Stand by for Action Page #3

of commission with her.

The Navy department laid us

both up together, sir.

You stayed aboard all this time?

It wasn't long, sir.

And I felt more at home here than

I would've on the beach, sir.

Oh, I should've said,

ex-Chief Yeoman, sir.

I've been a civilian caretaker.

Oh.

But, we, well...

She and I sort of pretended...

things hadn't changed any, sir.

Lieutenant Masterman

been aboard?

No sir. Your the first

of the new officers, sir.

Ask him to step down to

wardroom, if you will.

- Yes, sir.

- Good night, Johnson.

Good night, sir.

Good evening, sir.

Good evening.

So, this is the USS Warren, huh?

- Yes, sir.

- She's a mess, isn't she?

Well, sir, right now,

she's a little like

the lady that was waked

out of her sound sleep

in the middle of the night

with a face full of cold cream

and her hair done up in curlers.

But you give her a chance

to get prettied up, sir,

and she'll give those

new destroyers

cards and spades

in any beauty contest.

Oh, I can see that she's

a Follies Beauty all right.

Follies of 1902.

Has the skipper

come on board yet?

Yes, sir.

His compliments, sir.

And would you step

down to the wardroom.

Thank you.

Oh, Mr. Masterman.

Come in.

- Good evening, sir.

- Good evening.

Glad to have you aboard.

Sit down.

Cheery, isn't it?

When's the funeral?

Don't worry, you won't find anything

scary under the seat covers.

I've looked.

Oh, I met the ancient mariner

at the head of the gangway.

Oh, you mean,

ex-Chief Yeoman Johnson?

He's quite a character.

Mr. Masterman, I want you

to see that the storage light

comes alongside

first thing in the morning.

Have the remainder of our

storage put aboard and stowed.

- Yes sir.

- When that's shipshape,

see that the fuel barge

comes alongside.

- You'll have to pick us a crew.

- Aye, sir.

They may be scarce, but pick as many

experienced destroyer men as you can find.

- Aye, sir. - Oh yes,

the torpedo compliment.

Have them put aboard.

Shall I also check the

bows and arrows, sir?

Mr. Masterman?

Aboard a destroyer,

the executive officer has

got to be a jack of all trades.

I'm a jack, all right.

Begging the Captain's pardon, I brewed

up a little java for the wardroom, sir.

- It smells good.

- Yes, sir.

Nothing like the smell of fresh

coffee to put life in ship.

Thank you, Johnson. Good of you

to go through the trouble.

- Thank you.

- No trouble, sir.

I have a little galley

rigged up topside.

There's something just outside

the door I'd like to show you.

- Cream or sugar, Masterman?

- No, black thanks.

Here it is, sir.

I guess you're the proper person

to be having to

carry this now, sir.

That's a plaque.

It was put aboard

after the last war.

Orders of the Secretary

of the Navy.

Like a medal of honor.

"USS Warren served

in the World War..."

"April 6, 1917

to November 11, 1918.

Sea patrol, 1917 to 1918.

Captured the U, 109.

March 11, 1918.

Sunk the U, 141.

August 3, 1918.

Participated in

destroyer action,

September 9, 1918."

That's where I got this...

shell fragment.

"Carried the Assistant Secretary of the

Navy, Franklin D. Roosevelt to Europe.

July, 1918.

Was present at the surrender

of the enemy fleet at...

Scapa Flow."

That's all, sir.

You'll find the screw holds

for it, sir, on the after stack.

I took it down for safe keeping.

Kept it from getting tarnished.

- All these years?

- Yes sir.

Thank you, Johnson.

We'll see that it goes

back where it belongs.

Thank you, sir.

Thank you.

Begging the

Captain's pardon, sir.

I'd like to ship over

for another cruise.

- Ship over?

- Yes sir.

Johnson, that's a fine spirit.

I'm sure there's

a job you can do

somewhere around the Navy.

- Yes, sir. - You know, destroyer

service is a young man's game.

It's too tough for grey hairs.

I guess, maybe

you're right, sir.

Well, good luck, sir.

I know the Warren will take you where

you're going, and bring you back.

- Good night, sir.

- Johnson?

- Yes, sir. - Mr. Masterman and

I'll take good care of your ship.

Won't we, Masterman?

Oh yes, we'll bring her back

with ribbons in her hair.

I know you will, sir.

She's a proud thing.

Slipping along with the green

seas rolling under her foot.

She's pretty as a picture.

Well...

Good night, sir.

- Well? - That kind of

man built the Navy.

Why don't you stretch

your point and take him on?

To board a destroyer, a man needs

more arms and legs than a centipede.

But you can't leave him

on the beach in these times.

You can't run a navy on

sentiment, Mr. Masterson.

I'll remember that, sir.

- I beg your pardon, sir.

- Yes, Johnson?

You'll be taking the Warren

to sea soon now, I suppose.

- I imagine so. - She's a

wonderful ship on the helm, sir.

Takes it like a thoroughbred.

I know her well.

I went to sea on her first

as a quartermaster.

But you'll find, sir, that when you're

turning her on the heel into the wind,

you've got to give her a little

headway to keep her from falling off.

- She likes to be coaxed. - Thanks

Johnson, I'll remember that.

And the throttle valve on

the starboard engine, sir...

Creeps now and then,

towards open.

It never was exactly right.

It's too bad you're not

making this cruise, Johnson.

The captain knows best, sir.

Well, I suppose things have

changed a lot since you went

- on the inactive list.

- Oh, that they have, sir.

But all the time the Warren and

I were tied up in San Diego,

I went to the school at

the base three nights a week.

It kept me up on things.

Just how old are you, Johnson?

Oh, I'm coming on 40,

you might say, sir.

Let's see, that'd make you just past 14

when you were on the North Sea patrol.

Yes sir, but I was a

very big lad for my age.

Uh-huh.

You'd be a great help to the

executive officer of the Warren,

knowing her as you do.

I'd give anything to

be going with you, sir.

Grey hair makes a man look a lot

older than he really is, you know?

Without that,

you'd look 20 years younger.

It'd make a

different man of you.

Well, good night, Johnson.

Good night, sir.

Attention on deck,

captain coming aboard!

Officer's hands salute!

- Morning, gentlemen.

- Morning, sir.

- Hello Tim, glad to see you aboard.

- Thank you, sir.

- How's everything in the engine room?

- Everything's shipshape.

Lieutenant Royce,

gunnery... Royce?

- How do you do, sir?

- Lieutenant Martin, torpedo.

- Martin?

- How do you do, sir?

- Ensign Lindsay, sir.

- Lindsay?

- First cruise, huh?

- Yes, sir.

I just came aboard

last night, sir.

Think you'll like

destroyer duty?

Yes sir, it's wonderful, sir.

Crew are ready for

inspection, sir.

Very well.

- Chief Signalman Jones.

- Morning sir.

Morning.

Chief Boatswain's

Mate Jenks, sir.

Jenks, glad to see you aboard.

Thank you, sir.

Right glad to be aboard, sir.

Chief Quartermaster Rankin.

- Rankin, glad to see you aboard.

- Thank you, sir.

Chief Yeoman Johnson, sir.

Johnson... You?

Yes sir, me.

How did you get aboard.

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