"Recollections #4 - Movin' On"

The three months I spent in boot camp were a crash course in US Navy history, tradition, terminology, knot tying, weaponry, survival at sea and IN the sea etc. We even had several days of fire prevention and fire fighting training because fire is the greatest enemy of a ship at sea.
As boot camp began to wind down, I started to think about what my first active duty station might be. Having completed all kinds of testing to determine where my skills might be most needed, I had thought I might be assigned to some further training in a school somewhere. But, that wasn't to be, at least not yet.
Three days before I graduated from boot camp, I learned that I would be assigned to the USS Mount McKinley out of Norfolk, Va to work as a "deck hand". I had hoped to go to electronics school in Maryland but was told that I might have the opportunity down the road. But, I was excited to think about life aboard ship, especially an attack flagship that carried all the top brass into battle along with a large contingent of US Marines.
After graduation and spending a few days back home with my family, one of my boot camp buddies from New Jersey drove down to Kentucky in his very cool, candy apple red, '57 Chevy and we drove to Norfolk together. I was to board the Mt Mac at pier 4 and he was to catch his ship at pier 6. But, when we arrived in Norfolk and he dropped me off at pier 4, my ship wasn't there. I learned that she was still in the Mediterranean and wasn't expected back until sometime in January. So, I was assigned a bunk in the nearby barracks and given a job in the chow hall. Those were long days in a very noisy environment but I ate well!
Finally, just before Christmas, the Mt Mac sailed into port ahead of schedule. I had heard about her expected arrival and was standing there on the pier late that night when she docked. That was such a sight to see. As I stood there, a country boy from western Kentucky who had hardly been out of that state, I was overwhelmed by the sight and sounds of that huge machine. To see all the guys dressed in their blues, standing at attention around the deck, singing, still gives me goose bumps just from the memory. But that's for my next Recollection.