MEDICAL TRAINING 2

U. S . NAVY HOSPITAL CORPS SCHOOL
At the San Diego Zoo.
That`s right,  several large buildings abutted
the San Diego Zoo.  At night tigers growled
outside the windows and lions roared.

Some of our  Corpsmen were nearly as wild.
Cowboys from South Dakota and Texas,
Movie stars like Frankie Darrow from
Hollywood and instructors who just returned
from active duty on some war front.

Can not remember the spelling , but Darrow
was a character like the "Dead End Kids"
he used to portray in the movies.  He even
hosted a party (trip) for us , as his guest, in
Hollywood at one time.  He and I were
partners in a sense.  We were responsible
for the "Gear Locker".  When cleaning
details were assigned we issued the gear
and had the men sign for it.

Frankie even signed my text book, "Your old
buddy on the pee pot patrol"  I never knew
what that meant , but guess it was friendly.

Having nearly finished Corps School , I
contracted Catarrhal Fever.  A sort of
semi-pneumonia with fever and congestion.

During breaks from classes I would lay
in the sun , the heat felt deliscious.
A guard used to check us at night, in our
bunks, I guess to make sure no one was
missing...  so, this guard shined his light
on me and I was hot as a stove and had
a red glow ( sunburn).   They immediatly
rushed me off to the Naval Hospital in
San Diego--- with "Scarlet Fever".

After several days in isolation they found
that I was just sunburned and not sick.
I was sent back to school, but the class had
finished and I had to start over.
Another six weeks of the same things.

Since I had taken the class twice I aced it,
got the highest grade in the school.
That was a big deal, really.   I got to choose
any Naval Hospital in the U. S.
I chose a hospital in Florida and sold my
choice for $100, then I went to the hospital
that nobody wanted----Mare Island Navy
Hospital, Vallejo.

Hospital Corps school was not all bad.
They turned us loose a couple of week ends
and I had a great time in Hollywood and
Long Beach.  The war was just getting
started and patriotic fervor was running
strong.   Anyone in uniform was a hero, so
we were entertained and treated royally.

I will tell you more about that in a segment
to come----  and of course there is the saga
of Beverly Jean McGee---- that lasted for
all the rest of the war.

----- John Crowley