When my relief arrived in CIC to take over as the CIC Watch Officer, I briefed him, then headed up the seven flights of “ladders” (steep stairs) towards the bridge. For a few minutes, I stood in the enclosed, armored bridge area directly behind the conning bridge as I adjusted to the feel of the bridge and listened to the soft conversation of the watch team dealing with the heavy ship traffic all around us.
I watched, fascinated as always, as the Seaman plotted surface contact information, writing backwards on the surface status board in white grease pencil where the watch team could see it.
The board was full of contacts–“G,” “H,” “I,” and so on through the alphabet–their X’s linked together to form ghostly trails on the board, silently snaking past the center of the board. Us!
Finally, I read the Captain’s Night Order Book entry for this evening. The usual text. He was asleep in his Sea Cabin, dead tired after overseeing air operations all day long. Call him if anything usual happened, if I had to maneuver the ship more than a few degrees off base course, and of course, if some other ship was a threat to us.
Even though I had watched the blips on the radar scope for hours, seeing the actual running lights and stern lights of the real ships brought home the risk and danger. Lights were all around us.
White stern lights of the ships we were overtaking would slowly grow stronger, then pass down the port or starboard side at less than a mile, not much room for a ship. The masthead and red port running lights of the ships leaving the Med seemed to be racing down the port side several miles away.
When my eyes were night adjusted and I felt I had the situation in mind, I stepped out onto the bridge to greet and salute the OOD I was relieving. He was one happy camper. A hot cup of coffee and a sweet roll were waiting for him in the Wardroom. A few minutes later and he would be sleeping soundly while I dodged and weaved the ship through the Straits and into open waters. His stress level was dropping like a rock. Mine was going in the opposite direction.
Continued on Page 4 below…
© Copyright 2018 BelleAire Press
Other works by Dr. Connors…
Baited Trap, the Ambush of Mission 1890
Now Available As E-Pub
Baited Trap, The Ambush of Mission 1890 is the story of helicopter rescue Mission 1890, one of the most heroic—and costly—air rescues of the Korean War. This harrowing Air Force-Navy mission is explained in compelling detail, creating a detailed personal account of what five incredibly brave and determined Air Force and Navy airmen achieved on June 25, 1952 in the infamous “Iron Triangle.”
The Korean War’s Greatest Love Story
Baited Trap is much more than a heroic war story from the “forgotten war.” It is also the Korean War’s greatest love story, following Wayne and Della Lear, Bobby Holloway, Ron Eaton and Dolly Sharp, and Frankie and Archie Connors as they tried to put their lives and families together even as the Korean War was reaching out to engulf them.
Truckbusters From Dogpatch: the Combat Diary of the 18th Fighter-Bomber Wing in the Korean War, 1950-1953
Truckbusters from Dogpatch is the most comprehensive Korean War unit history yet prepared–over 700 pages summarizing squadron histories and first person accounts—and includes over 1,000 never before published photographs and images, highlighted by the 8 ½ x 11-inch format.
Arguably, Truckbusters From Dogpatch is the most authoritative unit history ever prepared on the Korean War. In addition to consulting formerly classified squadron histories filed monthly throughout the conflict, the author was in touch with hundreds of veterans of the 18th—pilots and ground crew—whose personal recollections add vivid detail and emotion to the facts recounted in the official documents.
Recent Log Entries by CAPT Connors…
Carrier Captain’s Night Orders: “Call Me…”
After reading these Night Orders you can better appreciate what training, attention to duty, and vigilance was required by underway watchstanders in those days. What has changed since then that has resulted in the recent tragic collisions between U.S. Navy ships and other vessels?
“We do it all!” (USS Saipan LHA-2 motto)
Saipan CO, CAPT Jack Renard, was not exaggerating when he noted that “without exception, SAIPAN is the most versatile instrument of peace or war on the seas today.” Like its motto pointed out, SAIPAN could do it all.