RECOLLECTION

Jack Sloan 1988

“To believe with certainty we must begin with doubting.”

Stanislaus Lescynski (1677-1766)

At one time in 1942 the Swanson was in a screen of destroyers escorting the USS North Carolina and the USS Washington along the east coast of the United States. The Swanson was on the port bow of the Flag Ship which I believe the North Carolina. It was a grey dismal morning and the sun had not yet broken the horizon. I had just come on the bridge before going down to breakfast to check with George Barricklow who had the Signal Watch.

I stopped to talk with Ensign Joseph Corcoran the OOD. I believe he had only recently qualified as underway OOD. When Barricklow called out stand by to write, so I grabbed a clip board and moved up behind him as he was looking at the Flag ship, however I did not see any signal light. Then he started calling out the message:

“Execute to follow s-Turn one eight” (All ships turn simultaneously to starboard 180 degrees.)

While he was calling out the message Mr. Corcoran had his binoculars up to his eyes and searching the Flagship for the signal light. He was saying out loud “I do not see the signal!” Barricklow had paused momentarily at one point to say, “Look low in the superstructure.”

Then Barricklow was calling out “Standby to execute” and Mr. Corcoran said “I still don’t see the signal!” and with that Barricklow called out “Execute”. Mr Corcoran paused a couple of seconds looking at Barricklow, and evidently decided there was a signal and ordered “Right standard rudder.” Within a few more seconds it was obvious that Barricklow had read a signal as all the ships were turning! Mr. Corcoran dispatched the Messenger to inform the Captain. Mr. Corcoran then said to Barricklow, “You got good eyes!”

Flagships generally take a dim view of screen vessels who fail to execute their signals promptly and end up off station!

I never was certain whether Mr. Corcoran doubted Barricklow at that moment or whether he was thinking about the proper course of action to take!