Gary Long, EMC(SS)

DOB:
Service Dates: 12/63-12/66
Boats Served On:
USS Remora (SS-487)

Dan Stetler and I met at Nuc school, he was in secion 1, and I was in secion 6, and we spent a lot of time in night school doing "remedial" work. The problem was not the class work, it was the continual party we operated at a bar called "MY OFFICE" in Vallejo. They gave us so much homework it was rediculous so we set up an assemby line at My Office, and a group would meet there at night to "do" the homework. You know sort of"You take questions 1 and 2, and someone else could get 3 and 4," and so on. Then we drank to the wee hours to get ready for class the next day. I bring up the sections for one reason only the way the school was set up, the curicullum varied by the section you were in. The 7 secition was doing calculus, and the 1 section was doing arithmetic. Get the difference.

Anyway Dan, and Margaret, his wife for life, were Cherokee indians, and his education was not all it could have been, but since we both were on "firewater", what the hell we were fast friends.Anyway Dan bilged out for acedemic failure. I graduated, but they had no openings for me at ARCO Idaho, so they sent me to Remora for what was to be a year. Dan wound up on the USS Isle Royal, (AD-42) a destroyer tender. That ship was stationed in Pearl. Here's where it get's good!

One night Dan came to Remora, and we went over to somewhere and got shitfaced (as usual), and went back to the Remora for a cup of coffee. Never did get the coffee. Anyway we were sitting in the Yeomans office (Frank Rechards YNC also one hell of a friend. He lives in Las Vegas and is 76), anyway we are sitting there and in the type writer is a blank STO (Standard Transfer Order), so just for shits and giggles I typed up a set of orders for Dan Stettler to be transfered to Remora. Remember his is an MM, not EN, and never went to submarines school, or any place else required to be in submarines. It was real funny we laughed so hard we almost woke up the duty officer. I will tell you how funny it was the next day.

Sitting on the PUFF dome the next morning, cup of coffee in hand. my hair hurt my teeth itched, and coming down the pier is Dan carrying his seabag. I looked at him, and said "what the hell is this you get transfered?" His reply "yep--to the Remora". After I changed my underwear, I figured we were both headed for the Brig.

Well he checks on board, and the XO starts telling Dan that he "must" be part of the new program of sending people straight to subs, without sub school--and welcome aboard. Dan retired 20 plus years later, as an MMC from the USS Sablo SS 302. He and Margaret drove a long haul truck for a number of years until his death.

The story does not end there. Since it worked so good the first time we again went to the yeo's office , and typed up travel orders for Margaret, and his mother-in-law, and 4 kids. We used the numbers off a Lt. somebodies travel orders. It worked again. They sent all of them by Jet, to Hawaii,(remember the era--MATS did not send anyone by jet but priority1's). Guess I copied the right travel orders eh!

For the next 3 years Dan and I pretended to just be "casual" aquaintenances on the boat. Off Duty we tried to drink everything in sight. I was just 23, and a 1st class.

The story is true. As for the boat we ran into I think it was Tunny SSG 282, which I served on years before as a SN. I could tell stories about that hunk of junk as well.

To finish the story. When I got Orders to the USS Permit SSN 594 (new construction), I also got orders to O in C of the Naval Reserve Training Facility, in San Luis Obispo, Ca.(shore duty) I had just made EMC, and they again did not have an opening(on a Nuc) I had a quick interview with Naval Reactors, and the decision was to let me go to SLO. When I got there there was a quanset hut, with a sign, and that was it. I called my detailer, who said "Why not go to school", until we straighten this out. To end - they never did get it right, and I got my EE, from CalPoly, and made Warrant Officer there. I interviewed for a job with NR, and they accepted me as a Radcon officer. I was assigned to Nereus AS-17, and from there I went to Dixon AS 37, To put a period to this I never served as RADCON anything. Always in the wrong place at the right time. I was promoted regularly and retired in 1980 as LT.

I could tell you Huey Long stories for ever, since I worked for him, I covered his ass for 3 years. I think he was the only "acting" chief in the navy after 5 years in grade. You remember he was EMCA, until the Navy just did away with "acting" and went to permanent. I was an EMC when Huey was EMCA. Huey was forever having his "girl friends" call my house cancelling dates, or adding them. Fortunately Shirley my wife of 46 years was on to him. I never forgot the Northern Run we spend X-Mas at sea, and the Squadron had pictures of the wives, and families sent tot he boat. Anyway Shirley got a call that they lost hers, could she come for a second. She did, and I slept in the Mole Hole one rack down from Huey. They gave him the picture of my wife and kids, and Huey said something to the following "who the hell is this pig" I looked up and informed Huey that it was "my pig". Huey calling anyone woman a"pig" makes you think she needs plastic surgery.
So that trip I got 2 pictures.

As for Mel Arnold, I slept in the Aft Torpedoe room for almost 2 years, and I sure remember him. Damn cold place and I got Pleuracy and was almost shitcaned ashore in the Phillipines when during a battery charge my lungs filled with fluid, and I went to the hospital by ambulance. When I found out that it was curable I "checked" myself out, and was on patrol before the hospital realized I was gone. We went to Japan next.So they never got another shot at me! The only one that was pissed was Charlie Brooks who (poor baby) ended up standing 5 of my watches. I ran into him at EM"A" school in San Diego, I actually made chief before he did. Charlie used to tell everyone he was Scandanavian. Sure he was. Anyway when "black" became popular Charlie became "black", and wanted to work for the Upward training folks. His Officer in Charge, said that Charlie looked like a radical with his new afro! Always enjoyed Charlie, in that Bill Monaghan could get him going in 10 seconds flat. Hewould get so pissed he could not talk. How could anyone not like Bill.

Remember the "fart in the bag" that Bill brought back to the ship from the White Hat Club. He sat in the after battery, and informed everyone he had a fart from "suzyco" in the bag. Of course he could not open the bag, he would loose the "fart". That was the Bill I remember. He was Tatlows boss as an IC1, and never made chief.He did come to his senses in that he went "back" to EM1.

The other story about Bill was that he always told his wife what he did in Japan--she never believed him she thought he made the stories up. No way he actually did what he said. I once asked him why and he said "well if I tell her the truth she does not believe me, if I lie I cannot remember the story" One real character. Both Greg Riolo and me stood watches with as Jr. Controllerman. Since getting anyone to stand watch with Bill more than once was a chore.

Current Status: December, 2004

We live on a "farm 100 acres, in the boon docks of Klamath Falls. We retired here in 1998, and bought the scrub in 1993. We now farm about 60 acres of hay, and have2 houses on the property that we tend. I retired here by putting the proverbial anchor on my shoulder and going til someone ased "what is it". By the way the IRS says I am the worst farmer they have ever seen. I figure about 10 more years and i will get the hang of it. You think?