Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1943-12-05

There began our challenge to Axis
authority, or what remained of it, over
Mare NoStrum"
Channel Fever.
Barrage balloons were hoisted by
ships which had them. Appetites
Stacked of and cases of channel fever"
became commonplace as We neared Sar-
DINA. Channel fever is an unaccount-
able tendency to pace the floor at night
and wish the next day would dawn
The hottest place for us. We sup
posed, would be off Cap Bon and below
Sicily. Allied planes were seen going
from Africa to Sicily and Naples. But
there was no enemy plane sighted over
our own big sea- going target.
l arose early to see Cap Bon and
went back to bed, from which I was
jolted by an explosion followed by the
signal to go to abandon-ship stations.
Several lines censored here)
Rumbles Of gunf1re could be heard
from the direction of Sicily as We drew
away, leaving the only ship known to
be lost from our large convoy on the
long voyage.
Pantelleria was as sleepy as q grave
yard as we passed nearby The only
visible evidences Of recent hostilities
were small ships sunk along the shore.
Off-Watch Horseplay.
Although all peril was not past, the
ships company relaxed and returned to
their off-watch horseplay. The purser
was induced by a roundabout gag to
look for eggs in the crows nest where
he found two-hard- boiled hens eggs
SWITCHED out of the mess and planted
there. The ancient gag Of looking for
the golden rivet"-the last driven home
in the ship-was worked on a messboy.
I furiously wrote letters, falling for the
gag that we soon would pass a mail
buoy which would snatch a mail bag
from our rail and deliver letters via
some sea-going post office.
Occasional depth charges were let 20.
The last we heard failed, however, to
raise any one away from the saloon
poker session.
Periscope Sighted.
Our last definite brush with a sub
marine was signaled by six sharp blasts
from ship astern, followed by six on
our tooter. A destroyer came alongside
and asked for the evidence.
Both ships placed a periscope or its
wake $50 to 500 yards off our starboard
beam.
The loudest Of all the depth charges,
which gave peculiar ringing through
our hull sounded later as the captain.
chief engineer and I sat under the
bridge talking over the good news of
the day: The Russian capture of Orel
and Belgorod, the lights and gun sa-
lutes in Moscow, the Punishment of the
vestiges of Fascism in Italy, American
gains around Munda. We were quickly
stirred out Of distractions about glo-
bal warfare and more concerned with
our local war under the Keil.
The convoy swept into port to find
the populace pop-eyed over this great
show OF Allied strength, our mere ar
rival through the Mediterranean.
In my landing boat was a sun-hel-
meted olive-skinned resident of the
Middle East who grinningly accepted
an American cigaret, made sweeping
gesture over the convoy and said:
Mare Nostrum!"
For hours the convoy moved slowly
along. Except for men on duty, every
body had gone to sleep.
Then a few minutes after midnight.
the ships great whistle cut loose with a
series of brass throated blasts.
I heard feet running down the corri-
dor and voice shouting, Get up! Get
up!" AS I struggled with watery knees
into my trousers, some one threw open
the door of my cabin, and a dim light
from the corridor shed an eerie red glow.
g. Seven =. eight nine :"
counted, and at the end long, shud-
dering blast. With fumbling fingers, I
threw on my life-jacket with its red
signal f1ashlight, heavy jackknife and
whistle dangling from cord; tried I'M
successfully to get my overcoat on over
the jacket, grabbed up my man from
Mars" rubber life-suit, and raced out on
deck. In the excitement had forgotten
my shoes. The buried steel danges On