Poopie Suits & Cowboy Boots: Tales of a Submarine Officer During the Height of the Cold War

The workings of a modern American nuclear submarine have always been cloaked with mystery, in part because the military missions in which these vessels routinely participate are highly classified. Still, there is much that the public does not know about the day-to-day routine of life aboard a nuclear-powered submarine. In this book, brothers Frank Hood and Charles Hood team up to paint an accurate portrait of what it was really like to serve aboard a submarine during the height of the Cold War between 1969 and 1972. Told from Frank’s perspective, the work traces his journey from initial Navy training in college, through commissioning, and onto intense preparation for submarine duty at several training sites across the United States. The story culminates with a richly detailed account of Frank's nearly three years of service as a junior officer aboard the USS Seahorse, one of the Sturgeon-class “fast attacks”. Readers who have wondered about how such a modern submarine actually operated, how the crew worked together to navigate the vessel, avoid dangers, and gather information, and how they dealt with the tremendous pressure of life under the sea will enjoy Frank’s tremendous recall of his days aboard the Seahorse. Often funny, other times serious, and occasionally wistful, this volume is jammed with enlightening stories that provide an entertaining window into the "Silent Service".