Off to secondary training.

   The rest of primary training was pretty uneventful. We  studied, practiced marching, got further checkups, and got to know each other.  Friendships were made that I can still remember, many of us started writing our shipmates sisters. I wrote to Mike Deason's sister in Sagus Ca, and to Bruce Mosslett's sister in Minnesota.  It was great to get mail at mail call. I never did get to meet either girl in person, but enjoyed my time corresponding with them. I think about them often and wonder what they are doing today.   I also made friends with the many Filipino guys in our company, they were on their way to be cooks or stewards mates, the only ratings they were allowed to take at the time.  Once in the fleet they could "cross rate" and many of them became things other than cooks and servants lol.  Many of them spoke only broken English, and it was interesting to learn of their culture.  There were also a couple of guys from the Island of Guam. and I did some corresponding with one of their sisters as well.
      I do not remember how long primary lasted, maybe 4 weeks, and then we went over the bridge to secondary training.  We had made it this far, were issued our White uniforms, and the Sailors Badge of Honor, or "White Hat"  also know affectionately as our "Dixie Cup".   We were no longer classified as "Squirrels"  .  We packed our Sea Bags, and marched to our new barracks closer to the classrooms and the mess hall.  Our training continued, and although I cannot say for sure the timeline many things happened on the secondary training side of the bridge. Lyons kept his better than thou- I am in charge attitude, and made many enemies. We exchanged shaving cream wars with company 343. Seems they attacked our Company commanders office with shaving cream grenades, so we returned the favor. But instead of hitting the small office we tossed multiple shaving cream grenades through the open windows of their barracks. LOL made a huge mess. 
    One day while waiting for lunch, our company yeoman approached me and asked "Hey Dickey does Rice's smell offend you too?"  It seems our APO1 was not the cleanest sailor in the fleet. His lack of hygiene did not go unnoticed, and I told Steve I would call a squad leaders meeting that evening to discuss it. Steve attended the  meeting and a plan was formed.   The next day was Rice's turn to report for company muster in the evening, reporting to brigade that all were present and accounted for.  While he was gone, my squad took 4 galvanized trash cans into the shower and filled them with cold water.  The Squad leaders sat on the steps to the barracks waiting for him to return from muster. As he came up the stairs, we all six grabbed him and carried him to the shower, taking anything that would get damaged out of his pockets and removing his shoes.  We entered the gang shower with all shower heads spraying full force, and took our scrub brushes that we used to wash our clothes, and began his cleaning. We scrubbed his clothes, and removed them down to his scivvies, and scrubbed his body as well. The guys with the trash cans full of cold water dumped them over the pack, and we gave him a good shower. After it was over we told him it would happen again if he refused to take care of himself.  No one reported this to the Company Commander and life was good..