Frank Evans (DD 754) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 54 text:

The bowling teams participated in only one tournament while in Pearl Harbor, and although they failed to win, did serve notice that they were a team to be reckoned with as they later clearly demonstrated. Upon arrival in Japan, football and softball faded from the scene, and the crew of the EVANS concen- trated on basketball and bowling. The basketball team which repre- sented the EVANS made up with hustle for what they lacked in height and won twelve games while losing seven. It is significant, however, that five of the seven losses were to large com- batants, and within DESDIV 231, the FIGHTER lost only to the USS WALKE (DD723), a loss which she later avenged. This team, composed of MC ARTHUR, CLOPTON, DILLARD, DELL, KOONTZ, SHEELEY, YEAR - WOOD, LT (jg) JOHNSON, ADAMS, and MOORE, was expertly coached by PURTZER, PN1, and devoted many hours to representing the ship in the manner to which The Fighter has become accustomed. In bowling, the EVANS, went all out, and was represented by three teams, The Fighting Cocks , com- posed of MARRIOTT, HODGSON, MARSH, GALILEY, HOWARD, and DIERKS; the Banty Roosters , made up of GRAMLICH, ROBINSON, SCHMIDT, SITNIC, ROSE, FLAHERTY, and ROSS; and the Gold Braids , with Captain SANDERS, CDR LOHR, LT BRENNEN, LT (jg)WEEGAR, LT (jg) HAHN, ENS BENSON, and Chief CANTWELL chalking up the strikes. All three teams competed well, and the Fighting Cocks proved to be the best in theHUK Group, bringing home the Commodore ' s Trophy. . . . and bidding fairwell to the mobile canteen. The Bowling Team: From left to right, top row: KLEMKIEWITZ, GALILEY, MARRIOTT; front row: MARSH, HOWARD, HODGSON.

Page 53 text:

. . . and winding up our sports . . . Below: Team No. 5, No. No. 2, No. 6, No. 4, No. ?, No. ??. No. 10, No. 7, No. 9. The Basketball KOONTZ MACARTHUR LUND DELL SEELEY KROLL ANTHONY DILLARD CLOPTON PURTZER During her six month employment in WESTPAC the EVANS participated in a myriad of athletic events , and lived in every contest in which they participated. Opponents at Pearl Harbor, the first port of call on the cruise, saw the EVANS field three excellent teams, one in flag football, one in softball, and a bowling team. The most successful of the three was the flag football team, which won seven out of eight games played, best- ing elevens from the LARSON, WALKE, KYES, H.M.C.S. SKEENA, before losing to the SKEENA in a hard fought rematch, 12-6. The foot- ball team changed complexion frequent- ly, but always played with the same enthusiasm characteristic of the way in which the EVANS goes about any task. The regular members of the team were LT (jg) JOHNSON, quarter- back; LT (jg)KILE, end; CLOPTON, S0G3, end; KOONTZ, SOGSN, end; LOTSPEICH, SN, flankerback; ADAMS, FN, guard; MARRIOTT, SOG2, center, YEARWOOD.SN, end; HAZE, SOG2, tackle; and HURST, SN, guard. These able players were backed up by a host of their shipmates and were respon- sible for the athletic prowess the Fighter demonstrated in Football. The softball team which represen- ted The Fighter was also a bright star on the athletic horizon during the cruise. This fine team, made up of men from every division on the ship, compiled a 9-3 record, the best in the division, and lost the intro- division championship only because they failed to play as many games as the winner. Although various members of the ship ' s company re- presented the team on different occa- sions, some of the regulars were GRAMLICH, TM1, catcher; WARSON, GMG1, pitcher; MARRIOTT, SOG2, pitcher; CAYA, RD 3, 1st base; HOWARD, RDSN, 2nd base; GALILEY, RD2, 3rd base; DILLARD, RD3, short stop; ANTHONY , RDSN , right field; LT (jg) JOHNSON, center field; CLOPTON, SOG3, left field; and KOOTZ, SOGSN, left field. Others who played often were HAYENGA , JACKSON, HODGSON, and HAZE. 49

Page 55 text:

So we left Yokosuka for Long Beach on the morning of 2 April. During the long two weeks transit we did all the things we had been doing at sea throughout the cruise. We refueled . . . Forty-eight times we went along- side an oiler or the HORNET to take on the fuel which kept us going. Re- fueling at sea is a tough and dangerous evolution. It requires precision ship- handling by the conning officer. It demands experienced seamanship on the part of the deck technicians. It requires the entire crew to be especi- ally alert and safety conscious. It is an all-hands job. Throughout the cruise, the men of the EVANS performed this job bet- ter than any other crew in our task group. We had countless compliments on both our station keeping (this amounts to keeping the ship between 90 and 120 feet from the fuel ship for an average period of 30 minutes) and our seaman- ship (this amounts to pulling over an eight inch hose, uncapping it, securing it so that 100 pounds of pressure will not loosen it, and send- ing it back all in a period of 6 minutes. ) With Chief ATT AW AY at the for- ward station, TIMMONS , BM1 at the after station and GRAMLICH, TM1 , WARSON GMG1 and Chief BARNES at the amidship ' s station, we had an outstanding team which practiced almost impeccable seamanship. There was no serious accident during refuel- ing on the entire cruise. Our rig and unrig times were good enough to garner us a mention on the front page of the monthly WESTPAC Replenishment Re- port as being one of the three WEST- PAC ships to maintain outstanding times.