MY LIFE ACT 2

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Added: Sun. Dec 02, 2007 10:12pm
Posted in: Lifelong Learning

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When we last visited my life, I was growing up on Catalina Island, where I graduated from High School in 1942 from Avalon High School. There where 13 of us in my class. I was 18 years old at that time and with the U.S. in war with Germany, I was required to register for the draft. I spent the summer of '42 on the Island and not too long after that, my number came up in the draft. I was sent Camp Roberts, Ca. for my basic traing and that took 9 weeks. I was put in the Infantry and trained in heavy weapons, mainly 30 caliber water cooled machine guns and 81mm mortars. When our training was complete, I was surprised to learn that my aptitude test was high enough to send me to the Army Specialised Traing Program, known then by just ASTP. That meant back to college for Mechanical Engeneering. That lasted for about 2 months at Chapman Collige in Los Angeles, Ca.. Due to casualties over sea's, we were sent to Camp Howze, Texas, to train for combat. We joined 103rd Infantry Divisison and trained to fire the 81mm morar again. We got real good, Set up, fire, and hit an object 1500 yards away in 45 seconds. Then, after battling chiggers and heat in Texas, it was time to ship out for overseas. We went from Texas to Camp Shanks in New York. From their the story will continue in my next blog. I'm tired and want to watch the Pro football game that is on TV. Love to Lynna, Peter, Katy and Andy.