USS Wyoming (E-AG 17)

February 12, 1947

0200 Zulu

Lieutenant Commander Jonas Grumby wasn't normally out and about during the mid-watch, but the ship was facing a fierce storm. Grumby was the First Lieutenant on the battleship-turned experimental craft, which essentially meant that he was in charge of everything that happened on deck. The watch officer was a green ensign straight from the Naval Academy. Like many new ensigns, he was simply pulling the two year sea duty requirement Annapolis has for its graduates before they into specialized training such as aviation or graduate work. This kid aspired to go to submarine school.

Jonas told the young officer as the ship was pitching and rolling in the storm, "Ensign, you won't see this in a sub."

The prospective submariner replied with a Georgia drawl, "With all due respect, Commander, that's all the more reason to go to Submarine School in Groton. Besides, I've weathered out my share of hurricanes in a peanut patch, no less."

Grumby laughed, then got serious, "I dunno about subs, Ensign. I've sunk more than a couple over the past few years. Submarines go down fast and not many men get off when they are sunk."

The Ensign looked thoughtful, then said, "Hopefully you haven't sunk any subs in the past year or so."

That earned another laugh from Grumby. The older officer thought, this kid may be all right, at least he has a sense of humor.

The winter storm was causing large swells, and the former battleship was taking a huge beating. The Wyoming was one of a few battleships turned into floating laboratories to test new electronics and gunnery advances developed after the war. There were two types of officers on the Wyoming: the new, technologically inclined, like the Ensign; and the old seaman who can keep an even older battleship afloat during a winter gale, like the Lieutenant Commander.

Just then a strong gust hit the antenna array recently installed during the re-outfitting of the ship at no small cost to the taxpayer. The array started bumping against the ship's super structure in the gale like some multi-million dollar wind chime.

The young deck officer was on his feet, "The array!" He cried.

"Ensign! Wait!" Grumby ordered.

The young man didn't hear his superior officer. He was climbing the super structure to save the newly issued government property. He had a hold of the array when another large gust came and caught the array. The antenna broke loose. Array, Ensign and all, plunged down towards certain doom. No human could last more than a few minutes in the cold winter Atlantic. Luckily, the antenna caught on the ship's railing before plunging in the water. The Ensign held on for dear life.

"Man overboard!" Grumby cried out, while attaching a line to himself. Grumby grabbed some boatswain's mates and hauled up the Ensign and the Array.

"You saved my life, Sir, I'll never forget this," the Ensign gasped.

Grumby bellowed, "I hope you'll never forget this you knucklehead! Never forget human life is more important than property!" A little more softly, the Lieutenant Commander added, "Now you can see why the Academy requires two years sea duty before submarine school. Ensigns are expected to make some mistakes, hopefully the type they can walk away from. Now lets get you down below, little buddy, and into some dry clothes."

Lieutenant Commander Jonas Grumby was awarded a commendation for saving the life of the Ensign and a very vital naval apparatus. Grumby went on to serve the Navy for another sixteen years, commanding several vessels of his own, retiring at the rank of Captain. After retirement, Grumby ran an ill-fated charter boat outfit.

The young Ensign was put in for a commendation by Grumby for attempting to save the array. The 1946 Naval Academy graduate did make it to sub school and was a Naval nuclear power pioneer. The Georgian went on to even bigger and better things after leaving the service.