The Great Poker game. Spring of '54,

On the Pacific leg of the trip home from 7th FLT.

One Saturday evening, as I was on the main deck, watching the sunset, the Second Division leading Bosun approached me. "Mr. Crawford, I see by the watch bill, that you are off watch until noon on Sunday. Do you still have those 2 Colt Automatic's in your safe? "Yes Boats, I do." Can you bring them down to the Sail-locker after Evening 8; O-Clock reports? A friend of mine is a gun nut, and he would like to see them."

At the appointed time, I entered the Sail-locker, to see, not what I had expected, but to see that the tables were covered in green felt, and on the Port side there was a raised platform, with a seat and small felt table. "There's your seat, Sir, did you bring the 2 Colt's?" Yes, I replied. "Well, please take them out, and keep them in plain sight on that table in front of you." Puzzled, I took my seat, wondering what the heck was going on, but determiner to see it out.

Quickly, the space filled up, many of the men bringing chairs. "Mr. Crawford. Please hold up those 2 pistols, so the guy's can see them. Thank you Sir." Then started the biggest poker tournament I have ever seen. Here the crew had been at sea for quite a while, and all had at least one month's pay in cash, with no place to spend it at sea. Soon the space was filled with cigars, money, and the sounds of poker. As each one each one reached his limit on his funds, he took his pile and his chair and left quietly. Soon there were only about a dozen left, and Boat's announced last hand! I have never seen so much money out in the open before, anywhere, but everything went well, no arguments, no fights. But I was still mystified. When the place was cleared, Boat's said to me , Thanks for coming, Mr. Crawford, after the way you outshone Major Raider, no one wanted to get out of line, you kept the lid on this whole game, you and your 2 Colt's, and by the way, on your way back to Officers Country, would you please toss this envelope over the Chaplain's transom, It's the boy's 10% donation to the Welfare fund. He handed me a thick manila envelope, stuffed with bills. What could I say or do? I did as asked.

The next day, at lunch, Father Ski commented, does any one know about the envelope full cash that was on my desk this morning? Of course, no one knew what he was talking about, and I was not about to reveal my part in this escapade. It turn's out that there was a very sizable sum of cash in that envelope, in fact, now those of you who were shipmate's will remember those 3 great parties we had when we returned to NORVA, when the ship took over the entire gym, and each section got to go to 2 parties each.

Now you know the rest of the story, The Wisconsin was the best.