I guess it’s time for me to make this post to keep up the morale of you civilians!
On Monday, March 22, I was shipped from the Reception Center, Fort Douglas, Utah, to Kearns, Utah. However, I didn’t get much of a ride, for Kearns is just 15 miles across the valley from Fort Douglas. In fact, I can see the Reception Center buildings from here, even the large white barracks where I stayed for 4 ½ days. Fort Douglas, Kearns, and Salt Lake City are all located in a valley which is right in the middle of the Rocky Mountains but the valley is very large and very flat. The valley floor is very dry and is covered with a thin blanket of wild grass, but the mountains, which completely surround it, are covered with snow and ice. It is quite a sight to see the sun reflected off the glaciers on the mountains. As far as that goes, the whole country around here is very exciting and interesting, for I had become quite used to the rolling hills of the Palouse Country. Fort Douglas and Salt Lake City, and Kearns are located in the southeast and southwest corners of the valley respectively. I can see Salt Lake easily from here, it being 7 miles due south.
I have gone through Salt Lake City twice, but I haven’t seen much of the city so far. After I have been here 10 days I will be eligible for a pass and I plan to see the city then. It is somewhat larger than Spokane, and stretches like a huge crescent around the Fort Douglas area. Fort Douglas is located on a gentle slope between the city and the mountains, and provides a good vies of the whole valley.
An inductee takes several tests at the Reception Center to determine which branch of the army he is to be assigned to. No one is told which branch he has been assigned until he reaches his Basic Training Center.
When our group reached Kearns, which is Basic Training Center #5 of the Army Air Forces Technical Training Command, we were told which branch of the army we were in. I was rather disappointed to learn that I had been assigned to an Army Air Forces medical corps unit.
The work is probably as safe as any in the army, but it is so different from what I am trained for that I decided to do all I could to get out of it.
My chance to transfer came this morning. The grades I got on my tests at Fort Douglas were good enough to qualify me to go to technical school for 3 months after I finish my basic training (8 weeks). I was taken to the Classification Building today to select which medical course (samples: surgical, X-ray, sanitation, medical, dental, and laboratory technician) I wanted to study at technical school. I didn’t like any of the courses, so I told them I didn’t want to go to technical school and they put me down for general bookkeeping, which is probably what I will do when I finish basic training in 2 months. Several other fellows wanted to get out of the medical corps, but they couldn’t because they didn’t have anything else to turn to. I guess I am fortunate that I have some training and experience beyond high school. I’ll post more about what I am doing when I find out for sure. If and when I am again transferred to another post, I will be unable to post about it until I arrive at my destination. So much for that.
The food here at Kearns is better than at Fort Douglas, but the barracks are not as nice. However, I do get up 15 minutes later — 5:45 a.m. !!
I mailed a letter home with a war bond and insurance receipts and asked my Mom and Dad to put them in my drawer in the desk. I also asked my parents to send me coat hangers, a shoe shine kit, and shirts and shorts.
I need about 5 good coat hangers. I prefer the ones with paper trouser protectors so I can hang up trousers and also mark my name on them.
I am in immediate need of the shoe shine kit. The kit should include: a can of shoe shine, a brush to clean shoes, an applier for the polish, and a polisher. If they can’t buy a kit, I instructed them to send me as many of the separate items as possible. Once Mom and Dad tell me how much the things cost, I will reimburse them.
I have written a great deal tonight and will be working pretty hard during basic training, so I may not post much in the near future. Since I am semi-permanent here, it is safe to mail letters to me.
[letterstohome copyright 2008]