July 31, 1973, Tuesday
Today is the day. I could conceivably get five years. As in civilian courts I get to have a lawyer, or one can be appointed. I let them appoint me one. I asked Clay to represent me. He can’t because he works in the Prosecutors Department.
I went to chow. My court marital is on another base. That base is the main San Diego navy port. I told Wascowski about my Court marital, I told him I need transportation. He said to go to my working party, he didn’t have any orders about my trial. I told him that this wasn’t bull, it was for real and they are expecting me. He told me to go to work. Later.
I was out on a work crew with this guy named Gold. He was a First Class Petty officer. He had us cleaning an empty building. It is after lunch. Wascowski sent his master-at-arms to get me. Headquarters is furious. They want to know where I am. I should be at a court martial. Later.
They drove me to the court-martial in a van, it had bars. I’m being driven to the brig on the big navy base. The court-martial consisted of three high ranking officers. They had a take no prisoner’s attitude. They weren’t too happy with me. This trial was schedule for this morning, where was I? I told them that I wasn’t allowed to leave, they sent me to work. The master-at-arms didn’t believe me. They saw it as my responsibility to get here on time. I didn’t argue with them I saw no point.
After they let me know how put out they are. They had to reschedule their afternoon because of me, we got down to business. I coped guilty pleas to all counts. My lawyer told them it was a temporally lapses of judgment and I had learned a valuable lesson. I received 30 days at hard labor.
The SP’s drove me to the barracks to get some toiletries, and a change of work cloths. We are back inside the main base and headed to the brig.
I can see the brig as the SP’s check in at the guard station. This place is a big square surrounded by a twenty foot high barbed wire fence. There is only one way in, and one way out. It has four guard towers, they aren’t manned. We drove in to a large asphalt court yard, it’s surrounded by three one story buildings in the shape of a horse shoe. Later.
They processed me. Then they assigned me to a one man cell. I think its ten foot by six foot. I have a bunk, a stainless steel toilet and sink. I saw Virgil, Jerry’s friend. They took him to a row of cells behind me. He looked like he had been in a fight. They wouldn’t let us talk to each other. My cell is open only on the door side, it faces an outside wall. I have to call the guards Turnkey. “Turnkey can I shower? Turnkey you can close the cell, I am in.” Everything has to start with Turnkey.
I can hear Virgil making a ruckus in his cell. He is protesting something. I can hear him and the Turnkey arguing about something. I plan on keeping out of trouble while I am here. When I get out I hope that the captain will give me a discharge. I don’t care what kind of discharge at this point. I just want to be free. Later.