Marinestützpunkt Swinemünde, Thursday, 15 September 1949
It was not every day that a
vize-admiral visited the port of Swinemünde and the word of the impending visit of
Vize-admiral Becker had put the entire station in a tumult of preparation. The last week been spent in anxious preparation for an inspection – preparation that had been complicated by news that a battalion of construction troops was to be sent there before the end of the month. Already
Nissenhütte were being erected to house the thousand or more troops that were now to be added to the already crowded facility.
Fregattenkapitän Wulle, chief of staff to
Konteradmiral Glaser had arrived the day before to assure that all that could be done for preparation had been done. He was dismayed by how much remained.
Becker himself arrived the following afternoon in company with Glaser; and still there were crews at work all over the naval station. Wulle anticipated the worst.
To his immense relief Wulle discovered that Admiral Becker was satisfied, rather than displeased, at the continuing labours of the sailors working under the gaze of senior officers.
“If they can to their tasks well and efficiently during an inspection, perhaps they can do equally well under enemy fire.” Wulle was not completely certain that Becker was entirely joking.
Becker showed particular interest in the training facilities for cargo handling that had been constructed at considerable cost. The lessons learned here had already been passed along to many of the larger ships assigned to his command, but he was well aware that more would pass through the
Schauermannsschule, where crews would learn the lessons of efficient cargo handling and combat loading.