Fool's errands

[Marcia]

I spent 21 years in the Navy - many of them on ships "training" the new Sailors. I have two notable training excercises we did. How about taking the "sea water injection temperature"? We routinely needed to be aware of the sea temps in the event of a man overboard and of course this was done with electronic instruments, but once in a while we would send an unsuspecting guy to the fantail with a rectal thermometer on a length of fishing line.

The other training session was sending a guy or gal to the Supply Department in search of a "One D Ten T" form". After the supply guy (who of course was in on it) scratched his head for a couple seconds, he ask the hapless Sailor to write it down for him...."ID10T". They usually caught on pretty quickly after that. Thanks for the thread, so MANY good memories. =D

 

[Marcia]

oh, and don't even get me started on "sea bats"!!!!

 

[Marcia]

In the Navy we used to send new Quartermaster seaman to the Cheif Bosun for 100 feet of water line.

Almost forgot about sending the guys to the bosun's locker for a "BM punch"!

 

[Oldhokie64]

Years ago when some of the high-rise apartments were being built on I95 just south of DC, an electrician's apprentice was sent down 12 stories (no personel elevator) to retrieve a roll of #12 thhn wire, a legitimate request. The poor guy could not find any #12 so he hauled two rolls of #6 up twelve stories.

 

[Oldhokie64]

A good GM diesel. (couldn't help myself, just had to let it out)

 

[Babe]

Light bulb repair kit.

 

[Ross]

I am still waiting for some replacement compass points.

 

[Ross]

A fools errand can be a seach for a ficticious item or a ligitmate task that sounds totally absurd.
When I worked in the textile industry all of the automatic controls were pneumatic and they required dry air. The guys were discussing the problem in the lunch room and the plant nurse was at the table. The need was for a filter just before each instrument or control point to avoid fouling the instrument. They had to be cheap and easily replaced. The nurse suggested tampons in the line and they tried this with a short 3/8 IPS nipple and fittings on each end for the 1/4 copper tubing. It worked perfectly and once each month they serviced all of the filters.
Whenever a new guy showed up in the shop they would include him on the monthly filter service. The announcement was always the same: "Today we are going to change all of the tampex in the plant.
With that said they would load him down with three or four boxes of tampons and head out into the plant.

 

[Dan H]

I heard about them when I joined the US Navy, a can of gland seal, sea bats, mail buoys, and a BT punch. So when they told me to go to Main Control and get the lube oil sample bottles, I told them NO WAY, I ain't falling for that.
Turns out there really is lube oil sample bottles and it was my responsibility for the next year to go get them when I was on watch.

 

[Ron20324]

It's nice to know that as the years have passed that the guilt feelings for what you have done have been grating on your brain- and been unforgettable. I mean, .... you have been feeling guilty- haven't you :naughty:

 

[Ross]

It's nice to know that as the years have passed that the guilt feelings for what you have done have been grating on your brain- and been unforgettable. I mean, .... you have been feeling guilty- haven't you :naughty:

Not the least damn bit! I enjoy every memory of those pranks. I abhor meanness but sending a new guy on an errand is a rite of passage.
Just as a little hyperbole is fun as in ,"I fell of a forty foot ladder yesterday, and got right back on the ladder. It will teach me to pay attention. I was only up about two steps.

 

[Ron20324]

"I fell of a forty foot ladder yesterday, and got right back on the ladder. It will teach me to pay attention. I was only up about two steps.

Was it upright or laying on the floor?