Not a question that most of us like to ponder but for those of us unfortunate enough to be located at Guadalcanal back in 1942, it was a question we could dwell upon at leisure. Aboard the destroyer USS O'Bannon, there was a "comfortable as it gets" place located on the second deck up and right outside of the door to the radio shack. Actually there was a hatch you had to enter to get into the radio shack but it was almost always open and then inside was a door you had to enter to get into the radio room. On board ship there were very few doors so when you had one, you were rather proud of it.
So, anyway, this was a good location if you wanted to shoot the bull. It was shaded by the bridge which was located directly above and it was completely open for any breeze that was to be had. If the ship was moving, and it generally was, a breeze was insured and it was never, ever chilly.
Spending many off hours there, we had time to explore many interesting subjects. Initially, there was much talk about the subject: When are we going to see some action. After seeing some action, the conversation shifted to: When are we going to get out of the action and back to the States. As the months slowly passed by, the conversation shifted toward the horrible realization that we were never going to get back until the war ended or we were blown to pieces.
But, wiser heads proposed that if your ship survived a year of combat and then was badly damaged, the Navy customarily sent the ship back and allowed the crew to remain aboard. Well of course you would be assigned to a new ship which was the customary procedure but you might get a battleship which everyone thought gave you a better chance of survival.
As our second year started to pass us by, we now steamed over some fifty odd ships that had been sunk in this channel, it became obvious even to the dumbest among us, that we were most likely going to die here. There were so few ships left so this really drove the point home. Self pity started to immerge and you asked yourself, "Why me?" Also annoying was the thought that you would be dying for some people that you didn't even like.
But, there were many more people that you loved and felt worth it dying for. Your family, mother, father, brothers and sisters were at the top, followed by close friends, schoolmates and people who were very kind to you as you traveled the country. This helped to ease the pain. And there was always the possibility, however slim, that you could get out of this alive.
