Voices from the Korean War - Douglas Rice [20]
After taking an aptitude test and a general IQ test, which were followed by a physical examination, we had to take an eye exam. John passed with flying colors and so did I—with my glasses on. I then had to take my glasses off and read the chart—I failed. They soon informed me that the Navy would not take me due to my eyes being bad without glasses. My dream of being a sailor—like my father—had come to an end.
Since they would not take me, John decided he would not join either.
As we were leaving the Navy Recruiting Office we couldn’t help but notice the Army Recruiting Office across the hall. We looked at each other and said, “What the hell,” so we went in.
The sergeant, seated behind the desk, asked what we needed.
We replied, “To join the U.S. Army.”
He asked if we had anything wrong with us, and we said, “No.”
He said, “Sign your John Henry right here.” He thought John was trying to be a wise guy, because his middle name was really “Henry.”
Seven days later, on the 5th of October, my parents drove us back to Fort Wayne where we boarded a bus that took us to Camp Breckinridge, Kentucky. Here we would take our basic training. Upon our arrival we were met by a Master Sergeant who informed us that for the next eight weeks he was going to be our mother and that we had no fathers. So, in his eyes we were all you know whats?
After graduation, most of the guys we went through basic with were sent to Germany. John had requested to go to Germany and I requested Fort Knox, Kentucky. So, true to form, the Army sent John to the other end of camp to await orders for Japan, and I became company clerk at Camp Breckinridge.
For the next eight weeks, as the new bunch of recruits were going through their basic training, I pretty much did whatever I wanted too. I worked if I felt like it, went to the firing range, or just walked around acting like a big shot in front of the new guys. At the end of the eight weeks, I again requested a transfer to Fort Knox. However, they informed me that the administrative school was full. In the meantime, John had received orders to report to Camp Stoneman, California, where he would be sent to Guam, Korea, Japan, or some other island station. Wanting to stay with him, I requested the same assignment; I received orders to report to Camp Stoneman.
We received a fourteen day furlough to visit our families and friends, because we were going overseas. Two days before going on leave I came down with rubella measles, causing me to stay in the camp hospital for seven days. My commanding officer revoked my furlough and issued me a new one, this way I wouldn’t loose any days at home. Since John was able to go home ahead of me, he headed back to camp three or four days before I did. During basic training I met Roy Ligon, from Paducah, Kentucky, and we were able to go back to camp together.
On May 19, 1949, Roy and I boarded a troop train in Evansville, Indiana headed for Pittsburgh, California. After four days, and several backaches, we arrived at Camp Stoneman. Three or four days later, I finally saw John; he was in the mess hall. He told me he was on alert, which meant within the next forty-eight hours he could be shipping out. So, we went to San Francisco to party a little before we parted company.
On the 31st of May, John left for Japan where he was assigned to the 24th Infantry Division. Roy shipped out to Guam on the 3rd of June, and on the sixth, I left for Yokohama, Japan.
Being a sailor, my father gave me some advice before shipping out—to get a top bunk. This was so no one would be above me if they became seasick. During our fourteen day voyage, I never got sick. It made me think, I may have been a good sailor after all.
Finally, on June 19, 1949, the USS General Hodges docked at Yokohama. After we disembarked, we were loaded onto trucks and taken to Camp Drake—home of the 7th Cavalry Regiment. This was one of the three regiments that made up the 1st Cavalry Division.
In the Second World War, Camp Drake was used