The last story was about our trip chasing a submarine. After the exercises were over we made a trip from San Juan, Puerto Rico to Norfolk, VA.

While steaming along the ship received a distress call to assist the destroyer DD829 (USS Myles C Fox) with a crewman who was having an attack related to his appendix.

We had a sick bay with some operating facilities and a medical doctor on board. From the photo section you will see we met the ship and the 826 pulled up along our port side. In the second photo you can see the line connecting the two ships and the plan is obvious. They were going to transport the patient across the divide on these lines but notice the choppy seas and visualize a little droop and then a sudden tightening and the crewman could get flipped up like he is on a trampoline.

The third photo shows that cool heads prevailed, we all stopped and the patient got a safer boat ride but even that was bumpy and had some risk.

A successful operation took place and the patient was fine.

That should be the end of the story but you now know Captain Jack. A message was sent to the fleet headquarters about how the "Queen of the seas had now saved 8 lives." There was a little delay and a response came back to please identify yourself and clarify the letter after quee_, was that an r?

We kind of had a feeling there would be no big party in Norfolk when we arrived.

In May of 1952 we returned to the Caribbean. We were in San Juan and also visited Jamaica, Coco Solo in the Canal Zone, Trinidad and Haiti. On one of these trips we picked up some military families (maybe from Gitmo?) and took them for a holiday cruise to one of the islands. I have one photo of these folks on board that I took from a distance. There were some restrictions about going to where these folks were located on the ship. When we visited Trinidad one of the aircraft spotted a ship on fire so boats were prepared to see if they could help. I grabbed a camera and went to the foot of the boarding ladder and asked the Chief if he had room for me to go along. He hesitated but then gave an OK so I climbed in the boat and I climbed into one of the re-arming boats and got out of the way. We traveled the 5 miles and as you can see from the photo there was good fire in process. We had pumps but our brave crew had to find the electrical generators and shut them down before the fire crews could start spraying water on the ship. There was a tug along the side of the Norwegian tanker SS Gundine and as we pulled up to a ladder a crewman on the ship started calling to us. I remembered some high school Spanish at the time (long forgotten) so I spoke to the crewman. He told me the ship was loaded with naphtha and he was afraid of an explosion. I went to the chief and told him what I learned. I did not understand his reaction but he seemed to want me to not interfere so I stayed out of the way. I did not rush to go on board but I knew if that ship blew up it would get us anyway.

I think the ship had already warned everyone about the possibility of a dangerous cargo and they volunteered to go anyway. Then I understood the hesitancy of the chief when I asked to go along and he was probably evaluating if he wanted one more to be at risk if it was not necessary.
The crew went aboard and found the lighting generators and shut them down, they came out and then they started pouring water on the fire as did the tug and a second tug arrived to help. When the flames settled down I went on board and photographed a few things but 5 bodies were found and I photographed a couple and just sent them on to where we filed photos.
I made some notes about the fire and sent it to the fleet public information office along with a photo. An article did appear in the Norfolk Virginia-Pilot on 6-12-1952 and I did not see any changes. I was feeling pretty good about that. I copied the article and will submit it to the site for posting in case you find it of interest.

When we went to the Canal Zone we could see the American Flag flying over one of our installations and I want to remind you of the feelings I had and I am sure many of you have experienced.
It was a time when we traveled together when we were out of the country because it usually was not safe; however it was safe at that time to wander alone around most of the USA. When I saw that flag I recognized safety, security and a connection to the best country in the world and we all served, many of you with greater danger, hardship and sacrifice than I experienced. But I am sure we all love to see that flag and it means a lot to each of us.
I did some research and do you know that in all the wars that our country has been involved in there were close to 1 million lives sacrificed by our service people. I am sure the reasons these people gave all they could is represented by that flag and the public has to realize that we have asked for one small favor and that is that each citizen respect that flag in honor of all the people who have died to give them freedom in this great country. It is not much to ask and I believe this country should honor that simple request.

During our time in the Caribbean with a home base sort of established at San Juan I made a rating that qualified me to stand shore patrol so one day I went off on a jeep with a driver, a local SP and an SP from another ship. It was quite a day. We rode around the town just being obvious and keeping things calm. We even rode through the poor area alongside San Juan on the northern shore and hill leading up to the fort overlooking the harbor. I felt sad about the poverty of this area and hope it has improved by now.
We received a call to go to one of the hotels along the beach where a marine was smashing up the bar. When we arrived we looked for the marine and were directed to a men's room. I stepped in cautiously and did not see him. I called to him with no response so I went in further thinking my partner was behind me. I did not see the marine but sensed someone behind me that I thought was one of the other SP's.

I was very wrong. When I turned there was not an SP but there was a drunk marine holding a knife and blocking my exit. Through my mind went the advice that if someone pulls a knife on you assume they know how to use it. So it was my night stick and my brain against someone who had already broken up parts of a hotel and was already in trouble with a knife and was dangerous.

Somehow I convinced him a bigger group was on the way and he was in serious trouble. I offered to take him out of the hotel, back to his base or ship and turn him over to the OD and just tell them he had a little too much to drink. I convinced him to give me the knife and to make it look like I had overpowered him and we would rush out of there before anyone else showed up.
He agreed, I got the knife, I rushed him out of the hotel and we drove off in the jeep before anyone could ask any questions. I turned him over to the OD of his ship and we left.
I never heard any more about the incident and I decided then that I should be in sales.

During this time on the ship I also participated in some other activity. Chief Morrell was a fencing master and I believe he had tried out for the Olympics.

I mentioned in the first story that he and his wife were active in the same church as my parents. When I would see the chief we did not associate like buddies but if we were not busy he would ask about how I was doing. He offered advice and guidance and then I might not see him for awhile. I learned about his activities with fencing and he had a team on the ship. I looked into it but it was not something I could do very well. The chief also knew how to hypnotize and he demonstrated to interested onlookers. I was curious and even had a few lessons from him.
One time I returned from a trip home and had told him about almost running over a skunk with the car and how bad it smelled. When he was instructing us in hypnosis he put me under (I told him I really wanted to stop smoking) and he reminded me of the odor and that when I smoked it would taste like that skunk. I was one of those that did not lose consciousness of my surroundings when hypnotized. I remember him giving me the instruction and I did not think it was going to work because I did not feel I was in a deep enough sleep. However, after the session I lit a cigarette and sure enough it had the taste and odor to me of the strong skunk. It lasted 2 weeks and my smokes were horrible but I still did not quit.
I am posting a portrait I made of the Chief. He was a good model and it is always fun to photograph someone who photographs well. After I left the ship and went to fleet headquarters (It was also headquarters for the Supreme Allied Commander of NATO, Admiral Wright) I photographed our Chief of Naval Operations, Arleigh 31 knot Burke, General Litzenberger with riding crop (Commanded Marines at Camp Lejuene), Admiral Woolridge, commander of the 2nd Fleet. (He liked his photo so much he invited me to his home) and several other nice people.

One day we learned that Captain McElroy was entertaining and another photographer got to go to his dining room and photograph Patrice Wymore, the Wife of Errol Flynn.
I missed out on that one but she did sign a photo for us when we selected her as the "Miss Photo Lab of the Currituck" She had come over from their home at one of the islands and just stayed a few hours.

My next and final story will be about how we went to Hell and back on the Currituck. Don't miss it!

story and photos by Stewart "Stew" Rusby © 2007

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