Troopship

This is a special posting featuring a first-hand account of life on a World War II troopship written by my late father. It appeared in Now and Then (Vol. 39, No. 4, Wednesday January 30, 1946), a student publication from Saint Paul Academy. My dad taught and coached at this preparatory school in Saint Paul, Minnesota -- now known as Saint Paul Academy and Summit School -- from 1945 through 1949. I present this story in honor of the incredible sacrifices our veterans have made fighting wars for our country. --Eric


Mr. Olson

(Mr. Olson has recently completed three years of service in the army. The following story is a description of his voyage from the U. S. to England before D-Day.—Ed.)

TROOPSHIP
``When your surname is called, answer with your given name and initial. Pass quickly up the gangplank!'', someone barked in the maze of olive drab.

The tide was rapidly coming in and the liner was rising above the pier, making the gangplank a miniature problem in mountain climbing. A wool uniform and boots did not help one to forget that it was August. Here is a partial inventory of the items with which I was to ``pass quickly'', as the announcer so blithely informed us, up that incline: one caliber 45 sub-machine gun, seventeen thirty-round clips for same, field pack complete with entrenching tools, gas-mask, and steel helmet, all draped around the neck and each in a competition to close the normal channels of air. Perched above all, one balanced his duffel bag containing extra uniforms, gas-resistant clothing, more boots and an array of personal effects.

``Is this trip necessary?'' quirked a voice. We made the grade.

Nine thousand men in some nine hundred feet of ship (sardines and neutrons enjoy a tremendous freedom) present many interesting problems. There is, for example, the matter of food. Your card reads, ``Sitting No. 7, Line No. 2''. So, one having inclinations for breakfast, without further dispatch seeks ``Line 2''. It winds from the bow of the ship to the stern, through passageways, down gangways, and around bulkheads. Finally, one finds an emaciated individual who admits that he represents the end of ``Line No. 2''. Your joy is short-lived, however, for he hastens to add that he also comes in the category of ``Sitting No. 1'', You mentally survey the situation and wonder if it’s possible to have six more sittings of breakfast tucked away in the galley. It tried our patience--but we ate.

Recreational facilities were of necessity limited and most of us had degenerated, during the long period of training, into the habit of depending on others for entertainment. Here was a challenge to that rarely practiced faculty of entertaining oneself. Learning the secrets of the ship, the converted luxury liner, America, provided great interest. The radar detector apparatus, the turbines, the signal system, the sea doors, and a host of others were available to the observer. During clear weather one could worm his way among the discussion groups on the main deck and discover anything from the best recipe for ``corn pone'' to a fool-proof solution for all the world’s ills.

We were not in convoy. The ship's speed (twenty-three knots) and constant change of course were her primary protection. Certain disciplines had to be strictly observed. At dusk, when the amplifier announced, ``The smoking lamp is out,'' the ship was in total darkness but for cat's-eyes of light marking the inner passageways and lights in essential areas such as the galleys and engine rooms.

Until one became familiar with the ship, it was judicious to carry blankets and sleep on deck if he expected to remain there after dark--or perhaps spend the night groping in the bowels of the ship for his lodging on ``B-Deck, Compartment 5, Bunk 65''.

Casting objects overboard was a serious offense. Unrestricted disposal of refuse by the men, each article in itself being of little significance, when multiplied by nine thousand would publish on the face of the ocean the size of the ship, its course, and type of cargo.

These random sketches are no attempt to summarize the character of all troopships. They are not a detailed account of the ship in question. Perhaps, they will help you add meaning to the laconic news item: ``U. S. S. West Point arrived at Liverpool with nine thousand troops''.