May 2, 1964--Saturday

Seas 5-6 foot swells, partly cloudy, temp 76

Watches 2145(Fri.)-0245 CIC surface, 1700-2145 CIC ECM

Turned-two getting ready for berthing inspection.  Had personnel inspection and award presentations at 1430.  Four men were given letters of commendation for their good effort in assisting the swimmers when they were downwind during last weeks swim call.  Started picking up radio and TV stations on the ECM equipment during my watch.  On of the programs was Art Linkletters House Party.  Changed course to 242.  Had first skunk (unknown ship) since about 10 days ago and the second since leaving Pearl Harbor.  Had four all together during the watch as we are nearing the coast of Australia.  On course 276.

 May 3, 1964--Sunday

Seas 6-8 foot, winds up to 45 knots, overcast, temp 60

Watches 1200-1700 CIC ECM

Normal working day with a complete field day being held.  The deck-apes have made staging from the dip tank (from the equator crossing) and are over the side in foul weather gear cleaning the sides.  They were going to do it on Monday but a storm is up ahead so they chose today with these high winds.  We are laying to on course 275-5 knots with our bow into the wind making no speed as the wind is canceling our 5 knots.  At 1900 had a band concert on the Mess decks along with choosing the winner of the beard-growing contest.

 May 4, 1964--Monday

Seas 5-7 foot, confused seas, winds 20 knots, overcast, temp 60

Watches 0700-1200 CIC surface radar

Still turning to like all get out. Attempted to clean the Macks but we still have heavy seas so we couldn’t do it in the morning. In the afternoon the storm wasn’t so bad but we still had to go up and rig boatswain chairs and scour down the gray part. Taking up to 30 degree rolls in a mostly following sea with confusing waves. Everyone has channel fever as we learned via the ham radio that there is going to be a television crew for our arrival. We heard that when the Goldsborough hit Sydney there were “hundreds of girls, wearing skin-tight slacks, brightly colored jumpers and new hair do’s waiting at the dockyard gates to meet them” as reported over a broadcast

 May5, 1964—Tuesday

Seas calm, clear, temp 68, inport Adelaide

Watches 0245-0700 CIC surface radar

Set the clocks back one-half hour as Adelaide is on a half time zone.  I had the watch and it was the first time it had happened on my watch but as revile had gone at 0600 we really got a half-hour shorter watch. Arrived at the sea-bouy at 0730 and started down the long eight mile channel or old river before it changed course. Had only an average depth of only 27 feet or 7 feet under our keel.

Pulled up to Pier 2 at the Port of Adelaide docks with maybe only 50-75 people and TV camera men watching.  Was not as we were told but as it was a working day not much was said.  Liberty call went at 0900 for the liberty section.  I was in what you call a stand-by section (can only leave if you had a valid invitation to go with someone as a guest.  I couldn't leave until 1600 for I had to conduct tours.  I had to help give tours to the TV and news representatives. One of them took my picture and posted it downtown with others of the ship.  During the course of our stay the ship got several calls asking for a date with the sailor who had his picture on the board. Only a couple of hundred people came aboard the first day as not too much was said in the papers about our arrival. At 1600 some Australians invited us to ride downtown which is about seven miles from the port.  So a guy named Stanecki RD2 and another radarman and myself went along.  We went to a beer bar right in the center of town and as the bars close here at 1800 we sampled what is supposed to be some of the greatest beer in the world (and it is too) for a hour and a half.  Then this Aussie took the three of us to a steak house for a T-bone steak and wine (cost about 1.30).  This guy named Stanecki is in my underway watch section and is a real quiet guy.  He didn't say anything the whole time we had spent there other than a few words to a Australian at the bar and to the girl who took our order.  He had been like this ever since Hawaii or awhile before, and I had been calling him a "sea grouch" or "schiz" (for schizophrenia-dictionary comes in handy).  After all this we went up the street and all the while stopping along to stop and talk to people who want to see an American.  After a while this guy (James Stanecki) left us (I now understand he went back to the ship).  We went on and spent an enjoyable evening even though the bars close at 1800.  These bars are on almost every corner and are on the ground floor of a hotel.  I guess it is like this all over--I mean with the hotels being on every corner.  If you want to drink after 1800 a person has to either go next door to the bottle shop or go in the hotel (which most are no bigger than our old house) and order food and have drinks.  No use going on about the rest of the night as it is irrespective to my story.  Meanwhile next day...

 May 6, 1964--Wednesday

Inport Adelaide Australia, clear, temp 70

Duty day, 1200-1700 NTDS social phone, 2400-0200 phone.

Up at 0600 after four hours sleep.  As Stanecki sleeps above me he rolled out of his rack on top of me as I was doing the same. He said he came back to the ship after I asked him where he went.  He went up to the quarter-deck and checked out a 45 pistol, belt and ammo to assume the watch.  The watch wasn't set until 0900 so he went up to CIC to have coffee and wait around.  The rest of the division fell in quarters for muster after turning two and cleaning up the ship for general visitors at 0820.  We secured at 0845 and most of us went into the NTDS room to find out if any girls had called up recently (which hundreds had already). The word was passed for the "Corpsman lay up to CIC" and we found out that Stanecki was shot and we were ordered to stay where we were.  All watches were doubled and men with machine guns stationed all over the ship for security.  Liberty call was held up for about four hours after it was found that he was dead and an inquiry board was set up to talk to all hands who knew him.  They wanted me to take pictures as I was the ships photographer but luckily another photographer from the coroner's office did that.  The body wasn't taken off the ship until about 1330 after it was determined a suicide and even then the press knew about it and had their camera's for the removal.  Well that's enough on this subject.

Wayne Hoppke remembers:  If my fading memory serves me right, my buddy Dave Engle and I were in the OI Division duty section that day in Adelaide Australia. After all the inquiries were done and the liberty sections had departed Dave was tactfully "ordered" to go get the head at the rear of CIC where the unfortunate incident happened cleaned up to the usual level of Gridley spotlessness.

Dave was understandably nervous about this and asked me to accompany him. I didn't relish the idea but discretion being the better part of valor (or the other way around) I did so. But I stayed out in the ECM area and talked with him while Dave did the work. If I recall it seems as tho it was very quiet with nobody around and a very haunting experience. Needless to say as soon as Dave was finished we got out of there.

Thats what I remember. .....In memory of RD2 Stanecki.......

Fair Winds to all.

Here is the recollection of Curtis Miley, also a radarman.  Curtis was the man that actually found Stanecki and, to my knowledge, this is the first time he has spoken about that experience.

"Not that it makes any difference, but Stanecki did himself in while we stood at parade going into Adelade. We had to stand there for the whole trip up the channel. Seems like it took 1 1/2 hours or more. He had the first deck watch when we were to get in. That's why he had the service 45.

I had to pee so bad I was in pain. Wanted to get to the head first. So, I run up to CIC instead of the compartment. Ran in the hatch in the back,off the signal bridge at full speed. Grabbed the hatch wall and swung around the 180 degrees to shoot into the small head off of ECI and the coffee pot area. He was on the floor across the head. It was only 8 feet wide or so. Was going so fast I nearly stepped on him. Then nearly fell on him from the fast stop. Only time in my life I think I went into shock.

The 45 really made a mess and he had been laying there for a while. There was a phone in that room. But I ran all the way across CIC to where the SPS 50 was and the nav table. Called the bridge. Told them someone was hurt badly. Hadn't gotten into my conscience yet that he was gone. It was obvious. But I just tripped out. Chief Martin saw that when he got there. He called Dub Shirey up to walk me around the deck and get air. None of them spoke the words that he was dead."