Can any one else remember why the bullnose was painted GOLD?

Hey Steve,if I remember correctly the bullnose is painted gold whenever a ship reaches a certain personnel retention percentage during a fiscal year.

I can add my two bits to the scuttle butt...

I always understood that the Cochrane was a foot or so longer than any other ship in the class and therefore the golden bullnose.

The day I reported onboard, Mr. Shapiro was the OOD and gave me and my orders a thorough going over because there was an attempt or rumor that the Stoddert was either going to paint, or had painted our bullnose grey.

Anuschat, you should remember this....what's the real poop?

PREMO - ETR2 - JUL 66 to JAN 69

Horace:

This is another major gap in my memory. Real boatswain's Mate info, I expect. Hope someone in First Division can give a definite answer. Any "Boats" out there got the absolute answer?

Paul Anuschat (08/65-09/67) aka Raging "Bull"

Howdy, folks! The tale I seem to recall was it had to do with something like sailing across the latitude and longitude 0, or some intersection thereof, at the dateline during the autuminal equinox, ai midnight on a full moon. A bit carried away there, but I remember i was told it had to do with some big deal crossing of some ppoint in the ocean. Sorta the ultimate magnum shellback sort of thing. If Im wrong, just kick me out of the navy! Hope yall have a great one, shipmates!

Marc Tuton STG3,Uss Cochrane jan 74-sept 76- "The pearl of the Pacific" STG2 USS Glover, nov 76-nov79,"The Cow Killer"

I am sure right at the beginning of Cochrane's life we were told it was because she had turned out to be a bit longer than the other DDGs. It wasn't much but enough to merit the gold paint I guess.

Wes