Mark Miller
Former crewmember
CDR Playdon was an Acacdemy grad. I recall reading of his death early during my time aboard STORIS. It caught my attention because we had just had a visitor in Nome (during tours) who gave birth to a son in sick bay while he was CO.
She and her midwife were aboard for dental care during one of the old village visits, and she went into labor unexpectedly. She named her son for the ship and the CO, ie Playdon Storis (last name, which I've forgotten), and the crew manned the rail for her when she departed with her baby. The son died from an accident in his 20s I think.
Sick bay at the time was in the fantail where the armory is now. Shawn Decker, who was 1LT at the time, heard her story first hand, and I believe a Nome radio station did a segment on it. Shawn was XO of SPAR last I knew, but probably has moved on by now. Great sea story in any case, maybe something for the archives you guys are gathering.
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