Re: A story to read .....

Posted by Ol Chief on December 08, 2004 at 21:06:31 from (63.246.191.195):

In Reply to: Re: A story to read ..... posted by Sloroll on December 07, 2004 at 12:40:37:

Hi Sloroll;Answer to your question could be a lengthy one,but I'll give a brief outline because it may bore some folks.I started to sea in the U S Merchant Marine in 1944.In those days there were 5,000 merchant ships.All civilian manned but with Navy gun crews.Most ships had steam reciprocating engines which were oiled by hand.These engines had open crankpits and every thirty minutes a man made a round of the entire moving parts of the engine.I was an oiler.We were required to stand up close to the crank and connecting rod and on each rotation throw a hand out to feel the conn.rod and journal as it passed by. (There was no OSHA ) This was to feel the temperature and examine the appearanc of the oil picked up.This done to determine how many shots of oil required on that round.Most engines were 3 or 4 cyl.and stood two or three stories high with steel catwalks to access crossheads wrist pins and valve gear.They operated in the range of 70 to 80 RPM.The low pressure pistons were usually at least 5 feet in diameter and more so repairs were heavy work. I studied constantly and worked up to obtain an engineers licence.In 1950,day after the Korean war started I volunteered to go on active duty in the Navy.I was assigned to an ammunition ship as assistant engineering officer.After release to inactive reserve duty.I returned to the Merchant Marine. Over the years I worked up thru the ranks to Chief Engineer and worked in that position for forty years until retirement in 2002.I sailed in all of the world oceans except Artic and Antartic.The highest H.P. ships I sailed were 120,000 hp.They were fitted with two 60,000 units and the main propulsion shafts were 48 inchs in diameter. Have sailed on many type vessels .Tankers, freighters and about 18 years on passenger.I was C/E for seven years on the last American flag passenger ships S/S Independence and S/S Constitution. During a lot of my career I stayed home in summer and farmed then sailed the rest of the year.Now I have a peach orchard in Fredericksburg,Tx. and a 300 acre place at Katy ,Tx.with cattle and hay. Am 77 years old and going strong.Regards,Thanks your interest.John Cooney

Follow Ups:

• Re: A story to read ..... thurlow 08:31:54 12/09/04 (0)
• Re: A story to read ..... Tim in NB 05:19:03 12/09/04 (0)
• Re: A story to read ..... Sloroll 21:49:45 12/08/04 (1)
  • Re: A story to read ..... Bill WI 08:37:06 12/09/04 (0)

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