First week into Boot-Camp, San Diego, California, 1954. My company learned how to wash its clothes and how to properly hang them for inspection. All of us learned quickly and after the first week we had more time to just relax, write home or . . . create music.

Music was born with one member of the Company playing popular music on his comb. Having played the drums in high school, I grabbed an empty bucket, turned it upside down and began to accompany the comb player with 'bongo' beats.

When we managed to play some hit songs of the day, several members of the Company joined us in song or just hummed along. \

We continued this tradition until our Company graduated.

The sweet universality of music!