Written contributions offered by Rod Hanks
I was sad to read the most recent crew roster to find Roy Moore listed as deceased. I would like to share a short story of my experience of working with Roy aboard the 901.
Roy Moore EN2 – A short remembrance.
During one of our trips to Viet Nam we were at General Quarters for a couple of days (at least it seemed that long). Roy was the lead Engineman in the Main Engine Room. It was my GQ space as well. Normally the shaft alleys were inspected by a roving watch while underway. But, during GQ situations the inspections fell to the Main Engine room to monitor water levels in the shaft alleys.
EN2 Moore turned to me and asked me to go to the shaft alleys (port and starboard) and check them for security. “Call me if you find anything wrong!” he whispered in my ear as I passed. I could hear an urgency in his voice to be discreet if I did find anything.
When I reached the Starboard Shaft Alley I undogged the hatch and looked down the ladder shaft to see seawater above the deck plates! In fact the bottom 2 rungs of the ladder were submerged! Its about 16 to 20 feet down to the deck plates so that meant about 3 or 4 feet of water was above the deck! “Sheeeiitt” I thought as I descended the ladder to the alley. Stepping on the last dry rung I could just reach the sound powered phone on the bulkhead. “Starboard shaft alley to Main Control” I called on the phone. “ Main control, aye” came the reply. “Get Moore on the phone!” I said. After I recognized Roy ’s voice on the phone I almost gagged, “We’ve got water up to my butt down here, all the pump motors are under water!” Roy quickly answered back “On my way, don’t drown!”
What Roy didn’t know was my fear of getting electrocuted was intense. A classmate from high school had been killed by a freak accident at home during his junior year. I saw those electric motors under the surface of the sea water and knew I would get zapped if I touched the water. Before my fear got the best of me Roy was on his way down the ladder almost on top of me!
“What will we do?” I asked. “You’ve got to open the discharge valves so the pumps can drain the alley!” “But, I will get electrocuted!” I fired back! “No you won’t, Those motors are sealed!” He replied.
Now, to reach the valves I had to wade through the waist deep water and duck under the water slightly to twist the valves open. “OK” I said, “If you say so.” “That’s the spirit, Sailor, you get this one over here and I will get the valve open over there.” He said pointing to another valve 20 feet away.
I started wading through the water towards the valve and looked back to see if he was doing the same. “Aren’t you going to get the other valve?” I asked. “Why would I do that when you’re already wet!” he laughed. With that he picked up the sound powered phone and called the Power Room to turn on the power for the pump circuits. “After you get the valves open, you better get out of the water” he snickered, “you’re all wet!”
We’ll miss you Roy .
Roy Moore EN2 – A short remembrance.
During one of our trips to Viet Nam we were at General Quarters for a couple of days (at least it seemed that long). Roy was the lead Engineman in the Main Engine Room. It was my GQ space as well. Normally the shaft alleys were inspected by a roving watch while underway. But, during GQ situations the inspections fell to the Main Engine room to monitor water levels in the shaft alleys.
EN2 Moore turned to me and asked me to go to the shaft alleys (port and starboard) and check them for security. “Call me if you find anything wrong!” he whispered in my ear as I passed. I could hear an urgency in his voice to be discreet if I did find anything.
When I reached the Starboard Shaft Alley I undogged the hatch and looked down the ladder shaft to see seawater above the deck plates! In fact the bottom 2 rungs of the ladder were submerged! Its about 16 to 20 feet down to the deck plates so that meant about 3 or 4 feet of water was above the deck! “Sheeeiitt” I thought as I descended the ladder to the alley. Stepping on the last dry rung I could just reach the sound powered phone on the bulkhead. “Starboard shaft alley to Main Control” I called on the phone. “ Main control, aye” came the reply. “Get Moore on the phone!” I said. After I recognized Roy ’s voice on the phone I almost gagged, “We’ve got water up to my butt down here, all the pump motors are under water!” Roy quickly answered back “On my way, don’t drown!”
What Roy didn’t know was my fear of getting electrocuted was intense. A classmate from high school had been killed by a freak accident at home during his junior year. I saw those electric motors under the surface of the sea water and knew I would get zapped if I touched the water. Before my fear got the best of me Roy was on his way down the ladder almost on top of me!
“What will we do?” I asked. “You’ve got to open the discharge valves so the pumps can drain the alley!” “But, I will get electrocuted!” I fired back! “No you won’t, Those motors are sealed!” He replied.
Now, to reach the valves I had to wade through the waist deep water and duck under the water slightly to twist the valves open. “OK” I said, “If you say so.” “That’s the spirit, Sailor, you get this one over here and I will get the valve open over there.” He said pointing to another valve 20 feet away.
I started wading through the water towards the valve and looked back to see if he was doing the same. “Aren’t you going to get the other valve?” I asked. “Why would I do that when you’re already wet!” he laughed. With that he picked up the sound powered phone and called the Power Room to turn on the power for the pump circuits. “After you get the valves open, you better get out of the water” he snickered, “you’re all wet!”
We’ll miss you Roy .
