My abbreviated adventure at sea comes to an end.
All good things must come to an end and I jumped into my ‘53 Mercury hardtop convertible with lowering blocks and glass pack mufflers and struck out for Norfolk. I made it as far as Gaulley Bridge, West Virginia before I dropped a piston. Gaulley Bridge is a small, scenic town which now has a population of 738 but back then it was not the greatest place to have car trouble. There was a mechanic in town but no auto parts store. Three days later the parts arrived by Greyhound Bus. A nice family put me up for a couple of nights. Now Gaulley Bridge has the dubious distinction of being listed on the internet as a speed trap city. So is my adopted home town of Lake Wales, Florida.
I knew I would not arrive at my new duty post on time so I called and was advised to leave my car and come on by any means available but under no circumstance go AWOL. I hadn’t even brought my seabag with me–just tossed my uniforms, etc., onto the back seat. I stayed with the car but was worried. You don’t keep a spot requiring a top secret clearance with a court martial on your record. The icebreaker had a helipad. I’d be back enroute to the south pole before you could say penguin poop because NATO didn’t have a brig.
I arrived two days late and presented my paperwork to the Marine guard at the main gate. He waved me through and advised me where to park. I was sweating bullets as I introduced myself to the Officer of the Day. Still no problem. He had a compartment cleaner show me to my barracks and I began to make myself temporarily at home. I was assigned a cubicle the next morning and began typing documents relating to nuclear submarines–original and eight copies–on a manual typewriter–no errors–no erasures. Whatever, do not allow French officers to view my work. Days passed…weeks…months. I quit worrying about being late and rented an apartment off base and began enjoying life. NATO was so overstaffed I only worked four days a week….nights and weekends off. It was there I met Willard Scott who convinced me to get a job in radio and my life’s career got underway.
On the day I was to be released from active duty I also became eligible for promotion to Yeoman First Class. I passed in favor of a Department Head position at the radio station and would soon receive an invitation to the Tenth Anniversary NATO Ball. I had to rent a tuxedo and did not know how to knot a bow tie. The fleet was out and most of the other apartment occupants were navy wives. One of them was gracious enough to tie it for me and I went to the ball and interviewed Queen Elizabeth II and the First Lord of the Admiralty Mountbatten. I was on my way. Then, I ended up here.
You met Queenie? 
What a great story!! I thoroughly enjoy reading these posts!!
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