BBS-040

BBS-040

Sid's N T I N S Locker || Return to OUR SUBMARINE FORCE HISTORY

This story of the TOILET PAPER REQUISITION has been kicking around the sub force for as long as I can recall. I deliberated whether it rightfully belonged on the N T I N S page or on the HISTORY page so I have included it here with a return-link to the history page. A great story and great history too. In my opinion that is.

Sid H.

The USS SKIPJACK message below was posted on the

Submarine World Network BBS by Ron Martini on July 24, 1997.

The following additional background Information was contributed by Tom Parks

on 21 Dec. 1999.

"The author was LCDR James Wiggin Coe who had a distinguished record as skipper of S-39 and Skipjack. He was skipper of Cisco when she was lost with all hands in 1943 on her first patrol. The letter is posted in the Bowfin museum in Pearl and at the Naval Supply School."

An actual message sent with a copy to

Commander Submarines, Southwest Pacific from the USS Skipjack

#3s184?l8 S36-1

Date: June 11, 1942

From: The Commanding Officer

To: Supply Officer, Navy Yard, Mare Island

Subject: Toilet Paper

Reference:

(a) (4608) USS Holland (S184)USS Skipjack Req. 7042 of July 30, 1941

(b) SO NYMI Canceled invoice No. 272836

Enclosure:

(a) Sample of canceled invoice

(b) Sample of material required.

1. This vessel submitted a requisition for 150 rolls of toilet paper on July 30, 1941, to USS Holland. The material was ordered by Holland to the supply officer, Navy Yard, Mare Is, for delivery to USS Skipjack.

2. The supply officer Mare Is on November 26, 1941, canceled Mare Is Invoice No. 272836 with the stamped notation "Canceled. Cannot Identify." This canceled invoice was received by Skipjack on June 10, 1942.

3. During the eleven and a half months elapsing from the time of ordering the toilet paper to the present date, USS Skipjack personnel, despite their best efforts to await delivery of the subject material, have been unable to wait on several occasions, and the situation is now acute, particularly during depth-charge attacks by the "back stabbers."

4. Enclosure (b) is a sample of the desired material provided for the information of the supply officer, Navy Yard, Mare Is. The Commanding officer of USS Skipjack can not help but wonder what is being used at Mare Is as a substitute for this unidentifiable material once well known to this command.

5. Boat's personnel during this period have become accustomed to the use of ersatz in proportion to the vast amount of incoming paper work generally nonessential, and in so doing feels that the wish of the Bureau of Ships for reduction of paper work is being complied with, thus killing two birds with one stone.

6. It is believed by this command that the stamped notation "Cannot Identify" was possibly an error, and that this is simply a case of shortage of strategic war material,USS Skipjack probably being low on the priority list.

7. In order to cooperate in the war effort at small local sacrifice USS Skipjack desires no further action be taken until the end of the current war, which has created a situation so aptly described as "war is hell."

2005: more about this from SNOPES