Raisin Jack in the Forward Engineroom

STORIES ABOUT VANCE

Raisin Jack in the Forward Engineroom

This text is from e-mail between shipmates.
Duane started this...
For those of you not not used to e-mail threads read from the bottom up.
Note: Tere was in the NZ Navy and served along side Vance during DeepFreeze


Meanwhile, back on the Vance: (During Barrier Patrol) We had a Second Class Engineman, named McCaffrey, who was brewing his own *Private Reserve* Raisin Jack in the Forward Engineroom, (#1 Engineroom) (Yes, Brian's very same engineroom). Anyway, McCaffery kept bragging to everyone that his brew would be ready for drinking in about one week. We all knew in advance that he wasn't going to share any of his Raisin jack, so we decided to do the following: We drilled holes through the top of the locked heavy metal spare parts box that he had his brew in. Then we punched holes into the tops of his brew containers, (glass gallon syrup jugs) stuck rubber tubing into the containers and took turns sucking them all dry!. Then we plugged the drilled holes with electrician's Temp-Seal and repainted the box covers machinery grey.

When the long awaited day came when McCaffery went down to sample his Raisin Jack, all he found was a couple of handfuls of moldy raisins in each bottle! He was so angry that he stormed into the wardroom with one of those empty one gallon containers as evidence at about 1730 hours and voiced his complaint to the Captain, X.O., and Engineering Officer that "Some Dirty Bastards had drank all of his Raisin Jack!" Needless to say, the Skipper was kinda upset and ordered the Engineering Officer to make an inspection of all engineering spaces looking for more home brew!
Duane

On Thu, 14 Feb 2002 07:22:45 +1300 "Tere J Putland" writes:
NZ Navy Stokers (Snipes for the uninitiated) were notorious home brewers!! Always had something brewing in the bilges - real "Make you go blind" stuff!!

From: "Brian Spooner"
To: Tere J Putland , jbetters@attbi.com , emtbruce@madbbs.com , duanebaumgartner@juno.com , gblust@msn.com
Subject: Re: A Bit of Navy History.......................
Date: Wed, 13 Feb 2002 17:12:28 +1300
The US ships were dry but I had a lot of beer down in # 1 engineroom.

From: "Tere J Putland"
To: jbetters@attbi.com, emtbruce@madbbs.com, spoons3@globalserve.net, duanebaumgartner@juno.com, Gblust@msn.com
Subject: Re: A Bit of Navy History
Date: Wed, Feb 13, 2002, 14:17
We of the NZ Navy were always lead to believe that ALL USN Ships were dry - JOKE!!!!
It took us all of 5 minutes to learn otherwise - used to swap (and drink together) NZ beers for US beers. Another interesting thing is - the USN Stores people, in the stores Pearl Harbour, were/are very partial to Navy Rum. As they couldn't get it and we as Senior NCO's could bottle ours, we soon learned that we could "buy" all sorts of stores items for the Ship and messes in return for a bottle of "Nelson's Blood"!!

From: "Joseph Betters"
To: "Tere J Putland" , , , ,
Subject: Re: A Bit of Navy History.......................
Date: Tue, 12 Feb 2002 20:00:18 -0500

The truth finally comes out... and I as being the an upstanding ambassador of U.S. of A's. good will, DID attend these beer bashes. I have a photo or two to prove it.
Brian, would lead you to believe he could not afford two shoes, so with that in mind he could not be a 'goody two shoes'.

MAKE NOTE OF MY NEW E-MAIL ADDRESS jbetters@attbi.com
Tere, I received your test...

From: Tere J Putland
To: emtbruce@madbbs.com ; spoons3@globalserve.net ; duanebaumgartner@juno.com ; Gblust@msn.com ; jbetters@attbi.com
Sent: Tuesday, February 12, 2002 6:43 PM
Subject: Re: A Bit of Navy History.......................

I thought as much, his 'goody two shoes' image just didn't ring true!

From: "Bruce W. Swanson"
To: "Tere J Putland"
Subject: Re: A Bit of Navy History.......................
Date: Tue, 12 Feb 2002 17:28:56 -0500
Ahhh, but the prude failed to mention how many cases of San Miguel beer was stored in the hold of the Vance. Nearly a week of all day and night beach parties on Guam failed to lighten the load very much, as I recall. Now I, being the fine upstanding ambassador of U.S. of A. good will, was not in attendence at these beer bashes. ( I snuck into town and shared my greenbacks with all the bartenders I could find, hoping some might be female.)

At 16:47 2/12/02 +1300, you wrote:
What are you on about man?? There's nothing wrong with a good ol' tot of Navy Rum!!

From: "Brian Spooner"
To: duane baumgartner , Tere Putland , jbetters@mediaone.net , emtbruce@madbbs.com , George Blust
Subject: Re: A Bit of Navy History.......................
Date: Tue, 12 Feb 2002 16:15:05 +1300
Greetings Duane,
It sounds like a fun voyage. But you missed out on the most important bit of information of which you would've learnt a great deal.

1) Fifty percent got cirrhosis of the liver and died.
2) Twenty five percent suffered alcohol poisoning.
3) Twenty five percent had to check into the Betty Ford clinic to get the cure.
4) None of the sailors lived to see the twentieth century all because of their reliance on the demon rum, wine and whisky. So, lets not let this little history exorcise not go unheeded. There you have it. Your lucky your a friend of mine because I'd have not wasted my breath on a stranger.
Brian

From: duane baumgartner
To: DuaneBaumgartner@juno.com
Subject: A Bit of Navy History.......................
Date: Tue, Feb 12, 2002, 03:52
Guess I must have missed this Navy!!
A Bit of Navy History The USS Constitution (Old Ironsides) as a combat vessel carried 48,600 gallons of fresh water for her crew of 75 officers and men. This was sufficient to last 6 months of sustained operations. She carried no evaporators. (for making fresh water) However, let it be noted that according to her log: "On July 1798, the USS Constitution set sail from Boston. She left with 475 officers and men, 48,600 gallons of fresh water, 7,400 cannon shot, 11,600 pounds of black powder and 79,400 gallons of rum. Her mission: To destroy and harass English shipping." "Making Jamaica on 6 October, she took on 826 pounds of flour and 68,300 gallons of rum. Then she headed for the Azores, arriving on 12 November. She provisioned with 550 pounds of beef and 64,300 gallons of Portuguese wine. On 18 November she set sail for England."

"In the ensuing days she defeated five British men-of-war and captured and scuttled 12 English merchantmen salvaging only the rum. By 26 January her powder and shot was exhausted." "Unarmed, she made a night raid up the Firth of Clyde. Her landing party captured a whiskey distillery and transferred 40,000 gallons aboard by dawn. Then she headed home." 20 February, 1799 with no cannon shot, no food, no powder, no rum, no wine, no whiskey and 38,600 gallons of stagnant water."

THEM WERE THE GOOD OLE DAYS!

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