Day 2

Some where along the journey from the air port to the base I regained my senses and wondered "Where am I?” If you think about it that is a stupid sentence that really makes no sense.

We arrive at the base where we unload into a large court yard with about 200 more fine upstanding individuals more or less standing in lines 3 deep. The order is given to face left, wasn't pretty. We then march in and get the full routine of hair cuts and uniform issue. This is where I learn the term "nuts to butts gentlemen" a gay mans dream. I wonder what they said to the female recruits.

After the ordeal off we go to the temporary barracks to stow our gear for the night. The march of so many with no marching discipline sounded like a herd of cattle plodding down a street. By now it's getting to be late in the afternoon so once again the gaggle of geese is gathered for a stroll to the mesh hall. We eat and stumble our way back to barracks for a good nights sleep; it's only 6:30 PM! But we are all exhausted from the day’s big adventure and by 7:30 after brushing our teeth and doing our private business we are all sound asleep.

I do not know about the rest, but mine was the sleep of the dead. Suddenly there was screaming, shouting and the sound of things crashing to the floor, bright lights filled the room, I jump out of bed and fall though the air landing hard on my bare feet with the shock of ice cold floor under me ( I was on a top bunk). Again the stupid sentence "Where am I?" Some where in the distance I hear a voice cry out in pain. My God it's the middle of the night, "5AM". Another voice rings out "Welcome to the United States Navy Boys"

I later learned that the crashing sound I had heard was a 20 pound steel thrash can being thrown by our host's to help get our attention. I also learned that one of these cans bounced up into the bunk of one young lad and fractured his arm in two places. The cry of pain that I had heard was his, he was released from the navy on a medical discharge and the practice of throwing thrash cans came to an end.