Gulfport/SeaBee Base/DR #307 farewell

Tribute

Today was my last day here. Tomorrow I fly back to NYC. This is a little photo essay of my home for the last three weeks here in Mississippi:

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[the front entrance to our warehouse/barracks, with one of the mobile sink/washing stations]
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[the front desk, all gussied up for Halloween]

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[the first large room, division D, currently occupied by kids from Americorp]

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[division C, Red Cross information desk]

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[division C, Red Cross barracks — 400 of your closest friends]

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[my cot, humble as it may be]

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[division B, still home to a large Navy vehicle — doubling as a towel rack]

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[always wash your hands before a meal]

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[Lou getting the typical 1,400-calorie fireman’s breakfast of eggs, sausage, taters, and waffles]

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[my last cup of breakfast o.j.]

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[the mobile sink/washing station outside of the men’s shower trailer]

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[the men’s shower trailer, guarded by the Forest Service Dalmation]

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[the waiting area outside the men’s private showers]

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[what else? potties]

12 thoughts on “Gulfport/SeaBee Base/DR #307 farewell

  1. Damn. I have to say, I’m sure your glad to be headed home, and i am too, but I’m going to miss all these wonderful stories about New Orleans. I’m from north Louisiana so i have been to NOLA a few times and your writing is incredible, and Very inspirational. I think im going to go check out the local red cross because of your LJ. I will definately miss these tales….
    Maybe In the future when you get back and get settled, we can do an interview about this for my zine? http://www.mostlyharmlessmagazine.com

  2. Thanks for the series, Josh. I hope that you find a way to publish it for a wider audience.
    I’m always astounded at the cleanliness and tidiness at large barracks — I know it’s because if people didn’t pick up after themselves, things would get unbearable very quickly. But it never ceases to amaze me that 500 people in close quarters can live without squalor. I have a hard enough time beating back entropy in my apartment with only one housemate.

    1. it was quite an adventure! glad you enjoyed reading about it.
      regarding the barracks, i have to say that much as i hated abiding by the rules and restictions that dominated there, i completely understand why they’re necessary. i can see from the organizational point of view that the only way to keep a “society” that like functioning is to institute a strict set of laws to live by.
      to paraphrase mr. spock, the good of the many outweighs the comfort of the few.

      1. Only in the sense that I’ve been using it so long to distinguish my real life from my work life (I tend to work for very conservative firms) for so long, it’s become more real than my real name, of which it’s sort of an anagram.
        So, your Paisley is still one of a kind.

      2. I know a “Paisley” who lives here in Biloxi. And that’s her real birth given name. Honestly I didn’t think anyone else had a name like that either. Now I come to find out its not so.

    1. thank you, sir. it made it easier to stay awake that extra hour on short rest knowing that folks out there like you were interested in what i had to report.

  3. Re: How about this one?
    Hey David, Dirty Little Billy certainly fits the description. And I guess they called young Billy the Kid a “punk.” I’d have to see more, but it’s promising… Thanks for all your research!

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