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 Author  Topic: let,s go on patrol tonight
EARL RICHMOND

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of EARL RICHMOND  Posted on: Mar 6, 2013 - 4:56pm
my(the cook)version
skkipper told me about 10 am we were set up for patrol tonight.he told me that we were going to be section kkleader((first of tjree boats) and thhat we had the crew and section leader and three marine pilots.the newer piilots were strafing our boats at night thinking we were jap barges.an order was plaCED TELLING THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO GO ON FIRST PATROL ON A PT BOAT TO FQAMILIARIZE THEMSELVES with the bboats.
i mAde up muy meals supply l;ist and went to the base gallet to pick up food for the evening and breakfast meals.fuigured i would have bnaked corned beef,dehydfrated potatoes,green beans and corn bread for dinner with butter and applesauce ofor desert/ and for breakfafst dehydrated eggs(with dehuydratyed onions)on siide and bakled beans with remainiong cord bread,add coffee or frhydrated milk.add grapefruit juiice.
skipper called us all toopside for muster and orientation at about 3 pn.he told us where we wer patrolling and what to do if we were put out of action .he described nearby island we coukld trt to swimto or use the liferaft if we could.if there was a particular target h e would tell us what to try and expect.
i started cooking about 330 pm. skipper eved up the engines about 4 pm and we started out of the lAGOON TO patrool stgation,.we were patroling new ireland that night and were to watch for barghes and trucks .
we all took our stations and settled down for a long nights ride,the weaather was balm y and the sky clear.i fed the passengers first and then the crew .started eating about 430 pm and finished all by about 530 to 6 pm.i cleaned up all the mess by myself,made up some peabnuet butter and jelly sandwiches and a pot of "jope"coffee.also had dehydrated milk and juice.this was for duriingn the night before and after ariving aT PATROL STATIION,MEN WERE ALLOWED TO GO BELOW THU GALLEY HATCH AS THERE WAS A RED LIGHT JUST BELOW THE HATCH THAT COULD NIOT BE SEEN across the waters.
after i was done i had a few minutes before i was to go on myb station in aft twin 50 cal turret.there i was to keep my binoculars glued to me eyes for aircrafft/planes or ships.in between i wAS ABLE TO ENJOY THE BEAUTIFUL SUNSET,THE SJY WAS AGLOW WITH ORANGE,RED ,.YELLOW AND BLUE COLORS.Almost took you home and make you fiorget what you weere there for.
we got to station just after dark and applied the nufflers to deaden tjhe souund of our engines.we cruised along slowly about a mol;e or so off the island,the waters alongside our boat was shining with the luminence of the churning water,all eyes were glued to the beach.we were tjhen at general quarters and ready for action.
all of as sudden,there was a flash of light on the beach.it moved steadedly along so we assumed it was a truck deliveringtroops or supplies.we slowly mabnouvered for position in order to get all our guuns lined up for firing.the light was still moving slowly along.we opwened the mufflers and reved up tje engins for a qiick run on the trucl.the moise of his engimne must have deadened any otgher sound for the driver.we giot close enough and st arted firrind.you could see out traccers all around the area of the lighted truck.we did not hit it directly but he turned his lights off.after tjhat it was cat and mouse as to where he might shioow up again,.we had to make a decision as to whether we went forward/backward or just sit there and wait.it was too dangerous to sit there as the enemy was alerted now as to us being there,.we started moving in the reverse of weherev we were.hhad to keep engimnersd reved up now AS THEY WERE READY FOR US.DID NOT SEE THE TRUCK AGAIN we continued on our patrol.nothing was happenind .the sexction leader was gung ho and ordered the cockpit twin 50 to open up on the beach to see what they did and maybe let is know where they were so we could strafe them.bad idea, they opened up on uas with every gun they could train on us.shells were dropping all around and past us.it was really baD SO SKIPPER ORDERED THE SMOKE GENERASTOR BE OPNED UP TO LAY SMOKE SCREEN TO COVER TTHE OTHER TWO BOATS.we were lkucky oto get out of that one.it was decided to leave pqtrol statiion and retuirn to base.
we lefty station about dayluight and after about an hopur i started makindg brteakfast.we srtaggered the eating times aS THE EBNEMY WAS ALERTED AND MAY CALL PLLANES TO FIND AND STRAFE US.there was no further action and we continued on to base.
sometimes,when we got close to arriving basck to base we would rece each other to try and ghet to refulimng barge first so we could get back to pier or buoy and get some rest before we cleaned everything up.the deck had to be cleared/the guns cleaned/the galley cleaned etc.
we always had to be ready for next patrol.one tim,e we went out ten nights in a row.
just a luittkle story to break the mnotony/you have to allow for mistakesmnthough.i am getting old and can use that as an excuse, ha

earl richmond

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Gary Paulsen

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of Gary Paulsen   Send Email To Gary Paulsen Posted on: Mar 6, 2013 - 5:19pm
Great story Earl, one is not enough tell me more.
Gary


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Jeff D

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of Jeff D   Send Email To Jeff D Posted on: Mar 6, 2013 - 5:45pm
Nice Earl, you had me tensed up there. Thank you for sharing this story.

I enjoyed hearing the details of what was involved in keeping the men fed too. I heard the grapefruit juice left a lot to be desired...



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Will Day

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of Will Day   Send Email To Will Day Posted on: Mar 6, 2013 - 6:07pm
GREAT STUFF AS ALWAYS, EARL! I KNOW EVERYONE ON

THIS BOARD IS GLAD EVERY TIME YOU SHARE A STORY!

KEEP 'EM COMING.....



Will

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Randy Finfrock

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of Randy Finfrock   Send Email To Randy Finfrock Posted on: Mar 6, 2013 - 7:02pm
Great descriptive writing Earl, I can almost envision the scenes. Thanks for sharing your fantastic memories with us. Keep on typing, we'll keep reading!

Randy Finfrock

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Frank J Andruss Sr

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of Frank J Andruss Sr   Send Email To Frank J Andruss Sr Posted on: Mar 6, 2013 - 7:25pm
EARL, THANKS SO MUCH FOR THE WONDERFUL STORY. I ALWAYS ENJOY WHEN YOU WRITE AND TELL US OF YOUR EXPERIENCES. YOU SHOULD DO THIS ON A TAPE RECORDER.


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EARL RICHMOND

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of EARL RICHMOND  Posted on: Mar 6, 2013 - 7:44pm
jeeff/ yes the grapefruiit was very upsetting , so to speak but it helped cut the alky in the alky that was made from the alchohol used in the torpedos after it was distilled. that,s another story.
some other time when i get bored.
frank/ if i had oto record them i probably wouldn,t get it al;lstraight.would probably need a couple swigs alky.can,t make it anymore though.don,t havbe the right stuff
maybe sometime i can copy my stories from the message boatd.

earl richmond

Total Posts: 319 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 1:50pm | IP Logged


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