Sub Tenders were "fun", they would always remind us before "bus away day" from Charleston S.C. to Kings Bay Ga. (And once in Holy Loch, Scotland on the Providence.) to take the boat, to make sure if you were on the tender during a security violation (Especially a Nuc weapons one.) to "
eat the bulkhead" or suffer the consequences. Imagine a busy passage the security alarm goes off the announcement is made ship wide and you happen to be in the passageway the Marines are responding from. Everyone "eats the bulkhead" but you (Think musical chairs here.) well those Marines won't say excuse me, they'll give a warning to clear the passageway and and if you don't that first Marine is authorized knock you on the deck and an M-16 rifle butt like most, will definitely ruin your day. If your lucky they'll pick you up throw you against the bulkhead, frisk you and give you a "love tap" to the small of your back and move, the unlucky ones just got run over by the rest as you're laying on the deck. I've seen it happen both ways, it would encourage us to speed along the turnover process to get off the tender and moved onto the boat as the other crew went back to Charleston.
Yeah, I believe the Sub Force were the last units to turn in our M-14's ~90/92. It was a
great weapon and I shot better with that rifle at any range than any M-16 variant I used. And don't get me started on the 1911 Colt 45, loved it to!?!
Regards,
Pat
