Bizarre Re-enlistments
04/19/10
If you took part in a "unique" re-enlistment or know of someone who did and would like to share this experience with others, please submit the information to Bob Pettengill at kb5rex@gmail.com. Even if you don't have a picture, perhaps you can offer a description of that "special event".

(Click on the photo for a closer look)
Jim Cossey submitted this photo and adds the following comments:

This picture was taken on the rudder of the Snook during March/April/May of 1973 while the ship was alongside (for longer than we wished) in Guam. The re-enlisting sailor (believed to be Joe Cavanaugh MM2 or MM1) agreed to re-enlist if I would do it standing on the rudder. This photo shows the results. Also, if my memory serves correctly, he "inadvertently" fell in the water (with a slight push from me) after re-enlisting.

Other re-enlistment highlights I can recall: re-enlisted the Sailor of the Year from Atsugi at the top of Mount Fuji (12,395') and re-enlisted another sailor (a female) while jogging on the track at Yokosuka while doing our PRT test.
Click on each photo for a larger view
Art Hanson & Rufas 
Templet getting ready
for the ship over
Joe being sworn in by
Cdr Cossey
The handshake
Art & Rufas saving Joe &
Cdr Cossey with a big
smile
(Photos by Larry Walk)
Joe being rescued after "slipping" 
in the water.
(Photo submitted by Jim Cossey)

Gervase Rybak remembers a sonar chief that had the Captain  re-enlist him in a canoe. Anyone remember the details on this one? 

 

Steve Svenvold remembers another bizarre re-enlistment:

While on West Pac (circa July '69) we had a compliment of "spooks" on board which caused many more of us to hot-rack. My LPO, a TM1, was ousted from his choice rack (with which he shared with nobody) up in the mezzanine. A Lt. JG. spook was now sleeping in his rack.

This did not sit well. As luck would have it, The TM1 was due to reenlist very soon. He went to the captain and demanded his rack back as a reenlistment bonus. That very day, the Lt. JG. ended up hot-racking someplace in the wardroom, I guess, and peace and harmony prevailed in the torpedo room.