THE MOUNTAIN WILL COME TO MOHAMMED.

Over the next two days, both ships loaded all the NROTC middies, and we sailed south, as Flagship for BatDiv 2. We were on our way with a small force that consisted of a new breed of supply ship, an AEOR on her first long voyage. The screen consisted of 5 destroyers, and a submarine, which stayed on the surface, to maintain speed. The First two weeks were uneventful, we rotated the screen, held classes, and basically let the middies fall into life aboard a battleship and watch standing.

Monday morning we were to refuel the sub, which had reported needing some assistance, in that she had burned out a blower motor, because of the long period of surface sailing, especially because we were not far from crossing the equator. That evening, there was a radio conference, Captain to captain, concerning arraignments for the refueling drill in the morning. The sub is not the most agile ship, when on the surface. So, Captain Bob told him not to worry. Tomorrow morning at 0830 hours, take station 1000 yards ahead of me, the mountain will come to Mohammed and, that is exactly what we did. The formation guide was shifted to the sub, and we pulled up along side about 500 ft off. Now as special sea OOD, I had the Conn, and it was a long one. I did all my conning from the starboard pylorus, and finally got the hang of it. While I was learning, 2 high lines went over, first the diesel forward, and our supply officer, with a large briefcase, aft. We set a first. This was the first, and probably only time a sub's crew was paid in cash, at sea, and in both dollars, and what ever part they wanted in Cruziero's, at 52 to the dollar.

We also set several other firsts. The longest time along a sub under way we took their burned up blower motor, and rewound it and helped re-installed it. We sent over and traded their movies for the ones we had seen. We sent over 10 gallons of ice cream, 50 loves of fresh baked bread, and some cakes and pies for their mess. As one shipmate was heard to say. Too bad we don't have any Schlitz to send over. And then Mohammed returned to his former status. We were connected for 8 hours, another unkept record for the books.