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Twidgets and Machinist Mates
Contributed by: Bob Rotruck on 3/31/2008

THE LANDLOCKED SAILOR
By Bob Rotruck, CWO3, USN (ret)
Castle Rock, Colorado

Twidgets and Machinist Mates
From 1973 to 1975, I was attached to the aircraft carrier, USS John F. Kennedy. I was assigned as the Electronic Data Systems (EDS) Division Officer under the Electronic Material Officer (EMO), who worked for the ship's Operations Officer. As a duty officer under the EMO, I had occasion to learn of many technical tasks and problems under the purview of the Operations Officer.

One day while underway, in the Atlantic, I heard from the Electronics Shop (this is the shop that takes care of the ship's RADARs and Communications equipment) that the LN-66 was down for repair. This very short range (10 nautical miles), but highly accurate RADAR was used for close-in navigation such as entering a harbor or narrow passage. I inquired from one of the Twidgets (a Navy term for Electronics Techs) if they had discovered the problem. A nylon gear in the antenna's mechanical system had stripped its gears. It was about eight inches in diameter and about three eighths of an inch thick. They had placed the item on order through the supply system and had gotten a preliminary delivery of 30 to 60 days. That would not be soon enough for entry into our destination, an Italian harbor.

I asked to see the gear and I took it down to the machinist shop on the second deck. A First Class Petty Officer Machinist Mate was sitting at the desk when I popped through the hatch of his shop. He saw that I was not only a Warrant Officer, but an Aviation Electronics Warrant Officer so I immediately got a look of disdain. I explained the situation and inquired if it would be possible to have somebody in his shop fabricate a temporary gear out of brass, so we could use the RADAR for harbor navigation. He flatly stated that it couldn't be done and turned back around to his desk. I nosed around the office/shop for a bit and noticed a piece of brass stock the right diameter hanging on a steel storage rack. I asked if he could just cut me a piece the right thickness, because I had some Electronics Techs on the 03 deck that could probably make a better gear than his shop could produce. He snatched that nylon gear out of my hand and said no @#%#& snotty nosed Twidget could make a gear as good as he could and he would have it to me the next morning. He did and it worked just fine. I loved it when a good plan came together!

Fair winds and smooth seas!


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Showing 1 of 1 comments
Submitted By: Michael Rule
posted on 4/1/2008 @ 3:33:27 PM
Rated Story
Great story Bob!
[Report as objectionable]
Showing 1 of 1 comments
CONTRIBUTOR INFORMATION

Bob Rotruck

Castle Rock , CO

Bob Rotruck has posted 60 stories and 2 comments since joining on 7/26/2006. Bob Rotruck 's average story rating is 4.89.
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