The picture above shows a novel approach to open sea refueling of seaplanes. In April 1956 VP-45 sent some crews to Key West to operate with USS Guavina in open sea refueling evaluations. As a PP2P and junior pilot in crew 9, I was detailed to stay aboard the submarine as an observer and observe how the process was accomplished from that perspective.

I had never been aboard a submarine before and was quickly indoctrinated in shipboard procedures in no uncertain terms. I learned quickly how to ask permission to go "outside" for fresh air, and other details about living in a tube that smells bad and is extremely cramped for space. The food was great and the company pretty nice, but I never did get used to sleeping with a big pipe inches from my face and having to fold the wash basin into the bulkhead in order to exit the room.

Some of the officers in the sub had experimented with a roulette system and believed they had a foolproof method to beat the wheel. When they found out our crews often dropped in at the tables in San Juan and enjoyed spinning for a few, I was "invited" to accept a certain sum from their asset pool and promise to try the system at the first opportunity. I had to promise, also, to report to them on how much they had won. I was authorized to deduct 10% from the winnings as my gratuity. How could I refuse??

The refueling operations went fairly smoothly. I even had the opportunity to make a few open sea landings under the very watchful eye of my great PPC, LT Matherson. That was the really fun part of the whole operation.

Guavina and VP-45 parted company — the boat back to Key West to prepare for another squadron’s arrival and VP-45 back to Coco Solo (via San Juan). Alas and alack, the system with the roulette wheel soon proved deficient and I lost all the money in the "poke". I didn’t even deduct the 10%, since there were no winnings. I did keep a detailed account of the numbers and colors played and the amounts wagered, though, and sent the report to the Guavina "investors," who didn’t even send a Bravo Zulu response.
I must report that I enjoyed the open sea landings and the evaluating of the roulette wheel system a whole lot more that the time spent in the submarine. As I told them in the boat, we can jump out of a plane if there is trouble, but it is most difficult to bail out of an underwater submersible.

C. B. Caldwell

GUAVINA (SS 362) was commissioned 23 December 1943 and departed on her first war patrol from Pearl Harbor on 6 April 1944. The patrol was very successful and she even withstood a depth charge attack after sinking two ships. She successfully completed six war patrols, including several depth charge attacks, in the South China Sea and was placed in reserve at Mare Island in 1946. She was overhauled and modified for conversion to a submarine oiler at Mare Island, equipped with a snorkel and recommissioned to the active fleet as SSO-362 on 6 February 1952. The aft ‘flight deck" was added in 1955 and the testing of seaplane refueling operations began in Key West in 1956. She was redesignated AOSS 362 in July 1957. In 1959 she served as a training ship for reservists, was struck from the Navy List 30 June 1967 and sunk as a target for USS CUBERA (SS347) off Cape Henry.