I worked in the USS Yorktown photolab but earlier I worked at the Naval Air Station, Memphis. I made the portrait of Rear Admiral Martin when he was promoted to that high rank. In 1952, I took the formal photograph as he sat there in his dress blues, ribbons, hat and yards of gold braid. When making the finished 8x10 black and white prints, I took note of the way he held his head. I found a picture of myself where I was holding my head the same way.
I took two pictures, one of the Admiral and one of me as a seaman and took a razor and made a cut around my face and
put it right over the top of the Admiral's face on the picture. It was similar to a jig saw puzzle. I cut around the prominent lines, so the cuts would not show. Then, I fit it together, with glue on the bottom."
I then made a picture of this new picture of me, now in an admiral's uniform!
I had a personal drawer at the Photolab and left the picture of "Admiral Wells" in there with a lot of other things, official US Navy stuff and also unofficial Navy stuff.
Our old Photolab Chief was transferred to the USS Yorktown and so we got a new Chief and he was a hard ass and ordered a "spot inspection." All of the sailors held their breaths. The Chief opened my personal drawer (something the old Chief thought was "off limits") and saw the picture of Admiral Wells. The new Chief became outraged!
I had long been a 3rd Class Petty Officer Photographer's Mate and had taken and passed the written examination for promotion to 2nd Class Petty Officer. I was in trouble; but had no idea how bad the situation was. I was imagining how much brig time I would get, maybe a dishonorable discharge! Disgraced! The fear caused a deep tightening of every muscle in my body. I stood at attention, with my eyes forward and afraid to breathe. The Chief stood directly in front of me, staring into my eyes an demanding to know WHY I was committing such an outrage. He was new to the Photolab so he didn't know that I stuttered when I talked.
The Chief raised his voice again and demanded, "WHY!"?" Every muscle in my throat and stomach was tight. As I attempted to speak, my lower jaw dropped, stayed open and all that came out was a grunt. The Chief look at me in great anger and AGAIN demanded why I had outraged the United States Navy by doing such a terrible thing. All I could do was look at him, wide eyed, with my jaw open and frozen stiff. the only functioning organ was my brain. I could see the iron bars of the brig, dishonorable discharge and a life of humility
The Chief's anger grew to the level where he was furious as he had to deal with a lowly 3rd Class Petty Officer who wouldn't answer a direct question. He announced, "you are on Report" and went to his office to begin the paperwork.
I was before the Captain at Captain's Mast the following week. Going before a Captain's Mast was the evolvement of the Old Navy. When a seaman did something wrong, he had to stand in front of the Captain, as the Captain stood at the ship's Mast. After this mini-trial, the Captain would assign punishment, in front of the rest of the crew so an example was set. Usually the sailor was tied to the Mast and whipped. That was the "Old Navy" before the Uniform Code of Military Justice.
Standing at Captain's Mast at Memphis, I was more afraid than I had ever been in my life! I was in front of a man who had almost unlimited power. My whole future was in his hands. He listened to what the Chief had to say about me. he looked at the photograph.
The Captain was quiet for a several long minutes. He looked back at the photo of Admiral Wells again and again. I was shaking in my spit-shined black shoes.
Slowly, very slowly, the Captain looked up and at me. He was very solemn. Then he spoke softly and very seriously; "Petty Officer Wells, you seem to have received an immediate promotion! HHmmmmmmmmm.
From 3rd Class to Admiral. That's quite a jump.
The charge against you is "Impersonating an Officer". While I don't feel there was an attempt by you to actually impersonate an Admiral, we cannot condone this."
"You have already passed the examination for 2nd Class Petty Officer. If I reduce you in rank from 3rd to Airman, it would be, in effect reducing you two ranks.
I will just make your probable 2nd Class promotion null and void."
The Captain paused, looked at me, smiled and said softly,
"You did a good job on the photos. DISMISSED."
from the book, "Over the Side" by Richard G. Wells. See more of his photographs click here