A FIREMAN'S INACCURATE COMPASS, By Richard "Ozzie" Osburn
An incident occurred during one of Dealey's many assignments in 1964 or 1965 that provided a welcomed relief to a rather humdrum daily routine. Dealey was providing services to Fleet Sonar School in Key West, leaving and returning to port each day.
Dealey's XO, a very competent and conscientious officer, decided that the ship's daily routine offered an excellent opportunity for Dealey's non-rated men to gain a somewhat limited knowledge of different departments aboard Dealey. And so, to enact this endeavor, a swap was made between firemen and seamen; seamen to the engine room and the fire room, and firemen to top side posts.
There was the usual amount of griping on the part of the men involved as their hearts were not really into this cross training effort. However, they dutifully reported to their new watch stations when ordered.
One afternoon when entering port, the OOD suddenly began to berate a fireman that was posted as a look out somewhere on the bridge. "Why didn't you report that floating hazard there!!?" he roared, pointing to a 55 gallon barrel that was at that instant passing down the side of the ship. "You've got to report everything!! Everything!! Do you understand!!?"
Being chewed out by the OOD certainly did not boost the fireman's confidence in his ability to stand a "tight watch". In fact, one could surmise that the fireman probably became so confused and addled that he forgot all he had learned about navigation while he was in boot camp.
He soon spotted an object in the water off at a distance. "I see something in the water!!" he shouted to the bridge crew.
"Where?" replied the OOD.
"There! There! Over there!" yelled the fireman.
"Dammit, man," shouted the OOD, "What's the relative bearing?"
Well, this fireman probably knew about main shaft bearings, and probably pump bearings, too. But a relative bearing he knew not!
Collecting his wits as best he could, he suddenly recalled something about "degrees", and he confidently shouted, "There! There! Right over there at 720 degrees!"
The snipes were soon returned to their sweat holes and the seamen were sent back to their posts.
Richard "Ozzie" Osburn BTCM RET