As a 20-year-old in 1953, I was inducted into the Army. Sent to Fort Meade for assignment, I stayed there for three weeks as a mail clerk. I was told that 12 of us had scored well in our tests and would be sent to different schools to use our skills. The Army needed people to fill the need of the last regular Army basic training units at Indiantown Gap. We would have 16 weeks of infantry training.
My worst memory happened one day when we were at a demo of weapons. I was at the wrong place of a 105 recoiless rifle mounted on a jeep. The percussion totally made me lose my hearing. I asked to go to the sick bay and Sgt. Johnson denied the request. He instructed Sgt. Couser to take care of my hearing problem. How did he do that? He took me into his cadre room and stood me at attention on top of his foot locker. I stood there for three hours at attention until I finally gave in. Today I am 84, and I still remember that time. I use hearing aids today, but my right ear has always been stone deaf.