The Time Dad Was on Water Fountain Guard Duty
In April 1956, my mother, father, sister, and I were on a Navy ship, heading back to the States. Dad, a career Air Force man, had been stationed at Wheelus Field, outside Tripoli, Libya. Now it was time to go home.
The ship was a converted Navy troop carrier, still manned by a Navy crew and re-purposed for transporting military dependents. Though it was clean and comfortable this was not a cruise ship. There was no cruise director, no pool, no amenities, and nothing for kids to do.
Bored, I sought out another little girl I’d met, and we went up to the lounge to play. It was a large room on an upper deck and we were the only ones there. I don’t remember exactly what we were doing, running around playing tag or something, we were a couple of ten-year-old kids looking for something to do.
Then two Navy guys with “Guard” armbands strode into the room. We stopped what we were doing and stared. We knew we were in trouble but didn’t know why. They ordered us to take them to our cabins. I was scared, but silently did what I was told. One took her back to her cabin and one took me back to mine.
When my mother opened the door, the guard informed her that kids weren’t allowed out of their cabins between 2 and 4 every day. She was incensed, the rule was stupid, what were kids supposed to do? The guard…
