CREW'S STORIES
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I WAS CAPTAIN FOLEYS GUARD
Billy Smith
1955 - 1956
Subject:
USS Bennington
Date:
Wed, 27 Jun 2001 14:36:28 -0500
From:
"billy smith" -bds@acsisp.com-
To:
-lonnie@lpwe.com-
I served on Bennington from 1955-1956.
I was in the US Marine corps. Boarded her in Mayport, Fla. Where I was stationed on MP duty.
We left and had the shellback initation then went around the horn and up to Cal. then left for 6 month in the Orient then back to the states and was later transfered.
I have been interested in finding out what happened to her.
Thank you
Billy Smith
BDS@ACSISP.com
I'm sorrowed that I did not go far enough on the web sight to find out what happened to the Bennington on my first visit.
I have several stories that I like to remember while I was aboard.
I was Capt. Foleys guard and I remember him as always in full dress and never not.
Everything was always by the book.
I remember that every memo that he recieved was filed in a notebook.
One time when we were having an inspection on board with several admirals aboard and I was assigned to one that had a deep and gruff voice.
While we were making a tour he was barking out orders and he had some young officers running around.
He turned to me and said that's the way to make them jump.
Later in the ward room while they were having a meeting, there were 7 marines outside.
We got the mess cook to bring us a pot of coffee and while we were drinking coffee and smoking they burst out and we were scrambling trying to get rid of our smokes and coffee.
A little later he told me that they had seen us drinking and smoking and he laughed about it.
Later after we had a change of command and Capt. Jones took command. Once we were having general quarters. I was walking behind him and he was smoking a cigar and an officier told me that the smoking lamp was out and I should tell the captain. I told him that this was his ship and I was not going to tell him not to smoke.
I have a lot of good memories of that cruise on Dec.9,1955 at 7:20 PM on the way to battle station Pfc. Edmund M Schaible fell over board and was lost.
While we were going thru the Korean Straight we were challegend by a Russian Sub and we had a standoff almost all night.
I would like to get any information about the other Marines that was aboard at that time.
There was a sailor, a native americam named Matosician, I'm not sure of the spelling, which I had become good friends with and would like to find out about him.
Thank you
Billy Smith
bds@acsisp.com
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