It's amazing what men in a combat zone will consider "entertainment", at least he got a bunk out of the deal.
I try to convey the madness of USS Luces **Conga line on New Years eve...looking at the grins of the vets from Isherwood I can tell it was a riot above all proportion which broke out at Dutch Harbor.
Secretly..I think Blue Jackets like chaos and seeing LTJG's up in the Bridge gettin their butts chewed.
But the other side...these guys..even the hardiest of vets were wretching their guts out...the entire ship would be pukeing sick for days if they went out after say a 48 hour stay in port.
Scared too...I imagine the submarine blue jackets went thru the same,as the grinding,snapping and breaking noises of the ships were nearely too much to mentally bear.
Some of the unsung hero's of the Aleutians were the destroyer and sub tenders..allong with the towed floating dry dock crews.
Isherwood had here sonar dome ripped off..other ships were badly mangled as their frames moved beyond tollerance.
some ships were lucky..a gut instinct got them into dry dock and repairs.
other ships simply broke up at sea..mostly the cargo runs.
DD-520's closest call came when the ship fell into a trough..then rolled some 48 degree's....the wall of the trough went into one of the stacks and snuffed a boiler.
A few vets from 520 shared how they were stranded at a naval base..as the Des Div pulled out quickly and left them.
No complaint at all about being stranded..rather a party.
It was to be hoped for I gather, that if you got ashore..this could happen for a week or more : )