cadetat6
08-08-2003, 09:19 AM
State Side
Monday Aug.2, 1943 I left my fianc?e Charlotte (Micky) Matthews and sister Virginia Terry at the Michigan Central RR. I had the upper birth and Wednesday Aug. 4th
Arrived at Miami, Beach at mid-night. We were given bedding and sent to Netherlands
Hotel, on the beach. The Air Force had taken over all the hotels for army personal. The
Next 4 months I spent time in the hospital for hemorrhoid, then K.P., guard duty, inspections,movies,shots,P.T. on beach,marching.. Since I had been in the hospital
My original class had shipped out. Dec. 2,1943 I went to the Air Inspectors Office and told them of my problem. They said I would be shipped out in 24 hours. Dec 3 I was on my way to Gettysburg College,Pa. I was in a room in ?Old Dorm? dormitory with 2 other cadets Dick McKinley and Norm Bullard.We had the normal life of classes eating and sleeping. There was about 900 Cadets in ?Old Dorm and Mcknight Hall?.It was a enjoyable part of army life.My fianc?e,sisters,mother & dad,and brother at different times came from Detroit to see me. May 10,1944 we finished college and was given week furlough. I called Micky and asked if she wanted to get married. She said yes and on May 15,1944 we were married. May 20 I was back to Gettysburg College and we were shipped out to Maxwell Field,Alabama for Pre-flight. After pre-flight we went to Avon Park,Florida where we srarted flying the open cock-pit Bi wing PT-17 Stearman Then to Lakeland Florida with same type of plane. Then to Cockran Field at Macon,Georgia flying the AT-6 Texan. January 1945 I was given check flight by a Captan and one by a Major. ( I had my pilots license before joining the Air Corp.) The Major said I did OK but they had too many pilots and I was put in the army infantry. I went to Gainesville.Texas for infantry training. Finished training and went to New Jersey and then by train to Pittsburg,California and shipped out June 1, 1945 for the Philippine Island.
Monday Aug.2, 1943 I left my fianc?e Charlotte (Micky) Matthews and sister Virginia Terry at the Michigan Central RR. I had the upper birth and Wednesday Aug. 4th
Arrived at Miami, Beach at mid-night. We were given bedding and sent to Netherlands
Hotel, on the beach. The Air Force had taken over all the hotels for army personal. The
Next 4 months I spent time in the hospital for hemorrhoid, then K.P., guard duty, inspections,movies,shots,P.T. on beach,marching.. Since I had been in the hospital
My original class had shipped out. Dec. 2,1943 I went to the Air Inspectors Office and told them of my problem. They said I would be shipped out in 24 hours. Dec 3 I was on my way to Gettysburg College,Pa. I was in a room in ?Old Dorm? dormitory with 2 other cadets Dick McKinley and Norm Bullard.We had the normal life of classes eating and sleeping. There was about 900 Cadets in ?Old Dorm and Mcknight Hall?.It was a enjoyable part of army life.My fianc?e,sisters,mother & dad,and brother at different times came from Detroit to see me. May 10,1944 we finished college and was given week furlough. I called Micky and asked if she wanted to get married. She said yes and on May 15,1944 we were married. May 20 I was back to Gettysburg College and we were shipped out to Maxwell Field,Alabama for Pre-flight. After pre-flight we went to Avon Park,Florida where we srarted flying the open cock-pit Bi wing PT-17 Stearman Then to Lakeland Florida with same type of plane. Then to Cockran Field at Macon,Georgia flying the AT-6 Texan. January 1945 I was given check flight by a Captan and one by a Major. ( I had my pilots license before joining the Air Corp.) The Major said I did OK but they had too many pilots and I was put in the army infantry. I went to Gainesville.Texas for infantry training. Finished training and went to New Jersey and then by train to Pittsburg,California and shipped out June 1, 1945 for the Philippine Island.