Friday, October 13, 2017

The Silent Service

I've never been a sailor-man, instead choosing to serve in the Army, but I have a great deal of respect for the folks who cruise the undersea world.

My stepson, JimBob was an enlisted submariner during his service.  He claims that he toured the world, but saw very little of it.  He mostly lived in a steel tube.  Sometimes, on a dark, still night, the boat would surface and the skipper would allow them some time on the deck, but otherwise he was mostly inside the steel tube.

We all know they're out there, but we don't talk about them much.   Unless we want to send a message.  And, it looks like the Navy is sending a message.
The guided missile submarine USS Michigan will visit the port of Busan this weekend for the second time this year, in what is a clear warning to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
I hope that Fat Boy Kim is paying attention.  The Navy wants him to know that he has guided-missile subs just off the coast. 

And, it will be good for the sailors.  Let them get a little kimchi, some of that good Korean beer, and wander about for a bit before getting back in that steel tube and go silent again.

They're out there, Kim, all the time.  A whole lot closer than you think.

2 comments:

BobF said...

Was in Korea for 2 years in the 80s and had people all over so I spent a lot of time on the road, eating wherever and whenever. When people ask if I've ever eaten (fill in the blank) I tell them after the places I've been, probably. Tell you what, though. I'm not so sure I want to be in that steel tube after the crew has spent their liberty time eating kimchi and washing it down with OB!

Old NFO said...

LOL, gotta agree with BobF, that's going to be brutal for a couple of days! :-) When I was there, it was still called Pusan.