During the Cold War, the submarine force was active, engaged, and underway. As a junior officer I was fortunate to have been assigned to USS Silversides (SSN 679) and we participated in many interesting un- derway activities. In 1983, we were tasked to escort one of our SSBNs executing their post availability deep dive – not considered interesting or exciting by the fast attack tough crew. Nevertheless, as we prepared for a Monday underway, we received the news that the shipyard had com- pleted the availability early, and we now got to get underway Friday (and sacrifice yet another weekend). Dutifully, the now grumpy crew got the ship underway in a professional manner and we executed escort services without incident.
As we entered the channel returning to Norfolk on Monday morn- ing, we received an urgent message directing us to “make best speed” towards a location in the Caribbean. Our Navigator plotted the position, noted it was near the island of Grenada. As we scratched our collective heads, the AP newswire noted some unrest on the island, which ultimate- ly led to the overthrow of the government. The military action became known as Operation Urgent Fury, and was featured in the Clint East- wood movie, Heartbreak Ridge.
As we neared Grenada, we received our orders – much to our excite- ment, we were in the area in the event the hostilities escalated. Knowing there was a squadron of Cuban Foxtrot Class diesel submarines nearby, those of us preparing for Command Qualifications fantasized at the op- portunity to sink a real enemy submarine! Fortunately, the situation did not escalate, and Silversides patrolled the area, checking in with the Task Force Commander as required. As the Communications Officer, I made a visit to Radio only to find all the radiomen in radio on the secure cir- cuit. As normally the off duty gang would be in the rack or on the mess decks, I assumed the worse; however, they were all excited to be able to listen in on what was happening real time in Urgent Fury. One asked me, “Hey LT, who is this guy Shultz?” That happened to be our then Secretary of State, the Honorable George Shultz!
As Urgent Fury wrapped up, time for Silversides to go home, right? Not so fast. We were kept on station, “just in case.” Now we start- ed to experience the ravages of combat, as Silversides smokers, which were numerous, began to exhaust their caches of cigarettes. Among the smokers – both the CO and XO. Simple requests for “wake ups” from the Chiefs of the Watch (all of whom smoked) were met with conditions – “It will cost you a cigarette.” The crew began emptying the butt kits (mounted ash trays), and recycling any available tobacco, rolling the res- idue in chart paper.
After about two weeks of “milling about,” the Captain drafted a lo- gistics requisition, in which he would attempt to replenish the supply of nicotine. This request was met with disdain and denied, as all fast attacks are supposed to be able to deploy for 30 days on short notice. Thus tempers continued to flare, as no one could determine how long we would remain on station. Except for our chief cook, who told me he knew when we would return to port. Being the “all-knowing” Opera- tions Officer I scoffed at and pretty much discounted the chief’s input.
Finally we received new orders, not to return to port, but to head to the Guantanamo Operations area where we would provide targeting support for the surface ships in the area. This tasking is considered even more distasteful than escort services. It involves operating at periscope depth allowing curious surface ships to steam closer and closer until they observe the scope or other exposed mast. As this tasking was to occur on Saturday and Sunday, we expected that we would be lucky if only one of the two surface ships would appear for training, and we were not disappointed. The Sunday participant experienced a “materiel casualty” preventing them from getting underway. Thus we steamed about until the Submarine Operating Authority unknowingly failed to provide us submerged water rights, requiring us to surface. The nicotine deprived heroes of Grenada – angrily wallowing about on the surface on a Sunday afternoon – will we ever return to port?
Finally we received permission to return to port, and much to my surprise, the return date was the date predicted by our chief cook! In asking to reveal the secret of his clairvoyance, he replied matter-of-fact- ly, “Simple LT. We are returning exactly 30 days from our underway date. One day more and the Navy has to pay us the family separation allowance (at that time $1 per day for married sailors).”
Morals of the story – War is Hell (without cigarettes), and always
trust your chief – especially the chief cook!
