MovieChat Forums > Down Periscope (1996) Discussion > I was in the Navy

I was in the Navy

posted 21 years ago by matren2003
7 replies | jump to latest

I was in the Navy and almost everyone in this movie reminded me of a real person i met while on active duty. Best examples: The cook named Buckman was tall fat and a cook who really didn't care. My second ship, the U.S.SS. Sides (FFG-14)we had a guy that was just like him, only he was named Horseman.
Marty the XO was an a-hole. I had an officer who was just as short in size. He also had the same bad attitude and thought the enlisted men were crap.
It was amazing.

[–] Ozpunk 20 years ago

I was a submariner for my full naval enlistment and this movie is great! I love the caricatures, which reminded me so much of the people I served with, such as the fat nasty cook, jerk XO, twitchy electrocuted radioman, old grimy machinistmate and goofy sonarman (which was my job). Just that and the relaxed additude of the crew, although exaggerated still reminded me very much of the men I served with. The technical aspects of the movie may not be very accurate, but it is the best submarine movie ever.

.Ozpunk .
"I even thought I was dead, turned out I was just in Nebraska..."

[–] killers411 19 years ago

I hope you at least have some respect for Das Boot...

Though I think DP is super awesome.

[–] silstar 19 years ago

Ozpunk, you were sonar? I've heard in the Navy, they look upon submarine guys as a little crazy, and you submarine guys look at the sonar guys as a little crazy, so you must be nuts! (j/k, by the way, about you being nuts) BUT, I have to agree with the last poster, do you consider Das Boot to be a good submarine movie? If you don't, I may have to come and pour the Gilly Juice from the torpedoes down your throat and turn you into Seaman Hornesby!

Does anyone care for fruit..... or dessert?

[–] drcampbell 19 years ago

Short guys with attitude problems are not unique to the Navy.

[–] dawgpoundjohn 15 years ago

The BEST?! Not even close. As a sonar girl (I was a nuke electrician), I'm sure you realize there was a part of the boat AFT OF THE OPS COMPARTMENT!

Das Boot was the most accurate movie ever made to show how life was onboard a submarine. Not from a technical standpoint of a nuclear sub, but the mental side of being in a sub.

With that being said, I do appreciate your service. We didn't want to push the front of the boat unless we knew what was out there.

[–] marshall_plan02 10 years ago

Heck, I was in the aviation side (F/A-18 squadron). Some of the guys I served with also reminded me of those in Down Periscope. Fat cook, buff engineman (or, in the case of a squadron, aircraft mechanic) with a tough-guy attitude so bad that nobody (including myself) wants to be within his radius, twitchy electrician (YES, there was one in my shop). 'Cept I never encountered an an*l pilot or maintenance officer (though, I could think of 1 maintenance chief) that acted like Rob Schneider. :P

[–] CGSailor 10 years ago

You weren't on Sides around the 92-93 timeframe were you?
Had a buddy on on Sides. An FC2
I was on Halsey.
An EW.

I joined the Navy to see the world, only to discover the world is 2/3 water!