USS Pickens in spring of 1945. More than a month has passed since we left Okinawa and returned to the Saipan area. I remember very little about this period of idleness. The battle for Okinawa was still going on but we had no way to make a further contribution. Rumors began to circulate as to what our next action would be. One such rumor was that we were going to Australia, where supposedly women were abundant, attractive and willing.
Instead, we got orders along with other transports to go to Tulagi in the Solomon Islands, which included Guadalcanal, and was the area of a battle between the Allies, mostly Americans, and the Japanese in August 1942. A visit to Tulagi -- for what purpose I don't remember -- divided our crew into two groups -- those who had previously crossed the equator and claimed the title shellback, and those of us who had not, known as polywogs.
The shelbacks began meeting to plan an initiation for the polywogs. Some of the more aggressive polywogs struck at the shellbacks, interrupting their planning sessions. The boldest strike was flying the polywog flag on the highest mast. The admiral raised holy hell, ordering our captain, a polywog, to take down the flag immediately.
I still have memories of the initiation and will write about it later.
.
Instead, we got orders along with other transports to go to Tulagi in the Solomon Islands, which included Guadalcanal, and was the area of a battle between the Allies, mostly Americans, and the Japanese in August 1942. A visit to Tulagi -- for what purpose I don't remember -- divided our crew into two groups -- those who had previously crossed the equator and claimed the title shellback, and those of us who had not, known as polywogs.
The shelbacks began meeting to plan an initiation for the polywogs. Some of the more aggressive polywogs struck at the shellbacks, interrupting their planning sessions. The boldest strike was flying the polywog flag on the highest mast. The admiral raised holy hell, ordering our captain, a polywog, to take down the flag immediately.
I still have memories of the initiation and will write about it later.
.
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