"Well we were watching the Japs fly around before they even dropped a bomb. I have been very disappointed in myself.
I couldn't have done anything but I could have saved a few lives.
We had a speaker system that originated on the bridge. The boatswain's mate stayed on the bridge and passed all communication from the signal bridge. We had that thing there and all we had to do was press a button and pass the word. One guy told me today that if they had had five minutes,
but I was new in the damn Navy and scared to death, and running around not knowing what to do.
If I would have had more experience, I wouldn't have hesitated, but you don't call a battleship to General Quarters when you are a Third Class Petty Officer, new in the Navy."
Sm3/c Paul Goodyear