As Iapproach my 82nd spin around the sun, for some reason I was remembering onenight when I stood my first watch as a boot throttleman on Sirago. I was 21years old. I don’t know if all boot throttlemen get the same treatment but hereis what happened to me and my boot oiler.

After wedove we got the order to make fresh water. About 30 minutes later we got theorder to make air. I was wondering why the water and air since we just went tosea? Naïve for sure. We then got the order to snorkel. We were a very busy fwdengineroom. I knew what effect snorkling can have on making fresh water. Afterabout 15 minutes or so we get secure snorkling over the 1MC. Then secure makingwater and air. We were jumping around like maniacs trying to shut everythingdown.

As my oilerand I were panting trying to catch our breaths, my boss a first class enginemancomes into the engineroom smiling as wide as a Cheshire cat. Along with our Chiefthey convinced the dive to allow this test of Sirago’s boot throttleman. It still amazes me to think of the freedom of being on submarines that allow this stuff to take place.

I agedconsiderably that night, but I still think about it and smile and find myself thinking about Sirago more often lately.