Wisconsin (BB 64) - Naval Cruise Book

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, H ,. N, , ' , ,N d',J, C. T l , D. J. Christie, K. H. Scott, C. L. Doyle. MIDDLE ROWS ffl? 'Tlf..?.fl.' Iiliifllltfiiililfl ii. giililiilfj ii. rfiifinfi M. D. Hilieii E. A. Phillips, B. H. Partain, c.CE.LKak1iadj DC cc Befgy. Bicle Rfmxiiliilli. C. Brainerd. K. W. Kearly, R- H01kC, -l- V- Bllffl, J- . UUHS 1, . . reen y, I D 0 0 0 fffffffmfffffwffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffyfffiflfffffi t S I U I I Gunner's mate, joined up with us, things were fairly shook up at first, but we got them four-ohed quick. The trip over was not too exciting, except for Pan- ama and Long Beach and Hawaii, my first liberty ports, and what liberties!! The routine was soon set- tled, and every day was moving towards another in- spection, it seemed. I donlt mind the work too much, except for one time when they put me in charge of the ladies' powder room! The guys really ribbed me about that, but I soon got out of that detail. The bosn's mates managed to get a bunch of teddy- bears in Long Beach, and we sweated it out when the Executive Officer took a good look at them sit- ting on the bunks during inspection. After that, no- body paid much attention to them, since the Exec didn't say anything. You remember how excited I was about Japan at first. all the good sightseeing, shopping, and the lib- erties all around. I got a big kick out of the baby- sans, the saki, and the music tAhh, 4'China Nightnl , and I bought that camera, the binoculars, and a pile of silk to send home. It was too bad that we were in port so often, 'cause what money I did have came in and went out as fast as I got it. After the money went, most of us guys found ourselves on board with little to do and no desire to go ashore. Then in November we lost our old whaleboat in heavy seas. A real tragedy followed when we picked up a fifty-year-old imitation of a boat, this time wooden like we wanted it, but still an ugly, clumsy thing. Morris really took it over, and ran our ugigw all over the sea before he knew how it acted. The Holidays were lonely, and we were all home- sick, but we made the best of it, and the show was better than ever. Thatis when I started sending home the china and the silk and the music boxes, and the prices for shipping were three times as much as what the goods cost. In return we got something as a re- minder of home-homecooking. Everybody paSSCCl out the cookies and cake, the rolls and the candies to their buddies. The gear locker was really crowded with the goodies. We had to throw away the comic books in De- cember when uSmiling Jack King made his LTIG rank. He never did know that the boys called him that, but we couldnit help it with that grin of his.

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O O 0 Faoxr Row: B. Ii. Fenclley. C. Dingman, M. C-ross, .I. E. Fuller, .I. B. Warren I. A. Bail:-y. XIIIJIJLH Row: I.. J. Campbell, R. C. Brokofskv, D. W. Lovelace L. P Sarvf-r, W. H. .-Xflanis, J. If. Hunt, .I. C. Kendig, J. L. Ingraham, D. N. Anderson link Kms: Y. W. Crum. T. If. Koenig. C. Cliiuccliio, R. P. Cute, T. F. Crecgan lf. I.. I'il'f-r. L. C. lllflilllbll, S. Wansuw, R. N. Haywood. t h D N S I 0 n fVXXXXXXQJQQQXXXXXXffffffffflfffffjffffflfffffflffX!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!X!!!XX!f!!!!Z!!!!!!!!f!!!!!!!!!!!f!!!!!!!!! ! Dear folks, Well, we're near the end of the cruise now, and since I havenit written in a few weeks, I might as well review the past couple of months. We were all in the gear locker last night, talking about the trip, and itls been long, but a good one, we decided. Like the night down in Norfolk, when the first person I met after I joined the Fighting Fifth was Tobin, our BIVI3. Right away he tried to get me squared away and warned me about stepping out of line, but at the same time he made me feel right at home with my new bunk and locker and buddies. The next day we met Ensign King, our division of- ficer, and HSnuffyw Smith, our leading Bosin Mate, and we were ready to roll. Until our day of depart- ure we were kept busy, shining brightwork, holyston- ing, and loading stores for the trip. Vve were already old salts when Ensign Clipper, Ensign Healy four two junior division officersj and Chief Adams, our LTJC- C. H. KING, JR. ENS L. .I. CLIPPER ENS T. HEALY Dztision Ofcer fr. Division Omcer Jr. Division 0 cer

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Anyhow. he started to crack down. and we all went on a polish and paint spree. We even began to shine our shoes for morning quarters and the wash basins in the ollicers head. two things we had ignored be- fore this. In January I got my third stripe. and I was a sea- nian. Maybe I should say, Ensign Healy and I made it because he was always on me to read my advance- ment book. I was glad I did because pretty soon I was told to report to Gipson and Burd for work in the gun gang. Before this I had only seen the gun- nery people standing next to me at quarters. and there were stories that they were only good-for-notlr ing, lazy Ioafers. But after I got with them. every- thing turned out fine, and I started to see that they know what was happening. Especially with Cetkosky: he was the guy who always had a cigar in his mouth, even if it was a quarter-inch long. I was assigned to his mount, and under that Hmadinanw we began to replace the whole mount piece by piece with new parts. This worked me hard and wore me out, but things would have been worse under Lutinsky or Iiendig. Also we began to see more of Ensign Clip- per since he came around to checlg sup on what we were doing and to test the battle lanterns. He de- stroys more battle lantern switches than we can replace. Naturally. I miss all the guys in the deck gang. Crazy Phillips and 'Sneeringi' Millhorn, but then I guess we see each other enough as it is, every- body living in two compartments on ship. And now we've left Japan and are on our way home. itis really been a good cruise, probably the best cruise that any seaman could have. And, of course. thatis due to the fact that Iive been in the Fifth and the best division. A lot ol the gang will be leaving us soon. and that wonit he very good, but I donit think any of ns will ever forget this Far Eastern cruise where we were all friends, working and enjoying new sights together. See you soon. Love, JACK FRONT How: J. S. Iienka. C. R. Kluge. R. Rosenberger, A. A. Saling. J. .I. Kllillll- Nlinnrx How: J. J. Rane-y, C. A. Aclie, M. K. Vick. F. J. Cetkosky, E. C. Cipson y - , . . Q XV. M. Sceztrve. IC. W. Xlorris. J. l'. Nlillhorn. Huh Row: P, W. Fenske, I.. C. frvllfiltlltll Y I Ili! li X J NI rlirnilx f I Rufli X II lx L T I ...al 4. g.N. . -. 1 1' . . . U. .L '. ,. 'yep f. '. amlns'1, J4-ska. C. liulloelx. Il. C. Scearee. .K -if Sig is 'i .- -01.3. s. , .-f