Hi, folks! My name is Rex Howard and I would like to tell you a little story about my experience at boot camp, aka basic training. It was an experience of a lifetime and that is being really nice about it.
My cousin and I joined the U.S. Navy Reserve in December 1960. I was a junior and Tom was a senior in high school; our parents had to sign for us to join. I think my folks were thrilled because now they knew when I got out of HS I had somewhere to go. I was what in this day and age would be known as a strong-willed child. Back then I was just a bonehead. We went to training meetings one a week and some weekend trainings. We took it very seriously and did well and excelled in most things. In the spring of 1961, one of the officers came and told us we qualified for reserve boot camp. We thought that was wonderful (had no idea what reserve boot camp was). Well, we had 6 months in the Navy. We had our shots and clothing and had completed a list of training things – so we were good to go. One little catch: boot camp would only be two weeks long, unless you didn’t pass and then you had to go back and do the full nine weeks. No problem!
So! In June 1961, Tom and I got on a train in Des Moines, Iowa, and headed for Great Lake, Ill. We arrived a little before noon the next day and there was a welcoming committee waiting for us. We found out right away that we were not welcome there and they did not like us or our family or even our little dog! We got off the train and right-shouldered our sea bags and marched and marched and marched. We finally ended up at the chow hall. It was hot and we had marched a long way and the city boys grabbed a glass and started pouring milk in their hot bodies. Tom and I, being farm boys, got a glass of water and sipped it a little. When the milk hit bottom in the those hot city boys, it exploded and out it came. It wasn’t long before they shut down the milk machine and we found out we were the lowest form of life on earth. After that we marched some more.
After marching for at least another 100 miles, we arrived at our barracks, got a rack and stowed our gear. Then our CO (company commander) showed up. Mr. J.I. Case, MM1 got up on the picnic table in the middle of the place and started telling how it was going to be. The No. 1 thing was that no one and I mean no one was allowed to smoke anywhere on the property. Well, Tom and I didn’t smoke so it wasn’t a big deal for us, BUT he pulled a plug of tobacco out and said if anyone was man enough to chew, we could chew. Now, he was waving this plug around right in front of me, so I just took it out of his hand, skinned it, bit a hunk and handed it back to him and stood there having a chew. Did I mention I didn’t chew either? It was a good thing he left when he did or I would have puked on his shoes. Now the next day, we are out on the grinder and he had me calling left/right/left/right/left and I lost my voice. I mean I couldn’t say a word. The plan was, he had put me on the mid watch, because we were only in bed from 12 am – 3 am, so if you had the mid watch, you didn’t sleep that night. Had something to do with the plug of tobacco, I think. But wait, if you stand watch you must be able to say, “HALT! WHO GOES THERE!” and I could not, so no watch for me. Now we were really good friends.
Then there was the time when we went to the pool to jump off this little tower to simulate jumping off a ship. Tom and I got in different lines and worked it out so we could go at the same time. Just as you hit the water, if you pull one leg up to your chest you can make a little splash, times two – HOLY COW! I THOUGHT Mr. J.I. Case was going to lose his mind. Underwater I could hear him screaming. When we came up, he looked like a rabid dog.
So, the two weeks were up and we had to take a little written test and we did fine and we are going to pass reserve boot camp. Now, as I was told, the regular Navy guys did 8 hours a day training, 5 days a week; that comes up to 360 hours of training, and we did 21 hours a day for 14 days. That comes up to 294 hours of training. Boy, did we get a good deal or what? Oh yes, there were about 5,000 reserves who went there that June and only about half of us passed. The others found a way to get out or were going back for 9 more weeks.
The worst part of boot camp was, we thought this was hot; it was going to be when we went for 2 years. Tom graduated that year, so in a bit he went for his tour. He later wrote to let me know that life was not like boot camp. I was really glad.
The Navy was a great experience. I spent 27 months on active duty (extended for 3 months).
I wouldn’t trade it for anything!