Will it ever end? 12 weeks of Boot Camp

 I may gripe about it at times, but I really enjoyed my time in the Navy, including Boot Camp. There was always something new happening each day during those 12 weeks. Bored? No, I was never bored. There was a day at the firing range, a tear gas experience, rowing a 'whaleboat', being fitted for my Dress Blues (graduation) time aboard the SS Recruit (a mock destroyer) working in the Camp Bakery with fresh bread & a glass of  milk, working in the chow hall and making over 2,000 pancakes one morning, washing dishes &  cutlery, washing clothes by hand and there was always a couple of hours each day of exercise and marching out on the vast expanse of the asphalt  "Grinder". We would practice our marching and formations to be used at our Graduation.

Then, with just four weeks to go, we were given a day off. Liberty! We had to be back on the base by midnight but that gave us plenty of time to enjoy the freedom. We were supposed to wear our Dress Blue uniform and under no circumstances were we to get a tattoo. A bus took us into town, and it would bring us back before midnight.   

The bus let us off on the corner near the Seven Seas Locker Club. Locker Clubs were a great place for sailors on board a ship as you could rent a locker and store your civvies (civilian clothes) or anything else you weren't allowed to have on board. The Locker Club also had showers and a store where you could buy just about anything, including uniforms. And next door was a tattoo parlor! I did some shopping and bought a pre-tied neckerchief. After that, I was looking at the tattoo's available in the shop next door. Yes, I decided to defy the Company Commander and I bought a tattoo. It was small and painful, but I was proud of it. I never heard from any authorities regarding my illegal tattoo. I think about a 1/3 of our company had brand new tattoo's 

After our night on the town our spirits were higher, and we were sure we could handle the remaining weeks. Even though we had to return to washing our clothes in a bucket, buffing the floors, and polishing the brass, as well as spending hours more on the grinder as we exercised and marched. 

My friends and I were all set for our new orders once we graduated. Bob and I were going to be in Hospital Corps School, right here in San Diego, while Dan was going to Electronics School on Treasure Island, San Francisco. But first, we were going to have two weeks of Leave.

We had all changed during our time in Boot Camp, both physically and mentally. I weighed 35 pounds more and I was fit. Mentally I had become an adult and I was ready to be a sailor.

Graduation came and then there was pandemonium as lined up for our orders and everyone's relatives swarmed into the area to hug and cry and congratulate. We had done it!