Lee Coffman
USS Helena CA-75
Back to NTC
NTC main gate
We proceeded to NTC and were assigned to a nicer barracks this time; it was located near the west end of the base. We were on the second floor, we could look out of the widows and see civilian homes, cars passing by on the street and occasionally we could see girls walking by on the sidewalk. This caused another scuffle because all the guys wanted a bunk by the west windows to girl watch. Chuck and I were quick to notice the west windows and we quickly grabbed bunks at that end of the room. We settled into the barracks, stored our gear and made our bunks. Then the Chief had us fall in outside, he said, "Another treat for you this afternoon girls, you are going to see a movie. Left face, forward march".
Camp Nimitz Co. 826 barracks middle foreground
We marched to the movie theater near the bases main entrance on Rosecrans Ave. to the north, it was a part of the base that we had not been in before and it was impressive with nice buildings, broad streets and nicely manicured lawns and flower beds. We went into the theater and there was a Lieutenant Medical officer on the stage, he said, "Men, you are about to go on your first liberty on Saturday. I remind you that you are restricted to the city limits of San Diego. Tijuana, Mexico is a short distance from here but I warn you not to go there, it is a cesspool of prostitutes and we have had too many cases of men coming down with Venereal Disease after going there. If you do get VD you will be up for a Captain's Mast and this could mean loss of pay and liberty restrictions. The movie you will see is about VD, some of you may joke about it but it is no laughing matter. If you do have sexual intercourse, please use a condom. Watch the movie and pay attention." The movie started and there was a lot of snickering and wisecracks, but the movie was gross and it made sense to me. A few jokers just laughed and made fun of the film.
Our First Liberty Call
Saturday morning arrived and we were all excited to go on our first liberty, after being in quarantine and penned up at Camp Elliot for 30 days we were all chomping at the bit. The Chief had us fall in at 0900 and held an inspection; the uniform of the day was dress blues. He made a few men correct some things and a few he made shine their shoes better. Then he said, "Some of you made fun of the VD movie but I kid you not, if you come down with VD I will come down on you hard, is that understood?" we all said, "Aye, aye sir." Then he said, "This is a Cinderella liberty and you are to be back on base at 2400. Company dismissed."
The company scattered and most of us headed toward the west gate nearby. There was a bus stop near the gate and we wanted to get to downtown San Diego quickly. Chuck and I stayed together and made it to the bus stop after the first bus filled with sailors and drove off but another bus would come in 15 minutes. I asked Chuck what was the first thing he wanted to do, he answered, "Lee, I would like to get a nice juicy hamburger and malt. Then I would like to find a burlesque theater and enjoy the performance. If we can't find a burlesque show I would like to go to a movie theater." I told him that sounded like a good plan. We boarded the next bus, the fare was 10 cents, and enjoyed the ride to town; it was such a wonderful feeling like being released from prison. Some of the guys planned to get drunk and Chuck and I agreed that was not a good idea. The legal drinking age was 21 and none of us was that age and that could lead to trouble, and besides we did not want to suffer from a hangover the following day so Chuck and I decided to stay away from drinking. We were not prudes and had drunk before but it did not seem like a good idea at this time.
The bus arrived in downtown and Chuck and I found a nice diner and ordered a hamburger with fries and malt, it sure tasted good after the steady diet of Navy chow for one month. In 1952 a meal as we had cost 40 cents, 25 cents for a hamburger and 15 cents for a malt. The hamburger was made from scratch fresh ground beef patty, toasted bun, fresh lettuce, fresh onion slice and tomato slice, dill pickle slices, mayonnaise and mustard, no prefabricated Mac Donald's junk in those days! The malt made from scratch as well, fresh milk, fresh ice cream and served in a large metal container with a glass to pour it into. After we ate, we asked around to see if we could locate a burlesque theater and we found one but it did not open until 1800 and it was now only 1100. We decided to take in a movie instead, but first we walked all over downtown and it was great just to be able to stroll around and see the city sights and we felt free as birds. We walked around for a few hours window-shopping and girl watching; by 1500 we came to a movie theater, the Loew's State, and bought our tickets for 30 cents. I forgot the second movie we watched but the main feature was "The Bad and the Beautiful" starring Kirk Douglas and Lana turner. There was always a double feature, newsreels and cartoons so a trip to the movies in 1952 was at least a three-hour affair. Most movie theaters in those days were elaborately decorated with rich wall decor, fancy drapes and chandeliers and the theater we were in was no exception.
We left the movie theater at 1900; we had filled up on pop corn and candy bars watching the movies so we were not hungry for any dinner. We walked along the oceanfront and looked at the boats and ships out in the harbor. There was an aircraft carrier passing by and I told Chuck, "Well old buddy soon we will probably be on one of those." He answered, 1 guess so Lee, if we make it out of boot camp alive," we both laughed. We came upon a bookstore and browsed for a while, I bought a couple of books for something to read in my leisure time, I told Chuck I loved to read and so did he. By now, it was after 2200 and we decided to head back to the base, we had a great time just tasting the outside world again enjoying simple pleasures and we were satisfied with our few hours of freedom and we knew we would get liberty every weekend from now on.
We made it back to the barracks at 2245 and hit the sack. Shortly after, there was a loud commotion and all the men jumped out of their bunks. A group of the guys that had been on liberty drinking came into the barracks talking loudly and carrying on, the worst one was Boulanger and he was crazy drunk. He was swinging his arms and cussing a blue streak, he took off his wristwatch and smashed it against the wall and ran up and down the barracks. Some of us finally tackled him and calmed him down. Arnoux the yeoman told him to quite down or the Chief might hear all the noise and all of us would be in trouble. We finally got him into his bunk and he passed out. Man, I never saw anyone so crazy drunk! Chuck and I said to each other that we were sure glad we decided to stay away from booze.
The next morning we found out that the Chief was off base and Amoux was in charge of the company. We all fell in for the march to the mess hall for morning chow, some of the guys were not doing too well because of hangovers and Boulanger was suffering the most. After chow, we attended church and then Arnoux said that the Chief told him that he was allowing Gee-dunk and movie privileges Sunday afternoon but to be back at the barracks by 1800. Most of us headed for the gee-dunk and to the movie theater, which was free. We enjoyed Sunday afternoon and it was almost as good as being on liberty. I told Chuck, "Hey old buddy this isn't half bad, if we get to do this every weekend I am beginning to actually like boot camp.' Chuck answered, "Yeah man it sure beats the hell out of the "Hell Month" we spent at Camp Elliot."
The following morning, Monday, I received orders to report to the Navy Training Office. I went to the office and a Lieutenant interviewed me, he told me that because of my high scores on my tests I was being considered for Naval Air Cadet School. I took another battery of tests and I was optimistic that I would be accepted. However, I found our a few days later that they could not accept me because I did not have 20/20 vision. The fact that I was considered for NAVCAD School would go on my record and I could qualify for a technical rating, I was disappointed but at least I had qualified to strike for a technical rating.
That afternoon the Chief had, us fall in and announced, "Okay men you have had your first liberty and fun now for some bad news. Tomorrow at 0600, you will report to the mess hall for three days of mess duty. Knock off the groaning every company has to do this duty and I expect you to do it well, is that understood?" we all said, "Aye, aye sir." That afternoon many of the guys griped about going on mess duty but having a taste of it already, I told them that it wasn't too bad and we got to eat before everyone else. Flanner said, 'Oh can it Coffman, don't try to make us enjoy mess duty." I had all ready experienced mess duty during my two weeks at boot camp in the Reserves so I did not mind it if it was only for three days but most of the men were upset about mess duty. We all lived through the three days of mess duty and when the company was relieved from it Flannel said, "I guess you were right Coffman, it wasn't too bad after all." I replied, "I told you so you hard headed swab jockey. Listen to your old sea dad from now on." Many of the guys got a good laugh at that. Johansen said, "Listen to Daddy Coffman, he has a lot on the ball." I said," Wait a minute buddy, don't call me Daddy, that is Chief Graham's title and I don't want to be tagged with the same name." However, after that many of the guys called me Daddy Coffman to get my goat.
The next day, Friday, we marched to the swimming pool for swimming, life saving and water rescue instruction. The pool was in a large covered building and it was an Olympic size swimming pool about 200 feet long and 50 feet wide and 12 feet deep at one end. The chief asked, "Is there anyone of you that cannot swim?" Three men raised their hand. "For you three men there will be special instruction to teach you swimming. Fall out and go to the shallow end of the pool. There is an instructor there to teach you. If you are going to be a sailor you had damn well learn how to swim." The rest of us were told to get into the water at the shallow end of the pool. Eight men at a time had to complete two complete laps of swimming the length of the pool without stopping, a distance of 800 feet. Then we were instructed in various stroke styles; breaststroke, backstroke, sidestroke and dog paddle. We put on life jackets and practiced life saving techniques and the proper way to abandon ship. I was glad that I had learned how to swim and spent many hours at the municipal swimming pool and I had no trouble passing all the tests. Most of the men passed the entire test as well; the ones that had problems had to take added lessons while the rest of us played a game of water polo. It was a full day by the time we finished and marched to evening chow and we were all hungry and tired.
When we marched to the barracks and the Chief said, "Tomorrow you will be given liberty commencing at 0900 and ending at 2400. Arnoux will be in charge and I will be off base. Do not think you can have it easy because I have instructed Amoux to put anyone that screws up on report, is that clear?" We answered, "Aye, aye sir." Then he said," Company dismissed." When we entered the barracks Chuck said, "This is getting better all the time Lee, liberty every Saturday and old Daddy Graham off of our backs." I said," Amen brother, amen. I guess even old Daddy Graham has a home life, thank God. Maybe there is someone out there that loves him." We all laughed aloud at this and Benson said, "Coffman you really have a weird sense of humor." That night the company was in a happy jocular mood and many jokes and conversations took place. We were going on liberty again and we all felt like humans again instead of just a serial number.
On the liberty Chuck and I decide to see the San Diego Zoo, we had never seen it and we both enjoyed it and the museums in Balboa Park. Besides, it was a great place for girl watching and we both did a lot of that. We stopped for dinner at a fine Mexican restaurant and then we headed for the burlesque theater. It was an enjoyable show, in those times the closest thing to X-rated entertainment was the burlesque theater, the jokes and skits were raunchy but mild compared to today. There were some performances by girls that stripped off their clothes but only partial nudity baring their breasts. We did not get to the theater until 2000 and when we left, it was 2300. Chuck said, "We better haul ass Lee we don't want to be late getting back to the base." We caught a bus and made it back to NTC just before 2400. A CPO was at the gate and he said, "I hate G—d-- bell ringers. Two minutes more and you would have been late; to teach you a lesson I want you men to march a lap around the parade ground." We said, "Aye, aye sir." The parade ground was 1% mile square, so that would be one mile we had to march. Chuck and I took off marching and I said, "What kind of bullshit is this? We were not late and he is punishing us anyway." It was dark on the parade ground and the CPO was out of sight. Chuck said, 'Oh to hell with this shit, I am tired. Come on Lee let's sneak back to our barracks? I agreed and we went a long way around to avoid the CPO and made it back inside our barracks. We were both laughing hard and glad that we had got away with our subterfuge.
Lee in Balboa Park Nov 52
On Monday the company marched to the USS Neversail, it was a mock-up of a Navy warship constructed of wood. The ship was 200 feet long and 30 feet wide, it was located at the far southern edge of the base. On board we were instructed in shipboard nomenclature such as walls are bulkheads, floors are decks,
ceilings are the overhead, doors are hatches, ropes are lines, halls are passageways and stairs are ladders. We trained in recognizing the various signals given over the squawk boxes (loudspeakers) such as general quarters, mess call and various boatswain pipe signals and signaling flags.
USS Neversail
Tuesday we were introduced to the "Gas Chamber". After attending classes on chemical warfare and the proper use of gas masks, all of us had to endure an experience of being exposed to tear gas. Ten men at a time went into a dark closed chamber and sat on benches facing each other, when a red warning light came on the gas was pumped into the chamber. We had to sit there for 5 minutes without gas masks, our eyes watering and our lungs burning until the instructor said it was time to leave. Before we left he said anyone that left early or ran would have to do the test all over again. I endured it, but it was no fun that is for sure. Once outside my eyes were burning and watering and I washed my face and rinsed my eyes to relieve the effects of the chemical.
