Life on board the “Louis A. Milne”, 
as I remember it, 
was more relaxed 
when no patients were aboard. 

However, 
we still maintained some routine. 

We had to be up 
early in the morning. 

After breakfast we reported 
to our respective wards. 

There, 
together with the corpsmen 
assigned to that ward, 
we cleaned. 

If necessary 
or if we thought they would look better 
we painted the beds and the decks. 

When all was clean 
we made up the beds, 
checked all our supplies 
and went over nursing procedures 
in readiness for patients. 

I was assigned 
to the psychiatric ward. 

My head nurse 
was Lt. ANN CROCKER. 

If’ any of the personnel of the ship 
were sick and required hospitalization 
we were assigned turns 
taking care of them. 

That ward was called sick bay. 

Each person on the ship 
was assigned a time for meals – 
such as 1st call – 
2nd call 
etc. 

We nurses ate in one dining area. 

A room off of that 
was where the Captain, 
our chief nurse 
and other ship’s officers ate. 

Except when dressed 
to go out in a port 
we generally wore 
our working uniform 
or slacks to the mess hall. 

At first our chief nurse requested us 
when not on duty on Sunday 
to wear our dress uniform to meals. 

However, 
when she learned 
of the crew members hanging around 
the bottom of the ladders watching us, 
nurses, 
climbing up and down; 
she agreed to let us off 
from wearing skirts 
to wearing slacks all the time. 

When not on duty we relaxed 
in our staterooms. 

We gathered in the nurses lounge 
to talk and drink coffee. 

We knitted, 
crocheted or made fudge. 

For a time we did some calisthenics 
but I cannot remember 
this lasting very long. 

Whenever the whistle blew for boat drill 
we put on our life jacket 
(which we kept near us at all times) 
and reported to a designated place 
on the deck. 

Sometimes in the afternoon 
when not on duty 
and the weather permitting 
(especially in the Pacific area) 
some of us would put on a bathing suit 
and sun bathe on the deck 
above our quarters. 

In the evenings we socialized 
with the male officers 
walked around the decks 
and enjoyed the movies 
on the back or stern of the ship. 

Generally by the time we arrived back 
in our home port we had seen each movie, 
on that trip, 
at least three or four times. 

Sometimes there were programs 
in which talented members 
of the crew entertained us. 

One of our nurses, 
Lt. ROMA MERCIER, 
played the piano.