Gatling (DD 671) - Naval Cruise Book

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We did just about everything a destroyer could be called upon to do short of direct combat, and then, we had to be ready for that too. We stood condition III watches that were so boring, they were painful. To add variety to the day we transferred mail, freight or personnel. It was just like the sign on the Princeton said-- twenty-four hour service. We even went so far as to refuel com- pletely blacked out one night. That was a pistol! When we were with the carriers, we steamed in circular screens -- and usually in circles. There were never more than four or five formation changes or ten or twelve course changes per watch. Then, of course, there was plane-guard and life-guard and guard mail to be taken care of. p ww-ff p N , gwqg 'W' ,.,,, T.

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I wx Here, just like everywhere, it was either a feast or a famine. When we were patrolling we had to stand on our heads to find something to do. We held inspections, happy hours and afishing contest in which no one caught any fish. As long as we didn't run over any Japanese fishing boats, we were okay. Our hunter-killer exercises were the most balanced operating we did, We lived through all of it, though, and we're better men today for having done so -- well, aren't we?