The photos above are of the USS BUTTE AE-27 upon which I spent my last two years on Active Duty from 1984 thru early 1986. Stationed out of Earle, NJ the Butte was one of the busiest 'ammunition ships' at the time.
To those of us who served aboard the ship the AE stood for "all expendable" which is how we felt. The first question you'd ask to a new crew member was, "Who'd you piss off?" {Ask Elayne about some of this if you doubt me!}
When in port we were at the end of a two mile long pier which itself was over a mile and a half away from any inhabited buildings. When fully loaded we were told that if we exploded we'd probably take out everything within five miles of us at sea. There was a reason that we were never allowed dockside when in foreign ports, even U.S. ones. We always anchored out.
As you can also imagine abandon ship drills were a matter of high hilarity, while any actual fire alarms were taken with dead seriousness.
A moment of truth in advertising: The photo on the left is one of those "official" photographs. I never remember the Butte looking that clean or rust free in all the time I served aboard. Part of which time I served in Deck and hung over the side painting the ugly, haze grey sonuvabitch.
9 comments:
Cool, you found Butte pictures! Yes, I remember and will confirm the "Who'd you piss off?" bit...
I served on the USS BUTTE AE27 from 1972 to 1974. we made a med. and a west pac. cruise.they sure kept us busy.
I served on the Butte 1975-77 and made a couple Med Cruises. I worked in 1st Division a bit, but got lucky and worked out of the UNREP Shop for most of my tour. I ran winches during UNREP. and did PMS on all the rigging. We had a great group in the shop, really smart, talented young guys. I didn't appreciate it so much then, but it was one of the best times of my life!
I was pretty happy to get off the Butte at the time, but overall I did have some good times aboard her. In retrospect I think I should have stayed in the Navy Reserves instead of making that complete break.
Of course, we all know what they say about hindsight!
I was an original crew member when she was commissioned in December 1968. Worked in Boiler Division as PO2 assigned to Oil and Water King position. Best memory was in May 1970, after two week restriction for pumping oil over flowing into Norfok harbor due to miscalculated tank charts ( and a sleeping watch aid) I was able to leave Navy day before first Med cruise. Guess that really pissed somebody off. Sorry to see she met her demise 38 years later. Great group of guys and great duty before maiden cruise.
I SERVED ON BOARD BUTTE FROM 1/1/1988 TO 9/30/92 AND I HAVE TO SAY I WOULD NOT SERVE WITH ANY GROUP OF PEOPLE OTHER THAN THE ONES THAT I SERVED WITH. I HAD SOOOO MUCH FUN ON THE SHIP AND THE CREW MADE IT EVEN BETTER. I DID 2 MED-CRUISE, 2 GITMO'S, AND 2 SRY-DOCKS ONE IN PHILADELPHIA AND THE OTHER IN BROOKLYN,NY........ MAN WAS THAT FUN. I'VE MET SOME VERY GOOD PEOPLE THAT WERE LIKE MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT WE WERE. THERE WERE GOOD TIMES AND BAD TIMES BUT THE GOOD OUT-WEIGHED THE BAD. I WAS A PART OF DECK'S 2ND DIVISION FOR WHICH I BELIEVED HAD THE BEST GROUP OF PEOPLE FROM THE ENLISTED UP TO THE DIVISION OFFICER { LT. MEAD }. I HATED STANDING THE MID WATCH ON THE FANTAIL IN ROUGH SEAS'. THAT WAS SOME SCARY MOMENTS. THERE ARE ALOT OF MEMORIES THAT I COULD TALK ABOUT SUCH AS MY FIRST CHILD STACHIA WAS BORN 1 WEEK AFTER WE DEPLOYED FOR MY FIRST MED-CRUISE, OR SN BARLOW FALLING OVERBOARD OFF THE COAST OF EGYPT, { THANK GOD } FOR THE EOD TEAM WHO DID THIER JOB WITH NO PROBLEM. OR THE RUSSIAN SUB THAT WAS FOLLOWING US IN THE MED AND ONE PHONE CALL TO THE BATTLE FLEET AND THE SQUAD SHOWED UP ON THE SCENE IN A MATTER OF MINUETS AND OF COURSE THE SHOW OF OUR POWER MADE THE RUSSIANS THINK TWICE SO THEY DISAPPEARED DOWN IN THE DEPTS OF THE DEEP BLUE SEA. I MISS MY OLD SHIPMATES. MONEY,WISE,DANO,KILLER MILLER,AMARO,NUTE NITTY,MOE,BIG NICE,SMOOTH B,SMOOTH J, NELSON,SIMON,BIG CHEESE,FRANK G,SPOONY G,PERFECT P,CHUNG,CLANCY,KEARNY,WARRIOR,MITCH,BOO BOO B,HUFF,YO YO,BONNER,WHISTLER,BARNETT,MS. JACKSON,ROBINSON TO NAME A FEW. I WIS WE COULD HAVE A REUNION WHERE WE CAN ALL MEET AT THE VERY PIER WHERE WE MOORED. THAT WOULD BE NICE. OR GET A SANDWICH AT SLATERS. I WAS SADDEN TO SEE THEM PUT HER DOWN LIKE THEY DID. IWAS HOPING TO REVISIT HER ONE DAY BUT ALL I CAN DO NOW IS LOOK AT PICTURES OF HER ON THE WEB BUT, SOMETHING IS BETTER THAN NOTHING. R.I.P. BUTTE. EVEN THOUGH YOU ARE GONE, WE WILL STILL KEEP THE GUNS LOADED.
We missed each other, as I was on the Butte from '84 thru '86. I do sometimes regret leaving, although I wasn't the happiest camper aboard her at the time. Thanks mostly to a certain E-7 I had to work with. Seemed at times we were never in port more than a week or so, often leaving on short or no notice, as I'm sure you remember from your own time.
Every ship I served on during my Navy career (five ships in less then 10 yrs) was either decommissioned from under me or has since been turned into razorblades.
I served on the Butte in 85-87 and I had a great time the day I arrived on her we left for a med tour the next day and I was the youngest person ever on her at 16 but I was a Dk in supply working under Rudy but I would love to get in touch with any body from that time my name is Dante dino and my email is dante007101@aol.com if anyone gets this get in touch but all an all it was a great time
I guess we must have at least met once or twice Dante, since just about everybody ended up at the Ship's Office for one reason or another, even to checkin.
Guess you must have been there when we were drydocked in Mobile also.
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