When we got on the train we discovered that it had old wicker seats and were told that we could lay them down flat to sleep on. We were then told that we would be given blankets when it was time to sleep. They also told us that we would have food but it would be mostly cold since they did not have any way to heat things in the car that they were using for a kitchen.
The train then struggled forward and we left Camp Atterbury for some destination that we did not know. All in all though we were a rather happy bunch for we were finally on our way to becoming Pilots! Or so we thought!
We headed south and knew that we had entered Kentucky. The train we were on was a "troop train" with low priority so we had to pull off onto sidings every so often to let the faster trains go by.
Tennessee was our next state for we could tell this from the signs on the train stations as we went by. The ground had turned into a red color and this was new to many of us "farm boys". They gave us supper which I ate heartily for I was hungry. The food tasted good to me even though it was cold.
We got into Alabama just as it was turning dark so we had to tell where we were by the lights on the station platforms as we went by.
Sometime later we pulled off onto a siding to let another train go by. This time the Sargeant in charge of us let us get off to "stretch our legs". We had been forbidden to get off the train until now so I took advantage of it and stepped off. It was a nice warm night here even though it was February. I walked a short distance away for I wanted to "relieve" myself. I had just stopped walking when I heard a BUZZZZ. I froze in my tracks for even though I had not seen a rattlesnake before I knew it was one rattling! I waited for what seemed like an eternity and then slowly at first but with increasing speed got back on the train!
After a rather lengthy stop, the train began to move again and this time I was tired and managed to go to sleep. I was awakened sometime later by the Sargeant then he said to get the blankets turned in, the seats straightened up and the car cleaned up for we would be arriving at Keesler Field in southern Alabama. There was a real hubbub of activity and talking now for we knew where we were going. It took us longer than it normally would to get the car we were in straightened up. There was all kinds of speculation as to what would happen to us here at Keesler Field. Little did we know it but in the wisdom of the army this was to be our Basic Military training. The train jolted, jerked, changed directions several times and then finally came to a stop. The Sargeant said, "Every body out and line up!"
I took my lone suitcase, got off, then into a semi straight line in the dark along with the rest of the guys. The Sargeant then said, "Follow me." We sort of straggled off in the direction that he was leading us. It was now about 4:00 in the morning so we were getting a "false dawn". We came to a good sized building which the Sargeant informed us that this was a mess hall and that we would be fed some hot food. He also said goodbye to us and told us that the people at this base would now take care of us. A little newspaper boy came down the line calling, "Paaper, want to buy a paaper mister?" When he came close to me I asked, "What did you say?" He looked at me with disdain and said, "You damned Yankee!" I realized for the first time that the civil war was not over! This was our first experience with army mess halls. We were told to get a metal tray and to go through the line and get what we wanted to eat. Signs were up, "Take what you want to eat but eat it all!" I thought the food was good even though some of the guys complained about it. The only thing that I did not like was the powdered milk. I was spoiled from the milk on the farm. I found that this was going to be a way of life from now on in the military. There would be some that complained no matter what we were given or had to do. After we ate we took our tray to the exit, scraped off all the scraps into a can, separated the utensils from the tray and put them in their proper places.
We then lined up outside and went off with a new Sargeant leading the way. We finally came to a bunch of tar paper covered huts and stopped. This Sargeant had a list of our names. He told us to "fall out" into a separate location when he called our name. He had another enlisted man helping him and when there were the proper number called out, he told the Sargeant that was enough. This bunch of guys were assigned to the first hut. This went on until we all were assigned. We again got bedding including sheets,blankets and a pillow. After we did this and got set up, a Corporal took us to another big building where we were issued uniforms and all the fatigues etc. I was unfortunate however in that they were out of shoes that were my size. This operation took the rest of the afternoon so when we finally got all the things issued to us, we were done for the day.
The following morning I was quite surprised for we had our choice of several things for breakfast. I again found it quite good except for the milk again. I did not drink coffee up to that time but found that I liked it better with the canned cream that they had better than the milk, so became a coffee drinker.
We returned to our barracks (the tar paper huts) for the cadre (guys stationed there) had the better two story military type barracks. We then "policed up" cleaned up the place and were then told to fall out again. This time we were somewhat marched to a very big field where many others were gathered. We were lined up along with the rest and waited until the full compliment of new guys were there. When we all were there a Master Sargeant got up on a platform and with a loudspeaker system told us to quiet down.

He then said, in his finest Brooklyn accent, "YOUSE GUYS AIN'T FLYING CADETS, YOUSE ARE BUCK PRIVATES!" Needless to say this was a real shock to our systems.
A big roar went up! Then an officer got up on the platform and corrected the Master Sargeant. He said, "You are still selected for flying training if you make the grade. For now, you are buck privates for as long as you are here for basic military training."
We were then taken back to our barracks.

It was not too long after that when we were called out again. This time we were taken out to the runway on the field itself. A pilot had come in to land in a Douglas Dauntless airplane, bounced, rolled it over and was killed in the crash. We were made to run around the crash site while the cadre yelled at us, "Dummies, that is what happens when you are careless!"
After that we were really put through the "wringer" for we were taught how to march, with and without rifles. We were also given some of the roughest, intense physical training that I had ever had. I thought that I was in pretty good physical condition but lost several pounds of weight very quickly then put the fat that I had lost back on in muscle.
Several funny things happened while we were there and I will relate one of them. We had come back from lunch so decided to shoot craps for pennies, nickles and dimes before we had to get back with our duties. There was a big crap game that went on in the latrines (toilets) by the cadre at night so we did not think that we were doing any thing really wrong. I had just rolled the dice when the Master Sargeant stepped through the door. I knew that he had seen me roll the dice so did not think that I should necessarily stop so picked them up and rolled them again. WRONG! He yelled, "Attention" so we all came to attention. He then began chewing out all the guys and finally came to me. He stuck his nose about an inch from mine and informed me that I had insulted a non - commissioned officer of the United States Army! He told me to come with him for he was going to report me to the Captain who was in charge of us. We started for the Captains office but started to pass a tool shed on the way. The sargeant said, "On second thought, I will just give you some extra duty. We went into the shed then he got a shovel and rake. He then had me carry these to a ditch that was about a half mile long. There was a tree at the end of it. He told me to clean out the ditch down to the tree and smooth out the dirt that was thrown up on the bank. He had not been gone more than five minutes until a guy with a road grader came along. He stopped then asked, "Hey Joe, would you like me to grade that out for you?" I told him that I surely would appreciate it and to go down to the tree, turn around then smooth out the bank as he came back. He did this so I thanked him then smoothed out the dirt down to the tree, sat down in the shade as I leaned back against the trunk and went to sleep. I was awakened by the sargeant roaring "Attention!" I jumped up. He then pushed his hat back on his head then said, "I don't know how you did it and will not ask. Put the tools back in the shed then police (clean) up the area for the rest of the afternoon." Today I remember that and laugh!

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