Diver No. 1- Ready!

INTRODUCTION- part two:
Two days later, I was in Tuscon, Ariz at the Indoctrination School for Officers. It was a crash course designed to teach us something about the Navy for most of us had never been to sea or even on a ship. We arose at 5 AM and spent all day marching to classes and drilling under a hot desert sun. At the end of two months, we learned a little about navigation, Rules of the Road at sea, difference between Bow (sharp end) and stern (blunt end) of a ship, Port and Starboard (one side had red lights, the other blue), other peculiar naval terms such as "head" and "scuttlebutt", and how to recognize various ships.

Finally the day came when we were graduated and given our duty assignments. We all were sent to different places around the World. Those who requested West Coast duty were sent to the East Coast; those requesting East Coast were sent to the West Coast; those requesting Sea Duty were given land duty and vice versa. I had requested Battleship or Submarine duty or shore duty on the West Coast. My orders said that I was to report to the US Naval Salvage Training and Diving School, Pier 88 NY City. I had absolutely no idea what this was. Why me? No one could tell me at the time. I was soon to find out!"