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Show JOHN C. (JACK) CHNELLER J L 2, 2004 BEC: Okay so you said that you were on a battleship? JAC: Yes, I was on the battleship USS Wisconsin, BB 64. After the war ended, I wa m the regular Navy. So they asked me, where would you like to report? I said an Francisco. Naturally, they sent me to Norfolk, Virginia (laughs). BEC: Right. JAC: So I get down there waiting to see what was going to happen and one day they called my name out and handed me all my orders and everything to report to the Wisconsin. Hell, I didn't know what the Wisconsin was. I had my old sea bag over my shoulder and I get out there walking and along came a guy in a little jeep. I said, "Hey buddy, how about giving me a ride down to the dock. I'm looking for the Wisconsin." There were only four battleships in its Class, the Iowa Class. They were the Wisconsin, the Missouri, the Iowa and the New Jersey. The Wisconsin, right now is in Norfolk, Virginia. The Missouri is in Pearl Harbor. The Iowa is junk. I don't know if you remember when those twenty or thirty sailors got blown up in that big sixteen-inch gun down in there. They tried to blame the sailors. It wasn't the sailors' fault. It was that old powder. That old powder they used on them was from World War I. The New Jersey, I think they've tom that up too. Anyway, I got down there to that dock and there was that great big humongous thing. I had my orders and saluted the officer of the day and told him I was reporting for duty. He said, "Sailor, this gangway is for the officers only. The crew (gangway) is down there." I looked way down there. I had this sea bag I was carrying. That rotten son of a gun, you know? I said, "Do you mean I've got to walk back down the gangway and go clear down to the fantail?" He said, "Well, I'll let you come on this time, but just remember." Well, I've never forgot how rotten that guy was. Boy, 38 |
