Floyd Parks (DD 884) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 22 text:

l a N ,. R i il ii lx 1 l 1 L l lx f l P r E l i i l 3 , l M l 4 is ,fl E El ll ii in 1. 1. in ln l 1 l gl J J W. 1. M YNSA, one of the Toni Twins, not recommended for the job of bill collector in civilian life as it took him 6 months to collect 353. Helen Fadness, YNSN, second Toni Twin, spends most of his time helping Robinson pull his lingers from between the keys of typewriters. Skate Allen, YNSN, spends all of his liberty at the local roller rink. Currently spending time in the scullery, Starve-em Trasvina, YNSN, thought he had to pay for all the chow he put out while serving his term in the mess hall. ENGINEERING DIVISION CCompi1ed by H. G. RoAcH, MMFN, T. E. CAPSHAW, ENFN, SUTHERLAND, C. J., ET3, A. R. Durrounc, MEFN, and W. R. BAUCUM, EMZJ The engineering division is the largest division aboard ship. The engineers are divided into separate or sub- divisions each having one particular job to do, and specific machinery and machinery spaces to maintain in top work- ing condition and cleanliness. First comes M Division, or main engine division. This division has charge of main propulsion machinery and main steam systems. Next comes B Division, or Boilers This division has the responsibility of caring for boilers and fuel other than diesel oil. The electricians maintain lighting and power circuits, repair motors and generators, motion picture equipment, interior communication equipment including the gyro compass, and stand watch on the main distribution power boards. The A or auxiliary division has charge of boat engines, emergency diesel engines for generators, refrigeration, ma- chinery repair and heating systems. The R or damage control division is made up of ratings who are the plumbers, Welders, metalsmiths, carpenters, and shipiitters of the vessel. Last, but by far not the least is the Electronics Division. These men repair and supervise the operation of the im- portant electronic devices of the ship's radio, radar, and sonar. Back about frame 170, there is a living space filled with some guys, a bunch of swell guys that is, who would be psychiatric nightmares. It seems as if all these men have dual personalities. Take N. D. Blakeslee, FN, for instance. He thinks he is the emergency radar just because he can wiggle his ears. There is Richard House, FN, who thinks he is Killer McCoy. Ah yes, he is a killer. Aubrey Allen has a strange feeling he is a professional sailor. Boy, won't he be surprised when they put the last ship in mothballs. A. Boutwell, MM3, believes he is Diamond Jim Brady, just because he bought a couple of jewels. J. W. Shirley, FN, hasn't quite made up his mind, but he either is a sailor or a civilian. F. J. Minnock, Pappy, MM1, vertebra from backbone of the engineers, thinks he is a seeing-eye dog. H. D. Stoddard, MM2, could be the answer to his troubles. Our pride and joy, Andrew A. Robison, FN, has a strange notion that he is Joe Di- Maggio just because he plays in the pasture for the Park's ball team. Rod Scace, FN, our Navy Buddy, is just a bit more peculiar than the rest in that he has a three-sided personality. He thinks he is a lover, a hot rod racer, and Mr. America. A. McClanahan, FN, a newcomer to the ship thinks he is Edward G. Robinson, but it seems that when he didn't have a cigar, he tried to make off with one of Henery's CJ. J., MMCJ! M. H. Smith, FN, must believe he is sleeping beauty. Hey, Smitty! It's time to go on watch. No, it ain't. It's only 29 minutes after 3:00. was ,f M. E. Mills, FN, seems to be one of the most level-headed men in the division, as a matter of fact, it's almost square. He has a silly notion that Chief Miller wants him to ship over. H. V. McAninch, MM1, has an idea he is about to become a father. Congratulations, Mac! Nate Lawson, MM3, feels he is very right when he says, My N-N -N ame's N-N-Nate Lawson. He says he is the only man that can make that statement, but then, who else would want to? D. W. Riley, MM3, has spoken to the Exec about his shoes. It seems that someone used them to go ashore in. Well maybe they did, but what did they use for paddles? A. D. Meyers, FN, has been trying to prove to the crew that his name is really Al Capp. Bugs C. A. McCall be- lieves he should have been a female. R. J. Parrish, FN, thinks he should have been a Yankee. Heaven forbid! George fhow long is my beard?J Payne, MM3, is trying to convince the crew that his real name is Honest Abe. J. W. Southern, F. N. is convinced he is a MM1, since he was swapped to the engineroom for P. E. P. H. G. Forsyth, MM3, must believe he is Simon Legree. How about some liniment for my welts? Zeke Alvarado, FN, thinks he is John Smith. Boy, won't he be burned when he discovers Pocohantas is married to J. L. Alonzo, FN, who thinks he is Marco Polo. He explored many of the hills of China and Japan. Don't tell him that a white man had been there before him. G. L. Gibson, FN, thinks he is chef for the Waldorf-Astoria. I wonder why? A. D. Miller, FN, our favorite blonde, thinks he is destined to become Miss America. I'll vote for him. Just because Overturf, R.J., MM3, is a garbage collector, he thinks he lives on a gar- bage scow. The A gang is made up of reliable and capable engi- neers only. They are known throughout the ship by their skill and ability in the various jobs which they undertake. The division is headed by J. W. Helton, ENC., whose leadership has made the division one of the most outstand- ing divisions aboard ship. Leading petty officer is held down by Paul Pettingill, MM1 . Paul is known by his shipmates for his quick thinking, mechanical ability and leadership. H. A. Stoddard, MM2, is tops as one of the A gang's leading petty oflicers. His instructions and leadership on a job always gets a Well done. Ed Fisher, EN 2, Chill climbing Edl, is well-liked by everyone and his leadership as one of the division's petty officers is unlimited. R. W. Gunn, MMFN, is known to his shipmates as number 1 when it comes to making something in the shop. What good would the lathe be without Gunn? Hodgins, FN, fshel is known as the first-class water boy in the forward engine room. While in the Orient, he found a home but was unable to find a swap. So now he moans at being over- seas in the states. Herbert J. Tartt, FN, is one of the many noted tarheels aboard ship. He is strictly a fu fu sailor. On our return to the states, Herbie is looking for- ward to the companionship of Tiajuana Red, the T town queen. Buzz Baldy Godden, ENFN, the husky sailor from Iowa is truly a sailor's shipmate. His personal-

Page 21 text:

have it that he wants to be a Ping Jockey. Then there is his right- for left-H hand man Chickiesan Chighizolaf' QM1. Chick is the only man we ever knew from the fair state of Alabama who never heard of corn pone. We wish him good luck in his coming tour of shore duty in good ol' Alybam. The QM staff is supplemented by the following able and willing ???--hard-hitting crew. Big Red Zech, QM2. He's the hottest thing goin' on the sewing machine. CGirls kindly take note., Buddy R. E. Shrewder, QM3. Rumor has it that Shrewder's ambition is to get back on carriers so he can be near the airdales. Chicago Joe Wallace, QM3. Too bad you're getting out, J oe. The old Floyd B. will never be the same without it's sea-daddy. Jerry Skyles, QMSN-Sayonara, Jerry, see you in the Gyrene Recruiting Office. Hooligan Massie, QMSN-The Navy's gift to the women. Mike Purcell, QMSN- Oh you -must have been a beautiful baby -Red hot, hot rod enthusiast. Asiatic Harris, QMSN-Favorite hobby, sitting on the port flag bag listening to Japanese Jive recordings. Heinrich Hinkley, QMSN- The voice on the ship's Public Address System. Peaches Andal, QMSN-Mainstay in the semaphore branch. Next we look in on the COC QCombat Operations Center, gang, more affectionately known as the daffy dozen. The blip Qradarj boys are still mourning the loss of their chief, Windy Walton, RDC. However, when the going gets too rough, they can always rely on ever-reliable, Gordo Djerf, RD1. Djerf is trying to sell the Navy on a new operating technique for the air search radar that he dreamed up himself . . . wearing Holly- wood type sunglasses while operating the gear. Bolstering the aforementioned Gordo are the following ever-vigil- ants : Rack Time Cowboy Jackson, RD3-Harry James Striker-Favorite theme song- Somebody else is taking my place. Lindy Paul, RD3-In training to become a test pilot for the Beauty-Rest Mattress Com- pany. Ace Potts, RDSN-Top-flight athlete-favorite sports are basketball, baseball, and shufflin' the paste- boards. Specs McGrath, RDSN-Delights in giving the sonarmen a bad time-Also famous for his ability with the Joe pot. Nick Nicholson, RDSN-Mathematic- ian par excellence. Can't figure out why the whaleboat never catches any whales. All RAD Zimbleman, RDSN-Always has the scoop on all the news and never fails to cut-in his fellow pip men. Tiger Thompson, RDSN-Sometimes referred to as Dive Bomber. Can smell a pot of coffee brewin' a mile away D. O. Thomp- son, RDSA-The bargain hunter. He never pays more than half-price. Jesse James Parker, RDSA-Wants to get Senator Claghorn elected President-Also is instigating a bill to have the Mason-Dixon line moved up to the Canadian Border. Jimmy Greear, RDSA-Sorry to hear that you are a short-timerf' James, the mess hall will miss you. - Now let's open the door to the sonar shack, which we iind inhabited by the ping jockeys who spend their time listening to the salt water quartet composed of the Four Porpoise brothers. Pierre Tipps, SO1, heads this bunch of eager 'beaver sonarmen. His strikers insist that someone, somewhere must have invented a musical instrument Pierre can't play. He is assisted by the following lads, Ken Parker, SO3-one of the hydro- graphic oHice's leading reporters. He still wants the deck in sonar painted at least once a week. Lover Appleton, SOSN-The Navy's other gift to women App says he is only trying to keep up the Navy tradition of A girl in every port. Slow-motion Mansfield, SOSN-The only man in the Navy who can talk ninety miles an hour and still say nothing. Mumbles Moore, SOSN-The L.A. Lad. He wants the home port of the Parks to be moved to Los Angeles so he can get home sooner on week-ends. Okie Mathis, SOSN-The latest of the ping jockeys. While this is being written, he is sitting down in lower, lower sound, trying to get out of painting the bulkheads. Tex Pendergrass, SOSA,-Tipp's Pupi-He's learning to play the guitar. He stands at attention whenever he hears Deep in the Heart of Texas. Pendy thinks that the United States is around Texas, instead of Texas being in the United States. In his own little department is Stamps Phillips. He's the. only mailman we know of who carries ge-dunk in his mailbag. He uses stamps to patch his clothes with. Next we come to those dit-da boys, the radiomen. At the time of this writing they are all arguing with them- selves trying to get somebody to stand their watches. Leading the radio gang is Jiggs Lyons, RMS. When smoking his stogie on the O1 Deck, he makes the ole Floyd B. look like a three-stacker. We have been trying for a long time to decide which is the bigger, him or the stogie. Jiggs is ably assisted by the following boys: Gertrude Mails, RM3, Cfuture civilianj, the only man in the Navy who can press a mattress cover without an iron. Smooth sailing on the outside, Gertie and keep that mattress cover pressed. Lucky Larry Longmire, RN3, currently working on the problem of how high is up. He stilll insists that paradise is spelled F-L-O-R-I-D-A. Willie Williams, RMSN the only man who can get muscles out of a rubber ball. Or is it dynamic tension on the telegraph key? Don Lowry, RMSN, born with a silver horse shoe in his mouth. He still thinks that Buffalo Bill Cody was the father of our country. Ted Latham, RMSN, GeDunk sailor deluxe. He thinks the Navy will never be modernized until ice cream parlors are installed on every ship. Eddie Pina, RMSN, he's work- ing on the idea of revolutionizing the industry of hop- picking. This will undoubtedly enable the boys in blue to purchase a cheaper, tastier five-cent beer. Bullet Burcham, RMSN, Larry Adler striker. He believes the harmonica should be used instead of the boatswain pipe. Happy Jack Meddles, RMSN, the boy with the million dollar smile. Jack says that if all the girls don't quit chasing him, he is going to ask for shore duty in the Ant- arctic. Lew Wallace, RMSA, sack rat deluxe. Lew is also a past master of those galloping dominoes. You will find him in the Ice Box every payday. Benny Lynch, RMSN, that Georgia peach. Currently he has been running around trying to find a cheap Ford of the Model A Type to take him home again to his beloved state. Buff Bufiington, the 'Subic Bay Lover. He thinks morning muster should be more of a bed-check, rather than at quarters! Last and least of all, we come to those Yeomen. The ship's office boasts one hard-hitting Personnelman 3rd and five strikers. Here are the Yo-Yo's as they are some- times affectionately called. Blinky Plish, PN3, whip- cracker. He is noted for his attention to duty while on shore patrol. Robbie Robison, YNSN, future civilian, ge-dunk sailor, thinks all ships should be cruisers. Always yelling for somebody to pull his fingers out from between the keys of the office typewriters. Clin England,

Page 23 text:

ity and high ideals have won him many shipmates aboard ship. Miller, R. E., FN, who credits his good looks and sex appeal to the good ole navy chow, always seems happy and never worries. He is a good twenty-year man. Capshaw, T. E. ENFN, is happy-go lucky. Generally, he doesn't like to stay in one place too long. Do things get too involved Cappy? The ET's, electronic technicians, claim to be Engineers. Sometimes there is doubt about that. However, here are quite a range of personalities in their small group. There's Joyner, J. E., ETC, Standby, girls! I 've got it all figured out. Cobis, J. E., ET2- My wife knows she's got a man. CThe question remains does anyone else know it., Sweeny, ET2 - Whatl You mean I can't go hit my rack when I feel like it? Sutherland, C. J., ET3- Just give me a case of Budweiser and a ticket to L.A. O'Brian, R. J., ET3- You mean there's somewhere besides Japan? The Electricians have quite a name for themselves about the division. Ross, C. D., IC1, All right, you guys, just one call today. Mitchell, B.W., EM3, Where there's a will there's always a way. Baucum, W. R., EM2, No, never happen! I didn't cut out those lights. Litchford, M. C., EMFN, f'Well, you see it was like this . . . and so . . . C30 minutes later, . . . and so. Tarpley, A. V., Wait, till I get through eating. Moxley, C. G., EMF N , There's nothing like the Navy. Lively, J. M., EMFN, Sure thing! Where are those shipping over papers? Bulla, G. H., ICFN, Why worry, tomorrow's another day. Smith, A. L., ICF N . . . QEd. Note?-Not available for comment, Too busy these days over in town with something., Lewis, V. L., EMFN, Howdy, howse yo'all? Gutierrez, D. M., EMFN, I'll only be young once. Where to iind the shipfitters: MacKay, A. J., DC2, is making the rounds and checking on tools to see if they're stamped SF. Mohn, C. H., MMC, is checking out Long- mire, L. R., FN, with a P500 or a handibilly. Duffourc, A. J., MEF N , is just about making muster. Dunbar, R. M., MEC, is probably taking his daily sunbath. Turner, R. M., FP3, is in the shop shipping over. Or is he going out today? DECK AND GUNNERY DIVISION By JOHN A. KINSMAN, FC1, and P. Honowrrz, SN And now we come to the working division of the Floyd B., introducing the Deck and Gunnery Force. It doesn't look like much work to keep the decks of a ship all spick and span nor a few guns in top fighting efficiency in peacetime. But did you ever consider the old bugger, RUST and his cousin CORROSION? They are at work all the time on every piece of equipment that is exposed to that salty air that hangs over any ocean. It takes all hands all the time to even keep up with these two unwanted shipmates with paint and oil, chippers, scrapers and brushes. Seamen are always the happy-go-luckiest people aboard a ship. They have to be. Just look what they have to put up with. Personalities? Yes, we got 'em. Royal, GMSN, What youse guys drink tailer made liquor when Aqua Velva sells cheeper? Hall, FCSN, Oh well, let it go. It'll work out O. K. itself. It's done O. K. so far. King, GMSN, Just because I look like a slop head, there's no sense in calling me 'ape'. Keith, FCSN, No I don't care to go ashore. I've got a good educational book to read. Pricket, GMSN, You guys are crazy. Just because my ears and nose are big doesn't mean I'm banging ears with the chief. Pigg, GMSN, Just because my name is Pigg and 'snort' a little in my sleep doesn't mean I'm a Razor- back. Cole, GMSN, Well, if I can't live at home I've always got Mount Z. Ellis, GMSN, What do ya mean quartermaster? My eyes don't blink that fast. Romero, TMSN, I'll ship for six, maybe more but it's got to be on the Floyd B. Smith, GMSN, and Penner, GMSN, You guys can have the can. We'll stick to the cruisers. Gutierrez, GMSN, Some people sure like those Japanese and Chinese gals but that one in San Antone?? Wood, GMSN, Just as long as brother and I are together, we're happy. Patton, TMSN, I wasn't married in Japan, but wait till I get home. I'1I find out then. Lake, GM3, Carrey, GMSN, and Bettfreund, GMSN, and Lein, FCSN, She ain't much on liberty but she sure is a feeder. CN ew men in division,. Kinsman, FC1, OK, Youse guys, this is it, saddle up and get hot. MacGranner, GMC, Be happy, be gay, and for my sake, get hot or I'll lose my job. Owens, GMC, All right boys, get with it! The beer and liberty, that is! Drescher, fDutch, FCC, Don't worry I got the latest and the straightest on A11 ball leagues. fDutch is the only plank aboard, i.e., original member of the crew at the time of commissioning., John- son, TMC, Just give me my Corbito, a jug of Sentory's, and a good shack fhouse that is, and let me know when my twenty's in. Petshold, TMC, and Goul, TMC, fSheriff, We ain't got much to say. We're new on board here. Morgan, TMSN, You guys are all crazy, I ain't cross- eyed. You're just drinking different liquor than me, 'dad gum'. Yeager, GMSN, Nieto, TMSN, Thomas, GMSN, and Spurbeck, GMSN, Well we don't care. You guys can have the NAVY. Palmer, TM2, Well, I'll get sub duty sooner or later. Thompson, GMSN, O.K. you guys get a look at this physique. That's what Charles Atlas can do with a good start. Ragon, GMSN, and Watson, GMSN, Boy, we sure made out last night, didn't we? I can't figure it out. Every time we go ashore we make out. Just lovers, I guess. Small, FCSN, and Craw- ford, FCSN, That's OK, we need the sleep. These mid- watches are hard on us Kids. Poddany, GMSN, Yes sir, best things in the world. CAS he looks at his false teeth, soaking in a glass of beer., Osborne, GM1, Just take me back to Diego and let me see Point Loma. I can swim from there home. CAs he stares out into space with nothing in sight., Connors, GM2, OK, cousins, let's have ta little music, while the sergeant meditates. fAs he sits back easy playing his steel guitar., Crowley, TM3, Noll You can't make me go overseas to the States. Don't take me from my happy home fYokosuka,. Qlmagine a picture of two sailors in front of a sign pointing stateside and pulling each other in different directions., Schoon- over, FC3, You guys can have the Navy. Just send me back to Sand Point, Idaho, to a gal named Ruth. Walton, FC3, Oh well, what's the use, might as well go to the states. I've had enough loving for this cruise. As he holds a picture of his and a letter saying from your darling wife, Dela. , . . . Well, this turned out to be more than just a little jaunt. By now I'm sure the reader is convinced as I, that there are many characters on even a small a ship as a tin can. Actually, I wonder sometimes if it really IS so small. .-,,-, . ,, --