I graduated from high school in 1942 at the age of 17. In November I enlisted in the Army Air Corps at Cumberland, Md. I was sent to Baltimore to the armory for a physical, which I passed, and was sworn in on Nov. 4, 1942. Along with several others, I was taken to Fort Meade, Md., for clothing issue and further assignment. It was there that I had my first breakfast of “S.O.S.” and my serial number given. Several days later, about 20 of us were put on a train. No one would tell us where we were going – a big military secret. About 4 a.m. we were met at a railroad station, put in a couple of weapons carriers, and told we would be spending the next six weeks in Atlantic City, N.J.
At the onset of WWII, the government took over resort hotels along the coastline of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. These hotels were among the finest in the nation, commanding thousands of dollars per week. The hotel I resided in was The Ambassador on the boardwalk, rent-free. All the ornate fixtures and furniture had been removed from the guest rooms, halls and other facilities. Each room was furnished with a steel cot, a chest and a dresser. The elevators were not to be used, stairs only. Luckily, my room was only on the fourth floor.
Our training consisted of customs and courtesies, close order drill, firing range and guard duty at the entrance to the hotel. We did not have to pull KP. The Army kept the civilian cooks, bakers and staff. I did not like the cold, damp, windy weather when we drilled outside. Some training activities were conducted in the ballrooms during inclement weather. There were about 400 recruits at the hotel when I was there. My recruit class graduated Dec. 20, 1942.
I ended up finishing the war as an instructor at Scott Field, Ill., after flying 32 combat missions over occupied Europe. I retired from the Air Force in 1965.