A Tale of the Sea and Me (for Sam), part 003

The continuation of Chapter 2:

i assumed i was over the hump with the hijinks of the sailors dealt to midshipmen. It was not over that day and would not be for almost half the cruise.

When the Lloyd Thomas cleared the bay, we and the other ships headed south. i’m guessing there was an exercise for the USS Intrepid (CV 11) flotilla requiring going south. i did not know at the time, and the concern was far from my mind, at the time, but our first liberty port would be in Nova Scotia about three weeks away.

The efforts to find me some clothes would not reach fruition until the next day. i was stuck in my service dress khaki worn for over 72 hours, sweaty, smelly. i had taken off the cover, tie, and blouse, but it was still bad.

i went to the organization meeting for midshipmen and was assigned to operations for my first department. The midshipmen were to spend time in operations, weapons, and engineering during their cruise. i went down and aft to the midshipmen berthing, and while the other middies were emptying in their seabags in their small lockers below the three-tiered racks (beds) i was depositing my discarded blouse, cover and tie in mine.

i had the lower rack of three one row off the centerline. For those who weren’t on Navy ships in the 1960’s, the racks were aluminum frames not quite three-feet wide and about six feet, six inches long. A piece of canvas had grommets where hemp 1/2 inch lines went through and laced the canvas to the frame. the bedding was about a 2-1/2 inch straw mattress with a sheet bag. A sheet, pillow with case, and a tan or grey wool blanket completed the bedding. The canvas sagged enough, especially if the middie above was large, enough where one could not roll over. If one wish to switch positions, rolling over was impossible. You had to get out of the rack and crawl back into the desired new position.

It was time for the evening mess on the mess decks. The mess decks were forward on the first deck. One entered into the chow line, cafeteria style, collected the fare on a metal tray and found a seat on the metal table and chairs. This first mess at sea, perhaps because the midshipmen were there was a bit different than most of the menus. The fare was greasy pork chops, pork and means, and mashed potatoes. i i’m sure there was more items but i don’t recall.

What i do recall is after all the middies had gone through the chow line and found a place to sit, we were treated to a parade. About a half dozen sailors had assembled somewhere near the chow line and handed out sardines from a can. About four sailors tied the sardines onto a string. Then, they paraded through the mess decks making sure the midshipmen were watching. They held the sardines above their heads, dropped them into their mouths, swallowed and announced the sardines were much better the second time around. Then they would pull the sardines out on the string and continued the process as they strolled my the mess deck tables where the middies sat.

Once again, a large numbers of midshipmen lost it and headed for the weather decks or barf bags. Perhaps my aroma was like an invisible shield. The act did not disturb me. Shortly after the mess, i went back to my rack. i was scheduled for the mid-watch (0000-0400). It had been one hell of a day.

It was not over.

About 2315 (11:15 pm for landlubbers), the messenger of the watch roamed through the midshipmen berthing, awaking those who were to go on watch. That meant me. i put back on the stinky uniform, and headed for midrats on the mess decks. The midrats (or midnight rations for those going on the midwatch) consisted of greasy grilled cheese sandwiches and coffee.

i gulped mine down and headed to CIC to arrive in time to relieve the watch at 2345. Unknown to this greenhorn, sitting on a ship facing forward or aft was the worst for dealing with the sea rolls. Of course, the radarmen on watch sat me on one of the view radar repeaters facing forward, not toward port or starboard.

Combat Information Center was always at darken ship with only red lighting to retain night vision and have clear vision for watching the radar repeaters. The repeaters were dark, machinery grey, four-foot high, 2 1/2 feet cubes with a dark green circular screen on top. The radar sweep emanated from the center and swept around the circle. If blips occurred on the screen, they were “contacts,” surface ships. i was determined to do a good job and sat focused on the screen.

By this time, we were off Cape Hatteras. i learned later that the sea around the cape was the worst for bad seas. It certainly was that night. We were taking on some serious rolls. i felt a bit queasy.

That’s when the radarmen decided to achieve their goal of getting me sea sick. They all lit up cigars and walked by my station, blowing the smoke into my face as they gave me instructions on what to watch.

It was 0100 in the morning. i smelled to high heaven in clothes i had worn for three days in hot weather. i was rolling with the ship in a dark warm space after being subjected to fake barf and sardine swallowing and re-swallowing.

And finally, i was beginning to feel sick, sea sick. i could feel the need to vomit swelling up. i could feel my innards coming up. And then, i told myself i was not going to give these guys the pleasure of me succumbing to their efforts.

i swallowed whatever was coming up, and and stared at the radar screen.

i did not get sea sick. i made it through the mid-watch. The next morning, the crew had assembled enough uniforms to give me something to wear until my seabag finally arrived. The one thing that stood out was the only available shoes were camel leather boots one sailor had bought during a visit to an Arabian liberty port in the Mediterranean. They had a distinctive odor about them, but that aroma was certainly tolerable after four days of smelling me.

i had passed big test. To this day, i am convinced my refusal to become sea sick has served me well. On ten ships, in some of the worst seas possible over 14 years of sea duty, i was never sea sick. i even cared for shipmates and cleaned up the mess they made.

And if you are going to become a mariner not getting sea sick is a wonderful thing.

i was then ready to learn about being a sailor, a crazy, mischievous sailor, but a sailor none the less.

3 thoughts on “A Tale of the Sea and Me (for Sam), part 003

  1. Good sea story Shipmate!

    Only seasick once off Cape Hatteras plane guarding for JFK . . . was relieved as Radio Watch Supervisor on hands & knees in hallway just outside Radio. My 2 guys were in Crypto making frequent deposits in their waste baskets (shit cans), Fleet Broadcast on two teletype 100 words/minute printers unattended for over an hour.

    Think I lost some stomach lining.

    Never had to wear the same clothes for 3 days though . . .

  2. Good sea story Shipmate!

    Only seasick once off Cape Hatteras plane guarding for JFK . . . was relieved as Radio Watch Supervisor on hands & knees in hallway just outside Radio. My 2 guys were in Crypto making frequent deposits in their waste baskets (shit cans), Fleet Broadcast on two teletype 100 words/minute printers unattended for over an hour.

    Think I lost some stomach lining.

    Never had to wear the same clothes for 3 days though . . .

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