Oct. 13, 1996
I have the urge to take up the pen once more. What was it like to be a regular Navy man during the long months and yes, years of World War II? The carnage of battle was horrible at best. We left it where it sank at Pearl Harbor. It is a reminder that wars and the results of war are not to be tolerated; but they are still with us and the end is nowhere in sight. Perhaps it will be with us until the end of time as we know it. What drives the force of man's inhuman treatment of his fellow man? I personally know men who saw the horrors of the Auswisch death prison where millions were exterminated. The bodies were disposed of as if they were the carcass of an animal. Our troops arrived there while the fires were still burning under the ovens. Many Jews took their last ride on a railroad car designed to transport livestock. Most would end up in the ovens. Or, consider Omaha beach. It was only one of many such landings but it will long be remembered, perhaps because of the sheer mass of men and equipment who took part in that landing. Victors we were but what a terrible price we paid. I was on the Atlantic only long enough to sail from Norfolk, Virginia to Colon, Panama. Colon is the Atlantic port at the end of the Panama Canal. It may surprise you to know that the Atlantic port of Colon is actually farther west than the Pacific port of Balboa. I spent several years in that area. The jungle in the background on shore was beautiful and of a green color that never faded and of course to the west lay the vast restless waters of the Pacific Ocean. The ocean outside the break water of the harbor is never, never still. In my reverie, I think of it as my sea of grass because on quiet days and clear nights the rolling breakers resembled a field of tall grass waving in a wind. Perhaps that is part of what sustained me during those times. I often went topside after an eight to twelve watch or a twelve to four. At these times only the men on watch were about and one could enjoy the solitude and gain some peace and contentment. There was a saying in the service that certainly portrays a reality. "Hurry up and wait." A cardinal breach of the code of behavior was to be tardy. A man coming off watch could escape briefly from reality as he sat and contemplated the lonely rolling sea. For a brief period, time stood still and there was a renewal within that cannot be described. Not all of war was blood and guts. There were the countless hours of drills. Drills and more drills. You went through the motions of, Abandon Ship and General Quarters (another way of saying) get to your battle stations on the double. On the double was no leisure stroll. In such times the ship became a scene of orderly chaos. These endless drills were practiced until all was accomplished with automatic precision. On rare occasions the ship might drop anchor in a sheltered and isolated bay. A boat or boats with a rifleman aboard would be launched. This was the shark watch. After the guards were posted all hands off watch were free to go swimming. I never did, but one could relieve some one who wished to go. There was also liberty in the various ports. If the time in port was brief only one watch might go ashore. Here again if one did not care to go ashore he might relieve a buddy who wanted to go. A good ships company were a close knit group of men. Another way to get ashore was to be chosen for shore patrol. Shore patrol was the Naval equivalent of the Army's Military Police. It was not a permanent duty. Any petty officer might be called for shore duty. I have served in that capacity. We were not police in an ordinary sense.
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Our job was to keep our men out of trouble and get them back safely aboard ship. It really was an important duty but it was usually quite pleasant and being on duty we were required to abstain from alcohol. Two events were important in a sailor's life. Crossing the International Date Line and crossing the Equator were events to be remembered. I still have my cards, duly signed that verify these events. According to my card, I crossed the International Date Line on April 9, 1945. I was aboard the U.S.S. Dutchess APA 98. This was the fkst time. We were on our way to Okinowa during the last effort to drive the Japs from the Pacific islands. Other than receiving the card, this was no special event. The International Date Line is of course on the 180th Meridian, halfway around the world from the Greenwich Meridian which is a reference point for all time. It is also, according to my card, the Domain of the Golden Dragon, Ruler of the 180th Meridian. This is a part of the lore of the Seafaring men's tradition. I have crossed it a few times since. Crossing the Equator for the first time was a different matter. The rite of passage must be strictly observed; according to Seafaring men's tradition. One must be initiated into the mysteries of the deep in keeping with the realm and be acclaimed a true and loyal son of Neptune. I crossed the Equator for the first time in September 1941 aboard the U.S.S. Trenton CLII. At that time I was a Fireman 2C, comparable in rate to a Corporal in the Army, however rank was cast aside during the ceremony even the commissioned officers received the same treatment as enlisted men. At the Int. Date Line crossing my rate was M.M.1C. Initiating the Polliwog into the order of Shellbacks was truly a gala affair. It may or may not have been done in war time. I do not know. It required much preparation. We were not subjected to violent physical abuse but the uninformed were certainly kept in utter confusion. The closest thing to abuse was when we were required to take an oath of allegiance to Neptunus Rex whose realm we had dared to enter without due permission. This of course was done by placing the hand on a book, as we swore allegiance. The book turned out to be a copper plate and we were standing barefoot on a wet deck. Just as we touched the "book" someone turned the crank on a device that produced a terrific shock. It was truly a shocking experience. Crawling through a long sleeve that had been used for gunnery practice was not pleasant. It had been filled with several days accumulated garbage that had been exposed to the hot tropical climate. Other similar trials were carried out. I suspect they were only limited by the imagination of the Shellbackers. It was fun and we looked forward to when we would be on the Shellback side of the celebration. I have since crossed the Equator many times but alas the clouds of war overshadowed all else and we went about our business of training recruits with a vengeance. The foremost thought we tried not to think about was, how much of our fleet was still battle ready. The fact was that the Pacific fleet was severely crippled but our spirit was not. We were eager to drive the Japs back to their homeland.