What Do Marines Do On a Ship?

[SmokeyZach]

This is probably a really pointless sounding question. I work at Patriot's Point Maritime Museum and a ship there is called the USS Yorktown (CV/A/S-10). On the ship is a Marine "quarters" (that is how I refer to it, if there is a correct term please tell me), when I get asked what Marines did on the ship, I say, "They kept the sailors in order." (My boss, a former Marine, told me to say this). What other duties do Marines have on a ship?

I hope, one day, I might get to find out for myself as well.

[ameriken]

I believe the ship duty you're referring to is a thing of the past.

[Petz]

um, the yorktown isn't that old is it? aircraft carrier??

anyways, there is plenty Marines do on ship... nothing I can speak of personally, but depending on which ship would determine what it was that they did.

we always had working parties on ship, cleaned with the sailors cleaned... did guard duty while under-way... at port unless you screwed up big-time you'd be gone the entire time unless they give you cinderella liberty (back by midnight... get it?)...

um, those seem to be the generic responsibilities... the specifics from ship to ship could be answered by fellas who were on them... I'll leave it to them.

[echo3oscar1833]

On the Portland, was on for about a few weeks, we did absolutely nothing. We got on ship, with the AAV's, off of NC, headed down to Florida. The only think we actually really did was PM our AAV's, and had firewatch in the tank deck. On the Guston Hall, that was different, spent about a month on there. Had mess duty for about a week, we also had to help field day. We did AAV pm in the tank deck. Then we had firewatch, slept in the berthing areas, some nites down with the AAV's. Also did PT on the flight deck, when the helos wernt comming in. Get used to running in a circle, if your on ship alot. Oh on the Portland, they dropped the ramp on the back, and let out a huge net. We all got to go swimming that day, that was very cool btw. Chow sucked I thought, other than that not much I can say. If you go AAV MOS, expect to be doing Ship Ops, alot. Thats kinda of a duh considering the job function. SF:marine:

[SmokeyZach]

Thank you for the information, sirs, and to answer your question, Staff Sergeant Petzold, the Yorktown was commissioned in 1943 and decommissioned in 1970. She became a museum ship in 1975.

That brings me to one more question if anyone would care to answer. There is an armory in the Marine Corps berthing area. Among the weapons are an M2 Browning, M1 Garands, M14's and M16A1's. Were those used to defend the ship or assault an island or something? I get asked all the time why the weapons are on board.

[SlingerDun]

During the cold war era nuclear weapons security was the primary function of Marine detachments (ships company) who's permanent duty station was said vessel. Airwingers also deploy with carriers for months at a time but pack up and leave when the ship returns to it's home port.
All those nautical terms and jargon you may learn in boot camp and beyond start to make sense when a Marine deploys aboard a U.S.S.

Every detachment had a small arms locker, because they are Marineshttp://www.leatherneck.com/forums/images/icons/icon6.gif

--->Dave

[echo3oscar1833]

Thank you for the information, sirs, and to answer your question, Staff Sergeant Petzold, the Yorktown was commissioned in 1943 and decommissioned in 1970. She became a museum ship in 1975.

That brings me to one more question if anyone would care to answer. There is an armory in the Marine Corps berthing area. Among the weapons are an M2 Browning, M1 Garands, M14's and M16A1's. Were those used to defend the ship or assault an island or something? I get asked all the time why the weapons are on board.

Those were rifles used, in every operation, conflict, and war that, that particular ship was involved in. They are the tools used by Generations of Marines, that have protected and defended, for you to have your life that you live today. Need I say more.:usmc:

[Petz]

a Marine is useless without his weapon... why wouldn't we bring them with us? it's a Marines original purpose to protect naval vessels and grew from there.

as was said, those just happen to be the service rifles while that particular ship was in service.

[Phantom Blooper]

What Do Marines Do On a Ship?

Get in the sailors way....

Clean your rifle....Work on your bird/trac....play spades....get seasick....biatch....

Tie a hammock to a tree.....spray a water hose on you on a hundred degree day....try to read or write a letter...almost shipboard life....

Something you have to experience for yourself!:evilgrin:

[thewookie]

Get sick :D:(:scared:

[Pete0331]

Get in the sailors way....

Clean your rifle....Work on your bird/trac....play spades....get seasick....biatch....

Tie a hammock to a tree.....spray a water hose on you on a hundred degree day....try to read or write a letter...almost shipboard life....

Something you have to experience for yourself!:evilgrin:

You forgot: standing in the chow line 3 hours out of every day. :marine:

PT every morning and again in the evening on occasion.
Classes.
Ranges off the flight deck.
Training that can take place in a small area. Usually weapons manipulation, gun drills, MCMAP, and so on.
LOTS of weapons maintenance.
TDG's.
Guard.

After hours:
Gym time. Every Marine hits the gym at the beginning, but that tapers off after the 2nd month.
Ice Cream night
Poker night
Movie night
Pizza Night
Chili cook-off night
and so on...

I spent all my time on a flat top LHA/LHD Wasp-class.
So there were mass casualty, man overboard, abandon ship, Sparrowhawk, TRAP, and NEO drills.

We also had a company hike.
Up the ramp, around the flight deck, and down the ramp over and over for about 6 hours.

There is plenty to do, but with the amount of people and the tight quarters it usually takes about 3 times as long to do as it would normally.
Around 6 showers per 300 or so Marines, to give you an idea.
Platoon haircuts take all day.

Looking at the same douchebags for 6+ months can wear on somebody after awhile.

[Supersquishy]

Worked every day working on the Harrier, 12 on 12 off, when there wasn't any inspections or maint on the birds, nap on the red gear. Some of the best sleep I ever got was on the boat, rocka a by baby! HAH we had a "Barf-O-Meter" a string and weight and when we went through ruff stuff it would pegg out on BARF.

[DocGreek]

HA! HA! HA! HA! SONNY.....Marines are used for BALAST!!...WE move them from side to side, to keep the ship balanced! PLEASE...GOOGLE the YORKTOWN...one TOUGH old tub!! Lot's of fine men were killed, and wounded during Her duty in the Pacific, in WWII. Marine, and Navy pilots flew off Her deck to POUND JAP positions and ships, AND.....SHOOT DOWN LOTS OF JAP PLANES!!!! She's STILL afloat as a Memorium to those FINE MEN!!....MARINES, and SAILORS!! "Respect is earned, not given!".....Doc Greek

[Phantom Blooper]

Lock all friends and family outside. Your only means of communication should be with letters that your neighbors have held for at least three weeks, discarding two of five.
Surround yourself with 200 people that you don't really know or like: people who smoke, snore like Mack trucks going uphill, and use foul language like a child uses sugar on cereal.
Unplug all radios and TVs to completely cut you off from the outside world. Have a neighbor bring you a Time, Newsweek, or Proceedings from five years ago to keep you abreast of current events.
Monitor all home appliances hourly, recording all vital information (ie: plugged in, lights come on when doors open, etc).
Do not flush the toilet for five days to simulate the smell of 40 people using the same commode.
Lock the bathroom twice a day for a four hour period.
Wear only military uniforms. Even though nobody cares, clean and press one dress uniform and wear it for 20 minutes.
Cut your hair weekly, making it shorter each time, until you look bald or look like you lost a fight with a demented sheep.
Work in 19-hour cycles, sleeping only four hours at a time, to ensure that your body does not know or even care if it is day or night.
Listen to your favorite CD 6 times a day for two weeks, then play music that causes acute nausea until you are glad to get back to your favorite CD.
Cut a twin mattress in half and enclose three sides of your bed. Add a roof that prevents you from sitting up (about 10 inches is a good distance) then place it on a platform that is four feet off the floor. Place a small dead animal under the bed to simulate the smell of your bunkmate's socks.
Set your alarm to go off at 10 minute intervals for the first hour of sleep to simulate the various times the watchstanders and night crew bump around and wake you up. Place your bed on a rocking table to ensure you are tossed around the remaining three hours. Make use of a custom clock that randomly simulates fire alarms, police sirens, helicopter crash alarms, and a new-wave rock band.
Have week old fruit and vegetables delivered to your garage and wait two weeks before eating them.
Prepare all meals blindfolded using all the spices you can grope for, or none at all. Remove the blindfold and eat everything in three minutes.
Periodically, shut off all power at the main circuit breaker and run around shouting "fire, fire, fire" and then restore power.
At least once a month, force the commode to overflow to simulate a 'black water system' boo-boo.
Buy a gas mask and smear it with rancid animal fat. Scrub the face shield with steel wool until you can no longer see out of it. Wear this for two hours every fifth day especially when you are in the bathroom.
Study the owner's manual for all household appliances. Routinely take an appliance apart and put it back together.
Remove all plants, pictures and decorations. Paint everything gray, white, or the shade of hospital smocks.
Buy 50 cases of toilet paper and lock up all but two rolls. Ensure one of these two rolls is wet all the time.
Smash your forehead or shins with a hammer every two days to simulate collision injuries sustained onboard Navy ships.
When making sandwiches, leave the bread out for six days, or until it is hard and stale.
Every 10 weeks, simulate a visit to another port. Go directly to the city slums wearing your best clothes. Find the worst looking place, and ask for the most expensive beer that they carry. Drink as many as you can in four hours. Take a cab home taking the longest possible route. Tip the cabby after he charges you double because you dress funny and don't speak right.
Use fresh milk for only two days after each port visit.
Keep the bedroom thermostat at 2 deg C and use only a thin blanket for warmth.
Ensure that the water heater is connected to a device that provides water at a flow rate that varies from a fast drip to a weak trickle, with the temperature alternating rapidly from -2 to 95 deg C.
Use only spoons which hold a minimum of ½ cup at a time.
Repaint the interior of your home every month, whether it needs it or not.
Remind yourself every day: "It's not just a job, it's an adventure!"
Mix kerosene with your water supply to simulate the de-sal plant on the ship picking up jp5 in the intake-if a lit match thrown into your coffee pot doesn't ignite it, add more kerosene.
Stand outside at attention at dawn and have the poorest reader you know read the morning paper out loud. Be sure to have him skip over anything pertinent.
Every four hours, check the fluid level in your car's radiator. Check the tire pressure and replace air lost from excessive pressure checks. Be sure to place red tag on ignition stating "DANGER: DO NOT OPERATE" while you perform these checks. Inform your neighbor as to the results of these checks, have him tell you to repeat the checks because he did not see you perform them.
Paint your house gray (exterior) include windows except for rooms you do not frequent, paint your car gray, paint your driveway a different shade of gray.
Wait outside your dining area as a family member eats a meal, then have that person serve you a meal prepared several hours earlier.
Shut all blinds and doors at sunset.
Clean your house 'till there's absolutely not a speck of dust anywhere.
Call on a stranger to come inspect your house. Ensure stranger sees dust that has collected in the time it took to find him. Stranger cannot leave until he finds irrational fault with your house/belongings.
Hang Christmas lights in June. When the neighbors ask, say, "deceptive lighting."
Hang white lights when relatives visit. When neighbors ask, say, "friendship lights."

:evilgrin:

[skipper72]

When I rode the USS Newport News (CA-148) as XO of the Marine Detachment, duties included:

1. Operating an onboard brig (hopefully, never for Marines)

2. Standing at the ready as a landing party (participating in landing party exercises at Vieques. in Sicily, and elsewhere

3. Handling shipboard air defense coordination and manning aerial defense guns

4. Conducting landing and assault exercises with allies (in my case, Italians, French Commandos, and Britiish Royal Marines)

5. Serving as the principal Summary Court Martial officer and as Special Court Martial member, trial, counsel and defense counsel

6. Serving as OOD (In-Port)

7. Serving as a 6th Fleet Foreign Claims Officer and port-of-call Counterintelligence Officer

8. Commanding Seagoing Marines on foreign port MP duty (we did NOT consider ourselves "Shore Patrol")

9. Serving ashore in disaster relief evolutions after the earthquake at Agadir, Morocco

etc. etc.

We were "Soldiers of the Sea." MARINES! That's where the title came from. But seagoing is no more. Another hallowed tradition "bit the dust." S***-canned by the generals who were the O-1s of MY era (and far from the best of them!).

So are there still really "MARINES" serving, in fact ? You decide.

[skipper72]

Left out of the prior summary was that we were often called upon for foreign port ceremonies (as honor guard, in parades, etc.): We were the "face" of the United States Marine Corps and the United States of America at scores of ports in at least a dozen countries. And, in EVERY parade, the Marine Detachment LED!

Also left out was that. when Haiti felt threatened by invasion by the Dominican Republic, our Detachment was the advance advisory force posted to the U.S. Naval Mission.

Guess we didn't do enough as "Sea Soldiers" to be worth keeping. Must be it... At least, Bene decessit !

[GIrene]

Actually be surprised. I read an article a waaaaaaay back that said "MARDETs" would be making a comeback to our frigate/destroyer fleet. They essentially want Marines to do what they used to do in the old days + the duties of a FAST team on water: ship security, port security, seaborne search and seizure, etc.

Btw that list of how to simulate ship's life is great. And I was only there for a week. I managed to never hit a part of my body on anything once, evidence I was born in a Navy family. Never got seasick either and actually felt worse once I hit land.

SPeaking of which you forgot that the person needs to install a railing on their front porch and throwing up over it within the first week or two of starting their "voyage." And random times throughout to simulate bad weather.

[SmokeyZach]

As Captain Burnes mentioned, there is also a brig on the Yorktown, I forgot to mention that but my question already got answered. Thank you, sir. From what I can conclude, Marines are no longer stationed on aircraft carriers? That is interesting.

What does NEO and TRAP stand for?

[thewookie]

As Captain Burnes mentioned, there is also a brig on the Yorktown, I forgot to mention that but my question already got answered. Thank you, sir. From what I can conclude, Marines are no longer stationed on aircraft carriers? That is interesting.

What does NEO and TRAP stand for?


Now your really digging up stuff.

NEO = Non-combatant Evacuation Operations

TRAP = Tactical Recovery of Aircraft and Personnel

We used to work/train for NEO's on the various dry-docked ships located in Norfolk.

Talk about close quarters....

[GIrene]

As Captain Burnes mentioned, there is also a brig on the Yorktown, I forgot to mention that but my question already got answered. Thank you, sir. From what I can conclude, Marines are no longer stationed on aircraft carriers? That is interesting.

What does NEO and TRAP stand for?
The only Marines I know of anymore that go to carriers are the aviation squadrons.

I got to spend a week on a CV qual det for the instructor pilots at my command. The Nimitz is a fine vessel btw :D Carrier life is different though, I don't think I can put up with it for 6+ months though.

[SmokeyZach]

Okay, thank you for the responses. If any other questions are asked that I can not answer I was wondering if I could post them here? The reason I get asked so much about the ship and Marines in particular is because that part of the ship is where I work (Tours 4 & 5). Also, that is what convinces me to join the Marine Corps after college.

[SlingerDun]

Every once in awhile there was a civilian Fed agent military liason guy that would embark and brief us on legit terrorist outfits along with the known up 'n' comers. We constantly drilled hostile weapons takeover scenario's day or night somewhat because of Iran and the hostage situation but mostly because that rust bucket was overloaded with nuclear warheads. Like, whoa POTUS, dude! How many freaking 'world shakers' does one battle group need to cover it's AOhttp://www.leatherneck.com/forums/images/icons/icon6.gif It also seemed like most every foreign port had a local rogue faction we should be aware of as defenders of a floating city and it's doomsday cargo. No we didn't have alot of fun aboard that hot crowded vessel, it was suffocating and felt more like an exiled prison sentence attached to a semi-high profile occupation. Standing at parade rest in a solitary cage for two years i often regreted not flunking out of Sea School:marine: which was a scar but also a one way ticket back to the grunts and not as much float time. I do believe for a country kid it would have double sucked hind tit being a ships company Marine back in the early days of the Corps.

There was also an alleged domestic threat from recently hatched militant type eco-terrorists outfits like Earth First and other wannabes... remnants of various losers like the PLO who would like to get their hands on a nuke. Final disembarkation i packed off to Camp Pendleton an SRB that resembled an over stuffed Pee-Chee with hundreds of entries on classes attended for nuclear weapons security and anti-terrorist stuff, fighting JP5 fires, containing flooded compartments etc... most of which was not practical knowledge in a cold war line company

--->Dave

[Petz]

dude... you did that kind of stuff?!

kewl.

[SlingerDun]

yeah between naps hehehehe:beer:

[Petz]

oh, I know what you really did... but having been assigned that is pretty neat.

[Alisium]

Eat big, lift big, sleep big, get big.

[Pete0331]

I refused to gorge myself on the bullcrap navy food.
Lost 20 lbs on that deployment.
MRE's were better then the crap we had.

[SmokeyZach]

Are MRE's the same for the Army and Marines? There are some crates full of "Vietnam-era" C-Rations they have on display, I think they all have some kind of candy called 'CHARMS' and canned meat among other things. Some Army and Navy veterans said told me they have the best food out of the entire armed forces.

[Petz]

all C-rations and MREs are the same across the board...

'course if you were Motor-T (or any MOS that had access to a hot exhaust manifold) you enjoyed your C-rations year round. imagine Korea... cold as balls... the fat in the C-rat is solid... Motor-T is eatin' hot chow...

[SlingerDun]

Lunch time here no shoeing today installing a new swimming pool liner:cool: need 6 more hands to lay it out evenhttp://www.leatherneck.com/forums/images/icons/icon11.gif....
On the Coral Sea the cooks were Fillipino's down to the man, not the guys pulling mess duty but the cooks. So there was rice available all four meals; Lunch, dinner and mid-rats would very often be roast beef, chicken, rice, smashed taters, stewed tomatoes. I still eat those victuals at cafe's on the road and build similar meals at home with brown rice and no stewed tomatoes, you can have them. There was a quicker 'express' chow line for lunch and dinner called the doggy diner; hot dog, burger, fries, ick, period

--->Dave

[Kegler300]

Field day and play Spades...

[SgtThrasher]

We went on a Caribbean cruise in 1966.We boarded the USS Guadalcanal LPH-7 in Norfolk and sailed to Vieques for FO training.While aboard the ship we ran on the flight deck and cleaned our rifles and let the sailors run the ship.Good chow and large berthing area ,months later we practiced going off the ropes to the landing boats to hit the beach from the USS Terribone Parrish LST and eventually sailed back to Camp Lejeune on the "bone" as the sailors called her.She was a hot, cramped rough ride with little space to do anything but stay out of the sailors way.She was our taxi from training in Vieqeus,to hitting the liberty ports and we trained hard,but had lots of fun.

[scifguard]

Are MRE's the same for the Army and Marines? There are some crates full of "Vietnam-era" C-Rations they have on display, I think they all have some kind of candy called 'CHARMS' and canned meat among other things. Some Army and Navy veterans said told me they have the best food out of the entire armed forces.

Don't eat the Charms, they make it rain.

[SmokeyZach]

Alright, I greatly appreciate the assistance, here is the latest on what I have been asked. Usually there will be 'professionals' around the ship that answer these questions but:

- Someone asked me if the Marines were part of the special forces, I said no but there was such thing as MAR(SOC). What type of missions are they tasked?

- Two people asked me what the difference between a Master Sergeant and First Sergeant are (I assume they meant Marines but either way I did not know).

[Petz]

a Master Sergeant does MOS type work while a First Sergeant does company level administrative work... as in being the CO senior Enlisted SNCO.

a Master Gunnery Sergeant is the same opposed to a Sergeant Major.

MarSOC does SOCOM missions... if you're curious about those jobs you should ask someone who knows....

[Alisium]

Don't eat the Charms, they make it rain.


Charms were gold in my platoon.

And back when we still had dried fruit, that too.

[Fievel]

Charms were gold in my platoon.

And back when we still had dried fruit, that too.

Apricots destroy AAVs. I'll take the charms, I'm amphibious :D

[Alisium]

Yeah, and I forgot to add...

Going to the field makes it rain.

[SmokeyZach]

MarSOC does SOCOM missions... if you're curious about those jobs you should ask someone who knows....

That would be an interesting job, probably really tough to come by too. I will ask a recruiter about it, maybe he could point me in the right direction.

[Pete0331]

That would be an interesting job, probably really tough to come by too. I will ask a recruiter about it, maybe he could point me in the right direction.

Don't be "that guy."
There are already to many of that type here.

[Petz]

yeah, MarSOC Marines come from the fleet not the recruit depot... don't worry about it at this stage in life.

[SmokeyZach]

Don't be "that guy."
There are already to many of that type here.

Corporal "Pete0331", may I ask what/who "that guy" is?

[Corporal M]

Don't eat the Charms, they make it rain.

By "make it rain" he means that they're bad luck. You'll find that after being in combat too long, we (Marines) get a bit superstitious. Chuck the charms and go for the go for some wheat bread and some cheese w/ jalapenos. Also, stay away from the omelette, that **** is poison.

[awbrown1462]

read this
http://www.yorktownsailor.com/yorktown/marines.htm

[echo3oscar1833]

Apricots destroy AAVs. I'll take the charms, I'm amphibious :D

Always knew you 3rd Track Guys were a little off. Apricots, def bad luck, but thats a tracker thing. As far as charms, I guess it depends on the platoon. They were bad luck for use over at 2nd Tracks, if you got caught with some on your track, you could expect to be hazed.:D

Btw Fievel, off topic a little, what Plt. and Co were you with over at 3rd. I was Bravo Co. HQ Plt at 2nd Tracks. C7 Crew Cheif.

[Fievel]

Always knew you 3rd Track Guys were a little off. Apricots, def bad luck, but thats a tracker thing. As far as charms, I guess it depends on the platoon. They were bad luck for use over at 2nd Tracks, if you got caught with some on your track, you could expect to be hazed.

Btw Fievel, off topic a little, what Plt. and Co were you with over at 3rd. I was Bravo Co. HQ Plt at 2nd Tracks. C7 Crew Cheif.

I didn't like the charms, but I kept them to throw in the grunts fighting holes when they weren't looking. It was my way of telling them "good luck" in Iraq. :D If I caught you with apricots on my hog, well, let's just say the amtrac gods demanded blood and retribution. :D

I spent most of my time with Alpha 2nd. After the invasion I was dropped to Echo 2nd because I was short, and finally Echo MCM because 2nd was deploying. I was crew chief of a P7.

[echo3oscar1833]

I didn't like the charms, but I kept them to throw in the grunts fighting holes when they weren't looking. It was my way of telling them "good luck" in Iraq. :D If I caught you with apricots on my hog, well, let's just say the amtrac gods demanded blood and retribution. :D

I spent most of my time with Alpha 2nd. After the invasion I was dropped to Echo 2nd because I was short, and finally Echo MCM because 2nd was deploying. I was crew chief of a P7.


YAT-YAS enough said right :D