Naming Computers [was: A Momentous Decision]

From: Christopher McNabb <cmcnabb_at_4mcnabb.net>
Date: Wed Oct 23 20:52:00 2002

> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Will Jennings" <xds_sigma7_at_hotmail.com>
> To: <cctalk_at_classiccmp.org>
> Sent: Wednesday, October 23, 2002 8:39 PM
> Subject: RE: Naming Computers [was: A Momentous Decision]
>
>
> > Just think, since some of those are subs, (Thresher I know is, I believe
> > Scorpion is as well), why not name one machine DICASS? For those not in
> the
> > know, thats the AN/SSQ-62B Directional Command Activated Sonobuoy
> System...
> > And yes, the Navy really *does* call it DICASS... They're death to subs,
> > usually lead to a direct ping by a dipping sonar, and then the helicopter
> > crew shouts "weapon away!" and you get torpedoed/depth-charged/all of the
> > above!
> >

As a former submariner, I think I can add a bit to this. Thresher and
Scorpion were both US Nuclear submarines, lost in the late 50's or early
60's. Thresher was the first of it's class. The entire class was
renamed after the incident, and became the Skate Class. Thresher was
lost due to some basic procedural and design flaws. These flaws were
corrected immediatly and lead to the Navy's Sub-Safe program.

Though know one will really know the exact cause of the loss of the
Scorpion, it is believed she was lost due to a torpedo detonating inside
of the ship (like the Kursk).

The only other major submarine disaster that has occured to a US sub
since the second world war was a battery fire (nasty business) on the
USS Bonefish in the late 80's. The Bonefish was one of the last of the
diesel boats. Three men died in that fire, one of whom was a friend of
mine.

ASW Stuff: When we played games with the ASW folks down at AUTEC, we
almost always had to broach (stick the sail above the water) so that the
choppers and P-3 Orions could see us. The sonar buoys almost never
picked us up if we were running under normal patrol noise control
conditions, even when they were actively pinging at us and not just
passively listening.

Ob Classic Computer stuff: For some reason, it seemed that they always
used us nuclear engineering folks to man the Mk 113 fire control system
during battle stations. It was great fun to simulate targeting a
fishing fleet on the surface and seeing how many "kills" we could get
with one shot of a simulated "special" weapon.
-----
Christopher McNabb, Former EM1/SS on a Steely Eyed Killer of the Deep
Received on Wed Oct 23 2002 - 20:52:00 BST