I remember most of the 37 knot run. One of the major modifications in drydock was a new burner system. I believe we had to hold the speed for a specified time. 1 bravo boiler lost some of the fire brick on the burner front and the outer wall turned almost white in seconds, inches from the fuel supply line to one of the burners. They stuffed insulation to protect the line. I was on the upper level watch and when that stuff started burning we couldn't breath. But we held in long enough to qualify. I still have my Fastest Ship in the west picture some where.

Hey easterwt, I remember that full power run we did. That ship sure could haul butt as I recall. We were the "Pride of Pearl Harbor" and did old Mack proud. I also have that picture floating around the old homestead somewhere. Maybe if I can locate it, John would be kind enough to add it to this website of our's.

Michael Gray HTC USN Ret.
HT3 USS Cochrane 1977-79

Hello all, now as far as I can remember and that ain't real good after 24 years but it seemed to me that we in fact lost in a race against one of our fellow ships, now I can't really remember if it was the Stoddard or the Strauss, but I was taking bells in main control during this so called race and the bridge wouldn't let us drop her below 1210 psi and we were all pretty mad because we figured we had lots of steam left and we should have won, and if I remember right that was 32 knots. I don't know anything about the fuel we were using but I do know that she was getting pretty tired back then and if we would have taken her from flank to full astern in 62 seconds we would have sucked the fires right out of the boilers and there we would have sat. I do remember that on a few occasions on our south pac, that some of the ports were so small that we would dock under our own power and they would let our chief engineer park us and that would be a hairy ride in the enginrooms because the bells would come fast and constant and being in main control taking bells I also got to see what the after enginroom was doing and we would be at 2/3ds back and they would be at full ahead and then the next bell for us would be like 1/3rd forward and I remember Gary Whitbeck who was our throttleman getting yelled at alot by whoever the officer of the deck would be for dragging the boilers down so far, and then you would hear whoever the topwatch in the fireroom may be, hollering "what in the hell are ya doing to us over there" and I would look at Gary and he would be trying to hide a big clown smile. I do remember feeling us hit the pier a couple of times and I also know that given the proper amount of time that there was no doubt that she could go and pretty damned fast ta boot. Thanks for the great site and especially all the shipmates on it. RUSSELL SEAMAN MMFA '78 to '80

D.C. it would appear as some of the later throttlemen really missed out on some of the more fun times behind the wheels. That makes it all the better that you were able to score them. Perhaps they did not have the good fortune to have the same BTs that we did. It appears that it was not learned that for short periods 1050 psi would do wonders. Also as mentioned earlier our aft BTs would would kick in all of their burners and let us control the steam pressure with the throttles, yes the ship could be made to shake and shudder! Perhaps now is the time to broach the subject, who at the helm during rough seas really thought that trying to change RPMs by one or two faster than they could be logged during an unrep felt that it was actually atainable and really made a difference? Some one out there help with this one, who was the BT in the aft boilerroom that would studder during stress time on the phoneduty but if you could have him sing it all would be as clear as a bell? It must have been rough on him but to all of the rest of us it really helped!
HURT 64-69

I tell you, Steve, When we went aboard her in Brownsville, my number one goal was to score those throttle wheels. I've got them mounted on the wall. You were right, there were good BTs in the after fireroom. I think it was BT3 Arthur Jones that stuttered when he got excited. I remember the full power run out of the yards in 68. Hull was clean the plant was tight. We made her shake that day! If I remember right we had pretty smooth going back aft, but main control had problems holding vacuum until they discovered that someone had not fully opened the steam valve on the second stage of the air ejectors. I think that we held turns for just under 36 kts. for a full hour.

Don Reed
MM2 6/66-11/68

DON your memory is excellant, it was JONES that sang. Next what pier at PEARL was used as JR OFFICERS training to park the ship I always thought they should be called slamming pier, now do any BTs or throttlemen want to talk about answering some real far out bells next to a pier? Some day we will have to tell the story of how aft engineroom on the COCHRANE was the actual coolist in her class at any same given outside temperature. And while we are at it how we converted away from alcohol soaked headsets to the mic on the throttle board and loud speaker substitute, something that all that followed after us should say thanks for as I personaly know about the butt chewing in the begining and then acceptance afterwards.
HURT