RECOLLECTION

Bob Hill 1989

“Mid - night stores”

I reported aboard the USS Swanson in Augusta 1942 and was assigned as a mess cook for a few days and then I was reassigned to the After Fireroom with the black gang. Neff a Water Tender was the petty officer in charge of the watch to which I was assigned. Immediately after reporting on watch Neff told me: “The next time you come on watch, I want you to have a hat full of eggs, some bread and some meat, either a slab of bacon or ham”. I asked : “Where am I going to get all this?” and he replied: “I don’t care where you get it – just come on watch with it!” I asked: “What if I am late coming on watch with the supplies?” and he replied: “You had better not be late”. Then he added: “Just get that chow and don’t be late”.

I was really in a turmoil because I just didn’t know where I was going to get that chow. I was new to the ship and did know a soul. So I hung around the ships galley all day because I was slated for the mid-watch beginning at mid - night. Shortly before mid – night the cooks were breaking out the stores for the next day , they were leaving the refrigerator door open a slight crack so they would not have to stop lock and unlock it. While they were carrying the stores to the galley I quickly entered the refrigerator and located eggs, bacon, hams, bread, and many other good items.

When I arrived on watch with all the mid – night stores, old Neff seemed rather surprised that I had the food. I think he really was pulling my leg to begin with, for whatever reason. From then on I waited around the galley to keep the watch supplied with whatever was available. To insure against lean times, I kept a slab of bacon under my mattress.

One night my mid-night requisition of stores ended as I went down to the refrigerator I seen a light as the door was open a slight crack. I opened the door slightly to look in and lo and behold there was mess cooks drinking beer. Shortly after that the O.O.D. opened the door and I had a heck of a time explaining I was not drinking beer but was there to obtain eggs! Shortly after that all the beer was removed from the ship!