Aboard USS Kretchmer DER-329 out of Key West Florida, somewhere in the Atlantic Ocean. An ASW P3 makes a few low passes over the ship. The trawler was also in the game. We got close enough to each other to throw potatos. Dan Bill and Ken thought it would be fun. It was, and we didn't create an international incident. It was often hard to tell who was the cat and who was the mouse. On this day I think we were being "pursued." This was a five week cruse. Also shown is an "UNREP" but I can't recall the name of the ship. Also shown is the ENC (Engineman, Chief) with a dolphin caught on a trawl line. May 1972.
HOMEPAGEHOW TO POSTCTO 3 & 2EdzellGuamImperial BeachKamiSeyaNaplesSabana SecaSan MiguelWahiawaKretchmerLeyete GulfMahanPrincetonPuebloSaipanUSS Jose F Valdez
USS Kretchmer (DER-329) somewhere in the Atlantic Fleet.
In May 1972 the Navy was nice enough to send some of us in Norfolk on a Carribean/Atlantic cruise. Dan Devillers, and Bill Band are seen below looking for the deck chairs while Ken Spranza snaps the vacation photo. We were all CTO3's at the time. Our Chief for this trip was CTOC Ron Richmond. He had a full complement of other CT branches with him in the Detachment. Most of the CTs worked out of a SUPPRAD Van just forward of the gun in these photos. Us "O" branchers got to use a small room off of Radio Central down below.

I'd like to say the Kretchmer served us well....but this was a WWII vintage Destroyer Escort/Radar Pickett ship that had seen better days. We were at sea for five weeks. Once the water from ashore ran out we depended on evaporators to make sea water drinkable. It hardly was. It was also a special treat to have a Navy shower once or twice. On the way home we stopped in Guantanamo Bay Cuba. I threw away all my skivies and socks and bought new in the Navy Exchange.

Bill befriended the Mess Service men. He would eat like a king on midwatches. One night we were in heavy seas and most of the crew was seasick, even the RM's. Bill was on watch. Ken was sleeping like a baby in a rocking cradle. Bill came below deck and told Ken he was too sick to stay in Radio Central. So Ken crawled out to work. A little while later Ken AND Bill were both hugging the rail topside. I don't remember where Dan was. Probably asleep or hiding from Bill & Ken.

CTOCS Ken Spranza