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| U.S.S. Allen M. Sumner DD-692 | ||||
| Sea Stories - My First Day Aboard | ||||
From: Don Hayden
(TM3 61-62) 
Since I joined the Navy on Columbus Day, 1960, it was only fitting that I reported to the Sumner on the Fourth of July, 1961 – patriotism all the way.
The ship was at the Naval Shipyards, Charleston, S.C. being refitted and taken “down to bare metal.”
I started the process of checking in and had different officers sign my paper and even walked into the captain’s (Porterfield) office by mistake.
Not reading his name on the door, I asked him to sign the paper. He said “I’m not one of the persons who have to sign that.”
I said, “But the captain said to get everybody.” “Well I’m the captain,” he said.
Boy was I embarrassed. Got my pay record set up and went to sick bay for my ear and spent about 45 minutes there.
Then I caught a bus back to the barracks (the ship was in dry-dock and no one lives aboard).
From: Randy Yoast
(SFM3 66-68)
I went on active duty September 28, 1966. I went to Charleston, SC, and received my
orders to report aboard the USS Allen M. Sumner in Mayport, Florida. I was an
SFFN
assigned to the Shipfitter Shop. I had been in the shop about three weeks when
MM1 Bobby Moore came in asking for Yoast. I was taken to the forward fireroom where
Moore told me the fireroom would be my new home. I was not happy being in the
fireroom. I really did enjoy working with BT1 Bell, Ed Izzi & and rest of
gang. I got out of navy Sept 28 1968 finally making 3rd class Shipfitter &
was assigned to the shipfitter shop.
From: Frank
Embrey (RM2 Feb 64 – Feb 68)
My first official day onboard the USS
Allen M. Sumner was in February 1964, I say first official because my actual
first day onboard was a couple of years earlier in January 1957. You see it was
on this cold day in January that my father took us kids to visit an old WWII
U.S. Navy Destroyer that was on display at the old Navy Yard in Washington DC
that had been sent up to wave the flag for the inauguration of the newly elected
president of the United States, Dwight D. Eisenhower. Even though I was a
rousing teenager all of 13 I was still excited to be going to visit this old Tin
Can because I knew from an even earlier age that I would one day join the Navy
and I wanted to see what was in store for me. When one is growing up and becomes
mesmerized with television shows like Victory at Sea and The Silent Service and
can’t wait from week to week for the next show in the series it’s only
natural that the excitement that one feels is almost too much to fathom. So on
this cold windy day in Washington DC we all pile into the old Ford station wagon
and head down to the ship. I can remember it like it was just yesterday, walking
up the gangway and taking in all the sights and sounds of this big impressive
ship that I was now standing on. Yes it did appear big to us because none of us,
except maybe my father, had never see a ship this large except in the movies or
on television. I can remember climbing all around what I would come to know as
mount 3 and then walking forward in the passageway past the galley where they
were preparing what I would later call Roast Beast for the crew. Oh, the smell
was wonderful and cooking so many at the same time in the largest oven I had
ever seen. I thought to myself that this is one oven that my mother would love
to have since she had to cook for 9 kids and this size oven would surely make
her day easier. I remember my Mom and Dad taking lots of picture with the old
brownie camera. This was surely one of the highlights of my early years.
Then came the day in June of 63 after I had been out of high school for almost
exactly 1 year that I decided to take the plunge and join the Navy. I remember
how excited both my father and I were that I had actually joined and how sad my
mother was that I was leaving the nest. After a brief stint at the U.S. Navy
Training facility at Great Lakes it was off the Bainbridge, Maryland for several
weeks of Radioman class A school. My dream sheet completed and turned in I got
back into the routine of school wondering exactly where the Navy was going to
send me. Much to my surprise they sent me exactly where I wanted to go, a ship
in Florida. The minute I stepped onto the quarterdeck of this ship I had this
really strange feeling that I had been here before. For some unknown reason at
the time I knew where things were on this ship that I was sure I had never see
before. Everything, at least on the main deck, looked so familiar. It wasn’t
until about 6 months later when I was visiting my family back in Washington and
looking at some old family pictures that I realized that the ship that I was now
stationed on was the exact same ship that my father had taken the family to
visit on that cold and windy January day some 4 years earlier.
I went on to make the Navy my career and retired in June 1990 as a CWO3 CommTech
after 26 and a half years. Of all the ships and shore stations that I was at
during those years I will always fondly remember that my best tour of duty was
on that Ole WWII destroyer that was so instrumental in helping a young boy grow
into a man.
From: George Stroebel (BT2 49-52)
After boot camp (January 1949) I was held in OGU for a couple weeks on mess
cook duty while everyone else in the company was sent for duty elsewhere so
lost track of all my buddies I went through boot camp with. I was
really discouraged about it too. But as the saying goes there is a silver
lining to every dark cloud and this silver lining was the fact I would never
have been assigned to the Sumner if that had not happened. When I left OGU, I and 40
other boots were put on a train from Great Lakes to San Diego with
the assignment to board the cruiser Oakland. What an adventure that was, there
was no one in charge, no officer, not even a NCO, one boot had all the records
for the rest of us. We had one car to ourselves and weren't supposed to mingle
with the other passengers on the train but who was there to stop us so we
ignored that rule completely, matter of fact I spent more time on the
rest of the train than I did in the car I was assigned to, their were 2
observation cars that a few of us at a time took advantage of to view the spectacular
scenery offered to one traveling across the country by rail epically the Rocky
Mountains. I remember we had a few hours layover in Denver and Salt Lake
City where we mingled with the citizens of the those two
cities.
We got as far as the state of Nevada and ran into a horrible blizzard, the
train stopped for some reason, whether stuck in the snow or some other reason,
the snow drifted and lodged under each car and when the train
started to move the coupling between the locomotive and the first
passenger car broke. The locomotive got a couple hundred feet away from
the rest of the train and became stuck itself so we were stranded without
heat. It was a real old fashioned western blizzard with howling wind and
blowing snow. We were stranded there for 4 days. The storm abated in 3 days
but it took another day to plow the snow so another train could bring a work
crew to us.
We ran out of food the second day except for dried eggs and for some reason,
(we heard it was in the contract the Navy had with the railroad company), they
fed us and not the civilians which they resented and led to some hard feelings
between the passengers and train crew. We gave our rations to some of the
old people and kids. Naturally none of the passengers except us sailors had any
warm clothing so we opened our sea bags and gave the old people our
blankets and pea coats. I remember running in place to keep warm, I don't know
for sure but believe it was only a few degrees above zero. Some of the
passengers became frantic and thought they were going to wind up like the
Donner Party.
When the storm finally was over and a work crew arrived each car had to be
shoveled out by hand as the snow had drifted and packed underneath, they issued
shovels and ordered the passengers to help but wouldn't allow the sailors to,
which led to another confrontation between some of the passengers and railroad
officials, we sailors defied the railroad officials and took the shovels away
from the passengers and helped anyway. We finally got underway and after a few
hours pulled into Reno Nevada where stores were replenished and everyone was
fed in a nearby restaurant.
This four day delay caused us to miss the ship, It got underway for a cruise
to China. It was late at night when we arrived in San Diego and they ordered
out the cooks and mess cooks prepare a meal for us and that caused a lot
of resentment too. After the meal there was a discussion among the duty
officers as what to do with us as our orders were to go aboard the Oakland and
it was out to sea in it's way to China. Finally one of the officers said put
them on a bus, take them to a ship and see if they can take some of these
recruits, We went through this routine from one ship to the next until
all 40 of us were assigned to a ship. The Sumner took 5 or 6 of us and this is
how I came to be a crewmember of the Sumner. I stayed aboard for the rest of
my career in the Navy and it was a real adventure. I consider myself very
fortunate.
From: Bill Jones (QM3 69-72)
When I left boot camp and reported to Mayport to pick up the Sumner I found that
I was there but Sumner was nowhere to be found. Went aboard the Yellowstone (USS
Neversail). Here I was told that my ship was in GITMO. What is a GITMO? It was
cold in Mayport and blues and peacoats were the order of the day. I was told
they were going to fly me to GITMO to pick up my ship. Again, what's a GITMO? It
was now they said GITMO was Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Now I was only 18 and had not
seen much of the world and was the first to admit I didn't know a lot, but CUBA
was a communist country! Why was my ship there and more important why were they
sending ME there! Left NAS Jax at 00 something early on a "C"
something plane. When we arrived in GITMO it was a balmy 80+ degrees, just the
weather for dress blues. Of course my whites were in the bottom of my seabag.
That afternoon about 1700 Sumner came into port. I remember the deck force
handling the lines and saw all the battle ribbons on her bridge. My ship! I
don't think I have ever been as proud of anything since then. Sumner became the
best of times and the worst of times. we loved her and we hated her. But she was
OUR ship and none was better!
From: Bill Ortz (QM3 70-73)
April 8,1970 was my first day. I was the 10th or 12th QM on a destroyer that
should only have 4-5 QM's. After getting squared away at the Yeoman's office, I
reported to the chart room. I was told that there were no bunks or lockers
available due to the oversize crew. I lived out of my duffle bag and slept
wherever I could find a bunk that would be empty for the night. After about two
weeks I got a locker and was still looking for an empty bunk. All in all I
was lucky, no real hazing or rookie tricks, but I quickly found out what
"Duty Fish" meant. Thanks to all who helped make my first few days easier.
From: Walt Meierdierks (BTFN 49-53)
My life aboard the Sumner began on December 23,1949. I came aboard along with
Merton Mahoney. We both went through boot camp together at Great Lakes, Ill. (
different companies, same barracks). We were aboard only a few hours when we got
our liberty cards. We figured the best way to see Norfolk was to just have one
beer in each bar. After all, how many bars can there be. Little did we know. I
remember we ended up in the "Tradewinds" where the SPs' told Mahoney
to walk around the block a couple of times, (after I threw up on his shoulder)
while I was in the men's room pukin' my guts out, thinking I was going to die,
and promising God if I didn't die I will never drink again. Welcome to Norfolk,
Va.
From: Stan Victor (ETR2 55-57)
When I was completing my senior year in high school I had pretty well decided
to enlist in the Navy. One of my buddies had just returned recently from a
three-year hitch so I sought his advice about what kind of duty to seek. I told
him I wished to travel and see a lot of the world. His reply was emphatic:
"Get on a Tin Can". So, I signed up, went to boot camp at Bainbridge,
MD and when I completed my training at ETA school I was offered a choice of
several billets including foreign and domestic shore duty, battlewagons, sub
school, etc. I chose the Allen M. Sumner DD-692 from other destroyer choices for
no special reason. Just a hunch. What a fortunate choice it turned out to be. When I got my orders to report for duty aboard the DD-692, I was directed to
report no later than 2400 on a Monday. An instructor at Great Lakes had advised
me that the ship would likely be at sea and I might be billeted temporarily at
N.O.B., assigned temporary duty in a mess hall until the AMS returned Friday at
1700. She was dubbed the "BBF-692" (for "Be Back Friday")
since operations off the Virginia capes and Cape Hatteras were the normal weekly
routine. Not wanting to miss one moment of this excitement, I reported for duty
24 hours early, much to the bemusement and amusement of the O.D on the
quarterdeck. As I saluted the colors and requested permission to come aboard, I
made way for an ET1 whom, with seabag over shoulder and AWOL bag in hand, was
hastily departing the vessel. "Going on leave", I conjectured.
"Nope, transferred to shore duty", he gleefully replied. Having been
shown my berth, I was pretty much in the dark until muster at 0800 the following
morning. I discovered that the departing ET1 had been the leading ET and I was
to assume his position as an ETSN. The balance of the ET crew consisted of a
reservist whose technical background consisted of TV and radio repair, and two
OJT trainees from the deck gang. I was introduced to LTJG Haley who served as
Communications Officer and was a fine product of Annapolis, truly an officer and
gentleman. Thus began a nearly two year tour of duty aboard the AMS. It took some time
to get my sea legs, and since ETs were essentially on duty 24/7, no regular
watches were assigned to us. I quickly learned that frequent interruptions of
sleep were the order of the day. Radar repeaters and communications equipment
were abundant, and since these were the days of vacuum tubes, frequent failures
were expected and experienced. There was little tolerance for delays in
servicing this equipment. It became a matter of survival to shift my sleeping
quarters to the emergency radio room, that was contiguous to the ET shack.
Rather than disturbing the sleep of 30 or 40 men who shared my berth, I was the
only one awakened by the summons of the sound powered phone. This location was
quieter, more private and within easy reach of the Bridge. One significant
advantage was that I could wedge myself between a motor generator set and an HF
transmitter creating a stable anti-roll position. The disadvantage was that
whenever the ship encountered heavy weather (which was virtually every week off
Cape Hatteras) and the ship's rolls exceeded about 30 degrees, the test
equipment, tools and service manuals that were on the work bench slid off and
landed on the deck or upon whoever was sleeping on that piece of real estate.
One night, the mill (typewriter) that was positioned on the desk alongside the
transmitter fell on my head. They were heavy typewriters in those days. Speaking
of rolls... once when I was monitoring the IFF equipment in CIC, and the ship
was experiencing some heavy seas, the captain asked that I monitor the
inclinometers and report the ship's rolls and pitches to him on a continuous
basis. Apparently there is some critical roll angle for each vessel beyond which
it will not right itself, and (word had it), would invert. For the AMS class
this angle was reputed to be around 56 degrees. As I watched the inclinometer
swing occasionally to 45 degrees, I became rather nervous. At one point, the
roll exceeded 50 degrees to port and the motion seemed to stop for what seemed
an eternity before the ship finally heaved to and swung to starboard. One day while walking along the main deck just forward of the ET shack, I
noticed a wide rubber strip on the outside bulkhead that ran from the deck
upward to the O1 level. When I asked one of the guys what this was, he replied
it was an expansion seam to accommodate the stresses of rough seas upon the
hull. He said that some destroyers that preceded the Sumner class, (pre WW2
construction) did not incorporate such seams and sometimes snapped in two during
the height of a typhoon. It was interesting to watch this seam widen and narrow
during rough weather. I quickly fell into step with all the routines, musters and drills, and
settled into two years of fulfilled wishes, traveling to far-away places and
having marvelous experiences as my buddy promised.
From: Bobby Moore (MMC 61-69)
Exciting times for me aboard the greatest DD ever in the Navy- of it's 30 years
I had a small part, 8 yrs. 1 mo. 3 days. I came to know the Sumner when she was
in Charleston Shipyard undergoing FRAM. I was in transit on the base waiting
further transfer, having been out in civilian life for 1 yr and 2 mo. About the
first of November my orders came in. The orders were for USS ALLEN M. SUMNER
(DD-692) AT MAYPORT, FLORIDA. But I had already seen the Sumner in the yards.
Finally I convinced the Yeoman the ship was in the yard and if she would delay
my orders two weeks I'd buy her steak supper at the P.O. club, and it happened.
I had no desire to get into putting all that stuff back together. After another
steak supper she gave me my orders for the Sumner to report aboard 16 Nov 1961. Upon reporting aboard at approximately 0900, BTC Dicks had the Quarter
Deck, he had me find a bunk in the Engineer's Compartment and report back to
him. I found out later my bunk was where the Kamikaze landed. After storing my
gear I reported back to Chief Dicks, He told me "You are the first to move
aboard, the duty section will move onboard later today, and the rest of the crew
tomorrow, also your going to have the evaporators. They are Your Babies, I like
a shower and my boilers need water, let this be your guide." He was quite
straight to the point. After a complete overhaul of the evaporators and other
trials we were off doing what sailors are supposed to do, SAIL!!
From: Mike DeGregorio (MM3 68-70)
I reported aboard late one evening in August where she was just out of drydock in Charleston, S.C.
It was Saturday so the quarterdeck watch checked my orders, got me settled and said "see ya
Monday kid." Being just out of boot camp I was shocked at all the freedom. So,
like the mature 18 year old Navyman I was, I went out the shipyard gate in search of a libation in my blues! Mind you, it
was August, and I just left my orders on the quarterdeck! After a few beers, I seemed to have found myself in a club in the company of a few ladies who
seemed really glad to see me. Little did I know I had wandered in to a "house of ill repute" and when
entering, I was noticed by the shore patrol because I was in blues. The shore patrol was nice enough to bring me back to the ship
and deposit me back on the quarterdeck I had just left 45 minutes prior! They just looked at me in utter amazement and said "Bootcamp you have been in the
fleet less than an hour and you have managed to distinguish yourself beyond belief, I'll tell you what, keep this up and you ain't never gonna make it!
Now hit the rack and maybe I'll forget about this if you are lucky!" No one ever mentioned a thing to me!
From: Bob Kelly (EM3 68-71)
We arrived in Charleston on May 10,1968. I say we because there was a group of us fresh out of Boot camp. We were all FA's, ready to board USS Allen M
Sumner DD-692. One problem the ship was not in Charleston, it was out to sea. So my fellow shipmates and myself were directed to the
USS Everglades for TDY. The other fellows were John Bowman, Greg Zadow, Gerry Curtis, Jacinto
Burgos, and me Bob Kelly. Needless to say we were all a little disappointed that day. We ended up spending 4 weeks on the tender until Sumner arrived.
The day she came into port, the powers that be sent us up north to the weapons station to meet her. Only to be told after a two hour bus ride that she already departed and was on her way back to Charleston shipyards. After
waiting another couple of hours for a bus we finally got to board our new home. A place where I would spend the next three and one half years.
From: Rick Billings (BM3 70-73)
It was March 1970 I had just decommissioned the U.S.S. Luce DLG-7 and had only been aboard her for less than a year, I then completed two weeks leave
in Boston. My orders were cut for arrival Mayport Florida, next tour of duty The Allen M. Sumner DD-692, upon arrival Mayport I inquired the
whereabouts of this can. Someone at the Gedunk tells me its near the end of the pier over by the U.S.S. Yosemite. I arrive at the pier, well it looks
like that is where a ship could tie up but mine was not to be found. So I board the Yosemite and it appears after all the red tape is over I am now a
man without a ship. The Sumner is in GITMO. What is GITMO? I was soon to find out. After a brief TAD aboard the Yosemite I get my first ride in a
C-?. Big Plane, destination Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Or as I soon found out what GITMO meant. Don't know how that much plane could fly. Nice
landing, man was it hot. There she is, jump out of the cattle car walk down to the pier. Never saw so many ribbons with stars on one ship before.
Something that we all became proud of, even though you were not on any of those cruises before your arrival you soon became enveloped in her pride.
Arrive with orders in hand, told to report to First Division. Get there, BM1 tells me the good news and the bad. No place for you to sleep here in
first division but the good news is you can sleep under the stars. What? He takes me to the 02 level to the
DASH Hanger and tells me grab some blankets and make some sort of sleeping arrangements, Blankets? I said to
myself, hot as hell here. Boats was right though, that first night I did sleep under the stars because it was so hot the hanger door was open. First
thing in the morning after we got underway I learned what GITMO meant. HA HA some how it is amusing today. Oh well, Wooden Ships and Iron Men.
From: Stephen Bishop (BT3 66-68)
Well, late one September night, I reported to the Sumner down in Mayport. Chief
McVay was officer of the deck. I came on board as a striking "IC Electrician" (I was
a phone man on the outside!). McVay said, "Come on down and bunk with boilermen tonight, we'll take you over to the IC group in the morning...by the next morning, he had changed my orders for me to be with the boiler group! It's still
hard to forgive him for that. I ended up mess cooking almost 7 months while I fought the boiler room assignment. It wasn't until the Chief Commissaryman asked me to go up for 3rd class, that
McVay let me go up for 3rd class boilerman..
From: Mike Raatjes (SH3 68-72)
The first time I saw the ship in Charleston, SC, was in 1968, all I saw were hoses, cables
and scaffolding, I asked where the Sumner was at and was surprised that under all the
re-framing was the Ship that I was to serve on for almost four years. This probably was
one of the most traumatic experiences of my 18 year old life. I was assigned a bunk and
locker, but everything else was a blur. I was assigned to the First Division during which
time I served on the Ship's Honor Guard for about 6 months. After the first Med cruise, I
was assigned to Ship's Service and the laundry under SH1 Ramsey. In late 1970 through 1971
I operated the Ship's Store.
From: Gary Carnot (GMG3 66-70)
It was October 1966 and I remember when I first laid eyes on DD-692. I had just completed
a long, hot bus ride from Charleston Naval Shipyard where I had been for two weeks
awaiting orders. I had met a guy from St. Petersburg (I was from Tampa) at the transient
barracks and we had both been assigned to the Sumner. We were both 18 years old and
walking down the Destroyer Piers at around 1:30 in the morning made us a little
apprehensive. There was steam coming from the pier and it was eerily quiet. The Sumner was
moored outboard of two other Destroyers and we crossed their quarterdecks and reported to
the Petty Officer of The Watch. We were logged in and taken to the aft sleeping area, just
below the ships store. Apparently the sailors that normally occupied those bunks were
ashore on liberty and not expected back until morning. In the morning we were told to
report to the duty officer and were assigned to the Deck force. It seemed to take all day
to get checked in, but everyone seemed friendly enough. We were both given our own bunks
in First Division, located forward of the mess hall. Because we were new, there was no
choice on our bunking arrangement. I ended up with the top bunk in what seemed to be a
rather crowded environment. I remember that it was hot and stuffy and that there wasn't
much room for my gear. After lunch we actually began our daily routine, which consisted of
mostly being ordered around by everyone and their brother. For a guy that had not been
away from home very much, the Sumner seemed like a lonely, isolated place and that feeling
remained with me for several weeks until I gradually made friends and got used to a new
way of life. In September 1968 my two year tour was up and I got out of the Navy. I moved
to Evansville, Indiana and in December of '68, I re-enlisted. I guess they had not filled
my billet, because I was assigned to the Sumner once again, so I had the unique experience
of actually having two "first days on board".
From: Ed Izzi (BT2 66-69)
It was November 66 after serving onboard the Damato (DD-871), then the Northhampton (CC-1)
and then completing the first BP&E School at Great Lakes.. (Basic Propulsion and
Engineering) where you learned the basics of MM, BT, and EM rates. Reporting onboard I met
BT Chief McVey... and he treated me great. All the other BT’s didn’t mess with
me because I was aware of their tricks.. after being on 2 ships. I was accepted.. where
most of the Northern Boys were the forward fireroon... and they were a great group of men.
On the job training and Damage Control exercies seemed to rule out lives. But later down
the line it helped us. Chief McVey had me under his wing and I became .. the parts
person.. making sure we had all parts needed before we headed for Nam in February. So all
I can remember about my first days on board the AMS.. was great.. W.W.Bell BT1 was my
Leading Petty Officer and he was great. All the men in the forward fire room became
brothers.. really ... Those were the days..
From: Frank Presfield (FTG3 66-69)
16 May 66. I arrived at Mayport Naval Station with orders to report to the CO of Sumner
DD-692. Pretty cut and dried I thought. I had put in for destroyer duty in "FT"
A School. When I first saw her sitting alone at the end of the ammunition pier, my pulse
quickend. My ship! I saluted the colors and requested permission to come aboard. Checked
in at the ship’s office and stowed by seabag in Second Division berthing compartment.
I went to plot and shook hands with some of the FT’s and IC’s. Sharing this
space would bring about other stories as the years passed. Now I was green as they come.
All I knew about shipboad life was pure scuttlebutt. All of a sudden, FTC Johnson shows
up, introduces himself and says, "We have some PM to run on this old computer, so why
don’t you go get a tube of "relative bearing" grease and I’ll show you
how its done." Off I went on my merry way. Just to think I’m going to get
instruction on analog computer by the Chief. First stop, bosun’s locker. No grease.
Second stop, Supply Office. No grease. Why not try the engine room. Got to have grease
there. No luck. I headed back to plot empty handed. Told the Chief and then all of them
busted out laughing. Gotcha! I got red in the face. "Relative Bearing", from
"Bow of Own Ship". How could I get suckered like that. This was just their way
of welcoming me to the real Navy. The "First Day" of three years plus on the
finest "Tin Can" ever to sail and a huge part of my life experience.
From: Bill Wunderlin (EM2 52-55)
My first encounter with the SUMNER was in January '52. Twelve of us, right out of Boot
Camp (Bainbridge), reported aboard. The Quarter Deck watch officer was BT Chief ROGERS. He
wore his .45 pistol like a "gun fighter". This was rather late at night so - Who
was in a good mood? We were all standing there waiting for berths when suddenly he roared
- "GET THOSE G_D_seabags off the Quarter Deck!!! You never saw swabbies move that
fast......
From: Fred Willshaw (SK1 67-69)
On that first day, I reported in to the Supply Office and met SK Chief Willis. He
was showing me the operation when the daily mail showed up. He was opening and
sorting it when he came across a Ship's Order status card. These were
"IBM" cards from the days of keypunching. They had little holes all over
them and at the top was the printing that you read to determine what was going on with the
order. Chief Willis looked at the card and it had no printing at the top. He
handed it to me and said, "can you figure this out?" I told him what Order
it was and what was happening with it. He looked at me and asked, "YOU CAN READ
THE HOLES?" I said "YES" and his reply was "Well then you don't
need me around here, I'm going to the Chief's Quarters." He wasn't kidding,
that was the last time I remember him in the office, he had been relieved of the drudgery
of paper work!
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