Removed from the Watch, Quarter, and Station Bill

Removed from the Watch, Quarter, and Station Bill
( or, “How I Feel on My First Day of Being Retired” )
( I’m not even on the Master-At-Arms 1600 Extra Duty Muster List )
General Statement: I’ve tried to remember and do my best to live by the words of the
Desiderata (Latin: "desired things”) as best as I could. (Please see:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desiderata ) Particularly, in a part of the Desiderata the author
states: “. . . If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain or bitter; for always
there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself. . . Enjoy your achievements . . .”
So, I’ve done the best I could to ensure each of my assignment were completed to the best of my
knowledge and abilities. I have to admit though, I marvel at those who are ‘there’ seemingly to
stand in the way and to make things as difficult as possible; just because they can. Meaning?
That’s life and I did what I had to and wanted to do, in some cases just to survive. However,
like everyone else I did more than some and less than others. “I hauled on the bowline and Held
Fast.”
I’ve been removed from the 3rd Division Lifeboat Section IV Watch List and wont experience
the ride down to the crashing and rolling swells, dodging the Boat and Airplane Crane’s
massive hook and headache weight to get unhooked and stand clear of the side of the ship for a
Man-Overboard-Drill again. Or make a Guard Mail run at first light to the Fleet Landing in
Hong Kong.
Checking the Division’s Shipyard Maintenance Schedule I’m not even on the Void Cleaning
Detail, again. Wonder how I managed that? Still, today when I have to blow my nose I can’t
get all the “rust-dust” out!
The Underway Watch Bill doesn’t have me standing the stern Life Buoy Watch in freezing
weather in Northern waters.
Looking down the General Quarters and Condition III War Time Steaming column I don’t see
my name as part of the gun crew in the Division’s assigned 5” 38 caliber twin gun mount. The
sights, sounds, smells and feelings during a “Hang Fire” in a “Hot Gun” with the Mount
Captain issuing orders are still in the forefront of my mind. The Mount Captain ordered the
guns trained in a safe direction with the aft end of the gun mount close to the side of the ship
and waiting the prescribed amount of time for the Bridge’s orders to open the breach and eject
the faulty powder case. It was a relief, to say the least that we weren’t turned into “red-spraypaint” that time.
I know that the Mess Decks Master-At-Arms, who seems to hassle and give everyone he can a
hard time and turn crew members away from the Mess Decks at the slightest uniform
infraction, doesn’t have me on his Divisional Mess Cooks Schedule. The Marine Cooks are
tough but fair unlike the Mess Decks Master-At-Arms. Don’t know what his uproar is all
about.
I’ve looked at Mobile Construction Battalion
EIGHT Security Platoon’s Watch Bill and I’m
not listed as one of the Sergeants of the Guard
for patrolling the Battalion’s In-Country camp
grounds, wire boundaries and bunkers. Guess
that means I won’t be going out to the bunkers
at the Battalion’s Timber Bridge Project 17 out
on Route 1.
Looking at the Surf Salvage Boat Schedule I’m not listed as Assault Boat Coxswain of one of
the LCVP’s to perform a Broached Boat and Jeheemy Recovery Operation. I won’t be
slammed around by the surf inside the Jeheemy Crane before being hoisted clear and my
“cage” won’t be rattled again from those recoveries.
Checking the Second Division Watch List I’m not assigned to “Pipe” the dignitaries on board.
No need to wait for the “Airedales” to issue me a Flight Deck Jersey.
According to the underway schedule I won’t be on loading or launching LVT-7’s close to the
Surf Zone off Camp Pendleton. Doesn’t look like I’m assigned to undog the bow doors and
enter the water to release the Mud-Flaps; should be more rated Boatswains Mates on board.
EPTOPAC again! Never did know what EPTOPAC stood for, other than an organization to
send you where you’re not needed.
Looking at the River Assault Squadron’s patrol assignments I
won’t be going on a “Sunday Special;” to “wake-up Charlie” at
sunrise Sunday morning as part of a patrol element with a
Zippo Boat, Zippo Refueler and an Army Special Forces Team.
Who thought up
the “Sunday
Special”
anyway?
An overheated M-60, broken guide rod, broken
extractor, cartridge exploding in the chamber and
“Charlie” “slinging lead” makes for an interesting
moment in time.
The Naval Support Activity Mare Island, Vallejo, CA office is closed which means I’m not on
the three tug duty rotation. My tug won’t be assigned as Duty Tug to transit down to the Point
Molate Fuel Pier to pick up the YON-90 and take it up river to the Naval Weapons Station,
Concord, CA.
I checked the Service Craft
Division’s three tug duty bill
and I’m not assigned to go to
the outer harbor and “salute”
another first time arrival to
Apra Harbor again.
Or work with the U.S.
Coast Guard Port Captain
to clear Gab Gab Beach of
grounded ships as a result
of a Super Typhoon.
The Subase Bangor Tug Schedule doesn’t have me listed, not even as Duty Tug to go to Port
Angeles and pre-stage for an early morning personnel transfer in the Straits of Juan de Fuca.
I’d rather be UNREP’n but there’s nothing on any schedule and I haven’t seen the First
Lieutenant or the Bos’n in a while.
. . . and then 27 years passed and started a whole new phase.
The new phase was sitting for and passing the U.S. Coast Guard examinations and practical
demonstrations to become a Master, Steam or Motor Vessels 1600 Gross Tons. I had the good
fortune of being hired by PETCHEM, Inc. which had just won the Navy contract for tug
services at the Naval Submarine Base, Bangor, WA. I was assigned as Captain of the M/V
Mitchell Hebert.
After successfully working the Navy contracts for 22 years and 15 days, the contract was
allowed to expire without any renewals or rebidding.
Saying that means little unless one understands that for that entire period the crew of the M/V
Mitchell Hebert was on 1 hour call. That is, the tug had to be underway within one hour of the
first call. On a performance contract the tug and crew had to perform or there could be serious
consequences. So, the tug and crew were on call 1 hour call 24/7/365.
As stated above in the Desiderata, “. . . enjoy your achievements . . .,” which is to say in those 22
years and 15 days I never missed or was late for any job.
So, being Off-Hire and not on any schedule I was ordered to take the M/V Mitchell Hebert to
Victoria Harbor, B.C. to have the tug loaded on board the M/V Clipper New York for transport
to Port Everglades, FL.
The M/V Mitchell Hebert, a part of me, will also start a new phase as part of a company out of
Port Jefferson, NY.
Now I’m completely off of the Watch, Quarter and Station Bill.
Rattling around, trying not to drive my wife nuts I went
down to the local Marine Corps Recruiter to talk with
the recruiter which turned out to be the Gunny.
There was no one else there waiting to be helped so
he looked up at me and asked if he could help me
and invited me to sit down. I had my DD-214 with
me and my U.S. Coast Guard Documents. I told
the Gunny that I was a worker and not by any
means was I finished yet. I told him that I had
heard the Marines were still looking for a few good
men. The Gunny looked me up and down and
asked me how old I was, saying he didn’t wish to be
politically incorrect. I told the Gunny that political
correctness is the suppression of Freedom of Speech,
Freedom of Expression, and Freedom of Religion and
that numerous times before I had sworn an oath to “. . .
uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States of
America against all enemies foreign and domestic . . .” The
Gunny didn’t bat an eye, just raised his eyebrows and said, “. .
. okay, I believe the same. So tell me, how old are you?” I told
the Gunny I’d be 68 on 12 May 2012. The Gunny said, “okay.
That’s fine,” and opened up his United States Marine Corps
Enlistment Regulations folder and after a moment took one of
his cards and wrote something on the back of the card. He
stood up, handed me the card, offered his hand and thanked
me for stopping by. I stood up, shook his hand and accepted
the card and turned the card over to see what he had written on
the back. The Gunny had written, “Enlistment Code: 1-K.” I asked the Gunny what
Enlistment Code 1-K meant for me. He told me it meant if the enemy gets to First and “K”
Street he’d call me.
I’m back to square one.
Very strange for me not to be on any schedule, list or detail after 50 years, 3 months and 3 days.
This includes both Uniformed and contractual service to my Country.
Ray F. Longaker Jr.
BMCM (SW | CMC) USN/Ret.
Master Steam or Motor Vessels 1600 Gross Tons – Towing Endorsement
“More than some. Less than others.”
“All gave some. Some gave all.”