The Vietnam involvement was just beginning. The Post was so crowded that our Company had to live in 5 or 6 man tents on concrete slabs.

We could roll up the sides in hot weather and down in cold weather aided by a coal burning small stove. We were not allowed to WALK in the Company area, we had to run everywhere.

My pay was $64. the first month. I became nauseous during the low crawl training. My horizontal ladder rungs ranged from 3 the first day to over 50 the last day.

I gained about 20 pounds onto my 112 pound frame. Making an error in M-14 rifle qualification, my helmet liner was rapped on by the DI's swagger stick until my ears rung. Bivouac was the first time I had tried to sleep in cold weather in a pup tent. I didn't sleep but did shiver all night long.

My first weekend pass was refused for this important reason: they needed someone to sweep a parking lot which had not been used since World War II. I was told Guard Duty would be my most important job I would do in the Army.

My first Guard Duty was guarding a large empty roof-only storage shed in a deserted area. The shed had no sides and one could see completely through it. The floor was dirt. It didn't seem too important walking that Guard all night.

When we completed Basic, I was somehow put in charge of the paperwork we were to take on the plane to our next assignment. I got so excited I left my duffle bag at the Transfer Point.

We left Jackson in cold weather with rain. We were dressed in Class A Winter uniforms. It was my first airplane flight. When we landed in Fort Polk LA, it was 90 degrees and dry. Rather warm in Winter Dress. Then I borrowed a buddy's uniforms and bought new personal items at the PX.

Until my duffle caught up to me, everyone there thought my name was Curt Marchand from Illinois, instead of Bill Patterson from Georgia.

It was all quite an experience.