Harold McBain remembers -

Going through the Canal was quite an experience for me. While we were in the locks, I had been shooting the breeze with McIntyre and Calloway - sitting on the flag bag, smoking and drinking coffee. Captain Wilson put Chief Egnew on the wheel. Egnew was doing a little sightseeing and the Pilot told the captain to get a helmsman - guess how? I never did see the Miraflores and Gatun Lakes. That Pilot wouldn't let me deviate 1/4 of a degree. All I saw was the compass card. Carl didn't mind - he enjoyed the rest of the trip. That's how I wound up at the helm for GQ, in and out of port, fueling, transferring personnel at sea, coming alongside, etc. One time though, I was on the wheel when we transferred Commodore Mooseburgger from the COMPTON by breeches buoy. He got a wet tail! Naturally, it was the Compton QM's fault!