The USS Scamp

Thursday, Apr. 02, 2009 - 12:01 a.m.

Howdy, kids.

I cannot possibly think of a thing that could top the overwhelmingly beautiful reaction of my friends to yesterday's post.

This was probably my favorite April Fool's Day ever.

Thank you.

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Speaking of yesterday, I started thinking of the things I'd been sent by my sailor, and I went for a dig to see if there were any kinds of news clippings or commemorative what-have-yous anywhere out there having to do with the submarine Michael had served on.

Yes, there are USS Scamp-related items on eBay, a few of which I recognize as duplicates of the items that went missing while I was in the hospital.

After a twenty-seven year hiatus, I did some long-overdue additional reading about his particular submarine -- and what I discovered was that the Scamp had been built there in the Mare Island Naval Shipyard.

As in, like, the Vallejo shipyard I ferry past now when I am heading to band practice with Alan, Mike's brother.

Scamp was a skipjack-class submarine. When you serve on a skipjack, your bunk is shared with another person, and at any time, you are either on your bunk, or at your station, in twelve-hour increments. The reason for this is because there is simply not enough room for people to be moving around in the body of the submarine if this balance is not maintained.

Now, I've slept in crowded hotel convention rooms, but this kind of tightly packed arrangement is something that would probably send me to the puzzle farm within about a day or so.

I am impressed all over again by our Navy personnel.

And all over again, I'm rolling my eyes at my parents.

As for the Scamp herself? She was decomissioned in 1988, and her parts were recycled into other ships and military items.

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In other news, today I'm travelling down to Anaheim to do my usual things: See Old Buddy Dave, try to pet Solange, get to Disneyland as often as possible, and while I'm there, I'll be observing my 44th birthday.

My plane leaves this afternoon, so wish me luck!

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That's pretty much it. Have a good Thursday.

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