In March 1943, the USS Shaw (DD-373) entered Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard for damage repairs. Shortly after return of the first leave party from the Mainland, I was censoring the outgoing mail of my division when I came across an envelope addressed to "Admiral Chester W. Nimitz."
Upon reading the enclosed letter, I learned that one of my radarmen, an outstanding young man named McCaleb, was requesting an appointment to call on Admiral Nimitz. Naturally, my curiosity was aroused and I sent for McCaleb to ask the reason for such an unusual request.
It seems that McCaleb had gone on leave to his hometown in Texas. One afternoon, he went to call on his aunt. With her was a lady whom McCaleb had never seen before. Her name was Nimitz and she turned out to be the admiral's sister. As soon as she found out that McCaleb had just returned from Pearl Harbor, something like the following conversation ensued:
"Mr. McCaleb, have you seen Chester?"
"No, ma'am," was all McCaleb could answer. A bit shocked at hearing the Commander-in-Chief, Pacific, referred to by his first name, he could scarcely picture a petty officer meeting a four-star admiral.
"Dear me, you've been out there for more than a year and haven't even seen Chester! That's terrible! Now, when you return to your ship, I want you to go and see him. Furthermore, I will write and tell him to expect you."
"So, you see," said McCaleb to me, "she's got me over a barrel. I've got to write this note. I'm really embarrassed, but I don't know what else to do."
Having received that explanation, I duly initialled the envelope in the censor stamp circle and sent it off. A few days later, McCaleb showed up with the reply that Admiral Nimitz would be delighted to have him call at 1000, three days hence.
Naturally, the crew went all-out to have McCaleb, radarman second class, make his call in style. The ship's vehicle, a battered, old station wagon wasn't considered good enough for the mission, so the executive officer talked someone in the shipyard into loaning us a sedan with driver.
As McCaleb went over the brow, the ship's sides were manned spontaneously by his shipmates. His parting comment was, "Well, at least maybe I can find out where the Shaw is going when she completes her overhaul."
An hour later, McCaleb returned and reported that he had had a most pleasant visit with the admiral. But McCaleb's shipmates were chiefly interested in learning where the Shaw was going next.
"Men," said McCaleb proudly, "I was escorted into the Admiral's office and he shook my hand most graciously." Then, pausing for effect, he continued, "His first words were 'McCaleb, where are they going to send the Shaw after she completes overhaul?'"