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We soon learned the "glorious" job of naval aviator had some pretty serious drawbacks. After we had watched several planes crash and raced the sharks for the crews, we had a greater appreciation for the hazards of flying on and off a carrier's deck. I'd had the chance to get into the NAVCAD program but, after seeing what was really involved, I stopped having any regrets for having failed to measure up to the requirements. I decided it was a whole lot safer to sail on rather than fly over the oceans of the world. We were involved in a search for a downed Air Force cargo plane and were not certain just how many or what kind of passengers she carried. When we located the debris, we were shocked to find a tiny body wrapped in a quilt. Imagine our relief when it only turned out to be a doll.
Captain Fitz-Patrick was an old hand at command of destroyer-type vessels and showed his familiarity in many ways. He loved to make, what we came to call "Buck Rogers" approaches to the pier. We'd wheel in at 20 or better knots at the end of the pier. He'd call for a back full, the ship would shudder to a stop, and hand the mooring line to the line handlers. No heaving lines necessary. During replenishment at sea, he'd roar into position on the assigned side of a reefer or oiler, give a couple of engine and helm orders, and we'd put the heaving line across. Our breakaway maneuver was accompanied by a recording of the "Preble Yell" played at maximum volume over the 1MC. We once left the floating pier at Yokosuka and went to sea using only three engine commands: "All back full, all stop, all ahead full." I don't think COMWESPAC was as impressed as we were. After many incidents showing his concern for the crew's welfare and his seamanship, "Fitz" had our complete loyalty but we weren't blind to his faults, either. He drank too much on the beach and often caused the officers to scramble to get him out of trouble. He once hired an engine, tender, and club car of the Japanese rail system because he missed the last regular train from Tokyo to Yokosuka. It was rumored he charged the cost to the ship's recreation fund and signed the slip "Alfred E. Newman." One night we were tied up on the floating pier across from the USS St. Paul - known to us as the "Stinky-Poo Maru" - and COM7THFLT's HQ. Fitz came aboard on my mid watch as P.O. of the watch and said, "I'm going to my cabin for a minute. Get your messenger to stand the watch and get your stern sentry" - he was armed with an Ml. "We're gonna go over to the Stinky-POO and hijack that big SOB." Thank god he either went to sleep or thought better of it as, had he come back and told me to follow him, I would have. Yet. despite his antics on the beach, he was a great tincan skipper. He demanded the whole bridge watch know how to maneuver the ship. "Man overboard" drills were not only for the officers of the deck but every man who stood on the bridge. All of us got to detest that damned international orange medicine ball he used as the target but we all became so familiar with the procedure we had no problems when it came to actually rescuing downed flyers.
Coming out of Yokosuka one morning in a fog, I was standing watch on the bow with the same watchmate as the incident off Boston. It was a real "pea-souper" and we were both straining to see or hear anything. Suddenly my partner straightened up and said, "Report many vessels dead ahead." The bridge watch requested identification of the type of vessels. My ears were blasted again when he grabbed the mike to yell, "They're IBFB - itty-bitty fishing boats."
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