A SAILOR’S CHRISTMAS
Twas the night before Christmas a calm night at sea. We nestled in our racks for a Holiday Routine
When from the ventilation there came such a clatter. We jumped from our bunks to see what's the matter
When from the vent fell this big dust covered dude. He was dressed up in red with a bad attitude
Yelling, "Those ducts are all filthy!" as he brushed off his clothes. "Don't just damn stand there, where's the DCPO?"
He arose from the deck, then he peered all around. Then from his mouth came a bellowing sound
"This berthing's a disgrace!" then he called us by name. "Now Boatswain, Now Corpsman, please explain!"
This was not the Santa I remembered from youth. He smelled of cheap whiskey, he was rough and uncouth
"Now, look here you bastards" he said as he strolled "You'd best trice this place up, or you'll get nothing but coal!"
"You'll make this space pretty, military, and neat!". Then he looked down at our boots that lay right near his feet
"Well, what do we have here?" He said with a frown. "Who the hell polished these? Recruit 'Buster brown'?!"
He walked around slowly, he missed not a mark. He even spotted dust bunnies, right there in the dark!
"You've got high dust and low dust, and that overhead it needs cleaning!"
We all stood dumbfounded as his words kept on streaming
"Which man here is senior!?" Then asked St Nick. 
"You'd better shit me and answer…and SHIT ME ONE QUICK!
The First Class stepped forward, his heart pounding hard. "Now look right here shitbirds, this asshole's in charge!"
"These racks will be tight! This damn deck it will shine! 
I don't want to hear bitching! I need not hear you whine!"
So we gathered our foxtails, our buckets, and swabs. We all worked all in silence to finish the job.
It took almost an hour finish our space. He just sat drinking coffee and stuffing his face
Then on re-inspection he explained with a huff "Now this is more like it! Now you’re not so screwed up!"
We all stood there smiling, awaiting our gifts. But Santa just snapped out "What's the matter dumb-shits!?"
"Get back to your racks! This will be my last warning! Just like on shore, the gifts come in the morning!"
It seemed like eternity until reveille sounded. We threw back our curtains as all our hearts pounded
But what were our gifts? For what did we suffer?  A pallet of rags and a shiny new buffer!
Attached to our new buffer, we found a short note. We all gathered 'round to see what he wrote
"Next year at Christmas, best have all your shit wired!"
Signed:
Fair Winds
S.C. Claus
BMCM (Retired)

Shipmates Corner & Updates

Please check to see if you have paid your 2021 DUES. You can check them in the Members Directory. It now includes your dues information so you can know when you last paid (those of you receiving a paper newsletter, your expiration date is on your address label). While you're there you can search by last name, and by year onboard to find your shipmates that are members of the Association. You now have the option to include a picture too. If you want your picture added, send it to me or use the website to upload it.

New Members

We added two new members Tom Dykes (1967) & Chandler Henn (1969).  You can reach out to them if you know them or just welcome them on board. You can get their contact information from the members directory on the website.

Click this link to get to the directory: https://www.usstutuila.org/members 

If you can’t get to the website, contact Noel or me.

I received a letter from Bob Higgins who was the Medical Officer 1966-67. He gave me an update on Captain Treadwell and the Navigation Officer Mr. Keough. You know you always wonder what is going on with people you served with. Thank you, Bob, for bringing us up to date on our shipmates and our prayers go out to them.

Bob wrote:

            I had a phone conversation with Captain Lawrence Treadwell who was the C.O. on the USS Tutuila from October 1966 to December 1967, while I was onboard. He is now 93 years old, confined to a wheelchair in an assisted living home in Irvington, VA. He is mentally alert, and he published a book containing information on several hundred movies about Maritime subjects.

               I also spoke with Mr. Keough who was the Navigation & Diving Officer during the above time. He lives in Long Lake, NY and has been battling pancreatic cancer for 5 years. He is doing well right now and pretty upbeat about his illness.

Best Regards

Bob Higgins Medical Officer USS Tutuila August 1966-August 1967

Rex B.H. Story Jr., formerly of Cedar Rapids, died Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2020, at the age of 88.
He graduated from Marion High School in 1949 and thereafter served in the U.S. Navy in the Caribbean and served on the USS Tutuila. He married Doris Ann Porter on May 31, 1953, in Marion, Iowa. He worked in retail management and warehouse operations throughout his career and retired from Marcus Distributors. Rex served as recording secretary of the St Louis Numismatic Association for 10 years and was a member of the American Philatelic Society and the American Numismatic Association. He enjoyed John Wayne movies, a good book and, on Friday nights only, a square of Hershey's dark chocolate.

Did you know that the Tutuila participated in Operation Seamount?

Recently I was contacted by a researcher who was investigating a shipmate that she was writing a story on. She found out that he served on the Tutuila.  She told me he served on board during operation Seamount which I never heard of.  From talking to Don and some others it appears that the USS Tutuila did participate in by at least taking on casualties during the operation. They were not sure if we provided gun fire too.

I did some looking and found this story from a crew member aboard the USS DeHaven.  Here is part of his story, but it gives you a good idea of what happened.

Operation Seamount by Newt Robinson:

Here is how I remember it. Operation Seamount called for the Special Forces Unit to maneuver off into the jungle, and sneak up on "Charlie". Remember there was only supposed to be around five hundred VC on the entire island. Well, nobody told "Charlie"! Within a very short time, the Special Forces made contact with a very large force.

The Specials Forces guys took heavy casualties almost immediately. That was when we were called to General quarters! Their spotters called fire right up close, almost too close, but the VC were almost in their lines, and many men were down. Med-evac helos were called to lift out the wounded and bring in replacements.

"Charlie" was obliging, allowing the wounded to be loaded without firing a single shot. When all the wounded were loaded, ten as I recall, the helos lifted off. As the helos rose to ten or twenty feet off the deck, "Charlie cut loose. First one then another was hit, then another. Now all the helos were down, thrashing around or burning. Men piled out, falling to the ground, looking for anything that would pass for cover.

Again, DeHaven was called to fire. In came the rounds, HE-PD, and HE-Timed Fuse. Body parts were flying every which way, but still "Charlie" came on. Next the call came for VT-Frag, and WP; but still "Charlie" would not give way.

The Special Forces guys were in a bad way. They called for air support, and Helo Gunships were sent from the base. As they cleared the base perimeter they came under heavy fire, and one by one they were knocked from the sky. Now "Charlie" began to mortar the base, knocking out the few remaining un-armored helos. Our "Boys" were in a bad way.

DeHaven poured out the rounds, answering the call to fire, until, without warning, "Charlie" withdrew, and faded back into the jungle. Quiet fell over the jungle, and our "Boys" licked their wounds, and saw to their comrades, setting up a defensive perimeter, as a relief column appeared out of the jungle.

DeHaven secured from GQ, and now we were topside. As evening began to settle in, the Air Force showed up. Several F-105 "Thud" Bombers roared overhead toward a cleared hillside to the North, and off our port bow. Several bombs were dropped on some target, which we could not see, then they dropped their Napalm. Again and again they torched the hillside, sending a flood of flame rolling up the hill.

It was amazing! I thought Napalm was like gasoline and would burn for a long time. That was not the case. When the container burst, and the fireball ran up hill, it was dying at the rear, as fast as it was traveling uphill. No doubt, there had been a "VC winner roast", but it was nothing like I expected it to be.

The Lighter-side

Well That's it for Now....

Please remember to send me stories, pictures or anything you would like to see in the next newsletter as well as on the website.

Thanks,

Guy Veni