Pawcatuck (AO 108) - Naval Cruise Book

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An Indian with a big red nose and oil wells gushing behind his canoe grins from a mural on the bridge of the USS PAWCATUCK. The Smiling Indian, a Jumbo replenishment tanker, welcomed us alongside. She had sailed from ,Souda Bay, and was in fact almost as old as the events that marked the seas of Crete 27 years ago this May, But ours was a less sombre encounter, between a trim grey frigate and a colorful, even gaudy, product of the New World. Indeed, if colour ever rioted at sea, it happened aboard the Smiling Indian. It was not so much her structure though her four campaign medals outshone Benjamin's coat, and her flat surfaces were liberally dauded with a rainbow of flags and signs and decorations. It was her crew that was so startling. Swathed in long red life jackets, blinkered almost to a man by large sunglasses ,they peered curiously as us from the shade of plastic helmets of almost every imaginable colour, ' Some rested on a bench thoughtfully provided for the weary, Others heads concealed behind vast ear-pieces, were busy supporting bulkheads. Most simply leaned on whatever was on hand. But a few were actively involved in the business of the afternoon, We were looking into a silent kaleidoscope, and the inscriptions on their hats were the sub-titles. Nombre Une , in a white hat. directed his Braves, a mug of coffee gripped in his fist like a sheriff's badge. When his back was turned, his hat gmyasteriously said BX in flags, invitation, the Yoeman explained, to splice the mainbrace Cin. a dry shipb? Hotsteel , who favored the blue headgear, grappled like Laocoon with the coils of the messenger, his jaws working in time with his hands. he was assisted by the enigmatic Aito, by night M' VW Y lf ff: -1

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Cwho was also in bluej and by a large negro in a green hat labelled simply Wrong , Perty kept tilting back his blue hat to massage a crew-cut that had gone to seed. Butch in brown, controlled the oil flow. While Blackie listened with his eyes shut to a telephone in a quiet corner. A cheerful negro in a white coat was fully employed refilling an orange thermos mug, labelled Captain , with iced drinks. If FALMOUTH was truly the 206 ship served by the PAWCATUCK this deploy- ment , Captain HORNE, USN, must have needed a drop of moisture on those parched lips, But it was a charming and successful interlude, and the tribes on each side were kept very happy gazing across the river that rushed between us into the strange resergation of the other. And the Indian with the big red nose kept on smiling.