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Here is some additional info that may be interesting. After Cdr Brons left the RBR he became the
officer in charge of the ORSE team. In 1980 he came back to the RBR to give us our ORSE exam
for that year. The only two people who were still on board were the Engineer (Bill Norris) and
myself. Somehow this ORSE seemed a bit easier than the others. My ORSE interview with Capt
Brons was more of a trip down memory lane as I remember. (yes, he got his bird). The Eng and I
both got on the RBR at the same time toward the beginning of the first Med run.
That picture of Cdr Brons seems a bit before my time - but not much. Even though he has
scrambled eggs, I remember him to have a more rounded face that showed a bit more maturity. I
guess that new construction and few years of driving the boat at sea will do that. One thing I do
remember keenly though, his rule was that the Ward Room and the Crew's Mess always were
served the same food - no exceptions.
I remember Bill mentioning that the best information on a officer's where-abouts is from their Naval
Academy organization. It used to be that any academy allumni could look up another. From what
I understood, most officers kept it up to date where there were a number of benefits involved.
BTW... The picture of LCdr Glover (XO) and Mike Barney was circa 1975 (not 1995). If you ever
have the opportunity to communicate with either of them be sure to ask them about our excursion
to Ft Liquordale. The one where three of our stars grabbed the bull horn from the topside watch
and ran across the pier to some humoungous command and control target and awoke the Vice
Admiral on board with a rendition of "Hello American sailor - Yankee GO HOME!" (at 2AM+ the
quote is acurate). Word had it that the XO went topside when the complaint call came in and said
nothing to our stars. Just gestured with his finger to come on home.
The message the next day from the admiral was that if this was the extent of the XO's problems,
that he had none to worry about. As for the stars; I can only remember one of the names, Ernie in
E Div. One of the others was this rolly-polly cook that everybody loved and a thin Machinist Mate
(aft) that was a Red Sox nut. Mentioning Ernie's name is really of no consequence. He already
made a permanent mark for himself when he showed up at the new commissioning party in a red
and white plaid tuxedo (I only got to see pictures - sure wish I could have been there).
This happened a couple of days after the blizzard of 1978 when CT, RI, and MA were burried. For
the life of me I can't remember if Cdr Brons was still the CO or if Arlie Campbell had relieved him at
this point. I remember faces much better than names. I remember the phone call home though.
The last thing that my family wanted to hear is that I was in Ft Liquordale while they had snow up
to their arm pits. How were we to know?
Thanks,
Tim 'squatty body' Malnati IC1(SS) - Yes, IC was once a nuclear rating too.
officer in charge of the ORSE team. In 1980 he came back to the RBR to give us our ORSE exam
for that year. The only two people who were still on board were the Engineer (Bill Norris) and
myself. Somehow this ORSE seemed a bit easier than the others. My ORSE interview with Capt
Brons was more of a trip down memory lane as I remember. (yes, he got his bird). The Eng and I
both got on the RBR at the same time toward the beginning of the first Med run.
That picture of Cdr Brons seems a bit before my time - but not much. Even though he has
scrambled eggs, I remember him to have a more rounded face that showed a bit more maturity. I
guess that new construction and few years of driving the boat at sea will do that. One thing I do
remember keenly though, his rule was that the Ward Room and the Crew's Mess always were
served the same food - no exceptions.
I remember Bill mentioning that the best information on a officer's where-abouts is from their Naval
Academy organization. It used to be that any academy allumni could look up another. From what
I understood, most officers kept it up to date where there were a number of benefits involved.
BTW... The picture of LCdr Glover (XO) and Mike Barney was circa 1975 (not 1995). If you ever
have the opportunity to communicate with either of them be sure to ask them about our excursion
to Ft Liquordale. The one where three of our stars grabbed the bull horn from the topside watch
and ran across the pier to some humoungous command and control target and awoke the Vice
Admiral on board with a rendition of "Hello American sailor - Yankee GO HOME!" (at 2AM+ the
quote is acurate). Word had it that the XO went topside when the complaint call came in and said
nothing to our stars. Just gestured with his finger to come on home.
The message the next day from the admiral was that if this was the extent of the XO's problems,
that he had none to worry about. As for the stars; I can only remember one of the names, Ernie in
E Div. One of the others was this rolly-polly cook that everybody loved and a thin Machinist Mate
(aft) that was a Red Sox nut. Mentioning Ernie's name is really of no consequence. He already
made a permanent mark for himself when he showed up at the new commissioning party in a red
and white plaid tuxedo (I only got to see pictures - sure wish I could have been there).
This happened a couple of days after the blizzard of 1978 when CT, RI, and MA were burried. For
the life of me I can't remember if Cdr Brons was still the CO or if Arlie Campbell had relieved him at
this point. I remember faces much better than names. I remember the phone call home though.
The last thing that my family wanted to hear is that I was in Ft Liquordale while they had snow up
to their arm pits. How were we to know?
Thanks,
Tim 'squatty body' Malnati IC1(SS) - Yes, IC was once a nuclear rating too.
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