The following article was provided by Lee Pridemore. The article was from the Virginia-Pilot, Tuesday, September 27, 1977, John Stevenson, Staff Writer, page B3

The Navy has given some its women a change to sample life on the waves and some of them say they would like sea duty

About 30 Navy women from Little Creek Amphibious Base went to sea Friday. Many for the first time of the dock landing ship Plymouth Rock. Their reactions vary.

At least four concluded that if the Navy stationed women aboard ships, their relationships with each other could be far scratchier than their relationships with men.

The four were enthusiastic about Friday’s all-day trip and said they would volunteer for sea duty if the Navy allowed it. However, shipboard life might be too cramped for good female-to-female interaction, some of them said.

Calling it a "silly relic," Navy Secretary W Graham Claytor Jr has asked that the prohibition of Navy woman at sea be lifted. The Coast Guard began placing women on ships this year. Possible sexual conflicts have been a frequent source of criticism for the women-at-sea plan. But only one of those women interviewed Monday thought that sexual difficulties might arise. However, she said they could be averted "if you let the men know right from the start where they stood." she said.

There were a few difficulties on Friday. For example, several women found the Plymouth Rock’s engine too hot and one Navy woman refused to tackle the steep ladder. Also, a wife who wasn’t invited called to complain. She didn’t like her husband being at sea all day with enlisted females.