{"id":7494,"date":"2024-10-22T18:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-10-22T22:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/?p=7494"},"modified":"2024-10-20T17:19:43","modified_gmt":"2024-10-20T21:19:43","slug":"midrats","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/midrats\/","title":{"rendered":"#178 – Midrats"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

This week’s blog post is a repeat from several years ago… one of my all-time favorites. I’m out with an ERT (Early Response Team) <\/strong>this week, continuing to help with hurricane cleanup. There’s so much work left to do, but we do what we can, when we can, right?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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How does one \u201caccurately\u201d describe Navy Chow?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before I get into that <\/em>discussion, I have to remind myself that I had another cook before<\/em> the Navy\u2014Mom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

See, I\u2019m from Florida and my mom was a great southern cook. Lots of great vittles from her third-generation cast iron skillet. But biscuits\u2026 well, mom\u2019s few feeble attempts at biscuits turned into delicious <\/em>gut-bombs. Everything else was fantabulous, but I learned to make biscuits later after the Navy during my short journey as a City of Gainesville firefighter<\/a><\/strong>\u2013it was required!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My dad, on the other hand\u2026 Well, he was good at cooking steaks and \u201csquare\u201d hamburgers. Now and then, he\u2019d empty the fridge and make what he called, \u201cGarbage Soup.\u201d Man, that was tasty, but my mom could never understand how soup stains appeared on the ceiling when he cooked. Anyway, that\u2019s the kind of cooking I was used to before <\/em>the Navy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An Introduction to Navy Chow<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

I had two duty stations during my short 4-year Navy \u201cjourney\u201d (1973-77). My first was\u00a0NAS Agana, Guam<\/a><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0and I worked in\u00a0Crash & Salvage<\/strong>. My second was aboard\u00a0USS Kitty Hawk<\/a><\/em><\/strong> (CV-63), where I worked on the flight deck in\u00a0V-1 Division<\/strong>\u00a0(Crash, then Yellow Shirt Director<\/a><\/strong>). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

And yes, IMO, Navy meals served in Guam were different than those served aboard\u00a0Kitty Hawk.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In July 1973 at Orlando RTC<\/strong> (boot camp), my first \u201cintroduction\u201d to Navy Chow was\u00a0SOS<\/strong>. I\u2019ll let you Google the meaning. But, \u201cShit on a Shingle\u201d was standard Navy-issue chow which, as many of my fellow shipmates will attest, \u201cain\u2019t that bad.\u201d Basically, SOS is creamed chipped beef on toast.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"\"<\/a>
Standard Navy Issue Chow Tray
(Click to enlarge)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Have I indulged SOS since July 10, 1977 (my discharge date)? In a simple word, \u201cno.\u201d And\u2026 I\u2019ll leave it at that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Well\u2026 what about \u201cSliders?\u201d Surely, we can talk about them. Or \u201cOne-eyed Jacks\u201d or \u201cBarney Clarks.\u201d Absolutely. Sliders are hamburgers and One-eyed Jacks\/Barney Clarks are sliders with a fried egg. And yes, over the years, I\u2019ve been known to partake in these delectables from time-to-time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No, I won\u2019t mention Baluts<\/strong>, because they weren\u2019t served in the mess hall (at least, during my<\/em> time). For those who served on the west coast, I\u2019m sure you\u2019re familiar with this Filipino \u201cdelight.\u201d For those who served on the east coast\u2026 you\u2019re lucky. And\u2026 I\u2019ll leave it at that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019ve said it before and I\u2019ll say it again. Navy chow was always plentiful and I\u00a0never<\/em>\u00a0went hungry. I know some shipmates might disagree, but while I enjoyed some meals more than others, I appreciated what we had when we had it\u2026 even those times when we couldn\u2019t get down to the mess hall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Though there was that time during a work party when one of the crew \u201cfound\u201d a package of frozen hot dogs in the ship’s freezer, \u201cUse before Dec 1956.\u201d And\u2026 I\u2019ll leave it at that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mess halls @ NAS Agana, Guam<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

We didn\u2019t have a galley at the Crash Barn and we couldn\u2019t drive the crash trucks over to the mess hall because it was too far away from the airfield. We received our meals on wheels, so to speak.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Crash, we had two sections: Port & Starboard (I was in the Port Section), during my entire 15-months on Guam\u201424 hours on and 24 off. When the shift changed over and we mustered for duty, there was a signup sheet listing what was available for lunch and dinner that day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

About 1800 (6:00 p.m.), one of the guys (we didn’t have women in Crash back then) would take a pickup truck over and load our chow, provided in stainless steel serving pans by the cooks, and return to the Crash Barn. We used standard Navy issue metal trays (same as aboard\u00a0Kitty Hawk<\/em>) and loaded up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Always plenty of food!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mess halls aboard Kitty Hawk<\/em><\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

On Kitty Hawk<\/em>, there were three galleys, located on the second deck, two decks below the hangar deck. The main galley was located aft and served the main meals buffet style. Unlike today\u2019s Navy chow lines (serve yourself), back then the cooks and stewards would serve you when you put your tray out. We bussed our own trays so we just took them over to the scullery, dumped excess food into a can, and handed our trays, glasses, and utensils to the dishwasher.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A second galley, called the \u201cExpress Line,\u201d was located forward. This was similar to a \u201cfast food\u201d drive-in, serving mostly hamburgers, hot dogs, french fries, spaghetti, and whatever else the cooks could scrape up quickly. I ate a lot of meals there, not because I was a burger or dog fanatic, but because it was fast\u2014with 80 guys in our division to feed and long wait times in the chow line, we needed to get something quick, choke it down, and get back on the flight deck to let another group come down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Powdered Milk<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

We usually had whole milk when we first left port for an at sea period. However, after a few days, the galley ran out of fresh milk and began serving powdered milk. That tasted like [insert your own definition here<\/em>], so it didn\u2019t take me long to learn to eat cereal\u00a0only<\/em>\u00a0the first few days at sea. After that, breakfast for me consisted of\u00a0anything<\/em>\u00a0other than cereal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chow Lines<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n
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\"Chow<\/a>
US Army WWII Chow Line
80th Division\/317th Inf Reg
(Click to enlarge)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Chow lines at sea were always long. It was not unusual to wait for an hour to get chow. On an aircraft carrier heading out to sea, the galley needed to feed more than 5,500 men every <\/em>meal (3,000 ship\u2019s company and 2,500 air wing). That\u2019s about 17,000 meals served a day, including more than 900 loaves of bread when the ship was underway. That\u2019s a lot of meals to prepare, cook, and serve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lines would wrap around and through several different passageways. I learned early on to bring a book while waiting for chow. Yeah, I read a lot of books in the Navy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I can\u2019t really complain, though. The photo above shows a chow line of 80th Infantry Division<\/strong> soldiers in Luxembourg during the Battle of the Bulge<\/strong> – my dad\u2019s old unit. Yeah, we <\/em>had a roof over our heads; no complaints here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We ate in shifts, so to speak. During flight ops, we had to maintain a minimum crew of yellow shirts and crash crew on the flight deck so each unit would send five to six guys down at a time. Most of us would get our chow, eat like the dickens, and then head back up to relieve another crew man.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And yes, I still eat \u201clike the dickens,\u201d even though I\u2019ve tried to slow down over the years. Old habits, I guess. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Saltines\u2026 a Sailor\u2019s Best Friend<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Saltines were always readily available, and I ate a lot of them. I didn\u2019t know it at the time because I just liked Saltines, but for some reason, they worked magic. During my time on Kitty Hawk<\/em>, I never got seasick, which is more than I can say for a lot of other guys, especially the FNGs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There were times when I would have a bag of greasy, buttered popcorn and see some new guy a little green and offer him a handful. He headed for the side of the ship, tossing his cookies. I know it wasn\u2019t a nice thing to do. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wardrooms<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Officers had it made\u2014they ate in wardrooms which, as I understand it, had round tables, tablecloths, real dishes, and better yet, a full wait staff. I never ate a meal in the wardroom. In fact, I never stepped in one until I spent a couple of days aboard USS Ronald Reagan<\/a><\/strong><\/em> (CV-76) while researching for my Navy memoir<\/a><\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

CPO Mess<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Another place I never had the \u201cprivilege\u201d to visit was the CPO (Chief Petty Officer) Mess. From what I\u2019ve heard, the CPO Mess had the best chow <\/em>on the ship, even better than the Wardroom. The CPO Mess is also referred to as the \u201cGoat Locker.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I did not know this (I had to Google it), but the term \u201cGoat Locker\u201d dates back to the days of wooden sailing ships. Goats were kept aboard ships because they\u2019d eat anything and always provide milk. Why we didn\u2019t have goats aboard Kitty Hawk<\/em> after the first few days at sea (see description above about powdered milk), I\u2019ll never know.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When the rank of Chief Petty Officer was established (before I was born), there were no separate berthing areas for these senior enlisted men. Rumor has it that they shared the same quarters as the ship\u2019s goats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Midrats<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Midnight rations (Midrats<\/strong>) were always available for those working late into the night. They were served in the forward galley from 2300 to 0100 (11:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m.) and usually were pretty good. Many times, midrats were left-overs from the evening meal, or burgers, hot dogs, or eggs to order, and other \u201cquick to fix\u201d items. I ate there several times when I was assigned the night shift.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Does anyone else still use the term \u201cMidrats\u201d\u2026 for anything consumed after dinner, especially late-night snacks?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gedunk<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Also just forward of the main galley was the Gedunk shop. This small onboard store was like a small neighborhood convenience store or a New York Bodega and had an assortment of snacks and cigarettes. While I didn\u2019t smoke, some of my friends did and their standard line was, \u201cWhere else can you buy a carton of cigarettes for ten bucks?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There were times when the chow line was too long for me to wait so I would head to the Gedunk and pick up a bag of chips or crackers, some canned cheese, and a can or two of sardines. It wasn\u2019t that healthy, but it was <\/em>something to eat. Unfortunately, while standard Navy issue meals came with the job, the Gedunk shop did not, and this came out of our pockets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Steel Beach Picnic<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

I made one cruise aboard\u00a0Kitty Hawk<\/em>,\u00a0Westpac \u201975<\/a><\/em><\/strong>. Great memories and I\u2019ve written about it several times on this blog. One thing we didn\u2019t experience during that cruise (at least I don\u2019t remember) was having a steel beach picnic.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"\"<\/a>
Steel Beach Picnic<\/strong>
USS Kitty Hawk<\/em> (Aug 2005)
Photo credit: Todd Cichonowicz (Chief Photographer\u2019s Mate)
(Click to enlarge)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

From what I gather, they were held on the flight deck or in the hangar bay and usually after a long at-sea time period. The goal was to help improve crew morale.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For those who haven\u2019t heard the term, think of a \u201cbeach picnic,\u201d with grills for ribs, bratwurst, hot dogs, hamburgers, and whatever else the galley needs to cook before the expiration date. Usually, there was music (most Navy ships have several bands playing different styles of music), games (e.g., Frisbee, football, volleyball) and plenty of time to just \u201cchill.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And yes, at times (from what I\u2019ve heard), crewmembers were allowed to drink beer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Soup from the Galley \u2013 Always Happy to Help<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Several times during the Westpac cruise in the colder climates (Sea of Japan<\/strong><\/a>), I called down to the galley and asked if we could get some hot soup. They said sure, come on down. So a couple of us made several trips down several ladders to bring up a huge 25-gallon container of hot soup. It tasted so good and everyone in our crew got a break from the freezing cold to come in and down some. It helped us choke down the cold sandwiches, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Coffee, Black, no sugar please<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Both in Guam and at sea, we always kept the coffee brewing. That is something we never <\/em>ran out of. There were many times when I would come in off the flight deck to warm up and to get a cup of hot coffee. That tradition continued when I joined the\u00a0Gainesville Fire Department<\/strong>\u00a0after leaving the Navy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I started drinking coffee in Guam (I was 18 years old). There was always plenty of cream and sugar. But on\u00a0Kitty Hawk<\/em>, I usually was the last one in to get coffee (I always let my guys come in first), there was\u00a0never<\/em>\u00a0any cream or sugar left when I got mine, so I had to drink it black. I got used to that and still today, I drink it black and, of course, Navy <\/em>strong.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There were also many times when I would tip the 100-cup coffee maker to get the last dregs of coffee, complete with grounds. But in cold, miserable weather, even that crunchy <\/em>coffee tasted good.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Roach Coach<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n
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\"Roach<\/a>
Roach Coach
(Click to enlarge)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

No blog post about Navy chow would be complete without a mention of the infamous, \u201cRoach Coach<\/strong>.\u201d All Navy sailors on both coasts know about the Roach Coach, usually parked near the ship on the pier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For those not familiar with the term, a \u201croach coach\u201d is similar to what\u2019s now known as the \u201cfood truck.\u201d Of course, back then, there really wasn\u2019t a \u201cfood truck health inspector.\u201d Back in the day, you could get a lot of different types of sandwiches and my favorite\u2026 Bean Burritos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And\u2026 I\u2019ll leave it at that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stay safe, my friends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Until we meet again,<\/em>
Andy<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Previous blogs mentioned in this post:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n