"Seaman First Class Roy E. Lowe lay up to the quarterdeck on the double." When that came over the public address systems I was in the chow line early so that I could relieve the radarman who was on watch from 4 to 8 To say that I was startled, shocked, even a bit terrified, is an understatement. I could not imagine why I was being ordered to report.
We had commissioned the USS Pickens a few days ago but all crew members had duties to perform to get the ship ready for its shakedown cruise. We radarmen, in addition to other work, mounted a 24-hour armed guard on the radar shack while the highly secret equipment was being installed. Armed with a 45-caliber pistol strapped to the waist, we were instructed to "draw the gun only if you are going to shoot and shoot only to kill." I had read the watch list and knew that my next watch was from 8 to 12, thus me being in the early chow line.
As ordered I laid up to the quarterdeck where the officer of the deck laid into me for failing to be on watch from 4 to 8. He didn't give me an opportunity to explain, instead blasting me with profanity. While he cursed me the captain arrived and waited for the appropriate ceremony to welcome him on board. I tried to call attention, but the officer was enjoying cursing me out too much and missed the captain's arrival. The captain gave up waiting to be recognized and disgustingly came on board. The officer blamed me and started another round of profanity, saying I should be "hung from the yard arm."
I was crying by this time and just walked away and reported to the radar shack. When I buckled on the gun I started back down the ladder and said '"I'm going to kill that ****. The other radarman laughed and said he isn't worth it. I've often wondered if I was capable of killing someone if I felt unjustly treated like I was then.
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