Bobby Poe

DOB: 05/10/36
Service Dates: 7/28/54-9/20/75
Boats Served On:
USS Remora (SS-487)

A SEASONAL SEA STORY

Twas the night before the next night's shift-Much like the one that
preceded it. One shift after another,under the water,seems to blend together
in a never ending flow of Thoughts of Home, Loved Ones,Fast Cars and Women-
Punctuated with the constant stream of information in Real Time one has to
digest in order to do your job to keep the Old Boat running smoothly
insuring the safety of all aboard. Each man doing his small part of a much
greater whole. The Cold War marches on silently, just as the men of Remora
slipped silently through the Black-Cold Waters Ten Thousand Miles away from
Home.

This particular Patrol had us Underwater through Thanksgiving, Christmas,
and New Years. Oh' to be back home, by the Fire- With Family and Friends! A
drop of condensation dripping from the hull snaps me Back to Reality- Cold
penetrates the Thick Steel Hull. Cold Northern Hostile Waters....Wait! I'm
starting to pick up the distant cavitation of screws of the ever present
Enemy, far off in the distance. Sounds like a heavy cruiser.
Conn-Sonar...Contact Bearing 123 degrees,Closing-Degsignate Sierra 128-
"Conn I" crackles the speaker. Shift's almost over-0325Z. Be glad to hit the
Rack!

Can't Sleep**** Drift toward Tubes Forward. Most hands are fast asleep,
except for Robinson,rereading his Letter from Home for the 20th time.. I
glance to see the make-shift Christmas Tree fashioned from a bedsheet dyed
green over a frame of coathangers. Handmade ornaments adorn the
Tree....Crafty Lot those Sub Sailors! The Spirit's Alive and Well in this
Sewer Pipe we call Home."Lost in Thought Time Flies"...... I guess LT Ahern
didn't like my "Merry Christmas" penned in Red&Green ink in the Log Book-At
least that's what Walker, who I just Relieved, told me. Too Bad!! I still
have one more Holiday to go...The New Year...1968 I Believe! You tend to
Lose Track of Time Down Here- We go by Zulu Time- It reminds me of one of
those Tribes in Africa- Never could understand why we set our Clocks on
African Time?

Finally Time to Celebrate..."Damn the Torpedoes". We'll throw Caution to
the Wind...Put Hendrix on the UNC-7,Break out the Tape Timing Strobe Light,
and put a couple cans of "Gilly" to good use. Great Punch-Bug Juice+190
Proof PGA...Sonar is "Party Central"-New Years Eve. The Russians are quite
Tonite-Probably Drunk and in Port! Good for Us...People stop by for a
Snort-Drift down the Passageway-a Couple are Dancing. Right in the middle of
"Purple Haze" the door to Sonar Slams Open-It's XO Koster!!....We hold our
Breath...Jimi Blasts a Killer Guitar Riff out of the speakers!.....A Big
Smile crosses the XO"s Face..."Happy New Year Men". "Gone As Quickly As He
Apppeared".............All is Good in Our Little Corner of the World....For
the Time Being...Was That Zulu Time?...I Can't Recall!!!

God Bless & Seasons Greetings
Bobby Poe STS2(SS)(DV)