Page 2. 
THE BLUE BONNET 
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NOBLESSE OBLIGE 
“N OBLESSE OBLIGE” 
is French and it means “nobility obli- 
ges,” i.e., the nobility of one’s posi- 
tion in life makes a certain standard 
of conduct and obligation. 
We had the good fortune, 
several years ago, to see this exempli- 
fied in a charitable deed performed 
cheerfully by two distinguished Naval 
Officers, Rear Admiral J. M. Reeves 
(Ret.) and the late Rear Admiral 
Ashley Robertson, then Commandant 
of the Eleventh Naval District. 
Admiral Reeves, who at 
that time was a Captain in command 
of Aircraft Squadrons, Battle Fleet, 
had lately returned to San Diego from 
Panama, in his Flagship, the Langley. 
Many problems assailed him. His air- 
planes were inferior and the casual- 
ties among his flyers were heavy. Yet 
one concern seemed to stand out acute- 
ly from the others. It had to do with 
a last minute transfer of a petty of- 
ficer on the eve of our sailing from 
Panama. Coco Solo Air Station need- 
ed a rigger and we had to send Bill 
Brown to fill the void. Before going 
over the side with bag and hammock, 
Brown confided in the Chaplain that 
his wife was ill in San Diego and that 
he hoped that transportation could be 
arranged for a passage to Panama. 
Brown took his bad streak in stride 
which only increased his popularity 
on the Langley. 
On the way North, Capt. 
Reeves learned of the forced separa- 
tion in the Brown family and decided 
that something must be done about 
it. A movement schedule told him that 
a Navy transport would soon touch 
at San Diego and he felt sure that, 
however crowded the ship might be, 
there could always be room for just 
one more. 
Radio messages were sent 
and answered but the news published 
in the radio shack was bad — “no 
bunk available for Mrs. Brown.” “By 
gad, we’ll see about that,” said Capt. 
Reeves. He sent for the Chaplain. “I 
want you to have Mrs. Brown pack 
her things and have her on the dock 
when the transport arrives. Get a 
nurse if necessary, I’ll do the rest.” 
The Captain stepped a- 
shore at about eleven that morning. 
As J he walked to the office of the Dis- 
trict Commandant, we saw him turn 
his head and scowl at the gray sides 
of the big transport. He went to the 
office of Admiral Robertson, one of 
the best beloved of Naval officers. 
They agreed “Something can be done, 
something shall be done.” They left 
the office together. I can still see them 
heading for the dock where the young 
wife, the Chaplain and the baggage 
stood. “Cheer up, young lady,” cried 
Captain Reeves, “We’ll get you to Co- 
co Solo or bust.” Down the crowded 
dock they hurried and up the steep 
brow to the quarter deck. The O.O. D. 
said the Commanding Officer was a- 
shore. More delay. The ship was to 
sail at 1300. Eight bells, one bell, two 
bells. The Ship’s Captain returned and 
found two determined officers await- 
ing him. At 1310 the siren sounded 
and last preparations were made for 
getting underway when the Admiral 
and Captain emerged from the crowd. 
“We found a bunk for you, Mrs. 
Brown. Bon voyage, and God bless 
you.” 
With bag and baggage 
and a happy heart the rigger’s wife 
sailed that day to rejoin her husband 
at Coco Solo. 
Needless to say the Ad- 
miral and Captain missed lunch that 
day, and I doubt that they even gave 
it a thought. There is “Noblesse 
oblige” for you. Captain Reeves later 
became a four-star Admiral, Cam- 
mander-in-Chief of the U. S. Fleet. 
Admiral Robertson lies peacefully now 
near the grave of the unknown soldier 
at Arlington. 
Your uniform is a badge 
of nobility. It gives you a standard 
of conduct far above that of a man of 
the street. 
— W.A.M. 
— : THE BLUE BONNET : — A weekly publication of the ship’s company of the 
U.S.S. Houston, Captain G- N. Barker, U.S.N., Commanding Officer and Commander C. A. Bailey, 
U.S.N., Executive Officer. 
Editor, Lieut, (jg) E. A. McDonald; Assistant Editor, Ensign J. P. M. Johnston; As- 
sociate Editor, Stefan Sivak, Jr., SKlc; Associate Editor, W. J. Bannen, Seale; Cartoonist 
W. C. Ridge; Printer, It. L. Beckwith, Seale. 
Dear Marie, 
‘Twon’t be long afore our hap- 
py home pokes her nose outa tha 
Navy Yard and starts a skitterin’ 
over tha wave and foam. 
In this Navy a body can’t be a 
hankerin’ to anchor one place for more 
than a mite or he’ll be finding his 
moorin’s yanked up by tha roots afore 
they begin to take hold. So us Navies 
alius keep our bones primed for a 
changin’ climate. 
S’pose your Pa is wonderin’ 
when his grain’ll be ready for cut- 
tin’. That stand in that upper eighty 
oughta run about 70 bushels per acre. 
Seems sorta funny now ’bout 
me once havin’ to pitch in with tha 
threshin’ crew at hayin’ time, but 
guess I’ll alius bear a soft place in 
my heart for farmin’ tho they say I 
can’t plow a straight furrow. 
Ma usta set such a heavy meal 
durin’ threshin’ time that we had to 
bring in the saw horses to keep tha 
table from bucklin’. ’Twas a sight to 
see that food disappearin’. I don’t 
know what made tha most noise, tha 
eatin’ or tha combine in tha field. 
We shure pack away tha food 
here, too. When tha crew’s in a hun- 
gry mood tha mess cooks have to be 
runnin’ on tha double for more vit- 
tles. They’re so worn out by runnin’ 
to tha galley that they soon rattle 
worse’n a bag o’ bones. That’s why 
we gotta be relievin’ ’em every three 
months. 
Well Marie, I’ll be a sendin’ 
you writin’ matter from now on ’bout 
my traipsin’s over tha globe. Tell 
Sal, I’m tickled pick she married 
that runt Felix Jackson. Maybe she’ll 
beat some sense into his hollow head. 
Love, 
Gus 
THE BLUE BONNET 
Page 3. 
JL Well, a week in which I did not 
have any dope on the lads of the 
Houston it is about time that I get 
down to business and tell a few more 
sea stories. 
2 
Got quite a bit of cooperation 
from the BB Contribution Box these 
past two weeks, so we’ll look that 
over first. Here’s an item from the 
Engineer’s Force: 
3 
Anyone missing the coffee throw- 
ing contest in No. 3 Messing Compart- 
ment the other night between Mc- 
Culloch and Krecklow of the fighting 
‘M’ missed the Battle of the Century. 
It seems that some don’t care for sug- 
ar in their coffee. With or without, 
its much better on the inside boys ! 
4 
Someone else says: “I do solemn- 
ly swear never to tell anyone that 
Shoemaker’s (of the ‘M’ Div.) dearest 
friends call him “Shoosy-Woosy”. Tsk 
Tsk-and-Oh My! Such a name for a 
proud husband and papa. 
5 And here’s one that begins: “Hon- 
orable sirs: (First time any one ac- 
cused this fellow of being very hon- 
orable for some time) I have read in 
the Blue Bonnet that you wish new 
ideas and more contributions. Upon 
investigation I have found that most 
men want a Bank Night at the movies. 
Once a week. The prize to be a Ship’s 
Service Coupon Book. The rules: — 
when each person draws a coupon book 
let him put a certified copy of the 
number in a box; the box to be opened 
at the movies one night in each week. 
The winner of the draw receives a 
free book of Ship’s Service Coupons. 
How’s that for an idea ? ? ? 
6 
Little Ocko thinks that would be 
a good idea if the Ship’s Service Offi- 
cer and others concerned could be con- 
vinced of the same. 
/ For the person who put the cut 
of the Captain and the Seaman in the 
box, thanks, and Ocko will see if he 
can get some action on it for you. Also 
the menu of the Quentin Cafe. 
8 Here is a question for you all: 
What is the name of the march played 
at the beginning of the Fox Movie- 
tone Newsreels? Any one that knows 
the name of it please put it in the 
BB Contribution Box in No. 1 Mess. 
Com’t. Thanks. 
We’ve just received some new 
recruits aboard from the Training 
Station at San Diego. Welcome aboard 
fellows, Hope you have a good cruise. 
14 Big shift the past week in the 
deck petty officer forces aboard; Whi- 
tey Wellbourn, BMlc, long time jim- 
my-legs on the Rambler Ship, goes to 
the fourth division; Sammy Fox, BM 
lc, fourth to F; Machado, BM2c, F to 
second; Malcolm, Cox’n, third to the 
Police Petty Officer Force. 
Zs Ed. P. Shivel, BM2c, of the fourth 
div. left the Houston for the Turkey, 
a minesweeper. Shanny O’Niel, Sea- 
man Sails Striker is singing the blues 
that he missed out on going to the 
Oriole for duty as a seaman. Better 
luck next time feller. 
10 
And who was it that pinned the 
black eye on the Mighty Hank of 
the Scullery? Fooling around wrest- 
ling on the messdeck is the cause of 
worse things than black eyes. 
11 
Stachnik, BMlc, of the second 
division, went out on sixteen last 
Friday, 8 July. Good luck on the out- 
side Shipmate. From what we hear 
you may need it. 
12 
Some news of former shipmates 
includes the following: Reynolds, SC3c 
paid off a couple of weeks ago, was 
seen on the way to his home at Tex- 
arkana, Texas; said he had a job 
waiting. S. N. ‘Big Red’ Lewis, MM2c, 
formerly of the M division is ship- 
ping over and trying to get back on 
the Houston. Willie Burke, former 
cox’n. of the first, shipped over in San 
Francisco last Wednesday, for duty 
on the East Coast. Sonneman, ex-F 
div. seaman is on an oil-tanker, mak- 
ing pretty good money. Hope he stays. 
Morris Lee, SM3c, well liked sailor 
on the Houston is bunting tosser on 
a ‘tin can’ in San Diego area now. 
1 D The Exec’s Office says quite 
a few of our shipmates are about to 
be paid off and try it once more on 
the U.S.S. Outside. Among them are 
the following: — 
Knowlden, K. C. Y3c 
Crayne, T. F. SM3c 
Ryan, R. J. Flc 
Jones, C. D. Sic 
Sheffield, H. L. Sic 
Duggan, E. F. RM2c 
Garcia, E. O. RM2c 
Jones, M. F. Sic 
Harrison, F. A. Sic 
Newberry, R. K. SC2c 
Vendetti, N. J. CCStd(AA) 
Well, Good Luck Fellers. Drop a 
letter to the Blue Bonnet and let us 
know how it is out there .Might want 
to try it some day ourselves. 
• That’s all Fellers, there ain’t no 
more. Little Ocko will be back next 
week, thanks for listenin’. 
I Don’t Get It 
She laughed when I sat down to 
play, how did I know she was ticklish? 
Two old maids went for a tramp in 
the woods. 
The tramp escaped. 
“Going out tonight?” 
“Not completely.” 
Randall, CRM, out recently on 20, 
sent words of greetings to his old 
shipmates and words of thanks to the 
members of the Radio Gang for the 
gifts he received after he arrived 
home. Chas. Sessions, Sic, recently 
paid off from the fourth division has 
shipped over and gone to duty in the 
Asiatic Station. Good Luck ! ! ! 
It is better to have loved a short gal, 
than never to have loved a tall. 
A lady we know walked out on her 
husband because he couldn’t stand 
the way she talked. Now, she’s gone 
home to mutter. 
He who laughs last didn’t get the 
joke in the first place. 
