By Barry Sutton, RD3, (’59-’61)
Casey Creek, Ky.
Funny story about the CO, Captain Munnikhuysen, while I was on board the 1156. He didn’t care that he was the captain of an LST, he wanted to be like the big boys and decided that instead of playing a record for taps, reveille, dinner call, etc., he was going to have a real live bugler do it. So, I guess by checking though the ship’s office personnel records, there were two people on board that played the trumpet prior to the Navy.
One was a guy, from the Deck force, (I think his name was Delucci)), and I was the other one. We took turns going up to the pilot house, and while another crew member held down the PA button, we played Taps, Reveille, and all the other calls heard on carriers and cruisers.
We even played the traditional bugle call whenever the CO came aboard and when he was going ashore. It was great duty, and the real plus about it was that we had no other duties assigned while the ship was dockside. A short – but memorable – sea story of my time aboard the T-bone.