Show Ex Yachi Ex-Yachi Y acht Now Guards Shipping By TO TOM I WOLF NEA Service Correspondent ABOARD A U. U S S. S NAVY ESCORT ESCORT ESCORT ES ES- CORT VESSEL Sept 19 Delayed Delayed De De- DeI I When they drew the plans for this ship they never thought shed she'd wind up as a naval escort for merchant convoys convoys convoys con con- voys along the eastern sea frontier She was built as a yacht for pleasure cruising in summer and placid southern waters in win win win- ter Only her lines are yacht- yacht like now as she rides gently at anchor off an east coast port ready to join th the vessels that today will guard a northbound northbound northbound north north- bound convoy She's painted war gray from her decks a small arsenal of guns pokes warning fingers the predawn sky the d depth depth- charge racks on her fantail are stuffed with ash cans Days Day's Run Studied In her once-luxurious once cabin now the wardroom the for the handful handful handful hand hand- ful of young reserve officers who fight her her skipper is studying the briefing of today's run Its It's still hours before the dawn All is quiet save for the monotonous rhythmic breathing breathing breathing breath breath- ing of the silent never-silent blowers that force fresh air into the ships ship's innards The rhe he captain checks the zigzag zig zag course of the channel through the anchorages anchorage's protecting protecting protecting pro pro- mine fields Mine sweepers sweep sweep- ers ens have already brushed this channel scouring it for possible drifter mines mines The skipper a reserve lieutenant lieutenant lieuten lieuten- ant whose youthful face belies his years of prewar yachting experience studies the l latest test intelligence intelligence intelligence in in- reports A submarine was reported yesterday in the area well we'll patrol today He nods grimly Last winter a submarine submarine submarine rine surfaced and shot his tiny helpless patrol ship right out from under him He Hes He's s waiting to settle this personal score Today Today Today To To- day Well We'll soon know The skipper climbs to the bridge Engines snap to life and we start slowly for the The merchant ships burst out of the gray mists like a movie fade in fade diaphanous diaphanous and ghostlike ghostlike ghostlike ghost ghost- like at first they suddenly materialize ma ma- They take on a multitude multitude multitude multi multi- tude of shapes shapes' sleek new U. U S. S L LIb Liberty I b e r t y ships sturdy old freighters veteran merchant merchant- men Blimp Protects Route The escort vessels in addition to U. U S. S navy craft include sea- sea scarred British trawlers and tiny U U. S. S coast guard vessels which fan out to become specks bobbing bobbing bobbing bob bob- bing on the horizon Blinker lights on ship a and a d shore bark sudden silent challenges challenges challenges chal chal- lenges as the ships steam single single sin single sin sin- gle file through the n a narrow a r r row o w channel Our blinker flickers a reassuring code reply Outside the ch channel the merchant merchant mer men chant ships start falling into convoy ranks The superchargers ers era on our Diesel engines whine like peanut whistles as we charge up and down the convoys convoy's convoys convoy's convoys convoy's con con- voys voy's forming ranks like a sheep sheepdog sheepdog sheepdog dog nipping at the heels of strays Then with all ships in position pos pos- tion lion we take our ur place well place well forward on the convoys convoy's seaward seaward seaward sea sea- ward flank Ping ping ping Our 1 listening i s t e n I n g gear searches the sea ahead abeam and astern With dawn a blimp floats out of the west All day long shell she'll hover overhead crossing criss-crossing back and forth over the ships and out to sea beyond them Every few minutes land-based land planes dart out to help her her her- navy bombers wheeling over the convoy and then peeling off to box the compass around it army bombers flashing along the crests of the sea small civil air patrol planes taking their turns with the service vet vet- erans The morning stretches monotonously monotonously toward noon Tension in increases increases increases in- in creases as the convoy nears a aspot aspot aspot spot the crew has nicknamed Torpedo Junction Masts of ot submerged merchantmen sticking sticking stick stick- ing log above the waves tell you why Ping ping ping The sound gears gear's rhythm continues The monotony returns heightened heightened height height- ened by the incessant wheezing of the blowers Others Have Luck Early in the the radio radio radio ra ra- ra- ra dio room reports hearing that a a. contact has been made along alonga a 8 different convoy route On the bridge the oung ensign on onS S watch interrupts a story of a sailing race on Lake Erie to curse our luck Why do the theother theother theother other guys always have to spot the subs subs' It isn't always the other guys guys This crew saw action only a few days ago ago Y You 0 u ought to see the geysers those depth charges throw up They shook us around plenty penty too And what a mess of fish we killed Every time W we dropped an ash can we blew up another catch of fish The sub We didn't see oil Afternoon slides into evening Still no contacts A radioman tells about hearing a convoy- convoy submarine fight one night It was just like hearing a football game only you never heard the final score The sea is kicking up now and the barometer promises a storm Clouds distort the setting sun pressing its sides into an an oval A jagged streak of brilliance rims the horizon silhouetting the convoy into a U-boat U captains captain's captains captain's cap cap- tain's thins dream As night blacks out the ships we move closer to the convoy Its It's pitch black on deck save for a tiny binnacle light in the wheel house and phosphorescent cent buttons marking speeds on the engine room telegraph The wind is ruffing up the sea now and no one has to remind you that this ship was built as asa asa asa a water smooth-water yacht The watch breaks out oilskins The skipper orders the wardroom furniture lashed secure The ship heaves off the crests shudders shudders shudders ders as she crashes into the troughs Waves wash angrily over the wheel house Except for the nearest ship the convoy is lost from sight Submarines would find tough shooting in this storm but vigilance only increases Several tense hours pass before a speck of light on the horizon signals the channel entrance to harbor Watch Cold Tired As the merchantmen break ranks to take a single file through the swept channel their running lights flash on We hover at the channel entrance checking oft off our charges As we turn in the lee of land cuts off the gale The skippers skipper's face is his eyes blood blood- shot An ensign cold and tired comes off watch and smiles Hell of a way to make a living isn't it if Blinker challenges and replies cut the nights night's blackness The wind is letting letting- up and a moon forces its way through the storm clouds casting a large yellow slick across the sea The trips trip's over Engines stop From deck a a. boatswains boatswain's mate calls to the bridge Secure sir Another merchant convoy has made its run in safety |