The first morning of boot camp was something out of an old movie, a cross between a war movie and a horror movie LOL... It began around 4 AM, people came rushing in with night sticks, pounding on trash cans and screaming get your AZZEZ out of bed, let's go NOW. we all came flying out of bed, and dressed and assembled outside, all the time people yelling and rushing us.. Man what had I done? They formed us into an assemlance of ranks, and started barking commands. Left Face!! Your other left Squirrel!! Stand Straight!!! Now you bunch of Squirrels we are going to Take you to Breakfast, see if you can keep up!!!!! FORWARD MARCH!! we crossed the base and were placed on the blacktop parking lot in front of the chow hall. Excuse me the "MESS HALL" in Navy talk.. and the blacktop was the “Grinder” a proper name for the practice parade grounds to be sure. Many of use were afraid to move and made the mistake of locking our legs and started to feel faint. They took us and sit us down with our heads between our knees, I was wondering if I should kiss my butt goodbye while I had the chance. After Chow, we were taken to what they called Receiving and Outfitting! "R&O". Here we were given our first haircuts, and yes they took it all off. They particularly liked getting the long haired guys in there. LOL I had been warned so I had a regular haircut when I reported. In R&O They also gave us our first shots and did check ups and issued us our first uniforms. And we took our General Classification Tests. These were our utilities or "Dungarees" Blue chambray shirts, and Blue denim pants, and our military issue underwear..
Our civilian clothes were packed and shipped home and we became official US Navy Seaman Recruits. Between checkups and clothes issues we began our indoctrination into Naval Service.
I do not remember how many days we were in R&O, but it was a few. I do remember we had started to make friends before our first haircut which I think was day 3, and after with our shaven heads we had to re introduce ourselves, we all looked so different. We were now Recruit Training Company 67-341, and there beside me in the ranks were the Weideman Twins, Richard and Robert. They were great guys, although a bit different, and we became good friends through boot camp. After R&O, we were formed up and taken to Primary Training, across the bridge. By this time we had the basic formation down and could look like something of a company while marching. But we were still called squirrels constantly because we still moved around in ranks, chatting and looking around!! This is where we had our Recruit Chief Petty Officer, Assistant Company Petty Officer ,Squad Leaders Yeoman, Guidon Bearer, and other company leaders assigned. I felt I was lucky because I was just another recruit.
I had no desire to be a company leader. I wanted to get Boot over with and get to the Fleet, board a ship and see the world!! Exotic places called my name, and most of all I wanted to do my service and return to my little corner of the world. I had never given a career in the Navy much thought, just wanted to serve my time and return to being a civilian.
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