It Begins With The Physical and then there's Basic All the men stand with papers in hand and go from station to station to be examined. It becomes necessary to strip down to shorts for most stations and at one station strip completely. A doctor with a tongue depressor tells you to bend over and spread your cheeks. Determining from this whether or not the examinee has been engaged in anal activities. The doctor then passes or rejects the applicant. One fellow, in whose rear the Doctor almost lost his wooden stick was immediately rejected. When the doctor exclaimed "wow" the word echoed as if they were at the Grand Canyon. The gaping cavity that was his butthole had been stretched to it's capacity. It appeared that many large objects had penetrated this sphincter. This pervert was trying to get into the Army where he could get his pick. Some homosexuals still fall through the cracks and are taken into the Armed Forces. Later in the exam, Jack and Jack alone was asked to step from the line and jump up and down for several minutes and he became nervous. Quietly he wondered and worried if something was wrong. Relief came when the examiner stamped "AIRBORNE" on Jack's papers. Nothing could stop him now. At seven A.M. , they met at Whitehall and piled into buses. There were funny looking guys screaming things at them that they had never heard. Why were they so mad at them, what had they done? But the worst was yet to come. Although training of U.S.Army troops took place primarily in the Southern states, many soldiers passed through New Jersey's Fort Dix or Camp Kilmer. They left Kilmer by plane and flew to Fort Campbell. The Korean War was raging but Jack didn't give a shit. He felt impervious and nothing could happen to him. When they arrived in Campbell, the senseless berating did not relent, instead it increased. These mean mothers were the professionals. From the moment they left the plane, they were bombarded with insults and personal put downs. These dummies didn't know Jack from Adam, yet to them everybody was a queer, how could they possibly know his sexual orientation. Acting Platoon Sergeants are chosen by a real sergeant. If one looks tough he might be chosen as the Acting because he may later have to challenge and fight another platoon member. A boy from Georgia, Bucky Howe, was picked to be our Acting and admittedly, he did a good job ; nobody challenged his authority. The original haircut cost nothing. Short hair we were told was necessary to prevent the spread of lice to all troops living in such close quarters. Haircuts only came in one style, close to the skin, so anyone with a clipper was a potential barber. At the time of hair cutting they were given what was then called a" Flying Twenty." Jack soon knew why it was so called. From this twenty they were told to buy shaving cream, tooth brush, and all necessary toiletries. Boy, did it ever fly. To worsen matters the amount was taken from his $40 monthly pay. Despite the supplies some boys seemed either unwilling or not quite ready to use them. This is how Jack found out what a G.I. party was. After dark, 10 or 12 guys would grab their victim. Dressed only in skivvies, armed with Ajax or Comet and with various hard bristled scrub brushes they washed their target. One boy in particular, Brooks a kid from Illinois had a propensity
for going days without showering. This being a definite no no, a group decided to take
matters in their own hands. Brooks looked like a boiled lobster when they were finished.
Unfortunately it didn't have a lasting effect. Before long, the treatment had to be
reapplied. Soldiering was not Jack's strong suit. He rated average when stood
along side others. No matter what the NCO may think of you personally, he will always
respect your gumption. They despise quitters.
Some sergeants couldn't read well and when a name with more than two syllables came up they butchered it atrociously. Jack and the boys would be rolling, as best they could under the circumstances, and when seen push-ups followed. Italian names such Di Benedetto, Scardigno at first brought snickers, guffaws and of course the old time-honored cure all push-ups. Polish names like Stanislovsky weren't even attempted and they would answer before they even heard the sound. Just seeing the Drill Sergeant's lips begin to quiver at the aspect of trying this name was enough to trigger the northerners response. Imagine if you will, our ex chief of staff, General Shalikashvili, can't you see those lips looking a lot like Elvis Presley?
NCOs or cadre as they are sometimes called, lived either off post or, if married, live in special areas. After the last formation in the evening they go home. Arriving back on base at 0430 hrs on weekday mornings to beat on garbage cans, bells and sometimes the troops! If you were slow to arise, the dummy grabbed the covers and dumped you and your entire bed onto the floor. Don't even think about drawing back your fist or complaining. Among the mischief the boys enjoyed before lights out were, to take shaving cream and put in the hand of early to bed people. Tickling his face brought laughter when the half sleeping guy tried to ease this itch. Face loaded now with cream and everybody looking sheepish. A variety on this was to pour warm salty water in one's mouth and to standing over him holding your penis. Make sure first that you can beat this guy because he is so embarrassed he may charge you like a mad bull. Before Brooks got shipped, he slept very hard and wound up on the lawn. One night while taking Brooks outside they started laughing so hard he awoke with a razor blade in his hand and they left him alone for a while. Weeks later when they resumed, they were laughing and dropped him. He yelled out very loud that he was hurt and Jack really did think he'd hit his head.
At other times they would either short -sheet or fix the bunk of a guy who was taking a shower. Short sheeting consists of folding back the underneath sheet. In the dark the unsuspecting recruit tries to stretch his legs but can't. Or maybe the legs of his bunk have been half folded under. Again unsuspecting, he lies down and the bunk collapses. Great fun, but a sergeant, not in their company, just returned from Korea, promised to pay them back for disturbing his rest. He had a cadre (Cpl. Zane Dick) stay after hours to drill them by marching in the company street. The cadre ordered them to "forward march." Away they went, most cadre march along a side the troops but this lazy goat felt he could stand in one spot and control them. No way. They made believe no one could hear him and kept marching away. When they finally came back, he was rightfully annoyed. The meat-head sent the platoon into the barracks and told them that when they heard a whistle they'd better be in formation in 20 seconds . . . with their foot lockers. First time out they didn't do it fast enough. Next time out they went through the screen. Jack didn't know whether they set the record or not, but the cadre didn't ask them to repeat it again! Then back inside to fix the lockers back to inspection quality. Then he had them pick up their lockers and march with them at "port arms "which is the way soldiers carry a rifle in front of them. Anything that came into this demented mind was perpetrated against them, but collectively they stood as one bent maybe, but together and unbroken!
#2......Police Call #3........81mm Mortar #4....Dobson Sleeping #5....The Broken Barracks Door
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