RECOLLECTION

E.L. Robertson 1988

“Final Thoughts”

In early May 1944, on the evening before I was to be detached from Swanson, the ship was at anchor in the harbor of Aitape, New Guinea and we were seated at the wardroom mess table for diner. Conversation was relaxed and jovial because of the complete success of the recent Hollandia assault, for which Swanson had been force flagship. Someone seated near me referred to the “hero factory”, which I knew was a joking reference to the Naval Academy. I looked around to see who was being kidded, and to my amazement the only other Naval Academy graduate I could spot was Lt.Cdr. Ratliff who would relieve me as commanding officer the next morning. In other words I had commanded a ship whose complement of officers included not even one single other Naval Academy officer. I was stunned by this realization. I recalled that when the ship was commissioned in May 1941, just 3 years before, there were 7 Naval Academy officers aboard and only one reserve. How the times have changed!

After dinner I went to my cabin and asked for the records of my officers. I verified the fact that none were from the Naval Academy except myself and also learned that all but a few of them had never even been at sea in any ship but the Swanson.

My first thought after briefly contemplating this fact, was “My goodness, with this band of amateurs we are lucky not to have been sunk long ago by the enemy, or piled up on a reef.”

But more sober reflection made me realize that Swanson was by no means to be considered as amateurish in its performance. It slowly dawned on me that my officers excelled in practically every respect, and that instead of being a crusty old graduate of the Naval Academy looking down with a jaundiced eye on an inexperienced band of neophytes, I should realize what they in fact were: a group of well trained highly intelligent young men who had quickly and eagerly learned their business; also that I should thank my lucky stars for having so loyal a group of fine young men under my command and for being a citizen of a nation which could produce so many dedicated, intelligent individuals.