We all like to meet famous people. We collect autographs from movie stars, have our photos taken with important people or just try to get up close when the president is in town.
There was one famous person I was glad I did not get to meet one winter day.
We were underway in the North Atlantic one cold day undergoing sea trials. I was standing Boatswain's Mate of the Watch on the Bridge that morning. For those who may not have had the privilege of participating in one of these cruises, let me explain.
When a new ship is built and before the Navy will accept and commission it all systems must be tested and approved by both the ship yard and the Navy. Often this means pushing systems to the limit or beyond to see how much they can take. On this particular morning we were testing the propulsion systems.
Our ship had twin screws with variable pitch props, dual rudders and 6 huge Detroit Diesel engines (three per shaft). A variable pitch propeller allows the ship to shift into reverse by simply changing the pitch of the propeller very quickly. The propeller does not have to be stopped and then placed in reverse.
The skipper gave the command "all ahead flank" to see just how fast we could go. Seas were about 10 foot that day and I saw the indicator pass 24 knots when the skipper commanded "all back emergency".
He wanted to see just how fast we could stop. This is a very unpleasant experience and you had better be holding on to something. After a few of these trial runs the ship was just going a few knots while engineers and ship's company were comparing notes and inspecting everything.
Someone called the bridge from an aft compartment and reported water was dripping in from above.
The Officer of the Deck told me to lay aft and investigate the problem. There are two ways to get there.
Go below and follow a maze of passageways and ladders or simply go outside and walk aft to the hatch in question. There was a light rain falling and I chose the outdoor route. When I arrived I observed some idiot had opened the hatch slightly and had put a wire outside as an antenna for his portable radio. I cut the wire and proceeded to dog the hatch. For those who may now know I am talking about those round hatches you see on the main deck with the round brass wheel you turn to open or close the hatch.
Unknown to me, the bridge had concluded it's latest evaluation and was moving on to another phase of testing. This time they wanted to see how fast the ship could go in reverse. I heard the engines rev up but really paid no attention. I was more aggravated at the man who left this hatch open and made me have to get out in the rain to close it. Nor did I notice that the aft lookout had went below a few minutes earlier. I felt the deck shaking and noticed we were now going in reverse.
Remember how a ship looks when she is going into the waves? The bow raises with the wave and comes down with a splash. Well, now we are in reverse. I felt the sensation of going up in an elevator, pausing and then going down in the elevator. We started going up again, this time higher than before. We came down more quickly and hit the water with a huge splash. I saw a wall of water coming over the fantail and grabbed the wheel on the hatch with all my might. The water washed over me and I am cold and soaked.
When I felt the ship rising again I opened the hatch and jumped in. I was followed by a column of cold water. Two sailors closed and dogged the hatch for me.
Back on the bridge I related to the Officer of the Deck about the open hatch and the radio antenna.
He ask how I got so wet. I told him I went outside and aft to the hatch. He said he never intended for me to go outside and assumed I was still inside the ship. For those who understand sea talk, he "reamed me a new one" for not advising the bridge I was on the deck outside.
I felt the cold hands of Davy Jones reaching for me that day. Had I washed over the side I probably would never have been found. I would have been in the company of Davy Jones, a famous man I am glad I did not get to meet that day.
