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| U.S.S. Allen M. Sumner DD-692 | ||||
| Sea Stories - Chapter 1 | ||||
From: Clifton Sadler (MM2 64-66)
Subject: Where is everybody?
I have forgotten some of the details, but it goes something like this. It seems after the
Sumner's birthday party in Malta, the Captain assigned a few of our shipmates for the
clean-up crew. They were granted extra liberty so they could perform their back
breaking task with all the focus of a well oiled machine; they were to report back on
board by 0800 HRS the next day instead of midnight. When we went to Quarters the
next morning, the Mr. Clean Crew was AWOL!! So after a lot of thought the Master-at-Arms
(MAA) sent his retrieval crew, Chief MAA at the time was Chief Bos'n Beasley. Everyone
shuttered at the thought of being AWOL in a foreign port. So I guess that'll show them
who's boss. Hang'em High Matee... Well the next day at Quarters guess what?? The gallant
retrieval crew were AWOL!!!! What's going on here? So this time the Officers (Captain at
the time and Chief MAA) went to retrieve the missing crew members. They found all of our
shipmates partying down at the residence of the lady (civilian) who was in charge of
helping the Captain and others in putting on the Birthday party. Seems the lady was a good
friend, hee hee, of the Captain and he didn't like 3rd Class cooks dating his lady!!!! So
after all the punishment was dealt out the Sumner had it's first Seaman Recruit Cook with
hashmarks!!!!!!
From: Frank Presfield (FTG3 66-69)
Subject: Typhoon Peas
I was reading Larry Sheppard’s account of chow during heavy seas. Reminded me of a
trek we made across WestPac in a typhoon. Seas were so heavy, eleven days all tolled.
Nerves were edgy at best. SN Clarks of 1st Div. was coming on to the mess deck. Now to set
this up, the cooks had planned mashed spuds, some meat of some sort, and green peas.
Everyone held on with one hand and pushed up against their tray with the other. Of course
everytime the ship rolled off went the green peas. Guys were trying to make it here and
there and the peas kept getting mashed underfoot. Well Clarks sits down. You all know how
the seats were attached on slides. The ship takes a huge roll and and there goes Clarks.
Tray, seat all the way across the deck. The ship rolls the other way and here he comes
again, but this time he slams into the milk dispenser. It opens and all the milk crashes
out and busts open. The ship rolls again and there goes Clarks again, this time on his
belly. Back and forth. Milk, mashed peas, etc start overflowing into 2nd Divison
Compartment. It was a mess, but we couldn’t help but get tickled watching Clarks
slide back and forth.
From: Frank Presfield (FTG3 66-69)
Subject: Gooney Chow
We had pulled into Midway for a very short stint. About enough time to run to the Exchange
and back. Everyone was hustling back and Captain Beaman was on the bridge. The cook was
dragging way behind and the Captain yelled at him down the pier to get his butt on board
or get left behind. He had a package under his arm and no one thought anything about it. A
while after we got underway some of the guys were sitting on the mess deck playing cards
and this awful smell came from down the steamline area. One of the guys got up to see what
it was. He came back with this befuddled look on his face. We asked what it was. He
replied, "I hope I'm wrong, but Cookie has plucked a 'Goonie Bird' and is frying it
up!" Dinner anyone?
From: Fred Willshaw (SK1 67-69)
Subject: DD-692 Where are you?
In 1968, after a "enjoyable" six weeks of refresher training at Guantanamo Bay,
Cuba the ship was given an overnight in Ocho Rios, Jamaica. This was years before Ocho
Rios became a cruise ship port and at that time was little more than a crossroads between
Kingston and Montego bay. Lucky me, I drew Shore Patrol for the night. Before leaving the
crew was informed that several bars would be off limits and then several of us proceeded
to the local police station to report in. The station had a desk, a phone and one officer.
After checking in we proceeded to walk around the town on our patrol. After a while it
seemed kind of odd that we had not seen anybody from the ship. We caught a ride out in the
sticks where one of the off limits places was and you guessed it - that is where everybody
was! There really wasn't anyplace else to go in Ocho Rios. We went back to town where the
Officers were having a party at the local hotel. As with the crew, they were really
enjoying themselves. About midnight we all started making our way back to the ship. Almost
as soon as we were all aboard there was a loud commotion. Turns out we had received an
emergency message from the Navy Brass at the Pentagon to get underway immediately as a
submarine was missing and we were supposed to search for it. At this point panic begin to
sink in as the vast majority of the crew could not even stand up much less get underway!
After some message traffic back and forth with Washington it turned out that the USS
Scorpion (SS-589) was missing somewhere off of the coast of Spain. Spain? Turns out the
Navy had us on the status boards as being at sea just outside our home port of Norfolk!
Not only were we not at sea, the Sumner hadn't been to Norfolk in years and hadn't been
homeported there in even more years! We all began to relax after the order came to forget
the whole thing. Gives you are real sense of security right? (an update:
The Shore Patrol Officer that night who found us a vehicle to get to the boonies
was LTJG John Peter Labouisse III and the man who received the radio messages
and helped get us into our racks instead of underway was RMC Bobby B. Tully,
thanks guys!)
From: Frank Presfield (FTG3 66-69)
Subject: Russian Black Gold
One sunny day we were moving along the North Vietnamese coast and I was keeping an eye on
the coast with the rangefinder. Having the luxury of seeing so far optically really made
things better. I noticed a Russian oiler unloading fuel at an NVA base. I requested
permission from Captain Beaman to sink it, but as luck would have it, it would cause an
incident if we did. I then requested permission to release the batteries and destroy the
pier. Captain Beaman commented in my headset, "YOU THINK YOUR THAT GOOD?"
I replied, "NO SIR, BUT THIS SHIP IS." He released the batteries and I spotted a
water tower up above the camp and used it as a spot. We blew the tower and spaced our
rounds at 50 yards and walked them right down the pier. Man! The NVA Regulars and Russians
started dropping lines and black smoke belched out of that oiler and she backed away. A
little less fuel would be heading South that day!
From: Robert "Larry" Sheppard (GM2
54-56)
Subject: SUMNER Cuisine
I recall one time during my early time on Sumner of being at sea in a fairly heavy sea
when the ship was rolling and pitching quite a bit, it was breakfast time and a new kid
came into the mess hall and asked me to watch his tray, as he went to get a cup of coffee
or whatever, well here I am with my elbow in my tray, sitting on the old style break down
tables, struggling for all I’m worth just to hold onto my own, of course the ship
takes a violent roll, off the table goes his tray, food and all; he comes back mad as
hell. Where is my food ? I thought you were watching it? I said I was, it’s over
there in the corner!
While I’m at it I do remember one more. Being on a Tin Can with no room, no storage,
nor real facilities for any of the extras that the "Big Boys" had I recall one
time while we were alongside one of the larger ships they gave us 10 gallons of ice cream!
Well that was a treat. When mealtime came and I was sitting in the messhall this same kid
sits across from me with his large scoop of Vanilla ice cream on his tray (you know in the
center close to me), I accidentally sprinkle a large amount of pepper (meant of course for
my peas) on his ICE CREAM. He gives me his ice cream. He just did not realize that the
cold ice cream negates the taste of pepper!
From: Ronald L. "Jeff" Clevenger (FT3
53-54)
Subject: Only in New York
In 1954 we were in New York City for Armed Forces Day. That Sunday night I had the
Mid-Watch. I had just made Third Class the month before. Captain O'Rourke came back to the
ship about 2AM. He was so drunk that he could not get out of the cab. The OOD told me to
go down and help him. He was a load. About half way up the gangway, I yelled to the OOD
"You want me to throw him overboard?". We laughed a long time about that. We got
underway the next morning and the Captain sure looked like he had a bad hangover. I can't
ever remember him in a good mood, but after the Gang Way incident I tried to stay out of
his sight.
From: Bill Wunderlin (EM2 52-55)
Subject: Disposable lighters
We were steaming on one of our many cruises. After noon chow I headed to my rack. I was
lying there when an EM Striker by the last name of Schools, from Richmond Va., came down
in the compartment and opened his locker. Asking what he was doing he told me he had just
bought a ZIPPO lighter with the SUMNER on it. I dozed and was suddenly awaked by one angry
swabbie! When I asked him what happened he told me he went up on the fan tail and someone
asked him for a lite. He handed him his new lighter and the next thing he knew it was
arching into the ocean! - They were so engrossed in conversation -He threw the lighter
over the side! - I saw the humor in it and still laugh about it to this day.
From: Ronald L. "Jeff" Clevenger (FT3
53-54)
Subject: Squared away
Captain Lynch was a very large man, 6'5" 250. While he was on subs they called him
"Tiny". I got into a little trouble and had to go to Captain's Mast. I was
5'4" 125 pounds. After Mast, the Captain called me into his stateroom. I was
terrified. He gave me a Dutch Uncle talk on what would happen to me if he ever saw me at
Mast again. For the next 19 years I was a squared away sailor. Captain Lynch was a fine
man, the best Skipper I ever had.
From: Jim Morgan (S2c 46-47)
Subject: Memories
As a part of the 1994 Reunion, attendees filled out a personal page for the Memory Book.
Jim's recollections of the SUMNER included: 1 - I came aboard on June 12, 1946 at Bikini
Atoll, Marshall Islands and was aboard for 2 atomic bomb tests. While there, we
transported General Joe Stillwell to Kwajalein Island. Also, had trouble leaving the Atoll
before the Baker Test due to not getting boilers fired up, the drones were moving around
when we left. 2 - Were decontaminated at Bremerton, Washington shipyard. 3 - Shipfitters
removed the potato bin from the portside and thru it overboard. It bent a screw and we had
to run on one screw until we got to Guam to have it replaced. 4 - Crossing the Equator at
the International Date Line and the festivities that went with it. 5 - When Boatswain
mixed paint for ship and it came out Powder Blue instead of gray and then painted the ship
Powder Blue! 6 - Three men fell overboard when a railing broke and never found them. 7 -
Almost rammed a sub off of Hawaii when it surfaced in front of us.
From: Ronald L. "Jeff"
Clevenger (FT3 53-54)
Subject: I don't drink that stuff!
I reported aboard in February '53 and was on Deck Force about a
month then went to the Fire Control Gang. One time I was in the 56-Radar Room when a 3rd
Class, Alex Rae, told me to make some coffee. I told him I did not drink coffee therefore
I would not make it! After I picked myself up off the deck I made the coffee. Thats when I
started drinking coffee. In today's Navy he would have been in a lot of trouble. I loved
the old Navy, it taught you many good lessons.
From: Chuck Morrell (LTJG 64-67)
Subject: The Russian Race
When the ship was in the Baltic in route to Stockholm we moved in close to the Russian
shoreline, as there had been Russian destroyers in our Gulf of Mexico and we were supposed
to show the flag a little. They sent out a DE to watch us. We requested to do a full power
run and took the old AMS up to 31 knots. The Rusky tried to keep up but evidently had a
high water casualty and went DIW. We thought that was neat! (Click on the two
Icons to see the Russian DE)
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From: Fred Willshaw (SK1 67-69)
Subject: It's a small world
Several weeks ago I was surfing the net for anything about SUMNER and came across a
Sailor's Lost and Found site of people looking for old shipmates. One of the names, Thomas Schwartz, indicated he had served aboard the
SUMNER, however the listing was several years old. An E-Mail was made up to say Hello and
sent at 11:58 that Saturday morning. Meanwhile, many hundreds of miles away and at
the same moment, Tom was at his Father's house looking through his old SUMNER photographs
which he hadn't bothered with in over 25 years! When he got home logged on and read
my message - it was eerie. Just a weird coincidence? Is the world that small? Is it the
long term effect of salt air? Or do Great Minds think alike?
From: Joe Gall (EM3 61-63)
Subject: The Muddy Ditch
While on a Med Cruise in 1962, SUMNER had a run of bad luck, and got BLOWN ashore, by a
storm, while anchored out in Gulf Juan Harbor (French Riviera). Anyhow SUMNER bent BOTH
screws, and had to go to a French shipyard in Toulon. While there, a bunch of us from R
Div, went ashore on liberty, (as usual). We proceeded to sample ALL the French liquid
spirits, (as sailors are likely to do). By the end of the night, we were somewhat bent out
of shape. While walking (?) across the Base, someone noticed that one guy (me) was
suddenly missing. Beside the road, was a ditch they were digging for new sewers. Coming
from this ditch was a variety of yelling, hollering, shouting, $$#%&&*^^$$@#!@,
etc. Upon investigation, it seemed there was someone in the ditch. These guys were in no
better shape than I; how they managed to get me out of this muddy, wet, (it had rained)
ditch, 6-8’ deep, I’ll never know. Could have been tragical, but fortunately it
was only comical- seeing a guy covered from head to toe with muddy water. Needless to say
, that set of whites was history. The Quarterdeck watch was laughing so hard, they said
"Get that crazy SOB below, before anyone else sees him, or we’ll have to write
him up". In the morning, that set of whites was seen in the R Div compartment
%^^&@$ can.
From: Paul H. Denton (SM1 71-73)
Subject: As told by the "guilty" dependent
As an 8th grade student and Navy Brat, I was always trying out new and devious stunts.
After returning to Baltimore after a SUMNER dependent cruise I was left to swab the
signal bridge so the real sailors could do what sailors do. Since my dad, SM1 Denton, was
leading SM he was in the signal shack doing paperwork while I in turn became very bored
(another fine Navy tradition). Soon I noticed the Coast Guard Station across the harbor
and a nice looking cutter. I began to wonder if "SOS" really was the true
distress signal as I had seen in all the movies. I trained the signal light on the cutter
and proceeded to hammer out SOS. The bells and sirens that could be heard across the
harbor were most impressive, even got my dad's attention. I'm not sure what he signaled to
the USCG but it seemed to take forever. The sounds ceased and normal routine
resumed...except on the signal bridge. Learned my lesson well! Never pursued a career as a
signalman for various reasons. I did become a Seabee...never wanted to run into any of my
dad's former shipmates. (Needless to say this story is by Paul's son, Paul Jr.)
From Paul H. Denton (SM1 71-73)
Subject: As told by the "guilty" dependent Part II
By the way, I remained at parade rest for several weeks due to the strong education
delivered to my aft section. Unfortunately for me, or my dad, this wasn’t the last of
my testing of "Naval Systems". On another "cruise" I managed to get
the signal flags really mixed up in the rigging. Radar and radio had to be secured to send
a man aloft to untangle the mess. I believe it was the same "cruise" that I was
"navigating" the ladder to the signal bridge while "armed". Climbing
the ladder using one hand and holding a plate of macaroni salad in the other hand was
going very well...at least till I was level with the deck of the signal bridge. I somehow
failed to take into account the very stiff breeze blowing across the deck and what effect
it would have on my aerodynamic lunch. The young sailor and his girl sitting on the deck
below were about to have their romantic moment interrupted by incoming macaroni salad. I
suppose this should have been noted in the Captain’s log as the first case of
"smart" salad. The entire contents of the plate found their mark dead center in
the sailor’s dixie cup. The girl was not collateral damage although I thought I might
be. My thanks to the fine men of the ship for providing me the opportunities to test my
"skills" that later proved to be quite valuable as a Seabee. Of course some of
the officers I worked with had wished I had joined another unit, like say...French Foreign
Legion. Oh yes, SM1 Denton’s other son, John, went on to become a Navy Chaplain.
Perhaps to make pentance for his brother’s contributions to the U.S. Navy.
From: Bill Wunderlin (EM2 52-55)
Subject: The "LYNCH" Board
During the Korean deployment we sailed East and after passing thru the Suez Canal we
pulled into Columbo, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka). Our Skipper Lynch (Can't remember his first
name) - was in a cab that had an auto accident and disabled him pretty badly - Our XO Lt.
Olsen was acting Skipper until reaching Yokosuka. Before the computer age, submarines used
a "LYNCH" board to assist in navigation - He was the developer of this.
Scuttlebutt had it, a surface command was his road to Captain, then on to flag rank.
Captain O'Rourke became our Skipper when we reached Japan.
From: Ensign Scuttlebutt (ENS 43-73)
Subject: A Japanese Skydiver?
The Allen M. Sumner was performing escort duties along with the Moale and an Australian
cruiser, during which a Japanese reconnaissance aircraft was spotted overhead. The crew of
the main battery director was ordered to attempt to bring the 5-inch guns to bear on the
aircraft by Captain Sampson, but the aircraft remained out of range of the SUMNER guns.
The aircraft itself posed little threat to the squadron but there was always the risk that
other aircraft could be radioed with their positions. With little warning, the crew of the
Sumner watched one of the Australians cruisers main batteries come to bear on the annoying
Japanese aircraft. One volley was let go and the Japanese aircraft was seen to
disintegrate before their eyes! Out of what was left of the wreckage a parachute was seen
to open. This was odd because the Japanese were not know to wear or even use parachutes,
preferring to stay with burning aircraft to their ultimate end. As the parachute slowly
descended within gun range, a 40mm weapon on board the Moale opened fire until ordered to
stop. The crew then continued to watch the Japanese airmen as he floated closer to the
water, and even began preparations to send a launch out to recover the airmen. Those
preparations became unnecessary as they watched the airmen reach into his boots or a
pocket and cut the straps on his parachute, falling several hundred feet to his death. Why
did he parachute then jump to his death?
From: Fred Willshaw (SK1 67-69)
Subject: Rules are rules!
I reported aboard SUMNER three weeks before her Vietnam deployment. The ship was a beehive
of activity tying to get every last item aboard that would be needed. The Bosuns did an
audit of the life jackets and found that we were forty short of the number of men aboard.
I typed up a 1348 (requisition) and turned it in, well guess what? They didn't have any
life jackets in stock in Mayport. We didn't have time to submit the request further so it
was held until Gitmo - oh well, they didn't have any either. Our next chance would be
Pearl Harbor or a couple thousand miles at sea without the life jackets. The first place I
went when we got to Pearl was the Supply Center. The Officer in charge said "we
got'em but you can't hav'em". When asked why not his response was they they were all
reserved for ships in 'Nam! My reply that we really needed them to get there and not after
we got there had no effect. The new jackets finally came aboard in Yokosuka 5,000 miles
from home. Thankfully they had not been needed, but the rules had been followed.......
From: Ensign Scuttlebutt (ENS 43-73)
Subject: Survival of the Fittest
During night operations in Ormoc Bay, P.I. on 2 December, the SUMNER found herself
engaging several IJN destroyers, barges, troopships, and shore batteries. Their mission
was to destroy all transport ships and barges, and to inflict as much harm as possible on
staging Japanese soldiers. After engaging two IJN destroyers and sinking one of them (IJN
Kuwa) and losing her one of her sister ships (USS COOPER), the crew of the SUMNER
continued on with her mission of causing as much havoc as possible to their enemies. At
one point, while passing by a sinking barge, Captain Sampson spotted several hundred
Japanese in the water. He ordered the starboard side forward 20mm AA (twin 20's per mount)
weapons to fire into the mass of men in the water. The gunners hesitated for a second
until the orders were repeated. The gunners had their orders, were trained to follow
orders, and the Captain had his. The forward weapon alone emptied 6 drums of 20mm into the
enemy before their was nothing but foaming water with which to aim at. It may not have
been fair or sporting, but at least there were a hundred less soldiers that the Americans
on the ground would later have to face. One month later, SUMNER was badly damaged when she
was struck by a kamikaze, killing 16 crewmen and wounding many more. No quarter
asked, no quarter given.
From: Ensign Scuttlebutt (ENS 43-73)
Subject: German Appetites
How about the time Mr. Richard Sementelli (Plankowner) got put
in the brig in San Diego... had some chicken wire between him and a bunch of German
POW's... when it came chow time... the SPs brought out the Germans first and then
Sementelli after the Germans were done... Sementelli added that the Germans weren't shy
about taking seconds and not leaving much for him.... He was a bit upset...
From Robert "Larry" Sheppard (GM2
54-56)
Subject: Captain's Mast
Captain O'rourke was what we at the time thought of as a real sailor--hard drinker, hell
raiser, etc., but he did have a comical side. If you ever went to Mast he would let you go
if you could tell him a story that he hadn't heard, well we had this kid from Kentucky who
was rather home sick so he went AWOL, stayed gone for about three weeks, finally came
back, went up before the Skipper and O'rourke said what's your story son? The kid said,
Captain I was homesick so I just left, Captain said where were you, kid said in the
valley, Captain said where is the valley and the kid said over the hill. Captain O'rourke
said that's a new one - case dismissed - that's a true story cause I was at that Mast and
heard it all.
From: Robert "Larry" Sheppard (GM2
54-56)
Subject: Swedish Speed
We made a Northern Europe Cruise under Captain Haisten, in '55 I believe, were in
Bergen, Norway and Stockholm, Sweden. I recall going up the fijord to Stockholm (I was
special sea detail helmsman) at 15 knots and Captain Haisten remarked to the Swedish pilot
that we were really flying, at which point the pilot said Swedish Destroyers ran in excess
of 25 knots, that made Haisten angry, so he increased our speed to 22 knots, damn near hit
the sides of the narrow fijord. Came to find out that Swedish DD's were 100' torpedo
boats. Pretty exciting though!
From: Fred Willshaw (SK1 67-69)
Subject: A bit of Pineapple
During the Vietnam deployment most of the food supplied to the ship came from underway
replenishments, ships like Sacramento (AOE-1) and Mars (AFS-1). Late at night,
usually around 0100, CS1 Stairs and I would work up a radio message to the supply ship of
what we wanted. These messages were all in code with the item from one column and
the quantity from another, the combination making up what was needed. One night,
after a full day of General Quarters, we worked up what was needed and I took it to the
Radio Room. Stairs went to bed. About an hour later the Radioman showed up
with a message from the supply ship questioning one of the items we had ordered. We
had used the code combination that indicated a supply of pineapple for 90 days for 3,000
men! I went down and woke up Stairs to see what he wanted to do. His response
was a mumbled "cut it in half." Well, needless to say we had pineapple
quite often after that!!!
From: Fred Willshaw (SK1 67-69)
Subject: Walking tall
Captain Beaman was an old Merchant Marine sailor who really knew how to handle a ship. In
'67 we arrived at Pearl Harbor to moor at the destroyer pier. Our slot was alongside
the pier, in the slots immediately in front and behind our slot there were already two
destroyers each moored outboard of the other. It looked like we had about 400 feet
of space to fit our 376'6" ! A tug approached to help out. When Captain Beaman
saw the tug he yelled, "WHO ORDERED THAT TUG, I DON'T NEED A *&%$^&
TUG!". The crews of the other four ships watched in amazement as he manuvered the
ship towards the pier. The XO, LCDR Moye, was on the fantail with his pipe belching
streams of thick black smoke, we were all a bit apprehensive. But he did it without
a bump or a scratch. After the lines were over, we went out on the pier, each of us
walking a foot taller, our Captain was a REAL Captain!
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