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December 2, 1942:
Inducted into the U.S. Army and left the train depot in Johnston
early in the morning. Dad and Mom, along with all my brothers
and sisters, went along to bid me good-bye. On the way to the
train station we had a flat tire which put the pressure on us.
But we made it.
I arrived at New Cumberland, Pennsylvania
(Near Harrisburg) in the early evening. Whatta Day!! Phew!!
December 4, 1942:
Left New Cumberland for a train ride across the United States
and into the Great West.
December 9, 1942:
Arrived at Camp Beale, California (near Marysville and fifty
miles north of Sacramento). Was assigned to the 13th Armored
Division (The Black Cat Division).
December 10, 1942:
Had a medical exam and the doctors recommended that I go to the
base hospital for surgery. It was a hydrocele operation.
While in the hospital contracted a bad cold.
I was never told this, but I suspect it was pneumonia, for it
took a month to recuperate and regain my health for surgery.
January 13, 1943:
Was operated on.
February 1, 1943:
Discharged from hospital.
February 1 to September 2, 1943: Went through basic and advanced training. Had to
play a lot of catch-up.
September 2-16, 1943:
My first furlough. YIPPIEE. Another round trip by train crossing
the United States.
October 2, 1943:
Transferred from D Company 46 Armored Regiment to Service Company
46th Armored Regiment. It was this move that took me out of driving
tanks to becoming a radio operator. I went to Divisional Radio
School.
December 11, 1943:
The 13th Armored Division left Camp Beale and moved to Camp Bowie,
Texas. Had a scenic trip. So, almost to the day, I spent one
year at Camp Beale, California.
I was never so surprised to find frozen ground
and water and 20-degree temperatures when we arrived in Texas.
One thing the service did for many of us was to educate us through
our travels. I had the idea that Texas was the ÒSunny
SouthÓ.
December 26, 1943:
Was assigned to Radio School at Fort Knox, Kentucky. Left Camp
Bowie and arrived at Fort Knox, Kentucky, two days later.
December 31 and January 1, 1944: Had to day pass. Spent the holidays at home in Johnstown.
April 1, 1944:
Graduated from Armored School at Fort Knox, Kentucky.
April 2-14, 1944:
Had a delay-on-route (furlough) and spent this time at home.
Arrived in Texas on April 14th.
May 15, 1944:
Left Camp Bowie, Texas, on what was to be the most memorable
part of my early life. I was headed for overseas and became part
of an historic event. So, I said good-bye to my service company
buddies.
NOTE: Two things led to this event. While
I was at Radio School in Fort Knox for three months my former
radio operator job was given to "Detail Bailey". So
when I went back there were two guys for one job. To compound
this problem our company got a new Commanding Officer. So, he
really didn't know me.
As you can see by this date of May 15th, D-Day
was just three weeks away. (Naturally we did not know this) but
the call went out all over the country to line up replacements
for those who would be killed or wounded during D-Day and the
next couple of weeks that followed. So, I was not indispensable.
May 18, 1944:
Went through my hometown of Johnstown, Pennsylvania. What a sinking
feeling. On my birthday to-boot! A narrative of this experience
follows.
(Note this diary was written as it occurred.
The narrative is an English assignment I had when I was going
to the Johnstown Center, University of Pittsburgh in 1946.)
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