December 18, 1972, Monday

I went to sleep in a good mood, considering where I’m at. I woke up wanting to jack somebody.

The CC took off with the yeoman. He was showing Rodger where our new barracks were located. Rodger was getting last minute instructions for our work week. The CCs typically turns the company over to the Recruit Command during work week. Rumor has it we won’t see the CC in tell after work week. When work week ends we fly home. We won’t see him in till next year. I for one won’t miss his yelling. I can hear the RCO screaming at some recruit right now. I have to check this out. Later.

Ike had been given special permission to read his bible prior to us falling out in the morning. The CC lets him get in some reading while the stragglers are making their way to the formation. When he’s done he puts the book on the CC’s desk and joins the formation in plenty of time.

The CC and the yeoman aren’t here so the RCO is testing his power. “Ike I am giving you a direct order, give me the bible!” He bellows down at Ike. Ike looking up softly answers him. “Sir, the CC said this was okay, sir.” The RCO doesn’t think Ike deserves the special treatment. He calls him a fairy.

“I’m in charge, fag, give it up!” the RCO yelled. The guys were gathering. “Give me the book and fall in queer!”

“Sir, the CC said I can read in till the last man is out, sir.” Chris leans his 6ft. 2in. frame over Ike. He takes a swipe at the Bible. It flies from Ike’s hand and on to the floor. His notes and some inspired drawings were scattered on to the deck. “Pick it up, fag, or you’ll be picking yourself up,” Chris threatened. Ike was shaking with fear and embarrassment as he gathered his precious items. Most of the crowd that gathered were with the CC. They thought Ike was a queer sissy. He may have been a sissy, but he wasn’t queer. Ike picked up the papers and the bible. He handed the bible to the RCO. The RCO snatched the bible triumphantly. Chris may not have been allowed in the CC quarters, but because of regulation he did have a key. Chris took Ike’s book, he unlocked a drawer and tossed the bible in it before locking it back up.

About that same time Rodger came back alone, without the CC. He walked in the barracks just as Chris was exiting the office. He had no idea what just took place. I walked up to him and said, “Rodger, let me borrow your key to the CC desk.”

He could tell that he walked into something. He saw the serious look on my face. He handed me the keys. He points to a single key. “This one goes to the CC desk.” I took the keys. I walked to the CC’s desk. I opened it and retrieved the bible. I closed the drawer and relocked it. I gave Rodger back his keys. I walked back into the main barracks to Ike’s bunk. He was slowly getting his shit together. He never took his gaze from the floor. “Hey you need this” I said as I handed him his bible. His eyes lit up like Christmas morning. “You put it away when you’re ready to put to away,” I said.

“How did you do it? Are you in trouble?” he asked.

“Don’t worry about it. I can handle that jackass,” I retorted.

The RCO was in the head when I retrieved the bible. The CC’s few friends ran to tell him what I did. Doug filled Rodger in on what transpired. By now the whole incident was all over the barracks. Everybody dropped what they were doing and came running for the show down.

I set my self-up in the hall between the two companies. We were allowed to go as far as the utilities closet and no more. I stood by the door. I had plenty of room to do what I needed to do.

Chris came storming at me like a raging bull. There was a mop bucket on the floor it wasn’t put away. I kicked the mop bucket at his feet. He stumbled ahead slightly. I opened the door and slammed it into his face as he was avoiding the mop bucket. It knocked him to his knees. I grabbed him by his front shirt. I was nose to nose. I looked him in the eyes and said slowly, “There’s a spot out in the forbidden front. You and me alone. So nobody can see you cry. How about it?” I pulled him up with me. I calmly said, “I’m going to enjoy taking your head off.” I turned him loose. I walked backward facing him, to the double doors that lead outside. “Let’s do this.” He looks back at the recruits, who were silent.

“Licata, I would love to kick your ass. Some other time, we don’t have time now, we need to get marching to chow the CC is waiting for us,” he offers. “No, that’s not correct,” pipes in Rodger. “We have plenty of time. The CC’s not expecting us for a long time. You have time, Chris. Go ahead, unless you’re chicken.”

There comes a moment when all bullies have to make a decision. Do I get in a fight and get my ass kicked, or do I find a pussy way out?

“Come on, fuck head,” I demanded.

“We don’t have time to go out front,” replied Chris.

“You had time to fuck with Ike. Make time to fuck with me, asshole!” I yelled.

The RCO’s eyes were bouncing in his head.

I said, “Fuck it, I’ll do it here.” I charged him. He turned and bolted through the crowd. I gave chase. Armando grabbed me and stopped me in my tracks. He had a grip on my arm; it felt like a vice. “Listen to me,” he said. I knew he wasn’t letting go till I did. “He’s not worth it. Besides, you won without striking a blow. What else do you want?”

Without hesitation, I said, “Blood!”

Armando said, “Then get it after boot camp. We go home for Christmas. I don’t want to see you get in trouble and spend the holidays in the brig, okay?” I did get it, he was right. He let me go. The RCO is out in the alley.

“Company, fall in!” he is yelling.

We did.

Marching to the mess hall, I feel like the world is in a haze. I wasn’t hungry at all. I was thirsty for juice. The closest thing to juice was orange soda drink. I drank a glass of soda, no food.

Standing in formation waiting for the company to finish eating, I felt dizzy. I needed to get out of the formation because I am feeling like I am about to vomit. The only way is to ask the nearest recruit officer for permission. Chris was the closest. I waved my hand at him. He was reluctant to come to me. I kept waving, he finally came over to me; it was too late.

The orange drink in my stomach came flying out. It spewed all over Chris. I figured he knew why I called him over and I was excused. I ran back to the barracks alone, puking a few more times along the way.

By the time the company marched back I was feeling a little better. Chris bolted to the shower. Rodger gathered us to hand out our assignments for work week. I was assigned to the master-at-arms at the mess hall on Worm Island. Rodger said its easy work. Sit in the office run errands, get coffee. I get to be the go-for-it guy. I start tonight. The RCO approaches the yeoman as he is instructing us. “I can’t find the write up forms. Where are they?” he demanded.

“We’re out,” Rodger replied.

“Do what you have to do and get some more?” he ordered.

“Even if I wanted to, I couldn’t. That’s up to the CC. And if you were here instead of searching for chits, then you would have heard that we are on our own. I have explicit orders from the CC for this week. The only thing that Chris heard was we are in charge. “Does that mean that I am in charge for the week?” he asked Rodger.

“Yes, unfortunately you are.” Then he adds, “Get carried away and I’ll sic Licata on you.”

We fucking lost it. I never heard laughter so loud. Having said that we all went our way preparing for work week and thinking of spending Christmas at home.

The talk in the barracks is not about me or Rodger confronting the RCO. It’s about what happened after I threw up. Hundreds of seagulls descended on the vomit. They tried in vain to gobble the orange vomit. But try as they may they couldn’t get their beaks to slop the puke. They lacked tongues. This was all the buzz throughout the whole barracks. Hey any form of entertainment is entertainment.

We spent the rest of the day getting settled into the new barracks. They looked and smelled exactly like the old ones we just left. Company 448 was next to us. The hall between us was again off limits. We entered from the back alley that had the same trash containers. The grassy landscaped front was also off limits. The only beings I saw using the front was the CC and his gang. We set up the same with the same bunk mates. I need to get ready for my duty at the mess. The world is still in a haze. Later.