Boot Camp - The First Day

50 years ago today was my first full day of Navy boot camp. There is no way to describe the shock of waking up that morning at about 4am to the sound of a large metal trash can being thrown down the center of the barracks between the bunks of sleeping new recruits. 

It was a very long day of processing that included getting assigned to a company and meeting your new company commander, getting issued uniforms and gear, new hair cuts, medical exams, etc, etc. Plus lots of push ups and getting screamed out.

We learned how to march right away too. I had been in my high school marching band and also a Philly Mummers band so I knew how to march and keep in line but there were a lot of guys who were stumbling about and acting stupid. Of course everything was very disorienting all day long.

It was a long crazy day and by the end we all dropped exhausted into our bunks and there was certainly no more movies in the evenings.