Boot Camp is Finished

I had passed all the tests, but now came long precision marches. We were looking better and better. We finally had the last of our inoculations and the guy in front of me gave a sigh of relief. The last time we had two shots, one in each arm, this sailor fainted dead away. While on the floor they gave him his shots and drug him off to the side. While Boot Camp was a pain, it gave us discipline and a feeling of being part of a team. We depended upon each other and that is what the Navy wanted. After about 2 weeks we had started calling Chief Bledsoe "Old Blood and Guts!" but when it was all over he sat around with us and answered our questions and seemed to be in a good mood. We asked him what he thought we would be doing and he said additional schooling was in store for some of us; plus he answered the question of what he thought our chances were for surviving? He gave a fifty percent answer, which was a little sobering. Chief then said: "The object is to win the war; you can't do this if you're killed, captured or disabled. Pay attention to your duties; use common sense and come home with victory." Then he took us down for group pictures. All of a sudden there wasn't a rush to do something! He saved his best for last. "There will be no time off to go home for a few days before deploying for sea, etc., except for Bob, who is going home to visit his mother in Denver!" I laughed "good for him!", but many of the sailors were at first stunned and then some one quietly said maybe there is something to this faith thing after all! Bob was all smiles when I congratulated him.

Captain's Mast

There were very few cars and no one stopped. I was really down, while Bob was up. He thought help was just around the corner. Finally I swore. Bob, still smiling, said we shouldn't use God's name in vain! I was even more down. Well, hours later, Bob was right, here came a car, not driven fast, and we put our thumbs out and the car slowly stopped. It was a woman with her daughter! We thanked them, told them of our problems and where were they going? Spokane! We hopped in and slowly drove to Spokane. They were very nice and we thanked them immensely for their help! Smiling, they said they did it because we looked like nice boys. We finally rolled in to Spokane; then got a ride to Farragut, but we were late getting in so it was reported and we had a Captain's Mast. The amazed officer listened to our story and then gruffly said we would have no more liberties. We felt relieved and we only had two more weeks until we got out of Boot Camp anyway.

Preacher Bob from Colorado

Quite a few sailors asked me if I had met this "preacher type" guy from Denver? No I hadn't but a few days later I saw him and struck up a conversation. He was the happiest looking person I'd ever seen; his face always seemed to glow! Anyway we got together a few times and just talked and usually he started out about his faith; said he had a mother in Denver; no mention of Dad or siblings. We were to go on liberty that weekend and I said I was planning on hitch-hiking my way to Seattle to surprise my future wife and give her her engagement ring. Bob surprised me by asking if he could tag along, never having been to the northwest. I said "sure" and early Saturday we took off for the jewelers in Spokane, got the engagement ring and started putting our thumbs out; got a trucker who got us to Seattle, and we took the bus or streetcar to my fiance's house where we surprised her. She borrowed her sister's car and we went to Whidbey Island, where I gave her the ring, while Bob was exploring the sights She was thrilled; after all, I had paid $157 for both rings, and on my pay of about $30/mo. it would take six months to pay them off. We had dinner at my future sister-in-law's place, talked and started hiking back to Farragut. We waited a long time and two guys said they would give us a ride about half way. We said o.k. and after a while, dozed off. After a few hours they told us this was as far as they were going. We got out, thanked them, and looked around and we were nowhere near a major road! (Continued)

Shooting the 30.06 Springfield

(Continued) The shooting would sporadically stop and then start back up again. On one of these occasions this sailor startled us when he got up by the target and said, "I think they have stopped their firing." We all yelled for him to get down. In just a few minutes the Chief came down, demanding to know who did this? Then he read him out and left. It was just silence for everyone. On our march back to camp the sailor suddenly slumped over and fainted. From that time on we never saw him and we heard he was given a Section Eight (mental) out of the service! It surprised all of us.

Somewhere in here we all got a short liberty in Couer d' Alene, ID and Spokane, WA. It was good to get out. I sent roses by telegraph to my fiance (and Mom). I told my wife to be that I had purchased an engagement and wedding ring (Spokane).

Swimming with Joe E. Brown

Yes, I swam with Joe E. Brown, but not the Movie comedian. His name was really Joe E. Brown. He had one big problem when it came to swimming - he couldn't jump in the water and swim the required distance that might, theoretically, save his life if he had to jump in the water and swim away from a sinking boat. Most of us passed the test the first time, but he froze up and when he jumped in he made no movement! He just seemed to slowly sink underwater. Left alone he would have drowned, but they pulled him out and he would try the next day, and the next, until he completed everything but the swimming so they made him start boot camp all over again! He was given all kinds of instruction and finally passed, we were told.

Obstacle course anyone? We had to run, jump, climb a twelve foot wall by rope, get down on the other side and run to complete in a timely manner. It was pretty easy to pass this test.

Shooting a 30.06 (I think I remember it right) Springfield (WWI) was a pleasant experience. It had quite a kick-back, but hitting the target area wasn't that complicated. We had one man who passed the shooting and then we all went to set targets for the others. We would show where the target was hit. (Continued)

Boot Camp Continues

(Continued) When I was in the 4th or 5th grade I was attacked by two boys on bikes. I had never seen them before and I wondered, why? But since I didn't know how to fight I did the next best thing, I ran home, probably crying. When My parents wanted to know what happened I was told, simply, to fight back. How? I didn't know how? Find a way to learn I was told. In my block there was a professional boxer who fought some fights for as many as 30 rounds! He had a boxing club and I wanted to join. He said he had a full house, but if I could beat one of his boxers I could join! I asked a friend's older brother to teach me and he did - reluctantly! To my surprise, I learned pretty quickly; challenged one of Billy's boxers, who was my age and I beat him. Billy let me in and kept the other boxer; then he showed me how to make my moves and when to hit; to keep skipping around the other fighter until I saw my chance. This I did very well, he said. So, then I waited until I saw those 2 boys, started making my way home, and they threatened me. I acted like I was going to run; one guy got off his bike; his mistake, because I knocked him down and started after the other when he got on his bike and rode away. I told the guy on the ground if I ever saw either him or his friend again, I would beat them up! I never saw them again. (Back to Boot Camp)

Allies Advance & Boot Camp

The Allies were doing fine, thank you: In Europe, the Soviets attacked the Germans along the Mius River; The British seized Pantelleria off Sicily, capturing many Italian soldiers, and in the Pacific Theater Admiral Chester Nimitz, Commander in Chief, Pacific Ocean areas, was responsible for all land, air and sea in the Central Pacific. The Allies captured New Georgia; Allies land at Nassau Bay, New Guinea and U.S. troops take Rendova in the Soloman Islands.

Most of us in Boot Camp were in very good condition, most having just graduated from high school. Only a few had to work very hard to keep up. Even so, the long distance marchs, running and working faster at calisthenics were having the desired effect; those having any spare fat were quickly turning it into muscle. This had another effect; men were getting shorter tempered with more and more flare ups happening. This started producing fights over the slightest provocation, with the result being a few black eyes or a few cuts. Chief noticed but said nothing. I was surprised to find I was in 6 fights in about 4 weeks, although I felt I hadn't started one of them. In about the last 2 weeks I wasn't challenged because I had won all of them, easily. (Fighting continued)

O.K. You Swabbies, Time to Get Up!

I had been asleep for what seemed like 30 minutes when I heard a sailor's voice booming as he walked from one end of our quarters to the other: "O.K. you swabbies, time to get up! Drop your c--k and grab a sock," and he kept repeating this all the way. I was slowly getting my eyes open and peering into the lights, which had been turned on. I started getting out of my bunk and I asked no one in particular, "Did he say what I thought he said?" "Yep, you heard right," a couple of humorless voices answered. I finally put on some steam; grabbed my shaving kit and brushed my teeth, shaved and left the head to get my dungarees on. I carefully checked my appearance and asked if I looked all right. "Yep" was the answer and I left to go to the parade grounds as ordered. Chief Bledsoe was there to tell us to get spaced out enough so we could swing our arms; run in place or do what he ordered. We went through a long period of exercises, accompanied by music. When this was complete he told us that he expected us to be in military condition quickly and that he expected us to be able to pass the swimming tests; run the obstacle course; parade, in unison, military style and handle a gun. Any real screw ups, by anyone, might and usually would result in a specified number of runs "around the grinder" (parade grounds). As we all expected, someone spoke out of turn when the chief was talking and he ordered us all "once around the grinder." This produced the desired effect from the chief's point of view because the rest of the squad told the offending sailor off. Discipline! That was the name of the game.

Boot Camp - First Day

Chief Bledsoe met us right off and you could tell this was a person who wanted things run right, and would tolerate no screw ups. On our free time however it was clear that we were to be able to read, write letters, etc. Chief started out telling us our bunks had to look the military way, i.e. bunks had to be made up perfect with square corners each time we got up for the days routine; things were to be kept clean and orderly; we were expected to shave each a.m. and he emphasized that things were to be described "the Navy way"; the bathroom is a "head" and so on. Then came the matter of knots and how to tie them, especially a square knot on our sea bags. He allowed us to get squared away and then said he would see us at 0600, military time, for tomorrow's activities where he would exercise us, explain our goals as Navy men, etc. The Chief made clear all time was in military time - no a.m. or p.m. and we would be told just once to do something and it had better be right now! It was clear from the start that military discipline was to be adhered to and we were to always answer "Sir!" We all hit the sack by the prescribed time and our thoughts were to not embarrass ourselves tomorrow. It took 2 seconds to get to sleep!