The Eye April 1968 Page 11

by Vincent D. White

Silence after taps! Taps is sounded at 2200 (10:00 pm) every night. However a little difficulty reared its ugly head one particular Sunday night. The lights went off at 2200. Fifteen minutes later the P.A. system sounded: NOW HEAR THIS! TAPS, TAPS, LIGHTS OUT. SMOKING LAMP IS OUT IN ALL BERTHING SPACES. SECURE ALL ELECTRONIC GEAR. SILENCE ABOUT THE DECK. THAT IS TAPS, TAPS, LIGHTS OUT. Mass confusion.

At 2220 the lights came on and sleepy men sat up in their racks, baffled by the transpiring happenings. Another announcement. NOW HEAR THIS. ALL HANDS COMMENCE FIELD DAY IN AND AROUND THE BARRACKS. Before long everyone was raising a racket, as the leaders blurted out, FIELD DAY, SO TURN TO!

Some who were not leaders blurted out such Navy remarks as, SHIP OVER FOR NAVY BENNIES, or, SHIP OVER FOR TAPS, etc. Soon everyone had joined in with the rolicking good time had by one and all, and they merrily joked as the dropped an occasional cigarette butt into a GI can, as if they had just filled up an entire Dempsy Dumpster.

Enter sailors, back from a good time "on the beach." Hastily exit sailors, away from field day. Hastily exit still sleepy sailors, suddenly very interested in touring lovely NAS in their cars.

Under the leadership of competent barracks fire watches, non-rated and petty officer alike scavenged the decks for any small piece of FOD.

The SDO again toured the barracks. Uh oh! being displeased, he again made the announcement for all hads to turn to the TV room. Mass hysteria.

SHIP OVER FOR NAVY LIFE was resonating from all directions. One guy who was due at work in an hour took a shower and donned a clean uniform, knowing a half hour's sleep would be of little consequence.

Finally at 2330 (1 hour and thirty minutes after taps), field day was secured and happy, cheering sailors dropped into their racks, able to sleep with a clear conscience, knowing deep inside that their barracks were clean.

two sides to this story

Taps is sounded every night at 2200. All lights are turned out, except those small night lights of 40 watts or less that can be left on for reading or writing letters to loved ones on the big island. All stereo gear is turned off unless there is a headset to prevent it from bothering others.

But wait! After all are tucked away and everyone is quiet, sounds can still be heard. A sort of scratchy sound like little feet running about. It sounds just like a big ol' rat. But a rat stays in a rat's nest. What could he find in VW-1's barracks? Could it be the varied and abundant banquet of such things as potato chips and French fries (with or without catsup), half eaten hamburgers, soda pop, candy bars, cakes and cookies? It shouldn't be that because barracks regulations prohibit all food and drink in the barracks.

Maybe that big ol' rat just feels at home. Some people use the deck as their ashtray and trash can because it is just too hard to make that little extra effort after a hard day's work.

Dungarees, flight suits, shoes and "civvies" are hung on racks and are casually placed about the cubes and on the deck. The overall effect is that of a great big rat's nest. That must be why our rodent comes to the VW-1 barracks; he does feel at home.
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