| VOL. I | 31 JANUARY, 1942 | NO. XXXII |
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A HORNEY-FISTED, shell-backed veteran of four wars who is "pushing eighty-five," as he put it, but who says he can "still whip a few Japs" went into a Naval Recruiting Station the other day and tried to "ship over." To prove he had wrung more salt water out of his socks than many modern sailors had sailed on, the sailor, R. L. Lewis of Seattle Washington, produced a record which shows:
He had enlisted in the British Navy when 11 years old and served 18 years in the full-rigged battleship Lord Duncan; had been a classmate in gunnery school with George V when the latter was the Prince of Wales; enlisted in the United States Navy in 1889, serving both as Gunner's Mate and Quartermaster until 1898, and served another cruise during the first World War as a Boatswain's Mate first class aboard a sub-chaser.
Stating he had perfect eyesight, hearing, and most of his teeth, he asked the Officer-in-Charge of the Seattle Recruiting District for a waiver on his age. As for other physical requirements, he contended he still has the "beef" necessary to put a reef in a tops'l or haul out a weather earring. He said he had received a waiver on his age when sixty-one in the last war, "though I fibbed a bit." "That made me eligible for service," he said. Then I got another waiver for general service, which made me forty-three, and then another for active service which made me thirty-three -- so according to that, I'm only fifty-six or fifty-seven now!" "I can splice, rig, sew canvas, teach these young fellows how to pull an oar--perform any kind of work that good seamanship requires."
And he saw plenty of service on the fighting end of the Navy, too, he added. For the British, he fought with bluejacket landing forces in the Zula War, the Sudan War and the Parac War, and was shipmates in battle with the immortal Woolsley and the late Lord Kitchener, when the latter was a Major. After serving as Gunner's Mate on the Charleston, first cruiser launched on the Pacific Coast, as Quartermaster on the monitor Monterey and the Battleship Oregon, Lewis went into reserve to wait for the call in 1898. That call didn't come in the short-lived Spanish-American War, so when the United States entered the last World War, he didn't wait. He got duty on a submarine chaser in the North Atlantic, a subchaser which was known as "The Fightin"3O2" and was credited with locating a goodly number of U-boats for destroyers sink.
As for honors, he has enough medals to cover his chest, including both a silver and a bronze for life saving from the British Humane Society, but he doesn't care about that, all he wants is a chance to serve again and he doesn't care where--if the Navy could only forget he was born some thirty-five years too soon to meet the age requirements!
----------Northwest Recruiter
ALL NEW allotments of personnel on active duty will be registered hereafter only for indefinite number of months except those for Defense Bonds, Red Cross and Navy Relief. All allotment of personnel on active duty except those for Defense Savings Bonds, Red Cross and Navy Relief heretofore registered to expire with payment end of February or any subsequent month are hereby extended indefinitely regardless of express limitation. Number of months for which allotments concerned were originally registered will be changed immediately upon all payrolls; transfer pay accounts and other vouchers. No action required of grantors of allotments heretofore registered and which are extended hereby except they shall discontinue any unwanted allotments by specific request submitted hereafter in usual manner. Allotments will also be terminated upon request of BuNav, Disbursing Officers and Commanding Officers for deceased personnel deserters and persons discharged or separated from active service without immediate reenlistment or reentry. Arbitrary extension allotments considered imperative in interest morale of personnel and well being their dependents and to prevent lapse insurance policies where facilities forwarding renewals not available. Extreme diligence by Disbursing Officers carrying out instructions and earnest cooperation all personnel in requesting stoppages unwanted allotments will prevent overpayments. Commanding Officers directed give thorough publicity to insure every person whose allotment extended understands not only his right but also his responsibility to request discontinuance unwanted allotments. In order to provide for continuity of payment, where renewals not previously submitted, grantors may submit requests via Disbursing Officers for indefinite extension of allotments which expired in November December and which will expire January and in each case where extensions are retroactive appropriate checkages must be made in sundry checkage column of payroll with expanatory notation. Entire foregoing also applicable to Marine Corps allotments.
1. If you now have an allotment registered--except for Defense Bonds, Red Cross, or Navy Relief-that allotment WILL CONTINUE UNTIL YOU REQUEST ITS TERMINATION. This applies to ALL allotments (except three above mentioned). Let's say you registered an allotment last September--to continue for one year --- 12 payments. That allotment will now continue for as long as you remain in the service. It will not automatically terminate with the 12th payment. You want to stop that allotment? Then you have to submit a request to that effect. Then and only then will your allotment stop.
2. Men registering new allotments must keep in mind:
(a) No time limit--no date of termination -- it lasts as long as you last in the Navy or Marine Corps.
(b) Defense Bonds, American Red Cross and Navy Relief--ONLY EXCEPTIONS.
SENATOR EDWIN C. JOHNSON of Colorado has introduced a bill S. 2161 to provide for free transmission in the mails of certain mail matter sent by members of the military and naval forces of the United States. It reads as follows:
Be it enacted, etc., That any mail matter admissible to the mails as ordinary mail matter which is sent by a member of the military or naval forces of the United States (including the United States Coast Guard), while on active duty or in the active military or naval service of the United States, to any person in the United States, including the territories and possessions thereof shall be transmitted in the mails free of postage, subject to such rules and regulations as the Postmaster General shall prescribe.
Postmaster General Frank C. Walker is in favor of enactment of the measure.
He states that the Post Office Dept. has placed in effect reduced rates on air mail and parcel post to and from service men in United States outposts.
The domestic rate of six cents a half ounce for air mail will apply to matter carried to and from members of the armed forces outside the continental United States, and for fourth-class postal and parcel-post matter sent by air, the post office will charge the domestic fourth-class rates between the post office of mailing and the office where airplanes unload the mail.
On Wednesday, 28 January, the Senate approved overwhelmingly this proposed measure. The bill still has a bit of legislation to' get through -- so be patient! We still have to use stamps until an official notification grants us the privilege of free mailing--"---two threes, please, and one special delivery."
That part of my interest which is known as law and recognized in the sheep-bound volumes as my property, being inconsiderable and of no account, I make no disposition in this my last will. My right to live, being but a life estate, is not at my disposal, but these things excepted, all else in the world I now proceed to devise and bequeath.
Item: I give to good fathers and mothers, in trust for their children, all good little words of praise and encouragement, and all quaint pet names and endearments, and I charge said parents to use them justly, but generously, as the needs of their children shall require.
Item: I leave to children exclusively, but only for the term of their childhood, all and every, the flowers of the field and the blossoms of the woods, with the right to play among them freely according to the customs of children, warning them at the same time against thistles and thorns. And I devise to children the banks of the brooks and golden sands beneath the waters thereof, and the odors of the willows that dip therein, and the white clouds that float high o'er the giant trees.
Item: I devise to boys jointly, all the useful, idle fields and commons where ball may be played, all pleasant waters where one may swim, all snowclad hills where one may coast, and all streams and ponds where one may fish, or where, when grim winter comes, one may skate, to hold the same for the period of their boyhood. And all meadows with the clover blossoms and butterflies thereof, and echoes and strange noises, and all distant places which may be visited, together with the adventures there found. And I give to said boys each his own place at the fireside at night, with all pictures that may be seen in the burning wood, to enjoy without hindrance and without incumbrance of care.
Item: To lovers, I devise their imaginary world, with whatever they may need, as the stars of the sky, the red roses by the wall, the bloom of the hawthorn, the sweet strains of music, and aught else by which they may desire to figure to each other the lastingness and beauty of their love.
Item: To young men jointly, I bequeath and devise all boisterous, inspiring sports of rivalry, and I give to them disdain of weakness, and undaunted confidence in their own strength. Though they are rude, I leave to them the power to make lasting friendships and of possessing companions, and to them exclusively I give all merry songs and brave choruses to sing with lusty voices.
Item: And to those who are no longer children or youths or lovers, I leave memory; and bequeath to them the volumes of the poems of Burns and Shakespeare and of other poets, if there be others, to the end that they may live the old days over again, freely and fully without tithe or diminution.
Item: To our loved ones with snowy crowns, I bequeath the happiness of old age, the love and gratitude of their children until they fall asleep.
It is extremely gratifying to see the intense interest shown by our new recruits in assuming the professionalism of real Men-O'-Warsmen. It is also extremely discomforting to see men who have been in the Navy for considerable time still acting like recruits who have never grown up.
Remember, you're not a sailor just
because you wear a sailor suit!
Well, we can't condone the present epidemic of "whiskeritis." At first it was funny; like looking at a bum comedian in a burlesque show; but now it only seems unbecoming, unfashionable, unsanitary, and useless. There are many men aboard with duties just as exacting who still can find time to shave and look neat! Of course, in this day and age, a man walking down the street with whiskers is bound to attract attention. So will an elephant! You don't see any whiskers in the C.P.O. compartment!
We hear the ship's camera and observing party had quite a lesson in seamanship recently. After provisions on the tug ran low, the question was, "who will eat?" A week later the question was "who will eat who?" And when a "sailor's delight" (ham and eggs) were finally available, a member of the Coast Guard was overheard to remark that the ham was not cooked just right! So you can see that life in the Coast Guard is pretty good.
For the edification of those who are not yet familiar with the function of purchasing chits for various ship's service activities, it may serve to good advantage to outline a few fundamental facts.
All work -- barber, fountain, tailor, cobbler, laundry, -- is paid for by obtaining a CHIT from the cashier for the activity concerned; it is then turned over to that particular activity for services rendered. Each chit is marked with abbreviated initial, designating the activity on which it is issued. Purchases at the ship's store are marked the same way. Be sure to request the activity desired.
Chits are now usable for a seven day period instead of the former three days. (A change will be made in printing of same on chits as soon as possible).
Curiosity killed a cat---and d--- near did the same thing to HORN, who was lucky enough to just break his arm! ! !
Did the M.A.A. force have an Ice Cream and Cookie party for celebration purposes last Thursday night, or was it strictly from hunger?
....Personal to Ricks, we hope you make 1c soon- - -but it's not necessary to salute over the telephone!
What "V" Div. man went on the first watch without a peacoat--- or made provision to call his relief?
Has the 7th Division Albert "Tom" Collins, finally learned that you can't out-argue a top kick? ? ? ?
Did Soldier Cross arrange his duties so he could draw night rations? ? ? ?
You can't blame the Marines for taking pride in a Corps that has men that fought like those at Wake Island. Semper Fidelis is no empty motto in the Marine Corps.
Paying income tax is still better than not earning enough to pay it!
Flash --- An agreement has been signed between the United States and Japan whereby each country will get one-half of the Pacific Ocean. Japan will get the bottom half!
Philosophy --- Today one either knows the ropes or is hanging on them.
Advice --- Don't take your work to bed with you --- or your bed to work with you.
"A live man pays twenty-five cents for a shave. It costs five dollars to shave a dead man in a morgue.
A woolen overcoat costs forty dollars.
A wooden one costs four hundred dollars.
A taxi to the theatre costs one dollar for a round trip. But one to the cemetary costs ten dollars for one way.
Stay alive and save your money. It's easy--Drive Carefully."
Word has trickled from the scuttlebutt that our famous novelist and poet, O'Malley, Esq., is starting to write an epic novel. The ship's reporter went to interview the maestro on the subject, and found him surrounded by a sheet of paper, on which he was preparing to write, but he kindly consented to pause long enough to sketch out the plot roughly.
The novel deals with the Ah family; old man Ah Right; his wife Ah Rong; and his daughter, Ah Hoy (named in honor of her uncle, a seafaring man), Ah Chu; Ah Doe; Ah Can; Ah Nother, and the last, Ah Thru. It is tragic in tone, dealing with the death of the eldest daughter, who drowns trying to swim to an American Warship one night when she thinks the quartermaster is calling her. Even as the yellow waters of the Whangpoo close over her she still hers him calling "Boat Ah Hoy! Boat Ah Hoy!" -- but she cannot answer.
The second daughter, Ah Chu, also meets an untimely end. She goes to work for an English family and has a nervous breakdown when they all contract hayfever and she hears them calling "Ah Chu" from every corner of the house.
That is as far as the author has carried his plot, but we think that is quite Ah Nuf!
--------------G. A. Newport
Commend me to that noble soul
Who, in the battle's heat,
Rushed to his post without his pants,
The bomber's dive to meet;
Who stood upon the rocking deck
In careless disattire,
With shirt tail flaunting in the breeze,
To deal out fire for fire.
Old Glory's color deepened
As she floated o'er this son--
The man who had no time for pants
But plenty for his gun.
Come, name a million heroes,
But to me there'll never be
A finer show of nerve and grit
On any land or sea--
Then dwell upon your epics
Should you feel an urge for chants,
Recall the sinking Panay
And the gunner minus pants.
--Our Navy
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