Darlene

Darlene
Photo on Dock in Mobile 1956
Permission to use granted by Web Master
USS Quillback SS 424 Site

I would be remiss if I didn't tell you about Darlene even though I never knew her, she was before my time. Chuck knew her though, she was the Boat mascot.

I am pretty sure she became the mascot sometime in 1955 when the Boat was in the yard.  She was loved and well cared for by those who served aboard the Quillback.

To refresh memories Chuck served aboard the Quillback from February 10, 1956 through June 09, 1959. He was known to his shipmates as C. B. and at that time he was a 1^st class Engineman.

She would follow the guys on the beach, but when she got tired or she’d had enough she went back to the Boat. One of the new guys on the Boat told a story that he went on the beach and when he started back a dog followed him all the way to the Boat, the topside watch told him she’s the Boat mascot and she smelled the Boat on him.

In 1956 the Boat went to the Mardi Gras on a Good Will Tour, John Graham and Jack Scarry took Darlene along with them when they went ashore and stopped someplace where there was a roller coaster. The man in charge didn't want to let Darlene ride so they bought her a ticket and she rode with them.

She would get nervous when the Boat was snorkeling. The Boats had a snorkel device that allowed them to operate below the surface while still taking air from the surface; I would imagine that it was quite noisy. 

She would usually go to the maneuvering room and stay with whoever was on watch at the time till the snorkeling was finished.

Another time the Boat was in ‘Gitmo’ and there was a bunch of goats running around loose, Darlene amazed the entire crew by rounding them up and putting them back in their shelter.

Darlene was left behind with a crew member when the Boat made a trip to the North Atlantic to take part in major exercises with the United Kingdom in the fall of 1956. 

They had a rough time, and very rough seas. When they came back stateside Chuck told me they were told to come in under the cover of darkness because the Boat was so beat up and looked so bad. 

When the Boat returned to Key West the crew was told the sad news that Darlene had died while they were away.