# Submariner Morale **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 5, 2005, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/submariner-morale/334140 "2005-12-05T06:34:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2005, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/submariner-morale/334140/81 "2005-12-08T21:17:01Z")
Two questions. 1. If movies like “Sin City” are popular, and porn is plentiful, why not just show hardcore porn movies for those of the crew who care to attend? Would that cross some unwritten line, or be “conduct unbecoming”? 2. I read “Big Red: The Three-Month Voyage of a Trident Nuclear Submarine” by Douglas C. Waller (Harper 2002) a few years ago, and mostly liked it. Have any of our SDMB submariners read it? Is it generally accurate? Any praise or criticisms about it that you’d like to share? ---
**Author:** ![BF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b5ac83/32.png) [@BF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BF)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2005, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/submariner-morale/334140/82 "2005-12-08T21:27:55Z")
> [@William V.](#): > > Two questions. > > 1. If movies like “Sin City” are popular, and porn is plentiful, why not just show hardcore porn movies for those of the crew who care to attend? Would that cross some unwritten line, or be “conduct unbecoming”? > > 2. I read “Big Red: The Three-Month Voyage of a Trident Nuclear Submarine” by Douglas C. Waller (Harper 2002) a few years ago, and mostly liked it. Have any of our SDMB submariners read it? Is it generally accurate? Any praise or criticisms about it that you’d like to share? 1. No. Hell hath no fury like that of the wives club. 2. Haven’t read it. Boomer sailors and their mission are a strange breed, indeed. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![wevets](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9a140/32.png) [@wevets](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wevets)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2005, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/submariner-morale/334140/83 "2005-12-08T23:08:18Z")
> [@](#): > > My impression is that Subs recieve certain types of rays(Ultra low frequency) that penetrates water(but apparently makes the tympahnic membranes of sea mammels). ELF (Extremely Low Frequency) _Radio_ waves are used to communicate with submarines. Very low frequency _sonar_ sets (used in anti-submarine warfare) are believed to be linked with some marine mammal stranding incidents, but have only been installed on a few U.S. Navy ships for tests. Regular sonar sets used at high powers/close proximity can also cause damage to marine mammals. ---
**Author:** ![robby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robby/32/11048_2.png) [@robby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robby)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2005, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/submariner-morale/334140/84 "2005-12-09T01:48:50Z")
> [@wevets](#): > > ELF (Extremely Low Frequency) _Radio_ waves are used to communicate with submarines. > > Very low frequency _sonar_ sets (used in anti-submarine warfare) are believed to be linked with some marine mammal stranding incidents, but have only been installed on a few U.S. Navy ships for tests. Regular sonar sets used at high powers/close proximity can also cause damage to marine mammals. See Post #37 from two days ago. ---
**Author:** ![thirdname](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d07c76/32.png) [@thirdname](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thirdname)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2005, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/submariner-morale/334140/85 "2005-12-09T02:14:13Z")
> [@Stranger On A Train](#): > > I’m not familiar with Soviet PAL-type systems, but given the Soviet era paranoia regarding the potential for military coup I highly doubt that they permitted local control of nuclear weapons, and it’s a sure bet that the approval of the Political Officer was required for any launch operations. From what I’ve read we gave the USSR our PAL technology in the late 60’s in the interests of preventing an accidental nuclear war. ---
**Author:** ![Testy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c37758/32.png) [@Testy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Testy)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2005, 7:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/submariner-morale/334140/86 "2005-12-09T07:12:11Z")
> [@William V.](#): > > Two questions. > > 1. If movies like “Sin City” are popular, and porn is plentiful, why not just show hardcore porn movies for those of the crew who care to attend? Would that cross some unwritten line, or be “conduct unbecoming”? > > 2. I read “Big Red: The Three-Month Voyage of a Trident Nuclear Submarine” by Douglas C. Waller (Harper 2002) a few years ago, and mostly liked it. Have any of our SDMB submariners read it? Is it generally accurate? Any praise or criticisms about it that you’d like to share? I never saw any HC movies and IMHO it would be weird. I don’t think I would have been comfortable watching HC with 20 or 30 other guys. There was a serious abundance of HC magazines though. They main stash was kept in a locker in the Missile Control Center or MCC. The standard joke was that you could check-out magazines that had been laminated to be waterproof. (You couldn’t) Sorry, I haven’t read the book either. Regards Testy ---
**Author:** ![Testy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c37758/32.png) [@Testy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Testy)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2005, 7:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/submariner-morale/334140/87 "2005-12-09T07:17:39Z")
> [@aruvqan](#): > > \ > > Not to mention the crew changeout for drugs in IIRC 1985, I think something like 40% of the crew were removed. I missed all the “pee in the bottle” business. Very luckily. In truth though, I never saw or heard of anyone on a boomer that smuggled anything stronger that a half-pint of bourbon in a Listerine bottle. During off-crew it was a very different story. People partied pretty hard then. Regards Testy [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/submariner-morale/334140.md?page=4)