The second destroyer, I served on was out of Charleston SC Naval base, not as nice as Key West, but that is life we go where we must...  Well it came time for Tender {A large repair ship } availability, and we were sent to Mayport, FL {JAX}.. 

For those of you that are not familiar with US Navy ships....  The much larger ship {The Destroyer Tender} is moored next to the pier, then the smaller destroyers are tied outboard, side by side.... Sometimes as many as five abreast{called a nest}...   That is where we found ourselves on this pleasant summer evening....  Outboard....

Well since we were the outboard ship we were required to post sentries or roving patrols on the seaward side of the ship...  There were pier sentries on the pier, and all these were under the " Nest Security Officer"  Another sailor and myself were on the Mid Watch {00:01 to 04:00Hrs} we were issued M1 Carbines, and two clips of ammo... I was assigned the bow or forward section and my Sonar man buddy was on the stern or back section....  I went forward and relieved the watch ahead of me, and settled down to an uneventful watch... [Or that was what I expected] 

There were lights strung along the hand rails, so that the water along side the ship was lit... We would rove back and forth from the front to back and meet about midships, usually talk a little than go back...  It just so happened that all the baking was done at night, and the galley was on the main deck and there was a port hole open to the outside deck....  So we were able to get some bear claws, and milk from the cooks....   About 01:00 Hrs I had gone back forward to the bow and heard some steps on the steel deck...  This was unusual as on one ever messed with the midwatch...  I walked around the forward 5 Inch Gun Mount, and would walk when I heard the footsteps, and stop when they did... It turned out to be the Nest Security officer, a JG from the tender....  He got excited and started yelling "Sentry, Sentry"

Of course I ran around with my piece {rifle} at ready arms, and he began a question and answer show...  I knew to act stupid as most young officers only wanted to impress you with their knowledge..   SO when he ask if I knew what I was doing, I replied "No SIR"...  Then he commenced to explain that we were to be on the look out for frogmen...   "Frogmen, Sir"  I replyed...  He commenced to tell how to look for bubbles in the water and that they liked to climb up the anchor which was in the bow section...  " Yes Sir, Frogmen, Sir"   I replied and he was happy to have enlightened me on this fact, even though I was well versed on SCUBA.... 

After he left we met again amidships, and discussed how weird this Nest Security Officer was, and about 02:00Hrs we went back to our posts...  I was on the bow and here he comes again....  This time he jumps out on the lines tying the ships together, {these are four inch nylon lines three sets} this is about 30 feet above the water line....  They are generally very taunt, and here he is jumping up and down on them out over the life lines...  Asking if I thought they needed to be reworked...  He said " I can call an all all hands working party up to rework these lines if needs be" To which I replied " At 02:00 Hrs, I do not think they need to be reworked. Sir" So off he went to the stern...

We sentries met and talked about this odd officer, and got ready for the 03:00Hrs visit which we knew was going to happen...  I was up on the bow, looking of the bubbles, never saw our nest security officer, but did heard some commotion on the steard...  Well when my relief came up at 04:00Hrs, he told me Bob was down in the mess deck under arrest by the master at arms {Police on the ship}....  So when I got off watch I went down to Bob...  He said that after we had spoke about 03:00Hrs, he had gone back toward the Stearn and as he passed the Bathythermograph Boom shield,{This is a four foot high curved shield on the forward side of the BT boom} he had his piece at shoulder arms, a frogman jumped out and grabbed him on the shoulder, yelling " Now I have got you"....   To which he swung his piece catching the frogman on the cheek and knocking him down...  He then opened the chamber and proceeded to load a clip, and chamber a round....  {That means he was ready to shoot, folks}  About that time the Chief Petty Officer on the Quarter deck Watch came running up telling him not to shoot, as this was the nest security officer testing the watch...  SO Bob was arrested for assaulting an officer...   Bob said to me in another 30 seconds he would have been a dead frogman.... [The Nest Security Officer had gotten into swim trunks and put on a diving mask to impersonate a frogman]

We went to a Captain's Mast the next day, after we all explained what things this officer had been doing on the watch that night, the Captain, said all charges against Bob were dismissed, and told the LT JG nest security officer; that he had 30 seconds to get off our ship or he would be thrown in the brig....  And that he was to never set foot on our ship again....   

Well done, stick to what you know as true and in the end it will always come out in your favor....  I am just glad to know that I did not get the opportunity to shoot the frogman...   All ends well when you stick with the truth and facts....   

For more exciting happening on the road of life...  see ya next blog..

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