I went aboard in late l932. At that time we slept in hammocks. The crew were all volunteers and the only ones married were Chiefs and lst Class petty officers. The crew was marvelous. Tough in language and behavior but with the principles of gentlemen. If you were a member of that ship, they would do anything for you, including risking their lives. If you got into a fight where you were outnumbered, all you had to do is yell out the name of your ship and every shipmate within hearing would rush to your side.

Shortly after reporting aboard, I went ashore to pick up a few things as we were leaving the next day for an extended cruise. I was returning to the ship in early afternoon and waiting for a boat at the Navy landing. While drinking my coffee, the sailor next to me, asked me my ship. I told him and he said he was from the SLC and didn't remember me. I told him I had just reported. He wanted to know why I was going back to the ship. I told him I wanted to back and straighten out my gear for the cruise. Since Liberty was given so infrequently between long cruises, he had trouble understanding that and assumed I had run out of money. Even though he had never seen me before the fact that I was off his ship was sufficient for him to whip out a 20 dollar bill and shove it to me. I thankfully declined as I was not broke. Remember during that depression time, the weekly paycheck was that much.

Another incident
When not in port, the ship had to produce its fresh water from sea water. The procedure was to issue a bucket of fresh water to the crew. You washed your clothes in it, washed yourself with it, and then rinsed your clothing and yourself off with salt water. Being new aboard ship, I heard the bos'n blow his whistle, everyone grabbed a bucket and raced to the wash room, I did likewise, grabbed a bucket and next thing I knew was lying flat on the deck. The sailor who had knocked me flat, picked up the bucket I had grabbed and in a kindly voice said, "That's personal property," and walked off No friendly indoctrination, no scholarly explanations, just a fast brutal response to wrong behavior, and boy, did you learn fast.

It was during the depression, officers were forced to take 30 days leave without pay, and it took me 5 years to make 3rd class petty officer, because there were no openings. But what was superior was the close bonding of the ship's crew that were truly a band of brothers and the qualities they possessed were exceptional. I have never met any finer men. It was my honor and great pleasure to be with then the shipmates of that great ship, the USS Salt Lake City.

Sidney Weinstein