A NOTE FROM THE CAPTAIN POWERS, YOUR FAITHFUL EDITOR, HAS ASKED ME FOR SOME REMARKS FOR PUBLICATION IN THE SHIP'S NEWSPAPER AS OUR CRUISE DRAWS TO AN END. I WELCOME THE OPPORTUNITY, FOR THIS TRIP BRINGS TO A CLOSE NOT ONLY AN INTER- ESTING AND PROFITABLE TRAINING CRUISE, BUT ALSO, I EXPECT, MARKS ABOUT THE LAST TIME THAT I WILL BE UNDERWAY WITH YOU AS YOUR SKIPPER. AS MY TIME TO LEAVE COMES NEAR, I'D LIKE TO TELL YOU A FEW THINGS AND MAYBE LEAVE A COUPLE OF THOUGHTS IN YOUR MINDS. ONE THING I WANT YOU TO KNOW IS HOW MUCH I HAVE ENJOYED SERVING AS YOUR COMMANDING OFFICER SINCE THE COMMISSIONING OF THE SHIP IN AUGUST 1958. THE TOUR HAS BEEN INTERESTING VARIED, AND A LOT OF FUN. WE HAVE COVERED A LOT OF WATER, SERVED UNDER TWO FORCE COMMANDERS, TWO SQUADRON COMMANDERS, AND TWO DIVISION COMMANDERS. WE HAVE HAD OUR TRYING MOMENTS WHILE SHAKING DOWN THE SHIP AND THE LAUNCHER INSTALLATION; WHILE GOING TO TEST DEPTH THE FIRST TIME; WHILE TYING UP IN NEWPORT IN 55 KNOT WINDS AND 8 DEGREE BELOW ZERO TEMPERATURES; AND ON OTHER OCCASIONS. WE HAVE HAD A LOT OF FUN, BOTH ON BOARD AND IN LIBERTY PORTS. (REMEMBER SOME OF THEM LIKE ST. THOMAS AND FT. LAUDERDALE?) WE HAVE WORKED HARD BOTH ON BOARD AND DURING CONSTRUCTION, UPKEEPS, AND RAV PERIODS. WE HAVE ENJOYED BEER BALL GAMES AND PICNICS AND SHIP'S PARTIES. WE HAVE WHAT IS SOMEWHAT ALL TOO RARE THESE DAYS--A CLOSENESS OF SPIRIT, WHICH IS REFLECTED NOT ONLY ON BOARD, BUT ALSO AMONG THE FAMILIES. THEY ARE A PART OF ALL WE DO AND THEIR THOUGHTS FOR US AND OURS FOR THEM STRENGTHEN AND SHORE UP OUR ABILITIES AND OUR CONDUCT. WITHOUT YOU FINE OFFICERS AND MEN, GROWLER WOULD BE NONE OTHER THAN A MASS OF STEEL AND MACHINERY WORTH SO MUCH A POUND, BUT INCAPABLE OF PERFORMING HER MISSIONS AND UNABLE TO BE THE BULWARK AGAINST RUSSIAN AND OTHER COMMUNIST BLOC AGGRESSIONS WHICH SHE IS. YOU BREATHE THE LIFE INTO HER AND SUSTAIN THE FLAME OF LIFE BY YOUR DAILY ACTIVITIES, WHETHER YOU BE EXECUTIVE OFFICER OR LOOKOUT OR CHIEF OF THE WATCH OR MESS COOK, OR WHATEVER. YOU HAVE ALWAYS DONE THIS CHEERFULLY AND WILLINGLY AND WITH PRIDE IN A GOOD JOB. THAT'S WHY I'M SO PROUD OF YOU, EACH AND EVERY ONE., AND THAT'S WHY GROWLER IS SUCH A GOOD OPERATING, CLEAN AND HAPPY BOAT. WHETHER YOU ARE A PLANKIE OR THE NEWEST MAN ON BOARD, EACH OF YOU TURNS TO TO TO THE BEST JOB POSSIBLE, AS PART OF THE GROWLER TEAM, YOU WORK MANY LONG, HOT HOURS THAT I NEVER SEE, SUCH AS PAINTING THE SHIP WHEN THE OTHER JOBS AND THE WEATHER PERMIT AT NIGHT AND ON WEEKENDS; YOU WORK ON HOT, NOISY ENGINES IN ROUGH SEAS; YOU COOK GOOD MEALS AND BAKE WHEN THE ROLLING SEAS MAKE IT HARD TO EVEN STAND UP, AND THE ALTIMETER SPINS THROUGH SEVERAL THOUSAND FEET. YOU LOAD AND SHOOT TORPEDOES AND MAKE SURE THAT IF WAR COMES WE WILL GET NOTHING BUT HSN'S. YOU DO A THOUSAND THINGS THAT THE PAY ALONE ISN'T COMPENSATION FOR, BUT YOU DO THEM BECAUSE YOU LIKE TO DO A GOOD JOB, AND WHETHER A CAREER MAN OR A ONE-CRUISER, YOU MAKE YOUR TIME ON BOARD COUNT. IS IT ANY WONDER MY TOUR WITH YOU HAS BEEN SO PLEASANT FOR ME? I HAVE ASSEMBLED SOME STATISTICS WHICH MIGHT INTEREST YOU, SINCE COMMISSIONING (AND MOSTLY, SINCE 5 JANUARY 1959, JUST 17 MONTHS AGO) WE HAVE COVERED ABOUT 31,394 MILES. WE HAVE HAD 5,606 HOURS UNDERWAY. WE HAVE BEEN SUBMERGED FOR A TOTAL OF 1,133.8 HOURS, 679.5 ON THE BATTERY, AND 454.3 ON THE SNORKEL. WE HAVE SHOT 11 RED BIRDS AND 4 BLUE MISSILES. WE HAVE FIRED 52 TORPEDOES. WE HAVE HAD A FINE REENLISTMENT RECORD, AND BEEN ABLE TO REWARD ELIGIBLE AND DESERVING HANDS BY STRONG RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PROGRAMS THEY WANT TO GET INTO.