Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-02-09


these regulars didn't think they
have to be so hard-boiled"
Seaman Tommy sat up in his col
lapSibe bunk against the white bulkhead of the
battery room of the United States Nays sub
marine Y-27, swung his heels and stared mood
lily at Seaman Billy Graves the only other
occupant of the room.
They're all the time letting on how tough
they are" complained Tommy. my gosh, I'm
beginning to think that they believe this war
is going to be fought with fists instead of guns
and tOrpedoes. If mans good sailor, and
does his work, what difference does it make
whether he's rough and ready in any kind of
3 ee-fOr-au hght?"
Billy Graves shook his head
1T beats me-" persisted Tommy Look
Billy you and I enlisted together. We went
through the training station. just like all the
rest of them. and put up with the mean C. P.
O.'s there and learned about the Navy just the
same everybody else. But now that we're
here on this submarine-and overseas, in the
war zone at that-theSe old-time regulars look
down And why?
why because we're not hard-boiled. We
don't get into fight with the LineyS every
time go ashore, and we don't sit around
and blow about the rows we've been in before.
So these regulars think we're not real sailors"
THE compartment swayed slightly rising and
falling in a long, gentle roll as the Y-27,
anchored in the harbor of q British port on
the North Sea- swung to the ground SWELL
Tommy and Billy, fresh from the Middle
Western town in which they had enlisted in the
Navy in answer to the plea that the world
be made safe for democracy, looked almost out
of place in the severe Spartan battery room.
They were young. fresh, pink-cheeked soft
voiced-eSpecialy Tommy. .--
All of the other members of the crew were
old-timers: men who had been in the Navv
hGaTO hvnlN- ham
sailors who thought the American Navy the
only organization on earth to which q herman
could belong They wore on their sleeves the
red hash marks" that bespoke former enlist
ments, they jammed their nat hats over their
eyes at ralliSh, defiant angles they fought zest-
fully on the water front with the sailors of
every other nation they encountered, especially
the British and they feared nothing on the
earth the sea.
Tommy was repelled by all of this He was
glad to be in the war zone, but he did not
care Tor fiSticuffS. The other sailors knew IL
and treated him with . haH-affeetionate half
amused condescension. and Tommy, accustomed
to gentler circles and more cordial treatment
resented it,
He exploded at last: these regulars are
tough all right, but I'll bet that if we ever
get Ira really dangerous spot mean in the
war, not ashore in q mob hght-one OF us
duration -of-the-war men will be Just as GOOD
q man any regular"
He looked up to see a huge form blocking the
narrow door. Before him stood Chief EIectri-
clans Mate Mike Donlin, car of the engine
room and the toughest egg aboard Ship-some
said the toughest in the Navy. knife scar
received in some nameleSS Hongkong bar deco
rated one leathery cheek. His nose sagged and
had . list to port. having been broken times
without number by many forgotten fists His
enormous hands looked natural only when
clenched. Mike looked down at Tommy with
meditative and not unkindy grin
Listen, kid" he said IT want to tell YOU
something You got the Navy all wrong and
you'll never get anywhere until you get it right
You don't like the regulars because they're hard
guys All right That's okay. You're used
to something different, and I s'pose you're
bound to feel that way. But listen, kid Do
you know what it is, when guys hard?
1T means that he just don't care what hap
pens-about himself or anything else It means
that he amt afraid Of being hurt. An if we
ever get into tight pace-an' we will, some
day. because these bloody wagons always do
sooner or later-you'I find that's good thing
You'll flnd it's the hard guy that comes through
then. An why? Just because he is hard
because he don't get ratified and amt afraid
and don't give damn You'll see"
And the chief" turned and stalked of.
THE Y-27 was on patrol, looking over a seq
ment of the North Sea to make sure no
German war vessel, submersible or otherwise
should slip to the open ocean
It not a nice job-not any way YOU
looked at it. In the first place. Seagoing
submarine is about as uncomfortable an habi-
tation as ingenious mortals have yet devised
In the second place, there are a great MANY
little things that can go wrong on a submarine