Arnold A. Anger (GMSN 56-58) recalls...

"Ankney was pretty new on the Gearing and came into the Gunnery Department in 1957 and worked with everyone. If I recall right, most of his time was spent back on Mount 45 with Beamer.

"We were two days out from either Antwerp or Copenhagen and we had a visitor... a pigeon, come on board shortly after dark. I found her the next morning huddled against the ammo rack and she looked pretty tired. We couldn't figure why or how she had flown so far out to sea but she did and she decided to rest on the Gearing.

"We kept her in a box all that day knowing when we would be close to land, we could release her then. She had water and moistened crackers to eat (shortage of pigeon food on the Gearing ) so she rested and was safe. Just outside of port, Ankney and I took her up on deck right near the forward hedgehog rack(port side) and we released her. She was glad to feel the wind under her wings as she took off.

"She left us with a keep sake though. In the box that morning, when we opened it up, WE FOUND AN EGG. That's why she visited the Gearing that night. A swell ship to land on, knowing that the crew would take care of her in her condition. The release was photograghed and is in the ship's book. Ankney and I are shown in the picture. I wonder if he (Ankney) remembers that swell time on the Gearing, just being friendly to a passing stranger in need?"