The Seasoned Coffee Mug on Memorial Day

Memorial Day is a US federal holiday observed on the last Monday of May, which honors military personnel who have died. It’s a solemn holiday as people openly express their grief and loss. Creating rituals to mourn those who have fallen can be both healing and painful. Some families may visit the gravesite of their loved ones. Others might raise flags. Many see this holiday as a resurgence of summer, engaging in activities like cookouts or camping, a way to embrace the freedoms that those in uniform sacrificed for them. In a time of social distancing, however, many of these expected rituals may not take place.

Knowing I won’t be able to grieve them in a way I’m used to has forced me to think of a new ritual. In revisiting my memories of my loved ones, I realized there was one quiet way I could pay tribute to them, by not washing my coffee cup.

Military Customs

My father served in the Navy for 20 years. Shopping at the commissary, carrying my military ID everywhere, and moving every three years were normal parts of my upbringing. I have many family members who have served and are currently serving in the military. Most were in the Navy and the Marines. Generations of them fought in numerous wars, with two of them POWs. Some survived, but sustained physical and mental injuries that never fully healed.

Military life is so ingrained in me, it’s sometimes a shock to me when other people are confused by what I thought were regular social norms. One such custom is that of the dirty coffee cup. Friends have looked at this tradition as, well, rather gross. But for those serving in the military, and especially those in the Navy, it’s a proud tradition. As long as you don’t share your cup, don’t use cream, and don’t use sugar, it’s actually a lot cleaner practice than one would assume.

The American English poet T.S. Eliot, once remarked, “I have measured out my life with coffee spoons.” Nothing could be truer for the American service member, where coffee is a way of life. It is an invaluable necessity for military personnel here and abroad. A steaming cup of joe has been an essential backdrop of U.S. military history since the Revolutionary War. In the Navy, honoring this nectar meant drinking out of the same cup, unwashed, for weeks, months, and even years.

The Seasoned Coffee Cup

Long before ceramic mugs, and even metal mugs with enamel existed, cups were made with hard metals. Pots that brewed coffee, and the containers used to drink it, would leave a metallic flavor to the java. The more these items were used, and not washed, the more the oils from the coffee could seal the internal surface, preventing the brew from being tainted. This is known as “seasoning the coffee cup.” Even today, this seasoning practice is used in Italy by those who brew in a Moka Pot. On Naval ships, especially on deployment, things are expected to last, so of course metal mugs were used. Nowadays, the mugs are ceramic or stone. The change in receptacle didn’t change the practice, however.

As this method was embraced by sailors, many different reasons emerged that sealed its importance to the community. A patina left in caffeine vessels symbolized seniority. Newly enlisted would see rings, like that of an oak tree, showing the length of time on shift. Senior personnel would have strong dark patinas, which embodied their rank and years of sacrifice. While on deployment, unwashed mugs would be visible proof of long shifts and faithfulness to duty.

Signal Bridge Coffee

The signal bridge on the ship is the platform high above the main deck and hull of a warship that sailors would send messages to other ships or to those ashore from. Having this pot meant long hours on watch. A thick, strong, dark brewed coffee was needed to keep those on duty alert. If coffee was brewed just right, with a strong flavor, thick like tar, and black as oil, this coveted creation was dubbed “Signal Bridge Coffee.” Deployments and the shifts on them are long. This specialized brew is what made doing the work possible.

Signal Bridge Coffee must be drunk black. Milk doesn’t last long on a ship and even powdered milk in coffee is used sparingly. Anything that would dilute the strong flavor is assumed to be less potent. Some sailors do add sugar, but eventually, that practice goes, as they grow accustomed to the strong ink-colored beverage.

As the military grows and changes, this custom is embraced less and less. With access to coffee shops and to-go cups, newer sailors have steered away from this practice. US Chiefs are considered the coffee purists, now, as they continue to upload this tradition today. They are even given a mess mug with their name on it. You’ll still find stained cups on deployment, however, as these customs momentarily resurface.

Honor and Tradition

This older coffee ritual as you may call it, is one my father and great-uncles took home with them. Yeah, it caused a few arguments with their civilian wives but nevertheless, they kept true to their lifestyle. Looking back, I remember seeing the thick coating inside their mugs at the end of breakfast or sitting on the counter. I remember sitting at kitchen tables hearing stories of service life, as these formidable family members sipped their morning joe out of their favorite mug. They shared the custom with me, and the history and meaning behind it. When some of these family members passed, I remember the lump in my throat the day I saw their mugs were washed out.

Now, with Memorial Day coming upon us, I realize it’s one tradition that I can bring back in honor of them. I may not sustain it for months or years, but at least for a week, I can quietly sit at the table, sip black coffee from a seasoned mug, and remember those in uniform that I have loved and lost.

How will you honor those who have served during this time? Did you know about this time-honored Naval tradition?

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