Razorback (SS 394) - Naval Cruise Book

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ICE CREAM Please pass the gedunk, is a phrase heard mOI'9 aboard the Razorback than in any ice cream bar Or corner drug store you might care to mention. ln fact, during our fourth and fifth patrols, so much storage space was taken up by ice cream mix that the Commis- sary Department seriously considered commandeering personal lockers in order to stow the rest of the chow. Jack Haegen generously offered to sleep with a box of the mix, which was not amiss seeing that he con- sumes enough for four people. Until the refit before our 4th patrol, ice cream mak- ing was a strenuous undertaking, and usually an oper- ation requiring the cooperation of all hands. A repre- sentative committee of the crew approached the COOK, and after much diplomacy, extracted his promise to make some gedunk. Shortly after, all available cans, gun boats, dixies, and what have you were to be found, full of water, in the ice box. Within a week, enough ice had been frozen, An auxiliaryman, an electrician, two cooks, and a group of well-wishers gathered about to hook up the ice cream mixer. Remember the clank and rattle that contraption used to make? The soundmen tore their already thinning hair every time it was lit off sub- merged. Now, with anxious faces showing a do or die spirit, the switch is thrown, and away goes the mixer. Four or five hours later, enough ice cream was made for all hands to receive a fair portion, and also a generous allotment for the coolies who have been standing by all this time. ls it any wonder that all this had to be planned and discussed for hours? lncidentally, Nasty Brown, our ship's cook extraordinary, is the only cook in the Navy credited with mixing the brine water with the ice cream, in order to flavor it. g 'The situation abruptly changed when the new fully automatic mixer was installed. Now the cooks lift the lid, dump in the powder, water, and flavorihq, put a call in with the Chief on Watch, light off the ma- chine, and crap out in the galley until called by the messenger. Now, by the mere flick of a button, we qet rich, thick, creamy gedunk. What's more, we get it every night for supper. A NEWS Any article on entertainments and morale boosters would be conspicuously lacking if space were not given to the publishing of our ship's paper. Until our fifth war patrol, no serious attempt was made to 'establish a news sheet. However, we do wish to credit the radiomen for the efforts they did make in occasionally typing vp a few sheets for distribution. During our fifth patrol, a conscientious-:effort was made, and the crew was furnished with as oood a paoer as ever competed with the New York Times. Due largely to the efforts of G. F. Gibson, ably assisted by the others of the radio gang, all hands were con- stantly in the know, Cartoons by Skee Borny, Bill Roesch, and Rocky Prescott provided the witty side. A feature section The Main Vent gave out scuttle- butt of the crew. Captain Brown contributed a column, titled Do You Know. Last but far from 'east was a section entitled Flares from the Fantail, edited by Louis Garcia, telling all the dirt from back aft.

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1 QBSON FORT WALKER DAVIS AUER

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BALDIES Did you ever stop to think what a sight fifteen cue balls would make, racked up, and ready for the break? Picture it: fifteen shiny ivory spheres, against a background of lush green, and the smoky atmosphere surrounding a pool table. Get it firmly established in your mind's eye. Then compare it with fifteen shorn and shaven heads, beams of white light reflecting un- mercifully from their shaven surfaces, against a back drop of green bunk covers and the dim gloom of the after torpedo room. That's the picture presented to any startled visitor as he stepped thru the door from the maneuvering room. Really not a lot of difference between the two, is there? lt all started when Willy Clay Cobb, the Mad Bos'n Mate decided that the extra minute he spent combing his hair, before going on watch, could be more profit- ably spent in the sack, sleeping. So never one to in- dulge in half way measures, he took the hair by the ends and off it came. That started the ball rolling. Dubuque appeared, sleek and shiny. Not long after, Kemmick and Mast took the fatal step. And it was fatal! For now with fiendish delight, this handful of despoilers plotted with open malice to ruin the sartorial delight of their ship- mates. Plans were loudly voiced as to what procedure would be used when their innocent victims fell asleep. Finally, in desperation, fearing a mutilation beyond all secondary, the inmates of the after room, whose names follow, bowed their innocent but lumpy heads, to the shearer: Gibson, Taylor, Kemmick, Mehalick, Wal- ker, Mast, Scanlan, Ballard, Dubuque, Hanson, Koehane, Ray, Auer, Ruffing, McDugal. What, is sauce for the goose, the gander gets too, and so shortly the other members of the crew were following suit. Even the Ward room was not immune. Pop Quentin loudly proclaimed that if he were a few hairs younger, he'd get his cut. , Here follows a list, closely as we can recall, with a chuckle of the: BALD HEADED BRIGADEH Mr. Adams, Porta, Wilson, La Pointe, Phaegangs, Ernest, Prybysz, Pacifico, Culp, Safford, Moore, Natelli, Crawford, Langford, Eberhart, Peugh, O'Connell, Mc- Mahan, Prescott, LaBerteaux, Hathaway, Mulligan, Hershman, Gallagher, Massey, Small, Steward. Now one year later, Willy Wilson is still trying valiantly to recover from the effects. This was the unkindest cut of all. DEEP SNORTER Clear the bridgell Take her downll Level off, and dive me a zero angle. Holy smoke, look at that depth gauge! Thus, the Deep Snorter Club was born. lt happened during our second war patrol, and the charter members are as follCWSt Lieut. R. L. Smith, Lucky Langford, McManus, Duck Walker, J. Mehalick, W. R. Porta, John Rus- sack, C M. Gibson, J. A. Kemmick, Jack Pcugh. Duck. Walker and Joe Mehalick, having previously been below the required depth, held the initiation. All members are required to sign a one dollar bill. Each member has one of these bills. Should he be asked for it at any time or place, and not be able to produce it, he must pay each member'D eSe ll The Sum of one dollar, Should the member fail to produce hss Deep Snorter bill in a bar-room, it means a round of drinks for all handS, af the expense of the Unlor' tunate clubmari.