I sit here today wondering why some things are remembered like they were yesterday, while other things are long forgotten. I remember my first cruise in the navy one of the chiefs came around asking if I wanted a share in a slush fund for the cruise. I asked what that was and he explained it was money to lend to sailors in the squadron when we were in port. They could borrow $5 for $7 on their next paycheck. I then asked how it could be collected if they did not want to pay? His reply was, their liberty card would get lost until they paid up. It sounded good to me, so I gave the only $20 I had. It proved to be an excellent investment. 9 months later it repaid over $100. The next cruise I made sure I had more money to put into the fund and that turned into several hundred dollars profit. It was better than any investment available at the time.
I remember the call to "General Quarters" on the ships. This link following will give you the sounds. For General Quarters the busun's mate would click on the 1-MC (same as in WW-2, blow the pipe and say "General Quarters, General Quarters all hand man your battle stations." and then the alarm would go off with the "Bong, bong, bong that continued for several minutes before the bosun would come back on and say "dog all hatches, close all watertight doors and set condition Zebra." Meanwhile everyone was either running up or down ladders (stairs) and down passageways to get to their stations. As I remember it was starboard side of the ladder (right side) to go up and port side (left) to go down. I still go up or down stairs that way.
I remember my first official duty on board ship was stimulating. I was told by an old first class petty officer to make a huge urn of coffee. I asked where to get the water and he said just go down the passageway. I did and I found a deep sink to fill the urn. I came back and put the coffee in and turned it on. It was still cranking out coffee when the first class went over to fill his cup. He tasted it, made an odd face and asked me where I got the water? I told him and he said, "the deep sinks are salt water, you should have gone to one of the showers." He then sent me back for more water as he took one more cup of the salt water coffee to last him until the next coffee was brewed. I was sent up to work on the flight deck before it was done and never got a cup for myself until I made the third pot of coffee that day. Three years of training and experience working and that was my first job aboard the ship.
Copyright Bill Weber 2018 and beyond.
I remember the call to "General Quarters" on the ships. This link following will give you the sounds. For General Quarters the busun's mate would click on the 1-MC (same as in WW-2, blow the pipe and say "General Quarters, General Quarters all hand man your battle stations." and then the alarm would go off with the "Bong, bong, bong that continued for several minutes before the bosun would come back on and say "dog all hatches, close all watertight doors and set condition Zebra." Meanwhile everyone was either running up or down ladders (stairs) and down passageways to get to their stations. As I remember it was starboard side of the ladder (right side) to go up and port side (left) to go down. I still go up or down stairs that way.
I remember my first official duty on board ship was stimulating. I was told by an old first class petty officer to make a huge urn of coffee. I asked where to get the water and he said just go down the passageway. I did and I found a deep sink to fill the urn. I came back and put the coffee in and turned it on. It was still cranking out coffee when the first class went over to fill his cup. He tasted it, made an odd face and asked me where I got the water? I told him and he said, "the deep sinks are salt water, you should have gone to one of the showers." He then sent me back for more water as he took one more cup of the salt water coffee to last him until the next coffee was brewed. I was sent up to work on the flight deck before it was done and never got a cup for myself until I made the third pot of coffee that day. Three years of training and experience working and that was my first job aboard the ship.
Copyright Bill Weber 2018 and beyond.
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