In twenty years of Naval service, I learned many of life’s lessons that would stick with me the remainder of my lifetime. Some were small and fairly insignificant and others left an indelible mark that even Alzheimer’s disease will not be able to erase.
I had been in the Navy for about one year, which included nine weeks of Recruit Training and attending Aviation Electronics School at Naval Air Station, Memphis, TN. I was now finally at my first real duty station which was VW-11, Naval Station Argentia, Newfoundland. VW-11 was a long range surveillance aircraft squadron that flew the Lockheed Super Constellation, electronic version. I was assigned to the Aviation Electronics (AVIONICS) Radar Shop as a technician. The Chief Petty Officer in charge (Shop Chief) told me to make a pot of coffee. The AVIONICS shop coffee pot was one of those aluminum, one hundred cup models that loose coffee grounds go in the top and you let it perk for about thirty minutes before it is ready to consume.
I wanted to make my chief happy, so I thoroughly cleaned that filthy pot and added the water and grounds for the perfect perk. About thirty minutes later, I heard my chief bellow some very obscene words and asked who had made this pot of #@%&* coffee. I proudly stepped forward and announced that I had made the delicious brew. The chief bellowed at me with a, ”What in the #$&* did I put in the coffee?” I told him in a rather proud way of the ingredients: six cups of coffee grounds and one hundred cups of fresh drinking water. Oh, by the way, I washed that filthy pot out with strong Navy alkali soap until it just gleamed inside. My chief just gave me that look of, “If we were aboard ship, I would have you keel hauled!” He said, “Rotruck, if you ever wash out another Navy coffee pot, I will have you court marshaled for sabotage of United States Navy sailors.” I’ve made a lot of coffee since then, but you can be assured that I never washed out another Navy coffee pot!