THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, November 14, 1994 TAG: 9411120032
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E3 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Column
SOURCE: Larry Maddry
LENGTH: Medium: 74 lines
I'M SORRY TO SAY the questions I prepared for officers and crew aboard the HMS Norfolk went mostly unanswered.
And they weren't bad if I say so myself. Here they are in my note pad:
1. Why have you stolen our city's name and put it on your ship?''
2. Do Brits call aircraft carriers bird farms?
3. When do we eat?
No. 3 was by far the most important question. I arose at 5:30 p.m. so I wouldn't miss our tug's rendezvous with the HMS Norfolk - an anti-submarine frigate. And skipped breakfast, natch.
I remember it so clearly. The nice lady from the city who called to fill me in on the arrangements said: ``And don't worry about breakfast. . . . There will be plenty to eat aboard.''
We stepped aboard the vessel at about 8:30 a.m. on Thursday. The Brits were charming and gracious as they always are - despite the rough weather that made a chop of the Elizabeth River.
I was told it was so rough that there were white caps in the captain's martini. The Brits drink liquor aboard their ships, you know. There were cases of beer stacked in a passageway. Small wonder they have mastered the seas for more than 500 years.
The press corps wandered mindlessly through the ship, throwing up and asking questions, most of which were repetitive. ``Is Tom Clancy in there?'' they asked, ducking their heads into heads, offices, compartments and lounges.
We docked at Nauticus around 9 a.m. Then the media types gathered in a room where coffee was served. ``Is there anything else you'd like?,'' a press officer asked.
``Uh, maybe a little toast,'' I replied.
Clancy showed up a few minutes later, looking as though he'd lowered the boom on a breakfast of eggs, ham biscuits, kippers and a rasher or two of bacon.
In his blazer, wearing a pair of glasses with thick lenses that seemed to magnify his owlish eyes, the author looked like a history professor at a small college. He had been on board for several days as a guest of his old friend Capt. James Perowne, the frigate's skipper.
When Clancy was researching his book ``Red Storm Rising,'' Perowne fed the author suggestions, which helped with what was to become another best-seller. They've been close friends since. In gratitude for Perowne's useful advice, Clancy used the captain as the model for a character in ``Red Storm Rising,'' changing his name to Doug Perrin.
Having been aboard for days, Clancy had missed a lot of election news and said he couldn't wait to hear what radio show host Rush Limbaugh had to say about the Republican sweep of congressional seats.
Clancy was visibly saddened by the defeat of his friend Oliver North.
``We met at a football game and hit it off right from the beginning,'' the author said. ``He isn't perfect. But nobody is. I liked Warner too. I'm sorry Warner took the stance he did. I spoke at a few rallies for Ollie. . . . I think he was absolutely right when he said our military readiness is declining under Clinton. Yeah, I spoke out for him. If you don't stand up for your friends, what good are you?''
During our tour of the HMS Norfolk I found a compartment with a sign on the door that stated: ``Having scram.'' Puzzled, I asked the press officer about it. He said it meant the occupant was ``eating.'' Great.
Before we left, Capt. Perowne explained that his vessel was a duke-class frigate. The frigates honor dukes from the Duke of York to the Duke of Richmond, he said.
However, when asked to name a Duke of York who had been a sailor, he was stumped. ``They've all been Army men,'' he conceded.
Our press kit said the motto of the HMS Norfolk is ``Serving, I Preserve.'' True enough. I scramed later at Dunkin Donuts. by CNB