Lee Coffman
USS Helena CA-75
Camp Elliot
After morning chow, we boarded buses and went to Camp Elliot. Riding through San Diego we were intent on girl watching, some of the girls waved at us and we made comments out of the windows to them, the Chief said, "All right you Romeos knock it off! This is a military exercise and you are on duty, the next man I hear making comments to girls will be put on report." We all said, "Aye, aye sir." The Chief was right; Camp Elliot was a hot, dusty, dirty place. At NTC, the barracks were made of plastered walls and there was pavement everywhere and large grassy areas with trees, it was by the ocean and had cool breezes. At Camp Elliot, there was none of these niceties, the barracks were all made of wood and there was no grass or trees. Most of the roads were paved but there was dirt off the paved roads. We could see nothing but bare desert hills to the east and bare flat land in other directions. Camp Elliot was a Marine training base during WWII but the Navy now used it for a quarantine facility. With all the bare ground we just prayed that it would not rain, that would have been a real mess. Besides this we were told to beware of tarantula spiders and rattle snakes! A big desert tarantula was spotted once inside our barracks but I never saw a snake while we were there. Probably if you walked off the base onto the desert, I am sure there were rattlesnakes there.
Our company was assigned to a barracks and we all settled in on the lower floor. By now, the company was divided into groups or cliques, the men naturally gravitated toward groups that they felt comfortable with. The largest group was from the west, mainly California, and then there was the east coast group and the southen states group. The western group occupied one end of the barracks; the east coast group was in the center of the barracks and the southerners at the other end of the barracks. In the westen group, we had Johansen's radio and listened to popular music and this satisfied the east coast group as well, the southerners listened to Hill Billy and blue grass music. The westerners did not play their music loud but the southern boys did and this led to conflicts and we were always yelling at the Hill Billie's to "turn that crappy shit kicking music down."
A few times this led to minor fistfights and eventually the southern boys got the message and behaved. However, as a whole everyone got along well, we had a certain pride in our company, and we all wanted to obey the rules and do well in boot camp. After we were settled in the barracks the Chief marched us to noon chow, the mess hall was made of wood also and was just an open screened in building. Another problem here was mosquitoes and flies and there were plenty of them around. After noon chow, we marched to an open field and formed a
single line up to medics giving yet another series of shots! We all grumbled, "Man, is this shot business ever going to end?" The Chief assured us that these would be the last shots we would receive and we were all thankful for that news. Then the company marched to an open-air classroom and we were instructed in artillery shells and various markings used to identify them. Having a full stomach and being a warm afternoon, many of us started to nod off. This annoyed the instructor, he rapped a few of us on the side of the head with a ruler to wake us up, and this got our attention. He said, "You will be tested on this lesson and if you fail you will take the lesson all over again, do you understand?" We all said, "Aye, aye sir."
After evening chow we marched back to the barracks and all of us were tired, sweaty and dusty from marching in the heat and dirt areas. The first thing we did was take a shower, wash our dirty clothes and shine our shoes. We were pleasantly surprised when Amoux came into the barracks and shouted, "Mail call." Many of us received our first mail in the Navy; I received a letter from Mary Ann and my sister Norine. I was elated, letters from home mean so much to service men and I read it over and over and smelled the perfume Mary Ann had put on the letter, it really made my day! Some of us received packages from home with homemade cookies; they did not last long because everyone wanted those who got them to share! When he handed out all of the letters and packages Amoux would announce, "That's 30 for today men." Indicating that there was no more mail to hand out.
The guys that did not get any letter were understandably glum and disappointed. I got a lot of ribbing about my perfumed letter from Mary Ann but I told the hecklers, "Hah! You're just jealous because your girl didn't write to you." With that, Dellenger grabbed my letter and a bunch of the guys started to read it and make comments about me being a Romeo. That really made me mad and I got into a minor good-natured punching match but finally got my letter back.
Mary Ann Haugen
That night I was on watch duty and Thomas, the man I was to relieve, awakened me at 0200. It was cold outside at night and the stars filled the desert sky, it thrilled me to gaze at them. I have had a keen interest in astronomy and outer space since I was a child and I spent a long time studying the heavens, I actually enjoyed being out there in the clear desert night and it was so quiet all I could hear was the wind blowing. In the distant hills, I could hear coyotes yipping and that sound added to the mystique of the night. I thought of home, how much I missed my family and Mary Ann. Romantic songs kept running through my mind such as "Wish You Were Here" by Eddie Fisher and "You Belong to Me" by Jo Stafford and many others. The time passed quickly and soon the eastern sky glowed pink and orange, it was 0600 and time to start another day.
In the morning, the company was marched to a huge parade ground where there were ten other companies of recruits assembled. We were facing a raised platform where a CPO stood in front of a microphone. While we stood at attention Chief Graham held an inspection and walked up and down the rows of men, he checked for all sorts of things; shined shoes, clean uniforms, proper shave, etc. He came to one recruit near me and checked the man for shaving properly, he was dissatisfied and yelled at the recruit, "Damn it sailor, you did not shave this morning. I will not allow any man in my company to look like a bum! Here, I'll give you a proper shave." With that, he took a razor from his pocket and started to "dry shave" him, man that must have hurt! When he was finished the Chief said, "There, that's more like it, if you had bled I would write you up for gear adrift." Some of us could hardly contain our laughter but we knew better than to laugh or we would be a target for Daddy Graham's wrath.
Then the CPO on the platform barked commands to us and we went through exercises using our pieces, called physical drill with arms, which went on for an hour. It was tiring hefting the ten-pound rifle in various exercises in the hot sun. Then Hansen who was standing next to me said, "Look at that CPO he flips his piece around like it weighs nothing, in fact his rifle is a dummy it's made of light wood." we all passed the word along and the feeling among the troops was resentment. I thought that if that CPO is as tough as he sounds why he is using a 1-pound phony rifle instead of the real thing. There was a brief rest and then we spent another hour doing calisthenics without arms and then marched off to classes the rest of the day. I felt good and I am sure the rest of the company felt the same as me; we were becoming fit, hardened and tough with all the physical exertion.
Saturday came, we were allowed to go to the Gee-dunk and buy personal supplies, and of course, most of us bought a substantial amount of candy bars and other goodies. Saturday afternoon was set aside for doing our laundry and cleaning our barracks. On Sunday morning, everyone went to church and Sunday afternoon was free time, most of us rested, listened to the radio, wrote letters, talked scuttlebutt or played cards. I joined a group playing softball on one of the fields against another company. After evening chow, I hit the sack early because I had watch duty again at 0200 the next morning.
The following days fell into a routine of marching, close order drill, calisthenics, and classes, Chuck and I spent a lot of time talking and we became close friends. We were learning a lot, getting physically fit and looking sharp but a few of the guys did nothing but gripe about their life in boot camp, there are always some sour apples in a group. However, most of us were content with our lot and just tried to do the best that we could. We had a certain pride in our company of men and we intended to be the best company on the base. In our second week at Camp Elliot, the company had firing range practice using .22 cal rifles and the next day using 30 cal Ml Garand rifles, I did very well and the Chief even complimented me, I was shocked because up till then all I had heard from him was chewing out! He said, 'Well done Coffman, keep up the good work and I'll make a sailor out of you yet.' After the firing practice, we were each allowed firing one burst from a Thompson .45 cal sub-machine guns so we would see how it felt to shoot one, the sub-machine gun was a heck of a weapon and hard to handle.
Firing range
The USO put on a show the following Saturday and the company attended. The show was a musical and comedy revue starring Phil Silvers, Ed Wynn, Harry Von Zell as emcee and a host of Hollywood starlets. We enjoyed the show, it was a welcome break from our routine, and all of us men especially enjoyed seeing the pretty scantly clad starlets. By now, all of us were missing seeing the fairer sex and it did us all good. There was a rumor going around that I think was baseless, some of the guys said that the Navy put salt-peter in the food to lower sex drive and curtail erections. However, I had no trouble in that department. Another baseless warning was that if you were caught masturbating you would face a court-marshal, the saying was that you were never to be caught "slamming your ham" or you would be put on report but I never saw this happen all the time I was in the Navy.
Another thing about being in the Navy is picking up the bad habit of swearing. It seems everyone did it and almost every sentence spoken had the "F" word, shit or GD this or that. It was infectious, because that is the language you hear every day. I considered myself intellectual and it offended me but soon I was swearing with the rest of them. Even the CPO s talked that way and occasionally we would even hear officers use swear words. Later on when I had leave to go home, I had to watch my language carefully so I would not offend the folks at home or my girlfriends.
Chuck Monson at Camp Elliot
The days hurried by now with our accustomed routines. I think all of us were being inured to the rigor of the boot camp life and we were tough, physically fit and had developed a professional attitude about Navy life. We no longer heard the whiners and cry babies in our company because it would have been a stigma against them. We all felt unified and looked out for each other, if a man was getting slack about his appearance or performance a group of us would gather around him and give him the word to shape up for the good of the company. One incident that happened was when some of us noticed that Kafka was not taking showers; he was a swarthy morose guy from Chicago and often was a loner and kept to himself. A group of us gathered and planned a "GI Party" for the next morning if he failed to shower. Sure enough, the following morning Kafka did not take a shower with the rest of the company. About twenty of us went out, grabbed Kafka, stripped him naked and carried him to the showers, and he needed a shower because he really stunk! We got him in the shower and four of us held him down while the rest of us scrubbed him with GI brushes and soap. That poor guy had scratch marks all over his body but he learned a lesson and he never failed to shower after that incident. Many of us told him, "We want to be proud of our company and we won't stand for any scrounges dragging us down."
It was Saturday November 1 and it was payday! It was our first payday in the US Navy, hooray! We marched to the disbursement office and lined up single file to receive our pay, the pay was given in cash and I received $26 for being a Seaman Recruit after signing a form to verify that I was paid. In 1952, $26 dollars went a long way and it was adequate for spending on personal things and liberty. After we were paid, the Chief told us, "It is none of my business what you do with your pay but I will give you a word of advice. You are paid once a month and if you piss your money away on Gee-dunk junk, you will not have any left for liberty. Keep your money in a secure place, we are all honorable men but you never can tell. One week from now on November 8, you will be granted your first liberty so save your money for that." Arnoux marched us back to the barracks and many of us let out whoops of glee that we would be finally going on liberty. Arnoux yelled, "Okay knock it off! If you keep acting like little kids the Chief may revoke your liberty." After that, we quieted down but all of us had smiles on our faces.
On Wednesday November 5, the Chief told us to get our gear and the barracks in order and pack our sea bags for this would be our last night at dear old Camp Elliot. We were all in high spirits, laughed, and joked a lot as we cleaned the barracks and prepared our sea bags. Even though I had watch duty, again at 0200 I looked forward to it with a light heart. Moreover, it was another enjoyable time for me being out in the clear cold desert air looking at the night sky with many thoughts on my mind.
The next day Thursday November 6, we all boarded two buses to take us back to NTC. Chuck sat next to me and I said," Farewell dear old Camp Elliot. Do you think you will miss it Chuck'?" He laughed and answered, "Oh you bet Lee, just like I miss having a root canal!". There was a surprise waiting for us on the way back to NTC, the two buses stopped at a lovely tree shaded park just outside of San Diego. The Chief told us, "All right men fall out; you are privileged to be invited for a barbecue picnic for noon chow. This is a reward for giving me your best and performing well during "hell month" at Camp Elliot. The buses will leave in two hours, be back on board at 1400 and don't leave the park area." A Navy mess crew served the food and it was great, barbecued steak, baked potatoes, salad, soft drinks, milk, coffee and ice cream for dessert. We all enjoyed it, ate our fill and flaked out under the trees to relax in the cool breezes. It was so nice to be away from Camp Elliot with the dirt, dust, flies, spiders, snakes and mosquitoes left behind us.
Chuck Monson at the barbecue.