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Memories of Pat Murphy

My 'Official' Welcome!

I reported to the Bergall while she was in wet dock at EB in 1969 a few months before her commissioning. I was a seaman apprentice right out of sub school and I remember dropping/carrying my seabag down the ladder to the crew' mess. They were in the middle of the evening movie. One of the crew members (he might have been Wayne Ferris) asked who I was and I said "Murphy". He said, "Hi. What's your first name?" "Pat." I replied which was immediately followed by a loud "FUCK YOU, PAT!" from the whole crew's mess. That was my "welcome aboard".

I came onboard either at the end of March or early April of 1969. Since the Bergall was commissioned on June 13, 1969, I am a plank owner...even have the plank on my dresser still. One of the pins broke off my first set of dolphins so I broke off the other one and glued my first dolphins to the plank.

I remember our final sea trials and commissioning and the party. The shakedown was a Caribbean tour where we got sunburned more than I ever thought possible. I lived with a bunch of the guys above and behind the Elbolero (Elbow Room) right outside EB until I got married. We had some great times in that place.

I still feel privileged to have served under Commander Tally. He was a great guy to work for. My last supply officer was Tom Butcher, also a great guy. I sure would like to find him now. Actually it was a much better life than I realized as a kid in my early 20's.

I still have my uniform although it doesn't fit too well anymore. About 10 or so years ago one of my sons wanted to wear it for Halloween. I was more worried about the dolphins than the uniform. On one hand, I was proud of them and wanted the kids to know what I did and that I was qualified on subs...but on the other hand I was really afraid the pin would get lost. It didn't.

My father was in the army air corps in WWII and was stationed in the Pacific (Philippines area) as a tailgunner on a B-25. For quite a few years now he has been attending his reunions. At one reunion, about 10 years ago (maybe they were in Norfolk) and one of their events was a cruise of the harbor and a "water-side view" of the naval shipyard. The SSN 667 was docked there at the time and the tour guide just mentioned it in passing. my dad mentioned to someone standing near him that his son had been on that boat for over 3 years. the guy next to him said that he had been shot down in the Pacific during WWII and the SS 320 was the boat that had picked up him and some of the other crew members. I thought that was a nice coincidence. (editors note: that was the SS-320's fourth war patrol.)

Pat Murphy

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