I was Officer of the Deck during the Cuban Blockade
one November patrolling in the afternoon, going 1/3 speed or
so on one engine, and Cuba was only a few miles away.
One of the lookouts reported a high speed 40 foot or
so ChrisCraft type of pleasure fishing boat near
shore and moving very fast. We were on parallel
courses at the time and maybe 5 miles apart.
I
reported the contact to Captain Len Kojm who
immediately came to the bridge. He told me to go to
full speed on four engines and close the contact. We
were moving at probably 16 knots or so and the contact
was still drawing ahead of us so the Captain ordered "All Ahead Flank" and soon attained a steady bearing rate and the
distance between us was closing.
The contact did not
slow and Captain Kojm ordered us to go to Battle
Stations which according to Ivan Joslin we did, as I
don't recall that or some of the other details. So if
any of you other shipmates can add to this please do
so.
Anyway, Ivan was on the periscope, and XO Dick Coupe
was plotting the contact. finally, when close
aboard the ChrisCraft finally stopped and nestled up alongside our
starboard bow. Captain Kojm alone went out on the bow
and one guy came onboard and they talked for at least
10 minutes. There was no one else in our crew or from
the contact on deck. I'm not sure if there even was anyone
else aboard the contact.
I watched them intently and
saw nothing in the way of ID or paper exchanges. As I
recall, they shook hands, the ChrisCraft took off, and
Captain Kojm came back to the bridge. I was
Electronics and Communications Officer at the time,
and he told me to get a relief and get down to his
stateroom. He was as serious as I had ever seen him.
A few minutes later we were in the Crypto Room corner which mainly served as Dry Storage beneath the Radio Room. It was always an ordeal to crawl over all the stores and get back there, and this was a similar and cramped occasion. He told me to set up the crypto machine which I did, and then asked me to refresh him on the use it and how to send a message. After a couple of minutes of instruction he said he had it and for me to go back on watch. That I did. The incident was never discussed again with me, or anyone else on Sea Poacher that I know of. I still have no idea what it was all about.