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Useless Trivia The world's first passenger train made its debut in England in 1825.
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Member Biographies :
Member Biography
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| Title: |
NAVY DAYS - CHAPTER 2 |
| By: |
John Prichard
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| Bio: |
We had just returned from Camp Lejeune, Spence and I. We returned to our academic studies at Bethesda prior to embarking on our next segment, ABCD School in Anniston, Alabama Our family, which now included little John, born at the Bethesda Navy Hospital on August 7, 1952 and Jane, now age, two lived as stated, in an apartment in Kensington, Maryland. A poignant deep etched memory. It was a cold bright winter morning. We bundled little Jane up in a little green snowsuit for an excursion into the snow covered Rock Creek Park. With little Jane, so bundled, I drove our green Dodge out of Kensington down Sligo Creek Road, by the creek, which was frozen on the edges and at slow flow pools. With my Uncle Walter and Isabelle, my cousin, I sometimes would ice skate on Sligo Creek, in times past. We crossed East-west Parkway into the Northern reaches of Rock Creek Park. A forest of trees covered with snow, stopped by a wooden pedestrian bridge over the Rock Creek, in order for Jane to romp. We crossed the bridge. Winter scenes are so beautiful. And, we romped. I believe I have a movie of this incident. Not having seen it for years, I would hope it bears out what I have just stated. A romping Jane, a new born infant, John. Those were the days in Kensington. Good days, Yes! I should also mention the good food at the Walter Reed Commissary, and the general good will and benefits to young Naval Medical Officers. Deference is probably a good word. Or maybe "Discounts" like the Ship's Store at Bethesda Naval Hospital.
But now, back to our extended, off-campus schooling: To Anniston, Alabama for ABCD School. (Atomic Energy, Bacterial Warfare, Chemical Warfare and Disaster Warfare). My poignant memory of that trip was the initial air flight. We flew in an admiral's Plane, the revamped DC3. We boarded the luxurious plane, twenty two of us young Navy Medical Officers at Anacostia Naval Air Station in Washington, D.C. There, a table for playing "Bridge". The young Navy pilot announced that our flying altitude would be two thousand feet. We took off. Flying time: about three hours. The Bridge game commenced. The plane started bouncing and lurching. For the whole flight the plane bounced and lurched. I was nauseated the whole way. The pilot said "We are going to four thousand feet". I believe the pilot was a sadist. At four thousand feet the lurching was worse. The saving grace: I never had or have had such good and lucky cards as I had in that Bridge Game on that flight. We landed on some abandoned air field near Anniston, Alabama. On debarking, Our hair stood on end. Of the three runways, two were pock marked with deep holes or craters. This airport was not only abandoned; it had been rendered useless. But there we were.
My memories of our schooling are dim. Dr. Lapp lectured to us on the physics of the atom. I believe Leslie Groves, Head man of the Manhattan Project lectured on that subject. (The Secret development of the Atom Bomb. ) Of parallel interest here is the fact that later as a practicing surgeon in Corona, California, I invited James Van Pelt, M.D. (OB-GYN), just retiring as a Doctor Colonel from March Air Base in Riverside, Ca. into my office in 1960 or 1961. At that time and for several years, I did not know that he was the navigator on "Bock's Car" the airplane that dropped the atom bomb on Nagasaki, Japan to end the War in 1945. James was Navigator on BocK's Car accompanying the "Enola Gay" when it dropped the atom bomb on Hiroshima, Japan several days before the Nagasaki bombing. The Nagasaki run was solo, Bock's Car alone. Perhaps, I have told you the harrowing adventure of this "Bock's Car" run over Nagasaki; if not, I should. (In my file cabinet I have a tape of the 50th reunion of those airmen who dropped those atom bombs. James' wife Sue gave it to me. Now, back to Anniston and ABCD School. We were taught and practiced decontamination procedures. We learned the force and projected the inhumanity of the atom bomb. (And Hydrogen bomb).
B. My recollection of Bacterial Warfare is hazy; I do remember that Aberdeen Proving Grounds at Aberdeen, Maryland was the seat of most research. Most of us young Navy Doctors felt that all these topics were outlandish and foreign to the "American Way" and would never be used by a reasonable, thinking society. But, of course, we went along with the study.
C. How close to being wrong were we? As top secret information, for which all of us had been cleared, we were informed that the United States Government almost crossed that line of rationality in the Battle for Tarawa in the Pacific Theater (WW2). The Japanese, holed up in caves were a perfect target for "Poison Gas". The U.S. Marines were suffering disproportionate casualties. The question: "Should we use poison gas in Tarawa?" was passed up the chain of command to the very top, the Chairman of the Joint Chief of Staff. Nowadays, we hear a lot about the wisdom and perspicuity of "Generals". Our current President, Geo. W. Bush says: "I only do what the Generals tell me to do". In the case of Tarawa the Generals said "Use poison gas in the battle for Tarawa". The final decision was passed to President Franklin D. Roosevelt for approval. He said "NO". Later, after the Marines had taken Tarawa, Winston Churchill said: "The United States Marines are the finest fighting outfit in the world". I wish I could tell you exactly, but the casualty rate was exceedingly high. -- We learned about Mustard Gas used in (WW1) and the latest and again secret: Sarin or G Gas. This paralyzed the Nervous system, including the sympathetic nervous system. One drop could kill many; I forget how many. The antidote, Atropine. Early on, Parathion, used to kill insects on orange trees right here in Corona is an analogue of G Gas. --We learned about "Tear Gas"; we fitted and wore gas masks. And we planned. It's been over fifty years now; my oath of secrecy has expired.
D. Disaster warfare was all about planning. One had to have a plan, a "White Plan". All I remember is the joke, the final admonition of the white Plan" : "If you know that an atom bomb is headed your way, Go into a corner, bend over as far as you can, try bending a little farther, so that you can kiss your ass goodbye". -- On the weekend we had liberty. I remember going to Atlanta, Georgia and browsing around the famous "Peach Tree Street". Nothing more. I think we took off from Atlanta for Pensacola, Florida We were to learn all about the Naval Air Arm. (Addendum insert): One more thing: Daughter Suzie reminded me of it when she, on a phone conversation, last night (Jan. 13, 2007) , mentioned that she was cooking Wiener Schnitzel for dinner. I was reminded: The chef who prepared meals for us during our sojourn at Anniston, Alabama had been chef to the late Kaiser Wilhelm, the guy who lost out in "WW1". He served us young medical officers "Wiener Schnitzel Hohenzohen", Hohenzohen being the sur name of the Kaiser. He told us that this was simply Wiener Schnitzel with a poached egg on top. Also, he said that this was the Kaiser's favorite dish. OK. On to Pensacola.
What is most memorable about Pensacola is the Weekend buffet at the Officers' Club. Sumptuous, we'll leave it at that.
Getting up very early one morning, we took "Small Boats" to the Air Craft Carrier, Monterey. Just recently, (On the occasion of his elaborate funeral) I learned that President Gerald Ford was a Lieutenant Commander on the Monterey in (WW2). This is what they called a Cleveland Class Carrier. In a small boat with me was a young Navy pilot making his first attempt to land on a carrier. I'll never forget his level of certitude: "You know Doc, I'm not sure I'm doing the right thing". The small boat on which we rode to the Carrier is called the "Officer's Gig". The time was about 3:30 AM. It was a dark ride on a quiet sea. We pulled along side of the Carrier. At first I thought it was an immense gray stone wall about thirty or forty feet high. How were we to mount (Board)) such an obstacle? There was a checkered net hanging off the side, (the hull). The waves were riding at about five or six feet. In our Officer's Gig we were riding up and down, about six feet. We were instructed to jump on the rope ladder at the height of the wave. We did and surmounted the deck of this massive ship. All aboard, we steamed for blue water and Carrier exercises. The first timers were to take off and land SNJs. (Small Naval Air Craft, ie. Trainers.) The advanced student was to take off and land the Gull winged Voight-Sikorsky, the standard Navy plane of that day. We had LSOs (Landing Ship Officers) in those days, protected by nets along side of the ship into which they could jump in case of danger. There were two mislandings that day; no one was injured, but two planes were bent up. We learned the various nuances of flying off a carrier. "Carrier goes into the wind for take off, etc. Every capital ship has a squad of Marines on board. It has been that way since 1775 (Pre Revolution). The psyche of the Navy pilot is different from that of the Submariner. we learned about that. At Pensacola we rode the "Centrifuge" a nauseating experience. The "Pressure Chamber"; most of us rang the bell to get out early. I have already told you about our lectures with the Cosmic Ray Guy. Our knowledge of Navy Medicine was becoming deep, comprehensive and respectful. Home now, to Kensington and then on to New London, Connecticut for Sub Marine School.
Yes ! I am an honorary Sub Mariner. I have my card. Didactic lectures: I remember that the Atmospheric pressure increases on a straight line curve. For every 33 feet of ocean depth an increment of one atmosphere. ie. 1, 2, 3 - 33, 66, 99 --etc. At New London there is a pressure tank one hundred feet deep, glass all around so that one can stand outside and watch a diver ascend. "Just, Follow your bubble" but no one volunteered to participate. I almost did but I "Chickened out". We studied the "Bends" and its treatment. We understood the mechanism of " The Bell" used to recover stranded Sub Mariners from a sunken sub. Bringing to memory, the first Navy man to use the bell and actually recover sunken sub mariners was a fellow I met At Bethesda Naval Hospital, who got the Congressional Medal of Honor for rescuing the men of the sunken "Squalis" in 1939.
Yes! The day came. The memory of clearest definition. I took the Diablo down. On this day several of us in groups took a submarine ride. The sub marine then was battery driven, small and cramped. Sailors slept in the same bunk so that a bunk was in use 24 hours per day 8 hours for each sleeper. The old salt sub mariner's most treasured boast: "I spent 112 days submerged, never seeing the light of day". Their psyche is different. We were sailing on the surface. The "Uga, Uga" sounded, which means Get the hell inside, we are about to descend. We clamored down the hatch. I stood by the "Planesman", who turned to me and said, forever grooved in my mind: "You want to take her down, Doc; just stand here, do what I tell you". Not to miss this chance, I stood there before the "Stern Plane". And, when he said, "Twist it this way Doc." I twisted it that way. We dove down beneath the surface to a depth of about one hundred feet. I had taken the "USS Diablo" down. I am an honorary Sub Mariner. I have my card.
In our Navy the Submarine is termed a "Boat", not a ship, as all capital ships are known. Battle Ships, Carriers, Destroyers are Ships. If a lay person refers to capital ships as boats, a Navy man may not express it, but he feels a certain disdain.
The Officers' Club at New London is rather elegant; sub mariners get some extra perks because their duty is extra hazardous. Back to Bethesda, preparing to go to sea. While in Washington, we toured the deep water "Diving School" (Hard Hat Diving) at the Naval Gun Factory in Washington, D.C. Practice Hard Hat diving from a barge in the Potomac. No one did it but we certainly studied it. To sea: We students had the choice of ships. The battleship was not a choice as they were doing something else. There were only two battleships then, the Missouri and the Iowa. The Missouri was on the West Coast; The Iowa, anchored at Norfolk. Later, when crossing the bow of the Iowa, while putting out to sea, our Cruiser, The Baltimore rendered the traditional salute. Battle ships are honored that way. The New Jersey and Wisconsin had been decommissioned. Leaving our choices then, to Carrier, Cruiser or Destroyer. I chose a Cruiser, and that will be my next chapter.
John Prichard, M.D.
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