Point Defiance, Departing.

Watch #4

I had reported for duty in the late evening so my first full day aboard the USS Point Defiance (LSD-31) did not begin until the following day.  I reported before my leave expired, however, and so I owed the navy one less day of leave to make up.

The PD was scheduled to depart for the Western Pacific (Westpac) within a few weeks after the New Year, January 1, 1962, and I had vaccinations to be made up.  Up till then, I had been in basic training in San Diego for three months, then at Treasure Island, San Francisco for six months in Radar "A" school and I had been given more injections and vaccinations in that brief time than I had been given my entire life.  Still, I had just been told, I was behind schedule for what I would need for Westpac.  Like any sailor new to a ship, I had tons of paperwork to complete, many people I was required to meet, and many things to learn just to find my way around the ship.  I do not remember how I was assigned a bunk to sleep in the night that I arrived, nor how I found the mess deck for breakfast, but after that, someone took me by the hand and started me around the ship. It must have been the kindness of strangers who had steered me to rest and food.  I would soon learn that there are no strangers on a ship, even if they do not know your name.  The uniform we wore brought us into a brotherhood.

I met my fellow men of the radar, Petty Officer Second Class (PO2) Murphy, our leader then, PO3 Dennis Berganski, PO3 Donald Kleinschmidt, PO2 Tom Griffin, Seaman Gary Sigwing, and I reconnected with Seaman Don Wherry.  Wherry and I had been in Company #129 in boot camp and then in the same class together in Radar School so we knew each other well by Point Defiance time.

My first day was very busy but also very confusing, partly because of the vaccinations.  Also, everything I had been taught at the schools about finding my way around a ship had been forgotten.  It had never been applied, since this was my first time aboard a ship, except for the mock-ups in training, and here aboard Point Defiance, everything was in real time and happening quickly.  Also, besides the dumb and bewildered looks new crewmen had, there was nothing to let experienced sailors know that we did not know hither from yon and we were in their way.  Later, I would understand that, when new sailors and particularly marines found themselves in our way.

By the end of the first day, I had a bunk, a locker, a compartment, not that I had it all to myself.  I shared the compartment with about thirty other men, radarmen, radiomen, yeoman and personnel men.  The radar, radio and signal people were all in the Operations Divsion; the yeomen and others were in the Executive Division.

As the shots began to take effect on me, and with accumulated fatigue, around evening chow I began to experience a delusional state and I became lost.  Instead of my compartment, I had wondered off to a far part of the ship, much further aft and into a strange compartment.  Someone asked me some questions, my name, where I worked and a few other things and then a kind soul helped me find my assigned compartment and I dropped off to sleep for a few hours.

When I woke, someone took some time to talk to me and help me understand that they have given me too many shots in combination and it had caused a delirium in me.  After a cup of coffee, a few cigarettes and some conversation, I had settled down to read a book I had when I heard the 1-MC announce, with a lead-in bell [Bing Bing: Bing Bing] "Point Defiance departing."  I was startled for a moment, thinking that we were leaving port, and I was unprepared.  I had no knowledge of what to do.  I asked Kleinschimdt, "Are we leaving port?"  "No," he replied. "Whenever the Captain arrives or departs, they announce him and he is Point Defiance so it is always, Point Defiance departing or Point Defiance arriving."  I heard arriving next morning and I thought it was a wonderful warning.  A chance to stay out of the Captain's way.

More on the next watch.

Stevie Joe Payne