When I was admitted the doctor, a lieutenant, made a nice little speech. "You're a patient now," he said, "forget you're in the navy and that I'm an officer and we'll get along fine."
It's 1945 and I have tuberculosis. The only cure is bed rest.
Forget you're in the navy, the doctor said. That was Thursday.
Friday. Inspection day. Admiral today. Everything in apple-pie order. Special. Admiral, you know.
2:00 o'clock. You're bed patients, have to be in bed under cover. (Doesn't matter that it is hot.)
3:00 o'clock. Admirals are always late. Straighten the beds for hundredth time. Lots of Gold Braid with him. Gosh it's hot. Cover....bed patients you know.
3:30 o'clock. He's on his way. Head [toilet] secure 'til after inspection, sorry, have to wait. Maybe he won't be here. Phone call: Definitely will be an inspection in our ward.
4:00 o'clock. Everybody ready -- he's a few wards down. You know your place now. Admiral. Admiral.
4:15 o'clock. No inspection, boys, he went on by.
Forget you're in the navy......
Nurse speaking: Don't care what you call me, just don't say I'm GI...
Keep you lockers clear, nothing on top but a picture if you have one. Keep your lockers clear. Clear. Keep your [head] phones out of sight went not in use. Out of sight....that's what the hook behind the locker is for. Keep your shoes off the deck. Put them in the gear locker. Shoes off the deck. Phones out of sight. Tops of lockers clear. My goodness, boys, it keeps me busy running after you.
Forget you're in the navy......
Please don't use the head after nine o'clock until after the morning inspection by the duty nurse (a lieutenant). Straighten lockers...straighten beds...straighten shades...boys, we do all the work for you, now please cooperate by keeping things straight, the lieutenant is crabby and we nurses catch hell when things are not just right.
Forget you're in the navy......
Now fellows, the lieutenant nurse makes an inspection each evening between seven and eight, please help......keep stuff off lockers, keeps shoes off deck, get those pin-ups down....
Now, here is an order--executive order--we can do nothing but inforce it--not our fault--here it is: All patients at all times must have covering external to pajamas. Robe when out of bed, sheet when in bed. Executive order...must inforce...I know it's hot....
Forget you're in the navy......
There is nurse McGreevy, Ensign. Thinks she is pretty. At least that is the only reason I can see for her wearing rayon sheer uniforms to work instead of regular nurses cotton ones. Mouth is too small. Talks too much....yap, yap, yap. Now fellows, gab, gab, gab. Thinks she is popular. The biggest pest of all when she is getting ready for daily inspections. Others do things quietly. She shouts around trying to get someone else, winds up doing it hereself, like other nurses.
Nurse Mancini, Ensign. Senior nurse in ward. Tiny and dark. Hard worker and friendly. Don't mind her talk.
Nurse they call "Airdale" is fat and short. Pretty face. Tries to keep pleasant but boys kid her a lot--only five weeks in the navy. It's a 'deck', they tell her. It's a 'bulkhead', they say. Beds are 'sacks', they yell. "Port" "Starboard". She is all confused by now! (an "airdale" is a navy aviation rate--any rate--she didn't like it so that is what they call her.)
Nurse Quinn, the evening nurse. Young, rather plain. Quiet but nice. Face flushes red when it's hot.
Night nurse--don't know name--is just plain NOISY. She talks loud and without ceasing. Her morning round always wakes up practically everybody. She bustles in at the crack of dawn. "Good morning, good morning, is it alright if I talk? Other ward is mad at me, say I wake them up. Say I'm noisy. They say gosh here comes that noisy nurse again. You fellows are much nicer.....etc..etc..." If she can find one man awake to talk to that is all she needs to wake the rest with her incessant gab.
McGreevy the play-girl, the worry wart.
"Airdale" the "boot", the brunt of teasing and jokes.
Quinn, probably the steadiest of them all. Plain.
Mancini, tiny, busy bee; nicest of lot. "Boss woman."
Night nurse, Gracie Allen in white. (Enough said!)
Daily events--Breakfast, morning clean-up, sick call, morning nurse's inspection, morning mail call, noon chow, rest period, afternoon "nourishment" (There is also a morning "nourishment" about 10.) Afternoon mail call, evening (5:00) chow, evening nurse's inspection, evening "nourishment", lights out (9:00), sleep (10:00 or after).
Time fillers include radio programs, books, magazines, educational services, movies once in a while. Letters (best of all).
Doctor says we are well behaved.
Chow is often "not so hot".
The fuss that nurses make over these inspections is the most annoying thing. And it's daily.
"Just forget you're in the navy, fellows, while you're here."