As submariners we had one extra benefit. We got the greatest food. I guess they figure it would take the edge off the long patrols, so we ate very well.
One run we got a new chef who had been in the surface Navy all his career, and this was his first time on a submarine 70-day patrol. He cooked like shit!
Everybody complained and he wouldn’t change or do better. It was real slop sometimes.
When we finally docked and got liberty, a couple guys caught up with him in Rota and beat his ass. Couple black eyes and swollen lip.
I do not condone such actions, but food was very important to us.
Never had a bad cook on 637s but hey, I helped in the galley when off watch
Earl Lanier, the USN cook from the Destroyermen series.
He actually made a mean sammy, though. The pigboat guys had a rougher time in Destroyermen, but they came through big time.