ODE TO IKE
'TWAS THE MORN BEFORE IKETIME AND ALL THROUGH THE SHIP
ALL THE HANDS WERE A STIRRING FOR THIS MOST FAMOUS VIP
THE CAPTAIN WAS NERVOUS, THE EXEC WAS DISTRAUGHT;
FIRST LIEUTENANT AND GUN BOSS WERE JUMPY AND TAUT
THE HEADS OF DEPARTMENTS WERE TEARING THEIR HAIR,
EXCEPT FOR THE DENTIST WHO HAD LITTLE TO SPARE.
THE MARINES AND THE SAILORS IN RAZOR SHARP BLUES
WERE AT RIGID ATTENTION WITH MIRRORS FOR SHOES
THE AIR WAS RESOUNDING WITH BOOMING SALUTES
AND THE COLD WAS BEGINNING TO CREEP THROUGH MY BOOTS
I'D BEEN MANNING THE RAIL FOR AN HOUR OR TWO
WITH MY EARS TURNING RED AND MY NOSE TURNING BLUE
WHEN OVER THE STERN THERE FLEW SUCH A CLATTER
I LEFT TURNED MY EYES TO SEE WHAT WAS THE MATTER
THE AIR WAS A FLUTTER, THE NOISE LIKE A WRECK
AS A GIGANTIC CHICKEN DROPPED DOWN ONTHE DECK
AND WHAT DID MY SALTY OLD EYES THERE APPRAISE,
BUT A LARGE WHIRLING HELO WITH EIGHT WHIRLING BLADES,
AND OUT STEPPED A MAN WITH THAT SMILE WE ALL LIKE,
AND I KNEW IN A MOMENT IT MUST BE OLD IKE
HE WENT TO THE ADMIRAL AND CALLED HIM BY NAME,
SHOOK HANDS WITH THE SKIPPER AND DID JUST THE SAME
WITH A WAVE OF HIS ARM AND THAT FAMOUS IKE GRIN
HE MARCHED DOWN THE SHIP AND WAS SWALLOWED WITHIN
THE STRIKER THEN TURNED TO THE BOSN'S MATE THIRD
SAID, "I KNOW IT SOUNDS SILLY; I KNOW IT'S ABSURD,
BUT AS HE WALKED BY HERE SO CHEERFUL AND QUICK
I THOUGHT FOR A MOMENT HE LOOKED LIKE ST. NICK!"
ATHENS, GREECE
15 DECEMBER 1959
LCDR R. W. MENDEL
DENTAL CORPS
U.S.NAVY
MEMORIES - SUBMITTED BY RON HACKER
During the Med Cruise of 51-52 General Eisenhower, SHAPE Commander at that time, came aboard late one night while we were in Naples to observe Sixth Fleet air maneuvers the next few days. We left Naples about 5 a.m. the next morning and immediately ran into a ferocious storm. In fact, for two or three days we did not leave our compartments because the ship was pitching and rollilng so. Obviously, no air maneuvers were conducted, and on the third day when we arose the weather had calmed. We were off the coast of France, and Eisenhower was preparing to leave the ship by helicopter. I climbed up somewhere amidships with my Argus C3 and took several Kodachrome shots of Ike being fitted with his life jacket while sideboys were being lined up to pipe him off the ship.
MEMORIES - SUBMITTED BY BERNIE CORTEZ
I was on the signal bridge the moment the helo landed with the President aboard. We had signalmen standing by on the after mast breaking the President's personal flag at the point of touchdown by helo, and we were handling the kilo flag to signal the carrier of the maneuver. I personally had a spot on the carrier because we were waiting for an underway signal from them. There were many small civilian craft all around the bay, and I believe that one was accidentally rammed by the carrier after getting underway causing minor damages, but that did not stop the underway evolution. Another memory that I will never forget is that same day my SM3 advancement was effective, and I was wearing a brand new set of dress blues with my new crow and first hashmark. Later, during the three days while underway to Tunis, the president and all those in his entourage would go topside and talk to us and do some longlass liberty.
