Servicemembers find it’s easy to get sick round the USS Essex

[unhappycamper]

Servicemembers find it’s easy to get sick round the USS Essex
By Cindy Fisher, Stars and Stripes
Pacific edition, Thursday, February 14, 2008

ABOARD THE USS ESSEX — Seasickness and being lost are two common problems for servicemembers making their first deployment aboard the USS Essex, experienced sailors said Tuesday.

Lance Cpl. Aaron McCrea, 19, an infantryman with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit’s Battalion Landing Team 2/4, admitted he’s already had to battle with nausea.

He expects the seasickness might really kick in once the ship gets under way and hits rougher seas, he said.

But he asked around for some advice on how to deal with it.

“I was told to go out and look at the horizon and stay full,” he said.


Rest of article at: http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=52440



uhc comment: My first trip to Nam was in a troopship out of Oakland, CA. We hit 40 foot swells about 400 miles north of Hawaii and I was puking my brains out until we pulled into Danang. I can relate to these guys.

[Submariner]

1. We hit 40 foot swells ?

40 footers are just speed bumps.

I/we got caught in 70 footers east of Bermuda for 3 days on a 306 ft WWII era sub, on the surface :scared:. We made turns for 20 knots, but only made a little over 1 knot over land. Some of us were amazed we didn't snap in two from some of our 50 ft fall belly flops off a wave top. Late '60s before weather satellites we road smack dab into a hurricane including the eye.

After hitting port I drove north on I-95 from Groton to Boston and could not help but weave across the dotted lines like a drunk. Got home and staggered into hallway walls like a drunk until I woke up the next morning with my equilibrium restored. My father thought I was loaded with beers because I was weaving around the house so much.

To prevent sea sickness you need to consume massive quantities of milk with saltine crackers. Gets a big wad of mush in your tummy, and comes up easy too if you can't keep it down. :9

[unhappycamper]

2. I've never set foot on another ocean going ship since 1967.

'40 footers are just speed bumps.'

[Joe_VB]

3. 50 footers in a Fast Frigate (FFG) for three days...

is also fun. Seatbelted to your console in Combat with your puke bag tied to your belt loops. Then some salty bastard lights up a nasty stogie....mmmmmmm.. I miss those days...NOT