On way to Korea
Basic training was over and now I had a little money in my pocket.I look sharp wearing my uniform had my orders and the date to report to California. I went back to the trailer park in Gainesville to sleep on a couch,take a shower across the road. My Foster parents in a way could of cared less if I had come home.
I would have more fun on an Army post, I went to Cedar Keys but nothing there. I found out quickly I was living better in the Army than where I was, so I bought my tickets for my trip to California had to go to Jacksonville, Where I got on a train.That train ride started my seven plus days trip across the United States.
I enjoyed every minute watching the scenery and eating good in the dinning car. When we reached Texas it took us three days to across the top of Texas, On the train I met a sailor we after talking we agreed to write each other, he would become a medic with a Marine unit and later in the Korean war win the Silver Star when a squad of Chinese came at him while he was working on some wounded. He threw grenades, fired his weapon and killed all the Chinese. It was one of the best trips I ever took across the United States. When we arrived in California on the seventh day. It took one more to get to our destination.
I reported in and showed the Sgt my orders. Then he said that I had reported in three days early. He also told me about others that were deserters. Our barracks was near one of those canals famous in California and we warned not to go near them.
It was a changing point in my life. I had started to think differently growing up? I knew I was completely on my own now, even my taste in music I went from Western cowboy type music to Doris day, Bing Crosby and Pop music. The first song that got my going was ? "The world is waiting for a sunrise" Les Paul and Mary Ford. While I was at the camp they had typewriters that work by putting a dime in and it work for so many minutes. I wrote letters but I never received a letter from my foster parents. We pulled details but soon we were packing up and brought to the docks. That troop ship was so big a two stacker the bow of the ship was way past the dock, a two stacker is a big ship. The ship was the General Johnson.
The last thing I saw was the Golden gate bridge.
A couple of days out we hit a typhoon and I got very sick and put on guard. The officer took me to an upper deck on the port side. He open the door and there was a soldier sick lying on the deck. He told me if I got sick I should get on the deck to.
The wind was blowing very strong. On that trip there is a couple of days I do not remember I was that sick.
Later when I felt better rumors went around that the Chinese had a special weapon. The ship would move in such a way all the trays flew off the dinning room table. We would be at sea over two weeks going to Japan.
Showing posts with label FL. Show all posts
Showing posts with label FL. Show all posts
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.
Gainesville FL - 1950
Gainesville Florida
Before I get to Gainesville one more thing about Cedar keys. It was the last of the medicine men. The word got around and we would go to a field and a stage was set up. The Medicine man would come out and give a talk on his medicine that would cure this and that. Our reward he would show a movie. So we would show up the couple of nights he was there to see a free movie.
The trailer park there was much larger and near a highway.John my Foster parent got a job as a mechanic Helen got a job in a Mental hospital nearby I took care of my half-sister Sarah and made dinner every night, that's how I learn to cook. One big day they had a contest for animals and I took the bird in a cage and cleaned it real good we got a ribbon for the best in birds. To make a long story short one day Helen decided I should be on my own (I was not yet 17).
So with no clothes and little money I started walking and hitch hiking. I hitch hiked from Gainesville to St.Augustine Fl. I remember walking along lonely road in the swamps and forest.Getting a ride now and then. In St.Augustine I got a room it was clean and I had abed to sleep in.I got a job washing dishes at a restaurant.
Now I was eating good and making a little money. Around my 17th birthday a hurricane hit. I walk to the bridge and felt the strong wind blowing.many boats were being sunk and part of the dock went floating down the middle of the street. A Church was across the street but I never went in. I visited the Fort near by, it was nice.
Then the day came at the place I was staying. The land lord had raised my rent and I could not afford it. What to do. I went to the park and was sleeping on a bench (Like a homeless person) which I was. A Police Officer came by and ask me what I was doing. I explained that I did not have that much money to rent a place. So he took me to a cheapy. Now I watch cock roaches crawl up, the wall. I had enough. I hitch hiked back to Gainesville.
On my way back a trucker gave me a small container with oysters to eat. Ill never forget that. Back in Gainesville I look for jobs. Sign of the times.
I got on a bus and was going to the back, the Bus driver said I could not do that I had to sit in front. Because only the black people sat in the back plus black people only drank from a certain fountain and used certain bathrooms. Up North it was not that way
Before I get to Gainesville one more thing about Cedar keys. It was the last of the medicine men. The word got around and we would go to a field and a stage was set up. The Medicine man would come out and give a talk on his medicine that would cure this and that. Our reward he would show a movie. So we would show up the couple of nights he was there to see a free movie.
The trailer park there was much larger and near a highway.John my Foster parent got a job as a mechanic Helen got a job in a Mental hospital nearby I took care of my half-sister Sarah and made dinner every night, that's how I learn to cook. One big day they had a contest for animals and I took the bird in a cage and cleaned it real good we got a ribbon for the best in birds. To make a long story short one day Helen decided I should be on my own (I was not yet 17).
So with no clothes and little money I started walking and hitch hiking. I hitch hiked from Gainesville to St.Augustine Fl. I remember walking along lonely road in the swamps and forest.Getting a ride now and then. In St.Augustine I got a room it was clean and I had abed to sleep in.I got a job washing dishes at a restaurant.
Now I was eating good and making a little money. Around my 17th birthday a hurricane hit. I walk to the bridge and felt the strong wind blowing.many boats were being sunk and part of the dock went floating down the middle of the street. A Church was across the street but I never went in. I visited the Fort near by, it was nice.
Then the day came at the place I was staying. The land lord had raised my rent and I could not afford it. What to do. I went to the park and was sleeping on a bench (Like a homeless person) which I was. A Police Officer came by and ask me what I was doing. I explained that I did not have that much money to rent a place. So he took me to a cheapy. Now I watch cock roaches crawl up, the wall. I had enough. I hitch hiked back to Gainesville.
On my way back a trucker gave me a small container with oysters to eat. Ill never forget that. Back in Gainesville I look for jobs. Sign of the times.
I got on a bus and was going to the back, the Bus driver said I could not do that I had to sit in front. Because only the black people sat in the back plus black people only drank from a certain fountain and used certain bathrooms. Up North it was not that way
Pirates Cove Trailer Park, Cedar Keys FL. - 1950
Pre Army Days 1950
I walked down the path by the trailer park you could see the ocean and a small dock. There were some young people playing there. Joyce was the first I met and I liked her immediately found out her father owned the trailer park. We talked about fishing and we decided to go fishing together. My Foster parent father gave me one of his poles. The only difference between the two were the color of the rods,this one was blue, so that day Joyce and I went fishing.
On the island were a series of small bridges. At the first one we stopped at she went to put her line in the water instead the hook hit my head and stuck in my head. We walk back to the trailer park Joyce following me real close with her pole and her line in my head.Her father took the hook out of my head. John my foster parent for the next couple of months tried fishing to support the family but it was destined not to work. In the mean time I did a lot of fishing and we ate a lot of Yellow tails as they were called of the big dock in town. Joyce in the mean time was more interested in the local boys. I tried once talking with her but some things I said got back to my foster mother. We had oyster bakes, a college student who did research made us Shrimp Gumbo. I went with him out to the little Islands where he collected sea horses with a net.
Some times I would get a tourist and tell him I knew the best fishing spots and go out with them.
It was easy enough for them to catch fish. One caught a small shark and he gave me some to eat it was good, I went out with a local fisher man who put out a net to catch fish. One night he was so drunk he threw in the anchor with out the line attached to it. Then another time I went out on a larger boat for deep sea fishing and caught grouper red and black grouper, (Black taste better). I was doing well catching fish but I got sea sick so I never went out with them again. One day I saw a small boat on the shore with a oar in it.Why not I got in and started out to sea,,big mistake a strong wing blowing out to sea and so I went not able to get back to shore.
I rowed and rowed towards another Island and lucky got to it. I took off my shirt and waved it, A boat stopped and pulled me back to shore. On another day the main dock caught fire and my foster parent John was on it.he had to jump in the water but got to shore.
On one of the bridges I was fishing with my foster parent Helen, I caught a five pound cat fish . We ate it the next day.
Then one day we moved to Gainesville to another trailer park.
A new phase in my life had begun.
I walked down the path by the trailer park you could see the ocean and a small dock. There were some young people playing there. Joyce was the first I met and I liked her immediately found out her father owned the trailer park. We talked about fishing and we decided to go fishing together. My Foster parent father gave me one of his poles. The only difference between the two were the color of the rods,this one was blue, so that day Joyce and I went fishing.
On the island were a series of small bridges. At the first one we stopped at she went to put her line in the water instead the hook hit my head and stuck in my head. We walk back to the trailer park Joyce following me real close with her pole and her line in my head.Her father took the hook out of my head. John my foster parent for the next couple of months tried fishing to support the family but it was destined not to work. In the mean time I did a lot of fishing and we ate a lot of Yellow tails as they were called of the big dock in town. Joyce in the mean time was more interested in the local boys. I tried once talking with her but some things I said got back to my foster mother. We had oyster bakes, a college student who did research made us Shrimp Gumbo. I went with him out to the little Islands where he collected sea horses with a net.
Some times I would get a tourist and tell him I knew the best fishing spots and go out with them.
It was easy enough for them to catch fish. One caught a small shark and he gave me some to eat it was good, I went out with a local fisher man who put out a net to catch fish. One night he was so drunk he threw in the anchor with out the line attached to it. Then another time I went out on a larger boat for deep sea fishing and caught grouper red and black grouper, (Black taste better). I was doing well catching fish but I got sea sick so I never went out with them again. One day I saw a small boat on the shore with a oar in it.Why not I got in and started out to sea,,big mistake a strong wing blowing out to sea and so I went not able to get back to shore.
I rowed and rowed towards another Island and lucky got to it. I took off my shirt and waved it, A boat stopped and pulled me back to shore. On another day the main dock caught fire and my foster parent John was on it.he had to jump in the water but got to shore.
On one of the bridges I was fishing with my foster parent Helen, I caught a five pound cat fish . We ate it the next day.
Then one day we moved to Gainesville to another trailer park.
A new phase in my life had begun.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
