Filipino Brass Dive

Leo Doc Carter

One SPINAX story that should be told is the dive the boat made in Manila Bay with a load of top brass. There were Filipino top brass, U.S. Army big wheels, and pobably some others I can't think of right now.Anyhoooo....On a WesPac trip in 1957 we stopped in the Fillipines for some reason or the other. Fuel probably. We received a request (more of a demand) to give some V.I.P.s a ride. Got underway with everyone bleary eyed and slightly hung over from liberty the night before. Rigged for dive while showing the VIPs through the boat and amazing them with our "life below the suface." Diving alarm went off and dear old SPINAX made one of her usual unregulated dives. Straight down. Lots of yelling, blowing of tanks, horns, etc. Of course, with the VIPs in the Control Room observing everything, the crew, especially the Chiefs and Officers, made like this was strictly normal procedure. There were some white - really pale - faces in the VIPs and some of the crew. After 40 plus years I can't remember why we made the screwy dive, probably the diving officer didn't compensate after taking on fuel or stores. I have talked to Darreyl Clapp about this incident and he seemed to remember more than I did. He even stayed in port that morning for some reason but from what he said it was the talk of crew. I'll contact Darrly again to see if he can add anything.After I make some notes and clean them up I'll send another couple of stories. I sort of get the BAYA and SPINAX days confused. Both gave excellent liberty. SPINAX in WesPac and BAYA up and down the west coast.

Doc