I told this story to Captain Bryant, his son, and his grandson during the reunion last summer. Now I’d like to tell it to you. It is my favorite “Charles Bryant” story; and, I have told it to dozens of people over the years.
We were in transit back to Guam from Subic Bay. I had the afternoon watch on the bridge, so I was up there when the XO, Dick Mysliwiec, came up to shoot “Local Apparent Noon”.
Captain Bryant was on the bridge “catching some rays”. Dick went away to calculate our position, and returned a few minutes later to report that we were “on track”. The Captain stretched, yawned, and looked up, then turned to Dick and told him that he was wrong, we were off track. Dick went away mumbling to himself. He came back a bit later and told Captain Bryant that we were, indeed, several miles south of track. The Captain ordered me to move the ship north; and, I called for left rudder.
After the XO went back below, I approached Captain Bryant and asked how he knew. He pointed to some vapor trails in the sky and told me that they were from some B-52s which were on their way back to Anderson AFB on Guam. That time of year, they landed south-to-north, which took them over the harbor area on Guam. “If we were on track, we would have been directly under the vapor trails. Since they are north of us, I knew we are south of track” the Captain said.
“No fair”, I replied… they weren’t there when the XO was up here.
“Bob,” the Captain replied, “always use every tool available to you”.
That lesson has served me well; and, I am in Charles Bryant’s debt for having taught it to me.
We were in transit back to Guam from Subic Bay. I had the afternoon watch on the bridge, so I was up there when the XO, Dick Mysliwiec, came up to shoot “Local Apparent Noon”.
Captain Bryant was on the bridge “catching some rays”. Dick went away to calculate our position, and returned a few minutes later to report that we were “on track”. The Captain stretched, yawned, and looked up, then turned to Dick and told him that he was wrong, we were off track. Dick went away mumbling to himself. He came back a bit later and told Captain Bryant that we were, indeed, several miles south of track. The Captain ordered me to move the ship north; and, I called for left rudder.
After the XO went back below, I approached Captain Bryant and asked how he knew. He pointed to some vapor trails in the sky and told me that they were from some B-52s which were on their way back to Anderson AFB on Guam. That time of year, they landed south-to-north, which took them over the harbor area on Guam. “If we were on track, we would have been directly under the vapor trails. Since they are north of us, I knew we are south of track” the Captain said.
“No fair”, I replied… they weren’t there when the XO was up here.
“Bob,” the Captain replied, “always use every tool available to you”.
That lesson has served me well; and, I am in Charles Bryant’s debt for having taught it to me.
