At 0440, commonly referred to as "the butt crack of dawn," Princeton's crew was busy preparing to get underway for the day's activities. She had been assigned "exercise area FIVE southeast of Espiritu Santo Island" which was defined geographically as "south of Aoba Island, North of Malekula Island, between Espiritu Santo and Pentecost Islands."
Leaving Berth 18 and transiting the intensely active Segond Channel proved once again the importance of the New Hebrides in the overall scheme of America's effort in the Pacific Theater:
"Maneuvering on various courses standing out of anchorage, a slight rain reducing visibility to approximately 2500 yards. At 0552 USS CRAVEN got underway to stand out, this vessel stopping and backing full to give her the right of way...At 0625 passed mine sweep with sweep out abeam to port...
...At 0640 USS BLACK and USS KIDD joined to form Task Unit 36.2.3 and took screening stations 45˚ on either bow of this vessel, distance 2000 yards."
On the 20th we promised CQ and by God, CQ is what we're going to get...
"At 0805 plane VF-21, piloted by Ensign R. HILL, A-V(N), USNR, crashed into barrier on landing; plane damaged, no personnel casualties."
"At 0852 plane VF-12, piloted by Ensign W. E. PARKER, A-V(N), USNR, crashed into barrier on landing; plane damaged, no personnel casualties."
"At 1044 plane VF-17, piloted by Ensign A. W. HOWE, A-V(N), USNR, crashed into barrier; plane damaged, no personnel casualties.
As we discovered in the previous post, Carrier Qualifications could be exciting even with seasoned fleet aviators but by now it should be apparent that the potential for excitement with "nuggets", no matter how well-trained, was almost a given.
There is a Thermodynamic Law, to which I was first introduced in flight school, that applies broadly to life in general. It states:
When the heat is on someone else, it's not on you.
My advice to FNG's was the same sage advice I was given as a F***ing New Guy checking into a squadron: Keep your eyes and ears open, and your mouth shut. At least until you have savvied the lay of the land.
In matters that do not involve core principles, a corollary to the profound truth of the Thermodynamic Law is the admonition to avoid popping one's head above the ridge, because quite often there will be someone trying to shoot it off. Fortunately, or perhaps unfortunately, human nature hasn't changed in a couple thousand years, guaranteeing there will always be the 2% that are simply unable to avoid wandering cluelessly along the ridge line highlighting themselves. Which makes life much more pleasant for the 98%.
And to be honest, there are times when being part of the 2% can be pretty cool:
"At 1345 Ensign Forrest D. WILSON, A-V(N), USNR, made the FOUR THOUSANDTH landing aboard this vessel."
On my last cruise in 1999, our lucky counterpart to Ensign Wilson was the all-round Great American, superb squadron mate and generally "shit hot" guy Lieutenant Jim "Cruiser" Christie. I suspect he had no idea as he crossed the wake of USS Constellation and rolled into the groove that his would be the 10,000th trap of our deployment, and that cake awaited.
The man on the right in the photo above is then-Captain, now retired Rear Admiral, James "Jamie" Kelly, who took command of Connie in September and was largely responsible for making that 10,000th trap goal happen. I can't begin to describe how much admiration I have for Admiral Kelly, as a man and an officer one of the best people I have ever known.
For perspective Princeton's 4,000th arrested landing came 16 months after her commissioning.
Connie's 10,000 were accomplished in less than 6 months. We departed San Diego on 18 June, 1999 and Cruiser's trap took place on Pearl Harbor Day.
By the end of the day, Princeton had qualified 13 Hellcat and 8 Avenger pilots, including Ensigns HILL, PARKER and HOWE.
No word on whether Ensign WILSON was feted with cake.
The P was moored once again in Berth 18 by 1748 and was quickly descended upon by pontoon float hoses and fuel barge YO-20, which began pumping 70,000 gallons of fuel oil into her storage voids.
22 MAR 44
March 22nd's entire War Diary is only 5 sentences and provides what is essentially a postscript to the previous days' events:
"Moored as before. At 0725 USS OSTERHAUS got underway and stood out. At 0854 completed removal of two damaged F-6-F aircraft to lighter; tug cleared lighter from side. At 1430 USS ATASCOSA got underway and stood out. At 2300 returned five boats to Boat Pool."
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