A NOTE FROM THE CAPTAIN
POWERS, YOUR FAITHFUL EDITOR, HAS ASKED ME FOR SOME REMARKS
FOR
PUBLICATION IN THE SHIP'S NEWSPAPER AS OUR CRUISE DRAWS TO AN
END. I
WELCOME THE OPPORTUNITY, FOR THIS TRIP BRINGS TO A CLOSE NOT
ONLY AN INTER-
ESTING AND PROFITABLE TRAINING CRUISE, BUT ALSO, I EXPECT, MARKS
ABOUT THE
LAST TIME THAT I WILL BE UNDERWAY WITH YOU AS YOUR SKIPPER.
AS MY TIME TO LEAVE COMES NEAR, I'D LIKE TO TELL YOU A FEW
THINGS AND
MAYBE LEAVE A COUPLE OF THOUGHTS IN YOUR MINDS. ONE THING I WANT
YOU TO
KNOW IS HOW MUCH I HAVE ENJOYED SERVING AS YOUR COMMANDING
OFFICER SINCE
THE COMMISSIONING OF THE SHIP IN AUGUST 1958. THE TOUR HAS BEEN
INTERESTING
VARIED, AND A LOT OF FUN. WE HAVE COVERED A LOT OF WATER,
SERVED UNDER
TWO FORCE COMMANDERS, TWO SQUADRON COMMANDERS, AND TWO DIVISION
COMMANDERS.
WE HAVE HAD OUR TRYING MOMENTS WHILE SHAKING DOWN THE SHIP AND
THE LAUNCHER
INSTALLATION; WHILE GOING TO TEST DEPTH THE FIRST TIME; WHILE
TYING UP IN
NEWPORT IN 55 KNOT WINDS AND 8 DEGREE BELOW ZERO TEMPERATURES;
AND ON OTHER
OCCASIONS. WE HAVE HAD A LOT OF FUN, BOTH ON BOARD AND IN
LIBERTY PORTS.
(REMEMBER SOME OF THEM LIKE ST. THOMAS AND FT. LAUDERDALE?) WE
HAVE WORKED
HARD BOTH ON BOARD AND DURING CONSTRUCTION, UPKEEPS, AND RAV
PERIODS. WE
HAVE ENJOYED BEER BALL GAMES AND PICNICS AND SHIP'S PARTIES. WE
HAVE WHAT
IS SOMEWHAT ALL TOO RARE THESE DAYS--A CLOSENESS OF SPIRIT,
WHICH IS REFLECTED NOT ONLY ON BOARD, BUT ALSO AMONG THE
FAMILIES. THEY ARE A PART OF
ALL WE DO AND THEIR THOUGHTS FOR US AND OURS FOR THEM STRENGTHEN
AND SHORE
UP OUR ABILITIES AND OUR CONDUCT. WITHOUT YOU FINE OFFICERS AND
MEN,
GROWLER WOULD BE NONE OTHER THAN A MASS OF STEEL AND MACHINERY
WORTH SO
MUCH A POUND, BUT INCAPABLE OF PERFORMING HER MISSIONS AND
UNABLE TO BE
THE BULWARK AGAINST RUSSIAN AND OTHER COMMUNIST BLOC AGGRESSIONS
WHICH SHE
IS. YOU BREATHE THE LIFE INTO HER AND SUSTAIN THE FLAME OF LIFE
BY YOUR
DAILY ACTIVITIES, WHETHER YOU BE EXECUTIVE OFFICER OR LOOKOUT OR
CHIEF OF
THE WATCH OR MESS COOK, OR WHATEVER. YOU HAVE ALWAYS DONE THIS
CHEERFULLY
AND WILLINGLY AND WITH PRIDE IN A GOOD JOB. THAT'S WHY I'M SO
PROUD OF YOU,
EACH AND EVERY ONE., AND THAT'S WHY GROWLER IS SUCH A GOOD
OPERATING, CLEAN
AND HAPPY BOAT. WHETHER YOU ARE A PLANKIE OR THE NEWEST MAN ON
BOARD, EACH
OF YOU TURNS TO TO TO THE BEST JOB POSSIBLE, AS PART OF THE
GROWLER TEAM,
YOU WORK MANY LONG, HOT HOURS THAT I NEVER SEE, SUCH AS PAINTING
THE SHIP
WHEN THE OTHER JOBS AND THE WEATHER PERMIT AT NIGHT AND ON
WEEKENDS; YOU
WORK ON HOT, NOISY ENGINES IN ROUGH SEAS; YOU COOK GOOD MEALS
AND BAKE WHEN
THE ROLLING SEAS MAKE IT HARD TO EVEN STAND UP, AND THE
ALTIMETER SPINS
THROUGH SEVERAL THOUSAND FEET. YOU LOAD AND SHOOT TORPEDOES AND
MAKE SURE
THAT IF WAR COMES WE WILL GET NOTHING BUT HSN'S. YOU DO A
THOUSAND THINGS
THAT THE PAY ALONE ISN'T COMPENSATION FOR, BUT YOU DO THEM
BECAUSE YOU LIKE
TO DO A GOOD JOB, AND WHETHER A CAREER MAN OR A ONE-CRUISER,
YOU MAKE YOUR
TIME ON BOARD COUNT. IS IT ANY WONDER MY TOUR WITH YOU HAS BEEN
SO PLEASANT
FOR ME?
I HAVE ASSEMBLED SOME STATISTICS WHICH MIGHT INTEREST YOU,
SINCE
COMMISSIONING (AND MOSTLY, SINCE 5 JANUARY 1959, JUST 17 MONTHS
AGO) WE
HAVE COVERED ABOUT 31,394 MILES. WE HAVE HAD 5,606 HOURS
UNDERWAY. WE HAVE
BEEN SUBMERGED FOR A TOTAL OF 1,133.8 HOURS, 679.5 ON THE
BATTERY, AND
454.3 ON THE SNORKEL. WE HAVE SHOT 11 RED BIRDS AND 4 BLUE
MISSILES. WE
HAVE FIRED 52 TORPEDOES. WE HAVE HAD A FINE REENLISTMENT
RECORD, AND BEEN
ABLE TO REWARD ELIGIBLE AND DESERVING HANDS BY STRONG
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR
PROGRAMS THEY WANT TO GET INTO.