The Philadelphia Experiment

I remember the whole thing as if it was yesterday. While I was standing on the deck of the ship I was assigned to the Martin Alexander, a merchant marine tanker for the U.S. Navy when the USS Elderidge which was a destroyer escort (DE 173) vanished while me and Carl were having a smoke.

“What the hell.” Carl’s eyes were open wide as he dropped his smoke into the water. A green mist surrounded the ship and when the mist cleared, the ship had vanished into thin air.

“I have no idea.” I gasped.

“Well, I sure as hell saw it disappear.” His voice croaked.

“A ship disappearing right in front of our eyes.” He leaned over the rail a bit unable to believe what he had just seen. “It’s gone, just like that.”

“What are you guys yapping about.” Captain Hubbard asked as he came out on deck.

“Cap’n, there was a boat right there.” Carl pointed to now empty space the Eldridge had just occupied, “And the dang thing just disappeared.”

“Carl, do you need to have Doc have you checked out?” Hubbard scowled

“I seen it too.” I vouched for Carl who was an old veteran of the merchant marines.

“You both need to see the doc?” He squinted, “There ain’t no ship there, not even a lifeboat. I’ve been a captain for a lot of years and I know how sometimes the line between reality and mirage can be a thin line all the same.”

“Honest to God cap’n, I seen it vanish.” Carl could hardly find the words.

“You need to see the doc before we set sail in the morning.” He patted Carl on his back, “That’s an order.”

“Yes, cap’n.” He glanced over at me. “Him too?”

“Would not be a bad idea.” He shook his head as he retreated back into thed bridge of the tanker.

“I’ll go, if you go.” I nudged Carl.

“What are we going to tell Doc Owens?” I asked as we made our way to his cabin.

“The truth.” Carl nodded.

“Yeah, that make everything alright.” I chuckled.

Doctor Owens had been assigned to our tanker while we docked in the port of Philadelphia yesterday. Neither Caril or I knew him personally, but he was assigned as our medical officer for our voyage across the Atlantic.

“Boys, what can I do for ya?” He greeted us as we walked into his cabin. The thick odor of mold nearly choked us.

“Cap’n told us we had to see you.” Carl blurted out.

“What ails ya?” He was younger than I expected with neatly cut jet-black hair and big droopy brown eyes with a mustache trimmed to regulation under a hook nose.

“Well…” Carl hesitated glancing over at me, “We was on the deck having a cigarette when the ship next to ours disappeared.”

His face flashed a scowl of disbelief as he cupped his hand under his chin as he sat on the edge of his bunk.

“It’s true.” I nodded hoping that he would take us seriously.

“When you say disappeared, what made you come to that conclusion.” He smiled.

“There was a green mist and then that destroyer escort was gone.” He explained.

“I see.” He nodded. “And you saw the same thing?” He glanced over at me.

“I did.” I glanced at Carl and nodded.

“Anyone else see this?” He asked.

“Naw, we was the only ones on deck.” Carl shook his head.

“I want to check this out and see if anyone else witnessed this incredible event.” He picked up his pad and wrote something down in it.

“We sail in the morning.” I told him.

“I am aware of that, but I have to ask some questions before we leave.”He closed his notebook. “I shall as Captain Hubbard to delay departure until I get a few witness statements.”

“I might not wanna poke around too much.” Carl looked down at his boots.

“Why not?” He tilted his head.

“Folks who run things around here are a might touchy about things like this.” He sighed, “Navy likes to play games.”

“I see.” He nodded.

“And they hate it when someone starts asking too many questions.” Carl explained.

“I will keep that in mind.” He smiled.

“Will that be all?” Carl asked.

“For now.” He coughed, “If I find out what’s really going on, I’ll both of you know.” He pointed his finger at us.

“Appreciate it sir.” Carl nodded.

“We will be delaying our departure.” Captain Hubbard told the entire crew that had assembled on the deck.

“Do you think doc found something?” I whispered to Carl.

“Hard to tell.” He answered.

“You two.” Captain Hubbard pointed to me and Carl, “Report to Naval Intelligence.”

“What for?” Carl seemed suddenly distressed.

“They will tell you when you get there.” He turned away from us.

“Holy mackerel.” Carl gasped.

“What?”

Carl just pointed. Following his finger, I saw the USS Eldridge moored where it had been just before it disappeared.

“What the hell.” He added as he shook his head.

“C’mon, let’s get to Naval Intelligence.” I pulled at his shirt sleeve, “I’m not sure I wanna be here anymore.”

“You are John Boston, correct?” Ensign Walters of Naval Intelligence asked.

“Yes, sir.” I affirmed as I sat in the uncomfortable wooden chair. The window was open and I could hear the squawking of the sea gull on the pier fighting over the scraps.

“You claim that you witnessed a naval ship disappear?” He looked up from the document he was holding. There was an amused expression on his face.

“I did.” I nodded.

“You said the USS Eldridge vanished in a green mist.” He shook his head. The sea gulls screeched louder.

“I see.” He wrote something down on the document. “What do you think is happening?”

“To be honest, I have no idea.” I confessed.

“Have you ever heard of the Philadelphia Experiment? He asked as he tilted his head back so I could peer up both his nostrils.

“No, I have not.” I crossed my arms over my chest.

“Good.” He smiled, “The Philadelphia Experiment is a top-secret navy project.”

“I am just a merchant marine.” I said, “I would not be allowed access to a top-secret naval project.”

“Correct.” He nodded, “I must make sure that this information is not disseminated outside of official lines of communication.”

“So, did that ship disappear?” I asked as I gathered my courage.

“I can’t tell you that.” He crossed his arms across the medal hanging from the pocket of his uniform.

“It was unnerving to say the least.” I nodded.

“Who said anything about a naval ship disappearing?” He raised an eyebrow, “It is in my power to put you in custody if I feel you are a threat to our security. We are at war and I have been given wartime powers. You will tell no one what you think you and your shipmate saw, is that understood?”

“Absolutely.” I was caught short of breath for the moment.

“I have cleared your departure within the next hour. Your captain is preparing to set sail.” He explained, “I think you’d better get to your ship. You are dismissed. But I must warn you that you are not to discuss this with anyone. Understood?”

“Understood.” I swallowed.

“Good day, Seaman Boston.” He did not look up as I walked our of the office.

“What did they ask you?” Carl was waiting for me outside the office, smoking a cigarette.

“Not to talk about it.” I leaned against the pier railing.

“So, we just gotta keep our mouths shut?” He flicked some ashes into the water lapping against the tiers.

“It seems that way.” I tossed a pebble into the water.

“We saw it, right?” He poked me in the arm with his finger.

“Yes. We saw it, but we’re not allowed to talk about it.” I glanced at him, “It is part of some experiment the navy is doing. It’s top-secret.”

“It scared me.” He admitted as he tossed his cigarette into the briner with a hiss.

“It shook me up pretty good too, Carl.” I told him as we walked the pier toward The Martin Alexanderr.

“Step it up, gents.” Captain Hubbard growled as we neared our ship, “We be shoving off in twenty minutes.”

“Aye, aye, sir.” Carl gave him a sloppy salute as we both walked up the gangplank.

“So, did them navy boys give you the what-for?” He asked with a wicked smile smeared on his ugly mug.

“We are not allowed to talk about it.” I chimed in.

“You are always a thorn in myside, Boston.” He sneered.

As we left the wharf, I took one last look at the USS Eldridge. Was that a ghost ship the navy was using against the Nazis? There were plenty of tales about such things, but this was the first ship I ever say vanish. Seeing it gave me the willies wondering if the crew was part of Davey Jones’ crew.

“I sure love to know what is up with that rig.” Carl shook his head as we sailed into open water.

“I think if we got invisible, I’d be less afraid of them German U-boats.” I remarked as I wound up the rigging so none of us would trip over it on the decks.

As I lay in my bunk, I kept seeing the green mist as the ship disappeared. I wanted to talk about it. I wanted to see if anybody else knew anything about the Philadelphia Experiment. I heard stories of some of the things that the navy was trying to avoid the U-boats that waited for us as we got close to the English Channel and the North Sea. A lot of my fellow merchant marines had been sent to Davey Jones’ Locker by them wretched things. I was a survivor. Spent a week in a lifeboat last year. As be bounced over the waves, I heard some of the boys groaning from their burns and other injuries. I still have nightmares about it, but now I have been blessed with another memory I wish I didn’t have. I’d be glad when this war is over.

“Saw a shadow in the water.” Carl told me at breakfast. “I got the cold chills, but they was just whales. Not U-boats.”

“Tomorrow we’ll be in occupied waters.” I ran my spoon through the porridge in front of me.

“I wish ya hadn’t reminded me.” He shook his head.

“Sorry.” I apologized.

As the Martin Alexander sailed south of Greenland, the water grew rough and choppy. Some of the crew tethered themselves to the ship as we bounced across the waves. Our cargo hold was filled with vehicles and ammunition and some much-needed medical supplies.

“I heard they are preparing an invasion in the spring.” Carl told me as we checked the holding are to make sure the cargo was stowed properly.

“I wonder if they are going to send ghost ships.” I chuckled.

“You still thinking about that?” He poked me in the ribs with his elbow.

“I can’t think of much else.” I said out of the side of my mouth.

“Junkers overhead.” Captain Hubbard told us over the loud speaker.

“Crap, the Jerries are coming from the air too.” Carl scoffed. We found the shelters that would not be enough to withstand a bombardment. Even from our shelter, I could hear the drone of their propellors. “God Almighty, I wish this ship could disappear.”

Funny, I was wishing the same thing. But by some miracle, we were not the main target of them planes as there was a convoy behind us they were gunning for. We heard the big guns from battleships that were sailing behind us.

“Wonder if that ghost ship is there.” Carl gave me a toothless smile. I was just glad they were hunting for us and we would survive at least one more day.

We managed to anchor in Portsmouth where a motorcade was waiting to transport the supplies to the army units in southern England. We were given shore leave for a week before we sailed back to the United States in Norfolk.

“You blokes from the states?” The bartender at the pub Carl and I were having a pint before staggering back to the ship.

“Born and raised.” Carl smiled with cheeks already rosy red.

“I heard rumors that your navy is working on an invisible battleship.” He wiped down the bar as he spoke. My heart nearly stopped.

“Where might you been hearing such things?” Carl tilted his head back.

“Here and there.” He shrugged.

“I’m just a merchant marine. The navy don’t tell us these things.” Carl continued.

“Ah, I just hear the scuttlebutt from time to time.” He met Carl’s gaze.

“Don’t go believing everything ya hear, mate.” Carl folded his arms across his chest.

“I don’t really, but I have a curiosity like a cat at times.” He chuckled, “That one was told to me by one of hose drunk petty officers who wanted to shoot his mouth off is all. No harm in asking now is there?”

“Naw, no harm.” Carl glanced around making sure no one was within earshot.

Once we were on our way back, we were escorted by a squadron of Spitfires until English shore was no longer in view. The seas were rough on our journey back and the sunlight was scarce as it was winter, but we arrived at Norfolk just after the New Year.

“Looky there.” Carl pointed, “That’s the ghost ship.”

It sure was with the DE 173 pained in white on the front of her hull.

“Do you suppose she vanished from here?” Carl wondered aloud.

“Hard to say for sure.” I pulled my cap down over my ears as the cold wind kicked in from the north.

“Maybe I’ll have a word with one of their petty officers.” He lit a cigarette with his hand blocking the wind.

“I don’t think that’s such a good idea, do you.” I shook my head, “Remember the last time. We wound up at Naval Intelligence.”

“Awk, they don’t scare me. Hell, I’ve been across the Atlantic more times then most of them.” He stuck out his tongue, “I has earned the right.”

As soon as we had docked, Carl walked off the gangplank and engaged conversation with one of the crew.

“I has a question.” He pointed to a tall sailor wearing black framed glasses.

“Name is Petty Officer Horace Thomas.” He stood up from bending over with the rigging.

“Are you assigned to this ship?”

“Yeah.” He answered.

“I seen this ship before.” He pointed at the Eldridge.

“Yeah.” The sailor shrugged.

“I saw it vanish.” Carl said bluntly.

“I think you must be mad or drunk, sit.” He shook his head.

“I wasn’t at the time.” Carl glared at him.

“I’ve been in the Navy for three years and I have not seen one ship vanish.” He chuckled.

“Well, I’ve been merchant marine longer than you’ve been alive and I saw this ship vanish in thin air.” He poked his finger into the Petty Officer Thomas’ tunic. “My partner over there seen it too.”

“Look mister, I’m on a detail.” He frowned, “I don’t have time to discuss this with you. My officer is right there. His name is Lieutenant Junior Grade Fitzmorris. If you have any questions, he’s the man to talk to.”

“Carl, I don’t think-“I began but he stomped his way over to the clean-shaven officer with the piercing blue eyes.

“Are you Lieutenant Fitzmorris?”

“Yes sir and who might you be?” He asked.

“I am Carl Allen.” Carl tipped his cap, “Have you sailed on this ship?”

“Yes I have.” He said proudly.

“I saw this ship disappear.” Carl insisted.

“You must be mistaken.” He laughed.

“No, I saw it and so did he.” He pointed at me.

“I’m sorry to be the one to tell you this, but this ship has never vanished.” He shook his head, “Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to report to the bridge.”

Carl stepped aside.

“Told you.” I shrugged.

What I did not know until later is Lieutenant Junior Grade Fitzmorris went to talk to Captain Douglass. I would discover this in a classified report someone had given to me because I had been named in the report. Carl had retired by then and never knew about this report.

“That guy down there told me he saw this ship disappear.” Fitzmorris told his captain.

“That guy?” Captain Douglass pointed to Carl.

“Yeah.”

“I’m going to have someone keep an eye on him. The Philadelphia Experiment is supposed to be Top-Secret.”

He leaned on the door frame watching Caril as he walked back to the Martin Alexander unaware at the time that we were being watched.