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View Full Version : Looks like Okinawa is going to get the BIG one



Ken Hendry
09-14-12, 11:58 AM
‎'Super typhoon' with 170 mph winds heading for Okinawa and South Korea worldnews.nbcnews.comA storm packing 170 mph winds was bearing down on the southern end of Japan's Okinawa Island, where locals and U.S. military personnel stationed at several bases were quickly stocking up and battening down. .

ameriken
09-14-12, 12:16 PM
Holy smokes, 170 mph!

In 1977 when I was stationed at Schwab, we were on float headed from Camp Fuji down to Subic on the USS Juneau when we were told we were going to have to divert 'around' Supertyphoon Babe (almost the exact same time as this one).

I remember 20 to 40 foot swells and watching the entire bow section of the flatbottomed USS Schenectady rise completely out of the water, and then get totally buried up to the bridge under the next swell. Needless to say, I didn't eat for 3 days, and the mess hall really was a 'mess' hall because the tables and chairs were not secured to the deck (???).

I could not imagine being right in the thick of it. Glad our boys and girls there are bracing themselves. Batten down the hatches!

kbay0351
09-14-12, 12:51 PM
In '92 I was at Camp Hanson and we got a typhoon warning. Had to push the wall lockers in the squad bay up against the windows and wait it out. Spent the next week on working parties cleaning up the base.

Marine1955
09-14-12, 01:54 PM
http://andrew.rsmas.miami.edu/bmcnoldy/tropics/sanba12/Sanba_14-16Sep12_okinowa.gif

Old Marine
09-14-12, 02:48 PM
Holy smokes, 170 mph!

In 1977 when I was stationed at Schwab, we were on float headed from Camp Fuji down to Subic on the USS Juneau when we were told we were going to have to divert 'around' Supertyphoon Babe (almost the exact same time as this one).

I remember 20 to 40 foot swells and watching the entire bow section of the flatbottomed USS Schenectady rise completely out of the water, and then get totally buried up to the bridge under the next swell. Needless to say, I didn't eat for 3 days, and the mess hall really was a 'mess' hall because the tables and chairs were not secured to the deck (???).

I could not imagine being right in the thick of it. Glad our boys and girls there are bracing themselves. Batten down the hatches!

Chairs in the mess hall aboard ship. Must have been a cushy ride. Road a MSTS ship to and from Korea back in the day and we all stood at the tables to eat.

Kegler300
09-14-12, 04:22 PM
We had typhoon parties during typhoons; nothing else to do...unless you want to ride a skateboard using your poncho as a sail. I was at Hansen in 77-78 and there was some dude that tried to ride a skateboard with a poncho as a sail...picked up and slammed into the wall at the handball court.

Rooger
09-14-12, 05:59 PM
I was on the Juneau in 1980 (3rd cbt Engineer 2nd platoon attached to 2/4) when we sailed from Subic to H.K. Sailed through super typhoon Kim, 150mph winds, A buddy and I were sitting on the starboard side catwalk under the flight deck on the bollards where they tie off the ship (too much puke and urine in the berthing space!)watching the LST pacing us rolling like crazy, we had platoon mates on that LST.

Anyway the front of the port ramp on the LST came loose dropped in the water and that LST turned around quick! 2 days late she showed up In H.K. and I dont think anyone on that ship bought one drink at the China Fleet club! But Boy did they get plenty drunk! Them Royal Navy and Marines show us one hell of a good time!

I also remember Typhoon Orchid hit us on OKI, after it was over we cleaned up the base for 2 days! Found a piece of straw stuck through a phone pole like an arrow! Had a pic of that but lost it somewhere.


Oh and Kegler? I heard about that guy!

Marine1955
09-14-12, 06:24 PM
We had our share of Parties when I was there in Okinawa from 79 to 80.
we would stock up on some 20/20 and Jim Bean and some lunch meats and bread and play cards and drank.
We watched as the rain got blown through the walls in the barracks and we had to lay our towels down to get the water up.. We had some good parties then..
:beer:

Kegler300
09-14-12, 07:08 PM
Good times!

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_ueE7EKyU5g4/SnvojDSQ6EI/AAAAAAAAAzU/EogxBzmWnSI/typhoon.jpg

thewookie
09-15-12, 06:35 AM
some dude that tried to ride a skateboard with a poncho as a sail

Brilliant!

Aaah those good ole typhoon parties....

When I was there on my second pump in 94 the guys from Recon were using their poncho's as a sail/chute as they jumped off the roof of their barracks in one of those "typhoon parties". All good till a dude broke his leg when his poncho collasped during decent. :)

I remember as soon as the word got out that the base would be under typhoon conditions the lines to the PX and beer store were crazy,, like being at the post office before a UDP unit shipped...

One typhoon during xmas we made a beer can (empties of course) Christmas tree. The thing was like four cases of empties for just the base, then we glued them on as we went on. HAHA - I remember when the co GySgt found it,, we paid.