MEMORIES OF BASIC TRAINING

DRAFTED for Vietnam

In March 1969 I joined the US Air Force. I joked I was doing it to avoid being drafted and..
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Korean War changed my life
MEMORIES OF BASIC TRAINING

Korean War changed my life

When I first received the dreaded greetings "Uncle Sam Wants You," I thought it was a complete disaster and the..
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MEMORIES OF BASIC TRAINING

Gas chamber

In July 1969 I found myself at boot camp at Fort Gordon, Ga. Before leaving the gas chamber we had..
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MEMORIES OF BASIC TRAINING

Forward march!

At Lackland AFB, Texas, for basic training, we had been marching and learning drill for the first few weeks..
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MEMORIES OF BASIC TRAINING

No privacy latrine

I was drafted into the Army in November 1968 at Fort Holabird (Baltimore, MD--long since closed) at the height of..
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MEMORIES OF BASIC TRAINING

My 15 minutes of fame

In May 1953 I was in Co.#166 at the Naval Training Center in Bainbridge, Md. I was assigned that day as..
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MEMORIES OF BASIC TRAINING

'Bare basics' training

In the spring of 1953 I was in boot camp at the Naval Training Center, Bainbridge, Md. It was night..
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MEMORIES OF BASIC TRAINING

Be careful what you ask

During the Vietnam War, we were being given classes in basic map reading by the company’s executive officer. This was..
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MEMORIES OF BASIC TRAINING

A crook in the neck

In June 1968 the temperature at Lackland AFB had soared into the upper 90's. We were issued jungle helmets to..
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MEMORIES OF BASIC TRAINING

Don - My Sailor - 1953-1957

When reading the March 2017 issue of The American Legion Magazine, I enjoyed the letters regarding Basic Training Memories. My..
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MEMORIES OF BASIC TRAINING

Texas to Fort Knox

As an old 21 year old civilian, I chose the Army to make my way through life. Somehow I gained a..
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MEMORIES OF BASIC TRAINING

Toilet paper caper

In the fall of 1972, I was in basic training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina. One memory I have from..
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MEMORIES OF BASIC TRAINING

The kosher salami

I joined the Navy immediately after graduating high school in 1943 and was sent to the Newport, Rhode Island, boot..
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MEMORIES OF BASIC TRAINING

Qualifying on the rifle range

In 1960 I trained with the Big Red One at Ft. Riley, Kan. We spent a week on the rifle..
2,203 views
MEMORIES OF BASIC TRAINING

Assume the push-up position

In March 1970, we were in about the middle of basic at Ft. Lewis, WA, with Co. A-2-2. Our barracks..
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MEMORIES OF BASIC TRAINING

Giving the right answer

I was in basic training at Lackland AFB in November and December 1969. About two weeks in, there it..
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MEMORIES OF BASIC TRAINING

Rude awakening

I enlisted in the Air Force in '62, and flew form N.Y. to Lackland Air Base. We arrived after midnight..
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MEMORIES OF BASIC TRAINING

The ups and downs of basic training

Before I was drafted for basic training I had heard many horror stories about how tough basic was, how mean..
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MEMORIES OF BASIC TRAINING

Never volunteer

In early December 1966, I arrived at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio for basic training. Our flight, as they..
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MEMORIES OF BASIC TRAINING

No freedom of choice......just green uniforms

In August 1967 I was at Parris Island, S.C., where my basic training with the Marines was in progress. By..
2,353 views
Basic training
MEMORIES OF BASIC TRAINING

Basic training

In July 1954 I reported to Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., for basic training. On my second day, I found out..
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MEMORIES OF BASIC TRAINING

Chili dogs and coffee rolls

It was the second day of basic after Reception station at Fort Leonard Wood in the fall of 1974. Two..
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MEMORIES OF BASIC TRAINING

Basic twice

I actually did not go through enlisted basic training twice. However, I did go through basic when I was a..
2,398 views
Farewell, President Kennedy
MEMORIES OF BASIC TRAINING

Farewell, President Kennedy

I joined the National Guard at the armory on South Street in Hyannis in June 1963. In September, along with..
2,563 views
Drafted
MEMORIES OF BASIC TRAINING

Drafted

I graduated from college in 1968 and almost immediately got my notice from local draft board #13, based in Springfield,..
3,112 views
MEMORIES OF BASIC TRAINING

Basic training memories

Growing up male in a small Northwest town during the Vietnam era of the 1960s, you pretty much knew what..
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MEMORIES OF BASIC TRAINING

Not quite ready for enlistment

It's 1958 and after visiting my Navy recruiter to enlist, he said I was to report the following day to..
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MEMORIES OF BASIC TRAINING

Great Lakes United States Naval Training Center, August 1949

Ahhh, the first night in boot camp. We had been poked, prodded, injected and humiliated in every way possible, including..
2,239 views
MEMORIES OF BASIC TRAINING

Army

It was the summer of 1968. Fort Campbell, Ky. The months of July and August. Hot. We had just returned..
2,594 views
MEMORIES OF BASIC TRAINING

Venison for dinner?

A second part of basic training in the Army is AIT, or advanced individual training. In my case my advanced..
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