RECOLLECTIONS

Lewis (Chubby) Eastburn 1989

“Dear God take me but don’t scare me to death.”

When war was declared there were four of us that went down to enlist about 4 o’clock in the morning. The Marine sergeant said; “I can not accept any of you!” And I asked why I was not acceptable and he said: “You have no teeth!” and I said” I don’t want to eat them, hell I want to shoot them! He suggested that we try the Army or the Navy. So we headed for the Navy Recruiter and I was accepted. They called me on the 20^th of December along with about 20 other fellows. We were sent to Newport, Rhode Island where upon arrival we found out they did not have any bunks or mattresses. There we took our examinations and I passed. A company of 144 fellows was formed and they issued me a pair of leggings, size 6. The Chief said to strap them on. But they would only lace up to about 4 inches from the top. My calf was too large. The Chief told a man from a previous company to show me how to lace up a pair of leggings. Again they would only lace up to about 4 inches from the top. So the Chief told me to hop upon the table and he would lace them up ! He got them up to within the 4 inches from the top, and said: “God damn, pull up your trouser leg!” which I did and he said: “Holy cow, no wonder you need a size 10!” Then we went back to supply who said they had no size ten’s . So the Chief took me to see the Lieutenant who said he doesn’t need a size 10. The Chief bet him $5.00 and the Lieutenant said: “Pull up your trouser leg”. The Lieutenant said Chief you won five dollars. The Chief refused to split it with me.

The Chief was really something and had his own unique way of explaining things; He said: “ There are three ways of doing things; the right way, the wrong way, and the Navy way – forget the first two and you’re in!”

We were shipped out to Boston and in mid January 1942 we reported on board the USS Swanson. As I walked on board the Swanson , the Chief Torpedoman McDowell said: ”Eastburn you are going to strike for Torpedoman!” and I said: “I knew we could strike in civilian life but not in the navy!” He said; “You are still my boy!”

That afternoon we sailed for Iceland and as we reached the sea, Eisenhour asked me if I was going down to the Ship Store and I said no. He said he was going so I asked him to me a Milky Way candy bar. By the time he returned the ship was rolling and pitching, so I started to eat the candy and it started to come up again, I slapped my hand over my mouth and swallowed it back again. I wasn’t sea sick any more. We hit a storm and it lasted 3 or 4 days and there was a lot men sea sick. I believe we ate sandwiches most of the way to Iceland. I don’t believe we had coffee because of the rolling of the ship, made it impossible for coffee to stay in the copper.

Later in 1942 when we approached Casablanca as part of the invasion force, the French Fleet decided to

resist the American landing force and stood out of Casablanca harbor to attack the American troops landing

at Fedhala. The Swanson was among the American ships sent to intercept the French Cruisers and destroyers

heading for our troops. We engaged in a stiff gunfire fight and the

Swanson was endeavoring to get into position to launch torpedoes. I was sitting upon the torpedo tubes and

saw 3 or 4 French shells pass between our stacks. I remember saying: “Dear God take me if you want me, but

don’t scare me to death!”

At my first reunion, a shipmate asked if I remembered what I had said when the shells were passing between our stacks and I said: “You bet I do but I bet you don’t know! “ But he repeated it word for word. Guess he was listening on the sound power phones.