Talk:USS Platte (AO-186)

I am Barbara Babb, ENC(SW) USN (Ret). I was stationed on USS Platte (AO-186) from May 18, 1989 - May 1994. I WAS one of the first group of 20 females that was the initial embarkation of women aboard ship. When we arrived we were required to provide a urinalysis supposedly to ensure we were drug free, but it was rumored these tests were also used to verify we were not pregnant.

In addition, I transited the Panama Canal onboard PLATTE and have video of our one east-west transit. The TRIPPE did collide with PLATTE the same day as the Iowa explosion. I have a video of this shot from another ship but it was a month before I was stationed aboard her.

We did make two trips around South America. One in 1991 November time frame. I also possess MANY images shot by me during my tour as well as video clips taken with a VHS camera.

When we went alongside ships during Desert Shield/Desert Storm, we made an announcement, "Good (Morning, Afternoon, Evening) and Welcome alongside USS Platte, the Preferred Oiler in the Persian Gulf." The referenced message traffic is available as a jpg taken from our cruise book of that deployment.

We went through jumboization in 1992. We departed our homeport of Norfolk, Virginia February 1992 and arrived in New Orleans (Avondale Shipyard performed the jumboization) in time to witness Mardi Gras that year. In addition, that was the year Hurricane Andrew came through. It went around New Orleans and instead hit Baton Rouge. I have video of the midbody launch as well as images from that time.

I have the Commissioning and Decommissioning Postcards issued when a Naval Vessel is commissioned and decommissioned. I also have pamphlets and brochures from the time. The bumper sticker "We Fuel Around" with the ship silhouette was changed with the arrival of women to "Proud Professional People" because the chain of command thought the original had sexual undertones.

Further proof of the collision can be viewed here. A video happened to be shot during it. I am not aware if I can post here, so posted elsewhere.    Video just posted so give it a little time to finish processing.--Kites0852 (talk) 20:33, 24 March 2008 (UTC)

I have posted video I located this week I shot during Desert Storm. It shows the HMAS Brisbane being welcomed alongside as the 100th customer this deployment as well as the tagline "welcome alongside the preferred oiler in the Persian Gulf) and the USS LaSalle also having the welcome message, this one with the ship's name (Platte) also being spoken as proof of my claim we were known as the "preferred oiler in the Persian Gulf.) If it is hard to view, www.youtube.com/kites0852 has the videos there as well as the collision with Trippe. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Kites0852 (talk • contribs) 18:15, 8 June 2008 (UTC)