We tried to instill fun in everything we did, especially mundane, repetitive jobs such as loading food aboard the ship. Except in San Diego, where Irv Refkin’s conveyor belt came to our aid, that was a chore we did by hand, and it was hard work. We decided that music would make the job go faster. With our huge stereo system playing great tunes, it was a whole new scene. Everyone danced and boogied to the music. The officers and chiefs supervising the workforce ended up pitching in themselves. Music seemed to make even the most boring task fun—a lesson that somehow escaped the U.S. Navy.
