Our Veterans of Foreign Wars post commander served as a gunner's mate on board a coastal tanker classed as an AOG, or gasoline tanker, during World War II. Asked what type of guns he manned, James O. Shaw replied, "fire axes." If an air raid alert was sounded while pumping aviation gas to a carrier, they were ordered to grab the nearest fire axe, chop their mooring lines immediately, and clear the carrier as soon as possible. The ship and her volatile cargo were to proceed to the farthest corner of the harbor, and do their best not to attract any attention by firing at the attacking Japanese. Shaw noted that the USS Kaloli (AOG-13) never fired a round in anger.
She was skippered by a long-time merchant captain activated from the Reserves. He did not hold the official Navy in the highest regard, but highly valued his prerogatives as a master mariner. One day, the Kaloli was outbound from Pearl Harbor with a full cargo of 100-octane fuel passing around the west side of Ford Island when a new heavy cruiser was observed, also headed to sea. The Kaloli clearly was going to be the first to arrive at the intersection where the two channels joined. A flashing light signal from the cruiser indicated she expected to proceed first, as she warned the Kaloli not to follow too closely. The old captain exercised his rights under the rules of the road and proceeded without slowing.
A second light demanded what urgent business the AOG was undertaking. The Kaloli answered with a cryptic "100 Octane."
She proceeded out the narrow entrance to the Pacific, leaving the cruiser backing and filling. One can visualize these two captains on their respective bridges: the four-striper fuming about reservists ignoring naval courtesy, and the old master smugly satisfied he followed the commercial tradition of first come, first served.