NEW YORK PIER 42

The Norton pulled into New York for a few days and we were given liberty of course..
As I recall we were at pier 42 I believe. I do know it was a long walk to Broadway and we would take the bus or six of us would 'catch a cab' uptown. Sometimes we would walk all the way back to the ship just for the ''fun of walking on something besides the steel decks of the Norton''.. One night I got back kinda early and I was getting ready to hit the showers when a buddy of mine came in the compartment. He looked like he had been fighting with a thrashing machine and lost. His uniform was in shreads, his hat was gone, he was missing one shoe and his tie was missing and he had scratches and blue bruises on his face and neck.
''HOLLY CAT STUFF STRICK,,,,,, WAT THE HAY HAPPEND TO YOU''??????
He told me this story.................
He said he had decided to walk back to the ship and he was walking alone .. On the way back to the ship you walked thur some appartment areas with steps that came out to the sidewalk and there were some kids setting on one of these ''stoops''. One of the kids asked if he had a ''ciggie'' that he could have. Strick told him ''yeah'' and reached down to retrieve his pack of Camels from his left sock and that is when they all jumped him. He said that about six or seven of them got on him like ''white on rice''..... They were trying to steal his wallet and money. What they didnt understand is that a Sailor carries his wallet in his inside breast pocket of his jumper and it is difficult to get out of there on a good day. Strick said that the oldest one could not have been more than fourteen and the youngest one was probably eleven but they ''ganged him''....... He said he started just pushing them away because Strick was a big man and he didnt want to hurt any of them. This seemingly didnt work so he closed his hands and started knocking them away. He said he would hit one and three more would jump him ripping at his uniform and scratching his face. He said after much fighting and clawing he finally got away from them by running like a rabbit and leaving two or three of them on the sidewalk bleeding....... He went to sick bay for tetinus shots and some anti biotic dabbed on the scratches......
From then on we travled in groups when we walked back to the ship or we would simply grab a taxi back to the Norton...
So it went on the Norton visiting the ''Great White Way'' in New York....
GOD BLESS OUR TROOPS AND BRING THEM HOME SOON AND SAFE
GOD BLESS OUR VETS FOR THEIR SRVICE TO THIS GREAT NATION
Seajay the sailor man ....