My Trip to Bremerton to Join the USS Pickens

I posted earlier about receiving orders to join the crew of the Pickens.  I don't remember details but remember I was at the San Pedro Naval Station, could not get in the chow line at lunch time and made a lunch of fig newtons and ice cream.  I don't know where I caught the train for Seattle but was annoyed that I was in charge of another seaman named Walsh, who had been in the navy four years but was still a seaman first class. We had a layover in some city and he took off to see some girl.  I stayed in the train and worried that he might not make it back in time and I would be held responsible.  He made it back as the train was preparing to leave.  We got to Seattle and then had a ferry ride of about 90 minutes to Bremerton.  Walsh had two ID's but claimed he had lost his on the  way and applied for another.  I was no longer responsible for him and I reported in, and found they were wondering where the other radarman was.  The barracks was too nice to be called a barracks. The building included not only sleeping quarters but a cafeteria and recreation room, including library.  Some of the crew members were earning extra money working as lumberjacks.  I was there only a few days before the crew boarded a train for Astoria, Or.  That's how close I came to missing joining the Pickens.