RAFINO Report
ISSUE 20 - Spring 1998 - Return to Index

"To the Lifeboats!"  A Story
By Clint Jetmore

While in Sasebo, Japan, enroute to Pusan, Korea, I was designated as an Assistant Compartment Commander.  My only duty was to get the troops in my compartment to their lifeboat stations when the life boat drill alarm sounded.  Once at sea, I went to my compartment and loudly explained what the troops were supposed to do when the alarm sounded.  I, of course, then asked, "Are there any questions?"  There were none.  Shortly afterward the alarm sounded and I shouted, "Let's move out!"  Nobody moved then or later despite my repeated requests to do so.  You can imagine my anger and frustration when I reported to my commander after the drill was over that not one of my troops left the compartment upon my order!  He then explained that he had forgotten to tell me that the troops in my group were Ethiopians assigned as United Nations support in Korea in 1952!  Obviously, they had no idea what I was saying and probably wondered what that U.S. Army 2nd Lt. was doing in their compartment in the first place.  (It didn't help that they were all wearing U.S. Army OD uniforms!)