OSC Joel Wifler

Day 85: Awoke to another set of bells this morning, right about the same time as before. Ironic how these things always occur between 0200-0400. I forgot to mention the partial lunar eclipse observed last night. I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me until others confirmed that it wasn’t the same set of clouds partially blocking the surface.

Day 86: Welcome back to Souda Bay, Crete (or Greece depending on your point of view). The approach looks the same as we sneak up on the pier. We’re not really sneaking per se, rather awaiting room at the pier.

Day 87: Went to the NAVSUPACT club last night, won over $300 on slot machines. I was surprised they actually paid out and were not “for entertainment purposes”. I imagine that the MWR fund here is quite large due to losses collected from these machines. This port call sort of reminds me of Gitmo, whereas I’ve been here before and all I want to take advantage of are the services the USN can provide. A little taste of home.

Day 88: Duty day, the saga of the night watchman continues.

Day 89: On loaded groceries today, as well as a bunch of humanitarian aid pallets bound for Georgia. Our flight deck looks a little like walking thru a Costco or Sam’s Club aisle. Eighty pallets of laundry detergent, toothbrushes and paste, baby necessities, soap, shampoo, food stuffs, you name it, it’s on board. Bought some recording software for the shop this evening to assist us with our upcoming operation.

Day 90: Underway again. Good to have the rolling seas underneath us again. A Band of Brothers marathon started this evening. I believe this is one of the best WWII series that has been released. Though I imagine that our marathon will be short lived seeing as we’re half way through it in one evening.

Day 91: Meetings, meetings, and more meetings today. Mostly planning for our upcoming transit into the Black Sea. Again it’s nothing I haven’t done already, but exciting nonetheless. Welcomed the Captain in the Mess for dinner this evening (steak night). Kind hearted conversation and good humor by all. Morale night hosted by the 1st Class involved a spades tournament, but the “Skillet’s” backed out due to our busy day tomorrow. The CO and EO took the prize.

BM3 Surles

Three months have gone by since we said farewell from our homes and families in Charleston, and set sail on our floating home out in the Atlantic Ocean. It is funny how the time flies by at a slow but blinding speed. What seems like is permanent will be just another memory and we will say remember when... and drift off into stories. Who knows what will become of our stories some will get twisted and skewed, and others will be lost forever. Some will tell tales of becoming "Honorable Shellbacks". Others will tell stories of G.E. Some will talk about the water. Some will joke about port calls. While others will talk about the girl of their dreams and how they may never see her again. But we will all be able to say, "Remember the time in Africa on the Dallas..." ~ BM3 Surles

Photos

(Left to right) SK2 Brandon Wedll, SKC Carla Clark and SK1 Jason Parrish inventory humanitarian assistance supplies as they are loaded onto the Dallas in Souda Bay, Crete.

Dallas’ crew loads humanitarian assistance supplies onto the ship.

SN Timothy Ford wraps a pallet of humanitarian assistance supplies to be delivered to the Republic of Georgia.

FS1 Josh McBride moves a pallet of humanitarian assistance supplies destined for the Republic of Georgia into Dallas’ helicopter hangar after it was craned onto the ship.

BM2 Charles Schreiber guides a pallet of humanitarian assistance supplies into place as its being craned onto Dallas’ flight deck.

SN Christina Calello sews together a gap in the tarp used to cover humanitarian assistance supplies on Dallas’ flight deck.

Rear Adm. Joe Leidig, the deputy commander of the U.S. Navy 6th Fleet, addresses the crew of the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Dallas Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2008, about their upcoming mission to bring humanitarian relief supplies to Georgia for distribution to those affected by the conflict. The Dallas is currently deployed under the command of the 6th Fleet and arrived in Georgia with the supplies the following week.

The flight deck of the Coast Guard Cutter Dallas is covered with 68 pallets of humanitarian supplies bound for the Republic of Georgia Thursday, Aug. 21, 2008. The crew loaded 12 additional pallets Friday morning for a total of 80 pallets and 76,000 pounds of supplies. The cutter left Souda Bay, Greece, Friday afternoon with the necessities: soap, shampoo, toothbrushes, baby formula, laundry detergent, toilet paper and diapers, among other things. The supplies were distributed to those affected by the conflict between Russian and Georgian forces and are intended to alleviate human suffering in Georgia.

SNET Josh Forsyth wears a sound-powered phone during special sea detail.

ET3 Andrew Boscarillo stands watch during special sea detail.

MK1 Alan Cage sprays water on the engine after a small fuel leak in the engine room.