Phil Somerset's U.S. Navy Career



*Enlisted July, 1963

*Recruit Training (Boot Camp), Great Lakes, IL, July -September 1963

*Electronics Technician Class "A" School, Great Lakes, IL, September 1963 - August 1964

This training consisted of 28 weeks of strong electronics training. of which the last four were in either the Communications or the Radar specialty. Communications specialists acquired the ETN rating designator, while the Radar specialists became ETR's. While my class was in session, the Navy instituted an additional choice, for which the selectees were transferred to Treasure Island (San Francisco), CA, for specialty training in digital computers, after which they earned the DS (Data Systems Technician) rating.

One of those who did this was a fellow named Carl T. Helmers, Jr. This happens to be the name of the person who founded BYTE Magazine. Is this the same person? I have never been able to find out.

*Enlisted Submarine School, New London, CT, September 1964 - November 1964

This intensive eight-week school introduces Navy personnel with the complex electrical and mechanical systems they will be expected to master in the submarine navy. These include high-pressure air systems, hydraulic systems, propulsion systems, weapons systems, and damage control equipment. They are also given their initial exposure to the 112-foot tall (i.e., deep) Escape Training Tank, where escape techniques are learned.

**USS Sea Leopard (SS-483), Norfolk, VA, November 1964 - February 1966

This conventional (i.e., diesel-electric) submarine was built in 1945, just before the end of World War II, and was enroute to the Pacific when the war ended. After the war, it was converted to Guppy Class (Greater Underwater Propulsive Power). As a result of that conversion, the boat (submarines, regardless of size, are called "boats" in the U.S. Navy) had four batteries, four diesel engines and a snorkel.

When I was on the boat, it was attached to Task Group Alpha, an anti-submarine warfare unit. In Task Group Alpha, the Sea Leopard and several other submarines acted as targets for the rest of the group, which consisted of a small carrier with ASW aircraft, and several destroyers. Our designated role in the training exercises usually involved following a set course through the exercise area and making as much noise as possible so that they would have a chance of detecting us.

My duties were to maintain various electronic systems, notably the surface search radar, the LORAN-A navigation receiver, and the ECM (electronic countermeasure) receivers. At sea, I stood lookout/helm/planesman watches. I served for 15 months.

*Fleet Ballistics Missile Training School, Dam Neck, VA, February 1966 - October 1966

This facility provided technical training specific to the technical specialists in the Polaris submarine weapons systems. Included were:

As one of the latter, I learned the SINS (Ships Inertial Navigation System). This system provides continuous, accurate position and velocity information to the Fire Control system. The fire control problem could not be accurately computed without accurate data about the boat's current geographic position.

Training included digital electronics, electomagnetic components, inertial navigation principles and digital computer design.

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USS Lewis & Clark (SSBN-644), Charleston, SC, August 1966 - July 1970

The USS Lewis & Clark (SSBN-644) was a Fleet Ballistic Missile (FBM) submarine of the 640 class. It was 425 feet long, had a beam of about 33 feet, and carried 16 Polaris missiles and a crew of about 140. It was commissioned in 1965 at the Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Co, in Newport News, VA (I should know, I was there a few docks away on the USS Sea Leopard).

Each FBM submarine had two complete crews - the Blue crew and the Gold crew. I was on the Gold crew. Our patrol cycle ran about 100 days. When the Blue crew brought the boat back in from patrol, we would meet them at the pier. We would spend about 3-4 days discussing how everything went on the last patrol and finding out what was broken. After the Blue crew left, we would spend the remainder of the inport period (about 25 days) getting the boat ready to go back to sea. Once we got underway, we would sail to our patrol area and remain on our mission of strategic deterrence for 63 to 70 days. Finally, we would bring the ship back to port and let the Blue crew take over.

As a SINS Technician, my responsibilities were to repair and recalibrate the Mark 2, Mod 3 Ships Inertial Navigation Systems and their associated equipment so that they would be ready for the next patrol.

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