* 
22 July 1966 
Capt. Richard W. Gregg, Master 
U.S.N.S. SHEARWATER 
Pago Pago, Samoa 96920 
Bear Capt. Greggs 
By now you've had your first experience with one of our SIC trips, and 
I hope everything has gone all right. We'll be anxious to hear about it. 
The problem of installing davits for the Boston Whaler is now in John 
Bushman's hands. M3TS M&R here in Honolulu, wants a design clearance 
from COMSTSPAC, and John is seeing what he can do about that. He also 
found some davits available there, and is shipping them over here on 
one of the YAG's leaving the west coast this week. Hopefully this 
will cut the cost a lot. He is still very reluctant to pay anything 
like $10,000 for the job, and if he can't get the cost reduced, he 
would prefer to skip it altogether and risk buying several Whalers 
if necessary. For my general information, is it totally impractical 
to handle the Whaler with gear presently on the SHEARWATER? Chances 
of getting a Whaler for the next trip aren't very bright, but if it 
comes through, and if we get approval from John, I’ll have arrangements 
made as far as I can by the time you arrive, 
I am enclosing a first draft itinerary for the next SIC trip, and have 
also sent a copy to Dick Crossin, It is a rather tight schedule because 
of the need to squeeze in another trip before Christmas* I hope you 
and Dick can go over it and can send me your suggestions and comments, 
I will have to submit the itinerary to John Bushman early in August, 
although the orders will have the usual latitude for modification 
enroute* 
John heard recently that the SHEARWATER is scheduled for some sort of 
"damage control exercise” (?) when she returns to Honolulu, and that 
it would mean a delay in departure of about two days beyond our target 
of September 6, He is trying to track this down, and will object 
strenuously to any delay because of the short time before dark moon 
(Sept, lit), and the need to squeeze in two trips before Christmas. 
Good luck on the second half. 
Sincerely, 
Robert L. Pyle 
Field Director 
