A Chow-Time Discussion - A Day we had no
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I soon learned as a boot sailor in 1962, never to speak about certain subjects to old salts and dedicated Sailors. One such time happened during our WestPac Cruise to the waters off the coast of Vietnam, Korea and the South China Sea, October, 1963....
It was a typical morning where we were all busy with the morning tasks of keeping the Captain's Office working smoothly. Tasks like doing the Officer's Daily Diary, typing out TAD orders for officers; typing Officer Fitness Reports, correspondence and sorting out the incoming mail and so forth.
This was probably the 5th month of the 7 months cruise when I made the mistake of typing out a long list of things I liked and didn't like about Navy life. The list was formatted with two columns. On one side I put all the positive things about life in the Navy, and reasons to reenlist.. an on the other side, things that I didn't like about the life and the list was long.. I can't remember anymore what all I put on that side of the column, but one word stuck heavily in my memory these 34* years since I left the Afterbrow for the last time in March of 1964... the words LACK OF PRIVACY.
Now being young and dumb, I had no idea what kind of stir such a paper would cause, as anyone who has served in the military knows, there are no such things as trivial things in the service.. but I wasn't quite ready for what was to ensue after I put the paper in our Chief's In-basket. Now this Chief was a Master Chief Petty Office - these guys run the U.S. Navy and often have more clout than a line officer. Some are pretty scary; others are like lambs; but there is no mistake as to who runs the show. I have a great amount of respect for the Navy Chiefs, and Master Chief Dewey Alexander was on the top of my list. I would no more disrespect him than I would my own dad - that's just how it was - at least by me.
His name was Dewey L. Alexander. A lifer,Yeoman Master Chief Petty Officer, a great man, and great friend; but on this one particular morning, he either didn't sleep well, or my comments just hit a sensitive nerve with him. He was, after all, Black Shoe from bilge to mast head!
Chief Alexander went over each and every negative comment on that list, but when he got to the words, "Lack of Privacy" you would think he was standing and reciting his Phd dissertation. "What in the hell does a sailor need privacy for?" I suppose his querie was correct. What does a sailor need privacy for? But to me, it was very important; important enough to cause me to sneak away and find a far aft berthing compartment, designated for POs above aft steerage, below the fantail, where I had no right to be... but noisy as that place was, it was, after all, very private!
It would be hard for me to relate the passion that Chief Alexander had about his life as a Sailor, but he had spent his entire adult life in the Navy. I just had no idea that he was as adamant about such a little subject as was 'privacy'. It may have been 'little' to me, but it certainly wasn't to him. Nor was I aware of how much he loved the Navy until I put that paper in his in-box that morning. Looking back now, I can understand that love, and wish now, I had listened to him more.
Chief Alexander gave his life because he loved the Navy and his fellow shipmates. On October 26, 1966, while in Oriskany (CVA-34), he was killed while fighting to save his ship and those he served with from the terrible fires that broke out on that day. He was a true Sailor, and one I will never forget. His face and his passion for duty made an everlasting impression on my mind, that I will carry with me to the end of my days.. so when anyone ever talks about "Privacy" in any fashion, my mind sweeps back many years to that day, in the Captain's Office, aboard the USS Hancock, when I, a young sailor, put a piece of paper in my Chief's in-basket.
On February 24, 2008, I received an Email sent to this Website from his daughter Karen Lee Alexander - I had been hoping for many years to have a member of his family come forward and let me know their thoughts about this Website and the Dedication I made in Master Chief Dewey Alexander's honor. You can only imagine slightly my reaction to hearing from Karen. Her words are below:
Name: Karen Lee Alexander, Daughter of Dewey Lee Alexander
24 February 2008
"Dear Jake, My daughter Renee found your website a few years ago; I myself do not use a computer without assistance, hence my delay in correspondence. Speaking for my family, I wish to Thank-you deeply for the tribute that you have created for my Father. We were deeply moved by it, and proud to see your testimony. Although we have not been to the Wall yet; we have been to the traveling Wall twice. We also each have a copy of the book "FIRE On The Hangar Deck, Ordeal of the Oriskany". In the course of life, I have met many Men who have served on the Oriskany; but never met anyone who knew my Dad.Once again, I Thank you with all my heart and Bless you."
Karen Lee Alexander
*Added 3/15/1998 - the years noted above is indexed at 1998
Page Updated 2/24/08
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