PAGE 344
I would like to dedicate this, our three-hundredth and forty-fourth page to the submarine I qualified aboard, the USS Cobbler SS-344. (Which by the way Bert-Man, was named for a killi-fish from New South Wales!)
On April 5, 1967, after nearly 9 months of relentless work studying piping books, electrical diagrams, and the numerous mechanical systems that are required to operate a diesel submarine, I was awarded my dolphins by Captain Alden Anderson. I had to prove that I was capable of operating nearly everything aboard that boat. That I could located every critical valve and switch in every compartment while completely blindfolded. That I could figure out how to operate systems that had failed with backup systems and then the failed backup systems with systems designed for totally different purposes!
Until you are qualified aboard submarines, you are considered a hazard to the boat and are referred to as an NQP - (Non-Qualified-Puke). You are not only expected to complete certain 'qual requirements' by a certain time, but you will be restricted to the boat anytime you become a "dinky non-qual" (someone who is behind in his qualification schedule). A non-qual gets zero slack and until he has those prized dolphins on his chest, is considered to be lower than whale schitt.
When the boat pulls into some port, all the recently qualified men who are not on duty that day, are mustered at the nearest bar, (usually a 'Submarine Bar" where only submarine sailors gather) - and in a grand ceremony - "Drink their Dolphins". Most Sub Bars had at least one huge container like a frappe cup, that would hold a minimum of a quart to half a gallon, into which your new shiny dolphins were dropped. Then every sub sailor in the bar would buy a shot of the worst booze the bar had to offer and if that didn't fill the container then it would be topped off with beer. The objective was to drink the contents and catch your dolphins in your teeth. Smart guys would let most of the contents pour by the sides of their mouth, but hard-liners would try to consume it all, which normally led to puking most of it back up so they didn't die! I was in the Mediterranean when I qualified and they have some truly nasty tasting booze over there.
The old girl is gone forever, but will always hold a place in the hearts of the men that served aboard her.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Cobbler_(SS-344)
