Chapter 12
The meeting between Mako’s officers and Captain Mealey was brief. Captain Mealey and Lieut. Comdr. Sirocco appeared at precisely 0900. The new Captain took his seat at the head of the Wardroom table and Joe Sirocco squeezed his bulk into place on the padded seat outboard of the table. A mess steward from the O-Club on the Base appeared with a box of cups and saucers and a big pot of coffee and served it.
Five minutes into the meeting it was apparent to Mako’s officers that Captain Mealey had read every word of Captain Hinman’s patrol run reports on Mako’s first two patrols and had, as well, read every word of each officer’s service jacket. He began by asking each officer to summarize his naval and civilian experience and then he began asking questions about each man’s own department. The questions were pointed and at times savage as Captain Mealey probed for information. When he had talked to each officer he stared at them, his lips thin under his white mustache.
“I will repeat once again what I said yesterday when I assumed command of this vessel.
“I live by the Book, by the rules and regulations of the U.S. Navy. You will live by it. If you do not I will have you detached and recommend that you never again be transferred to sea duty.” He touched the right side of his white mustache with his forefinger and a thin smile came to his lips.
“I know that such a threat means little to a Reservist who is doing his duty to his nation by serving. It means everything to a Regular whose entire career can be blighted. But for those of you who are Reserves I want to assure you that the Navy has some God-awful duty stations, and if you fail to do your duty on Mako you may well find yourself tending weather instruments on the northern slopes of Alaska!
“There is one more thing I want to say. It will be the only time this matter is discussed after this moment.
“I do not sit in judgment on Captain Hinman. I know him. I knew his late wife. I respect her memory. I respect Captain Hinman. I will brook no comparisons, favorable or insidious, about how Captain Hinman handled Mako or her crew and how I will handle my responsibilities. I was given command of this submarine to seek out the enemy and sink him and by God — mine and yours, Mr. Cohen — I am going to do that!
“I would like to see Mr. Cohen for a very few moments. Thank all of you for coming by.”
Captain Mealey looked at Nate Cohen. He touched his white mustache tentatively.
“Mr. Cohen, I want to make several things clear to you, sir.
“One thing is that I have a deep respect for all religions, no matter what their ideology or their method of worship.
“Another is that you have served with distinction on two war patrols. You have the right to ask for a more responsible assignment than Commissary Officer and Radio and Sound Officer. In the case of this ship that would mean that I would have to ask for your transfer so you can be given a more responsible assignment. I hope you do not make that request. I am selfish, Mr. Cohen. I want the best officers and men I can get and your abilities as a Sonar Officer seem to be outstanding.” He leaned back in his chair and stared at Nathan Cohen.
“I do not intend to ask for a transfer, Captain,” Cohen said slowly. “I am not an experienced man at sea but I like this ship, I like the men aboard. If you wish me to stay aboard I will be very happy to do so.”
“Thank you,” Captain Mealey said. Cohen got up and went out of the Wardroom and stopped in the passageway as Pete Simms came up to the green curtain and rapped softly. He went into the Wardroom in response to Captain Mealey’s order.
“Sir,” Simms said, “I have a personal request.”
“I’ll hear it,” Mealey said.
“As you know, I am responsible for the engineering plant. I’d like to have permission to stay aboard for the rest of the overhaul period, live aboard, sir, so I can oversee the repairs and other work we requested.”
“I understand you’re married, live ashore with your wife and daughter, is that right?” Mealey’s face was impassive.
“Yes, sir.”
“Request denied,” Captain Mealey said. “Please ask the Chief Petty Officers to come in as you leave.”
“I am impressed,” Captain Mealey said after the Chiefs had taken seats at the Wardroom table. “I am very impressed by the extraordinary condition of the machinery of this ship. You have had no breakdowns, your repair list was very small, the ship is very clean.” He brushed the right side of his mustache with his finger.
“I expected that Chief Hendershot’s department would be in excellent shape; we served together once before. I am most impressed with the engine rooms, Chief Barber.”
“They gave us good material, sir,” Barber said. “We made sure it was installed right and we take care of it. Hendershot and I work together pretty closely on our gear, so much of it is an overlap. We do all the repairs we can ourselves. I’d rather do the repair work that way, then I know it’s done right.”
Mealey nodded and looked at John Maxwell, the Chief Yeoman.
“Your office records are excellent, Chief. Unusual in a ship of this sort. I note, also, that you served in the Marine Corps for what, eight years?”
“Yes, sir,” Maxwell said.
“You were decorated for gallantry in action in Haiti?”
“Yes, sir,” Maxwell said.
“Why did you leave the Corps? You had a good record.”
“I got tired of field rations, Gunnery Sergeants and getting shot at in peacetime, Captain. After I got paid off at the end of my second hitch I made a liberty with a Chief Yeoman who worked in the recruiting office in Washington, D.C., sir. He talked me into shipping into the Navy. I’m not sorry. I like the Navy. I like my work. I like this ship.”
Mealey nodded. “I have one more thing to say. I run a tight ship. I expect my Chief Petty Officers to keep the ship taut, to make it unnecessary for me to step in.
“I will back you to the hilt in front of your men until you show me you are not worth such support. If that time comes and I do not expect it to come at all on this ship, but if it does, I will put you ashore. Thank you for giving up a morning of your rest period. I’d like to see Chief Rhodes alone for a few moments. If one of you has given him a ride here or if you have driven over with him, it will take only a few minutes.” He waited for the three Chiefs to file out and then turned to Dusty Rhodes.
“I saw you box in the ring a number of times when we were both a bit younger, Chief. Is that how you maintain discipline on the Mako, with your fists?”
“No, sir,” Rhodes’ voice was level.
“How, then?”
“By doing as I was taught to do by Chiefs of the Boat I respected, sir. You and the Executive Officer give me your policy, your orders. I carry them out. The crew carries them out. If I can’t handle a man, if I decide I can’t handle him, sir, then I’ll come to the Executive Officer and ask for his transfer. Or mine.”
Captain Mealey nodded briefly, his face impassive. His finger crept up and touched his mustache.
“I’ve read the patrol report on what you did to the torpedoes, Chief. Can you add anything to that report?”
“No, sir. Captain Hinman told the exact truth, exactly what Ginty and I did to the exploders.”
“This man Arnold Ginty,” Mealey said. “I understand that he’s what some people might call a character, that he has a huge blue eye tattooed on the top of his head! Is that true?”
“Yes, sir. When he reported aboard from an S-Boat in the Asiatic Fleet, that was pre-commissioning, sir, I ordered him to let his hair grow. He let his hair grow but Ginty hasn’t got a very thick head of hair and sometimes, if he’s sitting down and someone is standing over him they can see the tattoo through the hair.”