Ray and I could tell many stories about the brig, but our memories do not always mesh. I can't remember the exact location of the brig, but I and if I remember Ricky Lariosa and maybe Vic Duncan and Gene Sessler, had to spend the first night aboard in the brig. This was ostensibly because they didn't have room in the Marine Detachment. They were returning Marines from the 3d Marine Division on Okinawa. Enough time to convince me that I never wanted to return as a guest.

The turnkey, the guy at the podium, sat on a stool at the podium. He did not stand at strict parade rest like we did on several other posts.  Prison chasers had to march the prisoners to and from the mess and when clearing hatches, yelled "Make way for prisoners." Those who didn't got to join the prisoners for the return trip to the brig. They carried a night stick, no .45 caliber pistol.
At the one guard post two decks below the hangar deck, approximately amidships, a Marine in dress blue trousers, khaki shirt with tie and tie bar, white pistol lanyard, white parade belt and white tassel dangling from his spit shined holster. He stood at strict parade rest and had very definite and strict orders about who could and could not enter those paces. A vice admiral wanted to enter one day and he was asked by the Marine if he were on the access list. He was, but had to be escorted. When he persisted, the Marine drew his weapon and told the admiral he could not enter unescorted. The ship's captain, Captain Edward E. Colestock backed the Marine all the way and nothing further happened.
 

Another guard post was forward of the port catapult room in a small space. The space being guarded was actually four decks below that. I know. I had to descend those ladders while watching the hatches above being dogged during GQ. It was a very confined space and it was pitch black.
Of course the admirals and the CO and XO had their orderlies, again Marines in modified blues. The coldest I have ever been on the Yorktown was standing forward brow sentry in port at Alameda. This post was stood usually in full dress blues. One night, it was so cold, the Marine Executive Officer, Lieutenant Richard Broderick had me relieved to change into dress greens, a decidedly warmer uniform.
Two weeks ago I had the privilege of meeting again with six other Marines with whom I had been stationed on the Lady. These were the guys I grew up with aboard ship and my wife and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
We also manned five inch .38 gun mounts. Ray DeGroot and some other guys say two, but I only remember mount 57. In any event, the Yorktown got the highest ORI mark ever achieved by a CVA during its pre-cruise ORI in 1957 and mount 57 got an E (for Efficiency).
Semper Fi

 

We didn't have people in the brig all the time, but as we started to go overseas that's when I noticed more action. The charges ranged from disrespect to petty officer or officers, to overdue liberty. It seemed that the reason was over indulgence of alcohol. Also uniform regs. and trying to get booze onboard. The range of sentence was 10,15, 20, and 30 days for the minor sentences.

We did have one guy for longer and when we pulled into Alameda I had to escort him to shore. We could talk business but nothing to be buddy, buddy. I never had anyone on B &W and never did I see any food in the brig. All were escorted to the chow hall. That's when we had two guards one in front and back. Thinking about it whenever we had more then one prisoner there were always two guards.

On my tour of duty we never had any Marines in the brig but talking to Ray Buss he told me they had a Marine in the brig. He said it was hard on him as it was one from his squad. For those that were in the brig I'm sure they will never forget the experience. Except for the restriction part of it, it was the same as Marine boot camp. Discipline, Discipline.

I've had prisoners to the lowest parts of the ship to clean the bilges under the shafts as they were turning, to the flight deck for exercise. I would sometimes spend more time on the flight deck just for fresh air. I spent 20 months on the Yorktown and went all around the Pacific to different countries and it didn't cost me anything. It was the best time of my life.

Thanks to the veteran who put the photo of the brig on. One thing which stands out in memory is the attitude of the prisoners...marching down the passageway with their arms out yelling, "Sir, Prisoner, Sir!" The routine they had for getting chow I recall as well.
When I took my wife and kids aboard the ship some years ago it felt "right". Like coming home after a trip. Many areas were secured, but we were able to get down to the Chapel/Library area. Most of yellow gear was stowed on the #3 hangar bay all of the way aft when we deployed...I felt like shaking my head when I saw the entire area taken by a geedunk. My eldest son, who's a Marine now along with the youngest son, remarked that it must not have been "too" bad if we had a snack bar. (I told him it was for officers only). I recall when were deployed we could buy all the sodas we wanted, but we had sure better lay off the CO2 extinguishers as a means of cooling them. A shipmate in the sheet metal shop invented a cooler that worked pretty well...he took a huge stainless cooking pot, put a compressed air attachment on the bottom and filled it full of sea water. The expanding air partially cooled the sodas in the water and we were in hog heaven. I miss that good ship. Sometimes I miss her a lot.