No USS Ranger CV-61

N/A

N/A

Hoping to locate CTM3 Larry Phillips. Served onboard Belknap from about 86-89 or 90

Yep

OS1

85-88

Had a great time in Gaeta. I kept in touch with Captain A.J. Kreckich even after he made Vice Admiral and retired.

I am currently in the oil and gas business I guess. I have leases and they pay me.

I have a great wife and daughter. Married for 16 years now. We spend a lot of time on vacation. I permanently retired 10 years ago.

I hope everyone else that served is able to retire and enjoy their retirement.

I have only been to a military base twice since retiring from the Navy in 1995. Went with my father-in-law who spent 26 years in the Marine corps.

Only stupid person I knew was a James Meier. Glad I never had to go to war with that guy onboard. He kissed buttocks while I made money on the outside with investments. We all know it will end one day.

I am a Vietnam veteran and I was in the Air Force back then, but very few people knew it. I don\'t talk about it. Got out of Air Force and joined the Navy. Trained in Air Force as weapons control systems mechanic for F-4 Phantom at Lowry Air Force base.

Fair seas and following winds to everyone.

No - USS Pharris FF1094 (Plankowner)

QM3

73-76

Great to find this site, to dedicate to those of on the Belknap on Nov 22, 1975. I was on the USS Pharris FF1094 that night as we assisted the other ships with assistance and rescue operations. I was below decks at the time the collision occurred, and then GQ was called. Later that night After the dust settled that night i was on the bridge and able to view the Belknap through a starlight scope able i was able to see the see he extent of the damage to the Belknap. A night i will never forget. Thank You. Michael Rhodes

Yes

BT2

1970 - 1973

I'm sure it seems better now than it did then.

Yes

PC2

Sept 1981 - May 1985

I am proud to have been a crew member and have many fond memories. I have made lifetime friendships and I hope to find more shipmates that I was stationed with. I am proud to call you all my Shipmates!

yes

FC3 CIWS tech

89 to 91

miss Gaeta and all my old shipmates

Yes

ETN-2

Nov. 1971 - Sept. 1975

Four years at sea aboard the Belknap. Met up with her in Naples and left her there 4 years later when my Father died and I was sent home for the funeral in Sept. 75. I was at home watching the tv when they broke in to say "Two U.S. Navy ships collide in the Mediterranean while on maneuvers more in a Moment." I remember wondering, could it be the Belknap? No it couldn't be I was just there. I had just left my Ship and home of four years in Naples. It couldn't be the Belknap. When the News came back on and the announcer said that the Kennedy and the Belknap had collided in the Med. I nearly fell out of my chair. What happened, how was she, how were my ship mates, How were my friends?
I joined the reserves after I left active duty. For this reason I was able to carry Jerrold Ketcham to his final rest and present his flag to his wife. Jerold was my friend he was killed in the fire. It was very sad.
I made tons of phone calls to wives and families of friends and found that most but not all had survived.
My shipmates had fought bravely out there that night and I am proud to have served with all of them.
To all the crews and officers of the U.S.S. Belknap I salute you and would serve with you again any place any time.
On a lighter note I did manage to have a Television and radio show on board with my good friend Mike Lambers or Doc Lambo as I called him. We did the news sports and weather. Most of it was made up but we were out in the middle of the ocean so who new. I was Kelso Kool.
I can't tell you what I really did on the ship because it was so secret I would still have to call the FBI to ok even the slightest hint of my secrecy level. Actually I worked on the radios and Comm. equipment. At night I would go up to the bridge and qualify on the helm just for something to do. I did 3 Med cruises, Unitas, Gitmo, Panama Canal, Equator and countless other trips up and down the East coast also dry docked for over haul two times. She was a Great Ship and a Great Adventure. I think of her and my Shipmates often. Smooth sailing my friends

Sort Of

E4/SP4 (Army)

July 1983 - Barcelona Spain

Got my backpack ripped off while traveling through Barcelona in July 1983. Found the Belknap moored and was granted permission to board since I had my Army I.D. in my pocket. I was broke so the Navy took me under their wing until they could contact my post in Germany to get permission to pay me enough money to get me back to my Army Post. I didn't mind the first couple of days on board but after that not a darned thing to do. Heck, the fellows wouldn't even let me clean the head for something to do. Excellent chow and everyone treated me great. A sailor equivalent to an Army M.P. looked after me while on board. To anyone who was on board at that time, thanks for the great treatment. And I think you were trying to play a trick on me by having me hold the mooring rope when you got underway. It almost pulled me into the harbor because you didn't want to get it wet. I ended my duty with the U.S. Army in August of 83 and came back home. What great memories.

Yes

E/3 -- Bravo 3

2-94 11-94

Had a BLAST in Gaeta and throughout the Med.

No. USS Pharris FF-1094

SN

11/73-06/76 (Plankowner)

I was standing forward lookout on the Pharris when the collision occured. The Belknap and Kennedy were about a mile in front of us when OS in CIC came over the JL circuit and asked me to look in the direction of the Kennnedy. All of a sudden, a big ball of flames went up and a few seconds later I heard a loud boom. We went to GQ, and since I was posted to sonar, I went to the Captain's gig and began prepping the boat. I later served on boat crew when we provided FF gear to the Belknap. Our HM3 onboard the boat just climbed up the cargo net on the starboard side of the foc'sle. We went back to the Pharris without him. You guys were brave that night and fought like hell to keep her afloat. The next day we had fun getting between the Ruskies and the Belknap to keep them from taking pics. The Soviets wound up with a whole pics showing us giving them the single digit salute and a lot hairy butts as we dropped trousers everytime their officers started taking pics.