#20 2014

A trip to New York City.  I had finished basic training at Fort Or, CA been home on leave for a while.  My orders were to report to Aberdeen Proving Grounds in Maryland for my 2nd eight weeks of training.  I had enlisted on the buddy plan with Larry McMillan, a friend and Dixon High classmate.  We boarded a plane Sacramento(my first plane ride)I don't remember where we landed, but we got to Aberdeen and reported on time.  I was to be trained as a metal body repairman.  Larry as mechanic the first time for us to be back east.  The humidity was something we were not accustomed too.  It took some time to adjust.  Trees all around not open country like out west.  After a while we decided to go to New York.  I had a cousin living on Long Island(I think)I wrote her and asked about coming to see her.  She was married.  We took a train into NY to the Grand Central Station.  Walked out side and craned our necks to look at the skyscrapers.  All the time nervous about pickpockets etc.  Then back into the station to get a train to the town close to where they lived.  I don't remember the name of the town.  She and her husband were there to meet us.  We went to their house and talked for a while.  Then we went to and ice cream polar.  This store had some fanatic's creations.  the one I had was very good.  Back to their house were we spent the night.  Next day back to the station for a train to the city.  Then back to base.  For a small town country boy it was a big experience.

Aberdeen Proving Grounds had a weapons development area.  They would test some of them at night.  I was awakened many times by the sound of gun fire.  There was this one weapon that fired many times for about a minute or two.  Like a Gatling gun but much larger shells.  Really sounded wicked.

There were also woodchucks all over the place, living under the barracks.  As big as a medium sized dog.

Funny how things come back in memory.  I can just picture some of those times in my mind.  Part of the makeup of my life.

Pappy1