I came across an interesting old yearbook of sorts -- the book that was published by the Army recounting my Initial training at Ft. Jackson, SC in 1970. Well, it wasn't put out by the Army just to recount my days there. They did this for every cycle going through Basic Entry posts back then. I assume they still do it today. I hope so.Anyway, it was really fun looking through those pages. Isn't it amazing how long it takes you to look through such a simple, old book. It was even more of a treat to find some old Polaroids (if you have to ask what a Polaroid is, you're too young) in the book that were taken while I was there. Real Estate agents always talk about location, location ... location. Well, this picture of our "Company Street" at Ft. Jackson, SC fits the bill 'cause I don't think anything else imaginable could have been put there and lasted this long.
I was convinced that the Army sent out people in planes to find the most heavily treed area they could that contained pretty much nothing but pine trees and scrub oaks with the dirt being nothing but clay (a.k.a. MUD). They were then to throw in lots of mean bugs and snakes and and call it an Army base.Well, that's what I remember of Ft. Jackson. These two pictures (above) show two things the drill instructors were constantly looking for: goofing off behind the barracks and standing around with one's hands in one's pockets. I am confident to this day that had the DI seen us in either one of these situations, I/we would have been peeling potatoes until some time last week.
Another memory of Basic was the time spent shining boots. You know -- they don't shine boots anymore. In fact, except for special units and times, soldiers wear a kind of suede boot (kind of like those saddle shoes we all wore as teenagers). Now you don't do much more than knock the mud off them. I think these young soldiers have lost a bit of military history and tradition. Most of them will never know what Kiwi polish even is. Too bad.
One of the other things I found was a picture of two friends and myself. I remember these guys were pretty important to me back then, but I've lost contact with them since then. That's another of those "too bad" things. Walter Byrd is on the left, and Roger Bentley is in the middle. You're right, that guy with his hands in his pockets on the right is me. Boy, what a lean, mean fighting machine!! I think my waist back then was somewhere around 28". It's still "somewhere" around that -- kind of like Cleveland is "somewhere near" Cincinnati.
Saving the best for last, this picture is of Pam's visit following the 7th week of Basic. That was the big pass weekend for everyone. Boy, looking at this picture, I sure looked like a pup. Pam was pretty much a hottie even back then.
Quinn, when you read this, I know you'll probably get a smirk on your face wondering about those weird clothes and you'll find it hard to believe that Grandpa and Grandma were ever that young. But allow me to take liberties with the title of a very good book written by LTG (Ret.) Hal Moore and Joe Galloway and say: "We were cool once, and young."
You know you've reached middle age when a doctor, not a policeman, tells you to slow down, all you exercise are your prerogatives and it takes you longer to rest than to get tired. (Anon)
Hooah
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