elsie item issue 57 - USS Landing Craft Infantry National Association

So, being the ingenious and curious sailors thatwe were, always on the lookout for ways toimprove our life, we decided to investigate everythingon the pier. It came to our attention thatthe Navy had left a brand-new washing machineout on the end of the pier with no unit address.Since we were a vessel that always did as it wastold, next morning we were gone just as orderedand, lo and behold, there was a new washingmachine aboard that needed to be installed!Being real sailors, we set to work securing thewashing machine to the deck and called in theelectrician's mate to connect the power. Then,with the water line hooked up, we were ready fora test run. With dirty clothes, soap and water wewere ready for business!The Black Gang, more formally called theEngineering Department, were first in line for thenew washing machine. Our old 40mm ammocan was removed from the winch head andplaced into retirement. To make sure nothinghappened to our new washing machine (whichhad somehow or other acquired a coat of very oldlooking paint), the Bosn's Mate made a canvascover, also painted with the very old lookingpaint, to conceal our treasure from prying eyes.This faithful machine served our crew for the restof the war. When some curious officer askedabout the washing machine, the answer wasalways, “Yep, Washer was on here when I reportedaboard!”When we finally returned stateside and weredecommissioning in New Orleans, the SupplyOfficer, in checking our Title “A” material, couldfind no mention or record of a washing machine,let along a serial number for the unit. What happenedwas that, like most gear with no numberson the books, the washing machine was removedand deep-sixed. Sad to say, the Supply Officerwould not let us take it with us to our nextassignment!Yep, we were small, but mighty, these LCIs!28