NAF Sigonella patch, what is the Crater Club?

[Siamundo]

Anyone know what the Crater Club is?

[atb]

Officer's or Chief's or other club?

[Salvage Sailor]

It was the Airdale's club across the street from their barracks at NAF Sigonella

[Siamundo]

Airdale's? What or who is that?

[Salvage Sailor]

Search 'Airdale' on the forum, you'll find plenty of entries from Hink and other members

 

Skimmer = Surface Navy

 

Bubble Head = Submarine Service

 

Airdale = Naval Aviation

 

To quote my fellow Skimmer Steve (Sigsaye) on another thread...

 

"...I started my Navy career as an airdale (don't like to talk about it, I was young and didn't know what I was doing )..."

 

When I was a Lad...

 

Well, I never actually wanted to be an Airdale. But, our beloved Navy decided that I would be good at it and sent me to the school.

After two years I made Third, and the rate closed up, no advancements. One day I was grunting the battery out of an MB-5 Fire Truck in the South China Sea with the Air Bo's'un yelling something about flight ops starting. It was about 10,000 degrees out there and about 100,000% humidity. I had previously almost been set on fire and had been blown down the deck by a yellow shirt turning a plane at the wrong time in the wrong place (he got fired).

 

With sweat pouring into my eyes and the AB yelling at me I look up at the island, and see two guys in cut offs, no shirts and sunglasses. They were sitting in lawn chairs by a big box that had "ropes" coming out of it and a big spot light next to them, drinking sodas, watching me work. I asked my partner who those guys were. He said Signalmen. At that moment I saw my future. The next day after I got off, I went to see a career counselor (who happened to be an SM1) and said I would do anything to be a Signalman. It was a severley undermanned rate, so I signed a few papers and three weeks later I was leaving the Hawk in Subic and flying to San Diego for SM "A" School. Best thing I ever did. I never sat in a lawn chair on the Signal Bridge though. I went to Tin Cans and Gators and learned what real work was. Loved every day of it. (OK, maybe not every day), but all in all I'd do it all again.

 

Steve Hesson

[Siamundo]

Aha, thank you kindly for the identification and explanation. I figured it probably had something to do with drinking with what appears to be a (beer) can at the center of the wings. Just didn't know if the 'club' was an actual brink and mortar building or if it was more of a dubious acheivement type of society on base.