2^nd   Anniversary
1948

 

 

Page 8

 

 

ABOUT OUR LEFT-OVER PLANKOWNER'S

 

 

Ago                 “Moose's" pet.

Alden             Wasted away to a mere 240 pounds.

Antosh           New York lover;    residence ‑ ‑ Rialto Dance Hall.

Bernacchi       Caught one time with his hands dirty.

Bobo               The best pie maker in the fleet.

Bridges          A good rib and the backbone of the second division.

Cannon          "I may not be the best, but I'm second to none."

Clark               At school becoming a technician.

Cole                Kauppi's left hand.    Sleepy.

Cummings    "Call me Tex, I've got my boots on."

Czernek         Greatest claim to fame; a nylon shaving brush.

Dumbaugh    In Love with a steering motor.

Favory            He of the square hat.

Hill                 What a pinochle player

Hodges          Totes a mean bucket of water.

Johnson          Greatest claim to fame: a bouncing baby girl.

Kauppi          Call him Smiles.

McDermott    He's tall, he's tired, he's been chasin'.

Paskin           The man with the unknown sleeping place.

Poorman        Moose Jr.

Ridge             "Boy, am I sun‑tanned."

Robinson       ''Have I shown you the latest picture of my kid?"

Snouffer         Can this man fry chicken!!!

Stanford         Gained 150 pounds without running over issue on his rations.

Veino             "If you're looking for me, I'll be in my bunk."

Watson           Our ex‑one eyed tailor.

West               “Oh where is my speaker gone?"

Whiteside      Too tall to punch tubes.

Wood             The range and bearing kid. Also specializes in assorted
                               volts, amps, and electons.

Wright            "Spit at ‘em, Willie."

 

Page 9

 

ATHLETICS OF THE HOLDER SINCE NOVEMBER ’47   The three main sports that draw the attention of the athletically inclined aboard the USS Holder are baseball, softball and basketball. In our first days in Key West, the baseball team took on other nines from the division and had a successful season.

 

On the softball side, a spirited inter‑divisional competition was held during late November and early December. Due to the lack of time before returning north and a very active operating schedule, a quick ladder type elimination was held. At the end only the Conquering Communicators of the C division stood undefeated and were proclaimed as Champions. In Newport where the sun was not quite as effective, attention was diverted indoors and basketball became the focal point of interest. In anticipation of the coming DesLant eliminations at Key West, daily workouts were held and games with nearby activities scheduled. After a slow start against the Wilson, the Hoopsters rolled on to an undefeated series of encounters with the New, Wilson and shore based facilities including ComDesLant’s staff from the Yosemite.

 

Returning south, a fast moving tournament was conducted to decide which ship would represent the southern DesLant units in the final elimination at Norfolk. Once again limited time and operating schedules curtailed practices greatly, but the showing made by the Holder's team was very creditable. After toppling the best that the New, Rich and Greenwood could offer, we took on the Sarsfield in the finals for the Key West Area. This proved to be a meeting of David and Goliath, as basketball was the Sarsfield's outstanding sport. The style of playing of the two teams was vastly different and the Holder was defeated by twenty points after a hard fought battle. After returning from New York, a softball team was formed which is at present the scourage of the local league. Undefeated in five starts against such worthy opponents as the New, Greenwood and OpDevSta team, it is looking forward to more conquests at New Orleans, Key West and Newport.

Page 10

 

THE DECK GANG ‑ ‑ AN EULOGY

 

Anytime you chance to see a bronzed, brawny Atlas strolling about the decks, chances are 100 to 1 that he's a member of the Fighting First or the Slugging Second deck divisions. For in these two groups of sailors you have the personnel responsible for seeing that the ship's appearance is kept in the best of shape required by tradition.

The far flung fame of the Fighting First is easily won by its outstanding ease and proficiency in doing the impossible right away and the miracles shortly thereafter. To them falls the task of seeing that the forward lines are secured or the anchor handles in the usual 4.0 manner whenever the ship hits port. In the line of maintenance you can credit the first division with the stellar appearance of the top sides forward of frame 101. At sea it seems as if the Fighting First's work is never done. Passing anybody and anything from sick mess cooks to full commanders to other ships, and standing by with the Navy's Rube Goldberg, the air‑sea rescue basket, to pick up any unfortunate zoomies who may drop into the drink, is all part of the days work. The men of the first thrive on all this and when Lord Barnwell hollers, "Git the slack out of three", you know that any tight rope walker would be proud to try his luck on it.

Second to none is the Slugging Second division, brothers in swabs to the first. These swarthy, solid lads roam thru the regions aft of frame 101 keeping it shipshape. Anytime you chug off to the beach in the ships boat, it's the work of the second that put the boat in the water, manned it and saw to it that the accomodation ladder was put over the side.

As a unit the deck force contributes to the ship's life in many other ways. At GQ their stations are in the main battery and the roaring forties, while during routine steaming they furnish the lifebuoys and lookout watches which are the eyes of the ship.

 

 

 

 

This information was taken from 2nd Anniversary Booklet published aboard ship listing "Holder Happenings, Athletics, Comments from Crew, Listing of Ship's Officers, and Members of the Crew."