US Army Basic Training
Much of this information is taken from the numerous letters I wrote to my family at home while serving in the US Army.
I was called to take physical examinations for the Draft. In downtown SF, there is a plaque to commemorate the former location. Those being examined are in a long line, wearing underwear, and are moved from station to station for various tests. It was required, and the staff were unfriendly; it seemed they didn’t want to be there, as we felt. It was a clue as to what to expect in the U S Army if drafted.
At first, I was 4F, which meant I was not eligible to be drafted because of severe nearsightedness.
I started 2 years of pre-med at U C Berkeley .
The standard for the draft was lowered, and I became eligible. The president of the draft office in my neighborhood was Mr. Bonzoni. He was a friend of my father, as president of the Bank America branch on Mission and 16th streets, 2 blocks from my father’s Starlight furniture store. My father took me to see him at the bank. He said I can get a deferment to finish my 2 years, and then I would be drafted. He said, do not show any sign that you know me or have talked to me when you appear before me at the draft board. I followed his instructions and received a deferment.
I received the customary notice in the mail: “Greeting: You are hereby ordered for induction into the Armed Forces of the United States, and will report to the local board named above, at the time and date for delivery to an induction center.".
I was unhappy and tearful. Of my many brothers in the Pi Lambda Phi fraternity, of my age group, only two had been in the service. I was the only one being drafted. My mother gave me sincere advice, which she rarely did, that nothing in life is equal or fair; different things happen to different people over a lifetime, many good and some bad.
By the time of induction, September 6, 1946, I was prepared and ready. My cousin Alvin Lanfeld was drafted in February 1947, was at Camp Stoneman as a typist, and served from December 1945 to December 1946.
I was inducted on September 6, 1946, as a private, serial number 39 772 827. World War II had ended on September 2, 1945.
My first letter was written on 9/9/1946 from the reception center, Company A, Camp Beale, CA. It is located 10 miles east of Marysville, 40 miles north of Sacramento.
“We got here at 1:30, got our bedding, made our beds, and dismissed for the day. The man in charge asked if any questions, one fellow asked When can we resign? I visited the post exchange, had a vanilla shake, and tonight will go to the show(15 cents) to see ‘Notorious’ (now playing at the Golden Gate in SF).
“The fellows are all about 19. The barracks are clean, there are 39 roommates with 20 double-deck beds. After dinner, we had to GI the floors – sweep over with soapy water, then clean water, then mop, also wash the windows inside and out, then clean the wash-rooms. I did the sweeping. When 40 fellows get together, it doesn’t seem much of a job. The whole thing seems like an exciting movie, except you are acting in it instead of watching it”.
“I am in a lower bunk, with Harry Thompsen on one side and Ben Waite on the other side. (friends of a friend from the Bay Area). The barracks leader is a corporal. A bugle call now, after dinner, we need to clean windows, mop floors, etc. They just played a record of the Star Spangled Banner.” “Today, Ben, I, and 20 others took our induction physicals. My eyes tested 20/600, worse than they really are. Went to sleep at 9:00, got up at 600 am, the latrine is very small for 40 men, can’t take long to wash when someone is waiting behind you. On my physical exam papers, they had my name as Norman, Gerald L. There are so many hundreds coming in, I don’t see how they can keep track of anyone. I sure wish they would lose me”.
“We got up at 600 am, washed, dressed, then outside the corporal said we were to police the barracks (walk around and clean up the place). He said, ‘If you see anything that won’t grow, pick it up; if it’s too big to pick up, paint it; and if it can’t be painted, wash it with water’. About 60 of us slowly walked around picking up one or two little pieces. He then asked for volunteers to clean the washrooms, but no one would volunteer. I hid in the back of the mob. We filled out some papers, were fingerprinted. Then 40 of us formed 4 lines in front of a flag, as your name was called, you took one step forward, ‘This constitutes induction into the army of the US’. We then took the oath. After this, we marched to a church, about 200, a chaplain gave a sermon, he asked how many were Jewish, only 3 or 4 raised their hands.”
“We marched to a place for a lecture about insurance. Then we marched to the dispensary. 200 of us, and I was last in line. They still had my name as Gerald L Norman, and they won’t take no for an answer. They gave me a vaccination shot and a blood type test. I saw three guys faint in front of me.”
“I was issued a uniform the other day. The underwear is way too big. I didn’t get any suntans because they didn’t have my size. (light khaki color), I also got one of the old type uniforms like I wore in ROTC, instead of the new Eisenhower jackets. Also, a coat that is too small. The only thing good was the fatigues and boots worn for working, and all the heavy stuff like an overcoat, raincoat, toilet articles, canteen, mess kit, and long underwear. Got a dog tag with the name Gerald L. Norman, and think it would be easier to change my name than correct their mistakes.”
“Yesterday, others and I were told we needed haircuts. We marched to the barber shop, the are civilian barbers, they charge 55 cents, they cut my hair the shortest it has ever been. It looks very cool and is very comfortable. There was a show for the whole camp, in a tremendous open-air amphitheater, night club entertainers, free.”
“Nine of us were separated from lines of 200, marched to a faraway barracks that had been unoccupied. The private in charge told 3 of us to GI the upstairs floor, we mopped and swept. He said to clean up a small room on the top floor. He worked with us, buckets of water on the walls, shelves, and floors, scrubbed and mopped. This room was to be occupied by the private in charge of the barracks. Roll call at 5:30 pm was to be a night KP. He dismissed some, including Gerald Norman, and I quickly ran away. The next morning, another fellow and I were put on a truck, drove 15 miles at 60 miles an hour. When we got to the destination, we loaded a couple of dozen empty orange boxes onto the truck.
“The same evening, two fellows and I were taken to an officers’ barracks and introduced to two civilian janitors. They told us to go outside and pick up any papers, and then polish the brass in the washrooms, which took about an hour. They said we had to stay another two hours, so go upstairs and take it easy.” (looks like I learned very quickly how to take an order, good or bad)
I was interviewed, and said I could drive a truck, type, and played clarinet for 7 years and saxophone for 4 years. I took an intelligence test and a typing test. “I was told there is a demand for musicians, and I should be able to get into a band. He said I would probably go to Fort Lee, Virginia, and told me which way to leave the room.”
The train trip was in a Pullman car, with a double bunk bed. The other soldier and I flipped, and I won, and I chose the bottom bed. The next-door car was with chair seats. The train left Sacramento at 11:45 pm, arrived in Reno, Nevada, at 5:00 am, and then proceeded to dinner at Great Salt Lake, Utah. It snowed all the way to Cheyenne, Wyoming, and then to Omaha, Nebraska. In Omaha, I went to a restaurant in the train station and asked for a snail. The waitress said What is that? I meant a Danish pastry. Then to Chicago, Illinois, where we changed trains, then through Indiana and next Ohio. I remember the trains winding through the hills of West Virginia, the little villages for the coal mining. I had never left CA before, so the train trip was impressive about the size of the US. The destination was Petersburg, VA, the closest stop to Camp Lee, with obvious segregation in the station, many soldiers, and many young black boys with shoe shine kits walking inside and outside the station.
The next letter on 9/3/1946 was from 62nd Q M tng. Co., Camp Lee, VA. “I am in this temporary company with four other Californians, in a group of about 50 from Ohio, Oklahoma, Indiana, and New England. 200 shipped out to basic training, and the five from CA were alone in the barracks. In the morning, about 40 people from Texas and Oklahoma moved in; they have accents, keep talking, and arguing. Today is Sunday, I don’t get my light sun tan uniform until tomorrow, lying in the barracks, have dozed off 3 times, doing nothing”.
“The meals are good, but breakfast is poor. I have helped clean the barracks, yesterday made our bed a certain way, stood by the bed as a captain walked around inspecting, I had KP yesterday afternoon, I worked hard for 3 hours, I am back in fatigues and boots”.
9/23/1946: “I was fixed up for the holidays. I am in the city of Richmond, the USO is nice, they have 5 or 6 temples here, I will probably go to a conservative, and a room in a private home”.
9/24/1946. "86 QM Tng Co. Camp Lee, VA: I didn’t get my tan uniform until today. Last night, when I walked into the service club, an MP took me into the office of a major, who said, 'take off your hat when indoors, button that coat pocket, take off those slippers (loafers), you'd better go back to your company and get a pass to wear that uniform' ".
“ I am in Richmond, saw the state capitol and park, the weather is beautiful, and accents are fascinating. The Rabbi of the conservative temple told me to get together with some people. They have been wonderful, and can’t do enough for me. I stayed here Thursday and Friday night, and had all my meals here. She is a wonderful cook. They invited me for Yom Kippur if I can get a pass. She is Mrs. Sam Gellman, 705 Byrd Park Court, Richmond. They have two sons, 16 and 11. (I was 19). The 16-year-old is starting to major in physics at the Univ. of VA next week. The father is a lawyer; he was president of B'nai B'rith. The first night and the next day, I went to the Reformed temple with them. They played the shofar on an organ. The next day, I went to an orthodox service with the younger son, who goes to Hebrew school there.” For years after I thought they were so good to me because of famous southern hospitality. Later, I found a letter from Mrs Gellman, stating that they had corresponded with my parents by mail and phone, and they knew there was a similarity between our two families, including Judaism and B'nai B'rith.
“Please send my clarinet right away. They want to start a company band in basic training, in their spare time, which will get them out of KP and guard duty. A whistle blew, meaning to fall out, come out of the barracks running, said police up the surrounding area, pick up anything that doesn’t grow. I walk around with my head bowed, looking at the ground, but actually I am looking to see if anyone is looking at me”.
“The weather is unpredictable. It rains every 3 or 4 days, it is close and humid day and night, then it turns very cold. Yesterday I had KP, and it was really rough. The cooks in charge are mean, they swear and gripe at the KPs, no matter how hard they work, it isn’t good enough. They say to me, ‘bear down on that broom – if you wear it out we’ll get you a new one, if you can’t see better than that you better throw away those glasses and get a new pair’. When a dog or cat comes into the mess hall, they kick it or pick it up and throw it out the door. I stirred H O cereal in a huge tub, stacked up 300 plates and silverware to be washed after every meal, mopped the floor for 30 minutes after each meal, set tables, got buckets of coal, carried a 100-pound sack of potatoes, dished out carrots to 300, separated chicken bones from other chicken garbage, and cleaned out sinks. They kept us going from 400 am to 800 pm”.
“Now we are going through basic at full speed, we are improving, we are a sharp-looking platoon in only 3 days. Yesterday I got up at 600 am, fell in, and marched carrying rifles for the first time. It is heavy. We went to the parade grounds and ran around a large circle, then 4 conditioning exercises, the duck-walk at the end. Right away, we lined up, started off for our open-air classroom a long distance away. They made us double time, run that is, carrying the rifle. We had a class on all of the parts of the rifle and their nomenclature. Then, to the parade grounds, drilled, and learned to stack rifles. We fell in, marched to the parade ground, were shown the rifle manual of arms, and practiced it. This is really hard for me. We marched a long way to a theatre, back to the barracks for a class, and then went outside and practiced rolling tents and blankets. Then 2 hours dinner KP. At night, I had to take apart my rifle, clean it, oil it, polish my boots, shave, and shower. The next day, more drilling, manual of arms, rifle calisthenics, a class on rifle cleaning, a long dose of double time, and holding the rifle at right dress. In 2 days, I will have been in the army 4 weeks”.
I got a letter from Carolyn and from Carolynn Pinsler. I wrote to Don, Stan, Jerry, Don, Herm, and Ellis. Have they all forgotten how to write? Today we spent the morning doing pull-ups, push-ups, the squatting thrust, the squat jumps, and other exercises. We had the number for a certain time recorded on a physical accomplishment record, which will be tested in the future to see improvement. In the afternoon, practice sighting the rifle, marksmanship, and other lectures, then taught flank movements in drill. I got a pass to go to Petersburg for services. I got our helmets with names painted across the front in white paint”. It is a helmet liner, lightweight weight worn under the heavy helmet. I remember it said Licht, so somehow my name had been corrected from Gerald L Norman.
10/5/1946. "This morning we marched to the drill field, practiced drilling and the manual of arms with the rifle, movies, marched back, went from right or left shoulder arms, to port arms (in front of the body), to order arms (at your side vertically), etc. They made us stand two lines back to back, because if you moved too much, you would hit the other fellow on the head with the rifle. Afternoon, we made a pack with our tent and a blanket in a roll, fastened to our combat pack bag. We marched to the classroom with rifle and pack for a mile, three hours of classes, then a 2 ½ mile hike with pack on back, rifle slung over the shoulder, cartridge belt, and canteen around our waists. Looked like the real thing.
I went to the temple in Petersburg for the holiday, got there during Torah reading, and stayed until the memorial services. It is conservative, after services I had dinner given by the JWB and the sisterhood in the temple.
“From 2:00 to 5:00we cleaned our rifles. The next day we took them out and got them full of dust, and that night, cleaned them again. The last two days we started with an hour of exercises: first we strip to the waist, run around in a circle, then stork walk, backfield crouch, bobber, stationary run, high jumper, bend and rock, squat thrust, rowing, squat bender, push-ups, side bender, body twist, squat jumper".
We started chemical warfare training, a couple of gas raids, wearing gas masks. We have started the positions from which to fire the rifle. You have to be in exactly the right position and perfectly balanced, or the recoil of the rifle will knock you on your ear when you fire. The non-coms walk around and shove you, or knock aside the front of the rifle, to see how steady you are. Today we had four hours of practice, yesterday two hours. Our commanding officer is Captain Doodey, he says to remember his name, ‘it’s Doodey reporting for Duty’ ".
I went to the PX, waiting in line for a show, all of a sudden, who should walk over but Marv Braunstein himself. He started the basic training today. We talked as usual, although we were 300 miles from home.” At George Washington High, several students started a swing band. I was one of three saxophones, Marv was the drummer, we had a trumpet, a bass, and my sister Carolyn played piano when we practiced at our home. Marv had been in the merchant marine, so I was surprised he was drafted or enlisted to avoid the draft.
10/9/1946. “Tomorrow, 50 more fellows are coming into our 86th company. We have 4 platoons already, a platoon of 70 soldiers fills up a double-story barracks, and a squad sleeps on one side of a barracks. They told us that because of the 60 new men, the entire group would be re-alphabetized and shifted around. After dinner, we were told we had 20 minutes to get all our clothes and equipment and fall out in front. I emptied everything out of my footlocker into my barracks bag, gas mask over my shoulder, my combat pack on my back, put on my helmet and raincoat, took my 10 coat hangers of clothes and buttoned them inside my two-ton overcoat, slung over 1 arm, barracks bag over my shoulder, and slowly staggered out the door., There were over 300 of us standing outside in the rain. They read out our name and new location. I was the minority who were changed to another platoon, which occupies the barracks right next to my former barracks, but ¾ of the men staggered back into the same barracks they were in before”.
10/10/1946. “I got the clarinet and pen, Daddy packed and shipped. 10/10/1946 I passed an audition and will go to BTU after basic training. I was told to pick up the clarinet, no warm-up, and play the first line. I played 5 notes, 1 ½ measures, when he said ok, next man. We finish basics on a Friday, move to BTU on a Saturday, start training the next Monday, it lasts for 8 weeks.
After lunch, we found out we had 45 minutes to prepare for a 7-mile hike, with a combat pack and a horseshoe roll of blanket and tent, cartridge belt and canteen, helmet, rifle, and gas mask. In the middle of this, they called us downstairs for mail call. I was ready, but didn’t go on the hike because of the band training unit audition”.
“After breakfast, as we left the mess sergeant took five of us, including me, to KP. He didn’t know our names. After about half an hour, he wasn’t looking, I sneaked out the door. I unpacked my belongings into my footlocker, and I received a wonderful package from the Pinslers, with cookies, nuts, Life Savers, and gum. Tomorrow I have been in the army for 5 weeks”.
10/12/1946. We started with an hour of physical conditioning, then a lecture, 50 minutes marching without a single halt, everything from right flank, left flank, left and right oblique, half left, half right. Later we our combat bag filled with a tent and pole, and pegs, marched along a wet and muddy road to a thick forest, crossed a little stream, and proceeded to pitch tents – first a 2-man shelter, and then a 4-man shelter. We camouflaged the tents with pine needles and leaves. Friday night, we worked to 10:30 pm, cleaned the barracks, and prepared for the inspection Saturday morning. We got up at 4:40 am to do more preparation. We had to shave, get a haircut, clean rifle, shine boots, etc. The company commander, first sergeant, and other officers inspect. We snap to attention when they pass.
10/14/1946. After dinner, I went to the dance orchestra rehearsal, only the third, but it sounded pretty good. There are 6 trumpets,3 trombones, drums, piano, 2 alto sax, 2 tenor sax, 3 clarinets, including me. I sent for my alto saxophone. Our platoon has 80 men; 4 platoons this size in the 86th company. Tonight, they are taking turns boxing in the middle of our barracks.
10/16/1946. “ I have been issued an ‘Ike’ 10/15/1946. Today, a fellow offered me some cookies his mother baked. He is from L.A. I asked if he knew Marshal Shlom, and he went to Sunday school with him. He has been several bunks away from me. When we march by platoon, it is 4 men by 20. Today preparing for a parade next week. The 4 platoons lined up side by side in 1 group, 16 across the front and 20 along the side. I was in the middle of a sea of men and rifles; I could not see ahead, to the sides, or behind. When the usual 1 platoon, I am on the left, outside file. When rifle marksmanship, we now load and practice with dummy ammunition. If you don’t hold the rifle up and down range, they make you and your coach run around holding the rifle over your head. When we want to leave our rifle, we leave them stacked in groups of 3 or 4 in a tripod. If the stack falls over, the stack man has to sleep with a rifle in his bed that night. Monday, we started with an hour of physical conditioning exercises, finished with about a mile run, I was completely tired out at the end. Then 1 hour dismounted drill, and 2 hours rifle marksmanship, then lunch and 15 minutes rest,2 hours map reading, 2 more hours rifle marksmanship. The next training was the gas chamber. We had had gas mask drills, and we entered a room filled with tear gas. One by one, we took off our masks and walked to the doorway on the opposite side. The gas burns your eyes and nose, and tears run down your face. Part 2 you enter the room without a mask. I was first in line. You walk to the far wall, get a signal to put on the mask.
I got the Eisenhouer acket. It is 36 regular, snug, and he sleeves are a little short. Tried 36 long, sleeves good, but too long and sloppy in the waist and back. It was very cold at 6:00 am, started to wear gloves. I am going to the dance orchestra rehearsal tonight. The orchestra played during dinner. We had a practice parade of 2 battalions; our company marched in that formation of over 300, 12 by 25 men or more. There were 8 companies, about 2,000 soldiers. As we passed the reviewing stand where General Graham, the camp commander, was standing, they announced 2nd quartermaster training battalion, 86 th company , Captain Doodey, commander. We were at ‘eyes right’ as we passed, it was a thrill, you couldn’t help but feel proud'.
10/19/1946. “We will have a hike for 3 hours, a horseshoe pack of a combat bag and a roll of a blanket and a tent. You fill the bag up with any clothes; if not full enough, they fill it up with sand, which is heavy. On the hike, we carried a rifle slung over the shoulder, a cartridge belt and a canteen, and the horseshoe pack. wore a steel helmet over the helmet line we wear every day. It took 2 hours at a very fast pace; the pack gets very heavy. The hike went through some very beautiful country, part of the Petersburg National Military Park, with Civil War commemorative signs. After the hike, we rested for an hour, took off our shoes and socks, and then marched back to our company area, about a mile”. Some of basic training I don’t remember 80 years later, but I have a vivid memory of this hike. We marched single file, men as far ahead and behind as far as I could see, along a long, narrow road with no auto traffic and trees along both sides of the road. It went on and on, was an impressive event, although there was no purpose to it other than endurance training.
We went on a night problem. We dressed in soft uniforms: fatigues, a cloth cap, tennis shoes, and a rope in place of a belt, to avoid sound from metal parts. We marched to an open area where bleachers had been set up, and we saw demonstrations of night fighting.
Saturday is inspection, and Licht was chosen to be the room orderly for the platoon, the main duty keep the room orderly. During the inspection, everyone but me stood by their bed at attention. I was the only one in fatigues, to my position alone in the latrine. As the captain entered, I came to attention, said ‘Sir, Private Licht reporting as room orderly, may I be of service? That was the first time I saluted anyone”.
10/19/1946. I received a letter from Mrs. Anne Gellman. She wrote, “We were looking for you up to the last minute the evening before Yom Kippur, had your place at the table, hoping you would get in. I went to Norfolk to visit my folks. When I returned, there was a 4 lb box of delicious California dried fruits from your dear folks with a sweet note. When will you be able to come in again? Please feel free to come straight here”.
10/21/1946, “We dressed in fatigues, field jacket, rifle, gas mask, combat pack, cartridge belt, and canteen. The rain stopped, and we marched several miles to the rifle range at terrific speed, walking in 4 or 5 inches of soggy mud all the way. I was to fire in the morning, with live ammunition, as used in combat in the war. I fired about 50 shots; there is a slow fire target, and a rapid fire target resembling a head and shoulders. 100 men lined up at the firing line, side by side, at one time. When I was getting into positions, sometimes feet, knees, entire body, or sitting, the ground was all wet and muddy from the rain. It was only practice; tomorrow we fire for a recorded score. We ate lunch standing up from our mess kits, and all afternoon, I sat in a chair and kept score for some others. On the way back, we marched at the fastest rate of speed you can imagine, for the miles to our barracks. Only the best rifles were selected for firing, and mine didn’t make the grade. The others are cleaning their rifles, the parts are black and dirty, and have to be cleaned and oiled for about 5 days”.
10/22/1946.” Out of a possible score of 195, there are 3 grades of skill. 130 is marksman, 160 is sharpshooter, and 17 or over is expert. I am an expert with a high and mighty 172. I think I am among the top 10 highest scores of our platoon of 80..
The target is pretty far away, and the bulls-eye is not too big. The scoring is 4 for a bull's-eye, and for the rings of the target, 4, 3, and 2 going outwards. We fired 4 shots in kneeling, sitting, and standing, at slow fire. Rapid fire is 9 shots in 51 seconds, in 3 positions: prone, sitting, and kneeling. I kept getting 6 or 7 bull's-eyes out of 9. They told us the ‘caliber 30 mm rifle is the best in the world’. I must give the army credit for their training courses; they really bring results. I got into the positions with ease today. If you don’t get into position, the recoil will pound against your shoulder cheek or lip”. I remember that day, I had never seen any weapon before or after that day, except in photos. The army training had been so thorough and good that I did what I had been taught, and it got very good results. They said to place he end of the rifle firmly against your shoulder, slowly and gently squeeze the trigger, never point the rifle at anyone, and the body positions had been practiced again and again. I bought a medal for expert, and gave it to Carolynn Pinsler, as I had given her my fraternity pin before we were engaged. Many years later, when our daughter saw a photo of me in uniform pointing the rifle in firing position from standing, she was very surprised and asked me ‘Is that you?’. I had quickly learned the lessons when in the army: follow an order, and don’t volunteer.
10/25/1946. “Our company is on green and white alert; we must be ready day and night to fall out at a minute's notice, with full pack, loaded rifle, bayonet, etc., and sleep in our clothes, in case of any disturbance, strike, race riot, or other cases when the army must move in and take over.
10/26/2946. “Corporal said rise and shine at 5:30 am, which I did. As every morning I quickly dressed, swept and mopped around my bunk, arranged my clothing and equipment for inspection, and rushed out to the chow line. 10 minutes after breakfast on the way to classes, marched back to lunch and mail call, 10 minutes after lunch marched to classes, after dinner ran to PX to cash a check, ran back to dance band rehearsal, got back for lights out. Next day up at 5:00 am, rifle inspection outdoors, marched off to classes and movies at the movie theatre, mile march back to barracks, lunch and mail call, more training, 6:00 to 10:30 prepared for inspection the next morning. Next day up at 5:00 am to lay out clothing and equipment display on the bunk. At inspection, the captain walked by I was flagged for unshined shoes; my shoes were shined better than a lot of others around me, I was angry. 36 of my platoon were placed on green and white alert; I wasn’t picked, 150 were on that alert. Others are on guard duty, 4 hours off and 2 hours on guard, for 12 or 24-hour shifts, including nights. Others have KP duty on the weekend.
10/27/1946. “I was at the barracks, and in walked Marv Braunstein on a social visit. He was as friendly and as nice as anyone could be. We talked for over an hour. He goes to the firing range tomorrow.”
10/28/1946. “ I got a package with food from Carolynn Pinsler, she sent 2 snapshots of herself, she has written to me almost every day”.
10/30/1946. “We went on the longest hike of my career – it took 3 hours. My platoon got separated from the rest of the company and had quite a time finding them. The trails kept branching off. In our classroom area, we stopped for half an hour and examined our feet. In the rest of the morning, we had exercises: we formed a circle, walked around, duck walking, making the sound of a duck, bear walk, crawling on all fours, and conditioning games. In the afternoon classification interviews and physical examinations, then I lay down on the grass in the sun. Rehearsal of the orchestra at night, and the next day played for 3 ½ hours outdoors. Marv Baunstein stopped by to listen”.
0/31/1946. “ I went into Petersburg last night, a very beautiful USO, dance floor twice as big as the hospitality house in SF, a stage with curtains, it was a Halloween dance, a very good all negro dance orchestra. The females there were old. There are 44,000 soldiers at Camp Lee; the total population of Petersburg is the same. I have guard duty at 5:00 pm tomorrow night, my first and only time. I got paid $119, mailed $100 home so not to keep it with me, and asked them to mail me a check for $10. within 2 weeks.
11/1/1946. “ I was given the afternoon off to prepare for guard duty, had a special dinner at 3:00 pm, given a box lunch to eat at 12:00 midnight. You have to walk around a lonely building somewhere for 2-hour stretches, keep walking at all times with your rifle at left or right shoulder arms, can’t eat, drink, or talk to anyone except in the line of duty. You have to challenge anyone who comes in: there are commands to halt, then if necessary, fire twice, once over the head, and next to hit. Sometimes officers come by to test you. If you don’t do it right, or don’t stay awake at all times, you can be court-martialed”.
11/2/1946. “I am at the USO in Petersburg, which gives breakfast served by B'nai B'rith, but I am here for dinner. I just bought one of those caps of officer color and yellow quartermaster braid. I am wearing the Ike jacket and matching pants. They are going to stop basic training at Camp Lee, but I will have the full 8 weeks of basic training. The captain had a hint that draftees may be discharged after 6 months. Yesterday, 12 of us had never had guard duty before, left at 5:00 pm. The guard house was a large room of 4 white walls and 6 double-deck bunks. I went on duty at 9:00 pm for 2 hours; my post was the officers' PX. It was 190 paces around the building. When the corporal of the guard comes with relief, the guard yells ‘Halt, who goes there?. Corporal of the guard is the reply, ‘advance corporal of the guard and be recognized.’. The relief man takes over. I slept in my clothes, lights on, at 2:45, marched off again, duty 3:00 to 5:00 am. Sometimes my mind would wander, then I would see the tall, thin shadow of a soldier wearing a helmet and carrying a rifle, that was me! I slept until 7:00 am. We went back to the barracks, where they were preparing for an event, to leave at 11:00 am. We wore all the clothes and equipment, we marched double time, it took about an hour to get to the bivauc area, we set up our 2-man tents in a circle surrounding the mess area and latrines, and a command post in the center. My tent was with a fellow from Fresno. Lunch was c rations, you eat it out of the can, the other can was breakfast. I went back to my tent, lay down on my back in the sun, covered my head with my helmet, and fell asleep for 2 hours until awakened. We had a night compass problem, luminous dials, went to a certain road, couldn’t see ahead, holes and ditches, underbrush bushes, trees, we got there, rested in the moonlight. We had divided into groups of 4 or 5, told to go at 230 degrees for 1020 yards, and come back at other directions. It took 3 hours, got back for dinner out of our mess kits. We took down the tents, made packs. We got back to the barracks at 10:00 pm, had hot chocolate and cookies, took a cold shower, and went to bed. The next 2 days had classes, movies, a rifle inspection, and I signed the payroll for November”.
11/9/1946. “I had dinner at the service club: my favorites, fried chicken, fresh corn, sweet potatoes, rolls, jello and fruit salad, apricot pie. Three days ago was a rough day; we walked about 12 to 15 miles. First, we walked 2 ½ miles to the rifle range to fire the submachine gun, which looks like a grease gun in a gas station, and is inaccurate. Then to a squad combat range, where 12 men advance to trenches in combat formation, firing the carbine with live ammunition at targets that rise for a few seconds, I didn’t do it because there wasn’t enough time. We marched back at a fast pace, had lunch, marched to a training area for a lecture, marched 1 ½ miles to a gym for boxing for 15 minutes, then walked to the grenade range where we each threw 2 hand grenades loaded with firecrackers. We usually have a 10-minute break every hour, this day we had only 1 break all day. Then a fire drill, and I left for a company party.
I got $5.00 check for the highest score at the rifle range for my platoon. My recorded score is 182, not 172. I am the highest man of the platoon”. At the company party, there was a very good comedian. The dance orchestra sounded wonderful. Dinner was steak and beer. Before the party, the Captain, the non-coms, and the privates were all angry at each other. At the party, everyone made up, like a college rally. What got a good mood was a series of imitations of the captain, the non-coms, and the cook, all of whom have their way of giving orders, talking, and acting, exaggerated in imitations. The next day we did a lot of marching again, to the areas for \\drill, films, exercises, and a dress parade”.
11/13/1946. “We had a test of physical condition. This is my score, first test to second test: pullups 5 to 5, squat jumps 30 to 40, sit-ups 30 to 47, squat thrust 18 to 30. So I am quite improved”.
11/14/1836. “I went to the nearby city of Hopewell, the dance orchestra played for a USO dance, a bus took us there and back, it is a beautiful USO, nothing in SF to compare to it. The dance floor is about 4 times as big a Hospitality House in SF.
11/17/1946. “About 90 fellows of our group shipped out for Europe – probably Italy, or Africa. They report in New Jersey in 11 days. We had a Saturday morning inspection. I have been in the army for 10 weeks. My name came up for KP, but came off because I am in the dance orchestra, a soft deal. I have seen some good movies lately, double feature first run for .80. I see movies at the base theatre and often go to Petersburg for movies. I had my favorite breakfast, 2 scrambled eggs and peach pie al a mode. On Sunday, I am writing with a box of Ritz crackers and a stack of Hershey bars. I was 1 of 12 working at the mess hall of one of the companies already closed up.
11/20/1945. “I went to services at the chapel last night. No chaplain and a GI conducted it. After JWB and B'nai B'rith served kosher salami, cake, and Coke. I worked for 20 minutes taking down storage tents. The sergeant left and never came back. I left and went to the barracks for a rest and a bite to eat. Yesterday at dinner, an MP said to me, ‘Is that how you eat at home, soldier, with a hat on?’ If you are caught outdoors without a hat, you are told off too. Today I ran a ½ mile, then double-timed a short distance. We had a review, training on the bazooka, and each fellow fired 1 grenade from an attachment to a rifle; it had a strong backfire. In the afternoon, there was a 100-question multiple choice test of all subjects during basic training, which was tough”.