SM3 John A. Reitano

Hey SWABIES!!!
   May have told this at one of the reunion’s, but I think fellow SM’s will find it amusing. We were on our way to WESTPAC ’72, by way of Panama Canal. The Hewes was the least senior ship in our group, so we were the last to go through the canal. We were told once we got through the canal we could hit the beach at a sorta club for a couple hours, before getting underway for our next leg across the Pacific. Well we made the crossing and it was already getting dark. We get to this club and notice alot of empty DEAD SOLDIERS sitting on the tables. The other ships going through the canal bought up all the beer in the place. We had to see who are friends really were to get a few can’s of suds. Long story short, got back to the”JOEY” just in time to shove off. It’s pretty dark now and we had to shift colors up on the signal bridge. Fellow signalmen will know that we keep the underway ensign ready for “breaking colors” by pulling on the line, and the good old Red, White and Blue flies free. As I said…it was dark! Next morning at quarters, SM1 “Pappy Lee” is pacing back and forth as Ensign Carneval is giving the POD. When quarters is dismissed, Pappy, through gritted teeth say’s “Take down that ensign now!!” Me as the one who broke colors…in the dark, speaks up and say’s, “Pappy you can’t take the colors down when we are underway!” I remember my “A” school training!! “Take down the ensign before the Captain see’s it flying upside down!!!” OOPS!! Everyone knows flying the ships ensign upside down is a sign of distress. Got it straightened out, without Captain Klee noticing. All’s well on the signal bridge…so I thought! We get a flashing light message from the Tripp…You guy’s need help!!?? Captain wants to know what the message was. Lee jumps up on the light, and starts flashing faster than the speed of sound! “No problem Skipper…they just want to know if any boot camp signalmen want to practice flashing light drills!!!” So who gets to do light drills for a solid 2 hours SMSN Reitano, SMSN Caldwell and SMSN Crosier. “Pappy” always’ use to say he had the best boot camp signalmen in the NAVY, and he taught us!!! And that’s a “NO SHITTER!!”