USS Higbee Association Message Board

1974 Cruise to Rose Festival in Portland

brheil — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 02:27:37 GMT

I did my last duty on that cruise. I was a Commissaryman 3rd class. Anyone remember that cruise in the summer?

Forum: Looking for mates, friends or relatives.

Train whistle

jerrymason — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 02:08:00 GMT

I have read several times about a train whistle on the Higbee. Maybe my memory has just lost it but I was aboard the Higbee from August of 57 to December of 59 and I cannot recall any train whistle. Can someone tell me when this whistle was installed?

Forum: Sea Stories from the 1950,s

photos of 1959 cruise

jerrymason — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 04:37:09 GMT

I just checked on the Higbee web site and was very pleased to see the pictures submitted by the son of Lt.jg John Knott taken during the 1959 cruise. That was my last cruise aboard the Higbee and I well recalled some of the officers pictured. I was stunned to see that Lt.jg Mcgirr went on to become a Rear Admiral. Behind his back, we used to call him Mr. McGoo. I sort of question the identification of the three officers on the bridge. The officer identified as Lt.Cdr. Hayes does not look to me as I recall Mr. Hayes. Also, the officer identified as Lt.jg McGirr does not look to me as I recall Mr. McGirr. Can someone else, who knew these officers, comment on their identities? Other than that, thanks for the pictures. There is very little info dating from the late fifties on this site.

Forum: Sound off about the web site contents

Looking for Shipmates

jsallay — Thur, 24 Jan 2008 02:41:28 GMT

I was recently introduced to a new site directly supporting navy shipmates. It is called Together We Served. You get full membership for 30 days, limited membership (basically your own page access) and if you want, it costs 20 dollars per year. It is well designed, a great search feature and has over 100,000 members. Consider it a great addition to this website. I encourage all to check it out

Forum: Looking for mates, friends or relatives.

Ahoy mates!

felipe — Thur, 17 Aug 2006 22:59:52 GMT

Would like to her from shipmates that served during 1972/72. April 19,1972 will always be a day I'll never forget! I thank each and every shipmate who helped me and my brother ( SM3 Guardado,Mike) during this difficult time. If I had to do it all over, I would be fighting to be first. The officers & crew were and are the best and I'll never ever be able to thank them enough.

The ship was and is a "Grand Ole Lady". The Navy does need to rename a new ship after this grand lady.

Forum: Sea Stories from the 1970's

DDR 806 HIGBEE & KOREA PHOTOS

RDuncan — Sun, 09 Apr 2006 22:24:29 GMT

Some old Kodac Slides that are in a state of meltdown and misc.
stuff.

http://www.geocities.com/bob55and56/index.html

Forum: Sea Stories from the 1940's

1949 Panama Canal Cruise

RDuncan — Sun, 09 Apr 2006 22:02:25 GMT

When on the Higbee in 1949 we took that cruise down to the Panama Canall, and one of the crew (can't remember his name) but he was sea sick from the time we left port until we got to the Canal.

We crossed the Equator and become Shell Backs (oh man), before pulling into the Canal Zone.
( The same guy was sea sick on the way back to the states.)

A "Smoker" was held on the Fantail
Were you there? Did you get in the Pie eating contest ?
The sea sick guy got in in it, but later heaved over the side.

Forum: Sea Stories from the 1940's

A Search for fathers old crewmates.

BM3ThielsDaughter — Fri, 10 Feb 2006 18:19:58 GMT

Hi.

You don't know me. But maybe you know my father. His name is Lawerence Allen Thiel BM3 on the U.S.S. Higbee. He served during Vietnam.

He's still alive and when he found out this site was here he asked me to find old crewmates. If you have any photos or maybe just remember him. Please it would be a pleasure to hear from you.

If you want to get in contact with my father just ask me.

Thank you again.

Forum: Looking for mates, friends or relatives.

drunk sailors

burnieurton — Sun, 15 Jan 2006 00:53:56 GMT

This was circa 1976ish...I was an SH2, and Higbee was moored at Pier 9, the Long Beach Naval Station. We had recently changed home ports to Seattle (where my fiance was), and I was the quarterdeck OOD during the 20-24 watch. We were moored starboard-side-to, and the quarterdeck was on the dash deck (just forward of Mt 52). I was missing my fiance something fierce, and my mind CERTAINLY was NOT on the ship's security at the time. I had seen a few drunk shipmates return from liberty at the base EM club, never giving a second thought to them cutting any capers...TILL I WALKED AROUND THE SHIP! Mainly out of boredom, I decided to walk the main deck. As I crossed the fantail to the port side, I could hear yelling and cursing. As I neared the racket, I could see faintly (it was about dusk) what it was; our leading STG1 and a Boatswains Mate (don't recall any names) had somehow climbed over the side, and onto an oil donut, and had CAST IT OFF from its tie up along side the ship! It was 'rockin and rollin', and they were hanging on the side of it for dear life, and shouting (!@#$%^&*!!!!!!!). Translated, that's "get us OFF this thing!!!!!" I double-timed it back to the quarterdeck, and, embarrassed as I was of the flagrant oversight during MY watch, informed the CDO of the problem. He called port services, and they sent a mike boat over, returning the donut to the ship's side, and our two drunk shipmates to their racks for the night.

Forum: Sea Stories from the 1970's

1959-64

BryanC — Sun, 25 Jul 2004 05:48:52 GMT

I live in Klamath Falls,Oregon. I came back after Navy to the hometown. I recall leaving Long Beach for Yokosuka, Japan for the 2 years homeport and thereafter leaving 2nd division. I was in gunnery office until promoted to 3rd class then to ship's office. My brother Larry also was assigned to the Higbee after we were in Japan. He was in first division as seaman then 3 class boats mate. I remember ports of Hong Kong , Subic Bay, Singapore, Rangoon,Taiwan, crossing the Equator. I also recall The Train Steam Whistle, riding out the typhoon at sea. Also recall vividly when the gun tubs on 0 one level were flattened, the motor whale boat got the hole in the bottom and the bulkhead was bent in - near midship.

Forum: Sea Stories from the 1960's

Where is everyone

jimc — Tue, 18 May 2004 23:20:45 GMT

This is a great forum, and there are certainly enough ex shipmates out there to make this thing work, but I can't figure where they are. We need to come up with a way to notify others of this bulletin board. Anybody out there?

Forum: Sound off about the web site contents

Past reunions

jimc — Tue, 18 May 2004 23:16:14 GMT

I have only been to two of the reunions in the past, one in Nashville, and one in Baltimore, and they were both great fun and I an certainly looking forward to this years reunion in Texas.It would be great if we could get the names of those who attend each year so that we could follow up with them and try to get them to this years reunion.

Forum: Past Reunions

Crew Roster

jimc — Tue, 18 May 2004 23:10:12 GMT

It would be great to have the roster show e-mail addresses so that we could maybe locate some old buddies

Forum: Comments and Maintenance of our Crew Roster

Reunion 2004

jimc — Tue, 04 May 2004 23:59:04 GMT

I have not heard anything from the Association President Gil Rodello. :confused:

Forum: Reunion 2004

The new Bulletin Board

jimc — Tue, 04 May 2004 23:53:13 GMT

It is a little confusing as it offers so much more than the old one. It is Great and I hope we get a lot of correspondence. Good Job Mike!!!

Forum: Sound off about the web site contents