Sampson Air Force Base, Geneva, New York, October 1951. A former Navy base closed at the end of WW ll, it was re-activated by the USAF during the Korean War.

Situated on the East Side of Lake Seneca, so it could catch the west wind that carried the dampness and lake effect snow. When I arrived, contractors were still trying to supply our barracks, as well as several others with steam heat.

In the morning there was ice in the butt cans and we shaved with ice cold water. There was no rifle range on this base so we fired 22 caliber rifles laying on concrete pads in an indoor range.

The temperature inside was the same as outside, about 25 degrees, but at least there was no wind. We took our ten mile hike in December, five degrees, ten inches of snow, lucky us, no marching.

Uniform for night guard duty, long johns, fatigues, GI sweater, field jacket with hood and a wool hat all covered with your blue class A wool overcoat, two pair of wool socks, brogans, galoshes and a carbine.

I left Sampson on January 1st 1952, on January 15th I was admitted to the base hospital at Kessler AFB Mississippi with a temperature of 105 and pneumonia.