Razorback (SS 394) - Naval Cruise Book

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CHRISTMAS i944 Fe r not for l brung you good tldungs of geat uoy whuch shall be to all peopl For unto you us born thus day un the cuty of Davud a Savuor whuch us Chrust the Lord And thus shall be a sugn unto you Ye shall fund the Babe wrapped un swaddling clothes lying un a manger Even tho we were at sea and far from our loved ones on thus day the birthday of our Lord J sus Christ and the Spurut of Chrustmas stull rang true aboard the Razorback The trees made of paper complete wuth electric lughts and all the trummungs was erected un the after torpedo room on th work bench Beneath the tree lay many Chrustmas cards received by members of the crew and un theur midst was the Buble opened to the story of the burth of Chrust The trummungs shummered and sparkled from the beam of a flashlught which was kept on the tree all durung Chrustmas Eve and Chrustmas Day At eught oclock on Chrustmas Eve all thos who were off watch were unvuted to the after torpedo room for a luttle get togeth r They sat around on bunks and stools while Chuef Petty Offucer Petty read from the story of the burth of Chrust the second chapter of St Luke Thus was followed by repeating the Lords Prayer un unuson Mumeograph d sheets of Chrustmas carols were then brought out and everyone uouned un the sungung After a couple of hours of practucung the songs that were rendered the best wer pucked out and more copues of them were made enough so that each man present could have one At elev n thurty l233Ol they started forward and stopped off un the crews quarters un the after battery and sang Oh Luttle Town of Bethlehem Come All Ye Fauthful and Sulent Nught Le2lO2 The group then went on to the chuefs quarters Chuef Gordon was the only one there but sleepy as he was he sat up and lustened to Sulent Night and The Furst Noel The next stop was th wardroom Sulent Nught Oh Luttle Town of Bethlehem Hark the Herald Angels Sung and lt Came Upon the Mudnught Clear were sung then on to the forward torpedo room where the fellows th re lustened to Oh Come All Ye Fauthful and The Furst Noel On the way back through the forward battery the Captaun passed out candy to the sungers and expressed Chrustmas statung that he hoped everyone would be home for Chrustmas un l945 Even tho Chrustmas day was broken wuth Battle statuons the Spurut stull remauned Chrustmas dunner was served at noon The tables were set wuth whute lunen and the menu consusted of the followung Roast turkey wuth dressung gublet gravy fresh frozen whole kernel corn asparagus lrush pota toes sweet potatoes bread and butt r cranberry sauce puckles oluves rupe and stuffed pumpkun pue and fruut cake Bowls of candy and muxed nuts were kept full and on the tables all day Although the Mothers and Fathers Brothers and Sust rs Wuves Chuldren and Sweethearts could not be present other than un thought Chrustmas of I944 aboard the Razorback was one never to be forgotten by anyone aboard at that time Glory to God un the highest and on earth peace goodwull toward Men Luke 214 11 A . - - ' C u u ' r ' I ' 9. - 1 . .I ' . , ' ' X ' I r ' uk 1 -l I ' 1 . I . 3 . I . - .' . - 1 II 4 ' II II ' I II II ' ' II ' ' 3 . , . ' I I ' I 11 - 11 11 ' ' A - ll 11 I , - - 11 S . I . . . . . I D ' ll ' . . . . . ll - U ll . . , T - D his gratitude and thanks, wishing everyone a Merry I V , V . . . . I I , , . . ' - e . ' . . ' ' . , , . H - I - I' . H . . . . . ' V .1 1 I I . ' ' ' 9 ' . . . ' , Q - -' ' Z l ,- I 1 I 1 I 1 1 ' ' . . D f I V I I 3 ' I 1 1 , I 3 . 0 . . . 1 . ' T ' ' ll ' . ll ' II II I I . I - ll ll - - 11 , 1 - , ll - - ' - Il l

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ROUTINE Here are a few words about the routine on board andhalso an explanation of some of the expressions one is'Ilikely to encounter while talking to a Razorback saior. First let us get underway. An order from the bridge to take in the brow and all lines is quickly carried out by the deck apes. Suddenly there is a roar and the 'black gang is lighting off two main engines to put onto the line. Maneuvering, all back lf3 -we are underway. We are still backing down and now an order from the bridge, all ahead standard steer course 0965 The helmsman repeats the order to make sure he has it correct, then rings up standard speed. The powerhouse answers on the annunciators and on the screws which make a great whirlpool at the fantail. Now we are going ahead and standing out to sea. We are to be out for three days and tomorrow will come many practice maneuvers and drills, So now let's take a walk through the boat and talk with some of the men on watch. Up in the forward torpedo-room we are likely to find a half dozen fellows busy rigging the room for dive. Charlie Darnell says he'll give us some dope but first he must blow Sanny. He means that No. l sanitary tank must be blown to sea as part of the rig for dive. After this he informs us that a movie will be shown in this compartment later this afternoon. Goodo. We leave Charlie just as a loud speaker blares Secure the maneuvering watch and station the regular sea detail-2nd Section has the watch. Now in the forward battery we find the offi- cers in the wardroom engaged in censoring outgoing mail. They have lots to do so we won't bother them but pass on to the yeo's shack. This is the ship's office and yeo Aucoin can be found filling out, filing in, .or just staring at his many letters and forms. On into the control room just in time to hear Mark, zip- nine-six. Fluffy Gordon, chief of the watch explains that he is taking a mark on the master gyro-compass which is that big Gizwankie under the chart desk, and that zip means zero. He then tells the messenger that he'd better start waking the third section for noon chow and to bring back a cup of regulation, Will we have some? No thanks, not knowing that regu- lation is short for coffee with cream and sugar. As we look around we hear a noise like the starting of en- gines which come from the pump-room. The auxiliary- man is starting the windjammers or air compressors as they are sometimes called, to put in an air charge. As we take leave of the control-room with it's many valves and gauges etc., we pass the radio shack. This little two by four room is chuck full of twidgets who are arguing the merits of something in unrecognizable language, freely sprinkled with letters and numbers. Well perhaps they know what they're talking about. Twidget, by the by, is an all Navy term for radio- man. Now in the crew's mess we linger at the galley while Lil Georgie Dement recites his noon-day menu. lt sounds swell, George, and we'll be around after, the ongoing watch has eaten. The bean lOfll4eYS 0' mess cooks are setting up for Chow down .and we will be in the way if we stay here, SO l9TS Q0 'WTO the sleeping quarters. Here we find the mlessenger still trying to drag, to quote, This bunch ofnbell -raopers, out of their 'racks', 'sacks' or 'bunks, which ever name you care to use regarding a bid. They are grumbling almost inaudibly about this earlY awakfnmg and Who the Hell's idea was this anvWBY, Wl -als lfif chow? Where's my shoes? HolY CNS ills only ll IBO' One fellow,l probably Phagans, says, Put the car in the garage and rolls over dead to the world. But they will all be up and wide awake on watch by ll-45. We are now close to a great deal of noise. Passing fl'ji0UQh the crew's washroom we enter the forward junk-shop, This is the forward engine-room. lt's engines are running. No sense to try talking to Big George, for we can't hear very well and anyway he and Gallagher seem to be crazy twirling their hands around and shaking their heads. Whewl let's get out of here. But once in the after engine room, which is quiet as it is riding the vents, learn that the boys up forward are not crazy, but merely making use of a complex sign language employed by submarine engineers everywhere, Riding the vents, is a term applied to anyone who is not running his gear, As we are about to leave we hear a bell and learn that the little ox is to be started on a battery charge. Rock Prescott complains that the auxiliary engine is always running for some reason or other and that he never gets to ride. The dinkey is started and it makes a lot of racket, so we'll pass on to the power- house. This is the maneuvering room where the elec- trician's mates stand their watches, More noticeable back here is the rocking and rolling of the ship, as she meets the swells. Long, lean Ruffin makes his famous remark, 'Well, if we had to watch that many gauges and meters for long, in this kind of weather, we would feel a bit squeamish until we got used to it. The watch has been relieved now and WilIy Wilson has just gone forward after proclaiming that he guessed he'd get started on his l6 for today. A great sleeper, that fel'ow, but as we enter the after torpedo room we see that most all of the off-coming watch is already racked up. Mail-sack Haegan tells us that this is because of the many battle stations coming up tomorrow-all hands will need some shut-eye. Startled by the bark of a small dog we learn that it was merely the telephone and that Lil' George has saved us some chow, So we say so long! and go up to the crew's mess to partake of some of the famed Submarine chow, as prepared by the worild's greatest baritone, Lil' George himself. Steak, mashed potatoes, green peas, carrot salad, ice cream and regulation mud. This is more or less routine chow and there is lots of it as submariners are fabulous eaters. After chow we will visit the bridge, perhaps. Permission to come on the bridge, sir? Granted, and we climb up and find the 0.0.D.'s and the look- outs do not even notice us. They are busy with their binoculars. The 0.0.D. tells us that the ship is to dive soon so we go below. Clear the Bridge you look- outs and Dive, dive. Down we go and as the planes- men ease the boat to the designated depth the silence in the control room is broken only by orders from the diving officer. Blow negative, pump from forward trim to sea, Secure pumping. Ease your angle. This is a trim dive and soon a good trim is achieved so man the phones, it's Surface, Surface, Surface. Blow all main ballast and up we go. Once on the surface again the lookouts are called up and engines are started and surface cruising is again in order. Well we'd better hit the sack ourselves for tomorrow will be a busy day for everyone. So off to bed till at least it's time for some more of that good submarine chow. We leave a call for l93O in the C.O.C. call book and rack. Don't forget to call us.

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SINGING One of the most popular forms of entertainments aboard the Razorback is the singing festivals often held inthe crew's mess. We are very fortunate in having quite a bit of talent aboard, and when all hands get together, the result is quite harmonious. Lil Georgie Dement, the world's greatest baritone, Hog Eye Halman and his howling guitar, George Hershman, also a guitar player, and virtuoso of the violin, Mr. Petty, are perhaps the main stays in our musical world because they provide the sound and fury which we follow. When persuaded to do so, R. L. Walker could really beat it out with any implement on hand, and thus provide the percussion instruments for our band. Among us, who will ever forget the records Lil Georgie and Hog Eye made on the'beach at Honolulu? I think none. Those records were enjoyed more than any platters ever brought aboard, A vote of thanks has often been extended to the fellows of the electrical gang who made up that Super Song Book. Old Melodies, containing all the favor- ites, old and new, the songs that people just naturally sing when they get together, this book was a huge success. A write up on singing would scarcely be complete if we were to leave out mention of the giant strides our own ward room had taken to preserve traditional American music. If it can be called music. Their singing was publicly unveiled at the ship's picnic in Midway, There, for the benefit l?l that delightful melody l?l Be Kind to Our Web Footed Friends. lf it's ever sung before a music critic in the hopes of having it published, we fear his reaction can be summed up in this one w0I'Cl. UQl'1-H Honorable mention shou'd go to the fellows who go about tuning up on those accordions, among them G. F. Gibson, Culp, O'ConneIl and a host of others. Also, let us not forget the painful strains of Mr. Anderson's trumpet emerging from the engine room, where both he and Big George held forth until, to the relief of all hands, an essential part of that infernal noise- maker was irrevocably lost. MOVIES The house lights go dim, a hush falls over the audi- ence, and the blare of trurnptts and a crash of CYmbal5 fill the Razorback Rialto. Movies aboard the Razorback hold high place. In providing entertainment for all hands. It certainly excels eating in popularity, because even Jack Hoegen will cease partaking when movie call is sounded, Held in the torpedo rooms, with detours now and then to the wardroom and the crew's mess, invariably all available sDace is ocCUDled' And if Betty GVEPI3 and the rest of Filmland's luscious inhabitants could see then en- thusiasm displayed when it is our luck to have prO- moted a colorful musical, there is nO dOUl9'f but that they would be inspired to even greater effort. Recognition must be given also to Scanlan, Pryb',sz, Porta, and O'NeaI for their operation of the projector. Were it not for these men, the talents of the stars would not have been viewed by us. And, had one of these men not volunteered to show his skill, the world would never have heard the phrase Pulling a Porta. The opinion of the crew is that there are two types of movies. Good and bad. Movies such as Diamond Horseshoe come in the Good category, and there is no doubt in anyone's mind which rank Republic Pic- tures hold. ' BEARDS Mention submarine sailor to most anyone, and why is it that nine out of ten people will come right back with the word beard, It seems these two words have become synonymous, and it is the preroga- tive of the undersea salts to raise a full crop of chin spinach. Not to be outdone in anything, the mighty Razor- back has had her share of these proponents of fuzzy faces. There has been many beards, short beards, Van Dykes, Mutton chops, the scraggly types, full bushy varieties, the one pet hair kind and lastly, al- though no one could ever think of a name for it, the type grown by Mr. Adams. Mr. Smith once put this bit of wisdom on the bulletin board concerning beards. I quote: 'There are three types of beards, Trimmed- Hobo-Moth Eaten--, I should like to list, as nearly as can be recalled, the names of the fellows who have forsaken the razor at one time or another, aboard this submarine. lst Patrol 2nd Patrol 3rd Patrol 4th Patrol Captain Brown Mr. Pattillo Davis I???l Mr. Bonds Mr. Smith Massiello Mr. Farris Mr. King Schwaderer McBride Prybysz Mehalick Steward Langford La Pointe Dukes Hanson Hershman Prescott Gibson Porta McManus Scanlan Atkinson Walker Mr. Fort Massey Phagans Auer Sth Patrol Alas and alack, the only man aboard who will wear a beard back to the States is Chubby McBride. I-le ex- pects to play Santa Claus to some cute little babe if, he can find one.