Subject: Speech
Date: Thu, 19 Jul 2001 14:57:51 -0700
From: "Hotch - Lowell Day"
Quite a few incidents happened, as they will on a submarine cruise. We had left Pearl and everyone had been paid
in advance because we were going to Australia for the celebration of the "Battle of the Coral Sea".
The closer we got to Australia the more message traffic we received. In this traffic was what type of functions
we were supposed to attend - how many men to provide and what type of function it was. There were parades (and we actually
had a group of very VERY unhappy submarine sailors that marched in a parade!) - the Captain (LCDR McConeghy) had to attend
a
religious ceremony at some Cemetery..... and of course luncheons - for the wardroom personnel only!
I thought it might be an excellent idea to have one of our fellow shipmates give a speech or just say a few words at
the same ceremony that the Captain was going to attend. I had the perfect man - SAMPSON, FT3!
Now you had to know Sam - a skinny, very curious, kinda slovenly sort of guy who walked on the sides - about half
way up - in a pair of Frye Boots - but he was very intelligent - you know the kind! Well I typed up a very short - about
100 words or so - speech and approached Sam and told him that the XO and Captain had selected him to represent the enlisted
personnel aboard and give this very short speech at this religious function. It took some doing but finally Sam was
sold. I told him that he could change the wording any way that he wanted but that he had to practice and when he thought
that he had it just about right, give the speech in front of the CO and XO.
Sam practiced in the after battery head - in front of the mirror - and I "helped" him by telling him to lift his
head - how to round out the words and enunciate - just like I knew what I was doing. There was a steady stream of people
passing by the head to watch Sam practice.
This must have gone on for about 2 or 3 days before I told Sam that there had been a change in plans and that the CO
was going to attend this function alone. I really believe old Sam was let down because he couldn't give "His Speech."
