This Military Service Page was created/owned by
Diane Short, SA-Historian
to remember
Stribling, Grady, CWO3 USCG(Ret).
If you knew or served with this Coast Guardsman and have additional information or photos to support this Page, please leave a message for the Page Administrator(s) HERE.
Best Friends FNEM Hart SK3 Warren Browne EM2 Donald Erie EM2 Pearce EM1 August Redlinger
Best Moment My promotion to Third Class Petty Officer. The preparation for becoming a Petty Officer began at Boot Camp and continued though Electrician's Mate School and after six months aboard CGC Winona, I was advanced to Electrician's Mate 3rd Class. This was most important to me because it set my career path that would last for 21 years.
Worst Moment Worst moment ? There were many but I didn't remember those as much as the good moments or better said, "good times". There were a few though: During our shipyard period in Seattle, I experience my first earthquake. I was walking down the pier when it started rolling up and down and the big overhead crane began to "teeter totter" as though it was going to topple over. The quake was 5.5 on the Rector Scale and caused me to nearly ". . . my pants".
The trip to San Diego, CA. for REFTRA when all of us were seasick. A description of this event is noted in the "comments" on the second photo of Winona. To those of you that are wondering what is REFTRA (RefresherTraining), It was two weeks of all most round the clock training with U. S. Navy Observers that assisted, critiqued, and graded exercises, i.e, fire drills, damage control, loss of steering, etc. The training was exhaustive but necessary.
Chain of Command Commanding Officer: CAPT Frank Schmidt Executive Officer: LCDR W. R. Nodell Engineering Officer: LCDR Oberholtzer Division Officer: LTJG Smith Division Chief: EMCM Phillips
Other Memories Our first operational assignment after Refresher Training (REFTRA) in San Diego ; to relieve the Coast Guard Cutter at "Ocean Station November". OSN , one of eight Ocean Stations assigned to the Coast Guard was located in the Pacific Ocean approximately half way between San Francisco and Hawaii. A 210 square mile area designated on navigational charts. For a month, Winona operated within the designated area ready to aid distressed transoceanic aircraft and vessels. Winona transmitted a radio beacon that identified OSN for aircraft to use as a steer point; providing position verification, heading, speed and weather data. As an aid to Oceanography, seawater samples at various depths were recorded by means of an instrument called a bathythermograph (bathy or BT for short). We carried out a daily work and watch standing routine along with time for recreation. There were movies every night, card games and happy hour on Sunday with freshly baked donuts and sodas. A worship service was provided for those wanting to attend. Swim call when the weather and sea conditions permitted. The bright rays of the sun and the purity of the water allowed you to see into the eerie depths of the ocean. With the beginning of a new craze, slot car racing, a track was placed on the port mess deck and slot cars were sold in the ships store, competition was fierce. Last but not least, the Captain's favorite was a "Smoker" on the ship's fantail. With boxing gloves and head gear donned, participating members "went at it". About now we are looking for the "relief vessel" and anxious to return to Port Angeles, WA.
Winona received a warm home coming from family and friends as she arrived at Port Angeles, city pier.
In the summer of 1966 Winona departed Port Angeles on the "Alaska Patrol", previously known as the "Bering Sea Patrol". A 2 month patrol of the Aleutian and Pribilof Islands with visits to Dutch Harbor, Adak, and the LORAN Station on ST. Paul Island. The most memorial time of this assignment was Crossing the International Date Line and the Initiation into the Realm of the Golden Dragon recorded by the enclosed photos.
