Your Bio

"Welcome! My name is Gary Whitcutt and I was a crewman aboard the USS Albatross (MSC-289) from 1967 to 1969. If you've found this obscure website and served with me, send an email to whitcutt@wavecable.com -- I'd enjoy hearing from you.

Albatross was one of nine 145-foot coastal minesweepers assigned to the 7th Fleet and homeported in Sasebo, Japan during the '60s. Here are a few snapshots with my recollections of our ship and crewmen as we went about our business of preparing to sweep mines and patroling the mouth of the Saigon River as part of "Operation Market Time". I became rated as a Boatswain's Mate and during our long patrols stood helm, lookout and sonar watches. A few of my snipe buddies even showed me how to fire up the ship's main engines in the case of an emergency. All in all, it was great duty."

Galleries

1. Our Ship : With only nine years of active service with the Seventh Fleet, Albatross had a relatively short career. Earlier "Falcon" and "Redwing" class MSCs built in the mid 1950s were powered with the time-tested U.S. built Packard and General Motors diesels while the newer Albatross -- and her sister, Gannet (MSC-290) -- were produced with four 8-cylinder Harischfeger engines of German design. Over time, both Albatross and Gannet suffered from recurring engine failures and electro-hydraulic issues which kept tech reps busy whenever we weren't on long patrols. By 1970, the expense had become too much and the Navy retired both vessels long before their anticipated service life of 30-35 years.

1. Our Ship

With only nine years of active service with the Seventh Fleet, Albatro ...

Updated: Nov 24, 2008 9:43pm PST

2. The Crew : I'd come from Edmonds, WA -- just north of Seattle -- but many of us called home Alabama, Mississppi, North Carolina, Idaho, Illinois, California, or the Phillipines.

2. The Crew

I'd come from Edmonds, WA -- just north of Seattle -- but many of us c ...

Updated: Apr 20, 2007 10:54am PST

3. Training : Minesweeping exercises was a major part of our continuous refresher training responsibilities. Much of it was conducted in conjuction with similar vessels of the Japanese fleet and near Buckner Bay, Okinawa.

3. Training

Minesweeping exercises was a major part of our continuous refresher tr ...

Updated: Jan 08, 2007 10:00am PST

4. Operation Market Time : During my 22 months aboard Albatross, we performed three "Operation Market Time" patrols as active members of the Tonkin Gulf Yacht Club. These patrols off the coast of South Vietnam lasted 6 or 7 weeks. This was tedious work -- zig-zagging back and forth, night and day, in an effort to track merchant vessels of all shapes and sizes entering or leaving the mouth of the Saigon River. Up river, other sailors on smaller, fast and nimble PCFs and PBRs were doing the really dirty, sweaty work -- darting in and out of harm's way. We couldn't help but wonder about their safety and the risks they were taking all the time.

4. Operation Market Time

During my 22 months aboard Albatross, we performed three "Operation Ma ...

Updated: Feb 08, 2007 5:23pm PST

5. The Other "C" Boats : For most of the 1960s, the Navy's 7th Fleet operated nine coastal minesweepers in two groups homeported in Sasebo, Japan. During his command of Albatross, my former C.O., Lt. Edward F. Cole, Jr., led Mine Division 31. Peacock and Phoebe were Falcon Class minesweepers, running two 16-cylinder Packard diesels engines, originally designated as AMSs (Auxilliary Minesweeper) and later re-designated by the Navy as MSCs (Minesweeper Coastal). Vireo, Warbler, Whippoorwill, Widgeon and Woodpecker were slightly larger Redwing Class minesweepers of similar design and upgraded with more powerful General Motors diesels. These five ships were also originally designated as AMSs and later redesignated as MSCs. Gannet was the second of only three of the more modern Albatross Class MSCs equipped with four 8-cylinder inline Harnischfeger diesel engines (two on each shaft designed for increased reliability and versatility). Albatross Class ships were put into service in 1961 -- some five years after the Falcon and Redwing designs.

5. The Other "C" Boats

For most of the 1960s, the Navy's 7th Fleet operated nine coastal mine ...

Updated: Nov 17, 2006 3:24pm PST

6. Tokyo : "Join the Navy, See the World". It worked for me!

6. Tokyo

"Join the Navy, See the World". It worked for me!

Updated: Sep 18, 2006 10:27pm PST

7. Liberty in Sasebo : Of all the foreign ports to be stationed, I can think of no better place to be than in Sasebo, Japan on the southern-most island of Kyushu.

7. Liberty in Sasebo

Of all the foreign ports to be stationed, I can think of no better pla ...

Updated: Apr 20, 2007 10:50am PST

Hong Kong : After long patrols, the crew enjoyed Hong Kong for a well-deserved R and Rs. It was so warm, we wore our Tropical Whites.

Hong Kong

After long patrols, the crew enjoyed Hong Kong for a well-deserved R a ...

Updated: Feb 28, 2007 2:24pm PST

9. Change of Commands :

9. Change of Commands

Updated: Feb 08, 2007 5:14pm PST

10. Life Now on Camano Island : I was born in Seattle, grew up in the quaint little waterfont town of Edmonds and have since migrated a bit further north to Camano Island -- just inboard of Whidbey Island and south of the San Juan Islands. My wife, Sandy, and I feel very fortunate to live in such a beautiful corner of America.

10. Life Now on Camano Island

I was born in Seattle, grew up in the quaint little waterfont town of ...

Updated: Apr 27, 2007 12:57pm PST

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