BT2 William Kirchmayer

This is a no shitter,…there I am at least started off right with the proper intro for a real sea story. It was 1978, I forget what month, but it was my first time at sea on the Joey boat and we were in the port of Frederickstead? on the Isle of St. Croix, US Virgin Islands. The ship had just finished blowing holes in Vieques and we were enjoying the liberty while it lasted, but it didnt last too long. B and M divisions were as was usual for their members, together in some bar close to the waterfront when BT2 Ray Rodgers walked out into the street while sucking on a beer. Ray walked into the street just as a local resident was making a turn in his van, and just stopping short of Ray (still sucking on his beer). This so startled Ray that he gagged and spat out the beer in his mouth,…..straight into the drivers face. Well, the shit really started when the rest of the drunk snipes piled out of the bar to see what all the noise was about, and various locals came to investigate the serious breach of etiquette performed by Ray. The enraged driver leapt out of the van swinging a hammer, which promptly found its target in the form of BT2 Danny Rolofs head.

The snipes closed ranks and with the wounded turn-to PO into tow, shagged ass for the landing and the whaleboat they were hoping was there, as the local crowd had seemingly grew to the proportion of a small riot in a record short time. At the pier a local car reportedly had an occupant with a gun, but nothing more was heard regarding that.

Fortunately, the whaleboat was there and the SP managed to show and tried to find out what kind of horse-shit the snipes had stirred up now. To sum it up, liberty was canceled before the sun even set, and the Joey boat was asked to leave the port. The Captain (I believe it was Cdr. Fromholtz) turned the air around the 1MC a bright shade of blue while he cussed out the crew in general. Well thats it for now.