USS CARR Families and Friends –
We have made it past half-way day; many of the crew have commenced their countdown of the days until we return to family and friends. This week began in Tromsø, Norway and ended in Murmansk, Russia – hectic for some, relaxing for others:
Day 76 – Sunday, August 28th (Arrived Tromsø, Norway)
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This morning it was cool (around 55F), wet, and foggy as we proceeded to pass between the fjords moving inland toward Tromsø. While the fog held off, we had the opportunity to observe some awesome scenery…at several points you could look out the bridge wing doors and see nothing but mountain. For the majority of the transit the water was a few hundred feet deep right up until the land emerged from the water. The transit got a bit tougher as we approached Tromsø because the currents increased in the narrows and visibility dropped – the depth of water also dropped appreciably. Once near the pier, our Conning Officer – LT Jonathan Goodson executed a 180 degree turn and used the perfect amount of rudder and thrust from our auxiliary propulsion units (thrusters) to bring us safely pierside without having to rely on tugs to assist.
We found Tromsø to be very expensive – plus the city shuts down at 1700. I had a normal meal on the town without any alcohol and spent $75. The average price of a beer on the town is between $12-18! As a result, we sold some food pierside to offer our Sailors an alternative to the high priced food (in addition to the regular meals served on board).
After arriving pierside we received mail, food, fuel, and parts…the crew quickly moved the food inside the ship as it continued to rain. Thanks to all the families that keep the packages and letters coming. Our next opportunity for mail will be early next week – after that we won’t receive mail until the 21st of September.
In preparation for arriving in Murmansk First Division had the task of shifting our accommodation ladder from the stbd to port side. The accommodation ladder is an extremely heavy metal stairway that attaches to Carr – we use it when anchoring out to get personnel down to a liberty boat or when pierside if the host country can’t provide a brow. This was an all hands effort for First Division. This challenging evolution was completed safely and efficiently under the supervision of BM3 Eric Jones and the leadership of both BMCS Kenneth Feagin and BM1 Tony London.
Day 77 – Monday, August 29th (Tromsø, Norway)
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A bit about Tromsø…the city is located 217 miles inside the Arctic Circle and is the seventh most populated city in Norway; it has been inhabited since the end of the ice age. The ancestor of Norwegians brought their culture to the area during the migrations of the Vikings before AD 890. Tromsø was issued its city charter in 1794 by King Christian VII. Most of Tromsø, including the city center, is located on the small island of Tromsøya. The city is warmer than most other places located on the same latitude, due to the warming effect of the Gulf Stream. In the 19th century, Tromsø was known as the “Paris of the North”, probably because people in Tromsø appeared as far more civilized than expected to foreign tourists By 1850 Tromsø was the major center of Arctic hunting, overtaking the former center of Hammerfest. By the end of the 19th century, Tromsø had become a major Arctic trade center from which many Arctic expeditions originated. Tromsø served briefly as the seat of Norwegian government during WWII. Luckily, the city escaped the war without any damage. The most significant action in WWII involving Tromsø was the sinking of the German battleship Tirpitz near Tromsøy island on 12 November 1944 by a Russian submarine.
Day 78 – Tuesday, August 30th (Tromsø, Norway)
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Today those off duty took advantage of the time to walk around the city, enjoy the view, and check out the local shops. The rumor was that electronics were cheap here and many went to the local Apple store to see what they could pick up; however, an iPod Touch was selling for $300 – apparently someone hadn’t done the currency conversion correctly.
Day 79– Wednesday, August 31st (Depart Tromsø, Norway)
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Great weather for getting underway today – thus we were able to observe the fjords and small settlements along our outbound journey…on the way into Tromsø most of these sites were obscured by fog and rain. Once we cleared the fjords, we turned North towards Russia.
Day 80 – Thursday, September 1st
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Today we operated the furthest North most of us have ever been (or will ever be) – 72 degrees North. At this point Iceland, Scandinavia, and most of Russia are well South of us! In the afternoon we had the opportunity to observe a Russian Bear Foxtrot (large Russian reconnaissance plane) conducting routine coastal patrols. This aircraft is an impressive sight – it is as big as a B-52 bomber – with its 8 huge propellers that produce a tremendous noise…we heard it coming for miles. As it got closer it emerged from the clouds and we could see its massive 35 degree swept wings.
After receiving repair parts, EN3 Joshua Young was able to lead repairs to our hydraulic fin stabilizer system. Our fin stabilizer system counteracts rolling motion, making Carr a much more pleasant place to be, especially when the waves are coming from the port or starboard beam. EN3 Young worked tirelessly to replace all the seals in the system which completely restored it to full operation – well done.
Day 81 – Friday, September 2nd (Arrive Murmansk, Russia)
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We met our Russian escort vessel (a Nanuchka Class patrol boat) at 0300 to begin our slow transit up the Kol’skiy Zaliv river. Being this far North, I did not expect to see as many trees as we did – the mountains around us were very green; however, the trees are short because we are so far North…they only grow a couple months a year. Some of the Russian ships we had the opportunity to observe on the transit were a Kirov Class Nuclear Cruiser, Udaloy Class Destroyers, Sovremenny Class Destroyer, Sierra Class Submarine, and several patrol boats and minesweepers.
After arriving pierside, we learned that the pier was one of the two original piers that were here in WWII – it looks like that we are the first American ship to come pierside here since 1945. Although one other U.S. ship had visited Murmansk, it anchored out in the river. Additionally, we were told that we may have the U.S. Navy record for ship visits to Russia – a few ships stationed in Japan have two visits to Russia; but we apparently are the only ones who have been here three times – in three months!
In the evening we held a reception on board – our last scheduled reception of this deployment! Great job to Deck Division for getting the tent up quickly – they installed the sides of the tent for the first time since it was so cool out. We had a great turnout of Russian guests and some stayed until after 2200. As we have been accustomed to, our Culinary Specialists put on a great food spread – supplemented by the color guard presentation and our Sailors engaging the Russians in conversation and tours.
Day 82 – Saturday, September 3rd (Murmansk, Russia)
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History of Murmansk: IIn WWI, Russia needed to build a railroad from Petrozavodsk to an ice-free location in the Arctic in order to ship military supplies to support their campaigns in WWI; this location in the Arctic became known as Murman station. During the Russian Civil War (specifically 1918 to 1920) Murmansk was occupied by the western allied forces (including the United States and Britian) that supported the “White” Russians (the Bolsheviks were the “Reds” and the anti-communist Russians were “White”). During World War II, Murmansk was a link with the Western world for Russia, Arctic Convoys from the Allies brought essential goods and raw materials necessary to support the war effort against the Nazis. Many American Merchant Mariners lost their lives in WWII while transporting war supplies to Russia (there is a Merchant Mariner cemetery in Murmansk that some of the crew and I will visit). German forces in Finnish territory launched an offensive against the city in 1941 as part of Operation Silver Fox, and Murmansk suffered extensive destruction second only to Leningrad and Stalingrad (many of the buildings were wood – after the bombings, only the chimneys remained). Fierce Soviet resistance and harsh geography prevented the Germans from capturing the city and cutting off the vital Karelian railway line and the ice-free harbor. For the rest of the war, Murmansk served as transit point for weapons and other supplies entering the Soviet Union from other Allied nations. During the Cold War Murmansk was a center of Soviet submarine and icebreaker activity and, past the breakup of the Soviet Union, the nearby city and naval base of Severomorsk remains the headquarters of the Russian Northern Fleet. (The base of Severomorsk is as close to Murmansk as Chesapeake is to Norfolk).
Today several of the crew had the opportunity to go to the Museum of the Russian Northern Fleet and tour our host ship. Additionally, many enjoyed liberty in the city. Saturdays is a huge day for weddings here – it is traditional that after the wedding ceremony the Russian couple and their guests go to some of the historic sites. Several groups of our Sailors were asked to take photos with the brides and grooms – additionally, once group asked our Sailors to participate in a tug-of-war with the wedding party. The Russian people have been very welcoming and love to get photos with our Sailors in uniform. One other tradition is that the bride and groom place a lock on fences, bridges, and railings near the historic site and then throw the key in the water.
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Until next week, stay safe Carr Family and Friends!
CDR Patrick Kulakowski
Commanding Officer
USS CARR (FFG 52)
“Courage, Will, Determination
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