Comments

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  Donald Sparks May 1, 2011 at 1:56pm

  The side of the bridge across from where the USS Neversail was was called Worm Island. I remember, because that is where they drove us from the airport to disorient us, in case someone was thinking about taking off. It was very memorable. They had shut down the Mess hall on worm island so we were marched to the Mainside one. I still am Pro Navy, my younger brother just retired after 24 years in as a CPO. His wife is a retired 1st Class. They will be sitting good fro the rest of their lives if our gov't doesn't cut their retirements.
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  H. Buning May 1, 2011 at 3:56am

  Yeah, it was 4050....just seeing those guys being marched around the

  base was enough of an incentive not to screw up.....I don't remember

  pink hats, I seem to remember them wearing army type helmets labeled '4050',

  helmets being more uncomfortable than ball caps or white hats....Thanks

  for posting those pics, Mr. Hernandez. last time I was there it looked like

  they had used some of the older worm island barracks for actual fire-

  fighting practice. The barracks I was in on worm island have been

  demolished for airport long term parking, alas....
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  Adrian Hernandez April 30, 2011 at 7:57pm

   

   

  I remember a company called 4050.  And I seem to recall that they wore pink colored hats as they marched along with that special step.  Those guys were in a world of s**t! 

   I visited Camp Nimitz a few years back.  Took a few photos of my old barracks there.  Remembered the trash can reveilles at 0430 and marching off to morning chow in the dark.  

   

   

  

   

   Photo looking west.  My old barracks on left by red cars.  This building now used as a fire department office.

   

   

  

   View of barracks from street.  Didn't we stand night watches in those courts?

   

   

   

  

  Looking east.

   
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  Lawrence "Ski" Gorski April 30, 2011 at 4:30pm

  When I first got there we all went to Camp Nimitz (Worm Island) and stayed there till after service week when we moved to main side.  During my Company Commander tour, there no longer was a move, you stayed in the barracks you went to originally.  When I would have a Company at Camp Nimitz, I would point out the airport on the other side of the fence and told the recruits that if they wanted to go home, that was the shortest way to go to the airport.  I failed to tell them they had to do through Marine Corps Recruit Depot to get there.  When a sailor did go, the Marines would hold him until it can be verified that he was in fact in the Navy and not just a trespasser.  That usually took a couple of days.  An you are right Johnny, they usually learned a valuable lesson before they were brought back.
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  Jim Decota April 30, 2011 at 1:29pm

  JL, you mean this sign! It should have read,

          YOU ARE ABOUT TO BECOME MEN OF

                THE UNITED STATES NAVY

                 (We'll see in a few months)

  We had one guy that had never been away from home that cried in his bunk every night! Within a few weeks he was back home sleeping in his own bed!

  
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  James W Ward April 29, 2011 at 9:35pm

  Amen
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  Jim Decota April 29, 2011 at 9:01pm

  Chief, I know what you man by "distinct privilege"! The place had a soul that came from it's history and the lives of the men(and women) that passed through the gates! What a shame that we didn't know as green recruits what we were really a part of! We were marching and sleeping in the impressions left by those that gave the ultimate sacrifice for us and the rest of humanity!
  
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  Lawrence "Ski" Gorski April 29, 2011 at 8:22pm

  I had the distinct privilege of starting my Navy career at RTC San Diego in June '65 as a boot, and retired from the same place as the last Command Master Chief when they decommissioned RTC San Diego in February '94.  I also spent a tour of duty as a RCC (Reg Roper) from April '83 to April '86.  I enjoyed all my tours, even that first one when I knew nothing of what I was getting into.
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  JERRY ALFRED RHODES January 7, 2011 at 2:02pm

  LIKED JIM'S COMMENT ONCE A NAVY MAN ALWAYS A NAVY MAN SO TRUE
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  Jim Decota January 6, 2011 at 7:07pm

  That's a ditto from up here too Chief!

  There was a book and movie about the Viet Nam war called "We were soldiers once". It had to be about the Army because in the Navy "Once a Navy man, always a Navy man"! Which explains why we here care about what happens to our shipmates!  Especially those who served a career and then wind up sacrificing more than they knew! There will be a bunch of prayers from a bunch of your fellow vets!