Just before the Bonaventure went to be razor blades, we started getting our first air force guys arriving in the naval aircrew world. Before they got to sea the stories would start flying about flying off an aircraft carrier. In the tavern after work ,one of the navy guys would usually steer the stories to me and tell me to tell them about the time I was washed overboard. I would tell them it was a stormy night with waves washing over the deck as the ground crew took us by the hand and directed us to our airplanes, I lost hand contact with my man and was washed overboard, and just as quickly, another wave washed me up on the stern . I ran across the deck and managed to get in the plane just before we were catapulted off. Holy mackeral, they would say ,that must have been scary. I'd tell them, not half as scary as the $250.00 fine I got for losing the camera and codebooks overboard.


My Buddy Bob again, true story. Bob used to be a bosun on the Bonnie before he went to be aircrew, so he knew his way around the ship. Usually when we returned from three months at sea, we would clear customs and then have to wait to go down the gangway because they were letting the officer's wives on board for a drink, while we could only wave at our wives and children on the jetty. We were waiting one time when Bob noticed there was no one in the coxswain's office. Hold my duffle bag, he said, and went into the office. The piping system whistled "Attention all hands!" and Bob made his announcement. "All those Officers, who haven't drawn their wedding bands, from the Coxswain's safe, may do so now!"