The secret (eyes only) history of the early Mokes that saved our beloved Naval Academy. Remember, half a century back, the Mokes of our mess hall? They were the offsprings of those original Mokes, and they were cool dudes! Did you knew that our U.S.Navy went into the Cuban waters to commandeer a ship for the quarters for our beloved mess men? When the Reina Mercedes came to rest in the Severn River wharf, the Navy fixed her beautiful white paint and had lovely hammocks, and the great "U.S.S." moniker. These gents were shaped up with classy white works, and they defended the U.S.Naval Academy! The early Mokes kept the Spaniards from capturing our beloved U.S.N.A., a foothold to proceed to take our great nation, and to also enforce their Spanish language to all citizens, forefathers and foremothers.

Later, the offspring of their former old Mokes were the grandchildren of our own early 1950s (all of them became Messman), lived in their old Spanish cruiser. We could chat with them in our mess hall; it went like this....... As we were plebes, we had the honor of holding up the empty serving trays! We shoved out on front of 4 inches on our chairs, sitting at attention, eyes in the boat. The Mokes had 2 procedure: either he snatches it as fast as he can, or else says as he snatchies the tray, saying "Ain't no mo" and he is gone away. These Mokes were real cool...did you see them when they marched in their "sections". I loved to watch their marching "formations". Did you see their orders, "RIGHT Step, MO !" or "LEFT Step, MO ! ? They had the hip rhythm down, i.e.: remember their "Moke Fake" ? It was great.....Example order : "RIGHT Step MO !" : that means to take a sharp step to "LEFT", and then a sharp reverse "RIGHT !" and march right off.... or else order "LEFT Step MO !"...that means step "RIGHT", and their next sharp step to their rear, i.e., to the (correct) "LEFT!", and move out.

Do you know that one our classmates got the nickname "MOKE"? It was Cmdr. Robert S. Merritt (10th Co.), a Naval Aviator. He even has his e-mail address: "moke". He divulged that he was a L.A. gang member, (FYI - a good gang tho), at the shore mucho, and he had a heavy brown skin when he reported to the Academy. That's where his lifetime alias, "Moke", stuck on him.

Bob Price (6 Co.)

http://www.usna.edu/NavalStation/rm_hist.htm

Reina Mercedes

http://www.spanamwar.com/reinam.htm

Don

    Webmaster Note:  These links are still valid, and quite interesting.

Bob----Really enjoyed the story on the "Mokes"....so much so that I wanted to share several photos to tie in your story. First off is a photo I had taken Plebe Year of some of the "Mokes" behind Bancroft Hall.....second is one of the Reina Mercedes, and the final one is of "Moke" Merritt himself from the Lucky Bag.

Enjoy, Steve Kaiser (1)

Webmaster Note: Photos 1 and 2 were edited to fit this column width. Photo 3 was omitted.

Moke was also very partial to a local Annapolis radio program "Daddy Cool Hot Spots" that continuously played really cool "Moke" music. We were roommates 2/c & 1/c years and I listened to a lot of Moke music.

Pat & Guy Grafius Scottsdale, AZ 85255

Bob:
You forgot my favorite: Rather than forward, march, the command was January, February, March!

Don Martin (6)

Bob,
Fascinating!

Say, do you have... or anyone else, for that matter have... info on exactly happened to the Reina Mercedes, during Hurricane Hazel in '54 (I believe), and immediately following, all the way to where her final resting place was (is)? All I remember were seeing some exraordinary photos taken during the storm of her apparently adrift, having had her moorings torn from the dock (or were those photos in one of our USNA publications???). Anyway, where did the mokes live after that? One more thing: wasn't there a brig aboard her?
Thanks, Navy historian, Price.

Butter (05)

Plebe year was spent in Rm 5103, right above the small courtyard where the Mokes marched in and eventually broke for their individual assignments.

I say "eventually" because between "Halt" and break there was always about 3-5 minutes of their brand of close order drill.. unfortunately I had neither camera or recorder, but it was always entertaining.

Claude Fuqua

Thanks, Don for that history of the Reina. The question was also asked about where the "Mokes" were billeted after the Reina was stricken. I believe they were still aboard APL31, the white vessel across the pier from the Reina, where they had been housed for years. Correct me if I'm mistaken, but when I checked in aboard Reina as an enlisted man, she was being used for station personnel, not "mokes".

Bob Newbegin (12)

I'll join this new group in remembering "Mokes" used only as the term used for our janitorial staff.

Stewards were stewards and were a wonderful site to watch marching to and from Bancroft hall.

Talking of music, I trully enjoyed Sunday mornings and listening to the great spirtuals/hymns on the radio from Black churchs.

Regarding the Reina, my father served in her as Yoeman 2 & 1/c December 31, 1933 to Nov. 16, 1935.

George Martin [16]

I believe the Reina Mercedes got towed back to Spain as a part of a treaty where we got the use of air bases in Spain. The "Mokes" got housed on board the amphibious troop barge until the mess was turned over to civilian management. Dates I don't know. I don't remember calling the stewards working in Bancroft Hall "Mokes". I thought the civilian janitors who cleaned up Bancroft Hall were called "Mokes". I called them "sir" when I was a plebe.

Tom

I was surprised to read all of the banter about mokes. I don't recall using the term for the mess hall staff i.e. stewards. Moke was the term I/we used for the janitorial staff, who I believe were local civilian employees. However, I note that company mate Steve Kaiser (01) was aware of the designation. Some people never get the word, others take about 50 years.

Jack Foran(01)

P.S. It would be helpful if all e-mail was signed and include company number. I have learned to recognize the email moniker of the more frequent writers, but am too lazy and disorganized to research the occasional contributer.

I'm with Jack. To my understanding, Mokes were the janitorial staff. The stewards were colorful and all that but I don't recall hearing them referred to as "Mokes."

Don Knepper (17)

If my memory serves correctly, the "Mokes" were active duty U.S. Navy sailors, not civilians. If this is the case then, this is not a very good piece of work. BTW, these meson were berthed in a floating barracks craft, moored near the Reina Mercedes (see Steve Kaiser's pictures). The Reina was the nominal and in some cases actual quarters of the C.O., Naval Station, Annapolis.

Don Todaro (14)

Tend to agree with Tom. I recall seeing the crows and seaman duece stripes on their sleeves.

Burt Munger (17)

Hope this sheds some light on the subject.

Steve Kaiser (1)

An excerpt from our "Reef Points" under Plebe Rates....."Do not address the stewardsman; the midshipman in charge of the table will do all of the talking to him". No mention of the word Moke. The old steward's rate was a moon worn on right arm.

From 1912 until 1957 the REINA MERCEDES served as the station ship at Annapolis, with the exception of brief periods when she was towed to Norfolk Navy Yard for docking and overhaul. These occurred in 1916, 1927, 1939, and 1951.

It was customary for many years for the station ship to serve as "brig" for midshipmen being punished for serious infractions of Naval Academy Regulations. Such midshipmen were confined to the ship for periods ranging from one week to two months, depending upon the seriousness of the offense. During that period they attended all drills and recitations at the Naval Academy, but were required to sleep in hammocks in the ship and to take their meals on board. This practice was abolished on September 5, 1940, when restriction of midshipmen to their rooms in Bancroft Hall was substituted as a disciplinary measure.

Until 1957, the Reina Mercedes was referred to as the fastest ship in the fleet, as it was remained tied fast to the Naval Academy seawall. In 1957, the USS Reina Mercedes was decommissioned and sold to the Boston Metals Company of Baltimore, Md.

The history invoked by the name Reina Mercedes is the principal reason for its selection as the name of the Navy's and Naval Academy's newest BEQ.
Yes, the days of hammocks, open bay berthing, and crammed living quarters (often detailing four sailors to a single room) are over, as the Reina Mercedes has again reported for duty at Naval Station Annapolis. This time the Reina Mercedes is the finest in her class.

Did not this fastest ship in the Navy break from its moorings in a hurricane that breezed thru Annapolis in the fall of '54? And was that not supposed to give plebes 'carry on'?

Tom State (8)

Her name was Hazel. I wound up at hospital point because of her. Kind regards to all you old plebes.

Tim Sandmeyer(15)

The Reina Mercedes was not fast during the hurricane that passed over Annapolis during 1/c year.

Chuck

I'm happy to hear that I am not the only lost soul that was unfamiliar with the term "Mokes" for our janitorial staff. I never remember calling the Stewarts anything but Stewarts.................but then, at my age, I don't remember much!

Hal (17)

Bill S. (10)

The one thing I remember about the MOKES was that in late 1954 and early 1955 there were at least 4 brand new Ford Crown Victoria hardtops parked by the entrance to the pantry all fusia and white or purple and white.

DICK MIELDAZIS

I experienced three hurricanes that week in '54. Carol and Edna hit Rhode Island five days apart just before I returned from leave. I no sooner got back than Hazel marched in.

Len Duffy (23, for you other 70'ers who can remember things...any things)