Rodman, Thomas

RM2 THOMAS JAMES RODMAN 10 December 1964

After completing RM “A” school in November 1964, I was received for duty on board USS FRANK E. EVANS (DD 754) where I served as a radioman in the OC Division until December 1967.

MAMA BEAR & BABY BEAR…

We were running a port & starboard watch. I had showered, shaved, and was ready to head for the chow line. I chose to go out the fantail scuttle and take a picture or two. It was another beautiful day, not a cloud in the sky, not much goin’ on. Naw, got plenty of photos of the wake, so I left my camera below. Mistake!

Half way up the ladder, I heard a loud, gettin’ louder, jet engine sound. We weren’t operating with a carrier. I hurried up the ladder to see what’s the matter. Much to my surprise I saw, not 200 feet from me, mama bear and baby bear, 50 feet above sea level, starboard. WOW! If I only had a camera, what a great photo op. It’s as clear in my mind, as if it happened yesterday. I could see the pilot, the huge red star, the guy in the side observation bubble in his flight helmet. He was grinning and waving as if to say, “Gotcha!”

Needless to say, I next heard, “General Quarters,” (twice) “All hands man your battle station… This is not a drill…

Divine Intervention

The year 1966; location Taiwan Straits; area between mainland China and the island of Taiwan. We’d been on the Taiwan patrol for almost two weeks. The captain is “upset” to put it mildly, because the ORESTES broadcast is garbled. (Unable to read teletype messages sent to the USS FRANK E. EVANS.) We are the only ship on patrol so, we’re running in the blind.

Mid-watch 24 September 1966, I’m called to the teletype to witness an amazing happening. “Look at this Rodman,” it’s a message from the Red Cross informing me of the birth of our first baby, a healthy girl. Every number and letter is in its proper location, a perfect receipt of “Traffic.”

Well! Damn! The “old man” wants to see immediately all messages that are decipherable. I call the bridge, reluctantly, to let Capt. Hanson know I’m coming up with “A” just received perfect unclassified message. He says, “Bring-R-up son.” Boy, am I proud and I’m also aware of one glaring fact, this is the only message we’ve received and it’s perfect…

I put the message on the routing board and I’m off to the bridge. It’s a beautiful night, calm sea, clear, lots of stars. He’s waiting for me and says, “Let’s see what you’ve got there Rodman.” I hand him the board, he reads the message, smiles and says, “You know what this is Rodman?! This is divine intervention. Congratulations!”

Guys I remember: Ron Koppang, Neil Burnside, Gary Catron, and Robert Shultz.

Tom and his wife Sandy celebrated 42 years of marriage and currently reside at 10849 Prescott Road in Licking, Missouri 65542. That’s in the Ozarks where Tom built a log home from trees cut on the property using the Scandinavian scribe method. You can reach him at tjsjrodman@yahoo.com or 573-674-4449.