How To Simulate The Life Of A Sailor on a destroyer

Buy a steel dumpster, paint it haze gray inside and out, and live in it for six months.

Run all the pipes and wires in your house exposed on the walls and ceiling.

Repaint your entire house outsides every month with the same haze gray color.

Renovate your bathroom. Build a wall across the middle of the bathtub and move the showerhead to chest level. When you take showers, make sure you turn off the water and step out while you soap down.

Raise the thresholds and lower the headers of your front and back doors so that you either trip or bang your head every time you pass through them.

Disassemble and inspect your lawnmower every week.

On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, turn your water heater temperature up to 200 degrees. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, turn the water heater off. On Saturdays and Sundays tell your family they use too much water during the week, so no bathing will be allowed.

Raise your bed to within 6 inches of the ceiling, so you can't turn over without getting out and then getting back in.

Sleep on the shelf in your closet. Replace the closet door with a curtain. Have your spouse whip open the curtain about 3 hours after you go to sleep, shine a flashlight in your eyes, and say "Sorry, wrong rack."

Make your family qualify to operate each appliance in your house - dishwasher operator, blender technician, toilet technician etc.

Have your neighbor come over each day at 0600, blow a whistle loudly, and shout "Reveille, reveille, all hands heave out and trice up."

Have your mother-in-law write down everything she's going to do that day, then have her make your family stand in your back yard at attention at 0700 while she reads it to you.

Submit a request chit to your father-in-law requesting permission to leave your house before 1500.

Make a recording of "Sweepers sweepers, man your brooms...." and play it loudly throughout your house three times each day while you empty all the garbage bins in your house and sweep the driveway, whether it needs it or not.

Have your neighbor collect all your mail for a month, read your magazines, and randomly lose every 5th item before delivering it to you.

Watch no TV except for movies played in the middle of the night. Have your family vote on which movie to watch, then show a different one.

Make and post your family menu a week ahead of time without consulting the pantry or refrigerator.

Post a menu on the kitchen door informing your family that they are having steak for dinner. Then make them wait in line for an hour. When they finally get to the kitchen, tell them you are out of steak, but they can have dried ham or hot dogs. Repeat daily until they ignore the menu and just ask for hot dogs.

Bake a cake. Prop up one side of the pan so the cake bakes unevenly. Spread icing real thick to level it off.

Get up every night around midnight and have a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on stale bread. (midrats)

Set your alarm clock to go off at random times during the night. At the alarm, jump up and dress as fast as you can, making sure to button your top shirt button and tuck your pants into your socks. Run out into the backyard, uncoil the garden hose and stand by for an hour.

Every week or so, throw your dog in the pool and shout, "Man overboard port side!" Rate your family members on how fast they respond.

Put the headphones from your stereo on your head, but don't plug them in. Hang a paper cup around your neck on a string. Stand in front of the stove, and speak into the paper cup "Stove manned and ready." After an hour or so, speak into the cup again "Stove secured." Roll up the headphones and paper cup and carefully stow them in a shoebox.

Place a podium at the end of your driveway. Have your family stand watches at the podium, rotating at 4 hour intervals. This is best done when the weather is worst. January is a good time.

When there is a thunderstorm in your area, get a wobbly rocking chair, sit in it and rock as hard as you can until you become nauseous. Make sure to have a supply of stale crackers in your shirt pocket.

Make coffee using eighteen scoops of budget priced coffee grounds per pot, and allow the pot to simmer for 5 hours before drinking.

Have someone under the age of ten give you a haircut with sheep shears.

Sew the back pockets of your jeans on the front.

Lock yourself and your family in the house for six weeks. Tell them that at the end of the 6th week you are going to take them to Disney World for "liberty." At the end of the 6th week, inform them the trip to Disney World has been canceled because they need to get ready for an inspection, and it will be another week before they can leave the house.

In this space over the past year, I have run a piece entitled, I LIKE THE NAVY, by an anonymous author. Recently, I was contacted by retired FTCM (SS), USN, E. A. Hughes, who copyrighted the following as early as 1958, and subsequently in 1978. It is apparant that this is the original piece from which I Like the Navy and some similar pieces floating around on the internet were derived. So with appreciation and full credit to Master Chief Hughes, his essay, Once I Was a Navyman, is presented.

Once I Was A Navyman

I like the Navy. I like standing on deck during a long voyage with sea spray in my face and ocean winds whipping in from everywhere - The feel of the giant steel ship beneath me, it's engines driving against the sea is almost beyond understanding - It’s immense power makes the Navyman feel so insignificant but yet proud to be a small part of this ship - A small part of Her mission.

I like the Navy. I like the sound of taps over the ships announcing system, the ringing of the ships bell, the foghorns and strong laughter of Navy men at work. I like the ships of the Navy - nervous darting destroyers, sleek proud cruisers, majestic battle ships, steady solid carriers and silent hidden submarines. I like the workhorse tugboats with their proud Indian names: Iroquois, Apache, Kiawah and Sioux - each stealthy powerful tug safely guiding the warships to safe deep waters from all harbors.

I like the historic names of other proud Navy Ships: Midway, Hornet, Princeton, Sea Wolf and Saratoga. The Ozark, Hunley, William R. Rush and Turner, the Missouri, Wichita, Iowa, Arizona and Manchester, as well as The Sullivan’s, Enterprise, Tecumseh, Cole and Nautilus too - all majestic ships of the line - Each ship commanding the respect of all Navymen that have known Her - or were privileged to be a part of Her crew.

I like the bounce of Navy music and the tempo of a Navy Band, "Liberty Whites", “13 Button Blues”, the rare 72 hour liberty and the spice scent of a foreign port - I like shipmates I've sailed with, worked with, served with or have known: The Gunners Mate from the Iowa cornfields; a Sonarman from the Colorado mountain country; a pal from Cairo, Alabama; an Italian from near Boston; some boogie boarders of California; and of course, a drawling friendly Oklahoma lad that hailed from Muskogee; and a very congenial Engineman from the Tennessee hills.

From all parts of the land they came - Farms of the Midwest, small towns of New England - The red clay area and small towns of the South - The mountain and high prairie towns of the West - The beachfront towns of the Atlantic, the Pacific and the Gulf - All are American; all are comrades in arms - All are men of the sea and all are men of honor.

I like the adventure in my heart when the ship puts out to sea, and I like the electric thrill of sailing home again, with the waving hands of welcome from family and friends, waiting on shore - The extended time at sea drags; the going is rough on occasion. But there's the companionship of robust Navy laughter, the devil-may-care philosophy of the sea. This helps the Navyman - The remembrances of past shipmates fill the mind and restore the memory with images of other ships, other ports, and other cruises long past - Some memories are good, some are not so good, but all are etched in the mind of the Navyman - And most will be there forever.

After a day of work, there is the serenity of the sea at dusk. As white caps dance on the ocean waves, the sunset creates flaming clouds that float in folds over the horizon - As if painted there by a master. The darkness follows soon and is mysterious. The ship’s wake in darkness has a hypnotic effect, with foamy white froth and luminescence that forms never ending patterns in the turbulent waters - I like the lights of the ship in darkness - The masthead lights, the red and green sidelights and stern lights. They cut through the night and appear as a mirror of stars in darkness - There are rough stormy nights, and calm, quiet, still nights where the quiet of the mid-watch allows the ghosts of all the Sailors of the world to stand with you. They are abundant and unreachable, but ever apparent - And there is always the aroma of fresh coffee from the galley.

I like the legends of the Navy and the Navymen that created those legends - I like the proud names of Navy Heroes: Halsey, Nimitz, Beach, Farragut, John McCain, Rickover and John Paul Jones. A man can find much in the Navy - Comrades in arms, pride in his country - A man can find himself and can revel in this experience.

In years to come, when the Sailor is home from the sea, he will still recall with fondness the ocean spray on his face when the sea is angry - There will come a faint aroma of fresh paint in his nostrils, the echo of hearty laughter of the seafaring men who once were close companions - Now landlocked, he will grow wistful of his Navy days, when the seas were the largest part of him and a new port of call was always just over the horizon.
 
Recalling those days and times, he will stand taller and say: "ONCE I WAS A NAVYMAN !”

E. A. Hughes, FTCM (SS), USN (Retired)
Copyright, 1958, 1978

RECENT OBITUARIES

Philip Norman Willette, 81, of Bucksport, Maine, passed away Thursday February 22, 2007.
He was born to Arthur and Annie Ouellette of East Millinocket on July 24, 1925.   He attended Schenck High School where he graduated with honors.   After graduating high school he enlisted in the United States Navy and served proudly on the USS Maddox (DD-731) during World War II.   After the war he attended The Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta Georgia where he graduated in 1950 with a BS in electrical engineering.   Norman reentered the Navy at the outbreak of the Korean conflict and served proudly on the USS Vogelgesang (DD-862) as a commissioned officer with the rank of Lieutenant Junior Grade. Upon completion of his service to the Navy he returned to Maine and worked in the paper industry as an engineer.   He retired in the late 80's.

Edward J. McLaughlin
Edward J. McLaughlin, USN-Ret., died Feb. 21, 2006, at the age of 83. Ed was a survivor of the DD-622 and spent more than 20 years in the Navy, retiring as a Chief Yeoman in 1967. He was a proud member of the Maddox Destroyer Association and attended many reunions.

NATIONAL GRAVESITE LOCATOR

The location of the gravesites for veterans and their dependents in VA National Cemeteries, state veterans cemeteries and various other Department of Interior and military cemeteries can be found at the National Gravesite Locatorwebsite maintained by the VA. This site also contains a link to the American Battle Monuments Commission information on service members buried in overseas cemeteries. In addition, their are links to information on burial benefits.

LOOKING FOR SHIPMATES

Recognize the sailor on the right? He's Ed Walsh who served aboard Maddox from 1944 until 1946. Ed now lives in Florida and would like to hear from any old shipmates who might remember him. You can contact him at rparnham@pcsonet.com

We have a page for those of you looking for old shipmates, or for those relatives of shipmates who have passed on, but who would like to get some information from those of you who might have known them. Click on this link: Looking for Shipmates.

For a history of the three ships to bear the name, USS Maddox, click on History.

DD-622; Missing-in-Action status changed. 210 Officers and Enlisted Men declared Killed-in-Action. Read the findings and other related letters.

DD-622; Survivors and those Killed In Action

DD-731; Official Report of Damage; Killed and Wounded in Action

See the Maddox photo gallery:

Sinking of DD-622

Ship Photos

Action in the Pacific

More Action in the Pacific

People - Interesting Collection

Visit the Chaplain's Corner - March 10, 2007

This photo was sent to me by Scott Martin BT3, the webmaster for USS DeHaven (DD-727). It was taken by one of the DeHaven crew, Dave Anderson. Thanks a lot Dave, we really appreciate the fine photo.

These photos were sent to me by Dorman McGinty, who was a RM2 stationed at Cincpacflt in Hawaii.

Maddox and Moore (DD-747) were among a number of tin cans visiting Pearl Harbor in 1961, when Dorman took these pictures right outside his barracks. Incidently, when I was transferred off Maddox by motorwhale boat in the Gulf of Tonkin, I travelled 100 yards to my new assignment aboard USS Samuel N. Moore (DD-747)

This photo shows the Maddox preparing to go alongside.

Great photos - Thanks Dorman

ROSTER

Look up your shipmates. The lists carry information about our shipmates, both members of the Association, and those who are not, but that we have information about. If a shipmate is deceased, and their wife is a member of the Association, then I have included the name and addresses of the wife and have indicated that they are the member.

If this is your first visit to this page of all shipmates who have served on the DD-128, DD-622 and DD-731, please take the time to first carefully review your own listing. If your listing is incorrect, or your name does not appear in the list, please register. Please let me know what I can do to improve the lists or make them more useful for you.

There are likely errors in the attached lists of shipmates. Please review your listing carefully and submit any changes to me at: Shipmates Listing.

All Shipmates Listed Alphabetically

All Shipmates Listed Chronologically

Roster of Commanding Officers

Maddox Destroyer Association Bylaws

USS Maddox Association Officers and Board
Officers
President	Cliff Gillespie	2007
Vice President	Jim Slattery	2007
Secretary	Bob Wannamaker	Appointed
Treasurer	John Bayley	Appointed
Chaplin	Justin McMenamy	Appointed
Parlimentarian	Ron Stalsberg	Appointed
Historian	Roy Hyer	Appointed
Board of Directors
Ken Chestnut	2007
Ben Gold	2007
Hoot Gibson	2007
Dennis Stokhaug	2008
Albert Raines	2008
Pat Walsh	2008
Ed Pirie	2008
All Appointed Positions Below
Nominating Committee Chairman		Hoot Gibson
Reunion Committee Chairman		Ken Chestnut
Membership Committee Chairman		Cliff Gillespie
Web Master		Ben Gold
Newsletter Editor		Mary Raines

MADDOX MEMORIES

Here are links to web sites dealing with various aspect of USS MADDOX and destroyers.

History of the Little Beavers, DESRON 23

Tin Can Sailors

National Museum of the Pacific War

USS Maddox DD-731

USS Maddox, Naval Art - Note: As so many of you have pointed out, this is not USS Maddox, but a Fram destroyer. For the price, the artist should have gotten it correct.

Any question, comments or suggestions about this site, please e-mail Ben Gold

Maintained by: Ben Gold
Last updated: July 6, 2007