1954, Returning from Westpac

When we crossed the dateline, on the way back to the Panama Canal, the ship received the word that we were scheduled for 6 weeks of refresher training, at Guantanamo, Cuba, before we would arrive back in Norfolk. That really kicked moral to pieces. Here we were, returning from a war zone, after some six months from our families, and they "WANT TO RE-TRAIN US?" Well, we decided to beat them at their own game. We would train ourselves, all the way to Guantanimo Bay, Cuba.

We started with the first exercise in the DC manual, and just kept going, There came a time, that the training required us to stop all engines, for some serious DC exercises. This meant we were not keeping up with our forward motion. I called a meeting of all my Chiefs, and First-Class PO's along with Bosu'n Duff, and we brain stormed the problem. The outcome was a plan to use all the main deck awnings as sails, and get the Wiskey under as much sail as we could. We rigged the dress ship cables, and with some ingenious work by the deck department, we rigged sail, using the turret gun barrels as booms, and the fore and aft masts as sailing masts. We packed on as much sail as we could, working all deck hands and jury rigging all sorts of fancy knots and splices. With the turrets in communication with the bridge and taking orders from the "Sailing Master" while the OOD, kept the Conn, we all watched as the pitlog slowly began to move. Faster, and faster, finally pegging out between 5-1/2, and 8 KTS.

By Gosh we did it! we are under full sail. And we stayed that way for most of the day. The Captain was so pleased, that he called for life boat liberty for the crew in 15 minute sessions, just enough time for 1 cold beer, which miraculously appeared out of ships stores rotations, in the life boat, lowered some 10 ft below the deck. During this time, I took the Starboard whaleboat out about 500 yards, and the ship's photographer took pictures. He also sent a priority message to all the East Coast Commands, USS Wisconsin BB-64, Lat, xx, Lon, xxx, under way, under full sail. Speed in excess of 5 knots. Just another of the strange things we did with that wonderful ship. We were going to get to Norfolk just as fast as the ship would take us, and still meet all our commitments. We were one savvy, gung-ho crew.

Well, we still had quite a few tricks up our sleeves, to get out of the training at GITMO. We had learned that the Training command was going to board us at the Canal, and start our tests, the entrance exam, as we sailed to Cuba. Now we all knew their game, it was to pull surprise drills, day or night , without warning, and to grade us as low as possible. Then, after the 6 weeks, they would give us the final exercises and show just how much they had taught us.

BULL, We were on to them, every exercise was taken apart and examined, inside and out for any possible flaws, or extra scoring points we could garner. You might say that the trip to Gitmo was like a hell week, day and night, but no gunnery drills, because there were no targets. We, at least the XO, CDR Thompson "Bobo' for when no one was around, figured that that's where they were going to hit us, and probably with the Main Battery exercise, Long range firing. So we got ready.

The exercise gives points for maximum range at open fire. And we received points for accuracy. We knew the target would probably be a series 60 sled towed by a navy tug, at a speed of about 5 to 6 knots. The ammunition we were called upon to use was called B-L and T, which consisted of a projectile with a nose fuse, and no explosive charge, just a shot of colored dye out the base, for a tracer, red smoke for turret 1 orange for turret 2, and purple for turret 3.

Now remember, we didn't hav a wiggle-wabbler installed on our engines, that was supposed to limit our class to 33kts max. We had already proved we could make 39-1/2 knots, so the Engineering Boss was warned to be ready. You see, the faster we could go, the farther our shells could go. We could only hit about 16 to 18 miles, if we were dead in the water, but at 39-1/2 knots, it would be more like 27 miles, at max range. Well, sure enough, we were notified of this exercise, the day before arriving at GITMO, We had done so well on all the other underway drills and exercises that the umpires were really out to get us.

The Captain and the XO sensed this, so they made a bet with the umpires, that if we could score better than 100 on the gunnery exercise, that we would not stop at GITMO, but keep on for Norfolk. They bit, and it was all put in writing and signed by them. They were gleeful, thinking they had us by the short hairs. Little did they know that we had more than enough extra riding on our side of the bet! The morning came, and we went to GQ. The sled was some 40 miles ahead of us, and the engine gang had raised the superheat so that we were ready for 39-1/2 knots, and we went to flank. When the sled was locked on at 28miles, as we headed straight at it, we came left 30 degrees, and fired a full 9 gun broadside.

Those high up in sky forward could see the sled and the fall of shot. Right of! They called down a direct hit at slightly over 26 miles, and the sled vanished. We continued towards it, and the umpires wanted to know why we had stopped firing? Because the target has been destroyed! When we came to where it should have been, the only thing we could find was a D-ring on the end of the towing wire. There was nothing left to see of the sled. All 9 rounds must have gone right through the 38 x 60 ft sled. Our score was in excess of 110. We said Sayonara and dropped them all off on the tug. We were to find out later, that they were not thru with us yet. They were real mad, but for now, they had to live up to the bet.

Capt Skip