Slow down the water going to the boilers. We're hoping the water doesn't get into the steam lines causing a water hammer and knocking out the turbines. The ship is shaking from bow to stern. Its screws bite into the water to bring us to a stop before going into reverse. The glass water gauge shows Clear, No Water Level.
Bells start ringing again.
Here we go again. From Full Astern to Stop to Full Ahead. After spending 16 months at Munda, New Georgia, in the Solomon Islands, I requested and received destroyer duty. My orders were to report to the USS Grayson DD435 which was at Saipan Island, in the Marianas Islands. Shortly after I went aboard, we received orders to go to Okinawa where destroyers on picket duty were taking a pounding from Kamikaze s, flying from Japan.