JMJ

Thursday, March 25, 2010

Fort Jackson SC - End of Basic Training 1951

Some of training went into advance basic so it latest a little longer. For example we went out for firing 60mm mortar. What we did was just a demonstration but it did prove to be an interesting morning.When one round was fired it fell short. Very short but no one got hurt,,We went in the room where tear gas was let in and were told not to put on our mask, as soon as it got to us we were let out,The idea to let us experience what would happen with out a protective mask on,,there other demonstrations but then came the day we would be physically put to test, We would go on a 20 mile force march with full pack on our backs. Now do not think we walk at a regular pace we were pushed. We started early lucky the weather was good. It was an extra rough day.What I remember is when we finally did get back to the barracks got up stairs and I stopped and fell asleep standing up. I woke up after briefly sleeping and got to my bunk.


The Obstacle Course.


There was one last thing we had to do to pass Basic training. It was called the obstacle course.It made everything we had done so far pale in comparison. The idea to give you a feel what it would be like in real combat.If you did not make this you did not pass basic.I had long gotten over my fear of noise but this would really put me to the test if all I hear was true. As we got close to the Obstacle course The sgt told us to take off our watches ,,and he held on to them,.It was night time when we arrived by the course.It was a huge oblong pit. All we had to do was crawl the length of the pit, but as we crawled real bullets from a machine gun would be firing over our heads and as we crawled TNT would be exploded to simulate shells falling. We got down low as the machine gun started firing and crawled over the sand bags in to the pit. How high were those bullets? They could have never been high enough. As I crawled in the dirt down the middle of the pit small explosions from TNT went off this continued until we got to the end, then we crawled out and the firing stopped. The Sgt gave us back our watches. We had passed basic.


Sent Overseas


We had a special ceremony for graduation.In all that time in basic I never received one letter and of course no one at the graduation, I had been in the barracks a couple of days. One day I came back and everybody was gone shipped out, I went with another group. Then I went to Florida before I would go over seas. I would stay with my Foster parents for a few days, I would be going to Korea.

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