The USS Midway’s Enlisted Mess and Galley were at the center of daily life for the thousands of sailors who lived and worked aboard the aircraft carrier. The galley operated on an enormous scale, with Navy cooks and support crews preparing thousands of meals each day using industrial-size ovens, grills, kettles, refrigerators, and food-preparation areas. Meals were served in the adjoining mess decks, where enlisted sailors gathered between watches and work shifts to eat, relax, and spend time with their shipmates. Because the Midway operated around the clock, food service had to accommodate sailors working at all hours while carrying enough provisions to support the crew during extended periods at sea. Beyond simply providing meals, the mess decks offered an important place for conversation and camaraderie, giving sailors a brief break from the demanding pace of carrier operations and illustrating the tremendous logistical effort required to feed a floating city of several thousand people every day.