Cap Mandrake
Posts: 23184
Joined: 11/15/2002 From: Southern California Status: offline
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********Aboard YMS-101, 30 nm E Bathurst Is., 19:20, December 24, 1942(c)******* "Sparks" McElroy: Message from Adm. Somerville, sir. LCDR Specht: Read it. "Sparks" McElroy: It reads, "Commander TF 308. You are ordered to conduct mine sweeping operations in Assembly Area Nairobi after sunset. If enemy coastal guns encountered in Darwin environs you are ordered to destroy them. End message". LCDR Specht: Destroy them? It actually says that? "Sparks" McElroy: Afraid so, sir. LCDR Specht: This is why I didn't want to be assigned to a 1 VP vessel. We are "fungible", "Sparks". "Sparks" McElroy: Fungible, sir? That sounds bad. LCDR Specht: It is. Even a 40 year old, 10 Kt rust bucket with a Fillipino crew is worth 2 or 2 times what we are. Say, "Sparks", what is your real name? "Sparks" McElroy: Sparks, sir. LCDR Specht: No kidding? Never met anyone with that name. Why the quotation marks, then? "Sparks" McElroy: My parents were hippies, sir. LCDR Specht: Did you say hippies...........
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