Lunga Point (CVE 94) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 180 text:

SC.OTTV Having given up our search for Chang, and knowing that it is very bad kick to go to sea without a dog for a mascot, we set about to get another Ship ' s Dog. We visited the dog pounds in Dago, Coronado, and National City, as well as the S.P.C.A. kennels in those places, but could not find a dog suitable for the Liinga Poinl. Finally, a Sergeant of the Coronado Police, whom we had enlisted in our futile search for Chang, felt so sorry for us that he gave us his own dog, a pedigreed Scotty, whom we ac- cepted so readily that we even forgot to ask his name. What we wanted was a dog, and we wanted him now, ' because wc were getting underway that afternoon on our business trip. Just thirty minutes before we got underway, Scotty reported aboard for duty, promptly making love to one of Bos n Luck ' s beauti- fully decorated posts on the Quarter Deck, and eyeing his new surroundings with doubtful misgivings. Such a sudden change of sur- roundings in the life of a gentleman dog ! Scotty was not the sailor that Chang was, because, for the first two weeks, he could not take food or water. How he li ed we do not know. He was without doubt the most un- happy looking creature we have ever seen on four legs. He simply could not comprehend all the strange noises on the ship, nor could he understand or appreciate the constant roll of the Lunga Point. He soon accjuired the nick- name Sad-.Sack, bccau.se it fitted him per- fectly. Every time he saw the officer who brought him aboard, he would look at him as if to say, There ' s that man that did that thing to me. Gradually, however, he became accustomed to his new life and began to eat and drink oc- casionally. The most succes.sful person in making him eat was Chief Hamilton; so Scotty joined the C.P.O. Mess, where he knew he would get the best chow on board, and Chief Hamilton, thereafter, became his master. •Scotty immediately perked up, and has seemed fairly content ever since. As a matter of fact, he has only left the ship twice since i6 October •Scotty is making us a good mascot, though. Up to this writing, however, he has never learned to climb the ladders about the ship. He just waits at the ladder for someone to take him up or down, because his short legs weren ' t built for our ladders. He has a G.Q,. .Station somewhere, but no one knows where. Ever ' time that gong rings .Scottv ' disappears and is not seen until well after we have secured from General Quarters. While he seems reason- ably happy, we do feel that he spends a good part of his time dreaming of the cool shade under the trees beside the Police .Station in Coronado. California.

Page 179 text:

CHANG He was just a six weeks old Boot when he re- ported aboard for duty on 14 May 1944. but he rapidly ad anced himself in rate to the point that he was rated Kg 3c before we got under- way from Astoria on 5 June 1944. In spite of tiie fact that he was one fourth German Police and three fourths Chow, he carried himself with the pride and dignity that would do justice to the snootiest canine in the American Kennel CHub registry. C:hang was a sailor from the start. He rapidly mastered the technique of climbing the many ladders around the ship; was the first one to get to the flight deck when General Quarters was sounded, and the first at the head of the chow line when chow was piped down. Furthermore, the roll of the ship never bothered Chang, even on that long Shakedown Cruise. When in port, Chang never left the vicinity of the after gangway, which was his Sentry Post; that is, he didn ' t at first. Finally, as he grew rapidly, and the call of the wild beck- oned to him. he juinpcd ship at North Island one day in August 1 944, but when we returned from a ten dav cruise. Clhang was waiting for us at the dock from which we had departed. He went to C:aptain ' s Mast, and was given ten days in the brig on cake and wine, and the punishment, at first, seemed to ha e the proper cfi ' ect. Howe er. about two weeks before we de- parted on our business trip, he jumped ship again at North Island. Undoubtedly, he had a girl friend near there, becau.se he hid himself so well that the results of six different searching parties from the ship, looking high and low aroimd Dago, Coronado, and North Island, were to no avail. It was, therefore, with a genuine feeling of sorro v throughout the ship that we had to give up the search for our first mascot, Chang, a Plank Owner, and a Shell- back. Chang had gone completely A.W.O.L. We have a feeling, however, that Chang re- grets his action, now, because a number of the crew have received letters with the information that Chang is still at North Island, waiting for the Lunga Point to return. When he does re- turn, he will get more cake and wine, but we will all welcome him back, because he is still our Mascot.

Page 181 text:

' PORTHOLE No one seems to know too much about Port- hole, the Captain ' s cat. About all we do know is that Mrs. Washburn brought her aboard the day we sailed from the States on this cruise. Knowing that the Captain must keep pretty well to himself aboard ship, even ha ' ing to dine alone while at sea. Mrs. Washburn un- doubtedly felt that he would be very lonely at times; so she decided to get him a pet for com- pany. Porthole was just a tiny kitten when she first rt ported aboard, but she has grown on through the Debutante stage, and is now a dignified and sedate Spinster. She is the only one. besides the Captain, that has complete freedom in the Captain ' s cabin, and our opinion is that she just about rules the roost in there. We do know that she occupies the Captain ' s comfort- able upholstered leather chair as if it were brought aboard solely for her use. W ' e dare say, too, that, while underway, she coils up and sleeps on the Captain ' s comfortable Beau- tyrest Mattress, while he tries to get in his cat nap ' in his Sea Cabin up in the island structure. While Porthole is the Captain ' s pet, she has meant much to the entire Ship ' s Company in that she has added an atmosphere of home to the ship, and all hands enjoy seeing .Scotty and Porthole romping up and down the Captain ' s passageway, with Scotty usually running from those vicious slaps that Porthole gives him. Then, too, for those on watch topside during the mid-watch, Porthole has put on many a show as she chases a piece of paper or cotton up and down the flight deck during the wee small hoiu ' s of the morning, and otherwise ca orts to her heart ' s delight while Scotty snores away down in the C.P.O. quarters. All things considered, Porthole has been a good shipmate to us all, as well as to the Cap- tain, 177