(Continued from DOLPHINS, page 6)

Dolphins were serious juju… Bigtime 'Get out of jail free' cards.
In 1962, I was sent to the reassignment section at the NOB (Naval Operating Base) receiving station after they cut my appendix out. The next morning I reported to the assigned muster location outside the main entrance of J-50. I had been told that the Chief who assigned the daily 'in transit' work details was a first-rate hard ass… A kind of shore duty volcanic maniac. I also knew that Chief Petty Officers were allowed to kill up to three E-3s a month and sell their hides to itinerate nomads who lived in the paint lockers of rusty merchant ships.
When we formed up, his majesty appeared. He looked the part… Built like a Sherman tank. He had fists that could have squeezed ink out of a bowling ball.
"Listen up… Gahdammit, knock off the grab ass and listen up! My name is (whatever in the hell his name was)… I'm a gahdam Gunners Mate and I don't have the time or inclination to put up with wiseass remarks or idiot jerks who try to get past the system rules. You don't want to screw with me, because I will take you apart like a cheap watch. AM I UNDERSTOOD?"
"Aye, Chief."
"Hey you… YOU! Yeah, you the torpedoman striker… You stand fast after the rest of these clowns march off to rake leaves."
He issued rakes and assignments and marched them off. Then he looked at me and I noticed he was qualified.
"You trying to get back to your boat?"
"Damn straight, Chief."
"I'll square it away… Now get lost. Do whatever in the hell you want to but don't commit a major crime or get loaded before 1630."
Dolphins are some powerful things… At least they used to be. Every prostitute knew that they meant $125.00 a month and S&FD (sea and foreign duty) pay and that worked a little magic. Green boots asked you a million questions… Old subvets bought you drinks… And other members of the fraternity throughout the naval establish

(Continued on DOLPHINS page 7)

(Continued from CHARLESTON, page 2)

Fort Sumter National Monument:  This includes the various forts guarding the entrance to Charleston Harbor, including Fort Moultrie on Sullivan's Island (reportedly the departure point of CSS Hunley's last voyage), Moores Creek National Battlefield and Charles Pickney National Historic Site. 

The CSS Hunley is located at the former Charleston Naval Shipyard and tour arrangements can be made.

South Carolina State Parks  Fishing and Golf opportunities are abundant. Campgrounds are available.

For Military Retirees, MAC service is available at Charleston Air Force Base (home of 437th and 315 Airlift Wings)  Charleston Air Force Base is located 10 miles northwest of the city of Charleston, just off Interstate 26 and adjacent to the commercial Charleston City Airport.

The Citadel Military Academy.  Citadel parades are

(Continued on page 8)

(Continued from OCTOBER FURY; page 3)

Confused by the change of orders and with no other information coming from Moscow the Foxtrot captains are desperate to figure out what is happening.

For a while the Foxtrots evade U.S. forces and their special contingent of "Signal Intelligence riders", in direct violation of orders from Moscow, monitor U.S. commercial radio stations and discover that a U.S.-Soviet military confrontation is shaping up, but they cannot tell from SIGINT whether the U.S. Navy will actually attack them if they are detected. 

Fortunately the Foxtrots' operational commander in Moscow disobeys orders and on October 25 forwards to his submarines a message from the U.S. State Department that says Americans "are going to drop explosive signals (i.e., grenades) to force (the Soviet submarines) to surface and be identified, (and they should take) a safety course of due east to acknowledge understanding" and to avoid being attacked.

Although the Foxtrots know the Americans have promised to allow them to withdraw unharmed when

(Continued OCTOBER FURY on page 8)