Article September 12, 1970 Issue

Are You Standing Watch?

BRUCE IAN RISK

Another four-to-eight watch! How depressing!

I turned up the collar of my coat against the heavy, damp fog that was creeping across the harbor and engulfing the quarterdeck of the ship. Each ship along the pier was slowly swallowed up, and then all was quiet and cold. I was aware only of the dimly outlined form of the sailor on watch nearby.

As a newly commissioned ensign in the Navy, I had been aboard two months, and it seemed as if I were always on watch. The duty itself was very distasteful. More irritating, however, were the caustic comments from crew members returning from liberty.

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