A Slice of Life
Bill Lites
After joining the NROTC in Albuquerque, NM at age 17, I spent the first six months going to weekly indoctrination/training meetings, getting medical checks, shots of all kinds, and generally being bored with the whole thing.
When it came time for what the Navy called an annual Summer Cruise, my first “Cruise” was two weeks of Boot Camp (Basic Training) at the San Diego Naval Training Station. 
We learned many cool things, like rescue swimming, fire fighting and gas mask training, but it was mostly two weeks of long days and hard work.
In those days, when you signed up for any branch of the military, you were in for “The Duration”. None of this, “Oh I made a mistake and want out” stuff went on then. Well, it seems, I had gone to Boot Camp during the Navy’s 1956 fiscal year, and now that year had ended and we were into the 1957 fiscal year. So, I asked my Company Commander if I could take my 1957 Summer Cruise now instead of waiting till next summer. He was agreeable to that idea and cut me a set of orders for my first “real” Summer Cruise on the USS Gurke (DD 783) out of San Diego.
I was thrilled and amazed when I first went aboard that ship, to find that there were other reservists like me on board. At first glance, there didn’t seem to be room to do anything, as every available inch seemed to be packed with essential equipment. Of course, I found out real quick how much empty space there really was, once a mop or a paintbrush was put in my hands.
I discovered in the Navy, the smaller the ship the better the food because there are fewer men to cook for. The food was great on the Gurke, and I looked forward to every meal. However, that wasn’t the case with some. I thought we were lucky during this cruise, because the areas of the ocean we did our maneuvers in was very calm most of the time, so I got my sea legs quickly. But, there were others who were sea sick from the moment we left the dock, and never did get over it. That was really bad for them, because we stayed out at sea for week at a time and only came back to San Diego for the weekends.
I had never thought I would enjoy sea duty, but the two weeks we were at sea ended up being a fun trip for me. As it turned out, I spent almost two years at sea going around the world on ships and never did get seasick. That included crossing the North Atlantic in a huge storm, which had waves coming up over the bow of the aircraft carrier I was on.
But I did almost get “seasick” after the second week at sea on the Gurke. When I walked down the streets of San Diego the whole city seemed to be rocking back and forth. That along with the sights and smells of a tattoo parlor I went into with a friend, nearly cost me my dinner that first night on liberty.
Scripture: Psalm 107:29 (English Standard Version)
Old Things R New 