On shore patrol in Panama

The USS Pickens was on its last voyage traveling down the Pacific coast to go through the Panama Canal and then on up the Atlantic coast to Norfolk.

We entered  at Balboa and   traveled though the canal to anchor at Colon.  We had a few days liberty there, at Panama City and Balboa. I looked forward to going ashore, but I never expected it would be as a   temporary shore patrol.

My task, as I saw it, was to keep sailors out of trouble.  I became acquainted with a member of the Panama police, even learning a few Spanish words.  Near midnight three US Navy men had a drink in a bar.  They ignored three women who sat near them and ordered drinks.  As the sailors got up to leave they were presented a large bill for expensive drinks for the women.  The sailors refused to pay and in a few minutes the police and the shore patrol arrived, threatening to jail the men if they didn't pay,  I agreed with the men that they were being robbed but  urged them to pay  rather than be locked up and miss their ship.