This story was told to me by my Senior Chief (E-9) while I was stationed at the Naval War Collage, Newport, Rhode Island. (Apr2003-Nov2006)
Some history first. Built in 1909 the Naval Hospital in Newport, Rhode Island saw duty for many, many years. In the late 1980's early 1990's it was closed and all of the clinics were moved to the newer nearby naval clinic. The equipment and office furniture for the most part was left in the building. This included brand new operating room equipment. This is the time frame Senior Chief was stationed at the Naval War College as a First Class Petty Officer (E-6) and served as a member of the Auxiliary Security Patrol (ASF).
During the ASF patrols one of the buildings they had to do a walk through of was the old Hospital building. Senior Chief had heard all the 'ghost' stories about the various spirits that walked the halls of the Hospital. Sailors and Soldiers from various wars or conflicts as well as dependent family members that had passed on within it's halls. Senior Chief was not one to believe such stories. He figured they were told to 'scare' the guys while on a very routine and sometimes very boring patrol. (Trust me on this, I've stood that watch.)
It was about 0230 (2:30 in the morning) when he arrived at the hospitals front desk. He met with the building watch (one of those watches that is stood just to give enlisted a purpose on duty days.) and proceeded to check the floors one by one. All was normal until he reached the top floor. Here he felt like he was being watched, though everything seemed normal and quiet. The hallway was lit from outside by the streetlights (base side) so it wasn't completely dark. As Senior Chief rounded a corner and headed toward the back of the floor, he saw what appeared to be a red ball bouncing up and down in the center of the hallway. He stopped and watched for a moment, then he checked the windows nearby thinking it was a reflection from the signal light that was at the intersection on the street that ran just off the base. What he saw made his blood run cold, the light was flashing, but it was flashing yellow both directions. He looked back down the hallway and the red ball was still bouncing but as he watched it stopped, resting on the ground as it did so. Then it was pushed toward him. Rolling forward as if someone/thing wanted him to play. Senior Chief didn't wait around for the 'ball' to reach him, he raced back down to the building watch who cracked the joke, "You look like you've seen a ghost." Senior Chief made this guy finish the tour of the building with him, and requested to be put on a different route his next duty day.
As he talked about his experience, he discovered he was not alone. Others had seen the ball, or a little blond girl, in an old fashioned blue dress, up on that top floor. Another ASF member told him of the Soldiers/Sailors faces he would see looking out of the windows. It helped Senior Chief to know he wasn't alone, but he still refused to go back into the Hospital alone while on patrol.
Respectfully,
Rook
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