gunnyg
10-27-02, 09:53 AM
http://www.skrovan.com/joe/html/neal.html
THE LIFE AND TIMES OF A U. S. MARINE IN 1943
(And for a while thereafter)
THE BEGINNING - - -
I had been having pains in my lower housing and finally went to the doctor on a Friday. He told me my appendix had to come out, and to come back Monday morning for surgery. On Saturday I went by the Courthouse to see if they needed recruits for the Marines yet. They said I was in luck and I was to leave Monday morning for Dallas. I skipped the surgery and went to Dallas (and still have my appendix).
In Dallas there was a very kind sergeant who had been in World War I; he took us to nice cafes where we could get a plate lunch for 65 cents, and then we went swimming at the YMCA in the afternoon. We also had a nice room in a hotel, which apparently was either for cadavers or for people without urination problems. It was a rather large room, completely full of beds. Those requiring elimination would walk across the beds, their buddy's faces, or other things on their way to the toilet. The best policy was to lie face down. There were all kinds here for a common purpose -- city boys, country boys--and me.
The next day we took our physicals. We were each given a card to carry through the various tests. After taking our blood pressure we had to run up and down steps, then have it taken again. Mine dropped way down, and everybody else's went up. I asked a doctor if this meant I failed. He replied "Keep moving." The hearing test took place in a narrow hall. They had a wind-up Westclox alarm clock and asked if you could hear it tick. I think everybody did. The eye test was conducted by covering up one eye and reading the chart. If you couldn't read it, you kept moving closer until you could. We were next lined up for throats, A-holes and feet. The doctor came down the line checking all three. The guy next to me had toes with ends that pointed straight down. The doctor said "This is a walking outfit and you can't make it with toes like that." The kid said "I can walk a hell of a lot farther that you can, you old fart." The doctor said "I just wanted to hear you say so," and checked him OK.
Later in the day the kind old sergeant moved us into a room where there was an officer and said that we were going to be sworn in. The officer read for awhile and we all said, "I do." We all started talking then and the kind old sergeant said "Knock it off you bastards and line up."
We were put on a train for San Diego. Our car was packed, dirty and stunk. In a short time we became part of the car; we even had the same thought except that we knew less than the car where we were going. Every now and then I remembered those nice lunches the kind old sergeant bought us back in Dallas. We were side tracked so many times that I couldn't tell whether I was on the main line or the side rail. You didn't move much on either one. The conductors all had kind faces and dispositions just like the Devil.
We finally got to Los Angeles where the car was side tracked again. We didn't realize it at the time, but the train crew had left the train. This was shortly after midnight. It was early January and the heat was off, and we started to get cold. Although this was a Pullman car, the beds were never opened and were all locked. We pried them open and distributed the blankets. It was during this period that I began my life long love for the railroads. About sun-up somebody said we were supposed to go to the station, so we crossed the switching yard and went. We were told to take tables for breakfast. The waitress came and I said I would like bacon, eggs and hotcakes. She said, "You'll eat what you're served." We got a bowl of oatmeal and a piece of toast. I felt like Oliver Hardy after he'd been taken.
http://www.skrovan.com/joe/html/neal.html
THE LIFE AND TIMES OF A U. S. MARINE IN 1943
(And for a while thereafter)
THE BEGINNING - - -
I had been having pains in my lower housing and finally went to the doctor on a Friday. He told me my appendix had to come out, and to come back Monday morning for surgery. On Saturday I went by the Courthouse to see if they needed recruits for the Marines yet. They said I was in luck and I was to leave Monday morning for Dallas. I skipped the surgery and went to Dallas (and still have my appendix).
In Dallas there was a very kind sergeant who had been in World War I; he took us to nice cafes where we could get a plate lunch for 65 cents, and then we went swimming at the YMCA in the afternoon. We also had a nice room in a hotel, which apparently was either for cadavers or for people without urination problems. It was a rather large room, completely full of beds. Those requiring elimination would walk across the beds, their buddy's faces, or other things on their way to the toilet. The best policy was to lie face down. There were all kinds here for a common purpose -- city boys, country boys--and me.
The next day we took our physicals. We were each given a card to carry through the various tests. After taking our blood pressure we had to run up and down steps, then have it taken again. Mine dropped way down, and everybody else's went up. I asked a doctor if this meant I failed. He replied "Keep moving." The hearing test took place in a narrow hall. They had a wind-up Westclox alarm clock and asked if you could hear it tick. I think everybody did. The eye test was conducted by covering up one eye and reading the chart. If you couldn't read it, you kept moving closer until you could. We were next lined up for throats, A-holes and feet. The doctor came down the line checking all three. The guy next to me had toes with ends that pointed straight down. The doctor said "This is a walking outfit and you can't make it with toes like that." The kid said "I can walk a hell of a lot farther that you can, you old fart." The doctor said "I just wanted to hear you say so," and checked him OK.
Later in the day the kind old sergeant moved us into a room where there was an officer and said that we were going to be sworn in. The officer read for awhile and we all said, "I do." We all started talking then and the kind old sergeant said "Knock it off you bastards and line up."
We were put on a train for San Diego. Our car was packed, dirty and stunk. In a short time we became part of the car; we even had the same thought except that we knew less than the car where we were going. Every now and then I remembered those nice lunches the kind old sergeant bought us back in Dallas. We were side tracked so many times that I couldn't tell whether I was on the main line or the side rail. You didn't move much on either one. The conductors all had kind faces and dispositions just like the Devil.
We finally got to Los Angeles where the car was side tracked again. We didn't realize it at the time, but the train crew had left the train. This was shortly after midnight. It was early January and the heat was off, and we started to get cold. Although this was a Pullman car, the beds were never opened and were all locked. We pried them open and distributed the blankets. It was during this period that I began my life long love for the railroads. About sun-up somebody said we were supposed to go to the station, so we crossed the switching yard and went. We were told to take tables for breakfast. The waitress came and I said I would like bacon, eggs and hotcakes. She said, "You'll eat what you're served." We got a bowl of oatmeal and a piece of toast. I felt like Oliver Hardy after he'd been taken.
http://www.skrovan.com/joe/html/neal.html