"THE REEF" by F.E.(Jim) DeVine

When I was on Sand, there were no women around so we were 
practically naked all the time.  That's the way we swam, 
and the only equipment we had were the wooden carved goggles
that the native Hawaiians used.
 
We would swim out to the reef for shells, and I still 
have a couple of cats eyes. 
We used to swim out to the seaplanes and bum fesh milk 
and fruit from the crews.

On Sunday, 2-4-45, our radar officer, Lt. Randolph H. Ogg, 
was swimming alone at the reef and drowned.  He's buried in 
the Punch Bowl on Ohau.

Lt. Ogg apparently died of a heart attack.  He was swimming 
alone, and he was a straight type of guy who didn't imbibe.  
One Gyrene fell from the 100' tower on Sand, and 6 Seabees on 
Johnston died from bad moonshine they had cooked up. 

All deceased enlisted men were put on "channel duty" at the 
"outside" end of the channel which, in those days, was quite 
narrow and shallow.  Only a small supply freighter could come 
thru.  

When someone died on the island, enlisted men only,  they 
would be put into matress covers, weighted down, and taken to 
the end of the channel on the crash boat.  Their bodies
were then slid over the side to stand "channel duty" for
eternity.

END