There were no "Natives" on Midway, just US Military Personnel. No locals, no nothing. There fore any young ladies were dependants of E-5 and up, and most were too young to date also. It was said and I came to believe it that when a young lady turned 18 she was removed from the Island. On Midway since it was one big military installation, we had what you would have on most stateside bases. Base Theater, Bowling, Library, and of course, 4 "Clubs" The "Enlisted Men's Club, the Acey-Ducey, the CPO Club and the Officers club. This was where most of us could be found. A lot of us were under 21, but we were allowed to drink beer anyway, so the EM Club was divided into the beer side and the "21" side. A guard at the door of the 21 side would check your ID before letting you in to get hard liquor. But many times these guards were very lax in their duties, lol. Once I walked up and the guard asked "How old are you?" I replied "Old Enough!" and he let me in. and many times they just sat their and let you walk in without checking. I was 19 and turned 20 on Midway. I guess you could say I learned to "hold my Liquor" on Midway, but what I should have learned is that I was an budding alcoholic. I got sick may times at first, and at one point gave up drinking for a period of about 90 days. But then my Birthday came around, two others in my division had the same birthday, and we had agreed to have a big party on our big day. I tried to back out but gave in to the peer pressure and away we went. We had a heck of a big blast and I did not get sick, and it was the beginning of my long battle with alcohol.
Every so often they would have a live band at the club, and of course it would be packed. One evening we had gotten pretty wasted, and the last song played was the "bunny Hop". Well we the members of the Supply division bunny hopped all the way back to our barracks, and then someone came up with the bright idea of going skinny dippin at the beach. (and NO it wasn't me) We grabbed our trunks and headed to the EM Beach where about 30-35 sailors stripped to their birthday suits and started having a naked beach party. Bolten and I were found wading about chest deep saying "Here Sharky...Here Sharky!! By "Harry "Big Red" Ovitt, and escorted back to the beach. Shortly the Shore Patrol arrived, made us get dressed and escorted us back to Charlie Barracks, where we were all under house arrest until our division could deal with us the next day. We got our butts chewed out and things were back to normal.
Another outlet were "Division Parties" where they would buy all the beer we could drink, and grill steaks with all the side dishes and let us blow off some steam. At one of these parties we were using the CPO Club as it was near the beach. Our Aviation Storekeeper Chief, Chief Sparks, had his family there, and he had a daughter about 12 or 13. she was constantly flirting with the sailors, but most of us were ignoring us. I got pretty drunk and went to the barracks, when I was awoken to be told my best friend had been arrested for rape. I went to the brig and was allowed to visit him and got his side of the story. He had too many and thing heated up between him and the girl, and they went off into the bushes to make out. He had indeed pulled her bottoms off and was playing with her when her brother came near and called her name, well she yelled "Rape" and he was arrested. I have never forgotten that day, and I still feel that she was a willing participant in all activities that day but he was stupid because she was way too young. Chief Sparks was a friend of mine as was the sailor charged. The day after the party I was scheduled to go to Chief's house to help with some painting, and of course he started about my friend. I said Chief I was not there so I have nothing to say about it. Chiefs wife, got me to the side, and asked me if I had seen the daughter flirting around that afternoon, and I told her the truth, yes she was flirting with a lot of the guys. Well that was of no matter as he had admitted fondling her, and he was sentenced to 6 months in the brig in Hawaii, and a bad conduct discharge. His life screwed up over a young tart, and alcohol. He was a great guy and I have always prayed for him to over come this incident and have a successful life.
I spent a lot of time at the beach, did some fishing and some skin diving. worked a lot and the rest of my time was at the club. In December I was scheduled for rotation, as they were planning the division Christmas party, and at muster, SK1 Evans was going over the party supplies needed. He came to me and I informed him that I would be gone before the party, then he came to Harry, and Harry was going to be gone also so Evens made the Statement "If little Red and Big Red are going to be gone then we can cut the beer supply in half".. I had earned the reputation that would follow me for the next 12 years. A hard drinking party person. I had always wanted to be like my Dad and I had made it.
