Me and the Billy Mitch

I went aboard the Mitchell in 1954. Not sure of the month, but I think in the late summer or Fall of '54. We
arrived in Seattle in a Nash Ambassador, how it made it from San Diego is a miracle. I reported aboard her,
for some reason, around 9 or 10 in the evening. I remember my first impression was how large she was. (622'
7") I remember I felt relieved, "as big as she is, we'll always have smooth sailing."

Wrong, as soon as she left the dock you could feel the swells. The ocean is BIG .. in comparison, the ship was
small.

I was first assigned as a Chaplains Assistant. Let me go back a little. My previous duty had been in San Diego,
at the Receiving Station, in the Discipline Office. I did a 30 day TAD, Shore Patrol, Tijuana Border. One day,
I was asked (? - told) to participate in the purchase of pornographic material at a small news stand in Tijuana. I
got marked money from the Chief of Police in Tijuana. I went in, made my purchase, left, and the police
arrested the owner.

A day or so later, apparently, they realized that it was a rather large operation, and that it would be better if I
did not appear in court. So, I got a late night transfer to the Mitchell. The Mitchell was shipping out the next
day, and they did not need me aboard ship. That is why I became the Chaplains Assistant. Ship's Company had
no openings.

After some transfers, I worked in the Personnel Office, and was the Ships Dairy Yeoman. That was a lot of
fun. The last thing to leave the ship, had to be accurate, troop count, Ship's Company count, etc., neatly done,
wrapped and ready for the Pilot, or whoever, to see that it got mailed. I generally handed it to the Pilot as he
left the ship. On some occasions, I would throw it to someone on the dock, who knew to mail it. Had a few
close calls. Always a lot of last minute transfers, some no-shows, troop miscounts, etc. It generally got a little
nerve racking. "Dairy Yeoman to the QUARTERDECK." I knew I was in trouble. The ship DID NOT sail if
the Dairy was not ashore, and that always upset the "old man."

My first was Captain R. J. West,