3.
Aug. 19, 2008

I was on board the USS Tattnall from Jun 85 - Apr 89. I remember that deployment. I wish I had been a better sailor and less hot headed. I think that my time aboard ship was at most times my best memoried. I had a lot of shipmates that I trusted with my life. Thanks for the pictures and for reminding me of some of my best times. 

Rick Hall,
former Disbursing Clerk,  
aka small change

2.
Oct. 26, 2007

Reading David Law's posting shook loose some of the old gray matter. I was assigned aboard USS Tattnall from March 1986 to June 1989. She was in Anatalya Turkey during the 1988 "Med" cruise. She spent quite a bit of time in various ports because of the Navy's goal of conserving fuel at the time. It looks like that's Commander Phillip Shulo on the launch returning to Tattnall.     

The other photos were taken while crossing the Atlantic for our deployment. The one of the formation with Tattnall as the guide is special because up until then it was the largest battle group to cross the Atlantic since World War II. That photo was ordered taken from a helo by the Group commander to record the event. I think in that photo you also see the bow of the USS Caloosahatchee.

Thank you for posting the photos.  They are special to me. Especially the ones alongside, breaking away and as guide ship. You see, I was the helmsman for those operations. P.S.-  It's a shame you couldn't have found some photos of the ship's band "The (Ugly) Americans" that toured during the cruise of '88. I heard they were pretty good. But that's another story. Try to find a copy of the 1988 Med cruise book that was made up by LT. Lance Lewis. 

Sincerely,
Gary M. McPherson
QM2(SW) USS Tattnall DDG19
Lead Guitar "The Ugly Americans"

1.
July 16, 2007

Just an FYI, the first pic of the Tattnall says it was taken in Antalya, Turkey in May of 85. Uhm no it wasn't. The Tatt never made a stop in Turkey during my tenure on her (8/82-6/86). And we were homeported in Mayport (in CONUS) in May of 85.

1. The photo was probably taken after the overhaul in 1981-2 at PNSY.  This indicated by the white radome located above and abaft the bridge.  This makes a date of 1985 possible, BUT:

2. IF that is Turkey on the background, then it had to have been taken AFTER June 1986 when I left her; I was Honorably Discharged from the USN June 20, 1986.

3. It is possible that it was taken between Mid Feb 1986 (after Feb 10th, I returned home on Emergency leave on that date), but she was in Karachi Pakistan on that date.  She returned home in mid March 1986 if I recall correctly.  That photo could have been taken during the transit to Mayport.  However this is unlikely as no one mentioned ever visiting Turkey once I returned to her in Mayport.  Spain was mentioned as was the Suez transit, but not Turkey.

4. Probably taken on the Tattnall's next cruise after I left her.  Possibly 1987 or 1988,  I recall going to Mayport to see her, and she being deployed sometime during those years.

5. It had to taken BEFORE Jan 1991 when she was decommissioned. That is all I can provide you at this time.  There are not enough details visible in the photo to know for certain other than as noted above.

I of course can't remember where I was every day and one reason is due to a chemical exposure while onboard the Tattnall. I was issued the task of replaced a CHT pump forward and due to 'piss poor' communications (and a dividing up of what piece of equipment belonged to which division,i.e., the pump was A-gang's, the pipes and tank were the HT's....go figure...) I suffered a direct 100%LD (yes that is correct, 100%LD) exposure to Hydrogen Sulfide. About 2 inches from my face. The system was never locked out or flushed, DESPITE what I had been told. And somehow we had no functioning inline air masks to use either. BUT those showed up right after they got me out of the space. Well, right after my safety observer got me out of the space (I may have been stupid, but I was not dumb enough to work in confined spaces without someone to watch over me!). I can send ya a few more details of the incident later if you want them.

I am truly one of few (I think maybe less than ten) people walking around that quite truly should be croaked right now, due to HS. There is NO long term prediction as to what will occur over time with an exposure of this level. In general, no ones survives long enough to have 'long term' implications.

Great site BTW,
Thanks,
David Laws
(former) MM3 USS TATTNALL DDG-19

(Hi David,
The official USN caption is as follows;

May 24, 1985
33-foot utility boat moves across the harbor at Antalya, Turkey, heading for shore. In the background is the guided missile destroyer USS TATTNALL DDG-19, one of the ships accompanying the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER CVN-69.

It is possible that they have either the date or the caption wrong)