How Robert Feeney joined the Navy

You had to be 18 to join the service of your own accord - or 17 with a parent's permission. Young Robert Feeney came to his mother and told her that he wanted to join the Navy. There was one glitch, he was only 16. He told her that he was going to join. Either she could sign the papers saying he was 17, with the added benefit of knowing where he was or he would get someone else to do it and she wouldn't know where he was. Like most moms would, she signed the papers.

I guess it turned out all right. Though his ship sunk, he survived and is now kidded about the episode.