Word: scuttlebutt
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...eight weeks of fun and high living sandwiched in between. Men seldom travel alone or get home to see the devastation wrought by Allied bombers. Each crew is entertained as an isolated unit, to keep the depressing news of lost subs and comrades from circulating too freely via the scuttlebutt...
Seemingly out of place every morning when the junior class lines up at formation is a slightly-built, always smiling officer clad in a distinctive, powder blue uniform. Having heard scuttlebutt going around that he was from (a) the Bolivian Coast Guard, (b) the Chilean Army, and (c) the Nicaraguan Merchant Marine, we sought him out the other evening, just by way of accurately determining his identity. We found out that he is Captain Manual Higueras of the Peruvian Air Force...
...scuttlebutt was busy weeks before blunt, soldierly Thomas Holcomb retired as Commandant of the Marine Corps, full of honors and the first four-star general in the history of the Corps. Rumor's net at that time (New Year's): General Holcomb was going to join the Allied Joint Chiefs of Staff. This week the rumor was abandoned in favor of other and sounder information...
...scuttlebutt was that Marine Holcomb, who has served in China, the Philippines, the Caribbean and Europe, was all set for a diplomatic job. He was going to become U.S. Minister to the Union of South Africa. Reported reason for the choice: the State Department decided it could find no better man to deal with outspoken, common-sensical Premier Jan Christiaan Smuts, soldier of 43 years' standing, than outspoken, common-sensical Tommy Holcomb, veteran of 43 years of Marine service...
...dear readers, in your spare time, analyze the foregoing items. If you recognize in them a semblance of verity, by all means, examine yourself. My friend, you will have succumbed to the insidious devices of Scuttlebutt Fever! For that's what this is, old man, that's what this...