Ship Ahoy


Our Scoutmaster had arranged for the troop to go down to San Diego and visit an aircraft carrier. The carrier was called the USS Boxer. It was named after a ship captured from the British in the war of 1812. There had been five other ships with that name prior to the aircraft carrier being commissioned with that name.
Carl James Stubbs and Rose Carolyn Stubbs, 1957
When it came time for us to go, the Scoutmaster was not available to take us. Bert Whitney, now Bishop Bert Whitney was no longer the Scoutmaster. I’m not sure who it was; I think maybe Bro. Rowley. The young men from the troop who were able to go were the following: Rulon Gibson, Harvey Boyce, and I. We were feeling bad about missing the chance to go on board an aircraft carrier. As the time drew near, my mother Rose Carolyn Stubbs, went to Skippy Barnson, a car dealer, and borrowed a car. With Mom as our driver, we were off to San Diego for a rendezvous with the Wasp class warship. It was quite exciting to even think about going.
We arrived early in the morning after traveling part of the night, and dressed in our best Scout uniforms, we went abord the mighty USS Boxer. There was a couple of sailors assigned to give us a tour of the ship and probably to keep track of us. Even though the ship was quite large to my thinking, the hallways were very narrow. There was one time that we were walking down one of the hallways, and there was a sudden loud commanding voice yelling to clear the way. We were not sure what was going on, but the sailors assigned to us corralled us just off to the side as three marines and three sailors went by marching in step. The three sailors were in cuffs and had one marine at the front yelling to clear the way then the three sailors and then two more marines. The marines were all armed and taking the sailors somewhere. After they were gone one of the sailors with us said that they were either going to the brig, or coming from the brig to a court martial.

It was the first time that I had heard that the marines were the ones who were in charge of the movement of sailors on the ship who were in trouble. Evidently, even though there were two different branches of the military, the marines were the like the police on board the vessel. 
We then came to one of the most interesting parts of the ship, it was the mess. Because we were visitors we were allowed to eat at the officer’s mess. To explain, the mess is where food is prepared to eat and serve. The mess halls were open twenty-four hours a day. You could go in and eat anytime or as many times as you wanted. We all ate even the sailors who had their own mess, but not as nice as the officer’s mess. They had for breakfast: sausage, bacon, eggs, hash browns, all kinds of drinks and as many ice cream sandwiches as you could eat. I couldn’t figure out how to get them home with us when we were leaving.
USS Boxer
There were monstrous elevators that could move the jets up to the runway where the jets could take off and land. There were several layers of jets, and equipment always being ready when needed. Our being able to see the number of planes that this one aircraft carrier could launch was a marvel to see. We were able to go up on deck and see the runways and the equipment to help launch and then to land the planes on that deck was impressive.
We were told that there were over a thousand sailors on the carrier. I thought to myself is that counting the three that were headed to the brig or court martial?  It was one of the smaller aircraft carriers, but it was plenty big enough for me. After seeing all of the defensive machine guns and small cannon on the ship I figured it was safe.
It was then time to leave and head back off the ship. The two sailors who were accompanying us asked us if we would like to go to the officer’s mess one more time before leaving the ship. Well, of course we did, and so did they, so we head back to the mess. We had hamburgers, fries, and milk shakes, and of course more ice cream sandwiches.

After getting off the ship and finding Mom, we were ready to head back home. She had been waiting all this time for us with nowhere exciting to go. On the way back, since she had been up since we had left for San Diego, she pulled off the road for a little rest. We were told to get out of the car and go for a walk. We walked up the road to a place where there was a fence around a pasture. We went through the fence and were walking around the field when the lights to a home close to the pasture came on, and a man came out and started shooting. We all thought that he was shooting at us, so we took off as fast as we could. He was shooting and wanted us off the property, but I’m pretty sure now that he just wanted to scare four kids off his land. We piled back into the car, and Mom started the car, and we headed home, falling asleep while Mom drove the rest of the way home. She must have stayed awake because we ended up back in Boulder City. I don’t think I ever appreciated my mother as I should have, so if you have a mom, be kind.When it came time for us to go, the Scoutmaster was not available to take us. Bert Whitney, now Bishop Bert Whitney was no longer the Scoutmaster. I’m not sure who it was; I think maybe Bro. Rowley. The young men from the troop who were able to go were the following: Rulon Gibson, Harvey Boyce, and I. We were feeling bad about missing the chance to go on board an aircraft carrier. As the time drew near, my mother Rose Carolyn Stubbs, went to Skippy Barnson, a car dealer, and borrowed a car. With Mom as our driver, we were off to San Diego for a rendezvous with the Wasp class warship. It was quite exciting to even think about going.
We arrived early in the morning after traveling part of the night, and dressed in our best Scout uniforms, we went abord the mighty USS Boxer. There was a couple of sailors assigned to give us a tour of the ship and probably to keep track of us. Even though the ship was quite large to my thinking, the hallways were very narrow. There was one time that we were walking down one of the hallways, and there was a sudden loud commanding voice yelling to clear the way. We were not sure what was going on, but the sailors assigned to us corralled us just off to the side as three marines and three sailors went by marching in step. The three sailors were in cuffs and had one marine at the front yelling to clear the way then the three sailors and then two more marines. The marines were all armed and taking the sailors somewhere. After they were gone one of the sailors with us said that they were either going to the brig, or coming from the brig to a court martial. Evidentially they had broken the law or some rules that the Navy had.
It was the first time that I had heard that the marines were the ones who were in charge of the movement of sailors on the ship who were in trouble. Evidently, even though there were two different branches of the military, the marines were the like the police on board the vessel.
We then came to one of the most interesting parts of the ship, it was the mess. Because we were visitors we were allowed to eat at the officer’s mess. To explain, the mess is where food is prepared to eat and serve. The mess halls were open twenty-four hours a day. You could go in and eat anytime or as many times as you wanted. We all ate even the sailors who had their own mess, but not as nice as the officer’s mess. They had for breakfast: sausage, bacon, eggs, hash browns, all kinds of drinks and as many ice cream sandwiches as you could eat. I couldn’t figure out how to get them home with us when we were leaving.
There were monstrous elevators that could move the jets up to the runway where the jets could take off and land. There were several layers of jets, and equipment always being ready when needed. Our being able to see the number of planes that this one aircraft carrier could launch was a marvel to see. We were able to go up on deck and see the runways and the equipment to help launch and then to land the planes on that deck was impressive.
We were told that there were over a thousand sailors on the carrier. I thought to myself is that counting the three that were headed to the brig or court martial?  It was one of the smaller aircraft carriers, but it was plenty big enough for me. After seeing all of the defensive machine guns and small cannon on the ship I figured it was safe.
It was then time to leave and head back off the ship. The two sailors who were accompanying us asked us if we would like to go to the officer’s mess one more time before leaving the ship. Well, of course we did, and so did they, so we head back to the mess. We had hamburgers, fries, and milk shakes, and of course more ice cream sandwiches.
After getting off the ship and finding Mom, we were ready to head back home. She had been waiting all this time for us with nowhere exciting to go. On the way back, since she had been up since we had left for San Diego, she pulled off the road for a little rest. We were told to get out of the car and go for a walk. We walked up the road to a place where there was a fence around a pasture. We went through the fence and were walking around the field when the lights to a home close to the pasture came on, and a man came out and started shooting. We all thought that he was shooting at us, so we took off as fast as we could. He was shooting and wanted us off the property, but I’m pretty sure now that he just wanted to scare four kids off his land. We piled back into the car, and Mom started the car, and we headed home, falling asleep while Mom drove the rest of the way home. She must have stayed awake because we ended up back in Boulder City. I don’t think I ever appreciated my mother as I should have, so if you have a mom, be kind.

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