The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1917-08-28
LIFE IN OUR NAVY
1t Is Not All Drill and DrudQery
For the Enlisted Man.
THE WAY HE SPENDS HIS TIME

story or DAYS Routine, With Its
Duties, Work and Recreation, From
Revelie In the Morning UnHI Taps
Are Sounded In the Evening.
All the world loves the sailor" but
how few know and understand him!
The American people have very little
knowledge Of the bluejackets who man
the United States navy, their profes-
sional zeal and enthusiasm, their pride
In the service and their answering
devotion to flag and country.
Our brave men of the sea-" SAYS
Franklin d. Roosevelt, assistant secre-
tary Of the United States navy. should
be better known to the American pub
lie. All the people of this great repub-
lie should be made thoroughly ac-
quatnted with the human element of
the navy, not merely TO popularize ii,
for the navy is popular In a vague. i'm
personal manner. but TO have our citi-
Zens know more of what the navy
really means TO the men who com
pose it
At $50 a. m. the buglers sound the
reveille, accompanied by a chorus of
boatswatns' pipes with the added ad-
monit1on, up all hammocksr' shake
leg" etc. The cooks are astir much
earlier, for coffee must be served the
crew. Then, after a short smoke. comes
Scrub and wash clothesp
Then all hands clean ship.
After the ship is cleaned breakfast
In cnrVa1 l.
ly ready for it. Potatoes, ham and
eggs, bread, butter and coffee consti-
tute a sample breakfast menu, changed
each day.
After breakfast comes an hour for
smoking and for relaxation, to don the
uniform of the day and get ready for
inspection at $50.
From that time until the dinner hour.
11:9O, the time is spent at drill, and
after dinner more drill. There are big
gun drills, boat drills with both oars
and sails) signaling, small arms prac-
tice, collision drill, fire quarters, aban-
don ship, clearing ship for action and
at night searchlight drills. These drills
are interspersed with special duty,
such as cOalfng ship or landing par
ties, and lectures by division officers or
others on timely professional topics.
Rarely are the men engaged upon
the same task two days in succession,
so the sailors life has little chance to
become monotonOus.
At p. M, eight BELLS" is a period
of "knock off all work" Pipes again
are lighted, or the race boat crew has
manned the cutter and is taking pull
through the fleet. The baseball team
or football squad goes ashore for daily
practice; the bugle sounds swimming
call, and hundreds of men are soon In
the water, with dinghy crew stand
ing by to aid a tired swimmer or q
beginner.
Books of fiction or of travel are
drawn from the crews library, while
throughout the ship may be found men
studying for the annual examination
for appointment to the Naval academy,
older men studying for, warrant and
classes in academic studies. Others
play checkers, chess or cards.
The canteen, or ships store, is liber
ally patronized. Tobacco, candy, sweet
meats, writing paper, toilet articles
and other needful articles are kept on
sale.
After supper, at 6, the bluejackets
time is his own. There is a concert
by the ships band, often a few reels
of movies. Occasionally there is a
smoker or an invitation from another
ship to attend a minstrel show or a
program of boxing and wrestling
bouts Unless there is some special
event taps are sounded at 8, and the
sailors day is over, except those on
watch
An account of the sailors life would
be incomplete without mentioning the
mascots. The most common pets are
goats, bulldogs, cats, monkeys and par
rots. But many ships have bears, pigs
and strange tropical animals from Gu
ba and Mexico, and some battleships
have even carried kangaroos from Aus
Star-Eagle.