HISTORY CHESTER "PETE" ZELLER   Chief Machinist's Mate, U.S. Navy, 1939-1945, U.S.S. Lexington "Plankowner"

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Over the course of several weeks in October 2004, Chester "Pete" Zeller of Florida, kindly answered the following questions via an e mail questionairre. Through his correspondence Pete shares his memories of a time gone by and vividly tells the story of his life in the U.S. Navy aboard the U.S.S. Babbitt 128 and the U.S.S. Lexington CV-16. So hoist the anchor and come along for a trip back in time with Chief Machnist's Mate Zeller! 6 Q.     When and Where did you join the Navy? How old were you? A.     I was 18 years old in August, 1939. I had taken all the exams and tests a month before and was accepted for October enlistment. [On] October 20, my mother gave me $7.00 and I pushed my bicycle under the porch and took a train to Richmond, Virginia, to be sworn into the Navy. Q.     Did you enlist with any of your friends? if yes, do you remember who they were and what happened to them? A.     No. Q.     Where was your first military post and what do you recall about the experiences of boot camp? Was it difficult, were you homesick? A.     I  was sent to the Naval Training Station at Hampton Roads, Virginia, for boot camp. It was somewhat as I expected since I was raised at Quantico, Virginia, the U.S. Marine Base, and had many friends in the Marine Corps. Our  platoon consisted of about 80 men, mostly from the south east states. Our platoon commander was a Chief Torpedo-Man, E.B. Givens, who was a very gentle and reasonable man who taught us seamanship, tying knots, boat drills, close order drill, Navy regulations and conduct aboard a ship. We were housed in [the] barracks and slept in hammocks which we rigged every night and triced up every morning. Sleeping in a hammock is not an easy way to get a good nights sleep! We marched daily everywhere we went and had numerous inspections and tests. We turned in early and turned out early, our days were quite tiring, to me anyway. At 18, I was not a big man, for I weighed only 116 lbs. and stood 5'8", although at the end of boot training, I was in pretty good shape. I was never homesick and [I] didn't find boot training to be difficult. Q.     When you joined the Navy, what world events stick out in your memory? A.     The New York World's Fair, [and the] sinking of the U.S.S. Squalus, submarine. Q.     How did your parents and family react to the news that you joined the Navy? A.     I don't remember that there was any discussion, pro or con. Q.     What do you remember most about the first time you stepped aboard a Navy vessel? A.     My first ship was a destroyer berthed in the Norfolk, Virginia Navy Yard undergoing repairs and there was not much military routine but a lot of shipboard work to be done and it didn't take senior petty officers long to find work for me. The first month I must have chipped paint and hauled ammunition until I was ready to go back to Quantico. I got along well with the crew and enjoyed being a deckie, but soon we were out of the Navy Yard and sailing the east coast and it was getting pretty cold topside, so I requested assignment to the Engineering Department. Transfer was granted and I began my life below decks.

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