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Metro Machine Corp. Portsmouth, Va

 

While serving aboard the USS Aylwin (FF1081) the ship went into the shipyards in Portsmouth, Virginia. Metro Machine Corp was where the ship was docked for its refit/upkeep period. While there the crew was stationed on the second floor of the main building sleeping/living 'barracks style'.

I was standing the mid-watch 0000-0400 (midnight-4am) and while making rounds through the crews sleeping area I saw a shadow out of the corner of my eye. Thinking I had someone 'sneaking' around I started looking for whoever was out of bed.

I would have been less concerned had this 'person' been moving towards the bathroom/showers, but the 'shadow' was moving around randomly about the crews sleeping area and I needed to make sure someone was not trying to steal anything.

After 20 minutes of following this 'shadow' around I stopped and watched and listened... The 'shadow' was making no sound as it moved and as I looked down the aisle I was on, this 'shadow' stepped away from the wall, and I realized that I had not been following a person, but a spirit, and this 'shadow' spirit proved me right by walking right through the wall.

I didn't say anything to anybody and after duty turnover I went to look at the section of wall the spirit had walked through. You could see where a doorway had been bricked over, and if looked at from the outside there were the remains of an old fire escape.

I asked around the 'yard birds' (shipyard workers) over the following days and they had lots of stories, from all over the shipyard, but two different gentlemen remembered a poor man who had exited one of the fire escape doors and then had slipped on the ice covered stairs, falling down from them and breaking his neck.

They both pointed out the same fire escape that came from the bricked over door. This door had not been covered due to the accident, but due to a remodelling of the second floor from repair shops to a sleeping/living area for ships crews. (It's better than a barracks barge...)

When this had been done the emergency exits had been moved to meet the new fire-code requirements.

I'm not sure if this shipyard is still open or not, but if you believe all the stories from the 'yard workers' there were lots of ghosts that roamed over this shipyard.

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Comments about this paranormal experience

The following comments are submitted by users of this site and are not official positions by yourghoststories.com. Please read our guidelines and the previous posts before posting. The author, rookdygin, has the following expectation about your feedback: I will read the comments and participate in the discussion.

allesgute154 (3 stories) (254 posts)
 
11 years ago (2013-05-22)
Really creepy. I guess armed forces, barracks, violent deaths, spirits, etc are connected with each other. You do have a 'gift' of observing the spirits. Stay safe, God bless.
rookdygin (24 stories) (4458 posts)
+1
12 years ago (2012-10-29)
Aidylasia,

When were you aboard the TR? That was the last ship I was stationed on... I left during Iraqi Freedom, flew out of Greece. Then spent 3...closer to 3.5 years at the Naval War College in Newport RI before I retired in Nov 2006.

I KNOW the TR was haunted... But I never heard anything about a curse, I can believe it, but I never heard of it. Can you 'fill me in'?

Respectfully,

Rook
Aidylasia (5 posts)
 
12 years ago (2012-10-27)
[at] geetha - the yards are not so easy to get on, even as ex-military, believe me. I was a computer repair tech after my discharge, and had to jump through hoops and have escort when I needed to go work on a computer there for the contract job I was on... 🤔 good luck though 😉
Aidylasia (5 posts)
 
12 years ago (2012-10-27)
I was discharged as an E-4 myself, so worked for a living too 😁 Enjoyed every minute of it - I was an ET, and loved working on the GCCS-M and network and all (CS3 division on my ship, the USS Theodore Roosevelt). Didn't know if you knew - but the though I had no experiences actually at the yards, I did on my ship... The TR is said to be cursed... After 2 years on board I came to believe it, lol.
geetha50 (15 stories) (986 posts)
 
12 years ago (2012-08-30)
That must have been really freaky. I, now, want to got check out the place if they allow me. You want to partner up? Since you are an ex - military man, they could let us in easily!
rookdygin (24 stories) (4458 posts)
 
12 years ago (2012-05-07)
Aidylasia,

I'm a retired E-6, I worked for a living. (LoL) Thanks for the read. What a crazy part of town huh?

Respectfully,

Rook
Aidylasia (5 posts)
 
12 years ago (2012-05-05)
Yes sir, the yards are still there in Portsmouth, VA. I got to my ship in '04 while it was docked there. I was moved first to the barge, then the "apartments" built on the base for military personnel. I'd heard all kinds of stories from the yard workers, but never had an experience myself...damn, you were so lucky.
JustCurious (2 stories) (434 posts)
 
14 years ago (2011-04-18)
Yeah I bet so, as far as each ship having atleast one spirit, and that can always add to keeping this interesting out at sea.

Peace
JustCurious
rookdygin (24 stories) (4458 posts)
 
14 years ago (2011-04-18)
JustCurious,

Could have been any number of sites as that was the USS Aylwin's (FF 1081) official motto. Funny thing is, this encounter was at the ship yard... I haven't mentioned any of the strange things that happen aboard some of the ships I was stationed on, rest assured however most of the ship's of the US Navy have at least one ghost, if not more. Kinda like Theater's (for stage plays) it seems as if every one has to have at least on Spirit attached to them.

Respectfully,

Rook
JustCurious (2 stories) (434 posts)
 
14 years ago (2011-04-14)
Rookdygin - that was an interesting read, and whenever I see a ship name in one of your stories, I search for pictures of the ship, to kind of get a better idea of the ship associated with the story. When I did a search of the ship in this story, I wasn't sure what the website was, clicked out of it to quick to be sure but it said that the motto for this ship was Courage Conquers the Impossible. Enjoyed your story by the way!

Peace
JustCurious
troyarn (5 stories) (479 posts)
 
16 years ago (2009-01-28)
bnaredr3, I served on the USS Nassau as a Marine back in 1987. I have a few stories from that trip to the Med.
JaimeLuv (6 stories) (14 posts)
 
16 years ago (2008-12-29)
Another great story. I love reading your stories cause they're always interesting! That poor guy... 😢
rookdygin (24 stories) (4458 posts)
 
16 years ago (2008-11-27)
ChrisB,

The workers had many stories about men and women who had either died due to accidents on site or passing away after being injuried on site and taken to the hospital.

There were two different men who had fallen from scafolding while ships were in dry dock.

One story told of a woman who fell from the top of the drydock into the river and drowned.

The story of the sailor who was helping direct a crane load of cargo who was rushed to the hospital after being crushed by the load because it shifted in the wind and pinned him against the outside bulkhead of the ship. (the 'skin' of the ship... The outer wall to non-sailor types.)

Then of course the one of the poor man who slipped and fell on the icy fire escape. There were so many stories...

I don't know how many of them were true and how many were 'shipyard legands'. I do know that any shipyard is a dangerous place and if your not being safe 110% of the time it's really easy to get hurt.

Respectfully,

Rook
ChrisB (6 stories) (1515 posts)
 
16 years ago (2008-11-27)
Wow what an amazing story. Thank you for sharring it with us. I realy am interested in what the Shipyard workers had experienced. I realy would like to read these stories and I'm sure that everyone else would to. It is sad that this shadow spirit doesn't want to cross over. Or maybe its just confused. Thanks again. I hope to hear from you soon and take care
rookdygin (24 stories) (4458 posts)
 
16 years ago (2008-11-27)
Sounds like the same place. The homeless under the bridge and the 'crack house' neighborhood where the parking lot for the Ship Yard was located. Those were reason enough to be looking over your shoulder, but it was more than that. It is something you can feel in the air. That feeling of 'I know something happened here'.

There is a lot of histroy in the Norfolk, Va. Area and many, many times you can 'feel' it around you. Sometimes you see something, other times it stays as just a feeling.

Respectfully,

Rook
bnaredr3 (1 stories) (19 posts)
 
16 years ago (2008-11-26)
The shipyard always gave me the creeps. I was there aboard the USS Nassau in dry dock after the 9 month IF tour. Din't like it when I had to walk from the ship to the barge (yeah that's what we had... The barge) after a late watch on duty day. Even in the barge, I always felt uncomfortable like I had to keep looking back when walking the "p-ways".
Will be looking for more stories.
Karima
rookdygin (24 stories) (4458 posts)
 
16 years ago (2008-11-26)
rhodes68,

The hours some of those 'yard birds' put it at work makes 'work' seem like home. Sad but true.

Tonith,

I agree, it was residual, I have come to believe the spirit was merely going through the motions of what he had been doing just prior to slipping and falling on the fire escape.

Respectfully,

Rook
rhodes68 (14 stories) (1596 posts)
 
16 years ago (2008-11-26)
Another amazing tale Rook-I'm getting addicted to your experiences 😊!

The image of the poor spirit wandering the premises before he once again withdrew to his "resting" place was heart-breaking! To see the spot of your actual death as your "home" can only point to one thing and that is not sentimental attachment-it is in fact entrapment!
Tonith (1136 posts)
 
16 years ago (2008-11-26)
Sounds creepy. I have heard the same of other military sites. I don't know if what you encountered was residual or intelligent but from what you said it seems to be residual to me. An intelligent haunting is much different. There is communication of some sort with intelligent haunts. Great story and I bet you didn't know what to make of it but at least you were open minded enough to look for some answers. Thanks for sharing.
rookdygin (24 stories) (4458 posts)
 
16 years ago (2008-11-25)
BriFischer05,

So that's where she went to the docks... I served aboard CVN 71 2001-2003 (it was the back part of a split tour). I was an OS2 when I got there, I was an OS1 (SW) when I transfered. (Flew me off in the Med during her trip over at the begining of IF.)

Portsmouth has it's spots... But so did the ship, hte aft mess decks and the hanger bay. I never saw anything but man there were times where I felt something 'else' was there with all 5,500 crew members.
BriFischer05 (14 stories) (169 posts)
 
16 years ago (2008-11-25)
I was dry docked in Portsmouth, VA while aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt. This was about 3 or 4 years ago. Definately a creepy place with a lot of history.

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