WHEN I WAS A YOUNG MAN FRESH OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL, MY MIND WAS FILLED WITH VISIONS OF SEEING THE WORLD, RIDING THE HIGH SEAS, AND EXPERIENCING THE CULTURES OF VARIOUS PORTS OF CALL. HORACE GREELEY'S CALL, "GO WEST YOUNG MAN, GO WEST", ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTEEN YEARS AGO, WAS MY STEPPING STONE TO NEW ADVENTURES OVERSEAS. I REMEMBER IT WELL, AS WE PREPARED TO DEPART ON THAT FATEFUL DAY IN FEBRUARY 1965. I WAS A NEW MAN ON BOARD THE U.S.S. INFLICT, AN OCEAN GOING MINESWEEPER, 172 FEET LONG, 35 FEET WIDE, AND MADE ENTIRELY OF WOOD. SHE WAS THE NAVY'S VERSION OF THE RETURN TO "WOODEN SHIPS AND IRON MEN". WE WERE A CLOSE KNIT FAMILY, AND SHE, THE INFLICT, COMPLIMENTED A CREW OF SIXTY SIX MEN. AS THE SMALLEST SHIP IN THE NAVY, THIS MINESWEEPER WAS CAPABLE OF TRAVERSING THE SEAS OF THE WORLD AS WELL AS ANY LARGER SHIP. I WAS PROUD TO BE ONE OF THE IRON MEN.
 

THE CALL FOR "ALL HANDS TO SET SEA AND ANCHOR DETAIL", CAME PROMPTLY OVER THE LOUD SPEAKER AT ZERO SIX HUNDRED THAT MORNING. "FINALLY", I SAID TO MYSELF, AND PROCEEDED TO MY WORK STATION LOCATED IN C.I.C. (COMBAT INFORMATION CENTER). MY NAVIGATION CHARTS WERE ALREADY PREPARED FOR OUR EXIT OUT OF LONG BEACH HARBOR, AND I WAS JUST COMPLETING THE LATEST IN THE COMMUNICATIONS LOG WHEN I HEARD THE CAPTAIN SAY, "SINGLE UP ALL LINES". WE HAD BEEN TIED UP TO THE PIER WITH OUR MOORING LINES DOUBLED UP TO KEEP US IN PLACE. AT THIS TIME I WAS GETTING VERY ANXIOUS, BUTTERFLIES IN MY STOMACH AS IT WERE. I STEPPED OUT ONTO THE STARBOARD WING AND WATCHED THE DECK SEAMEN FLAKE UP THE MOORING LINES WHILE LISTENING TO THE CAPTAIN ON THE PASS DOWN MANEUVERING ORDERS TO THE ENGINE ROOM, "PORT ENGINE AHEAD ONE THIRD, STARBOARD BACK ONE THIRD". SLOWLY THE SHIP BACKED AWAY, ONLY LEAVING THE BOW CLOSE TO THE PIER. SUDDENLY ALL LINES WERE CLEAR, AND ONE LONG BLAST FROM THE SHIPS HORN WAS SOUNDED. I NOTICED SMITTY, OUR QUARTERMASTER, SHIFT COLORS, A NAVAL TRADITION WHERE THE AMERICAN FLAG IS TAKEN DOWN FROM ASTERN AND RAISED UPON THE SHIPS MAST, OFFICIALLY SIGNIFYING THAT A NAVAL VESSEL IS UNDERWAY. AT LAST, I WAS LEAVING THE CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES, FIRST PORT OF CALL, HAWAII.

AFTER MANEUVERING THROUGH THE HARBOR, AND PASSING THROUGH THE BREAK WATER ENTRANCE, I NOTICED THE BEAUTIFUL SUNRISE WE WERE BLESSED WITH, AND FOUND MYSELF AFFIXED TO ITS BEAUTY. I WATCHED AS THE STREAMS OF SUNLIGHT DARTED DOWN FROM BETWEEN THE CLOUDS FORMING POINTS TO THE SURFACE OF THE SEA. THE THICK CLOUDS BURST WITH BRILLIANT COLORS OF REDS, ORANGES AND YELLOWS, ILLUMINATING THE CLOUDS DARK GRAY BACKGROUND. SMITTY, OUR QUARTERMASTER WITH FIFTH TEEN YEARS SEA DUTY, STEPPED OUT ONTO THE STARBOARD WING ALONGSIDE ME AND NOTICED THE SUNRISE THAT I HAD BEEN ADMIRING. I HEARD HIM GIVE A SMALL LAUGH AND COMMENT, "RED SKIES IN THE MORNING, A SAILOR'S WARNING". BUT, I DID NOT UNDERSTAND. I SAID TO HIM, "IT SURE IS BEAUTIFUL".

"IT IS NOW", HE SAID, "BUT, IT WON'T BE SOON". HIS COMMENT PUZZLED ME AS I RETURNED TO WORK.

I WAS SITTING IN FRONT OF THE RADAR SCOPE TRACKING SURFACE CONTACTS THAT CAME WITHIN OUR DETECTION RANGE, WHICH I FOUND INCREASINGLY MORE DIFFICULT DUE TO THE HIGH SEA RETURN PRESENTED ON THE RADAR SCREEN. THE SEAS WERE GETTING RATHER ROUGH, MUCH LIKE A MILD ROLLER COASTER RIDE, BUT BEING ONE OF THE 'IRON MEN', I WAS SURE I COULD HANDLE IT. OUR RADIOMAN JONESY, A SHORT, PLUMP, ROLLY POLLY KIND OF SAILOR BOUNCED HIS WAY INTO C.I.C WITH THE LATEST WEATHER MESSAGE: SEA SWELLS 15 TO 20 FEET FROM NORTH-NORTHWEST. GALE FORCE WINDS FIFTY TO SIXTY KNOTS AS A MAJOR WEATHER FRONT PASSES THROUGH THE WESTERN PACIFIC AREA OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. THEN THE CAPTAIN PASSED ORDERS OVER THE SHIPS LOAD SPEAKER, "ALL HANDS RIG SHIP FOR ROUGH SEAS". SO ALL CREWMEN WHO WERE NOT ACTUALLY ON WATCH PROCEEDED TO CHECK ALL THE COMPARTMENTS AND DECK SPACES TO INSURE THAT EVERYTHING WAS TIED DOWN VERY SECURELY FOR THE UP AND COMING SEA CONDITIONS. AFTER BATTING DOWN THE SHIP FOR HEAVY SEAS, THE MORE EXPERIENCED SAILORS WERE PASSING SEA STORIES OF THEIR FOND EXPERIENCES OF SEA SICKNESS. AFTER LISTENING TO THE RUMORS OF 'IRON MEN' TURNING TO JELLY FISH IN THIS TYPE OF SEA STATE, I BEGAN TO FEEL UNEASY ABOUT OUR UP COMING SITUATION. I FINALLY BEGAN TO UNDERSTAND THE MEANING OF "RED SKIES IN THE MORNING, A SAILORS WARNING".

WHILE PASSING THROUGH THE STORM, THIS SHIP WAS BECOMING UNBEARABLE. AS THE SHIP PITCHED AND ROLLED THROUGH THE SEA SWELLS, THE CREW AND MYSELF WERE HAVING DIFFICULTY TRAVERSING THROUGH THE PASSAGEWAYS WITHOUT BOUNCING ON THE WALLS, OR FALLING ON EACH OTHER. I GUESS THE WORSE STARTED DURING THE EVENING MEAL WHEN A YOUNG DECK SEAMAN ENTERED THE DINING FACILITY BALANCING HIMSELF AND HIS TRAY TO A VACANT TABLE. HIS FACE WAS AS WHITE AS A SHEET, WITH BEADS OF PERSPIRATION ON HIS FOREHEAD. AS THIN AS HE WAS, HE DID NOT LOOK VERY HEALTHY TO BEGAN WITH. I REMEMBER HIM PASSING THE GARBAGE CAN WHERE THE CREW WOULD DUMP THEIR EXCESS FOOD UPON COMPLETION OF THEIR MEAL. AT THIS TIME, THE SHIP TOOK A VIOLENT ROLL TO STARBOARD, AND MOST OF THE DINER TRAYS SLID OFF THE TABLE, CRASHING TO THE FLOOR WITH SUCH A RACKET THAT EVEN THE CURSING COULD NOT BE HEARD. AT THE SAME TIME, THE SEAMAN FELL AGAINST THE GARBAGE CAN, KNOCKING ITS CONTENTS UPON HIMSELF, AND THEN AS HE STOOD UP QUICKLY, HE SLID A FEW FEET, BENT OVER AND CASCADED HIS LUNCH UPON THE DINNING ROOM FLOOR.

IN THE NAVY, OUT DINNING FACILITIES ARE NORMALLY REFERRED TO AS THE 'MESS DECK', AND IN THIS CASE, IT LIVED UP TO ITS VERY NAME. MILK, COFFEE AND VARIOUS JUICES FLOWED AND INTERMIXED ON THE DECK WITH GREASY PORK CHOPS, GRAVY, MASHED POTATOES, PEAS, AND CORN. ADDED TO THIS THE STENCH OF A RECENT UPTURNED LUNCH, AND WE HAD A REAL MESS. AT ABOUT THIS TIME I TOO, WAS FEELING ILL. I WAS STANDING IN THE CHOW LINE WHILE THE COOK WAS SERVING MY TRAY, AND THEN HAD TO STEP OUT INTO THE PASSAGEWAY AND BRISKLY PROCEEDED TO THE FANTAIL. I NEEDED FRESH SALT AIR TO FILL MY LUNGS. SALIVA WAS FILLING MY MOUTH, AND I COULD FEEL THE BEADS OF COLD PERSPIRATION UPON MY FOREHEAD. I OPENED THE HATCH, STEPPED OUT AND THEN I KNEW I WAS GOING TO FEED THE FISH WHETHER THE FISH WERE READY OR NOT. I WALKED A FEW FEET AND THEN IT WAS TOO LATE. I SPEWED FORTH THE CONTENTS OF MY STOMACH, AND THE HIGH WINDS AND SALT AIR, SENT IT RIGHT BACK.

THE STORM HAD GOTTEN WORSE AND EVERY CREW MEMBER WAS SICK AT THIS TIME. LIVING AND WORKING WERE AWFUL. THE SMELL THROUGHOUT THE SHIP WAS HORRID. THERE WAS VOMIT ON THE FLOORS, IN TRASH CANS, BUCKETS, OR ANYTHING ELSE WE COULD GET OUR HANDS ON TO CONTAIN THE MESS. ONE NIGHT WHEN I WAS ON DUTY IN C.I.C, I WAS SITTING IN FRONT OF THE RADAR SCOPE DESPERATELY TRYING TO FIGHT OFF THE EFFECTS OF THE HIGH SEAS, AND THE SHIPS SEVERE HEAVY ROLLS. THE THREE OF US ON DUTY THAT NIGHT KNEW IT WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE TO GET ANY WORK DONE. WE WERE LIVING ON DRY SALTINE CRACKERS AND WATER BECAUSE IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO KEEP ANYTHING ELSE DOWN. SUDDENLY THE SHIP TOOK A HEAVY PITCH UPWARD WITH A SHARP ROLL TO PORT. THERE WAS ONLY ONE TRASH CAN IN C.I.C, AND AT THE SAME TIME, ALL THREE OF US DOVE RIGHT FOR IT. OUR HEADS CRASHED TOGETHER, TWO OF US WERE LEFT LYING ON THE FLOOR WHILE OUR SONAR MAN GRABBED, AND HELD THAT TRASH CAN AS IF IT WERE A BEAUTIFUL WOMAN. THE RESULT WAS A CHURNING UPHEAVAL FOLLOWED BY THOSE DREADED DRY HEAVES. THAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU HAVE NOTHING IN YOUR STOMACH TO GIVE.

SLEEPING AT NIGHT WAS FRIGHTFUL. IF YOU COULD GET TO SLEEP, AT LEAST YOU WERE NOT SUFFERING THE EFFECTS OF SEASICKNESS. MOST OF US IN THE UPPER RACKS, WE WERE STACKED THREE HIGH, WERE STRAPPED IN, BECAUSE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF FALLING OFF DURING A HEAVY ROLL. I VIVIDLY REMEMBER THE SOUND EFFECTS OF A WOODEN HULL MINESWEEPER CASCADING, AND CRASHING THROUGH THE HIGH SEAS. THE CREAKS, SQUEAKY, AND RASPING NOISES DUE TO THE STRESS, AND PRESSURES UPON HER WOODEN HULL, WERE ACOUSTIC TO THE SAME SOUND EFFECTS OF THE OLD THREE MASTED SAILING VESSELS OF EARLIER YEARS. I WOULD LIE THERE IN BED DURING THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT BELIEVING THAT THE SHIP COULD NOT TAKE ANYMORE, THAT SHE WOULD SPLIT IN HALF, AND SINK TO THE OCEAN BOTTOM.

AFTER WE CLEARED THE WEATHER FRONT, THE CAPTAIN ORDERED A COMPLETE FRESH WATER WASH DOWN. THE CREW BROKE OUT THE HOSES AND WASHED HER, TOP TO BOTTOM, INSIDE AND OUT. WE OPENED UP ALL THE HATCHES, TO LET OUT THE STENCH OF TEN DAYS OF VERY HARD LIVING. IT WAS OVER WITH AND IN FIVE MORE DAYS THE INFLICT WOULD ARRIVE AT PEARL HARBOR. MY DREAMS OF A NICE OCEAN GOING CRUISE WERE AWASHED. I HAVE RECEIVED THE BAPTISM OF 'WOODEN SHIPS', AND HAVE BEEN RESURRECTED INTO THE FRATERNITY OF 'IRON MEN'. THE SEA WAS CALM NOW, DEEP BLUE WITH DOLPHINS RACING ALONG OUR SIDE. THE SUN WAS BRIGHT, WARM, AND SET AGAINST A BLUE SKY. THE AIR WAS FRESH AND IT FELT GOOD TO BE ALIVE.
"RED SKIES IN THE MORNING, A SAILORS WARNING", QUARTERMASTER SMITTY WORDS TO ME. I LEARNED A LESSON THAT LIFE IS NOT ALWAYS AS SMOOTH AS THIS SEA.
 

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