The first crew aboard were pretty much snotnosed kids (including myself). I had joined when I was 17 (fresh from Kansas) and celebrated my 18th birthday in Bremerton awaiting to take her out. (those days at the Crow's Nest in Bremerton were something else). I do remember the shakedown cruise from Bremerton to Mare Island (I think). I'll never forget sitting in a little cubicle across from the ship's office. The water was a bit rough and the engine room was directly around from my cube, the black gang was really firing up and made the corridors hot. The interior decks were freshly laid and they had fresh paste wax on them. I know because I helped lay it down. Between the heat, the smell of fresh wax and the aroma of pork chops in the galley, I found myself "manning the rail" for a while. But of course, I wasn't alone. You had to fight to get a fresh perch on the rail--and you didn't want to be on the fantail side of the rail! Some of the Chiefs used to come out and fire up their cigars to add to the dismay. God! how those old salts dearly loved the "fresh meat" aboard!