oscar company summer of 1965. Our CC was a first class petty officer,Gaus, Bm1. Anyway I remember this
guy in our company asking for a smoke break while doing maneuvers in the training field. I thought this guy was in trouble
now & I was right. Guas was a real nasty guy. we all stood at attention as he instructed our
shipmate to go get his cigarettes from the barracks. Now he also told him to go into his office to get his scotch tape dispenser.
This kid was fast he was back in a heartbeat. Guas took out all his cigarettes, made a roll out of them and
taped the cigarettes all together. Then he told this guy to stick them in his mouth and light up. Dam if he didn't do
it,Guas kept saying take a drag, bigger, bigger, we were sick just watching him, needless to say he never asked for another
smoke break again. Guas was hard to beat, but I have to admit, I did beat him and it wasn't really hard to figure out,but
I did it without getting caught. The one thing in boot camp could not deprive you of, was religion. I went to a
Methodist meeting on a Tuesday night, it was an hour Long. You could smoke as much as you wanted to, then I thought I'll
go to the catholic mast on Wednesday night, same deal, with the smoking, I went to the Jewish meetings also, I went to them
all and never got caught.
I recieved this picture
from Rich Notestine ,Idont know where he got it but it does have my CC in the picture, Gaus ,BM1, Thanks Rich.
6 / 18 / 2010.
End of Boot Camp, Oscar 59_1965 / CC BM1 W.M.
Gaus.
This will give the average person an idea what the North Atantic Ocean can throw at you.
Click onto picture below for a short video.
Click onto all pictures to enlarge.
A Picture Of Tom in Groton Conn. Graduating Engineering School On The far Left Side , Just Before Transferring To The Spar In Early "1966".
This Is Carl Provost ,
his mom & two sisters, We were attending engineering school together, who would have ever thought we would be trading duty stations sometime in the future,
he was at east moriches, long island NY, 17 man
lifeboat station, & I was on the " Spar" he lived in Bristol RI. and I was closer to Philly.
Man, did I make a mistake.
Click Onto Photos To Enlarge.
The song on home page (Stranger on The Shore) I played on the juke box whenever I had liberty while attending engineering school in Groton Conn.
back in 1965,I wore the record out, brings back many memories for sure.. soon after that , I was transfered onto to the "SPAR",
and in "1966" we went for one hell of a cruise into the North Atlantic. Tom Hough
USCG
Institute and The Mansion at Avery Point, Groton Training Station. Click onto picture for Information.
The song (Stranger
on The Shore) which plays on my Home Page, I played on the juke box whenever I had liberty while
attending engineering school in groton conn. back in 1965, I wore the record out, it brings back many memories for
me. Soon after that, I was transfered onto to the SPAR wlb-403 out of Bristol RI. Then in "1966" we went
for one hell of a cruise into the North Atlantic. Tom Hough
Click Onto Photo Below For Fishers Island Link.
A View
From Above, To See Fishers Island, Click
Below.
The four people below were our shop instructors, I wish I knew their names,
they were all Aces in my book.
Two pictures of our class ( 28
) Shipmates attending school in Groton Conn. in 1965.
Some 14 signatures signed by
my shipmates on the back of my picture that attended enginemen school with me 1965 in Groton Conn.
Tom... I just seen this or should I say I never noticed this before.
What you wrote after your name, Tom's friendly financer.
Just how much do I owe you? The interest rate alone is gonna kill me. Some 46 years....
Posted. 11 / 3 / 2011.
E-3:
Seaman (SN) white
Hospitalman
(HN) white
Fireman (FN) red
Airman (AN) green
Constructionman (CN) blue
A Message from Tom Zaborski. Posted on 10/31/2011
Tom, I am indeed your old room mate
from Engineman's school. I still work, but have the day off, so my wife forced me at gunpoint to sit down and communicate
to some of my inquirees. Like she told you, I spent a lot of time in the Coast Guard. I have 9 hashmarks.
I have a lot of funny memories of Rotten Groton by the sea...Carl Provost, Bob Pfeil, Robitussen, the angry father of the
twins from Fisher's Island the day we had the blue paint fight and you trying
to teach me to pinstripe. Where'd you go after EN school?
In response to your question Tom.
They cut my orders, transferring me to a 180 buoy tender ( SPAR WLB-403 ) out of Bristol RI.
But it was great timing, we went on this voyage that turned out to be 17,000 long. All thoughout europe and up
into the Arctic Circle and down the coast of Greenland. Thats mainly what this web site is about. I found it hard
to believe the Coast Guard has nothing in their Archives about this expedition.
Posted on 11 / 3 / 2011
Thanks for getting back to me Tom, Tom H.
This is the graduating class EN-A-16-13 / 1965.
Posted on 3 / 26 / 2013
Hello Tom... I know I said I wouldn't email you again but I just rejoined
face book again. Its a lot different when I was on it sometime ago. I was just looking for my daughter & granddaughter
page & a few friends. My wife saw your name pop up, because I am looking at the keys with the fastest one finger typing
in the world.
Hunt & Peck. Seriously, I had to go through your images of you, I know
that you should feel very proud of yourself, I know I am just being able to say I went to school with this fellow sailor.
This is the last one I promise, its just that face book brought it back
to me. What I am getting at is, If you have a story, which I recall you saying you had many in your email to me.
I would love to post it right under the guys in engineman school on my site.
That's It...
No need to answer either way because I feel I am invading your privacy.
The ball is on your side.
Take care Tom, God bless you, and your Family.
Tom Hough Spar wlb-403/66.
P.S. Sorry I put the ball there.
Posted on 4 / 24 / 2013
Tom,
Finally getting back to you. I was just
looking at a picture of us assembled in front of Engineman's School. It would be interesting to know where everyone ended
up. Some probably went to Viet Nam. I was on my way to Nam when my orders were changed at the last minute and I ended up with
you guys, instead.
I remember funny times with you, me and Carl Provost looking for a cheap buzz. I have lots on memories
of Fisher's Island, too. Man...we were so young and had the world by the ass.
Every time I see a nice pin-striping job
I think of you. Every time I buy Robitussin, not the AC kind, I think of you.
Yeah, Groton was a hoot. Where did you end
up after EN school?
Tom
Graduated on April 8th 1966.
Click onto certificate to read.
Postcard Soldiers Monument and New Railroad station. ( 1905 ). Click to enlarge.
New London's train
station. When I was attending Engineering school in Groton Conn. in 1965. I have these pictures because if you look you
will see the ferry, that boat went to Fisher's Island. So I could go to Philly,or the island,which we went to often. I remember
a time when I took a Classmate with me, Tom Zaborski, we missed the ferry so we had enough money between
us and decided to take a plane to the island, or we would have had to wait till the morning.
Click onto photos for more informatiom.
"CLICK here for information about the USCG school in AVERY POINT in GROTON CONNECTICUT"
End of Engineering School at Groton Conn.
Ferry Prices.
When We Were
Attending Engineering school
In Groton Conn. we saw the ferry that went to Fishers island by
the train station, so
we went there to party, we didn't know there was A coast guard station over there,
so we had a
place to sleep.
Onto the Spar WLB-403 from Groton Conn. 1965
The Spar was our home away from home.
She was a great ship.
This was a shot I took of
ther Spar when we were in one of the life boats on our way to Jan Mayen Island for some R&R.
All photos by Tom Hough.
A letter to home, check out the spelling.
The Spar's Itinerary for "1966" voyage.
This is a letter
I had typed on the ship to my home back In Philly Pa, when out at sea. It was the only letter to
be picked at the time even though everyone knew of the deadline. The mail was picked up from our ship by a
Naval Destroyer out somewhere in the North Atlantic ocean. My writing abilities back then were atrocious, when you
see my spelling you'll know why I said it. But the letter turns out to be pretty interesting because t gives all the
port of calls and the dates a long with them. I only just found this letter in this summer of 2009. It was
also Submitted to John Hagerty's web site the SPAR Museum. Turns out to be quite invaluable because there is
nothing else out there with this dated information.
Click onto letter to read.
Click onto picture of Jan
Mayen island for more information about the island back in "1966".
A lava rock bubble from the volcano
on the shoreline, right as I stepped out of the Spar's small boat. I picked that up as fast as I could. We looked around for
more but there was nothing where we had time to look at. This could be very old, I still have it today,
1 / 12 / 1012
Click onto photo below
to see all the pictures ( Stills ) used in making this web site on you tube.
Spar's trip, 1966 by Tom Hough Spar wlb-403/1966
Tom on the SPAR at
sea, on her Zig Zag cruise across
the Atlantic ocean,
totaling over 17,000 miles in "1966". See
Page no. 13 for some of my grandfather's papers and how it
shows where he was on the ship, Rms. Carpahia
at the time while enroute to the rms
Titanic's aid in 1912. And why I mention Zig Zag.
Click Onto Picture below to see all the pictures on this web site
on You Tube.
See our movie now,or see it on page
No.10 - Running time 15:18.
This is a
shot I took by placing the camera over the one side
of the Captains binoculars,
and the other side to look through, its a Russian trawler, that was popping
up all over the place jamming our radio signals, we could receive
but could not transmit at all.
There were a lot of seals out this
time of year, it was the summer months.
I wish the camera had color
film in it, this was a great looking sky.
On Left ,A Mild Day Out At Sea , Just Before Some
Very Bad Weather Ahead Of Us. Enrout To Iceland.
Jim Malone On Watch, On The SPAR
On right ,just another -
typical day out at sea somewhere in the North Alantic.
This Is A Shot Of Spar, leaving jan Mayen Island, Norway Off
The Coast Of Norway.
On Right ,Seaman Cody Up On Bridge,Clowning Around
As Usual.
Gary
Nordon & me , Smoke Break ,He played The Guitar.
Chadwick,
Fn, StandingWatch Good Buddy. Joseph Mark Chadwick.
Small Boat in Tromso bay.
Leaving Tromso Norway. It Was Sad For Me.
This Is 3 Masted Ship That Was Part Of The Swedish
Navy The Tour Of Duty For Them was 8 Years Way To Long , I Traded A Chambray work Shirt For One Of Theirs
.
Chadwick, In Engine Room Smoking A Pipe. Joseph Mark
Chadwick.
Docks
"Tromso Norway" When Heading Back Out To Sea - 1966.
Notestine
, Chadwick , Tom & Cody Take Notice to Cody's Radio Bag It Was Stuffed With Beer We Took Back to the ship.
As We Neared The Arctic Circle , We Did Come Across Some Big Icebergs. Glad We Were Keeping Watch On Those
Guys.
Another Shot
Of Seymour, Just Coming Off Duty , We Worked 6 Hours On / 6
Hours Off .
From Left To Right , Rich Notestine Chadwick Seymour Cody.
Every
saturday , we were allowed two cans of beer for 25 cents each. They popped the top off so we couldn't save them up & tie one on. Those of us that drank had given money to
the non-drinkers so
we had more then our allotment.
But being out at sea
wasn't such a good Idea for
the next morning .
This is Kyle Chapman on the Spar's
Gangplank or brow, 1966.
Some Places We Visited While Abroad in 1966.
Click onto the maps for information of the places we visited.
Northwest coast of Jan Mayen Island
Click here for more of Charlie-Gibbs Fracture Zone. Scroll to Exploration & notes for more of the Spar wlb-403.
On Left A traditional
signpost at the east coast of Jan Mayen, close to the research station.
On Right Side, A typical beach on Jan Mayen,
Norway.
Click onto pictures below to enlarge
On the left is Jan Mayen Station now.
On Right is the Station back in "1966" Click
onto this photo to read about Jan Mayen.
The Seagoing Buoy Tender is a type of U.S. Coast Guard cutter originally designed
to service aids to navigation, throughout the waters of the United States, and wherever U.S. shipping interests require. The
Coast Guard has maintained a fleet of seagoing buoy tenders dating back to its origins in...
. An Iris class vessel, she was built by Marine Ironworks and Shipbuilding
Corporation in Duluth, Minnesota
Duluth is a port city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and the county seat of
St. Louis County. The fourth largest city in Minnesota, Duluth had a total population of 86,265 in the 2010 census. The Duluth
MSA had a population of 275,486 in 2000...
The United States Lighthouse Service, also known as the Bureau of Lighthouses,
was the agency of the US Federal Government that was responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of all lighthouses in the
United States from the time of its creation in 1910 until 1939...
and the final design was produced by Marine Iron and Shipbuilding Corporation in
Duluth. On 13 September 1943 the keel was laid, she was launched on 2 November 1942 and commissioned on 12 June 1944. The
original cost for the hull and machinery was $865,941.
Spar was one of 39 original 180 feet (55 m) seagoing
buoy tenders built between 1942-1944. All but one of the original tenders (the USCGC Ironwood) were built in Duluth.
Spar's
most notable accomplishment was being a member of a group of United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States Armed Forces
and one of the seven U.S. uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among
the military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission and a federal regulatory agency...
vessels to be the first to circumnavigate North America in 1957.
Spar
was decommissioned in 1997 and sold at auction. After changing hands several times, she ended up being transferred to the
Northeastern Maritime Historical Foundation, who evaluated her and determined their best use of the ship was to sell her,
or parts of her, to raise money to support their other projects. Spar's main engines, generators, and other equipment
were removed and sold to re-power another vessel. The remains of the vessel were scuttled in October 2004 in 108 feet of water,
30 miles (48 km) off Morehead City, North Carolina
Morehead City is a port city in Carteret County, North Carolina, United States.
The population was 8,661 at the 2010 census. Morehead City celebrated the 150th anniversary of its founding on May 5, 2007...
where she now serves as an artificial reef.
I Wonder Why I
Like This Stamp So Much ?
"Page No. 2 "
| Home |
| Page No. 2 Boot Camp & Spar Trip and photos. |
| Page No. 3 - Rich Notestine, Jim Malone, Dave Milanak & Kyle Chapman. Spar Trip 1966 . |
| Page No. 4 , Spar Trip 1966 / Guardians |
| Page No. 5, Spar Trip , 1966 / Guardians / All 39 Buoy Tenders & Storis-38 |
| Page No.6 Spar trip & pictures. |
| Page No. 7 - Tom's You Tubes. |
| Page No. 8 - Some of Tom's You Tubes. |
| Page No. 8/A - Spars in my day , Guardians now. A Great Asset to this Web Site. |
| Page No. 8/B - Some of Tom's You Tubes. |
| Page No.8/C - War in Afghanistan / Tom's Slide Shows / Korengal Valley, Afghanistan. Restrepo |
| Page No. 9 , Spar Trip in "1966". |
| Page No. 9/A - Spar - 403 , 1966 Trip. |
| Page No. 9/B - Spar Trip in 1966 & Claire Wineland is a Coastie for a day. "Get Well John" . |
| Page No.10 - Spar trip pictures / Guardians. |
| Page No.10/A - The Sinking Of The "SPAR wlb-403" |
| Page No. 11 Storis-38 / Northwest Passage You Tubes / Spar & Bramble. |
| Page No. 12 - All Links Page. |
| Page No. 13_ My Grandfather was on the" Carpathia" enroute to "Titanic's" aid. |
| Page No.14 , A Little Bit About Me. |
| Page No. 14 / A - Pat , Anna & Tom's Photos / Peggy Britton, William Tate. |
| Page No. 14 / B - The STORIS-38 - Northwest Passage / Photos by Dick Juge & Richard Woods |
| Page No. 14 / C - Northwest Passage , Bernie Merrifield's great photographs. |
| Page No. 15 - Records from my own collection of 45s & index of my complete Web Site.. |
| Page No. 15/ A - You Tube Viewing Page ,USCGC Spar. |
| Page No. 16 / Stories and conversations - Spar Trip 1966 / Guardians / |
| Page No. 17 - Coast Guard Boot Camp Page, Packing List and much more. |
| Page No.18 -A Coast Guard Response To 9/11. 10 Years Later. |
| Page No. 19 - USCG Helicopters and Misc. |
| Page No. 20 SparWLB- 403 - Welcomes the Spar WLB- 206 |
| Page No. 21 - Coast Guard Alaska. ( Coast Gurd TV ) always live. |
| Music Page No. 22 / Songs of our era, back in "1966" |
| The Movie Page, No. 23 ( Tom's You Tubes ) |
| U.S. Coast Guard Video Page No. 24. |
| All of my you tubes page, No. 25 |
| Page No. 26 Celebrities |
| Page No. 27 "Alan Meeker" Retired Coastie, Enjoy his pictures & stories. |
| The Coast Guard We Once Knew, Band Of Brother's Day.Page No. 28 |
| This page is for future use. |
| Read Alan's Story, No. 1 |
| Alan Meeker's Story, No. 2, & No. 3 |
