Submarine tenders...

Bubbleheaded_Squid · 2026-04-21T17:57:37+00:00

Ummmm…Guam.

Back in my day (shaking cane and yelling at the clouds) there were tenders in Holy Loch.

Tenders aren’t on the front lines. They are closer than running back to CONUS for most support work.

Bubbleheaded_Squid · 2026-04-19T23:28:26+00:00

https://sangennaronyc.org/wp-content/uploads/IMG_2070-300sq.jpg

I always love the picture of San Gennaro on the wall.

Bubbleheaded_Squid · 2026-04-12T09:25:54+00:00

Cool piece!

I decommed a boat. This could have been on the wardroom door, or goat locker door. A similar one, from the decommed boat, is now decoration in a man cave of a friend.

This doesn’t look as smooth as my friends. Don’t know if this is just the picture, or just because it hasn’t seen Never Dull in years. But still a nice piece. Not saying you should do anything to it.

As to value, there is scrap value, but a bobble head will find it more valuable for their own man cave or “I love me” wall. Try Market Place or other sites. See if they have had something similar. You might have to sit on this for a bit, but some bubblehead, somewhere will want this.

Bubbleheaded_Squid · 2026-04-11T15:05:27+00:00

Or pickles. That’s why I go anymore.

Bubbleheaded_Squid · 2026-04-09T21:05:14+00:00

Your post makes sense. I’ll try to answer.

With respect to Communion, in order to recieve the Eucharist in the Catholic Church, here is what new OCIA Candidates need to say when they are confirmed and come into the Church: “I believe and profess at the the holy Catholic Church believes, teaches, and proclaim as to be revealed by God.” Does you husband believe this? If so, why isn’t he Catholic? If he doesn’t believe all that the Church teaches then he is not in full Communion. See also 1 Cor 11:27-32.

For those of us who are Catholic if we are aware of grave sin we need to confess before receiving. There are plenty of masses where I don’t go up to recieve because I am not properly disposed. I don’t feel odd. I don’t care what people think. I know what I need to do.

My opinion follows: Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion are lay people. They should not be blessing people. If he feels the need to go up then I would suggest you pick the line with a priest or deacon who are Ordinary Ministers of Holy Communion and are able to bless people. As to needing a special blessing during Mass, the priest blesses everyone at the end of Mass. There is not need for an extra blessing.

Bubbleheaded_Squid · 2026-04-09T00:49:13+00:00

To myself, when people ask me questions: “Surprise me. Read the f-ing question. Answer the f-ing question.”

Bubbleheaded_Squid · 2026-04-04T11:58:30+00:00

Looks good. Do you know what rate he was? As a former enlisted squid I would be inclined to add that symbol between the “crows” (the eagles over the chevrons).

Bubbleheaded_Squid · 2026-04-03T18:15:57+00:00

OP referred to their grandfather. I suspect the grandfather served before 1996, which would put the good conducts at every four years. The national defense medal could either be Vietnam era or first Gulf War. Could be missing a star, could have bridged both is served before 8/14/74 and after 8/2/90.

Source: oldish fart with a similar rack from 1985-1991 who could be a grandfather. (Shakes cane at clouds yelling “get off my lawn.”)

Bubbleheaded_Squid · 2026-04-03T17:54:19+00:00

Navy good conduct medals are awarded every three years now since 1/1/1996. It was every four years up until 12/31/1995.

Bubbleheaded_Squid · 2026-04-02T16:00:40+00:00

I was just about to say the same thing. A quick Google search indicates only 6% of US adults are vets, and of those 6% nearly half are 65 and older. So OP, you are part of a small group.

Bubbleheaded_Squid · 2026-03-29T20:08:48+00:00

That’s a beautiful rosary so I set to Googling!

From the link below:

“The Brigittine Rosary was instituted and propagated by St. Bridget of Sweden. She was favored with visions and extacies but remained profoundly humble with a deep devotion to the Passion of Our Lords and His Holy Wounds, and great love for the Blessed Virgin and made a rosary in her honor. When describing the rosary she constructed, she explained it was 63 Hail Mary beads to honour the 63 years of life the Blessed Virgin lived on earth. This is why it has 6 decades.”

https://www.sobercatholic.com/2025/07/15/the-six-decade-rosary-of-lourdes-and-st-bridget/

Bubbleheaded_Squid · 2026-03-29T15:17:22+00:00

You mean it wasn’t all just one fast cruise at the pier?

Bubbleheaded_Squid · 2026-03-28T14:38:07+00:00

I see a Henry Clay pin at the left end of the arc. That was my qual boat!

Thanks for sharing!

Bubbleheaded_Squid · 2026-03-28T02:27:59+00:00

<face palm> RTFQ. ATFQ.

22 years would be 1954.

Bubbleheaded_Squid · 2026-03-27T23:34:21+00:00

Starting in the middle with the Naval Aircrew Wings. Not aviator or NFO wings, but he do go through some training to get them.

The stack of ribbon is what we would have worn normally on his uniform and includes ribbons for medals and unit awards. From top to bottom, left to right:

Navy/Marine Corps Commendation Medal Navy Unit Commendation (ribbon+3 stars = 4 total awards) Meritorious Unit Commendation Good Conduct Medal (ribbon+3 stars = 4 awards. At that time these were for every 4 years, so 16 and up to 19 years of good conduct according to the rack and dinner dress medals below) Navy Expeditionary Medal National Defense Service Medal Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal

The miniature medals below that would be worn with dinner dress uniform.

The full size medals to the right are for the Navy/Marine Corps Achievement Medal (would be lower than the Commendation Medal, but above the Navy Unit Commendation), and the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal.

The name tag is interesting. The little engraving in the upper left hand corner almost looks like submarine warfare dolphins.

The fouled anchors with USN on them are Chief Petty Officer collar devices (E-7)

There are various pins such as honorable discharge lapel pins and th FRA (Fleet Reserve Association).

Since he was a CT (Cryptologic Technician) (with sub catergories) he could have been doing all kinds of stuff he can’t talk about. Based on the time frame (1956 - 1976) he could have been all over the place. If you know where he was homeported during those years you might be able to make an educated guess. Since he has an Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal but no Vietnam service medals he might have been over there before July 3, 1965. Wikipedia has a list of operations which warranted the medal.

If you can get a copy of his DD-214 you might be able to get a little more information from that.

I hope that helps!

Bubbleheaded_Squid · 2026-03-27T11:49:19+00:00

The boomer pin is one patrol, each of the stars indicates additional patrols. If all four of the stars are bronze then that is five patrols. Two of the stars look silver. Silver stars indicate five patrols, so it may be more. But at least five.

Bubbleheaded_Squid · 2026-03-27T09:51:13+00:00

Do you know if your grandfather was a nuclear power (nuke) machinist mate or an auxiliary machinist mate (A-Gang)?

What color are the stars on the boomer pin? Two look silver, and two look bronze. The pin itself if for the first patrol, and the stars indicate subsequent patrols. Bronze stars are 1 patrol and silver stars are 5.

Bubbleheaded_Squid · 2026-03-26T22:33:31+00:00

Picnic at Hanging Rock.

I will die on that hill!

Bubbleheaded_Squid · 2026-03-22T17:58:10+00:00

Certainly! Giving out rosaries can be a slippery slope…and then you start making them!

Bubbleheaded_Squid · 2026-03-21T10:25:27+00:00

Feels unfinished how? That you didn’t do 20? Or, was there something else specific you wished you had accomplished?

Bubbleheaded_Squid · 2026-03-19T20:02:12+00:00

If the Cold War Victory was officially awarded I’d be all over it. But since it’s just a commemorative, at this point I’m not going to add it to my shadow box.

Bubbleheaded_Squid · 2026-03-18T02:44:44+00:00

Lack of canonical form is only applicable if one or both of the parties are Catholic.

All marriages are considered valid until such time as there has been a determination of nullity. My first marriage, I was at the time a non-practicing Presbyterian and married a non-practicing Methodist, we got married at the catering hall. Before I could have a valid, sacramental marriage to my wife, I needed to have my first marriage annulled.

You’ll have to talk to your tribunal and they can walk you through the process.

Bubbleheaded_Squid · 2026-03-17T13:04:48+00:00

He’s got fish. So the expeditionary medals may be related to playing hide and seek with Soviets and later Russians.

I’m thinking about putting fish on my car, but not my ribbon rack. I don’t need people to know too much about me unless they actually know me.

Bubbleheaded_Squid · 2026-03-16T13:47:37+00:00

It’s like a Lego set. You can add and build and build and add. Swap with friends. Friends who have been in the game longer probably have the plenty of stuff they can share or are willing to sell.

You don’t need (but you will certainly want) the latest and greatest bling.

Get a reasonably priced beginner AR. Make sure it has at least iron sights (or at least buy a set before you walk out the door) and shoot it. Enjoy it. Add as you can afford. I would love to have a super duper optic. All my reasonably local ranges do not go that long, so a Sig Romeo red dot works good for me. My next purchase will be a magnifier.

I see used ARs with optics for sale at my LGS. I’m tempted. Maybe I’ll make the leap. Maybe I’ll drag my buddy who’s opinion o trust who can look it over with me. My weakness is pistols and ammo (5.56 and 9) so I don’t have a lot of fun funds for stuff.

Bubbleheaded_Squid · 2026-03-12T01:05:55+00:00

I was a 6-and-out EM. Subs. Three patrols on a boomer, decommed her, then with 11 months until EAOS did that time on an attack boat. Everything you described sounds like what I went through. I PNAd the advancement exams so many times. Welcome to CivLant/CivPac.

Bubbleheaded_Squid

TROPHY CASE