Mess Cooking was a hard job. I had to do my turn at NAAS Whiting Field, Milton, Florida in mid 1959.

You had to be on the job from the early hours of the morning until after evening meal, and cleanup. If everything was ship shape we were given a few ten minute breaks between the meals.

Most sailors had to pitch their shoes, and work clothing after getting releaved from mess duty. My clothing developed a bad odor from all the steam, soapy water, and sweat.

Most often it was the new guys that were placed in mess cooking or the deck gang. On some ships mess cooking was rotated from each division, and only for a few days. On others it was for three months or longer.