memories #23




                                                                      WHERE TO NOW?

                    Two roads emerged.  I took the one less traveled on         

                                                                                                           Robert Frost

                                                             PART 1, "The Enlistment."

Which way?

     I  arrived earlier than necessary at the bus stop.  The sun had yet to peek over the horizon and chase the dying darkness away. Jack Frost was trying desperately to save his art work from the warmth of the sun but to no avail. Jack would eventually lose all battles until his return in the fall.. I sat on that metal bench playing a game of heat transfer with my warmth to Jack's cold.  I found my self daydreaming of what was to come.  Earlier in the week, a US Navy recruiter convinced me to join the Navy and see the world.  I listened to the recruiters sales pitch and weighed my options.  I envisioned a panel of lights before me with each light indicating a path to follow.  The brighter the light the more successful I might be if I chose that path. I had a variety of choices.  Some choices included, science, math, a huge selection of medical occupations and the list went on and on. My panel of lights were either dark or dim.  I obviously hadn't prepared for my path to this point.  But there were a few bright lights on my panel.  Some of the brightest were in the military.  And just last year some of my best friends had entered the military.  I found that light glowing brightly on my panel.


     Only my father's signature remained since I was under the age of 18. Had I waited two months, my father's signature would not have been needed. But I was ready to leave the nest. There was a great deal of tension in my house. I had no job and no skills. It was time to move on.

     The United States Navy!  I stared at that white light shining brightly on my panel.  I was excited and scared but ready to follow this path to its end.  

     The bus to Denver seemed to be filled with endless stops at both small and large towns along the way.  Like a Hollywood bus tour, we begin to learn the scope of the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. At each stop we picked up more souls searching for unknown questions and answers.  We would soon be at our destination and thoughts of home and our future would be interrupted.

      I arrived in Denver with a dozen other men joining the Navy.  The bus trip finally gave me time to think as each mile the bus came closer to the unknown and further away from the comfort zone I had known for 17 years.  

     Leaving the bus depot in Denver, all of the new recruits walked two blocks to the Naval recruiting station. I had been on that bus for 12 hours and the short walk felt good.  The excitement, however, was building once again.  We were treated to dinner and returned to hear what to expect on the next step of this journey.  There was much paperwork plus we were to choose three occupations to pursue. The Navy would provide training.  

     After finishing the paperwork, I was informed I couldn't have any of the choices I had marked.  Since I had joined the Navy on what was called a kiddy cruise,  the Navy needed more time to train than my enlistment time allowed.  I felt I had been lied to and asked to return home.  One new recruit would carry all the orders for the rest of the men who would continue on to San Diego.  I had my own orders and papers to carry.  My orders were to return home and wait for the draft. I was given one bus ticket and money for one meal. I headed straight to the bus depot.

     The walk to the bus depot took very little time.  The air was cool and the traffic was light.  My mind was a mixture of what ifs and how comes.  What will my mother and father say?  How will my friends react?  And the biggest question was the draft.  When would the army come after me?

     Before checking in at the ticket office, I stopped at a pawn shop.  A set of wedding rings, not expensive, caught my eye.  At least one person would be happy with my return, I hoped.  I had fallen head over heals with a gorgeous lady in Durango and hoped to marry her.

     At the ticket booth, I gave my ticket to the agent to validate it.  He smiled when he looked at the ticket.  

     "The last bus to Durango just left 10 minutes ago."  I glanced at the clock behind him. It was 11:55 PM.  

     "When does the next bus go to Durango?", I asked.  He smiled once again, and giving me a look that said this scenario had happened many times before.  

     "The next bus to Durango," he said as he slowly turned the pages of his ledger, "leaves at 11:45 PM tomorrow."

     Twenty four hours! My impatience and compulsiveness left me frozen in thought.  For the next hour I played with two new paths on my panel of lights.  Should I take the light that said return home or choose the other light that begged  me to return to the recruiting station.  I made my choice.

     I returned to the recruiting station and found that everyone was still there.  The recruiting officer shook my hand when I handed him the bus ticket and meal money.  He typed up a new set of orders and gave them to me to carry.  I made one final call home.  

    When my mother answered, I said ,"Help!" I quickly said that everything was okay and I was on the way to San Diego.  (The plea for help may have been more real then I realized.)  My new journey now continued.

                                                                 PART 2, "Boot Camp"

     The first nine weeks of a Navy recruit's life is called boot camp!  It's designed to break the recruit down and strip him of pride and egotistic ideas.  The first week of boot camp the recruit is no better than the smallest bug on the planet.  By the last week of boot camp, the recruit has been molded into a person of discipline and integrity.
My first day was tough enough!

     We landed in San Diego and immediately boarded buses to the Navy base.  It had been more than 48 hours since I had slept.  It didn't look like I would get sleep any time soon.  As soon as we stepped off the bus, we were put into companies of about 70 men.  The Navy had been busy as men from all over the western United States were there in San Diego.  

     After the formation of companies, we marched to the company stores and were issued our uniforms along with a stencil and black paint.  Everything was stenciled with our name.

     Our next stop was the company barracks.  Here we changed clothes and were assigned a bunk.  Immediately we marched across the courtyard to the mess hall and ate breakfast.  (Mess hall means dining room)  We were taught how to eat together in unison and listen to the taunts of the companies that had been there for 2 to 8 weeks.  They had already evolved above the bug's life.  We were the new lowliest creatures on earth.  

     We spent the rest of the day learning how to march and follow commands.  Finally, after supper, we returned to our barricks to hand wash our clothes.  We had one hour to write hello on a postcard and then the lights were turned out.  It was 10 PM and we would get up every morning at 3:30 AM.  I finally fell asleep after 50 hours without. 

     The rigor's of Boot Camp were non-stop.  From 4 AM to 10 PM we were marching, taking tests, tying knots, using gas mask versus tear gas, maneuvering in a smoke filled fire controled building, learning seamanship on a land based wooden ship that had never seen water, and learning the responsibility of guard duty. (In boot camp guard duty was a two hour watch guarding the clothesline.)  Every day more and more tasks were assigned for us to accomplish.  Our free time was spent writing letters, playing cards and sleeping.

     There were penalties for not following procedure or command. Most of us smoked and the only time we could smoke was when the company commander announced that the smoking lamp was lit.  Smoking any other time, if caught, would result in a penalty.  A common penalty for this offense might include a garbage can, the offender and a pack of cigarettes.  The offender would be ordered to smoke each cigarette one at a time until the pack was gone.  When the first cigarette was lit, an aluminum garbage can was placed over the offender. Only when the pack of cigarettes had been consumed, would the garbage can be removed.

     Cleanliness was a must and inspections were given every morning.  The requirements to pass morning inspection were to be clean shaven, clean clothed and have a clean body.  Again, the punishment was given immediately for any violation.  A dirty T-shirt resulted in the offender being a "pig" for the duration of the inspection.  To be a "pig" the offender was told to get on hands and knees and crawl around the company making sounds like a pig.  If the "pig" wasn't loud enough, the company commander would yell to the "pig", "I can't hear you.  Get louder "pig!" The pig would acknowledge the command and we would hear sounds of a pig, "Oink, Oink, Oink!"

     During one week in Boot Camp we did nothing but take tests each day.  These test were designed to help determine what skills we had that would best suit the Navy.  We chose three occupations and the Navy would consider these three as a first choice.  

     My chosen occupation came about because of a hearing test. We were required to tell the difference in pitch. This was easy for me and I scored well.

     After the tests, I was called to meet with a pair of Navy petty officers. They were sonar men and were pleased with the result of my hearing test. With some training this would be an exciting choice of work. The petty officers thought that this would be a good choice and I might be successful.  But, because of my kiddy cruise status, the Navy needed more time to train me. Sonar school, they explained, was a year long course.  I thought that was a rather long time considering my only skill was telling the difference in pitch. They assured me I could go to that school if I signed up for an additional year of service. Otherwise I would be doing non-skilled work like cleaning toilets, scrubbing floors, painting and other tedious and boring occupations.  I signed up for that additional year.

     Eventually we made it through boot camp.  I remember how superior I felt that final week.  We were, for the time being, at the top of the food chain.  That last week we were slowly allowed to do some things without waiting for permission and given more free time.We were now part of special group, The U.S. Navy! 

     Upon graduating from boot camp we were given orders for our next assignment.  My orders sent me to a year long school in San Diego after a two week leave. 

On leave after boot camp.  Durango

     

                                                             PART 3, "School Again"

     I reported, after a two week leave, to the fleet anti-submarine warfare school.  After handing my orders to the officer on watch (another name for a guard at the gate) I was given a barracks assignment for the remainder of school.  I scanned the area that made up the campus of the fleet anti-submarine warfare school.  I stood transfixed and wondering what I would be required to do besides sort the sounds I heard by pitch.

     The campus consisted of four or five barracks where several of us would sleep and study.  These were square buildings designed only to house men.  Another square shaped building was for breakfast, lunch and supper.  The mess hall!

     Bordering these buildings was a field that could be used for a variety of activities, mostly sport games like football and softball. At the end of the field was a recreational building rectangular in it's construction.  Recreational activities included, ping-pong, card games and four lanes of bowling. 

     Most of my time was spent at the largest building on the campus, a four story block of rooms used for instruction.  It was on this base that I learned how to study.  I also learned what other things I would need to be successful as a sonarman  besides telling the difference between pitch sounds.   I  noticed that the building, although connected, was separated into three sections by a breezeway or a walkway.  Each section of the building would concentrate on the skills needed to be successful.  In the first section of the big building we would learn the basic fundamentals of electronics.  Each week we would have a test over what we were presented during the week.  If you failed the test you would be shipped out to a nonskilled occupation aboard a ship or at a base.  The second section of the big building we were taught how to operate the sonar equipment.  In the last section of the big building we learned how to trouble shoot and repair the equipment.  

     It took nine months to complete the course.  During that time I made three new friends.  We were almost always together. We formed a study group to help each other prepare for the weekly exam. It was during this time that I learned how to study.  I didn't realize I was preparing for college in the first year of being a Navy recruit.

Rod and Mickey in Hawaii

     Rod Mullen was a midwesterner from Minnesota.  About 6 feet tall with a background of math skills, Rod helped me in this part of the course.

     Pete Satori was born and raised in California but brought a rich heritage from Italy.  Pete had some athletic skills and I was drawn toward him because of similar interests.  Quite often we would use the field to play catch.

     Robin Dover was a Las Vegas product and much like me, looking for an identity.  Of the four of us, Robin was probably the best student.

Robin and Mickey in California

  A whiz with science and very capable in math. Robin and I have remained in touch since that time.

     We would finish sonar school and, with new orders for each of us proceede to our next assignment. My orders sent me to the Long Beach Naval Station and a ship named the USS Frank E. Evans.



                                                                    PART 4  "The Ship"

     It wasn't as hard as I thought it might be!  Finding my way around was relatively easy. Adjusting to my sleeping area would be the most difficult.  

     My bed was a metal frame with rope intwined to a hard woven material.  This was the structure that kept me from falling through the metal frame onto the deck  (civilians call the deck a floor).  The metal frame had a chain attached to the framework of the ship.   With the chain let out as far as possible the framework became a bed.  With the framework attached to hinges, the bed could be lifted up and secured by the chain.  This method of sleeping  came in threes with about a 2 feet distance between each one when laid down horizontally.  

     On the deck below the beds, was a foot locker which contained all your clothes and other possessions.  With the beds lowerd, it was sometimes hard to get things out of your foot locker.  

     The ship I was on was commissioned in 1945 and saw some brief action in the Pacific while the war was still being fought with Japan.  There was some structural damage to the rear of the ship, which is where I slept.  When we were at sea, you could hear the creaking and moaning that the ship made from the damage that occurred  from  fighting in the Pacific.  It was very eerie.  

The operational part of the sonar shack.

     The sonar shack was located toward the forward section of the ship next to the bridge.  It consisted of two rooms.  One room held the screens and working panels of the sonar.  It was while operating these panels that we hunted for submarines.  The pitch made by the sound bouncing back to our sonar gave us an indication of which direction the submarine
was heading. 

     The second room consisted of panels full of electronics needed to operate the sonar equipment.  Usually there were two men on watch at a time.  

      These two men would trade every half hour to watch the screens for sound differences.  Sound bouncing off of a whale made a very different sound than sound bouncing off of a submarine.

Big guns 

     The ship was armed with cannons that shot a 5 inch shell.  It's main duty at sea was to protect an aircraft carrier.  Also part of the armament that the ship had were torpedoes.  

Sonar is off temporarily.  Time for reflection

Returning from a game of football vs another destroyer

     
      I found that life aboard the destroyer became very routine.  The day could be broken into blocks of time depending on the hours we needed to spend in the sonar shack on watch duty.

sonar  shack

 One block of time was free time in which we had the opportunity to write letters, smoke cigarettes, drink coffee, play cards or sleep.  The most important blocks of time were spent in the sonar shack.

     There were five or six incidences while I was aboard ship, that I will always remember. Two of them were out of my control and the rest were a way to lighten the day.

Transfering mail

     When we were at sea we had very little information about world events.  The only time I remember getting information about world events was a sobering announcement over the loud speaker from the ship's captain to the crew.  "THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES HAS BEEN ASSASSINATED!"

     The general noises of the ship's crew, talking and working, ceased. The ship became deathly quiet. Only the noises of the ship parting the waves and the diesel engines running broke the stillness that settled over the ship.

     I don't remember talking with others. We kept our thoughts to ourselves.  Additional information soon came from the Hornet. The Hornet had equipment that could be used to access information from around the world in a matter of minutes. Many of my questions about the assassination were answered and soon the ship was back in the routine, although a bit edgy.

     You must remember when I was in the Navy that the cold war with Russia was hot and heavy.  Our young President, John Kennedy, had been challenged by the Russians early in his presidency  The Cuban missile crisis almost sent us into nuclear war.  Armed with that information when the announcement was made that our 
President had been assassinated, put the entire ship on alert.  I didn't know where or when or what the circumstances were about the assassination.  Were we fighting at that very moment?  Were missiles with nuclear warheads being fired at each other?  

       I did get answers to those questions as well as others but life at sea for United States Navy became a little more intense. We trapped a Russian submarine in the sea of Japan.  It was spying on our war games to get information.  

Looking at Ivan

Shortly after we made sonar  contact a Russian destroyer appeared at the scene.  The ships circled each other playing a strange game of cat and mouse while we kept the Russian submarine pinned below us.  

can deliver the mail or drop portable sonar 

Hornet

      Many of us, who were not on duty, could be found above decks looking at the Russian destroyer. "Ivan", the nickname we gave the Russian destroyer, stayed far enough away as to not provoke an incident.  
With my curiosity piqued, I found binoculars to look at Ivan.  What was happening on our ship was also happening on the Russian ship.  The Russians were as curious about us as we were about them.  There they stood on their decks looking at us with binoculars.  

     The sub eventually made it into their territorial waters and we returned to the aircraft carrier, Hornet.
 What games we play.

     As I let my mind go back in time to the ship and it's surroundings, some of the recollections are hazy and hard to remember. I remember some scenes that need no explanation.  Those scenes were a single event without a build up to the story or a

Hornet maintaining distance

conclusion at the end.. Refueling from the aircraft carrier, Hornet and watching the ocean spillover the front of the ship in heavy seas are but pictures without the story.  But there were some scenes that needed an explanation.  Here is my recollection of several incidences that, without a picture, needed an explanation.

Some pictures to reflect.  No explanation needed.

rough seas

Some secret stuff????

approaching Diamond Head from the east 

Hornets's most important cargo 

   

our squadron moored in port

     At this point my camera was stolen!  No more pictures.
 Scene #1

     As a new seamen aboard the ship I found that I had several other duties to  preform before actually fitting into the schedule of the sonar division.  The longest of those duties required of all new seamen aboard the ship was to work in the mess decks.  That meant kitchen duty. The tour of duty in the mess decks lasted six weeks. There were 10 men that rotated assignments during those six weeks. During one week, for example, I might be serving food.  That meant dishing out food on the trays of the men as they passed down the line and into the eating area. Or I might be at the finishing part of the meal doing dishes. 

Standard issue .  I wonder how many of these are still around?

     The ocean can get really rough sometimes and that meant that many of the men stayed in their bunks rather than try to eat a meal. There was a lot of food left over and it would have to be disposed.  I carried the food in big bowls across the mess decks to the dishwasher and the disposal.  I had the pleasure that evening of serving peas as part of the evening meal. At the end of the meal I had a big bowl of peas and not many takers.  Now I had to lift my heavy bowl and take it across the decks to the disposal.  

     Before I continue with the peas I need to explain the water-tight door system on ships. These doors are oval in shape and when shut, seal the door from any water passing from one compartment to another.  Walking through a door from one compartment to another meant that you had to lift your foot up and over the oval shape about 6 inches from the floor.

     Walking on board a destroyer is a talent that only circus performers do as well as sailors.  Walking without spilling a cup of coffee in stormy seas deserves an applause.  One literally walked on each side of the passageway as well as the floor.  Now back to the peas.

     With my huge pot of peas, I headed toward the disposal area.  My first obstacle was the door from the serving area to the dining area.  I lifted my foot to go over the oval but not quite high enough. I tripped! I watched in horror as the pot left my hands and the peas begin their dance across the dining area.  A thousand green marbles kept the rhythm with the ship as they rolled from one side to the other and from the front to the back of floor. Many of those dancing peas got squished as the men made their way to the disposal area.  

     The floor began to become a mixture of green paste and dancing marbles.  Since I was responsible for the peas, I had to clean the mess decks by myself. Unfortunately, no pictures, but a memory that will last forever.           
     Oh, I did get help.

    Scene #2

Willy!  He's the one in the shade...

     A liar, a cheat, a thief and a con man were all terms used to describe Willy.  And all were all true.  But for some reason Willy and I got along well.

     Willy was 32 years old, married with two children.  He was the only black man in the squad of sonar men and torpedo men.  Willy had personality plus!  As the saying goes, he could charm a rattlesnake.  

     Willy had been in the Navy for 12 years when I reported to the Evans. Yet he had only the ranking of a seaman, same as mine. He had lost his stripes two or three times for reasons he would not disclose.  It was hinted that he had joined the Navy to stay out of jail.

     I liked Willy.  He was very good at his job and I learned a lot from him. I had only one altercation with him. Somehow he had opened my foot locker and "borrowed" my dress blues to take a liberty call.  Some sort of emergency at home if I recall.  The rest of the time we got along well. Willy and I would hang around together aboard ship, but when we went to town, we separated.  

     We usually worked together as a team when given certain tasks that needed attention.  However, the captain ordered us to separate areas of the ship on one occasion. I will elaborate on this later.

     Sonar equipment could be found in three separate compartments on this ship.  The sonar shack was one compartment.  Below the mess decks was a second compartment.  This compartment contained large banks of electrical equipment.  Immediately below us was the sonar dome.  All of that electrical equipment would probably fit into a lap top today. 

     The last compartment that contained sonar equipment was located at the farthest and lowest forward part of the ship.  It was three compartments down.  Each compartment contained various equipment needed to run the ship. The third and last compartment, belonged to the sonar division.  

     That compartment had one bank of electrical wiring and a rod that protruded out of the hull of the ship.  This rod was used to send various signals to  the sonar dome.  These signals are used to calibrate, or tune up, the dome and the vast array of electrical equipment.  Occasionally this rod was pulled completely up and out of the ship to be taken to the carrier.  The sonarmen  aboard the carrier would calibrate the rod and send it back to the destroyer.  To pull the rod up was a simple task for the sonar men.   All that was needed was to open a valve, pull the rod up, and close the valve.   This was only done when the ship was docked in port.  Willy and I were given  task of removing the rod.

     Our squadron of four ships were docked next to each other.  The Evans was the third ship out.  To get to shore I had to pass over two more ships, each time saluting their flag and asking permission to cross over to the next ship.
Standing on shore and looking at those four destroyers floating evenly in the water made me feel proud.  

    No shore leave this day!  Time for Willy and I to complete our difficult task.  For Willy, I soon learned, that meant the task could be done in ten minutes and we could goof off the rest of the day.  Unfortunately, this task would take much longer than we anticipated.

     To reach the valve,  I had to crawl under the deck on which we were standing.  This three foot high miniature compartment was the final barrier between the ship and the ocean.  

     I lowered myself into this miniature compartment and began a slow crawl to the valve. With flashlight in hand I quickly found the valve.  Judging by the looks of it, this valve hadn't been touched since the Civil War!  I tried with all my might to turn the valve but it wouldn't budge. Willy tried his turn at it with no better results.  With both of us in the crawlspace, we gave it one more big turn.  Kaploosh!  Ocean water shot through the area where the valve had been into this small compartment.  We couldn't shut it down.  Water came in at an alarming rate. We quickly exited the compartment and lowered the hatch and closed the watertight door.  But again, due to lack of maintenance, the water tight door didn't keep the water from coming in to the next compartment. Soon the water was about 2 feet deep and climbing.  Exit compartment number two.  Fortunately this second hatch kept the water confined to the lower two.  

     As we crawled up onto the main deck, the captain's car drove up. Willy and I looked at each other and then to the captain.  The captain was staring first at us then at his ship.  His jaw dropped as he was apparently evaluating the situation. The third ship's bow was sitting about 2 feet to 3 feet lower than the other three.  Red faced, the captain passed from one ship to another, saluting each ships flag and asking permission to cross.  

     After making sure that the ship wouldn't sink, the captain issued orders for Willy and me,.  The captain presented us with a bucket, a pulley and a rope.  No motorized equipment was to be used. Just Willie and me, a bucket, the pulley and the rope.  It took us three days to get all the water out of those two compartments. Also, after finishing the task of emptying the areas of water and cleaning each compartment, we were not allowed to work together on any task assigned by the captain or the head of the sonar division. 



Scene #3

     It was a beautiful sunrise!  The clouds seemed to melt away as the sun rose to begin a new day.  We had been at sea for thirty four days of sea trials and testing equipment.  The summer had been spent in dry dock, repairing and cleaning the Evans with new equipment and fresh paint.  With our sea trials concluded, the crew looked forward to some free time off the ship.  The crew had worked hard and were ready for some relaxation.

     As the ship pulled into its dock, you could feel the excitement of the sailors, outfitted in their dress blues, ready to go ashore.  As we waited for the ship to be secured in it's dock,  a third of the crew waited excitedly for the gang plank to drop and permission granted to go ashore.  

     Standing at the pier and waiting for the ship to be secured, a fidgety little ensign waited to come aboard the ship.  As he nervously paced back and forth, waiting for permission to come on board, he held tightly to a mysterious box.

     With the ship secured and the gang  plank lowered, the fidgety little ensign quickly made his way to the bridge.  I wondered what importance that little box contained.  I soon found out!  

     I could see the captain angrily arguing with the ensign.  Willy and I stationed ourselves above midship and watched as the captain and the ensign argued their point.  Both Willy and I had to stay aboard ship over the weekend with the rest of the crew that had not been awarded leave.  Having no duties, Willy and I watched the proceedings like watching actors on a stage.  

     Soon an announcement was made.  With a third of the crew anticipating the announcement that shore leave was now granted, they were shocked as they listened to the loud speakers.  "To all men aboard the Evans, all leave has been canceled.  We are we returning to sea to complete a missed trial.  This should be concluded in two days."

     The voices of angry men could be heard throughout the ship.  Mumbling and grumbling, the men readied for sea once again.  Apparently, the man overboard drill had not been completed. 

     After two hours of steaming out to sea, the man overboard drills would now commence.   The fidgety little ensign  made his way to midships  carrying his precious box.  Out of the box, the ensign produced an orange dummy about three foot tall.  

     The man overboard drills would proceed as follows:   The ensign would pick up the dummy and casually throw it overboard either to the port or starboard side of the ship.  

     As soon as the dummy was noticed, someone would yell, " man overboard port side" or "man overboard starboard side."  The ship would make immediate port or starboard turn while the life  boat was lowered  to sea and an effort was made to rescue the dummy.  All of this was timed  by the ensign. 

    After watching this scenario two times, Willy and I came up with a plan.  Each time the man overboard drill was completed, the ensign would leave the dummy at midships while he enjoyed a cup of coffee in the officer's lounge.  At this point Willy and I sprang into action.  

     Seizing the moment while the ensign was drinking coffee, Willy and I made our way to midships to carry out our plan.  Armed with a fine rope, we secured the dummy to an iron post by each arm and leg.  After completing our task, we returned to our point of lookout and waited. 

     Soon the ensign returned.  Sipping his coffee, he nonchalantly moved toward the dummy.  Casually looking around, the ensign checked to be sure he wasn't being watched.  Satisfied no one was watching, he reached down and grabbed the dummy and attempted to throw it overboard.  The dummy didn't give.  The ensign couldn't see the rope and attempted to throw it again.  This time there was audible yell of great effort from the ensign. For a third time, with all of his might, the ensign attempted to throw the dummy again.

     Mixed with the ensign's growl of effort was a ripping sound coming from the dummy. One of the dummy's arms had ripped free.  Red faced, the ensign tried again to throw the dummy overboard only to rip another appendage off the dummy.

     By this time, Willy and I were laughing at the incident.  Several of the crew noticed what was happening and begin to chuckle. The ensign, standing on the starboard side of the ship, attempted one final throw.  

     Since the only side of the ship the ensign could throw the dummy was the starboard side, Willy yelled to the bridge, "Man overboard  --  starboard side" before the officer could throw it.  The ship was turning toward  the starboard side even before the dummy hit the water.  

     The lifeboats were in the water and headed where the dummy had landed.  The dummy had apparently been eaten by a hungry ocean creature because it was never found.  Our final sea trials came to an end with the Evans registering the fastest overboard time of the squadron.

     We returned to port having been only half the day out.  The ensign quickly left and was never seen again.  The captain was seen leaving the ship carrying an orange appendage of the dummy.  Willy and I enjoyed a rather boring rest of the day.



    As I write these next recollections, I realize I am no longer telling remembrances about growing up in Durango.  I'm sure I might remember another story or two, but they will probably be added as an after thought at the end of this.  For the most part the following stories are for my family should they be interested in what their "Gran"did and thought while making his way through life and all the choices it offers.

     I am reminded of the wise words from my son several years ago when I was talking to him about my battles with staph infections after knee surgery.  My wife was suddenly but not reluctantly, accountable for most all the work needed around the house.  Through tears I complained about my choices that put us in this situation.  My son, without hesitation, said, "You're just a man, Dad, you're just a man!".  How did he become so wise?



                                                               THE DISCHARGE


               
       "Lieut. Benson", I asked, "Do you have a moment sir?".

       "I do, Mickey. What is the problem.?"

'      "It's rather embarrassing sir". I answered.

      We had been in drydock for most of the summer and fall. The ship was preparing for another cruise into the Pacific ocean, otherwise known as the WestPac.  I didn't want to go.  I knew when it was time to leave home and now it was time to leave the Navy.  I knew what I wanted to do in life and couldn't wait to get started in that career.  But I had a problem. The Navy had me sign up for four years of service.  The original kiddy cruise was extended a year when I chose to go to sonar school.  With just two years and few months into the service, I had almost 2 years yet to serve. The problem I had would eliminate my serving those last two years.

     I explained my problem to him.  Too much coffee and sleeping soundly had created a return of this behavior.  "I have been having problems keeping my bed dry each night", I stated.

     When I was little I had the same problem.  My mother and father invested in a device to wake me up as soon as my bed became wet.  It sent off horrible noises which would send me out of bed in a sleepy stupor trying to turn the machine off.  My bed was at one end of my room and the machine was at the other causing me to get out of bed to turn it off. Not only did the machine send horrible noises, but an array of lights, like an alien space ship landing with flashes of blinding beams illuminating various corners of the room,  would continue until I turned the damn thing off.  Then I was off to the bathroom.  Soon I would get up before the machine made those horrible noises and lit up my room like the Forth of July and go to the bathroom without wetting the bed.  The process worked and I very seldom had that problem again.  Although I do remember slight urges every Forth of July.

     Now my problem had  resurfaced.  "I'm not sure what I should do?", I said.

     Mister Benson looked at me and asked, "What do you want to do?  Stay in the Navy or what?  Do you have plans for the future?  What are your goals?"

    " I like my job as a sonar man sir,  but the other Mickey Mouse jobs that are created just to keep us busy, I hate.  I want to coach and teach and that means returning to school."I explained.

     Mister Benson understood my problem. A career military man might have looked down  on this behavior as a character weakness.  Mister Benson was waiting to be discharged within the year.  He had  plans other than the military and sympathized with my predicament.

     "I will check on a solution to your problem, Mickey.  I'm sure there will be a solution that will satisfy everyone."

     Within a week I had new orders to report to the base  discharging station.  I packed my duffel bag and immediately left the ship. I was to turn in all my uniforms and Navy belongings to the base before I would be discharged. I would also stay in a barracks on the base until my orders arrived.  It would be a three week stay.

     While waiting for my discharge papers, I was given a variety of jobs.  I was to report to the women's side of the base with a cleaning detail for one of the barracks.  Another job was to supervise men under arrest for  crimes while in the service of the United States.  On one occasion I was to escort three of these men from Long Beach to San Diego. We stopped along the way and had a hamburger and fries.  They had been incarcerated for a several weeks and had grown weary of prison food.  The hamburger and french fries were a treat.

     When my orders arrived I was given an honorable discharge.  The new word on my discharge papers was one I would not forget.  The explanation for an early discharge was "enuresis", the medical term for bed wetting.   With civilian clothes and enough money for a bus ticket to Farmington, New Mexico, I left the Navy.  My next stop, home and college.  Enuresis would never be a problem again!