OSC Joel Wifler

Day 92: Entered the Turkish Strait’s this morning, I’m on “watchman” duty. Concluded the Turkish Strait’s transit and hit the rack in preparation for the 0200-0800 Radio watch tomorrow morning. No one in the shop is looking forward to 6 on/6 off watches, but I’ll see what I can do after a few days.

Day 93: Back on Radio watch, it’s a pleasant feeling knowing that all it takes is a quick review and I’m back in the swing of things down in the freezer. It’s 57 degrees in my shop. Lot’s of pictures of us transiting the Bosporus Strait through Istanbul, Turkey on the internet.

Day 94: Walked into a “poop sandwich” at my watch relief this morning and apparently the off-going OS thought it was my turn to take a bite. Status board reflected incorrect circuit designations and associated equipment/patches/etc. Since I won’t relieve a watch until it’s squared away, I spent the first 15-20min assisting and clearing up the previous mess. Assumed the watch and no sooner than I actually sign on the log, that the gremlins started messing up my voice circuits. Stress level, up. I’ll just say that the first three hours of my watch this afternoon felt like thirty minutes. Stress level, down. The inter-Mess emailing about the “Trees for Troops” program is getting a little out of hand. The day ended with a pod of about fifty dolphin’s swimming & jumping around our ship…”for our sea going pleasure” of course.

Day 95: This morning’s watch was relatively quiet until I was tasked to start creating wave recordings. Looks like that recording software was a smart purchase. Welcome to Batumi, Georgia. Here to offload our Humanitarian Assistance supplies. While I was standing in line for lunch, I caught a glimpse of us pulling into Batumi Harbor on CNN World news. There must be some “live” feed camera’s out there. Aid supplies delivered, press conferences concluded, set the special sea detail. I haven’t set foot on the starboard side exterior since prior to our arrival here and now after our departure.

Day 96: I’m standing the really early morning watch (0245-0715) and now I understand why this is affectionately known as “the dead watch”. I’ve actually taken the opportunity to take care of some monthly CPU maintenance, conform with a recent directive on “monthly auditing” and purge some old paperwork. Spent about forty minutes on the fantail watching an abundance of Black Sea dolphins gingerly swimming in the near vicinity of the cutter. I’d guess the pod was 25-30 strong.

Day 97: This morning while checking email and messages, I was the victim of a fallen soldier. In this case, said soldier was about sixteen ounces of cold coffee, Irish cream & sugar flavored. It started out with some minor blockage of one IS3 by an OS3 which ran it’s course in about fifteen seconds and ended with said soldier splattered all over my left fore arm, freshly washed trousers, and salty deck shoes. I was at a loss for words as the two “3rd’s “proceeded to apologize profusely as they began cleaning up said sticky mess. After regaining my voice, I logged off, grabbed my well worn mug of coffee flavored coffee, and proceeded to leave my shop. My parting words to them included “why” I prefer beverages in an electronics space covered. Luckily after changing, another pod of Black Sea dolphins were present near the fantail again, to add to my sticky serenity. Took advantage of swim call this afternoon, amidst numerous jelly fish in the water. No stings reported, no dolphins sited. But hey, I’m blind without my eyes on, they could have been around. Stood the “Mid” watch tonight (2145-0245) the first sixteen minutes included troubleshooting a circuit, after that, talk about dead quiet.

Day 98: Interesting issues have sprung up today…something to do with “ashes” on the fantail. Of course there will be ashes on the fantail, that’s the only authorized smoking area while at sea. Apparently, ashes are no longer allowed on the fantail. Were we not in the middle of this particular body of water and could control the “wind” we’d possibly reduce the seven milligrams of ash to maybe six milligrams? Or hey, here’s an idea, lets secure the C-Wiz so that we can get our original area back again. Perhaps that could drastically reduce the ash count to about two milligrams. If this is the only “problem” to talk about after 98 days, than I guess we’re lucky. Pegged a few fifteen two’s this afternoon with Barry, got skunked in game one, skunked him in game two, and was able to peg out the win in number three. And now I’m on the early eve watch (1700-2145). Were it not Saturday, I’d probably be busy with posting traffic due to the +8 time difference, but since it’s the weekend, it’s rather slow down here in the cooler.

SN Jason Evans

For Honor And as we pulled in The crew is cool with anticipation As another unfamiliar port comes into recognition We listen and execute One command As it follows another Watching as we are watched Parade rest As the ship slowly docks All eyes look towards the heavens As heaving lines flutter like sparrows The crowd grows increasingly We are humanitarians A hero, in other words   News reporters flock together like sheep To our Captain Who looks as though their Sheppard The gift of supplies are taken Much thanks and praise exchanged Mighty Dallas, they called us A warship of humanitarians With slow grace we pull out Parade rest As the crowd dissipates The clouds shift in the sun’s light Sailing away We soon lose focus of Georgia Yet the honor remains

Photos

SN Tyler Lewis takes a photo as Dallas transits through the picturesque Turkish Straits on the way to deliver humanitarian assistance supplies to the Republic of Georgia. The Dallas delivered 76,000 pounds of supplies to Georgia, including diapers, baby wipes, food, juice, and personal hygiene items.

SN Nicholas Graham looks out at the last section of the Turkish Straits just before the Dallas enters the Black Sea at sunset.

PO2 Ryan Mason does a sudoku puzzle during a break as the Dallas transits through the Black Sea.

PO3 Jonathan Kruse and SN David Delamorena watch for other ships that may pose a threat to the Dallas as the cutter transits through the Black Sea.

PO3 Jonathan Spencer takes a visual line of bearing as the Dallas navigates through the Turkish Straits.

PO3 Peter Strimple pours a cup of coffee for ENS Morgan Way on the bridge of the Dallas.

(Left to right) PO1 Terrell Horne and PO3 Daniel Surles track the Dallas’ position as the ship transits through the Turkish Straits.

ENS Katie Smith, a Turkish pilot and CAPT Robert Wagner look out at the Turkish Strait on the bridge of the Dallas as they transit toward the Black Sea.

PO1 Michael Holmes looks out at the coast line as the Dallas transits through the Turkish Straits.

(Left to right) PO3 Jesse Cubbedge and Seaman Keri Myers take a few minutes to relax on the bow of the Dallas as they transit through the Turkish Straits.

(Left to right) CWO Ray Bryant and FN James Hartsell "Now how exactly are we going to get that part that we dropped down there earlier?"

The Dallas and the guided-missile destroyer USS McFaul transit through the Black Sea en route to the Republic of Georgia to deliver humanitarian assistance supplies.

A pallet of humanitarian assistance supplies is craned from the flight deck of the Dallas to the pier in Batumi, Georgia.

SN Keri Myers, Ryan Youngblood and Tyler Lewis of the Dallas guide a pallet of humanitarian relief supplies onto the pier in Batumi, Georgia.

SN Nicholas Graham jumps from the boat deck of the Dallas into the Black Sea during a swim call.

(Left to right) PO3 Daniel Surles jokes with PO2 Subree Keller during costume bingo night, a morale event, on the mess deck of the Dallas. The best dressed attendees won prizes at the end of the night.

ENS Charles Arena tries to read the next bingo number during costume bingo night, a morale event on the mess deck of the Dallas.

(Left to right) SN Franklin Timmons, CWO Jay Bealer, and SN Jonathon Ruelle attach a pallet of humanitarian assistance supplies to a crane on the flight deck of the Dallas.

PO1 Terrell Horne tracks the Dallas’ position on a nautical chart as the ship transits through the Turkish Straits.