Officers vs. Enlisted Aboard WWII Submarines: Same Food, Very Different Serving Style

[@USSCod]

If you like this video please check out our back catalogue of over 80 videos. And of course please subscribe!

[@klsc8510]

As an Airman/Soldier, the best food I had was in the USAF while TDY to Dharan, Saudi Arabia. Our quarters were the Ramada Inn and the chow hall was Ramada's restaurant. Their speciality was 20 ounce Australian T-bone steaks. We could order anything we wanted off of the menu. The best part, it was all on the King's tab! Sorry USS Cod and the rest of the Silent Service!

[@therocinante3443]

Of course the King paid! Uncle Sam has no money for his soldiers, just for illegal immigrants.

[@OldTexasDoc]

As an Army Lt I once ate at the officers mess at Rosy Roads, PR. The mess steward met me at the door, seated me at a white tablecloth topped table set with china. I inquired if I was in the wrong mess since I was only a junior officer. He assured me that since officers didn’t eat all that well at sea, they treated them better while on shore. I was used to eating cold C-rations in the field!

[@edwardpate6128]

I was a destroyer sailor in the early to mid 1980's. The difference between the officers mess and the mess deck was just as pronounced as shown here. The chiefs also had their own mess. I will say that once per meal underway an officer did dine on the mess decks with the crew to make sure the mess cooks were keeping those meals up to snuff.

[@perbilse573]

Many thanks, this was fun to watch. I was in the Royal Norwegian Navy around 1980; no steel tray and it didn't say "USN" on the cutlery, but everything else was the same. I remember in particular the massive cups without handles, and I can attest to their heat retention capacity. You have to picture being on deck watch in the winter, in the middle of the night in the North Atlantic, and you're wearing five layers of clothing: that's when the magic of a shipmate bringing you hot coffee in one of these really comes to light, and it warmed your hands too.

[@k94536]

i have a USN spoon i use every day my father a Galley Master gave it to me and i use the set with holes in the handles and a clamshell (mess kit) for cooking and my #1 is the German ARMY OFFICER’S ISSUE FIELD CUTLERY SET(stainless steel) made buy BUND it all fits it to the handle of the can opener love this set/kit

[@davidstrother496]

I'm retired from the US Army, and I am convinced that our "mess specialists" were taught to do four things. They could burn toast, hard scramble an egg, boil chicken, and heat up ration packs. We thought we were eating high class when we could visit a USAF mess hall, where there was a variety of food. I do love your channel and your videos. Thank you Paul and USS Cod.

[@JeffEbe-te2xs]

When I was in the AR wouldn’t let us in but did give us old ass Cs Now the navy mess was awesome 2nds The only fault was seated by rank As a PVT didn’t care but the NCOs did

[@scrapperstacker8629]

I was stationed at Ft. Dix and Ft. Bragg. I ate at McGuire AFB. And Pope.AFB as much as possible.

[@2eREPPARA]

Aussie combat vet We called our cooks fitters & turners,fit food into pots turned into shit🇦🇺🇺🇸

[@airborneSGT]

​@scrapperstacker8629 I did the same 😂 Pope and McGuire also had the nicer gyms

[@johncaldwell-wq1hp]

I'm an Aussie,-I was in the "weekend-warriers"-C.M.F--with us, it was "who called the cook a Ba--ard-??"--"who called the Bas--rd, a cook ??"--(he got replaced,by a Coke Machine-"sandwich-carousel"-& coffee-jug-!!

[@tristanholland6445]

One of my great uncles was on the USS Minneapolis during WWII. He used to say an old sailor joke at meals. “If it moves it ain’t a raisin”

[@glennrishton5679]

Exactly right. Was in the chow line looking at this big sheet cake the mess cook just pulled out. Nice cake with pecan halves sprinkled on top. Had the thought if I kept looking one of those pecans was going to start running. One did just that.

[@adotare9180]

“We are just full of it” is one of the more accurate statements Paul has made in an intro. 🤣

[@innerlotuslight]

Right up there with the “Seamen who were known for their dressings”

[@crisslastname9417]

The coffee cup lecture reminds me of the scene in the film "The Longest Day" when John Wayne throws his coffee cup down and it bounces across the floor but doesn't break. 👍

[@baronedipiemonte3990]

That was a peculiar scene

[@benketengu]

Thank you very much for your video little by little I'm learning more about the life of my great uncle. He went down on the USS Snook during World War II. Sometimes I think about my wife's uncle., who went down on a Japanese submarine during the war. Then I Look at my son, two of his great uncles were submariners on opposite sides. War is a waste. I wish I could sit down at the dinner table with both of them. What an exchange that would be.

[@paulfarace9595]

Who says you won't some day?

[@irgtk]

My dad was a World War II Army B-25 pilot who was transported on a Navy ship at one point. He didn’t talk much about his time in the war but I remember him commenting that the Navy treated the officers well for their meals. Thanks for sharing what it must of been like back in the day.

[@cindygordon5242]

The officers pay for the food they eat in the navy , they also all give a list to the cook to get favorite food they enjoy for snacks

[@thegigiator]

Your videos are educational, entertaining, informative and accurate. Where else are you going to get the real deal? Only here. As a submarine sailor I only served on nuc boats, but my dad served on these before others. I love these boats and you bring to life my many collections. Great job. Can’t wait to one day visit the Cod.

[@garyhock2043]

Thank you Paul & crew for a very informative presentation. When I was a young boy growing up in the early 1950’s I would watch the Silent Service TV show every week. I have always enjoyed watching, reading and visiting anything about WW2 American Submarines. I have been on the USS Drum and the USS Silversides a number of times. What is interesting to me is that those are both built in Navy yards, and the USS Cod is built by Electric Boat, many differences. One of my favorite scenes of your presentations is the opening with a U.S. submarine under way. I really love that shot. Keep up your presentations, I wish more boats would do that. Thank you Sir.

[@paulfarace9595]

That WWII-era film is Cod's junior officer John Wallace and Cod leaving the stranded Dutch sub burning on Ladd Reef after bring it's crew aboard. 😅

[@michaelterrell]

Silent Service is on KZbin. I think it is the entire series.

[@revolutionaryhamburger]

The captain's napkin ring showing up, that's special.

[@mg1342mg]

Thanks so much for these practical videos. You've oft covered things I both wondered about, as well as never thought of.

[@John-jl9de]

I mess cooked on a fleet boat and the cook, a 2nd class, made life miserable for me. As you know, the "reefer" is quite small and when in port is packed to the top with frozen food. There was no thought as to how the food went into the "reefer" so consequently when required to find that food on that days menu, required that I remove many boxes from the "reefer" and ended up blocking the passageway pissing everybody off and preventing movement in the boat. Not a good thing. When I made suggestions as to remedy this, he got mad and pulled rank on me. The COB got wind of this and agreed with me and problem solved. Thanks to qualifying by the end of this patrol, I was done mess cooking and the cook. Diesel Boats Forever, (YN2SS)

[@samiam619]

Did you play Cribbage onboard?

[@BB12659]

The best meals in the Navy were to be found in the submariner's galley, regardless of officer or enlisted. The higher's knew that these men were going up against insurmountable odds, so allowing the mess to provide steak, roasts, etc. was nothing versus the tally list. Men signed on not only for the combat pay, but also for the chow, adventure, etc. Great video, as always Paul.

[@danielgregg2530]

On my first boat it was custom omelets for midrats in the crew's mess , served at your table by the mess cranks. On my second boat, it was "sliders", and it was the only meal where the whole wardroom showed up at the same time to gobble them down together. Man, those were the days.

[@VarangianGuard13]

​@@danielgregg2530Thank you for your service, and for coming home safe, to share your wisdom with us. Gods bless the Silent Service, and their well-deserved comestibles.

[@markdexter6338]

@@VarangianGuard13 When you Americans say "Thank you for your service", is it only an empty phrase/gesture or do you really mean it? Do you say it when you meet a garbageman, plumber or teacher as well?

[@VarangianGuard13]

@markdexter6338 No, I do not mean it as an empty phrase (and no American should, in my opinion) When we thank a servicemember for their work, there should be nothing less than respect for a citizen and a soldier, regardless of their origins (so long as they are on our side) ((you're unlikely to find the same thanks for enemy combatants)) Most Americans have family members, friends, or loved ones that have served, are serving, or are volunteering to serve.. If you honestly believe that Americans don't care about their service-members, you should see how much we spend and how hard we advocate for the people keeping us safe. So, for the record. No, we do not generally thank Sanitation Engineers, Teachers, or other Public Sector Employeers in the same way that we thank members of the military or others risking their lives for us. We have great respect for each of those groups, but we do not thank them in the same way which we would those whom offer to go into mortal peril for the good of the country. For that matter, I would very much like to know where you are from? ((It is always wonderful to hear the opinions of my fellow citizens of the world..))

[@markdexter6338]

@@VarangianGuard13 Thank you for your answer, I'm from Australia and we don't say "Thank you for your service" over here as many members say it is a little cringe. In fact our defence force isn't held in high regards as America. Our defence force is currently suffering from retention issues, budget cuts and lack of motivation by the younger generation to join. Many members want to leave as soon as their obligation RSO ends. Our recruitment incentives to encourage people to join is laughable for example I heard over US they give recruits huge cash bonus to sign up and their college for both you and your kids will be all paid whereas Australia is they just provide you and your dependents just life insurance...

[@rvrrunner]

Love these videos. My dad was on 8 war patrols on SS 222 Bluefish. Great to see how he lived during those patrols.

[@Nicksonian]

Wow! The 1975 Euclid High School yearbook staff boarded the U.S.S. Cod to take our staff photos. I was the photo editor. So long ago, I don’t recall whose idea it was or why, but I’ll never forget. Odd that this video just popped up on my KZbin feed. Hard to believe that was nearly a half-century ago. Interestingly, I’ve been in Navy town Annapolis, Md., for most of those years.

[@johnbeauvais3159]

The handless mugs were also made by Corningware and Victor Insulator Company, in fact Victor made so many mugs that after the war they continued to sell them to diners and largely stopped making insulators. I have a pair of the mugs and they are great, they cool hot coffee down to reasonable levels and keep them there, if the cup is warmed first they hold heat for a good long time but stay cool enough to comfortably hold. I imagine they brought a bit of comfort to numb hands in the North Atlantic.

[@davidjacobs3275]

I'd like to find one of those. I think Tom Clancey made reference to Navy Coffee (brewed strong with a pinch of salt) served in a handleless mug

[@WillVogt]

I'm just a crayon eater but I did love chow on a Navy ship... even the steak breakfast

[@RivetGardener]

Airborne Infantry here. Best chow I have ever eaten was Navy. Presidio of Monterrey, Naval Postgraduate School, Hawaii....all messes I ate at and they all were fantastic.

[@farpointgamingdirect]

I was HMM-162 AIMD on USS Saipan for a NATO-Med cruise, and the chow was top notch

[@wirelessone2986]

Yep NAVY 4 years and I have zero complaints as junior enlisted...heard stories were diesel subs ww2 ate AUSTRALIAN steak all hands

[@tombob671]

​@@RivetGardener 1966 DLI Monterey I was a Marine and the Army ran the base and each company had their own how hall. We ate off of dishes not stamped steel trays. Tables of 4 seats and plastic flowers and table cloths. Everyone thought it was wonderful except the Airman. The bitched as they had to bus their own tables to a conveyor belt. Hell even the floor had linoleum instead of bare concrete.

[@kevinkoepke8311]

A friend of mine served on a Los Angeles class sub. He told me that as an officer, you as pleasant as you could be to the galley personal, as rumers were they would spit in your food if treated wrongly. Thanks, Paul

[@jBKht931]

Oh yeah, O-gangers that gave the wardroom MS, who by the way, also did their laundry and made their racks. Short sheet their racks, screw with their food in all kinds of ways 😅 especially breakfast eggs made cooked to order. If the cook found a egg with a partial grown check he'd save it to fry up for the asshole. Taking coffee to the bridge on a nuc boat we used a pie plate or held 3 cups in one hand to climb all the way to the bridge. After a couple times you wouldn't spill a drop.😊

[@chrisstengren8995]

@@jBKht931 love the minutiae of your post….I really like hearing how the high speed off-is-sirs get fratracided by the “lowly” I just bothered the local navy recruiter for some free swag because, as the son of a ww2 pharmacist mate on the aircraft carrier Kiersarge (proudly buried at Arlington, a great family honor), and disgustingly missed many opportunities to sign on the dotted line, I am a huge navy fanboy….dad loved telling story’s just like yours of the bigwigs being taken down a notch by those who actually make the boat run….God bless all of you Navy veterans in particular…..

[@kevinkoepke8311]

@chrisstengren8995 Your Dad did a great service for the freedom we know and love. Thank you for his service. My Dad was a sargent in the AAF in the pacific. Crew cheif C-47, then C-46.

[@chrisstengren8995]

@@kevinkoepke8311 thank you for saying that…yes dad had an amazing story that he never really told until the end of his life…..he quit high school, lied about his age, and joined the merchant marines and was on a liberty ship that later was sunk by a German u boat after he was enlisted in the actual Navy…he told the story of boot camp where those in the MM could pass the knot tying test by tying behind their back…his ship, the carrier Kiersarge was in the North Atlantic area, I think around Norway and those German buzz bombs flew dangerously close to the ship…after the war he finished his service at the Philadelphia Naval Hospital, got out 1948ish, went to Knights of Columbus night school to get his HS diploma while working at a NYC compounding pharmacy….used the GI bill to go all the way to a PhD in philosophy and had a great career as a professor and author/translator/expert of the Danish philosopher Kierkegaard…quietly passed with us siblings close by and is honorably buried at Arlington….thank you for you father’s Service…they were all amazing in their own way….

[@kinsmart7294]

True, never piss off your server or the cook. At least not while you are eating their food

[@bluerebel01]

Thank you Paul for this enlightening video. I learned something new today. Keep the videos coming and thanks to you and your crew.

[@cosmopezzolla996]

The Baccala line had me in hysterics! Great video as always guys, thanks for sharing!

[@randyogburn2498]

Perspective is an amazing thing. When I toured USS Drum a few years ago my closest idea for reference was squeezing through a steel attic. I can't imagine spending real time in something so small to make Drum or Cod seem like a cruise liner.

[@klauskervin2586]

Thank you USS Cod team for the great videos! Food is always popular haha.

[@sarge6870]

Beats the heck out of how I ate C-Rats and MRE's in the field!!

[@rogermcghee8125]

I've visited the Cod, thank you for keeping the museum open.

[@scrapperstacker8629]

From what my Father told me. The Silver service was left ashore during war patrols. His saying was Enlisted and Officers could be replaced but Sterling Silver couldn’t.

[@paulfarace9595]

Presentation silver on cruisers and Battleships is a different matter. Daily silver was different.

[@CRuf-qw4yv]

I am a retired Naval Service officer having mustanged up the ranks from enlisted to officer and having been assigned a Command at a Reserve Unit prior to a few years before retirement. Contrary to the unit's tradition of several before me, I always encouraged the crew to hit the chow line before I did. Other staff could go as they wished (not a large staff at this unit...Besides myelf as C,O., an XO, Training Officer, and Ops. Officer... a warrant was on-board / stationed and the CPOs helped keep things running efficiently (Sea Daddy's...to many of the new guys...: ^ ). Having been on both sides of the rank and file provided a great understanding and was often useful. Of course, I had the Chief Cook/Subsistence and Nutritionist bring me a couple of glasses of Cognac and smoked oysters to call it a night when on duty....Right??? Yeah...{: ^ )... Nice thought however, but the crew was a fantastic group of performers.

[@GeorginaFrei]

As a former enlisted who became an officer I commend you on the way in which you took care of your people..we were always taught to place their needs above our own but I knew some officers who only paid lip service to this tradition...they were not well regarded by all ranks and usually left the service after fulfilling their service obligation..good riddence to bad rubbish as they saying goes!

[@daffyduk77]

Really good , quirky docu-video thanks !

[@milwaukeeroadjim9253]

In 1973 on my ship we still ate off the prison tray. By 1975 we had fiberglass trays and china bowls and plates. Made us feel more Human. We also started getting surf and turf on Fridays. I only remember coffee cups with handles. My ship, a sub tender also had a chiefs mess as well.

[@briantaylor6562]

I was in the first army unit to work and stay on the former Charelston Naval Base, Charelston, S.C.. My first meal was on a tender ship- THE BEST MEAL WHILE IN THE MILITARY!!!

[@glennrishton5679]

I was on the Chicago CG 11 from 71 to 76. Steel trays the entire time, The coffee mugs were a sort of translucent white with handles. I dont recall any bowls at all but that could be my memory.

[@mikestanley9176]

The only time we got surf and turf was just before we were told our cruise had been extended.

[@mikestanley9176]

@@briantaylor6562 When were you there? I was there in 1980-1981.

[@MrToadColorado]

If you've ever been to the Batfish, it is stripped of anything that could be removed. So yeah, keep things locked up. And not in a drawer when she's in drydock -- take it to a bank security box. Love the USS Cods talks. You guys really got this boat in great shape!

[@sixmax11]

my dad enlisted in the marine corps. in jan. 1942. he was also in korea in 1950-1951. growing up, nearly all our plates, cups, bowls and "silverware", was stamped USMC. that stuff was indestructible! if five young kids couldn't break it, nothing could! my mom still had some when she passed away in 2017.

[@kevinlong7244]

@@sixmax11 me too Marine Brat 1956 thought 1970

[@albertvonschultz9137]

I wish my dad was still alive. He could probably help you. But I know he said that they had really good food aboard ship. And I do remember that silverware when growing up, because my dad had quite a few pieces and we used them daily.

[@Mrcaffinebean]

Love that you all have started doing these videos! I know a lot about the Iowa battleship’s due to the videos the New Jersey team has done. Looking forward to learning more and visiting the Cod!

[@littlejimmy7402]

I really appreciated this video. I'm 57, but My late Dad was a tail-end WWII vet. He was a clerk in the Army. I appreciate every American who lived through the war. Such a different time. The whole time during the Officer's Mess portion, I was wondering about that turntable in the background. I took a look in past videos, I didn't find a video that mentions it. I very interested in it and it's use. I'm sure the policy was sub to sub, but I'd be really interested if there was any regular music time. Getting some time to decompress was probably invaluable.

[@paulfarace9595]

No regular music time but the phonograph was a big element of crew entertainment when offduty.

[@robinlecomte1242]

I can see the "Ward Room ghosts "sitting alongside you, cringing at some of the expressive language used to describe activities like - "The Ward Room, Junior Officer's barfing all over ..." - very humorous, and to the point.

[@paulfarace9595]

You've got real talent there... let's have a seance 😂

[@robinlecomte1242]

@@paulfarace9595 I will check with my "Boss Caremal Harris" to see if I can get "time off"! Also may need assistance of Shore Patrol as not sure about secret service protection. Say 'hi to the ward room ghosts'.

[@bobfitzpatrick8952]

My late uncle served on the USS Blackfish, her sister ship, in the Battle of the Philippine Sea.

[@wirelessone2986]

My grandad 7 patrols USS DACE 247

[@mikeks8181]

When I was stationed at Camp Geiger NC we would all walk over to New River Air on Sunday. We would actually be able to order omelettes fresh with our chosen items. The eggs were cooked right in front of you! That was January till March 1985! Best Meals I ate during my term in. Ask me about the food poisoning in 29 Palms CA Twice in Late 1985?!?! Ha ha! Thank You for letting us Share this information with You!

[@johnwilkinson4399]

I was at the air station 81-85. I don’t remember that in fact one of our chow halls was condemned during that time.

[@mikeks8181]

@@johnwilkinson4399 I got Food Poisoning in 29 Palms from the "C" Company chow hall. It was said it that the Cherry pie caused It! About a Hundred of us were Lucky enough to eat it!

[@MartinVSmith6334]

I was quite surprised to learn that E-6 and below eat from trays! No plates for them on carriers. He was incredulous when I told him even when I was in Air Force OTS we had plates. At McGuire AFB there are plates, steel cutlery and 3 styles of menu food, personal pizzas and hamburgers at the midday meal. The food is damn good, well plated, cheap and served by smiling mess specialists. Since it is part of a joint base many other branches are very well represented! Same food as the Army but served well and cooked properly. Forgot to mention a beautiful salad bar and you can take any meal away.

[@wirelessone2986]

I ate with plates on carriers as E-4

[@obsidianjane4413]

It depends on the ship and the era. When the services went to all an volunteer force in the 80s the trays started to go away and service quality (spending) went up. But smaller ships just don't have the space and manpower for "proper" food service like you can get onshore dining facility, or a carrier.

[@MartinVSmith6334]

@@wirelessone2986 My son's buddy was on the Kittyhawk from '92 to '94. That is the extent of my knowledge.

[@tonyn152]

Very interesting. I love your humor. Just did a tour of the USS Bowfin at Pearl Harbor, which I really enjoyed. Hard to believe that all those men lived, worked and fought in such a small space.

[@petehayes4801]

You were lucky. One of our cooks had a snack for burning water!

[@elizabethrhone5516]

The best thing the army let my family do was live on an AFB while stationed in Germany. Kids wanted to go to the DFAC, to the point “bring your kid to work day” included kid prices at the DFAC. But seriously the living is good. (You can still request to live on AFBs if it’s close enough to your unit and there’s room).. As a CW2 (in the early 00s) A 3bed 2bath with hardwood floors throughout and maid’s quarters (basically a studio) that we used as a play room.

[@JanetBob-l8d]

Reviewing what you have learned and learning anew, you are fit to be a teacher.

[@moefuggerr2970]

I worked at night on aircraft carriers. Midrats was my lunch and breakfast was my dinner.

[@damiangrouse4564]

I worked swings for most of my 6 years in the USAF since I was married I didn't have to eat at the chow hall...I'm old enough to have food prepared only by Airmen and the "everything" omelets they made (we called it midnight chow) were better than I've had since ANYWHERE unless I make it myself from what I saw them do.

[@whirledpeaz5758]

Ike 84-90 mess crew made sure we M Div never went hungry. But, there was that one food poisoning incident related to the chopped ham on the salad bar. A third of the crew reported some symptoms.

[@wilshirewarrior2783]

Midrats on my carrier was horseback sandwiches..trace amount of dressing and only detectable forensically.

[@dennisfariello4852]

On the USS Hermitage (LSD-34) we were still using the steel trays. The ship was commissioned in 1956 and the trays were all stamped 1944. The Herm had the best food of any ship I was on in the Navy. Only food that was better was on the tug in New London. We stole the food from the Boomers when we brought it out to resupply them. Surf and Turf! BTW the Herm was the only one of the four ships I was on that ever had surf and turf.

[@dennisfariello4852]

Also on the Yellowstone (AD-41) we didn't use trays like that. We had cafeteria trays and dishes.

[@ratsnyder23]

Yes, the Cod museum is not to be missed. Great. But as an 80 year old, I remember crawling around in the USS Gar, which the Cod replaced in Cleveland. I remember struggling through the hatches as I was a pretty young little kid.

[@thomasfx3190]

I was an Army artillery officer in the '90s. Everyone ate the same food, when we would be fed A rations in the field we made sure all the enlisted men had eaten and then we went and got chow. When it was too cold or wet we'd just eat standing up. I used to give out cans of spaghettios to my observer section for hangin' in there, they were really popular.⁷

[@baronedipiemonte3990]

@thomasfx3190 The only good food I had while in the CG was ° One Breakfast at Station Venice LA ° While liaison aboard the HMS Amazon ° But mostly food from the local economy on my TDY Per Diem.

[@rodneyringler3745]

@@thomasfx3190 Your boys loved you! I promise that!

[@rodneyringler3745]

@@baronedipiemonte3990 Hey Boat's... Doesn't matter if you were Deck or Engineering... us Coasties loved being ISOLATED! We actually perfected Social Distancing Decades before COVID!😂😂😂

[@baronedipiemonte3990]

@rodneyringler3745 I was neither engineering or deck... PS-2, on SAD conducting P4H, and facility physical security inspections in D8. Semper Paratus !

[@wuffothewonderdog]

Hammered into British officers training - "Horses first, men second, then officers!"

[@ABrit-bt6ce]

ALF was from Melmac, was first contact way back before then? All the best to you and your misson.

[@farpointgamingdirect]

"Try out a Camel on your 'T' zone! Camels stay fresh because they're packed to go around the world!" I love old cigarette ads when I listen to my Old Time Radio show collection! Avalon and Raleigh sponsored Red Skelton, Chesterfield sponsored Martin and Lewis, Camel, Abbott and Costello as well as Blondie, Lucky Strike - Jack Benny, Fatima - Dragnet...the list is a long one!

[@fjb4932]

Around '74 i was assigned to the U.S.N.S Chauvnet (WestPac). Being a SeaBee i was sure there had been a SNAFU in my orders since "... SeaBees don't go on boats." I was told wrong ,there were 3 others on that tub. You'd go to the galley and sit down, peruse the menu ( main item was almost Always steak, shrimp, or lobster, could only get hamburgers or hotdogs at a beachparty ), tell the waiter what you wanted and he'd go fetch it for you. Even a steady diet of steaks, shrimp and lobster gets old after awhile. You did have to buss your own plates though. The haze gray fleet sailors that were on board did everthing they could to stay there (E1-E4's had to share a room w/ two rooms sharing a head w/ no water restrictions and E5 and up had their own rooms). I reenlisted to go to a Battalion just to get off that tub... ☆

[@scottgrimwood8868]

Another great video! I have been looking for the ceramic watch mugs with no luck. I did find one that was based on a mug found at Guantanamo Bay. Is there a site that sells those mugs?

[@paulfarace9595]

USS Slater and Texas sell them.

[@clarencehopkins7832]

Excellent stuff bro

[@John-or4mn]

I spent 38 years in the Navy retiring as a Master Chief Petty officer retiring from a career spent on aircraft carriers of the Nimitz and George Bush class supervising large mess halls of cooks and other Mess sailors serving Sailors and Marines from breakfasts to midrats meals. officers got a bit more in terms of quality, but the enlisted personnel received fantastic chow.

[@k94536]

then you where called a Galley Master just like my dad

[@wirelessone2986]

Served aboard the BIG E and the CONNIE I have no complaints and I'll thank you for my FANTASTIC CHOW!!!!!

[@wirelessone2986]

BTW I was junior enlisted

[@Austin1723]

Thanks for your service, Master Chief

[@Pavia1525]

Was it true the Nimitz went back in time to 1941 after passing through a storm?

[@stevenckaroly]

The Mess Management Specialist (MS) rating was created on Jan. 1, 1975 long after the USS Cod was out of commission. The establishment of MS marked the end of the era of enlisted cooks (Ship's Cook, Baker and later, Commissaryman) and officers cooks and stewards (Steward's Mate, Cook and Steward).

[@stevea9604]

Aboard my sub we used to make mud…Coffee, add instant coffee, add hot chocolate and sugar…After 48 hours without sleep we often needed it…

[@adamemmrich283]

I have heard of a similar concoction made from all of the coffee stuff Plus chocolate an hot chocolate mix

[@adamemmrich283]

From an mRE pack

[@mikestanley9176]

My Grandfather was a machinists mate chief. He taught me how to make CPO style coffee. I don't make it any other way.

[@orangejuche]

Pretty sure that concoction is universal across the Navy. We didn't have the instant coffee packs but we did have hot chocolate packs, and so we would make the coffee ultra strong just to the far side of unpalatability, and then reel it back in with a pack of hot chocolate. Never tried pouring sugar in it, not a fan of super sweet drinks myself, but making coffee ultra strong and then dumping hot chocolate in it is one of my more preferred ways to drink it.

[@Mike-mz8dl]

As an enlisted in the Air Force in Vietnam we ate on plates but the portions were never enough. The only time I had enough to eat was when I went to an Army base. They had the same metal tray you displayed. The cooks placed the food in a tray holder and the serving spoon was placed so you served your self. The rule take what you want but eat what you take. Sop up any gravy or water on the tray with bread. The tray was inspected by an E7 before you could wash it. Interesting as an E3 I had two stripes and had to eat with the NCOs. To the Army I was a Corporal.

[@ericericson3535]

Served on the boats 66-72. If you were in port on a Friday, they, (the Commissary) would drop off 75 pounds of lobster per boat. The ultimate Surf 'N Turf! Because space was at a premium, we did not have hamburger, we ground up steak, as it was cheaper and easier to store in the freezer, I can remember the porcelain dinner plates, much to the chagrin of the surface fleet guys.

[@paulfarace9595]

Great eating no doubt!

[@davehopkin9502]

As a Brit, its interesting to hear the terminology differences, "Silverware" rather than "Cutlery" etc. and of course the use of "Teaspoon" in a coffee drinking nation

[@lancerevell5979]

On my US Navy ASW Frigate in the early 1980s, our Filipino mess cranks (cooks) liked to curry everything. Threw me off curry for twenty years! Finally in the 2000s during my civilian IT career, one of our Indian coworkers husband was head chef in an Indian restaurant. His curry was good. 😊 I enjoyed the home-baked bread once we were at sea more than two weeks and the store-bought bread ran out. Our baker was a short fat white guy, about as big around as he was tall. He was a master at bread, pizza, cake - anything baked. But too, the fresh milk ran out, so we had to make do with shelf-stable condensed stuff Yuck! 😮

[@mikestanley9176]

Which trigate were you on? I was on Julius A Furer out of Charleston 1980-1981.

[@kevinlong7244]

@@lancerevell5979 I love my Filipino pinay Curry and pork adobo

[@vipergtsmre]

Very cool vid! TY. I'm 20mins from The Nautilus

[@BilgeDweller]

You're right about china diner mugs being a weapon. On a towboat that I was the assistant engineer aboard, we had a combative deckhand on the back watch. The mate was an older guy, and this deckie was trying hard to provoke the mate into a fight. Things came to a head in the lounge one night, the deckhand took a swing at the mate. The mate had a mug of coffee in his hand, and during the argument preceeding the attemted punch, the deckhand did not notice the mate change his grip on his mug by slipping his middle finger through th handle, so he was essentially "palming" the mug. When the deckhand swung, the mate ducked to the left and brought the mug up and hit the deckie in the side of the face with it, and the impact broke the kid's jaw. We were near Memphis, so the deckhand went to the hospital there. The office got on the mate about it, and he said that the kid was going to beat him, but he wasn't going to let it get to that point, and the office didn't fire him. We never saw the deckhand again.

[@TomIovino]

"This is the Cod, not the Baccala" Golden.

[@mikestanley9176]

My Grandfather served on 3 boats during WW2. 2 S boats and USS Tarpon. He was a chief machinists mate and would tell me stories about the food. He said the worst part was when they ran out of fresh vegetables. He even had several pieces of the silverware. They all had U.S.N. stamped on the handles.

[@ChiefMac59]

To anybody that hasn't visited the USS Cod - go. It is an outstanding museum

[@justgotohm4775]

I have a good friend whose grandfather was career USCG. He has a complete USCG flatware set for 12. Apparently it took years for his grandfather to procure it. Haha

[@johncooner8957]

I was at Fort Benning and Fort Sam Houston the food at both were amazing

[@philgiglio7922]

I was lucky enough to be gifted a US MEDICAL CORPS coffee cup. It had been found in a gift shop somewhere. The cup does have a handle and is smaller than a 'normal' cup.

[@Yrthwrym]

This was great, thank you very much.

[@bobcosgrove3235]

If you've ever had coffee made by a WWII navy man you would understand the little cups. It was stronger then expresso. Many years ago when I was young my scoutmaster was a retired Master Chief. He made coffee so strong you would have to cut it with a knife.

[@Frogstomp27]

Brew me a cup!

[@lawrenceleverton7426]

Most sailors can carry around a filled coffee cup in a storm. Rarely spilling a drop. Learned trait for sure. And they have that coffee cup index finger.

[@stephenalexander6721]

A British sailor once described proper coffee as strong enough that a spoon would hesitate before settling slowly to the side.

[@vec306]

I served 80 & 90’s. I was lucky and went to San Diego where the Navy mess specialist were trained.

[@zacablaster]

@12:09 those apple props are almost comically large compared to what fruit looked like in the 1940s, ours are nearly twice the size these days! Heritage varieties and wild apples are much closer to the size of period fruit

[@miked2662]

We just scarfed down MRE’s during flight ops in the Army (aviation). Lol But I will admit, we had some very good food during crew rest on Kandahar Airfield. But good on the Navy for upholding tradition I suppose.

[@jrmotorsports5532]

Love all of the information that you provide. Thank you! Planning on visiting tomorrow and cannot wait to see this amazing piece of history.

[@adesmith266]

In the uk that's called the kings pattern

[@henryostman5740]

Remember dating back to George Washington, officers in all of the US services paid for their own meals. On surface ships the wardroom has its own galley and the stewards prepare officers meals that might be a different menu than the enlisted sailors have, on larger vessels the captain has his own steward and his own menu and eats in his cabin that has a day room and a separate sleeping area. Wardroom food might be better than messdeck food but that is up to the officers and what they are willing to pay. Today there are no stewards and wardroom food on most ships is the same as on the messdeck but the service is better.

[@edwardpate6128]

They were still seperate on board USS Preble DDG-46 when I served on her from 81 to 85.

[@paulfarace9595]

WWII-era US subs had the same menu for everyone.

[@charlesgantz5865]

The Captain's cabin with day room and separate sleeping area is for in-port use. At sea the Captain sleeps in his at-sea cabin next to the bridge.

[@lawrenceleverton7426]

Chiefs Messes on ships actually have the best food. They eat separate foods than the rest of the crew. It best be great.

[@bobw222]

Those "non-handle coffee cups" look an awful lot like the "antique" shaving mug I have. Mine is almost large enough in diameter to be difficult to hold (I'm 6' tall). Makes me wonder if the company's that used to make shaving mugs said "Sure, we can make all the "non-handle coffee cups" you want and just jacked the price up 20% more.

[@robertswartz806]

...Army vet here....bought a couple repop versions of these mugs....love it to enjoy my morning joe...gave the other one to my running buddy...also have a few old diner cups that my parents had...

[@charlesjohnson4933]

Don't worry Paul. It's not the size of the ship that counts it's the personality of the host.

[@jimtalbott9535]

14:35 - Let’s get this out onto a tray!

[@jamesburns8247]

The USS Cod is moored just to the right side of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland Ohio. Personally I was the E5 electricians mate on two ocean going tugs (ATF 101 Cocopa and the ATF 105 Moctobi) and all of the Stewards Mates were Philipino. On the High Seas they would check the main deck for stranded Flying Fish each morning and treat themselves to a fresh meal.

[@well-blazeredman6187]

Still thinking that the officers on the Gato and Balao classes had the most luxurious accommodation of any WW2 submariners. Good video.

[@paulfarace9595]

I agree 👍

[@wirelessone2986]

The I-400 class was bigger but I doubt were as well stocked as the US pig boats

[@paulfarace9595]

​@@wirelessone2986they had to share if rice and as many rats 🐀 aboard when we took custody of them.

[@wirelessone2986]

@paulfarace9595 I met a subvet that took custody of an I 400 class and still had souvenirs...when I met him he was almost blind...he said that if they knew the atrocities that were committed by the americans they would have deleted them all

[@andrewd.1113]

Paul, all I can say about this video is this: Well done! ;-) Also, R-H-I-P.... Rank Hath It's Privileges!

[@chuckjohns-e1j]

Paul, at my final quarter at Navy OCS we had formal meals with commissioned officers who would show us how to use the proper dishes and silverware. We called it "stupid eat". Some of us uncultured officer candidates found it useful. Lots of tradition in the Navy.

[@patrickmolloy2122]

I served 9 years mostly on Rescue ships ARS 41, Ars51 ( plankowner) & ASR 13. On the uss Grasp, we were a brand new galley and we were always in the chase of winning the coveted Ney Award for foodservice excellence. My crews always ate very well and our Ward Room was very formal. Every Day. We wanted them to feel like mealtime was a respite from the pressures of commanding a ship. Chow is the single most powerful morale booster on any ship.

[@Wizard-pj1ow]

we had the heavy bakelite trays and mugs , kinda miss them and still eat sos for breakfast sometimes

[@mikestanley9176]

I love SOS.

[@RuralTowner]

After the mention of the Buckley I went to look up THAT exchange. The WW2Museum link was 1st I clicked on. Part of it reads like listening to The Fat Electrician....when the radioman was doing a play by play.

[@vicmiller7191]

as always so infromative, thanks Paul

[@joeharris3878]

Ah, but the strawberries. That's where I had them .

[@ericawollmuth5055]

Good One!

[@GeorginaFrei]

Hey Guys, that outtake from the movie The Caine Mutiny was FUNNY! But what was not funny was the scene where the officers on the bridge see a destroyer that had capsized because the captain of that ship had failed to alter his course to effectively protect his ship from capsizing! That scene was based on an actual event where Fleet Admiral William Halsey failed to alter his fleet's course accordingly resulting in the loss of three destroyers and their crews of 700 men! This was the same admiral that caused the death of four naval fighter pilots on Aug 16, 1945 because he failed to suspend flight operations over a surrendered Japan and failed to notify the Japanese that he would be conducting flight operations so that they were intercepted by twenty Japanese fighters who shot them down. The same day one of our B-32 bombers was attacked over Japan when they were photographing airfields so that we could land occupation troops on them. One of the crew, a twenty year old Sergeant was killed. General of The Army Douglas MacArthur felt that he didn't need to notify the Japanese that he would be sending the B-32 over their territory. The Japanese said that even though they had surrendered that they still had the right to defend their country against possible air attack...a blatent lie as was the attack on our naval fighters...but neighter Halsey or MacArthur pressed Washington to hold Japan accountable when Washington failed to do do. Such is the way of politics and war!

[@sgt.grinch3299]

Thank you Sir.

[@Warmaker01]

This stuff, even for the enlisted, looks pretty fancy. I was in the Marines and retired over 10 years ago. I had been on US Navy carriers but the last time I did so was as a Staff Sergeant / E-6, so I still ate with most enlisted in the galley. We ate from these thick plastic trays. Seeing regular enlisted in this WWII submarine getting actual china for their meals is fancy. But the submarine life looks cramped and pretty harsh, so I see these comforts as morale boosting. It's also noted how much the US Navy tried in terms of taking care of their crews at sea in WWII. Some navies didn't care for much for the conditions of the crew, i.e. the Imperial Japanese Navy.

[@fourtyfivefudd]

Could you do a video about the diesel engines? I just took a tour of the USS Croaker, and was curious as to how they lowered an entire engine into the boat, and of something really big cracked, how would they get that out of the ship and bring a new one in? I can’t imagine it fitting through the torpedo loading hatched, and even if they could it’s way too heavy I would imagine

[@drcovell]

Look at the OLD YT video excerpt by Jerry Lewis singing “The Navy gets the gravy but the Army gets the beans.” Hilarious and having eaten PLENTY of Army food while on the ROK-DMZ, it was damn close to the reality! 😂😂😂😂😂

[@richardpiper6265]

It has been 51 years so my memory is a bit hazy, but when I went TDY in the army while serving in Korea we ate one night at the USAF mess hall in Kunsan. I think they had soda or pop. We had milk or a drink like koolaide which we called bug juice. I think they had better desserts too.

[@Russojap2]

Great video, very interesting!

[@HootOwl513]

I bought 4 demitasse espresso cups and saucers for the Italian Air Force [Regia Aeronautica] from a surplus outfit. Also soft boiled egg cups. [10:40] They all have a blue inked eagle, not unlike a Colonel's badge. Not the Italian Navy though. People joke about Glass Bottom boats, but their UDT program was way ahead of anything the Allies had.

[@stephenandersen4625]

My dad served on a USCG PF doing convoy duty. He told me that each day a different officer was in charge of supervising the meal production and he would get the privilege of serving dessert. They had one poor officer who was chronically seasick (a condition the ship’s doctor didn’t believe existed) and he would stand at the end of the serving line with a ladle of dessert and a puke bucket between his feet 😳 I might be confusing the details…. But it’s a good story

[@jimtalbott9535]

So, my grandpa was an army cook in ww2. Told me that the food varied by company, by ship, but never by class. By far, the most resented “class difference” was the allowable alcohol content. Being a master sergeant in charge of the food had its privileges - his quarters didn’t need to be searched when a Captain’s whiskey went missing. So, they never found the whiskey, which was in his quarters.

[@orvillespencer1011]

That being said, I was told the officers got an allows for food, and they had to buy their own

[@orvillespencer1011]

No...I serviced on destroyer DDG 11. We did not have the same food. As a matter of fact, 1 of my shipmates, broke into the officers galley and got some of there food and brought it down to the fire room. It was around 0200