FTG3 Robert M. Miller

As I remember it, one of the more memorable adventures of the commissioning crew was the Hewes versus the Marine gate guards in the Charlestown yards one evening in the Marine EM club. After a very long day of “Playing at Sea” tied up to the pier, a group of us ventured to the Marine EM Club in search of a few cold ones. All of us were in dungarees and hit the club about 7pm that night. Being the tight crew that we were, we re-configured the club by lining up about 5 tables end-to-end to accommodate approximately 20 of us. After about 2 hours, we had erected a beer can pyramid of over 100 cans. For some unknown reason, the gate guards took offense to our presence and almost instigated a brawl. Needless to say at Quarters the next morning, we were informed that the crew of the Joseph Hewes was no longer allowed at the Marine EM Club from that day on. The things you have to put up with just have a cold beer……One thing I can say for the Marine contingent at Charlestown, they never lost the main gate at the yards. It was always where it was supposed to be. I have a million more…Will submit them as I have time to write’m up. FTG3 Miller