Don’t Let Your Salesforce Managed Services Partner Torpedo the President.

Throughout the early 1940’s, very few things filled a sailor’s heart with more dread than a supply run across the Atlantic ocean. During this time, German Naval commanders were deep in the throes of a tonnage war against the Allies as part of the Second World War. Cunning, motivated, and supremely skilled, the goal of U-boat commanders in the Atlantic was simple (if war can ever be simple). Sink allied ships laden with supplies and men faster than they could be reproduced and deployed. While this strategy did garner results early in the Battle of the Atlantic, the tides began to turn once the United States entered the war and began to flex it’s industrial muscle and strategic know-how, learned from allies, needed to counter the U-boat threat. While the U-boat fleets would go on to sink 21 million gross registered tons of shipping over the war, the Allies generated 38 million tons.

Great, so what? What in the WORLD does this have to do with managed services? Glad you asked…everything (if you are tired of history, skip ahead, but context is everything in this story).

You see, in the middle of this battle, in 1943, the US alone generated 11 million tons of merchant shipping. Perhaps more importantly, The US produced 2,654 war vessels in 1943 alone. One of the most constructed class of destroyers, the Fletcher class, saw 175 new additions between 1942 and 1943. At this pace, recruiting, training, and deploying sailors became paramount to keep up with the war effort. There wasn’t time to properly match experience, training, and mission.

Enter the “William D. Porter”. One of the many Fletcher class ships produced during the war, the “Willie Dee” was commissioned in July of 1943 and, after a brief training and shake-down period, was given its first mission of escorting the battleship USS Iowa across the Atlantic in November of 1943.

Although the Iowa was reasonably new herself, being commissioned in? February of 1943, she was the first of the legendary Iowa class battleships. With nine 16-inch guns each firing 2700 lb shells at a range of 20 nautical miles, twenty 5-inch guns capable of reaching targets 12 nautical miles away, and a dizzying array of 20mm and 40mm anti-aircraft weaponry, there wasn’t much she wasn’t equipped to handle. These ships became so ingrained in the American mindset that, even today, when you picture a battleship in your head, even if it’s the one on the cover of the game “Battleship,” you are picturing an Iowa class ship. Very likely, the Iowa herself.

Given her status, size, and ability to be a difference maker, the Iowa was given the best leadership and crew available. First among them, her captain, John L. McCrea, a graduate of the Naval Academy who had served since 1915. A man with deep experience.

AGAIN. What does this have to do with managed services? A new ship is escorting a less new BIGGER ship across the ocean. I’m getting to it!

Here is the thing. The Iowa had not been given just any standard orders to take a stroll through the already treacherous, U-boat infested waters of the Atlantic. In fact, they were ordered to take a stroll through the already treacherous, U-boat infested waters of the Atlantic, with the President of the United States on board. They had been ordered to ferry Franklin D Roosevelt, his Chief of Staff, the Secretary of State, the Chief of Staff of the Army, Chief of Naval Operations for the Navy, and the commanding General of the Army Air Forces, among other military leaders, to Algeria for the first leg of their trip to the MASSIVELY important Tehran and Cairo conferences. Through the Atlantic, during a world war, without all of the modern advances we have in surveillance, counter surveillance, and long-range radar.

Theoretically, the “Willie Dee’s” first mission could have had higher stakes. However, it’s difficult to understand how they could have been any higher.

IF YOU SKIPPED AHEAD, START HERE. Also, how dare you!

Let’s recap a bit before we move on. German U-boats have been terrorizing the Atlantic for years. Although their effectiveness was starting to wane in 1943, they remained a real threat. During this same period, the US was producing massive amounts of shipping and war vessels to supply troops and allies in Europe. In this environment, a new ship, with a new crew, had been given a mission of utmost importance, escorting the President of the United States, among other critical governmental and military leaders, for their first real mission. Ever.

The crew of the “Willie Dee” began this mission like most, leaving port. However, while doing so, the ship bumped into a neighboring destroyer, causing damage to the other ship’s railing, equipment, and at least one lifeboat. After this “mishap,” the vessel joined the convoy where the standing orders were that all communication should occur via signal lamp. Again, stealth was vital, given the VIPs onboard and the threat of U-boat attacks.?

The “Willie Dee” made it a single day in the four-ship convoy before having another “mishap .” On the day after they joined the convoy, a massive explosion suddenly pierced the silence that had enveloped the four ships. As you can imagine, given the importance of the mission, all ships in the convoy sprang into action, deploying maneuvers designed to evade submarine attacks. All except one. One of the four ships had not initiated anti-sub maneuvers, The “Willie Dee”. As it turns out, the crew had not correctly set the safety on all their depth charges nor properly stowed them. When hit with a rough wave, one was pushed off the deck and exploded. At this point, Commander Walter was forced to break the radio silence and inform the rest of the convoy that the explosion had come from them.

Alright, so they made a few mistakes, but that doesn’t mean…… I’m not done. The VERY next day, President Roosevelt decided he wanted to stretch the legs of the brand-new Iowa class ship and exercise its anti-aircraft batteries. Not exactly SILENT, but he is the President. At this request, the crew of the Iowa sent up a few practice balloons to give the President a show. After a few of the balloons found themselves in range of the “Willie Dee’s” guns, the crew were able to take part in the exhibition as well and score several hits.

After gaining confidence and eager to make up for the “mishap” on the previous day, the crew of the “Willie Dee” decided it would be a good idea to conduct mock torpedo runs at the biggest target they could find to show off for the President. Can you sense the issue yet? The biggest target they could find was the USS Iowa, carrying the President of the United States, on a secret mission, during WWII.

Now, what is SUPPOSED to happen during torpedo practice is that all primers should be removed from all loaded torpedoes. This step is key as it is the primer that explodes when the launch button is pressed, ultimately pushing the torpedo out of its tube and into the water. No primer, no initial explosion, no torpedo in the water, everything stays safe. Safeish, it’s a torpedo after all.

What DID happen on this day in 1943 was that the men in charge of the process forgot to remove one of the primers from one of the torpedoes. When the time came to conduct the mock attack on the Iowa, torpedo number 3 was fired. Not “pretend fired”, actually fired at the brand new USS Iowa, which was carrying the President of the United States, on a secret mission, during WWII.

PANIC. Absolute panic. Remember, radio silence was paramount, and the “Willie Dee” had already broken this once…within the last 24 hours. Reports suggest that initially, there was reluctance to warn the Iowa as there was a high amount of confidence the torpedo would miss (you read that right). Since “hope is not a strategy”, the crew did the next best thing, signaling.

However, as you can imagine, the pressure was immense on some poor young, inexperienced sailor given the severity and gravity of the?situation. So, when the signaling started, it made things worse. The first signal stated that a torpedo was heading away from the Iowa, instead of towards it. When the Iowa expressed confusion, the crew of the “Willie Dee” attempted to provide maneuvering instructions to the Iowa but, rather, signaled that they themselves were backing up. Confusion…with a torpedo heading towards the brand new USS Iowa, which was carrying the President of the United States, on a secret mission, during WWII.

At this point, running out of time, the captain of the “Willie Dee” broke protocol again and issued a radio warning to the Iowa. What happened next and in the following days/weeks?is debated, and while very much worth a read, irrelevant to the more significant point I’m getting to. I promise. Suffice it to say, the torpedo did not hit the Iowa.

Before I continue, I want to make something clear. The crew of the USS William D. Porter were not misfits. They were well trained and motivated individuals risking their lives for their country. They should be honored. The same wave that pushed that depth charge off the deck, also pushed a man overboard; a man who was never found.? Additionally, they later served with distinction until the ship was sunk in battle in 1945. However, what they also were, was too inexperienced for the mission they had been given as their first.

Salesforce is not war. I can’t state this enough, but there are lessons we can learn.

Imagine the brand new gleaming Iowa is your implementation; it’s best in class and has been constructed with pride to handle any situation you need it to handle. It fears nothing.

The President of the United States is your ROI; of utmost importance but ultimately fragile. It relies on the crew assigned to your new gleaming battleship and its partner convoy ships to protect it. If it doesn’t survive, the mission and the technology that enabled it, is irrelevant.

The? “William D. Porter” is your managed services partner; there to help you navigate dangerous waters, overcome issues, and see around corners so your implementation, its crew, and its ROI have another layer of protection and partnership.

Having personally been in the managed services space for 16 years, I’ve BEEN the “Willie Dee,” and I’ve seen COUNTLESS instances where well-intentioned but inexperienced consultants have been given an unfair mission on day 1. Asked to do things that their training barely supports and their experience has not yet prepared them for.

When you are looking for a Salesforce partner, look for a partner with a purpose-built methodology that, while flexible enough to mold to your internal needs, is built with the proper checks at every step of the way.

Work with a partner whose staff is experienced enough to double-check the torpedos and politely tell you that you shouldn’t use the USS Iowa as target practice. Whose team members have the platform expertise to react quickly to any “mishap” with precision, speed, and your best interest in mind. Always.

Find a partner that understands the challenges of navigating the waters of a live Salesforce org and has real answers to help you, one whose strategy for your wellbeing goes beyond “fake it till you make it”.

Most importantly, find a partner that cares about its people enough to not put them in situations they aren’t prepared for based on “say yes and figure it out later” promises.

At Neocol, we understand the complexities of a live Salesforce org and the discipline required to keep it moving forward. For this reason, we’ve designed Neocol Extended Services?to be a next-generation managed services program with a methodology designed FOR managed services and staffed by experienced and highly trained consultants who are ready for whatever you have to throw at them. Whether it be enhancements, platform guidance, or issue support, our team is ready, at a moment's notice, to jump into action and leverage their experience to help propel and protect your President…err ROI.