December. 2, 1972, Saturday

Saturday, Oh boy! I thought, a day to sleep in. I must have been dreaming. The CC woke us up earlier than revelry, the SOB. He smelled of booze. He told us that he can wake us up any time he wants, the SOB. He came alone, it appears that he never slept probably drank all night.

We have marched around this island so many times we should be able to do it blind folded. Yes, it is an island surrounded by a 12 foot barbed wire fence and a moat. It’s designed to keep us in.

Tomorrow is church day anyone wanting to attend church. Needs to sign up now after breakfast. Doug is going, he thinks it would be nice to have a lecture of love for a change. I said having attend a catholic school, there isn’t any message of love that’s more important than giving up two extra hours of sleep. Church services require a sailor to get up two hours before revelry. Say a prayer for me Doug.

We were marching back from morning Mess when we became aware that something was wrong at the barracks. It was the scattered cloths and shoes out the door that clued us in. The CC had us stand at parade rest outside, as he joined in the commotion inside. Five officers were in the process of inspecting the barracks; test number one. By the looks and sounds it would be fair to say we didn’t do so well.

They found something wrong with everything. The bunks were not spaced right, cloths were folded incorrectly in the lockers that were not spaced correctly. They faulted our floors, our bathrooms our ancestors, and our beds (except Covington’s and mine). I didn’t blame them for flunking the latrine. Eight toilets were not flushed. Eight toilets bowels with fresh turds floating inside.

The problem was the same problem we have every morning after the CC does his inspection. The company has twelve Filipinos. The US Navy is doing some joint training. The Filipinos are likeable guys, most of them. The toilet thing is a cultural thing. They didn’t grow up with toilets that flushed. Most of them had toilets outside. Some never had running water. It wasn’t completely there fault.

Filipinos aren’t American citizens. They can join our navy on one traditional condition. It’s a navy tradition dating back to President Roosevelt. The seeds of the tradition started with the Rough Riders storming San Juan Hill in the Philippines. It became a full-fledged tradition during WWII. They can only serve as stewards to the ship’s officers. I’m told it is a dream position for most impoverished Filipinos. The barracks was the first part of the test; we failed badly. I’m writing this as we clean up the mess left behind. Later.

After the cleanup we marched to lunch. The officers followed us to test our skills. Of course we flunked the marching test. After lunch we flunked the written test. 85% of the company needs to pass the written test. I don’t know the score I only know that we weren’t even close. The good news is we get to retake it next Saturday, after we take next week’s test. I get put up in the front line of the formation. I am on the left outside. I’m glad it was getting old stepping on that guy’s heel every day. He was starting to take it personal.

He would turn and say, “Can you please stop stepping on me?” To which I would reply every time. “Sure, just move your fucking feet out of the way!” He wasn’t getting it. This was the guy that asked me what ocean we were next to. I told him in the winter months we are next to the Atlantic Ocean, in the summer we are next to the Pacific Ocean. He believed me, Please God don’t put me on a ship with him.

The CC is letting us smoke a cigarette. The yeoman had them locked in a drawer. Over half of the company stepped out in the crisp night air. Half of these guys didn’t smoke. Word spread that the cigarettes were giving us a buzz, which was reason enough to start smoking. A few of the guys threw up. I smoked two cigarettes.

Whenever the CC walks through the barracks he leaves a trail of alcohol, it wafers behind him sticking to the humidity in the air. Some of the guys take in deep breaths as he passes. Later.