U.S.S. YANCEY AKA-93

Ken Grooms's Navy

A story for the USS Yancey

The Anchor Pool

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During the Yancey's frequent trips to Japan there were always some events to look forward to.

One was the arrival for about a 2 day stay in Yokosuka and the other was the 3 day trip thru the Inland Sea to Sasebo. This left the opportunity for some speculation on when, the actual minute, we would drop anchor. Since there were many variables which determined this time it was something that was worth betting on. I have no idea of when this tradition started, but I would be willing to guess that it was about as old as sailing ships.
The event was called an anchor pool. It was usually monitored by some more sporting individuals. They would make up a sheet of paper with 60 squares penciled in. Under this sheet was an identical sheet of numbers randomly placed. On this last sheet, each square represented, numerically, the minute the anchor was dropped. Since this was recorded in the ship's log, the accuracy was not questioned - at least by younger shipmates. The top sheet of paper was used for shipmates to write their name in after their bet was placed. Each bet was $2 or $5 as I remember. The winner received most of the money or a prize except the originator was allowed/demanded his cut. The rules governing this event were well understood before chances were sold.

My friends and I decided we wanted to run a pool so we put up a radio as the winning prize. This wasn't just any radio, it was a "Helicrafter Transoceanic Radio", sought after by many men and a few beasts. The only snag we encountered was to sell a chance to our best friend and shipmate -Jerry Goforth. Everything was on the up and up, but when Jerry won we got a bit of grumbling and Jerry got his radio. No amount of explaining would help, we just had to let it go with time.

Ken Groom
Yancey Historian and former Anchor Pool co coordinator
8/25/2004

Submitted 2/10/07
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