The Inebriated Shore Patrolman
Early on during the Korean War, USS Whitehurst
DE-634 was sent to Pusan South Korea to provide Electric Power to the
city. The ship tied up dockside and large cables were attached
to the Pusan Power Grid. The ship's generators provided the
necessary kilowatts.
One night, sometime during
this service, the city
of Pusan threw a dance for the members of the Whitehurst. I was
assigned as the Shore Patrol Officer along with 4 enlisted men. The
dance was in full swing, when one of my SP's, a Gunners Mate named
Lynch, got into the liquor and got drunk as a skunk. I told two of the
others SP's to load him into the jeep and take him back to the ship
making sure the Officer of the Deck didn't see what was going on.
They got him back to the fantail, out of view of the Quarterdeck
Watch, and with the help of his shipmates on board were able to get
him to his sleeping quarters without being seem by the OD.
Nothing was ever heard after that incident, so I guess I got away with
it. Webmaster's note: Bill Lambdin was a
mustang. He served as an enlisted man on PT Boats in WWII, later went
to Officer's School for commissioning as an Ensign, and was ordered
to Whitehurst when she was re-activated. It seems only natural
that he found ways to give his men a break when he could.
mc
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Bill Lambdin, 1951
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