RANSOM - BURTON Genealogy Journal, Vol.1,No.2. February 1991. (c) 1991-2006 Lynn Ransom Burton, Editor 130 North 100 West Brigham City, Utah 84302 lburton@infowest.com ------------------------------------------------------------- DOBSON, FALL TO THE REAR Diary of my Army service years, Part 1. September 20, 1950 to July 8, 1951 Rct. Lynn R. Burton, ASN US 56058540 Hq.Co. 1st Bn, 87th Inf Regt 10th Inf Div, Ft. Riley, KS 1st Platoon, 3rd Squad. The Ft. Riley, KS complex included Camp Funston and Camp Forsyth. It is a little confusing to list each and every Platoon and Squad I was in, since we changed groups and barracks many times. Also, 85th Inf Div, Co. C, 3rd Platoon. Also, Company F, 86th Inf. Div. Also, Chemical Corps, Aberdeen Proving Grounds, Edgewood, MD. Also, Station Hospital, Aberdeen Proving Grounds, Edgewood, MD. Also, Valley Forge Army Hospital, Valley Forge, PA (near Phoenixville, PA). MEMORIES are strange things. We have so many of them. Many good --some bad. We retain them all, yet so few come back to us unless we are reminded by a written word, a friend, or a landmark. So many fine memories are stored away each day that can be recalled in later years by a simple word or two. Important Note: This is not a WAR diary. In fact, it is a diary about ice cream, movies, acquaintances, and Army training. The somewhat superficial nature and seemingly unimportant aspects of this diary are in no way to imply disrespect for the military nor the people serving their country in the military. ***************************************************************** Drafted from Logan, UT. I am 24 years, 9 months of age. Left Logan for Salt Lake City on bus. I was given an official document, placing me in charge of the whole group of draftees during the trip. We stopped in Ogden in the evening for dinner. My first look at Chinese food, and this is 1950. The sight makes me ill, and I cannot eat the food. I gave the restaurant owner the food vouchers for the pre-arranged meal. CAST OF CHARACTERS: I regret I did not record more of the many great people I came to know in and because of my being in the Service. Nearly all of these are taken directly from their own signatures on the inside covers of my Service Diary, Part 1, and most were my very good friends and much appreciated. All draftees for the Korean "Police Action" were called Recruits, not Privates. It would be some time before we "advanced" to the rank of Private (Pvt.) and Private, First Class (Pfc.). Rct. Edward R. Fernley, ASN US 56058524, 2181 Wilmington Crl, SLC, UT Rct. Grant Clawson, ASN US 56058545, SLC, UT Rct. Blaine Johnson, UT Rct. Paul Sorenson, UT David Ballif, UT Robert R. Griggs, Rt. 1, Box 558, B-15, Ft. Worth, TX Howard P. Key, 502 West Seventh St., Freeport, TX Richard W. Boch, 820 Fifth Ave. SW, Minot, ND Harold Adams, Sidney, NE Dan E. Roberts, RFD #2, Box 74, Provo, UT Melvin S. Clausen, Redfield, SD Arthur Winter, 860 W. 1st So., SLC, UT Hans A. Pohlsander, 1985 S. 5th E., SLC, UT Edwin Howell, 8114 Forest Hills, Dallas, TX Israel R. Waldron, 2604 Reynolds Rd, Toledo, OH (Co. A Cml RTC, Army Cml Center, MD). Boris A. Niepritzky, 637 Charles Ave, St Paul, MN Donald C. Atmur, 235 So. Westgate Ave, West Los Angeles, CA Donald K. Guiton, 7906 Dartworth Drive, Parma, OH (Cleveland) Rct. Earl H. Bendt, ASN US 55030004, Sv. Btry 35th Field Artillery Bn, 10th Inf Div, Ft. Riley, KS., from Sherman, SD Anthony A. Cocco, 5418 Oakland St, Philadelphia, PA Guy P. Holm, 1810 Hubbard Ave., SLC, UT J.T. Willis, 211 W. Summitt, Roswell, NM Raymond L. Jenness, 719 Ave. B, Billings, MT Louie L. Johnson, 801 Ave K., Galveston, TX Eric Lessaine Fletcher II, ASN US 25916439, 49th Rec. Batt, Armored Div, Texas National Guard, Ft. Worth, TX Alex E. Norvidas, ASN 13345130, RD #3, Wade Rd, Pottsville, PA Donald Desmarais, Franklin, MA Pvt. Emil W. Motzny, 2050 N. Bissel St., Chicago, IL Herman F. Dow, #16 Princeton Heights, Tuscaloosa, AL Sgt. Lon D. Cartwright, 10 S.E. 6th St., Plainview, TX Rct. Edwin B. Bricker, 4823 Lowell Blvd, Denver, CO Frederick J. McAliece, 385 E. 184 St., Bronx, NY (draws a fish under his name to remind me that he is a noted breeder of tropical fish). Rct. James M. Carroll, Lockney, TX Leon H. Dunn, 3835 Spence, Dallas, TX Lavon (or Laveen) S. Attaway, Box 908, Plainview, TX Harold L. Conklin, Hereford, TX Winfred L. Chunn, 901 Portland, Plainview, TX Larry Cushing, 40 Wyckoff St, Brooklyn, NY Rct. Charles E. Esplen, Ada, OK Patrick R. Cuskelly, Killdeer, ND Others will show up in the course of the diary narrative, I trust. SEPTEMBER 20, 1950, Wednesday. Ft. Douglas, Salt Lake City, UT. Inducted into the Army at 2:55pm. Bus to railroad station. My sister, Agnes, and her son Garth were at the station to bid me goodbye. Train left at 5:45pm. I have a Pullman, lower berth. Deseret News photographers had Blaine Johnson, Paul Sorenson, Me, and a couple others pose waving goodbye from the train steps. This photo was published on the front page and I have a copy of it. We were, after all, Utah's very first group of recruits for the Korean War. SEPTEMBER 21, 1950, Thursday. 7:00am. Coming into Denver soon. 10:10am still stopped in Denver. Sent post cards to Mother, Garth, Tius, & the DaBells. Very sleepy. Walked around a little, in the middle of Colorado. 3:27pm, in Oakley, KS. Just shaved on the train. No mishaps. It was during this train ride that I first noticed Ed Fernley and Grant Clawson. They were seated one row behind me on the train and I could overhear their conversation, which was dominated by the subject of music. They sang many popular songs of the day, and I was astounded that they knew the complete lyrics of the songs by heart. I vowed that I would get to know them, and I did. Can see a little blue in the sky once in awhile. 10pm, arrived in Junction City, KS. Got on bus and taken to Camp Funston which is part of Ft. Riley, arriving at 10:10pm. To bed, slept well. SEPTEMBER 22, 1950, Friday. Up at 5:25am. Breakfast (chow). Orientation. Issued fatigues, underwear, towel. Assigned to Co. C., 3rd Platoon, 85th Infantry Division. Got more uniforms today and shoes. Had fun after duty, playing table tennis and talking with others. SEPTEMBER 23, 1950, Saturday. Got suntans back from laundry. MAO tests. Blood type. Off duty early in the afternoon. Went to PX with Grant Clawson and David Ballif. Later we found Ed Fernley and we all went to the movie. It was "Rookie Fireman" plus short comedies. We had fun, although the movie was terrible. SEPTEMBER 24, 1950, Sunday. Up not so early (7:15am) to eat chow. Went to Protestant church services with David Ballif. Thought the meeting was very interesting. Went to the movies in the afternoon with Ed Fernley and Grant Clawson. Grant's ASN is very close to mine, ASN US 56058545. The movie was "The Breaking Point," with John Garfield, Patricia Neal, Phyllis Thaxter, Juano Hernandez, and Wallace Ford. This movie was the first attempt to do a straight version of Hemingway's potboiler novel, "To Have and Have Not." Directed by Michael Curtiz, it was a good show. After the show, we went back to the servicemen's club and listened to Ed Fernley play the piano. He is quite good. A fellow from South Dakota was playing on the grand piano in the main room so we listened to him, also. We went to LDS church services at the chapel. Missionaries were here from Independence, MO. Also a few church members from Junction City, KS. The meeting was pretty good, but when they turned the time over for testimony bearing it became a most inspiring occasion. Dan E. Roberts from Provo, UT, who has the bunk on the right side of mine, and David Ballif bore their testimonies. David has the lower bunk to the left of mine. It was wonderful. We went back to the service club and listened to the piano players again, then went to bed at 10:30pm. Such a wonderful day, full of rich experiences. "My cup runneth over." SEPTEMBER 25, 1950, Monday. Up at 4:10am. To chow and then awaiting the daily orders for my section, which is 23-2. SEPTEMBER 26, 1950, Tuesday. What a day! Up at 4am. Chow. Tests and more tests. I passed the tests that were required to apply for OCS (Officers' Candidate School). Hooray! What a thrill. Just a few from each roster passed. Ed Fernley passed also, and so did Blaine Johnson and Paul Sorenson, both of whom were in the group I was in charge of, and they were inducted into the Army when I was. We took our O.C.T. test. It was the most complicated set of questions I have yet encountered. I don't think I passed, but at least I tried. I finally got the Sgt. to do something about my huge blisters, which are beginning to fester and look ugly. I had to put the bandage on myself. (These blisters were caused by the army boots I had to wear. Eventually, I got blood poisoning and the doctors gave me a note to carry with me at all times, which stated that I was allowed to wear my own civilian shoes, which just happened to be short, quilted, leather paratrooper-type boots, very popular at the time. All the drilling sergeants were furious that I got to wear these very stylish boots while they had to wear the regular army boots. These boots were very comfortable and I was glad I had them with me. I should say at this point that my army helmet also caused me troubles. It quickly wore the hair off my upper forehead and from then on, I began balding quickly.) Today I typed four copies of the Third Platoon Roster for the Sgt. on an old broken typewriter. It took me hours. I met a very young Norwegian Sgt. who was a Lutheran, and we discussed our religions which resulted in a very interesting time. Grant Clawson and Ed Fernley went to Mutual tonight. I just couldn't go because of my bad foot and leg, although I wanted to go very much. Very thrilled about O.C.S. Hope I qualify, what an opportunity! It is now 9:25pm. I want to write at least one letter and then to bed. Have to rise early again tomorrow for Form 20 and shots. SEPTEMBER 27, 1950, Wednesday. Up at 4:15am. Had fever in the night, didn't rest because of the pains up my leg from my blisters. Today we filled out our Form 20. I found out that I passed the O.C.T. test with a score of 124. Had to score 115 to pass. What a thrill! Ed passed, too, with a score of 118. I took a typing test and scored 70 words per minute for two minutes on an old worn-out typewriter. Also got my shots today. In fact, not more than 30 minutes ago. No trouble with them, yet. Hope they don't go bad. The shots were not painful nor did I get weak at any time during the process. Have to go on sick call tomorrow because of my foot--what a blow! 5:55pm, Joe Louis-Ezzard Charles fight is tonight. Shots did become very painful and it was impossible to lift my left arm just one hour after the shots. We got our clothing stamps and I was interviewed about my medical change. There was none, they wrote on my record. I am in bed and hope to be able to sleep tonight. Feel really miserable. Have chills and fever still, which started last night. Will write a few letters, then try to sleep. SEPTEMBER 28, 1950, Thursday. We didn't have to get up this morning until 4:45am. I had to report to sick call, and after suffering through the line finally managed to get my heel soaked and dressed and bandaged. I have to go morning and night for three days and do the same thing. I have made a few abstract painting designs and there has been quite an interest in them. SEPTEMBER 29, 1950, Friday. Lectures all afternoon. Forty-six men shipped out of Company C for L Company today. No one was allowed to leave the barracks at night. Had to get ready for inspection Saturday morning. We marched, learned little. SEPTEMBER 30, 1950, Saturday. Orders came today. Seventy-nine of us are assigned to the 87th Inf. Reg., 1st Inf. Battalion, 2nd Platoon, at Ft. Riley, KS. Arrived at my new place about 10:45am. Have a southern exposure, nice bunk, etc. Have a good sergeant. First chow today was very little because we were not expected. Ed Fernley, Grant Clawson, Dave Ballif, Paul Sorenson, Blaine Johnson, and Hans Pohlzander, still together with me. OCTOBER 1, 1950, Sunday. Went to Protestant services. Sunday afternoon, Ed, Grant, and I went over to the post theater to see the movie, "Let's Dance," with Fred Astaire, Betty Hutton. We didn't like it much. Hutton is no partner for Fred Astaire. (We were restricted to our company area, but we managed to sneak out and get back without being detected.) In the evening we went to LDS sacrament meeting. Huge crowd, wonderful meeting. Met the Stake and District church presidents. Mrs. Woodbury was there from Preston, ID. Met and talked with Howard Matthews--what a surprise and thrill to see him. (He was a teacher of art at Pocatello when I was teaching at Ririe, ID. We had known each other at Utah State University. We had gotten together in Idaho and he had taken me for a ride in his new car out to Craters of the Moon National Park, Idaho. We had a great time that day.) After church, we stopped at the PX for ice cream. Had a full day and many interesting experiences and associations. OCTOBER 2, 1950, Monday. Up at 4:15am. KP duty all day until 7:15pm. Fifteen hours! What a long working day--and terribly dirty job. Never hope to have to do that again--at least for a month. All the others just sat around all day. Won't I enjoy doing that tomorrow. I may have to serve chow tomorrow, but that shouldn't be quite so bad. Hope to get some mail soon. OCTOBER 3, 1950, Tuesday. Today things began to pop. We were issued our M-1 rifles, heavy helmets, and other equipment. Also, we moved again. Ballif and I got separated, although he is still in the same platoon. Grant Clawson and I managed to stay together. We are in 1st Platoon, 3rd Squad, and I am No. 5. Grant is No. 4. We bunk next to each other. Across the room are some blacks who will be shipping out Friday. They are hard to take, all being from New York and New Jersey, and speaking a steady stream of vulgarities and blasphemy. It is our first experience of listening to people with such limited vocabularies, but not our last, as we learn to get used to it. Ed Fernley is squad leader in the 2nd Platoon. He and Grant were separated for the first time and they are very sorry about it since they are such good friends. David Ballif is trying to make the necessary arrangements so we can go to Mutual tonight. I hope he succeeds. There are about 20 LDS in this Headquarters Company. I can see Grant Clawson working on KP through my window. He'll soon be through. I've written about 7 letters so far today. Wrote 11 letters altogether today. OCTOBER 4, 1950, Wednesday. We had a meeting with our Commanding Officer, Battalion Commander Banky. Then we marched all morning and drilled on saluting. To the rear, march. Open ranks. March right and left. Close ranks, etc. My back is aching, but I like to drill when we do it well. OCTOBER 5, 1950, Thursday. Turned in all our equipment--rifles, helmets, etc. Everyone wonders where we are being moved to, now. Went to choir practice and to the PX for ice cream. Grant has to have his ice cream. OCTOBER 6, 1950, Friday. Handed in our field jackets. Heard lectures. Went to the PX for ice cream. We are to leave in the morning. OCTOBER 7, 1950, Saturday. We moved to Company F, 86th Inf. Regt. Barracks seem fair. Terrain worse, but we do have trees. Worked on the company grounds all afternoon. Wheeled a cart, picked up all rakings, leaves, etc. Worked with Ballif and a guy from Lovell, TX. OCTOBER 8, 1950, Sunday. We slept-in this morning. Up at 6:45am. Chow at 7:15. Had a good night's rest last night. There is a fellow across the way from us who is from Oklahoma. He is singing some very quaint religious songs, such as "The Master's Bouquet." He belongs to the Holiness Church. Dan Roberts of Provo has him convinced that the LDS church is very much like his own. This fellow is going to attend LDS sacrament meeting with us. We just fell out for reveille. Catholics eat first this morning, because they have Mass at 8am. We will be going to Protestant services at 11am. OCTOBER 9, 1950, Monday. Basic training began today. We had lectures on first aid, etc. I had detail work in the afternoon. General Whitlock spoke to us. The band played. OCTOBER 10, 1950, Tuesday. More first-aid lectures, training movies, drill. Got more clothes. OCTOBER 11, 1950, Wednesday. Learned how to strip M1 rifle and how to aim it, fix sling, etc. Ed, Grant, and I went to the movie "To Please a Lady" with Clark Gable and Barbara Stanwyck. OCTOBER 12, 1950, Thursday. Learned how to pack combat pack, tents, etc. Carried Ballif's rifle back to barracks along with my own things. Had quite a time. Still no mail. (Mail came later. Got 8 letters from Fern, Garth Streeper, Mother, Agnes, DaBells. Glad to get them. Mail call lasted over 2 hours!) We worked out positions for shooting rifles all afternoon, double-timing everything. I have KP tomorrow. OCTOBER 13, 1950, Friday. Friday the 13th, what a likely day to be on KP. Started at 6am and finished at 8:30pm. Worked on electric dishwasher, which was a pretty good job. Started getting my footlocker ready for inspection. I'm almost broke. Got 3 more letters today from Ila, Aunt Verna, and Mother. Very glad to get them. It's late, the light's are all out. No one is really ready for inspection tomorrow. Don Brady, Grant Clawson, and I are the last ones up. It is midnight. Two days now that I have not written any letters. OCTOBER 14, 1950, Saturday. Had drill on manual of arms. Stood inspection. Used the top drawer in my foot locker and used Ballif's bottom display. Everything went okay. We got 2nd place, 4th squad coming in first, 3rd squad third, and 2nd squad fourth. I am going to try to write some letters today. Got a letter from Stewart Simmons (a former student of mine at Ririe High) and was glad to get it. It was very interesting. Went to the movies with Ed. Grant is on KP. The show was "The Lady Takes A Chance," with Jean Arthur and John Wayne. This is the third time I have seen this movie, and I still liked it. OCTOBER 15, 1950, Sunday. Lazy morning. Had to serve chow at noon. Didn't do much all morning. Grant and I caught the bus and went over to the service club at Camp Funston. We wrote letters. Saw Carpenter from Headquarters Co. He's going to Ft. Benning, GA, with the Paratroopers. Went to PX for ice cream. Went to church. Met Elder Dalton from Pontiac, MI. He was an art student at the Chicago Institute of Art. Very swell fellow. He is a corporal, having been in the Army reserve. He may write to me. Met a fellow named Roper from Seattle, WA. Swell guy. He, Grant, and I got along well at once. Talked with Howard Matthews. He is going through the same things as I am, only he is in Company K. He and I may go to Kansas City to see an art exhibit. (I used to sneak over to Company K to visit with Howard when I thought I could get away with it.) OCTOBER 16, 1950, Monday. Up at 5:55am. Guard duty men, including David Ballif, are just getting back from their watch. They must go ahead now the same as the rest of us, and without any time to rest. Went to classes all day. Drilled with rifle again. Had a very good coach who helped me get the correct positions much better than I had them before. We had military courtesy again, also a lecture from Chaplain Holm. He told many filthy jokes. Got letters from Agnes, Ruth, and 3 from Mother. Grant, Ed, and I went to the movie, "Harriet Craig," starring Joan Crawford and Wendell Corey, Lucile Watson, and Allyn Joslyn. This is a re-make of "Craig's Wife," by George Kelly. Ed and I enjoyed it, despite a poor performance by Joan Crawford. Grant didn't like it at all. We saw Ballif, who came and sat with us for a while. Croft (LDS) was taken to the hospital today with a virus infection of the blood. Drilling calisthenics was too much for him. Many soldiers had leg cramps and were suffering quite a lot. They had to fall out of the drills. It is very warm tonight. OCTOBER 17, 1950, Tuesday. We had classes most of the day, plus more rifle drill. We went to Classification. I applied for either Stenography or Finance. Didn't go anywhere tonight except over to K Company to see Howard Matthews. He has been working with the carbine rifle today. He likes it. We had a good talk. Got 3 letters today from Ruth Marie, Gibbonses (neighbors in Logan), and Agnes. Will attempt to write some letters tonight. Had to get Ballif's bedding tonight and make his bed. He went over to visit Croft who is still in the hospital. I just found out that I'm on guard duty Wednesday night at 6pm until Thursday morning at 6am! OCTOBER 18, 1950, Wednesday. Prepared, after a hard day, for guard duty. We had inpsection. I was chosen, along with Melvin Clauson and Ed Fernley as Supernumeraries. (During inspection, those that look the sharpest, are chosen for this "honor." Complete surprise to me that I was chosen.) While the others on guard duty marched their 2 hour watch shifts, the supernumeraries marched to the PX for ice cream and other treats to refresh them. Not much sleep with the lights on and uniforms on all night. Back to barracks and a full, hard day without any sleep. OCTOBER 19, 1950, Thursday. Classes. Drill. Preparing for Friday morning inspection. We all worked like little beavers. I went to bed at 11:25pm completely exhausted, but satisfied that my footlocker was ready, my rifle clean, and my clothing display in order. OCTOBER 20, 1950, Friday. INSPECTION! Lt. Tucker asked me if I had my dog tags on. "Yes, Sir!" I said. We placed first in inspection. We deserved it. It's funny, in a way, but INSPECTION had become a serious matter. We were mighty proud to get first place. It meant that the plaque goes on our barracks wall, and we eat chow first for the next week. Had a long day. Field pack display, plus four hours of rifle trigger-squeeze and rapid-fire on RIC dry range. After chow and mail call (letter from Mother), I went to a movie with Ed Fernley. Grant was on football detail. The show was "The Miniver Story," with Greer Garson, Walter Pidgeon, and John Hodiak. I quite enjoyed it. Met Boch from South Dakota and Adams from Nebraska at PX and they walked back to the barracks with us. We are now in the dayroom writing. (Bock and Adams became my very good friends, especially Bock, who was the only person I have ever come across who could discuss movies with me in a knowledgeable way. Bock was exceedingly bright and a great conversationalist.) I can remember a very sad day for me when he was in trouble with the Sgt. and was put by himself on a detail to scrub the barracks stairs. The stairs were not dirty and did not need scrubbing, but that wasn't the point. Anyway, Bock refused to do the work, and we all stood watching as he was cussed out by the Sgt. I think Bock was severely disciplined for his refusal to follow orders. This incident kept us all in the barracks that particular evening. We were forced to clean our rifles for hours at a time. My heart went out to Bock, who showed such a determined and resolute mind. I'll never forget that scene. OCTOBER 21, 1950, Saturday. Four hours of training films and discussion of scoring rifle shots. Then, free for the afternoon. I haven't gotten any gigs yet. Grant has had 2 gigs, dirty rifle and dirty canteen cover. Ed has had 1 gig, dirty rifle. Got my hair cut today and my O.D.'s back from the tailors (there for pressing). Only 2 or 3 people in the barracks tonight. All have gone away on passes. Blaine Johnson is on guard duty, poor fellow. Ed Fernley has had to paint the 62nd Battalion dayroom all day and night. He really got a bad deal. I didn't want a pass--have no money, anyway. Grant and I are going to see the movie "Gilda" tonight. We still are having very wonderful weather. I hope it continues through the rest of our training. Got letters today from Ila and Mother. OCTOBER 22, 1950, Sunday. Had to leave the barracks rather early today to escape detail work. Ed and I went to Funston. We went to the service club and it closed, so we went over to Headquarters Company. Saw Kern. He got 148 in his O.C.S. test! What a brain! He majored in chemistry in college. He was in hospital 2 days and got left behind when our company moved to Camp Forsyth. Went to show with Grant and Ed, saw "King Solomon's Mines," with Stewart Granger and Deborah Kerr. Not so hot. Went to church where I saw people I had met before, including Dalton. OCTOBER 23, 1950, Monday. Classes all day. Map reading. Compass work. Dismounted drill. Restricted to barracks for G.I. (G.I. means scrubbing the barracks, in this case.) OCTOBER 24, 1950, Tuesday. Shots today. Two of them. My arms are very lame. Classes. Could not leave the company area. OCTOBER 25, 1950, Wednesday. Went on firing range in the afternoon. Served with Grant Clawson and Don Brady as ammunition men. Wore red helmets. Did this all afternoon. Was a good job. Earlier in the morning, we went over the most gruesome training course we've had yet. Crawling. Creeping. Wire fence, ditches, etc. At night we went to night classes. Learned how to do things quietly. Learned about flares, etc. Was a good class. Moon was beautiful. Everyone felt better after this was over than they did after coming back from the firing range. OCTOBER 26, 1950, Thursday. Rifle range. First, worked as an ammo man, then sat awhile, then became a coach, then fired. What a trial. I barely managed to qualify with a score of 101. Ed got a score of 105, Grant 122, Bock 101, Cartwright 103, Burns 148. Ouch! Glad to have the first and second day on the firing range over with. Tomorrow more of the same. We ate out on the firing range. Grant, Ed, and I are going to the PX and then to the dayroom to write letters. Grant says my sister Agnes called up his mother and talked with her in Salt Lake City. We went to the PX and to the dayroom just as we planned to do. Played ping pong with Grant. I won 2 games out of 2 - would I mention it, if I didn't win? Got to bed soon after writing 2 letters. OCTOBER 27, 1950, Friday. Up at 4:30am. Out to the rifle range again. Worked in the pits. Scored targets. Shot the carbine at 100 yds--poor score (21). Later shot from 300 yds range M-1 (score 29). I was happy that I did that well. At 500 yds I scored 25. Ed scored 8, and Grant 28. Ed beat me with the Carbine (47), and so did Grant (45). Listened to Pfc. Brown talk all afternoon (humor at its lowest ebb) to a small detail of us who didn't do much of anything, except haul boxes of cartridges around on our shoulders when they changed firing ranges. We didn't get back for chow until about 7:00pm and we yelled cadence all the way back - I lost my voice. Then we G.I.'d. I washed windows on the outside. Of course this was after we had completely scrubbed our rifles. Boland managed to make off with my trigger housing group, and I nearly went crazy until he discovered he had two and returned it. Got to bed at 11:00pm. Grant was still working on his equipment. OCTOBER 28, 1950, Saturday. Woke at 3:10am, but naturally didn't get up that early. Got up when Grant shook me at 5:30am. We all worked like mad readying things for inspection. Had pictures taken. Individual pictures and group picture. Group picture turned out pretty good. Was free all afternoon. Didn't do much, however. Went to day room and wrote letters and to the P.X. OCTOBER 29, 1950, Sunday. Up very early. Went to Junction City to Sunday School. Rode with young couple on their way to the Methodist church. He was a teacher. LDS meetings were held in the basement of the Munincipal Building. The Salvation Army met upstairs. Capt. McKim and his wife gave speeches. She used to work in the Logan Temple, filling a mission. She is a Van Noy, and a relative of Jay Van Noy (noted athlete of southern Idaho and northern Utah area), and very proud of him. Through Grant, they invited us to Sunday dinner on the following Sunday. Went around Junction City a little bit. Ate at a cafe. Caught bus back to Ft. Riley and saw movie "Mr. Music," with Bing Crosby, Nancy Olson, and Charles Coburn. It was only fair. Went to church at Camp Funston. Ed gave the lesson: the story of Ruth. The meeting was very nice. Went back to Camp Forsyth and then to bed. OCTOBER 30, 1950, Monday. Rifle range again. Failed by far to qualify. Worked in the pits all afternoon with the bullets whizzing over my head about 3 feet and sometimes hitting into the dirt and throwing dust all over. My phone man slept all afternoon. Got back to the barracks rather late. Went to movie "Emergency Wedding," with Larry Parks and Barbara Hale. It wasn't any good. OCTOBER 31, 1950, Tuesday. Up early. Had to work in supply room from 7:30am until 11:30am, separating empty cartridges from clips, etc. Mopped floor. Went out to the Table 9 range on the chow truck. Shot right after lunch. Scored 95!--missed only one target. Rated expert. It's about time. Cadre scorekeeper said I was a very good shot. Got through early. Worked on boots, rifle, etc. Chow. Went to Camp Funston with Ed and Grant. We were on buses for over an hour, so we were too late to see a movie. Dropped in at the Mutual party. It was rather dull, so Grant and I left and went to the service club. Ed joined us and we caught the bus back to camp. Very tired. NOVEMBER 1, 1950, Wednesday. Beautiful sunrise. Wind is blowing like a gale. We have communications and classification today. I'm keeping my fingers crossed. Was classified for Clerk-Typist School at Camp Funston. Am disappointed, but not disgusted as many are. Grant is going to cooking school. Ed is unassigned, which means he has more infantry training. He is sick about it. Ballif too, is unassigned. NOVEMBER 2, 1950, Thursday. Classes about signal communication. Worked all afternoon on detail for K company, which is Howard Matthews' company. We went to Camp Funston two times after supplies. Among other things we hauled machine guns. Worked on detail until 5:00pm. After chow we went out on a night problem. It was rainy and a bit cold. Grant was the squad leader and he sent me out to find out who the enemy was. I went much too far and never did find the enemy. Had to go back to the starting point alone. I didn't get lost, but I didn't catch up to my squad all the way back to camp. In at 9:00pm. Cleaned rifle, etc. Had debates with Chunn, etc., about the merits of the movie "Battleground"--I said it wasn't so much. We talked about economic problems, also. Bed quite late. NOVEMBER 3, 1950, Friday. There's news this morning! Blizzard! Wind blowing about 50 miles an hour. Cold. It makes me too frisky. We had a very hasty field inspection. NOVEMBER 4, 1950, Saturday. Got a pass and went to movie with Ed and Grant. NOVEMBER 5, 1950, Sunday. Went to sunday school in Junction City and also to sacrament and testimony meeting. Most wonderful meeting. Very humble lady expressed the belief that all of the LDS soldiers coming to Ft. Riley was an answer to their prayers, because the very small branch of the Church here was becoming discouraged and feared they would become disorganized. They have been so wonderful to us here it is quite difficult to believe that at the same time we have done something for them. NOVEMBER 6, 1950, Monday. Was called out of the line as we were loading trucks to go to the bivouac area. Reason-- dental appointment. Dentist was Major Baumann. He took additional casts for upper dental and also preliminary cast for partial lower plate. I was left at the barracks all day. Ate chow with G company. Had to haul supplies and load duffel bags in the evening. Stayed in the barracks alone. Davis and Conklin went to a movie. I borrowed a radio (Croft's) and read magazines as I listed to "Rebecca" with Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh, on Lux Radio Theater. Some guy broke into the barracks and stole clothing from one of the Cadre men. NOVEMBER 7-10, 1950, Tuesday to Friday. Up hurriedly and rushed to bivouac area. Couldn't find my gloves (with liners), so borrowed from Ed. Got no breakfast. Then began a most terrifying week which not even a crazy person would endure if he had been forewarned. All of us nearly froze to death. No sleeping bags first night. Pitched tent with Conklin at night. Slept about 2 hours. Then froze the rest of the night. Got sleeping bag next night and slept better. Things dreadful to remember about bivouac: The long over-hill marches with packs and rifles. The cold rain and wind. Frozen toes, nose, and fingers. Infiltration course day and night. Machine gun tracers and mines. Squad tactics. Compass reading daytime and night. Leading the left column marching while Grant was "guidon." Meals--ice cream! Hands too cold to hold the spoon. Milk frozen. Tent pitching and camouflaging. Digging fox holes with Brady of Salt Lake City. Sleeping bags--getting in and out of them. Pitching tent with Clawson. Canteen water frozen. Rifle frosted and then froze. Night problems. Mail call! I received 5 letters. Took infiltration course. Last night only six in our squad--Grant Clawson, Dunn, Cox, Me, Borland, and Clark. We found the rendezvous very easily, Saturday, and waited in a smoky, black room. Stood out in the cold waiting for trucks. Began marching toward barracks, led by Capt. McKim. Pack cutting into my shoulders. Met finally by trucks. Glad to get back to barracks. Took shower and went to bed. NOVEMBER 11, 1950, Saturday. Armistice Day. Had quite a time cleaning my very dirty rifle so it would pass inspection. Got pass finally and went to Junction City servicemen's club with Arthur Winter (of Salt Lake City). That's where I am now. Ed and Grant came along. We ate banana bread (no doubt sent to Ed by his mother), and wrote letters. Went to Capt. McKim's for dinner at 6:00pm. Wonderful people. The meal included elk steak. Capt. McKim had shot the elk himself. Visited with them until late. Caught a ride back to camp. Erickson and Halvorsen were at the dinner, too. (Imagine, eating dinner with the battalion commander! We felt honored.) NOVEMBER 12, 1950, Sunday. Up early and off to Junction City to sunday school conference. Pres. Ellsworth of the Central States Mission and the District or Branch President, Woodbury. Very moving meeting. Made me very conscious of my weaknesses and shortcomings. In the afternoon, wrote letters in servicemen's club in Junction City, then went to see the movie "A Life of Her Own," with Lana Turner and Ray Milland. Good story. Turner and Milland have both done much better acting. Margaret Phillips was very good and so was Ann Dvorak. Went to church at Camp Funston. Pres. Ellsworth spoke again. One of the best sermons I've ever heard. We had our picture taken and it might come out in the Deseret News. Caught bus to Camp Forsyth and retired at 2:00am, after critical discussions with Bock and Adams. NOVEMBER 13, 1950, Monday. Mostly machine gun lessons all day. Also shots and drill for parade. For four hours, 6:30 to 10:30, we marked clothing and were checked by C.O. Capt. McKim for stolen clothing articles. My bunk seems to have become a gathering place for discussions about literature, movies, art, poetry, etc. We have the most interesting talks. Most active in the discussions are Bock, Adams, and me. I get very involved. Bed at 11pm, tired out. Received letters today from Mother, Ila, Venna. I'm way behind in my correspondence. Brady was told today that he won't get to go to radio school. What a disappointment. NOVEMBER 14, 1950, Tuesday. Up at 6:00am. More drill on aiming the machine gun, aerial map reading. Afternoon--out on the firing range again. Quite an experience, lying next to a blasting machine gun. Didn't get to fire. They ran out of ammo. Had to clean machine gun, clean rifle, get new sheets, mark shoes, ready for inspection and review for proficiency test. Bed at last at 10:50pm. Tired out. Did have Bock bring me some ice cream from the PX, though. NOVEMBER 15, 1950, Wednesday. Classes on booby traps and mines. Afternoon--proficiency test. I did quite poorly at about 4 of the 15 stations. Called on detail. Came back to mess hall and sat. Didn't do anything. Finally was released and allowed to go back to the barracks. Am now polishing my shoes in anticipation (ha!) of a football game we all must attend. NOVEMBER 16, 1950, Thursday. Dug tank traps. In the afternoon we went out to the machine gun range. I had to fire a dry run. NOVEMBER 17, 1950, Friday. Practiced positions to fire bazooka. NOVEMBER 18, 1950, Saturday. Moved to 3rd Platoon. Restricted. Detail. Called to take shorthand at officer's confab. Dismissed when regular stenographer showed up. Heard orders read. I'm to go to Camp Funston. Cleaned weapons. Checked footlocker and equipment. Went to movie "Southside 1-1000." No good. NOVEMBER 19, 1950, Sunday. Went to sunday school in Junction City. Ate at the Lanier Hotel. Movie at Ft. Riley, "The West Point Story," with James Cagney, Doris Day, Gordon MacRae, Virginia Mayo. Not very good, except James Cagney's dancing. Turned in pass. Am now preparing to go to church. Went to church. Back to barracks. Lights out at 9:00pm. Went to 2nd Platoon dayroom and wrote letters. NOVEMBER 20, 1950, Monday. Not much doing. We were trucked over to Whiteside to get glove shells and socks. In the afternoon we went to graduation exercises. Rct. Harder was our honor graduate. Very disappointing speech by Colonel. Back to barracks. NOVEMBER 21, 1950, Tuesday. Went to Finance to see about my allotment. I'm told to come back on Friday. Went to Mutual. Had to give a speech on "The Art of Chewing Gum." Ballif was in charge. NOVEMBER 22, 1950, Wednesday. Shipped out to Camp Funston at 10:00am. Said goodbye to many buddies. I'll miss many of them. Got my bed set up. In a very strict organization. Shouldn't be too bad, however. Chow is better. Passes. Football game in afternoon. 85th got beat by Headquarters Co., 43 to 38. Met Donaldson from New Mexico, a very swell LDS fellow. He is in our barracks. Went to movie at Ft. Riley, "The Sound of Fury." Very effective production, but gruesome. I am now at the servicemen's club at Ft. Riley. First time I have been here. Nearly deserted. Some fellows are practicing "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" to perform on some program. They aren't very good. I'm rather tired of rushing to movies every night. It's driving me bugs. I'd like more time to read and to write letters. I do hope Ed, Grant, and I can stay friends. Grant is Ed's friend and Ed is Grant's friend. I have a new address and I'll have to get some mail on the way home soon showing my new address. I am missing Howard Matthews, David Ballif, Norris, and others already. They were a great bunch at "F" 86th, and I hope I never forget them. Ed is now playing the piano. He has a dramatic flare in his playing, sometimes overly loud for my taste, but don't tell him I said so. I feel slightly unkind tonight. NOVEMBER 23, 1950, Thursday. Thanksgiving. Had very wonderful turkey dinner. Went to movie with Ed, Grant, Bendt, and others. It was "Walk Softly, Stranger," with Joseph Cotton and Valli. We liked it. Played bridge with Bendt, Ed, and Green who is from Texas. We had fun, although the walk down to the Band barracks was a long, painfully cold one. Green is in the Company band. NOVEMBER 24, 1950, Friday. No detail this morning. Went to Personnel Records and got my allotment straightened out. Went to the library. Wrote letters to Agnes and to Ruth. Checked out the book "The Spanish Gardener," by A.J. Cronin. Afternoon detail--pick and shovel work, digging up frozen dirt to fill a large hole. Very hard, meaningless work but we finished in about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Back to barracks. Shined shoes. Waiting for chow time. Ate chow. Went to the library with Ed. We wrote letters and read. Then went to the service club and played the piano and ate cookies. We found out there is a potter's wheel at special services and Ed wants to use it one of these nights. NOVEMBER 25, 1950, Saturday. No inspection this morning, no classes. A few details assigned. Did my washing. Am planning to go to the library. Ed is doing his washing now. Ed, Grant and I are planning to go to Wichita to see the Shakespeare play, "As You Like It," with (IN PERSON), Katharine Hepburn and William Prince. We got our passes at noon. Bendt, Ed, Grant, and I hitch-hiked to Wichita, KS. It took three different rides to get me there. We had separated to have better luck in getting rides, but somehow all managed to get there okay. We met at a hamburger shop across the street from the Forum Theater. When we finished eating and went to pay our checks, we discovered that a Mrs. Floto had overheard us excitedly talking about seeing Katharine Hepburn in person on stage. Mrs. Floto had already paid for our meal, and left word that we were to go backstage after the show to meet the stars, including William Prince and Vanessa Brown. It seems that Mrs. Floto is the person who had arranged for Katharine Hepburn to appear at the Forum Theater, she being the theater manager. So we saw the play and it was wonderful. Katharine Hepburn looked like a porcelain doll on stage. We went backstage and met them all. Katharine Hepburn said to me, "You must be from Texas, because you are so tall." I told her I was from Utah. Ed said, "May I say how much we enjoyed your performance?" And Katharine replied, "You certainly may!" (Doesn't that sound just like her?) In person and close up, Katharine looked more like we think of her looking, than how she looked on the stage. Very freckled, ruddy complexion, and her hands were quite wrinkled. She was very gracious. She left the theater and got into a black Lincoln Continental. Our group stayed at the Lassen Hotel in Wichita. I roomed with Bendt. We had a very nice room with bath. NOVEMBER 26, 1950, Sunday. The bunch of us had a great time running around town, taking pictures of ourselves (which turned out very good). We saw a famous diamond collection which was touring the country. The Hope Diamond, Star of the East, Inquisition Necklace, plus many others. We saw the new Ford automobile. Window shopped. Saw the fabulous Xmas window displays. We had not gotten out of bed this morning until 9:30am! Breakfast at 10:15 at the Trail. Lunch at the Trail Restaurant, also. We went to the movie "The Jackpot," with James Stewart and Barbara Hale. It was quite funny. We walked around, ate again at the fountain where they had great milkshakes. Started back on the bus at 9:15pm. Got into Camp Funston at 2:00am! Checked in passes and went to bed. NOVEMBER 27, 1950, Monday. MY BIRTHDAY. Heard I have some packages at 86th "F" Company. So when I went to keep my dental appointment this morning, I tried to get them, but they are being sent over here to the 85th. I hope they get here today. At Camp Forsyth I saw Bock, Clauson, Bergeron, O'Neil, Carroll, and others of my old Company. Bock gave me a book, "Green Mansions," by Hudson, for my birthday! Talked with Melvin Clawson as I waited for the bus. They don't know when they will be going to Virginia. Came back to barracks. My class is in Orientation, so I am waiting until noon to join them. Had inspection. I was the only one in the barracks. The place was in no condition to stand inspection. We are overcrowded. Chow at noon. Went to library and read, wrote letters. Got back just in time to move my things over to the next barracks. Went to square dance at Ft. Riley with Ed, Howard Key, Johnson, and others. We didn't dance. Heard records. Got back about 10:30pm. To bed. NOVEMBER 28, 1950, Tuesday. Over to dentist again. Late for appointment for the first time. Didn't get back in time for lunch. No details given out in the afternoon. Working on my display, shoes, etc. Went to Mutual. Saw Anderson from 8th Ward in Logan. He had just arrived as a new recruit. Many other new recruits have arrived. Had a fairly good discussion. Back to barracks. Finished reading "The Spanish Gardener." NOVEMBER 29, 1950, Wednesday. Our barracks received excellent rating today. Cleaned up dayroom. Mop water on floor turned to ice. Froze my feet. Started reading the book "Belles on Their Toes." Short details assigned in the afternoon, preparing for the arrival of a Lt. General. Read more of "Toes." I am at the service club eating cake sent to me by Mother. Went to dance. Came back. Finished reading "Belles on Their Toes." It was good. NOVEMBER 30, 1950, Thursday. Pay Day. Worrying about transportation home for Xmas. Hope to have no hard detail duty today. Would like to get some letters written. DECEMBER 1-3, 1950, Friday-Sunday. Off at 5:00pm Friday. Got Form 7, Yellow pass. Seven of us went to Kansas City, KS and Kansas City, MO. Stayed at the YMCA in Kansas City, KS Friday night. We moved over to the Philly's Hotel, 20th Floor on Saturday. Getting to Kansas City we rode in a large Hudson automobile and the driver drove at 100 miles per hour. I was scared. But we had a wonderful time on this pass. Went to Gus' Restaurant, Tropics Room, Muhlebach(?) Hotel, where President Truman stayed when in Kansas City, to the New Yorker, A&B, Blue Willow, Orpheus Theatre where we saw "No Way Out," with Linda Darnell and Richard Widmark. It was really strong entertainment. Linda did the best acting she has done in years. Theater was very large, ornate, and elaborately decorated. We took so many pictures of ourselves and again I am anxious to see how they turn out, since we clowned around so much. Sunday night at the Southern Cafe at 12:45pm, I was beginning to worry about our ride back, but the driver arrived and we got back to the barracks at 3:00am and turned in our passes. DECEMBER 4, 1950, Monday. Up at 6:00am. I am very tired. Details. ORDERS! We are shipping out to Maryland! We are now in the Army Chemical Corps! All of us are quite surprised. DECEMBER 5, 1950, Tuesday. Up at 5:15am. KP duty all morning. Finally released for G-4 inspection and I didn't go back to KP. Went to the library and then to a movie in the evening with Bendt, Ed, and Grant. Saw "Harvey," with James Stewart and a wonderful Josephine Hull. Movie was totally crazy. Sometimes it was funny. DECEMBER 6, 1950, Wednesday. Waited to process. Didn't get done in time to catch train. Went to movie with Ed. Saw "Mystery Submarine," with Marta Toren and MacDonald Carey. Ed liked it, I didn't. Went back to barracks. Talked with Ed, Jenness, and Farrington, and then to bed. DECEMBER 7-8, 1950, Thursday-Friday. Embarked on Union Pacific train for Kansas City at 5:30pm. Our group was exactly 24 hours late on our orders. We slept in Pullman cars. I had a lower berth, although I didn't get to see much. Changed trains at Kansas City. Got on the Wabash train to St. Louis. Saw some of St. Louis, but not much. We ate at the Harvey Restaurant. Had a wonderful time on the "Spirit of St. Louis" train, which we boarded at St. Louis. Left Howell in St. Louis. He caught another train to Virginia. We stayed up until 3:00am trying to get a view of Pittsburgh from the train, but missed it! DECEMBER 9, 1950, Saturday. I got up at 7:00am and went back to the club car to watch the scenery. Pennsylvania was very interesting. We followed the Susquehanna River for more than 100 miles, finally crossing it on a huge bridge near Harrisburg. Got to see the State Capitol building at Harrisburg. We got to Baltimore, MD in time for lunch and walked around town and through the Museum there before we caught the local train on out to Edgewood, MD. Checked in at the gate. We were all suspected of being AWOL. Everything was straightened out and we got into our barracks. There is a tremendously depressive attitude around here. Nothing less than eight more gruesome weeks of combat training. We are all so downhearted and depressed we seldom talk together. (This is, after all, Aberdeen Proving Grounds. Many tanks, and a large ammunition depot. President Truman visited while we were here, but we did not see him. Many platoons of combat-ready soldiers, drilling. Very sharp. They will ship out to Korea next week - and they want to go! The Cadre men, drill sergeants, and officers here are all hard-bitten, recently-returned combat veterans, back from Korea. Many stories of whole platoons recently sent to Korea which were totally wiped out, or only one or two soldiers left from certain platoons. We don't know how much of this to believe. But one thing is sure - we have to shift our minds into a different gear now. Service in Korea. DECEMBER 10, 1950, Sunday. Saw movie, "American Guerrilla in the Philippines," with Tyrone Power, Micheline Presle. It was quite realistic and exactly what we were not in the mood to see. Right now I am in the service club waiting for Ed and Farlow to bring me something to eat. Griggs and Key have arrived and they are going to eat with us. This is without a doubt the most discouraging and horrible Sunday it has been my misfortune to encounter. Saw a variety show, mostly dancing, and a magician performed. It was fair, but nothing special. Hope to get some good sleep tonight because I have to be up at 5:30am tomorrow morning. DECEMBER 11, 1950, Monday. Everything still has a gloomy aspect. We were issued full field packs today, including gas masks. (We are, after all, now in the Chemical Corps). We strapped our gas masks to our bunks. Did detail assignments all day. DECEMBER 12, 1950, Tuesday. Up at 5:30am again. Worked in mess hall for about 2 hours and really got tired. I worked very hard with no stops. All kinds of rumors are circulating. Combat in Korea soon and anything else you might not want to hear. Had application made for I.D. card. DECEMBER 13, 1950, Wednesday. Up at 5:30am. Ed and I have the pleasant job of decorating the Mess Hall and Dayroom for Christmas. We drove out with the Capt. to Chesapeake Bay and found lots of holly trees. They grow quite tall and I was surprised at that. We cut down quite a pile of it and took it back to the barracks and got 6 wreaths made. At 1:00pm we all went over to the dayroom to be re-processed. Some of us were not interviewed but will be interviewed tomorrow. There may be some hope in this business, but we dare not hope too strongly. After chow, we got ready to go to the basketball game in Baltimore at the Coliseum. Army Chemical plays Loyola, and the Baltimore Bullets play the Tri-City Blackhawks. We rode through Baltimore on a bus. Key, Griggs, Farlow, Ed and I, were together on this trip. Tomorrow we are on KP. All but Key, that is. (The depression at this time was too much for Key, and he soon was hospitalized for it, when he learned he was being sent to Korea. I went to visit him in the hospital, but he was just not up to visiting. He suspected everyone of trying to psychoanalyze him, including me, since the doctors had put him through so much. I felt very unhappy about this, because Key was a very good friend. It should be noted here, that Key recovered and did get sent to Korea. When we last heard of him, he was driving a truck in Korea and not at all unhappy about it. But that is getting ahead of myself, timewise.) The double-header basketball game lasted so long, and since we had not much interest in any of the teams, we were glad when it was over. DECEMBER 14, 1950, Thursday. More detail assignments all day today. To the service club at night. DECEMBER 15, 1950, Friday. Ed and Griggs got gigged and will have to work until 5:00pm TOMORROW before we can leave together on pass. DECEMBER 16, 1950, Saturday. Went to 2 hours of army religion classes and lectures about spreading rumors. It was terrible. Ed is at truck-driving class. We finally got our passes and then waited around until after five so Ed and Griggs could go with us. We got into Baltimore and found out that the YMCA was filled up, so we looked for a hotel and finally paid for two adjoining suites with baths. Ed and I shared a room, Key and Griggs shared, and Farlow got a room by himself. We went out and looked at the window displays, ate some food, then saw the movie "Trio," with Michael Rennie, Jean Simmons, Wilfrid Hyde White. This was three short stories by Somerset Maugham. This was at the "Little Theater" movie house. The movie was very good and we all enjoyed it. DECEMBER 17, 1950, Sunday. Up at about 9:45am. Went to Presbyterian church at 11:00am. Very nice services in a very old and impressively ornate cathedral, built in the 1700's. The minister shook hands with us and asked me where I was from. (Don't they all?) We got something to eat and then wandered all over town window shopping (we did an awful lot of that), and sightseeing. We went to an amusement building and Ed and Dan made recordings of Christmas greetings to mail home. We got on the bus at 4:00pm and returned to camp. At 7:00pm Farlow, Key, Bock, and I went to the Church Christmas Choir Service. They presented a pageant with much choir singing. The whole thing was just terrible. A Lieutenant sang "Silent Night" in the worst way! DECEMBER 18, 1950, Monday. Back on detail work. Then worked on Xmas decorations in Mess Hall. I got gigged for the first time! One of my shirts in my clothing display was unbuttoned at the top. Oh, what shame, oh what misery! DECEMBER 19, 1950, Tuesday. To my great surprise I was awakened at 5:00am and told I was on KP. I worked on pots and pans again. At 11:00am a man came to relieve me and I was put back on Xmas decorations. I worked from then until 5:30pm and got a lot done. Very tired at night. Sore throat and stuffy nose. Another gig today! Left a shirt hanging on a nail! My second gig! What is happening to me? The others went to a movie. Griggs is still on KP. Ed and Farlow drove trucks here from Ft. Mead, VA. Three fellows have orders to ship out now. We are all praying that our orders will come soon. I wrote to Utah State Agricultural College for a transcript of my college credits. We have heard that if we have sufficient education credits we can be assigned here in the states and not be sent to Korea. We are encouraged to send for our credits. (When my credits did arrive, many weeks later, they were laughed at by the officers. Utah State Agricultural College? What kind of a school was that? The name of the school had not yet been changed to Utah State University, which I had campaigned for when I was in school. At any rate, my college degree and credits did not impress anyone who was in charge.) DECEMBER 20, 1950, Wednesday. Decorations all day. Finished the mess hall and did a lot of work on the day room. Ed was not able to help much with the decorations because he has been quite ill lately. Rumor is going around that Ed's writing to his cousin, Representative Reva Beck Bosone, Congresswoman from Utah, was getting him into trouble. Of course its true that he did write to her for help, but some people around here think it was I who wrote to her! She answered his letter and also wrote to the Commanding Officer here, who was rumored to be very upset about the whole business. Nevertheless, Ed, Griggs, and I went to see the movie "Double Crossbones," with Donald O'Connor and Helena Carter. It was quite funny. Ed seemed to enjoy it, especially. We went back over to the service club just in time to see a very good Christmas program presented by a large group from Baltimore. Bock joined us at the program and we talked a short while afterward. Ed was in a hurry to get to bed so we all left early and didn't stay for the dance. DECEMBER 21, 1950, Thursday. Ed is quite ill today. I've had an upset stomach myself for two days, and a bad sore throat. We are all a gloomy bunch as Xmas approaches. As a result of Ed's letter to his cousin, Rep. Reva Beck Bosone, he was taken in a jeep down to see a Lt. Col. who told him that he would soon be placed in a job here on the post, working on government booklets, or something like that, work that is supposed to utilize his abilities. He is so ill, he hasn't had much time to think about how fortunate for him the whole business has turned out to be. I worked on the dayroom decorations. In the afternoon, I got Key off his detail assignment so he could help me and we finished the job. Went to chow. Taylor (red-headed and from Salt Lake City) is leaving for Ft. Myers or Ft. Sam Houston, tonight. He is very happy about it. Paul Sorenson left today to spend Xmas at home, then he goes to Ft. Myers. Griggs is feeling very blue because he will have to go on pass this weekend and he has no money. He wanted instead to go on New Year's pass with Key, but now their plans are ruined. I still haven't the least idea of what I'm going to do over the Xmas weekend. Ed intends to go to Washington, D.C. I guess I won't try to go to my brother Lorin's place, but I'd really like to. I'm supposed to be in a formation right now headed for hair-cuts, but I didn't go because I don't think I need a haircut. I would like to hear some good news soon about getting out of here. Am going to the library tonight with Griggs and Key. I hope to see Bock there. Ed is on KP tomorrow and therefore he wants to get to bed early. I may go on KP for him if he doesn't feel better in the morning. Our C.O. gave a very terrible speech tonight at retreat because of the action taken on Ed's behalf. He told us in so many words that we weren't to think for ourselves, weren't to write any letters to congressmen. We were all stunned to learn that we were so completely under the army's control in thought and action. I vowed then and there to write to all my congressional delegation as soon as I could, to get any help I could. DECEMBER 22, 1950, Friday. Finished all the decorations in the mess hall and day room and took all the extra supplies back to the supply room. Lt. Gilbert said I did a very good job. Reported back to the Sgt. and he sent me to the kitchen to work. I had to work outside, sweeping off the cement for long cold hours. Worked details all day. Dining room helper in the afternoon. Went with a group to get haircuts tonight. Didn't need one, but had to get one anyway. DECEMBER 23, 1950, Saturday. Up at 5:00am. Got gear checked and got pass. Ed and I caught a ride out to Edgewood. Took the bus to Baltimore and the train into Washington, D.C. Got a nice room on the 4th floor of the Continental Hotel. Costs $4.00 a night. Ed stayed with me Saturday night, so it will only be $2.00 a piece for the first night. We went (toured) through the National Capitol, Library of Congress, National Gallery of Art, saw the Washington monument, Lincoln Memorial, and many other famous buildings, including the White House. We saw the Washington monument against a most beautiful sunset. We walked out to the Lincoln Memorial. Got back to the hotel via bus. Went over to Sam Kelley's house (another of Ed's cousins), and visited with them. Had buffet lunch there. Went to the LDS Chapel and heard the Utah Centennial Chorus sing, plus sang Christmas carols ourselves. We toured the Chapel and then went back to the hotel. Got to bed at 11:30pm. Slept pretty good, although I have a very terrible cold and sore throat. DECEMBER 24, 1950, Sunday. Up at 9:00am. Went to Sunday School in the Washington Ward. Saw Grant Wagner & Kenny Renshaw there. Very wonderful program. Man told Xmas story exceptionally well. Ed left to go see Reva Beck Bosone. Met Mr. & Mrs. Palmer and children. They are from Cedar City, UT, and he is an accountant and lawyer. He works in the huge General Accounting building. I had a wonderful afternoon, a very good meal, and enjoyed myself very much. Palmer family all very charming. Mr. Palmer drove me to the bus stop and I returned to the hotel. Went out and took a cab to the Plaza Theater and saw 3 ballet movies that were very good. Then went to the Capitol Theatre and saw the movie "Watch The Birdie," with Red Skelton, Arlene Dahl, and Ann Miller. It was quite funny. After the movie, there was a live stage show, with Alan Carney, in person, along with Kay DeWitt and other very good entertainers. Went back to the hotel. Got some ginger ale and went to bed. The hotel personnel left some candy on my door knob. Ed went back to Sam's and they went to church, then Xmas caroling. DECEMBER 25, 1950, Monday. Christmas Day. Ed called at 9:45am. I'm still in bed. He wants me to meet him at 12th and Pennsylvania Avenue at 12:30pm. You see, Reva Beck Bosone has asked both of us to dinner and we are going. I'm quite excited about it. I do hope everything goes well. It's a nice sunny day today. Saw the Pentagon office building. Well, we arrived at the Bosone's. I met Reva and her daughter, Zelpha. Wonderful people. Zelpha drove us out along the Potomac to Mount Vernon and we toured that beautiful estate. The day has turned very cold. Went back to the Bosone's and had a very nice Christmas dinner. Talked after dinner. They tried to teach us the latest dance craze, which was a spanish dance, the Cha-Cha, but I did not catch on very well. Ed, Zelpha, and Reva played the piano and told jokes. Mrs. Bosone has great faith in the sincerity and courage of President Truman. They drove us back to the Continental Hotel, and I picked up my bag and we went to the train station. Took the train to Baltimore and the bus out of there at 11:40pm to Edgewood. To bed at 1:00am. (The Bosone's address was 3504 Martha Custis Drive, Park Fairfax, Alexandria, VA.) DECEMBER 26, 1950, Tuesday. Up at 4:30am. KP extra duty because regular KP's didn't get back off of pass. Relieved at 7:30am. I am quite sick--stomach ache and sore throat. Went on sick call. Got heat treatment for 10 minutes, pills, gargle, nose drops. Am hiding out, and freezing, trying to keep out of detail work, especially outside, since I still have no coat or sweater. Ed just got his orders. He is very happy about it. I do hope he's got a good deal. I'm going to get some letters written soon. I hope I feel better soon. I've not been able to eat anything. DECEMBER 27, 1950, Wednesday. I feel better today. On KP all day. We were a good group of four workers and the cooks said we were very good workers. We got through at 7:10pm, which was the earliest anyone had finished yet. Went to service club and met Ed. He is settled now in his new barracks here. Key, Boris Niepritzky and I played Bingo, but didn't win anything. Wrote letters. Talked. Haven't seen Bock all week. DECEMBER 28, 1950, Thursday. Worked all day again. Fifteen are shipping out soon. Changed beds to singles (removed upper bunks). Had an alert at 3:00pm. Went to service club with Griggs. Ed came and we went to a movie, "Under The Gun," with Richard Conte and Audrey Totter. It was only fair. Wrote letters, watched television, and went back to the barracks. DECEMBER 29, 1950, Friday. Up at 5:30am. Broke down more beds. Raining hard this morning, so we had reveille inside. Got a haircut today, but it took all morning since 28 of us went to the barber in a truck. Read two of Griggs' Xmas present books, while waiting: Poems by Robert Nathan and Poems by Franz Werfel. Both books were very good. G.I.'d the third platoon barracks' stairs. Laid around all afternoon. Must see that my footlocker is in order and clothes ready for inspection tomorrow. Went to movie with Ed. It was "Never a Dull Moment," with Irene Dunn and Fred MacMurray. We liked it very much. Got back late. DECEMBER 30, 1950, Saturday. Had T.I.P. Then two inspections. One by C.O. and one by a Major. The C.O. complimented me on the decorations in the mess hall and said many people had commented on how nice they were. The Major said we were a good looking group! Saw Ed. He, Griggs and Key are going to New York City. Hope they have fun. Went to movie with Farlow. It was "September Affair," with Joan Fontaine and Joseph Cotton. Good romance, nothing original. DECEMBER 31, 1950, Sunday. In bed until 9:00am. Washed 3 batches of clothes. Chow. To service club. Saw movie in the evening. It was "At War With The Army," with Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis. It was funny in an awkward, terrible way. I am not a fan of Jerry Lewis' comedy. Back to the service club. To bed early. JANUARY 1, 1951, Monday. New Year's Day. In bed until 10:00am! Folded laundry. Went to service club. Walked down to the Bay and stood in an old row boat. Bay is all ice. Farlow lost a glove. I finally recovered it on our last loop back searching for it. Got back to barracks at 9:00pm. To bed early. JANUARY 2, 1951, Tuesday. Reveille at 5:30am. Drill. Key and Griggs are back from New York City. Ed's still there. He is staying at the Waldorf Astoria. They (Key and Ed) saw Mary Martin in "South Pacific" on Broadway. Ed said now that he has seen it, he is ready to die. They toured much of New York City and were impressed no end. The news is out that a training cycle is to begin here on January 8. That's just next Monday. Hope I'm out of here before that horrible date. Just checked on my allotment. Didn't do any good. My college credits haven't come yet. Went to cleaners and took one Ike jacket and pants. Griggs and Key talk all the time about New York City. They really had a swell time there. JANUARY 3-4-5, 1951, Wednesday-Friday. Quite regular days with much time off to get things in shape to begin training. JANUARY 6, 1951, Saturday. Talked to Lt. Havlik in Finance about my problems. Got a pass. Key and I left for Washington, D.C. Got a room at the Continental with a view of the Capitol building. We went to the Captitol Theater and saw (IN PERSON), Debbie Reynolds and Carleton Carpenter (young potential movie stars) in a musical review. They were VERY entertaining. Also, we saw a number of vaudeville acts that were also very good, in the same show. We met Farlow and Guiton and looked for a place to get something to eat, but everything was closed. We went to the railroad station and got some things. We got to bed at about 2:30am. Had fun. JANUARY 7, 1951, Sunday. Up quite early for a Sunday. Went to the First Calvary Baptist Church. (President Truman goes there). Very nice services. It is raining. In the afternoon, we went way out to the huge Washington Cathedral. We were quite impressed. We saw the tombs of Francis Scott Key, Admiral Dewey, and President Woodrow Wilson. The building will be the largest Gothic cathedral in the world when it is finished. We went through Georgetown. Saw some of it. We had to do everything in the rain. We caught the train back to Baltimore and a bus into Edgewood. Signed in and retired. (Note: As of the year 1990, the Cathedral is still not completed!) JANUARY 8, 1951, Monday. The dreaded day. Began training. P.T. Nearly killed myself. We had quite interesting classes about gases. We are in the Chemical Corp, remember? JANUARY 9, 1951, Tuesday. Outside all day. Trucks. Pulleys. Saw Ed. Had fun talking to him. Also saw Buckley. He is happy where he is. JANUARY 10, 1951, Wednesday. Chemical Charts. Exploded gases. Marched by to smell and identify the gases. JANUARY 11, 1951, Thursday. Worked chemical experiments. I inhaled too much of the gas and coughed and sneezed all day. Training movies all afternoon. KP for 3 hours. To bed late, after writing letters to Mom. JANUARY 12, 1951, Friday. Double timing everything. Training movies all morning. Farlow keeps getting an excellent rating on his "outstandinggerria" as the Sgt. puts it (translation: outstanding area). We must go on a night problem tonight. No mail today. Yesterday I received a package of fudge from Gayle Stallings of Grant, ID (where I was teaching school), and 5 nice letters. We went on the night problem. Compass and all. I found all the tree markers first, except one. Our group of 5 were the first group to finish, and the 2nd group to start. Shined shoes, sewed two patches on, began a letter to Gayle Stallings to thank her for the fudge. JANUARY 13, 1951, Saturday. Up at 5:00am. Cleaned area and barracks. Signed new clothing form. Policed the area. Close-order drill for 45 minutes. Class A for T.I.P. at 10:00am and perhaps a parade later and two or three inspections. Smith has gone home to get married. He left last night. He is being shipped to Ft. Sam Houston next week and he wanted to get married before he left. Griggs will be leaving at the end of next week. I hope Farlow, Key, and I get some similar news and very soon. I have to go on guard duty tonight at 5:30pm. JANUARY 14, 1951, Sunday. I am on guard duty, 10-12 shift was miserable because of the rain. On guard duty with Walsh and Farlow. Nothing extraordinary happened. JANUARY 15, 1951, Monday. Key and Griggs are on guard duty today. I went to the PX and got them some food. JANUARY 16, 1951, Tuesday. A black day in my life. Drill from 7:30am until 9:00am. It is very cold and I am wearing two complete sets of clothes to try to keep warm. At 8:45am, we were told to form 2 lines, and the first in each line were to run towards each other and knock the other person to the ground. Most saw this extraordinary exercise for what it was, and one of the two gave up immediately and fell to the ground, then they both ran to the back of the line. I was paired with a friend, Maxman, who had been a physical ed instructor in civilian life. We took the exercise seriously. We got into a kind of wrestling match, and our legs became entangled. We fell to the ground together, he on top of my left leg. I heard CRACK! CRACK! and my leg was broken in two places near the knee. Maxman said he knew just what to do, and he turned my foot sideways and held it against the ice cold ground. Sgt. Forby ran back to camp to get an ambulance. Maxman and Smith tried their best to keep me from moving. I think when Maxman twisted my foot sideways and held it to the ground, he did more damage than good. The ambulance came and Sgt. Forby, a black Sgt., took me to the dispensary, where they cut through two pair of pants to get to my leg, put on a wooden splint without trying to set my leg, and gave me a shot of morphine. They put me back into the ambulance and drove to the Aberdeen Proving Grounds station hospital, 15 miles away. X-rays were taken. I kept telling them how to take the pictures, since I was now feeling no pain because of the morphine, and I had worked as an X-ray technician's assistant at Bushnell General Hospital in Brigham City, UT. The bone was set and a cast put on. Broken fracture at the head of the tibula, dislocated knee, and displacement. It was now becoming painful again. I was put into bed next to another patient, named Stillwell. He was very sympathetic and helped me a lot. JANUARY 17 - FEBRUARY 10, 1951. Hospital life. Little sleep. Pain. Ward boys. Meeting people. Ed and Griggs came to see me, Griggs all the way from Ft. Myers, VA. Other visitors. Guiton, Key, and Farlow. Despite the pain and discomfort I had a wonderful time visiting with them. Red Cross. Movies. Piano practice. Made several abstract drawings. Chow in bed, and then having to go to the mess hall on crutches. Quite a long trip. Saw movies: "Never a Dull Moment" (2nd time); "Showdown" - no good. "Jolson Sings Again" (3rd time, but I still liked it); "Golden Gloves" - no good at all. I talked with Anthony Cocco. Getting discharged. Likes to talk! He is from Philadelphia, a Catholic who claims he played football for Villanova. Here are some of the books I have read while in bed: Kon Tiki, Zebra Derby by Shulman, Come In by Robert Frost, The Witness Tree by Robert Frost, The 13 Clocks by Thurber, Burning Bright by Steinbeck, The Masque of Reason by Frost, How to Win an Argument With a Communist, by Roy W. Sherman, The Feather Merchants, by Shulman, Nuts in May by Cornelia Otis Skinner, Jacob's Ladder by Marjorie K. Rawlings, Family Reunion, by Ogden Nash, Springtime in Paris, by Elliot Paul, Over the River and Into the Trees, by Hemingway, Black Mischief, by Evelyn Waugh, The Power and the Glory, by Graham Greene, The Prophet, by Kahil Gilbran, The White Tower, by Ullman, Lysistrata, by Aristophanes, Keep It Crisp, by Perleman, The Disappearance, by Wylie, Nightrunners of Bengal. (Note or warning: Never read Zebra Derby when you are in pain. I laughed so hard, and out loud at that. It was truly a painful read!) FEBRUARY 11, 1951, Sunday. My cast is coming off next Tuesday. Thank goodness! Yesterday, Ed came and brought my suitcase and a box of candy from people he rode here with. Very glad to see him. Had a good visit. How nice of him to come so far to see me. Last night I talked with a fellow who breeds tropical fish, is a stagehand, and admires horses. He is from New York. Also a fellow who's bed is next to mine, who is an engineer from Los Angeles. Enjoyed these conversations very much. It is a usual day today. Nothing new. FEBRUARY 12, 1951, Monday. My cast came off today instead of waiting for tomorrow. Very painful process, since it was cut off with huge scissors. Saw my leg for the first time in quite a while. It is very odd looking, out of shape, and colored. Can't straighten or bend it. Began whirlpool soakings. Very touchy taking care of it now. Key called up and I was very glad to hear from him. We couldn't talk much because nurses were all over the place and wanted me to hang up. Letter today from Guiton. Valentine from Ed. Letter from Aunt Verna. It is Lincoln's birthday today. More treatments. Doctor Jaffe wiggled my leg, bent it a little. It really hurt. X-rays taken. Saw movie "Right Cross," with June Allyson, Dick Powell, and Ricardo Montalban, as well as Lionel Barrymore and Marilyn Monroe, directed by John Sturgess. Pretty good. FEBRUARY 13, 1951, Tuesday. Treatment. Leg still touchy, colored, hard to handle. Went to dentist. Cocco is going home in two days. I'll miss him. He took up so much of my time. I sent off my Life Insurance. Wrote to Mother and Gary Mortensen. Saw movie "Peggy," with Diana Lynn, Charles Coburn, and Charlotte Greenwood. It was good. FEBRUARY 14-22, 1951. Routine treatments. Now use just one crutch. Dr. Jaffe made me stand on my broken leg. It was no fun. Waldron leaving today. Good fellow, hope he has good luck. Saw movie "Mr. Music," (2nd time). Key and Farlow perhaps coming to visit me this weekend. I hope so. Cushing and others to leave the hospital soon. Some I will not be sorry to see leave because of their irritating habits, but others I will miss. Stillwell is still here. He will be the only one here longer than I after Saturday. Doing a lot of reading. FEBRUARY 23 to MARCH 1, 1951. Package from home very welcome! Have eaten all the Boston creme and divinity candy. Still have a lot of fruit cake left. It is very good. Saw movie "On the Isle of Samoa," with Jon Hall. It was terrible. Also saw "Love Happy" (2nd time) - it was pretty good. I am able to put most of my weight on my left leg now. Should be out within two weeks. MARCH 2 to MARCH 8, 1951. Still no pay for February. I am being sent, I am told, to Walter Reed Hospital in Washington, D.C. An operation may be necessary, but I'm still hoping it won't be. I'll hate to leave "Hot Toes" Atmur (he has a broken ankle). We have become quite good friends. I have beaten him and Robinson (black) in Canasta twice tonight and they don't see how I do it. Last night we had a Bingo Party at the Red Cross. Atmur and I won combs. We were entertained by some nice young ladies. Our hostesses were from Bel Air High School. I finished reading "River of the Sun" and "Shannon's Way, by A.J. Cronin. The latter book really made an impression on me. Next I'm going to read James Joyce's "Portrait of The Artist As A Young Man," which Ed gave me ages ago but I haven't gotten around to reading it yet. Nice weather. Nearly Spring. Rain once in awhile. MARCH 9 to MARCH 12, 1951. Packed into 1951 Chrysler Ambulance (told I was being taken to Walter Reed Hospital), but I knew as we started out that we were going instead to Valley Forge Army Hospital, Valley Forge, PA. Drove along in a slight blizzard, in the prone position. Passed through Wilmington, Delaware (the whole state of Delaware, in fact). Interesting hills, trees, lawns, streams, etc. in Pennsylvania. Arrived at Valley Forge at 11:45am. Terrible time checking baggage and clothing. Put temporarily in Ward 17a. Ward is empty except for 3 other guys. Television. Saw Owen Davis' "Haunted House" on TV. It is now Saturday. I am assigned to Ward 16AB, Room 40A. Private room with bath. Outside, the ward is very noisy. Examined by two doctors. Find out that my fracture did not knit, my leg is completely unstable. The ligaments are torn that cross on the side of the knee. My leg wobbles around rather peculiarly. Operation may be necessary. I'm still hoping not. I wrote about six letters, then went to a variety show in the recreation hall. It was very good. Mostly talented children and they were really great. Met a few people from Philadelphia. Nice. Sunday. Went to Protestant services in recreation hall. Only 5 people were there. Man conducted services from wheelchair. Sang songs. Completely uninteresting speeches. In the afternoon I saw the movie "Father's Little Dividend," with Joan Bennett, Spencer Tracy, Elizabeth Taylor, Spring Byington. It was pretty good. Went to a stage play. A variety show followed. It was called "We Love the Guys." It was just fair. Rather horrible man took over during intermission to teach everyone the song - "My hat it has 3 corners, 3 corners has my hat, Because it has 3 corners, I know it is my hat." Many variations and actions were introduced to the complete chagrin and embarrassment of all participating. Monday. Went to lab for blood test. Stopped at receiving office and finally got my bag out. Returned to ward. Doctor says to stay in my room until he gets a medical history on me. I am reading Wylie's "Finnley Wren," to my great pleasure. MARCH 13-14, 1951, Tuesday-Wednesday. Made more paintings. Saw movie "Lorna Doone," with Richard Greene and Barbara Hale. Did some sign printing for the nurse, a Captain. Finished reading "Finnley Wren." Had doctors conference on my leg. Fifteen doctors. Decided an operation is necessary. Intend to build up the muscles in my leg before operating. Now 19 doctors have examined my knee. Worked in T-140 again. Saw the movie "Up Front," which pleased the patients, but not me. After the movie, I saw the Broadway show "Light Up The Sky" by Moss Hart, which was presented by the Pennsylvania University. Rather high-schoolish production, but it had its moments. Three fourths of the audience left during the show. I dread forthcoming PT exercises. MARCH 15-16, 1951, Thursday-Friday. Saw McGee Variety Show. Horrible. Started an oil painting. On the 16th, I saw "Silver Whistle," presented by the Main Line Players. met producer's mother and sat with her and another lady through the play. Pretty good. Slow tempo, cues were missed. Better directing would have helped. Cute story, with some clever character parts. I had chest x-rayed. Was interviewed about P.T. Will commence exercises soon. I hope not until Monday. Got a letter from Don Atmur. Not much news in it. Here is an excerpt from a story by Gertrude Stein: "There is another nice story of a dog in Aix-en-Province, there was a girl in a cafe who was very fond of a dog who used to come there regularly with a man and she regularly gave him a lump of sugar, one day the man came in without the dog and said the dog was dead. The girl had the lump of sugar in her hand and when she heard the dog was dead tears came to her eyes and she ate the lump of sugar."--from "Paris France." MARCH 17-20, 1951, Saturday-Tuesday. Saw movies "Raton Pass," with Dennis Morgan, Patricia Neal, Steve Cochran, and "Quebec," with John Barrymore, Jr., Patric Knowles, Patricia Cortesse. Saturday. Had visitors, Ed came and visited for 3 hours. Barbara Price from Salt Lake City. Went to school with Ed's sister. Sunday. Visitors. Barbara Price, Bishop and Mrs. Clarke and the Obendorfers from Philadelphia. They anointed me and gave me a wonderful blessing. Really glad to have them come to see me. Monday. Started P.T. Lifting weights with my left foot. Made mats at T-140 for my paintings. Went to boxing matches but left because they were no good. MARCH 21-26, 1951, Wednesday-Monday. Saw movies "Valentino," "Air Cadet," and "Abbott and Costello Meet The Invisible Man." Wednesday night. Went to the Locust Theater in Philadelphia and saw IN PERSON on stage, "Gramarcy Ghost," in its tryout before going to Broadway. It starred IN PERSON, Sarah Churchill, Winston Churchill's daughter. Then on Thursday night went to the Walnut Theater in Philadelphia and saw the play "Let Me Hear The Music," with IN PERSON Melvin Douglas and Anthony Quinn. What a performance, with these two trying to out-act each other. Quinn excellent, but he was over-acting. I finished pencil sketch of realistic Swiss valley scene. Surprisingly, it turned out very well. Went to Protestant services Easter morning. No good. Saw Easter Parade from New York City on TV, but didn't see Ed, who was supposed to be there. (That's a joke!). MARCH 27-29, 1951, Tuesday-Thursday. Saw movies "Soldiers Three" - very funny, then "Sword of Monte Cristo" - no good. Made medical illustration drawing for Dr. Capt. Crane. He liked it and used it as a visual aid for a lecture. I have permission to go to New York City for 3 day weekend. Am very excited about it. Supposed to have a ward party today. Didn't have it. Saw swell variety show last night presented by a Philadelphia High School. Have had upset stomach. It is improving. Colonel is coming in a few minutes on ward rounds. He comes around every Thursday. MARCH 30 - APRIL 1, 1951, Friday-Sunday. Drew casual (partial) pay of $40.00. Went to New York City. Had a great time. Spent only $5.00. I treated Richard Greathouse, my room buddy, to a movie, and tour of the Empire State building. He is a paratrooper with the 11th Airborne. Received two post cards from Howard Key today. One from Houston, TX. The other from Denver. He's on his way to Korea! Saw movie "The Long Dark Hall," with Lilli Palmer and Rex Harrison. It was quite good. APRIL 2-4, 1951, Monday-Wednesday. I went to Philadelphia and toured through the Academy of Fine Arts. Head man took us through. Saw art students at work, models, etc. Also a modern, predominantly regional, art exhibit. I thought it was very good. Wednesday. I was prepared for my operation. Hair shaved off my leg from my toes to hips. I entered my paintings in an art exhibit in the Recreation Hall and I hear I won a prize, but I don't know what the prize is. Tomorrow morning at 8:00am my operation takes place. I saw on television this morning that President George Albert Smith died yesterday and I'm feeling blue about that. David O. McKay is the new LDS President. APRIL 5-14, 1951, Thursday thru Saturday of following week. Operation room 8:00am to 11:30am. I was revived briefly at 2:30pm, just long enough for me to ask the time and for my personal things from the other ward. I stayed in a semi-daze for several days. My head finally cleared somewhat on April 12. From then on I stopped taking pain killers and sleeping tablets. My leg is in a partial cast (underneath), and all bandaged up. It's bent at the knee in a forty-five degree angle. Not so comfortable, but could be worse. I finished reading "Morning Journey," by Hilton. It was very good. I began to read "The Disenchanted." Today is April 12. I received eight letters today. Very cheerful ones, too. The night nurse here is absolutely worthless. She's from nothing! Haven't heard yet about the outcome of the Phillmont Country Club Art Exhibit. Saw the movie "The Fat Man," with J. Scott Smart, Julie London, and Rock Hudson. APRIL 15, 1951, Sunday. Saw the movie "Pretty Baby," with Patsy Drake and Dennis Morgan. Quite funny. APRIL 16, 1951, Monday. Finished reading "The Disenchanted." Wrote letters. Saw the movie "The Scarf," with John Ireland and Mercedes McCambridge. Very interesting psychological murder movie. Emlyn Williams very good in it. I would like to study some Spanish. I have a text, but not much ambition. Also, I'd like to write some character sketches and some poetry. I hope I can get around to doing it. Dressing should be changed on my leg by Friday. Also sutures removed. APRIL 17-18, 1951, Tuesday, Wednesday. On Tuesday, I heard that Mom, James & Agnes, & Garth are on their way to see me! Very excited about it. Hoping to get a pass so I can ride around with them. Studied a little Spanish grammar. I am preparing things I want to send home - letters, etc. Weather is clearing up. It is warmer. I must try to get reservations for my folks and pass for me. I don't know if I can get it all done in time. APRIL 19, 1951, Thursday. Folks came. Garth, Agnes & James, and Mother. They arrived about 10:30am. We watched some of the MacArthur parade in New York City on TV. I got my pass and we all took off for New York City! Of course, I am on crutches and have a heavy cast from my toes to my hip. We started at about 12:30pm and reached New York City about 4:30pm. Needless to say, James was not experienced in driving in New York City. We got caught in a few traffic jams, as the MacArthur parade had just been through town and the streets were jammed with people, cars, and debris from the parade stacked high on the streets - paper, etc. We went sight-seeing including Wall Street. Went to the top of the Empire State Building, and I was very pleased that Mother was with us. Went to Battery Park, Times Square, etc. We got back to Valley Forge at midnight and I had arranged a place for my folks to stay overnight. I wondered what they thought when they saw how pale and skinny I had become. I had previously been thin, but now I was nothing but skin and bones. APRIL 20, 1951, Friday. Got eleven stitches removed. Saw incision for the first time. It is eight inches long. While the Colonel was removing the stitches, I became very weak and nearly fainted. Had to lie down awhile. Mother and the rest of the folks ate breakfast and then came and got me and we left for Philadelphia about 11:30am. We toured through the huge Art Gallery and, having taken the long road to Philadelphia, we saw many huge beautiful estates and gardens. Went to Independence Hall, saw the Liberty Bell, and had pictures taken, and I wondered if I would show up at all because I am so thin. We drove through the main part of town and then back to Valley Forge. In driving around, we very often came to the town called The King of Prussia. It seemed to be our landmark to help us get our bearings. We arrived back at Valley Forge at 5:30pm. I cried awhile after saying goodbye to all of my folks. Later I recovered somewhat from our farewells, and went to see the movie "Half Angel," with Loretta Young and Joseph Cotton. Loretta Young tried so hard to be beautiful, and sometimes she succeeded. Terrible dialogue and slow moving. I will watch the "Show of Shows" on TV tonight, then to bed. I am mighty happy about visiting with my folks, and mighty tired. APRIL 21-30, 1951. Routine hospital life. Stitches came out and now I wear my cast only at night. Have seen more movies. Went to Philadelphia and saw the Boston Red Sox defeat the Philadelphia Athletics at Shibe Park. Saw the movie "Tales of Hoffmann." And I saw (IN PERSON) on stage the Broadway-bound show "Flahooley," and it was wonderful! (But it did not become a hit on Broadway). Then I stayed in the dormitory of the YMCA (cost .75), where I met a young fellow who was soon being recalled to the navy. He was a reservist. We had an interesting talk. Sunday morning, April 29. I went to Sunday School at the LDS Chapel on 46th Street and Spruce in Philadelphia. I saw Bishop Clarke and his wife, Mr. and Mrs. Obendorfer, and Barbara Price, and Dean Titensor! Dean and I had been in the Chorus together at Utah State University, with Walter Welti as the conductor. Obendorfers asked me to dinner. They also asked Barbara Price, and we had a chicken dinner and played records of the tabernacle choir and organ. Then we returned to Branch Conference where Harold B. Lee was the main speaker. After that, I took the street car back downtown and saw the movie "The Red Shoes" and "Our Mr. Shakespeare," the latter being a terrible disappointment. Then went to see the movie "Born Yesterday" and "Mr. Boing-Boing." Caught the train for Phoenixville at the Reading terminal and took a bus from Phoenixville to Valley Forge, arriving back at about 11:20pm, very tired, as I had done all this still on crutches and with a heavy cast. MAY 1, 1951, Tuesday. P.T. as usual, more painful each day. Went to an art class taught by Miss Virginia McCall. We drew pictures of a cast of Abraham Lincoln's hands. It was enjoyable. MAY 2, 1951, Wednesday. Went to T-140 and got my pictures. (T-140 is the arts and crafts studio run by the grey ladies and others at the Hospital). Went to Ward 16 and got my yarn and frame to start making a rug. Received a nice diary to write in from Fern, which I will use for Part 2 of my service diary. Sent letters off to Loueen Boam, Jackie Carlyle (former students at Ririe High School, who were still writing to me), Mother, and Ed Fernley. Ed is still home on furlough. I'll be glad when he gets back, in a way, but it will be uncomfortable seeing him when I am so incapacitated. My leg still won't straighten out at all - I hope I notice some improvement soon. MAY 3-7, 1951. Stayed at the hospital all during the weekend. On Sunday night I went to Philadelphia to the Munincipal Auditorium where I saw a three and one-half hour live (IN PERSON) variety show featuring many famous entertainers. Got some autographs. Art Lund sang. Thousands of soldiers, sailors, marines, French, Spanish, and Brazilian sailors, etc. were there. I have almost finished my rug. I made a wallet, English style, in pin-seal leather. I still have some stitching to do on it. Went to art class given by V. McCall. Studied perspective. On Monday, two LDS missionaries came to see me. We had a very long and interesting conversation, although I talked too much. They will come again, anyway. Ed flew back Sunday. I'm anxious to hear from him. I am having interesting conversations here with a Corporal named Jack. He tells me all about his problems with his wife in elaborate, wonderful detail. He is a born story teller and his stories fascinate me. We don't think at all alike, which is probably why his stories interest me so much. I am way behind in my correspondence again. I have been studying many books on the life of Vincent Van Gogh. Had a bad headache earlier this evening. MAY 8, 1951, Tuesday. A.P.C.'s have helped my headache. I must begin walking to the mess hall starting tomorrow. It is a very long way from here, down long hallways, and I am not looking forward to the trip there and back. My leg seems to be improving somewhat. I still can't put weight on it nor straighten it out, but it is slightly less crooked that it was a week ago. MAY 9-12, 1951. I won't be doing much this weekend. I might go to the baseball game on Sunday, I haven't decided for sure yet. We are having a big electrical storm. Quite impressive. Alex and I watched it from the sun porch. I wrote to Mom and to Ed. I've got to write more letters. I seem to be getting lazier by the minute. I can put quite a bit of weight on my leg now, and that makes me very happy. MAY 13-18, 1951. Doctor says not to put weight on my leg until May 24. What a disappointment. I judged a Poster Contest and started another hooked rug. Finished an oil painting. Wrote to Dan, Mom, Venna, John, Ila, and others. Received a 1951 Ririe High School Yearbook, sent to me by Senior Class members, especially by Garth Streeper. I sent off a congratulations telegram to them, since they were my Junior class, now graduating seniors. I am planning to leave tomorrow, Saturday, for Washington, D.C. I have arranged reservations at the Willard Hotel and will meet Ed there. We are going to LDS Conference there. Today I am going to do some printing for the nurse again. Also, I am going through cards to find LDS members at the Chapel, and finish some other clerical work that must be done. I received $20 today from the Finance office. How generous can they get? MAY 19-23, 1951. I went to Washington, D.C. Met Ed at the Willard Hotel. The room is very expensive. LeGrande Richards spoke at the three sessions of Conference that I attended. Saturday night I saw Elder Jerry Grover of Ririe, ID (a former senior student of mine at Ririe!) I moved to Ward 16A. I am back on a ward now, instead of a private room. Packing away a few of my things to send home. Saw movie "The House on Telegraph Hill" with Richard Basehart, Valentina Cortessa, and William Lundigan. I liked it very much although the plot was predictable. I finished reading Joyce's "Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man." I read "This World Is Mine," the 49th book I've read since being in the Army, 46 of them since being in hospitals. I am going to read John O'Hara's book "Butterfield 8" next, then James Hilton's "We Are Not Alone." MAY 24-25, 1951, Thursday-Friday. The ward is restricted. No one can leave. What a mess. Someone piled unrolled bandages and a wheel truck onto a bed. Lt. Bosco was called. Now no one can leave until he finds out who did it. I have been reading and working on a rug. Haven't got a cent to my name. Can't even send off any mail. Hope to get paid by next Tuesday. MAY 26-JUNE 9, 1951. No pass. I am reading Evelyn Waugh's books. Studying the Book of Mormon and Principles of the Gospel. Paid $47.00 by Army. The money came from Atlanta, GA. Have had a bad cold and sore throat. It's getting better now, I think. I have an idea I'll be going back to the Holding Company soon. Agnes sent me $5.00. She owes me only $5 more for my typewriter. Mom sent $1.00. I paid Red Cross $10.00 that I owed them. I am working on my rug. Sent the first rug home, also the wallet I made. Saw good movies "Payment on Demand," "Ace In The Hole," "Take Care of My Little Girl," and "The People We Love." I am supposed to be taking swimming and occupational therapy now. When my cold is all better I suppose I will. My leg is getting a little stronger, but still there is pain on motion when it is tired, and it is still completely unstable. I am now reading "Put Out More Flags." JUNE 10 - JUNE 20, 1951. I have been placed in a Medical Holding Company. I am to report back to Ward 16AB on June 25 to see what is going to happen to me. I have really enjoyed my visits with the missionaries. I went to Philadelphia and heard President McKay's address on the loudspeakers. I saw the Elders on Wednesday. Went to Philadelphia again. Friday night I saw a music festival, including (IN PERSON), Walter Pigeon, Perry Como, Mindy Carson, Duke Ellington and His Orchestra, Meredith Wilson, Alexander Smallens, many other bands, entertainers, dancers, etc. On Saturday, June 16, I went again to Philadelphia. Went to Big League baseball game with Elders. Chicago White Sox got beat by the Philadelphia Athletics. We went to see movie "Fabiola" and afterwards saw "Bird of Paradise" and "Threat." I went to YMCA for the night and Elders went to Ardmore, PA. I really enjoy talking and associating with Elder Leo Twitchell. Sunday morning, I managed to arrive at Sunday School on time. The Elders were not there. They came at noon and we stayed at the Chapel and talked all afternoon. I stayed for Church, then rode back to Valley Forge Army Hospital with Capt. Waldrop and Barbara Price. I'm invited to their wedding, which is on June 30th. On our way home we stopped and had a turkey dinner at a nice drive-in. Capt. Waldrop has shown an interest in me and I have an appointment to see him tomorrow afternoon at 2:00pm. I had planned to go to Atlantic City tomorrow, but now that's off, of course. I would rather be assigned to this hospital than be sent back to my old unit (before the Chemical Corps), which is now in Alabama. I'll really be angry if I get sent there. Today the nurse at P.T. checked my card - "Knee Normal" - if it were only true, I'd be really happy, but my leg is still totally unstable, still all bruised and dark looking and numb. Last night I wrote a huge letter to Leo Twitchell, including many geological terms, half kidding him because he is so practical. I also sent him a copy of my poem "Peanuts and Pocketknives" (Later, the title of this poem was changed to "There Will Be No Rabbits Today" - at the suggestion of the poetry teacher, Veneta Nielson, at Utah State University, that being a line from my poem). This poem was my second, since being in the army, the first was the poem "Holding," which I wrote at Ft. Riley, KS. I received a letter from Ed. He's been to New York City again, stayed this time at the Chesterfield Hotel. Lorin wrote to me. He wants to come and get me and take me over to his place for a visit. I hope it can be arranged. We have 2 roll calls tonight, one at 5:00pm and one at 6:00pm, because the barracks need cleaning. I've been working a little bit on my hooked rug, but I'm afraid I'll not get it finished before I leave here. Saw the movie "Francis Goes To The Races," with Donald O'Connor. Everybody liked it. Capt. William Waldrop and Barbara Price are to be wed June 30th at Valley Forge Park. I'm invited as I have said before. Capt. Waldrop thinks he can get me discharged. I hope so, too, but can't get too excited about it for fear of great disappointment. I'll be examined by Colonel de Van, Monday. I'm hoping he feels the same way as Capt. Waldrop, but I doubt it. JUNE 21, 1951. Thursday. Summer. A very hot, sweaty, day. Cloudy. I managed to get the necessary signatures to get a 3-day pass for this weekend. I'm going to New York City again, as the guest of the 52 Club. I hope they have some interesting things for us this time. I shined my shoes up brightly and am going to sew a button on my shirt sleeve. I've finished reading the Book of Mormon. I had read it quite steadily. Agnes has paid me all but $3.00 on what she owes me for my typewriter. Someone said "I fool feelish, today." I had planned to go to Philadelphia this weekend and spend it with the missionaries, but since there is a Special Services trip to New York City, I might as well go along because it's all free. Wrote letters today to Ed, Agnes, Lorin, Aunt Verna. Am going to write to Key and Mother tonight. I just read my journal through to here from the 1st page. A lot has happened in the last 9 months. The journal seems not to give much impression of the long, nerve-wracking waits for things to happen regarding my injuries, nor the frustration of getting any pay. Also, I did not state that the 1951 Yearbook from Ririe High School the students sent to me was full of autographs and greetings. I've sent it home now. The long hours of trying to find a way to place my leg on pillows and etc. so that I could ease the pain and get some rest, seems not to show up in the daily notes. JUNE 22 - 24, 1951. Weekend, Friday to Sunday. Bus to New York City. Staying at the Sloane House, which is New York City's YMCA. Roomed again with Richard Greathouse. He likes to be my travel buddy because I don't drink alcoholic beverages, and whenever we are served drinks, he drinks his and mine, too! But the drinks are not enough to be concerned about. Dinner at Tavern On The Green in Central Park, where we were entertained (IN PERSON) by Tex Beneke and His Orchestra (the old Glen Miller Band). We got Tex's autograph as well as the autographs of everyone else in sight. Why, I can't tell you, except that they signed our large menus. Went through Central Park and Harlem (Lenox Ave.), to Yankee Stadium. There we had box seats behind the plate. Forty-four thousand, 800 fans were there. Mel Allen was on the field MC-ing an act. It was a stunt golfer who was amazingly good. Then we saw the Yankees (pitcher was Reynolds) beat the Cleveland Indians (pitcher was Bob Feller), 6-0. After the game we went back to Sloane House and to bed. Saturday morning we were up early, ate breakfast, and drove over the river to Long Island, through Great Neck. Then we arrived at the Knickerbocker Yacht Club, where we were assigned to different Yachts for a boating excursion and fishing, to be covered by TV cameras for the evening news. I was assigned to the "Gee Bee" yacht, owned by Mr. Block, who was a President of the Noxema Corporation. We (5 of us and a crew of 2) took off out into Long Island Sound in a terrible rain storm. We couldn't see a thing. Later it cleared up and I got a terrible sunburn. Red as a fire engine. We fished near Glen Cove and also near J.P. Morgan's old estate. I caught an eel! What a thrill, but it was to become a burden carrying it around in a bucket of water. We were out on the Atlantic Ocean for 5 hours. I didn't get the least bit seasick. We went back into the Sound and to the Yacht Club. There, we had pictures taken by the TV crews. We had all kinds of food, music, dancing. I met the TV comedian Herb Shriner. (IN PERSON) (You may wonder why I keep saying IN PERSON, and it is because some people reading my journal have concluded that all the celebrities I claim to have met were just from seeing them on the screen in movies. NOT SO!) I talked with Herb for hours after he entertained the crowd with his humorous monologues. I told him I had graduated from college in speech and English, and he said he wished he had. He said if he had, he would not be in the stand-up comedy business. He laughed a lot at some of my remarks and said we should work up an act together! (Talk about knowing how to cheer someone up!) Of course this tickled me very much. We all liked him, he was so natural and so friendly. He talked a lot about his camera, which he picked up in Germany when he was over there in the war. Although he is known as the Hoosier Boy humorist, he was really born in Toledo, Ohio, though he never tells anyone that (except me?) He told Earl Wilson, the New York columnist once, but covered it up in a hurry so Earl wouldn't print anything about it. Herb's wife was with him. She's from Chicago, quite pretty. Both seem very young. Their dog "Tippy" was with them, also. Herb said 2 or 3 times how worried he was about his coming (2nd) appearance on the "This Is Show Business" TV show, and other TV programs. He needed a writer to do more funny stories for him. He is going on Arthur Godfrey's Talent Show program as Arthur's substitute Host for 7-8 weeks very soon. Earlier, we all got a really big bang out of Herb when he played his tiny harmonica for us. He puts it into his mouth and plays it, and you can't see it. It's about an inch long. The group danced, even me. I danced with the lady who was doing portraits of the guests. She was a graduate of the Pratt Institute. Her portrait of me was very flattering, making me look like Harry James. We danced a rhumba. She used to be a dancer with Arthur Murray studios and therefore she was very helpful and patient with her almost one-legged partner. We went back to Manhattan at about 9:30pm. I did not get to see our group on the TV evening news. Richard and I washed up then walked over to Times Square. On the way, an MP stopped us because Dick had his cowboy boots on. The MP was very angry about it, but he let him go. We walked around Times Square for awhile, then went to the late show at the Paramount. We saw (IN PERSON), Carmen Cavallero & His Orchestra, Juanita Hall of "South Pacific" fame, Cy Reeves (I'd seen him in Washington, D.C., and he told the same jokes), and also other singers and dancers. Then we saw the movie "He Ran All The Way," which I didn't like at all, but Richard did. We got back to the hotel at about 3:00am, very tired. My face burned like the dickens. Sunday morning, we left for Valley Forge and got back at noon. I slept after chow until late, then went into Phoenixville on the bus. I went to two old movies. One was with Gary Cooper and Lily Damita in "Fighting Caravans," the other starred Randolph Scott and Mrs. Leslie Carter. They were both very slow moving, but had interesting characterizations. After the movies, I got disgusted because all the buses were loaded and wouldn't stop, so I took a cab back to the hospital and got to bed at 11:30pm. JUNE 25, 1951, Monday. Reported to Ward 16ab but the Colonel wasn't there. I'm anxious to hear his version of what's going to happen to me now. Wrote a letter to Mom. Received one from her. Expected lots more mail. I'm expecting the missionaries this afternoon. I really hope they come. I'm still tired from the weekend. The missionaries showed up. We talked. I walked over to the waiting room while we watched for the bus. We visited until 7:10pm. JUNE 26 - 28, 1951, Tuesday-Thursday. Saw movies "Kind Lady" with Ethel Barrymore and Maurice Evans. Saw movie "Cyrano de Bergerac" with Jose Ferrer and Mala Powers. Both movies were very good. Also saw movie "Frogmen" with Dana Andrews. Quite good, except I didn't like Dana Andrews at all. Borrowed $10.00 from the Red Cross. Plan to meet Ed at YMCA in Philadelphia between 3 and 4pm. Also want to meet Elders Leo and Clifton. Hope we can all go to the stage play "Two on the Isle" with (IN PERSON) Bert Lahr. It is supposed to be very good. Said goodbye today (Thursday) to Mrs. Rowe, who is closing down the Fine Arts Shop for the summer. She is a gifted painter of flowers, for decorative purposes - on dishes, pottery, etc., and she has been a good friend and teacher. Most of the ladies who do this kind of work as Grey Ladies with the Hospital, are really prominent and well-to-do residents with beautiful estates near Valley Forge, PA. I have seen some of their homes. I have two books checked out. "This Is The Hour," by Leon Feuchtwanger, and "The Decline And Fall of Practically Everybody," by Will Cuppy. Last night at the library I read Christopher Fry's "The Lady's Not For Burning," which is so very beautifully written. Dan Farlow writes that he, Ed, Griggs, and I should all meet at the Willard Hotel in Washington, D.C on July 7th, either at 4, 5, or 6pm. I'm certainly willing, and if I have the money I'm sure to be there. I'll have to talk it over with Ed when I see him this weekend. I wrote a character sketch for Leo Twitchell, who had it printed in the Missionary's newspaper. The first one was quite popular with the readers and I was asked to write another one for the paper. Here is the second one I have written, which concerns Elder R. Dean Titensor (whom I knew, remember, at Utah State University in Logan, UT): Today we are going to concern ourselves with the study of a gentleman whose many and varied accomplishments put the Star in Star Valley. He is a man who was born during the Great Blizzard of '29, January 20th to be exact, in Etna, Wyoming, and survived to win 2nd place in the Vocational Agricultural Race at the U.S.A.C. I'm sure you all know by now that it could be no other person than that dynamic Elder, R. Dean "Kid Blizzard" Titensor. From the day of his birth, Elder Titensor set his sights on the 1st place prize in the Vocational Agricultural mile race. At the age of seven, he and his family moved to Bedford, Wyoming where the layout of the land was flatter and Deanie could run to his heart's content. His brother and five sisters should be given some credit as his early trainers. They kept him on the run. During his growing years he was under the special care of his three uncles and two brother-in-laws, who operated a physical culture school. Dean emerged from their course weighing a hefty 166 lbs, all muscle. He stood 5"11 and 3/4" in his stocking feet and 4'5 3/4" in his barefeet. On the day Dean graduated from Valley High School in May 1947, the whole population (200) of Bedford turned out to congratulate him, and see that he got on the train for Logan, Utah, and the U.S.A.C. as quickly as possible. They knew there was greatness in their "native son." Keeping in mind Will Durant's famous statement, "The first culture is agriculture," Dean enrolled in a modest course. He chose agriculture as his major and English as his minor. But the A.C. track coach knew the minute that Dean arrived on campus and kept his eye on him. The coach even attended a night performance of the operetta, "Rosalinda," simply because Dean was in the chorus. (So was I--LRB) That's something he would never have done ordinarily. Dean sings second tenor in the summer, baritone in the winter. In the spring, he just hums and whistles. Finally, the long-awaited day arrived and Dean was "ready" for the race. The starting gun sounded and Dean took off like a bat out of heck! I think this would be a good time to tell you that Elder Titensor will be released from his Mission in November 1951, after serving for two years in East Pennsylvania. From June until November he was in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Now to return to the race. At the far turn, it was Titensor by six lengths, but some obscure character by the name of Jesse Owens seemed to be gaining slightly, on the inside track. To make a long (one-mile long) story short, Dean came in second. Owens hit the tape two one-hundredths of a second ahead of Dean. Years later, when I asked Dean why he didn't win 1st place, Dean mentioned something about a corn on the 1st phalange of his foot. He didn't mention which foot, but I think we are safe in assuming it was his left or right. The people of Bedford, Wyoming had been proud of Dean, even though he didn't win 1st place. After voting down a motion to name the high school "Kid Blizzard High," in his honor, they concluded that since Dean was a star, they would name the school Star Valley High School. They also set him up in business with the Star Valley Cheese Company. His job was to punch holes in the Swiss cheese, for which they became famous. Later when the hole-punching business declined, Dean left on a Mission to the Eastern States. He exchanged his tracking for tracting, and liked it! Dean has ordered "Back to Bedford" stickers for his suitcase and will be heading home before the next blizzard. Elder Titensor has lost one tooth. You may ask him how he lost it, but whatever you do, don't ask him what happened on May 3, 1951. JUNE 29 - JULY 2, 1951. Called Leo. He said he hadn't written to me. Said my article on Dean was too long. Of course it was. He said he would see me Sunday, but he wasn't at Sunday School, so I did not see him. Met Ed at the YMCA and we got a room with a very good view. We shopped at Wannamakers and other places. Went to the stage play "Two On The Aisle" at the Forrest Theater. Starring in the play were (IN PERSON) Bert Lahr and Dolores Grey, with Collette Marchand and Elliot Reid featured. It was a musical review verging on burlesque, yet quite good. It was funny and had gorgeous costumes and sets. Revolving and elevating stage. Saturday afternoon we went to Independence Hall and took some pictures. Sunday morning we went to sunday school and testimony meeting. After sunday school, we talked with Sharon Helberg Smith. I had been in the play "Stage Door" at Box Elder High School, with then Sharon Helberg. Ed and I then went to Shibe Park where we saw the Philadelphia Athletics beat Washington Senators 10-7, and 3-2. The games were good. Volo knocked 3 home runs. After the game, we went back to town, ate, then Ed caught a train for Baltimore and Edgewood. My train didn't leave until later, so I saw "Tony Draws A Horse," a British movie with Anne Crawford and Cecil Parker at the Trans-Lux Movie Theater. It was extremely funny to me, since I am partial to British comedies. Received four letters today and one card from Venna, Agnes, Garth, and Mother. The card was from Silas Griggs in Omaha. That lucky boy gets to fly all around the country getting information for the technical training manuals he writes. All of us (Ed, Griggs, Farlow, and I) plan to meet at the Willard Hotel in Washington, D.C. next Saturday. I'm going to get there on Friday. Tomorrow I am REALLY going to Atlantic City. I've planned to go four times, but this time I'm going to get there. Hope I get to swim in the Atlantic Ocean. "Pick Up Girl" is tonight's movie and I shouldn't go, but probably will. I've written 3 letters today and am not in the mood to write more. The 1st Sgt. wants me to do some filing. Hope it isn't hard work! I'm disappointed in Leo. I will write no more character sketches for him and will limit greatly any future discussions we have. Once again I have overextended myself. Leo and Clifton should have been at sunday school and they weren't, I felt that they deliberately avoided meeting me there. I'm off to see the movie. As it turned out, the movie was even worse than I had expected. Hugo Haas not only wrote, produced, and directed the movie, but he also played the leading role. He should stick to acting. JULY 3, 1951, Tuesday. I got excused from O.T. and P.R. and P.T. and took off with 5 others plus driver of station wagon to go to Atlantic City, New Jersey. The drive was a long one. We stopped on the way at The Rafters, and they all had beers while I had soda pop. We arrived at the Steel Pier at 12:30pm and made arrangements to meet the driver at 1:00am for the trip back to Valley Forge. We walked for blocks and blocks along the boardwalk. Went down to the Million Dollar Pier and to Constitution Hall. Saw the large, beautiful hotels including the Traymore and Claridge. We walked out onto the Million Dollar Pier, and then we began to separate. I thought I was rid of all of those guys, but as it turned out the two from Ward 27 seemed to have picked me as their guardian and I didn't like the role. We watched the thousands of bathers on the beach for awhile then we walked into town and caught a jitney out as far as it went north, then walked the remaining long distance to Capt. Starns Boat Dock. There we bought tickets on the "Julia C" and took off on an hour and one-half sight seeing cruise that was 18 miles long. We went way out into the Atlantic and all up and down the shoreline. It was much fun, but again I got a terrible sunburn. We sang as an accordionist played for us. The Captain spoke of the interesting sights we should take note of. I was on the top deck and a photographer took a picture as we left the dock. We bought pictures when the trip was over for .50 and mine turned out quite good, I thought. We had something to eat, I mailed picture post cards, and then we caught a trolley back to Virginia Avenue and the Steel Pier. All three of us went in together - but the other two went in to see the movie "The Fat Man," and I didn't see them again. I took in the exhibits then at 7:00pm heard and saw the huge musical program (IN PERSON). First the M.C., then the adagio dancers, then the short funny man and tall blond, then the M.C. did excellent impressions of Truman and MacArthur. Then (IN PERSON), Frankie Laine came on. He sang "Black & Blue," "Rose, Rose Marie" (or something like that), "Too Young," and "Jezebel." He was very good and a big hit. Then I went straight to the end of the pier and saw the Circus and Water sports, disappearing mermaid show. First, collegiate divers, then trapeze artist, then collegiates again as comedians, very funny costumes and dives. Then the famous Atlantic City High School Horse and girl rider, then another trapeze artist performing 150 feet high, then the disappearing swimmers. It was very entertaining. Then I went back to the center of the Pier where I saw (IN PERSON) Ray Anthony and His Orchestra, the Modernaires, Charley Mercer, singer. Ray Anthony's orchestra played beautifully. I really liked them. I saw the (IN PERSON) Frankie Laine show all over again. Then I watched the huge waves come in from the dark ocean. Frankie Laine then did an on-the-air radio show from the Pier. Saw more of the exhibits. I left the Pier and took up my vigil watching for my ride home and for the others, who were to meet there. JULY 4, 1951, Wednesday. 12:15am. Finally, 2 of our group showed up, but they didn't stay. Then another one showed up with a girl friend, then they left, also. Two came back and waited awhile. 1:00am came. 1:30am came and still no driver, so one of the guys called the hospital Officer of the Day, and told him we were stranded. Then two of them took off to find a friend with a car. I waited. Finally, at 2:30am, and in answer to prayers, the driver showed up. We waited until 3:00am with no sign of the others, then took off through the dense fog for Valley Forge. We got back at about 6:00am, just in time for reveille. But since it is July 4th, we aren't having roll call today. I made my bed, got into fatigues, and went to sleep. At 11:45am I got up, shaved, washed, and went to lunch. We had T-bone steak, sweet potatoes, corn on the cob, cookies and ice cream. I had spent a total of $7.00 on my trip to Atlantic City: Boat trip, 1.50, picture, .50, Steel Pier 1.25, reserved seat .25, pop corn .15, hot dogs, milk shakes, programs, etc. 3.35, for a total of $7.00. I really enjoyed seeing the Atlantic Ocean, the Boardwalk, the shows, and everything but the headache after the boat ride and the long waiting. Fellow says he'll take me to Washington, D.C. and back for $8.50. I've got to figure whether or not it's worth that much. I think I'll probably agree to those terms, though it seems like highway robbery. It's raining today. Makes me glad my day at the beach was a sunny one. Actually, I was there 3 hours on the 4th of July, anyway. Didn't get in to see "Show Boat." I'll go tomorrow night instead. Went to the library, wrote to Garth Streeper and to Mom. Then to bed. JULY 5, 1951, Thursday. In order to have the afternoon free, I planned to take care of all my exercises and appointments in the morning. At 8:00am I worked for an hour in O.T., then I forgot to report to P.T. and went directly to the swimming pool. No three-day pass request slips in the office! In desperation I made up two facsimile copies myself and the doctor signed them. I can only hope and pray that the Sgt. will sign them and that they will be okay. If anything goes wrong, I'll go crazy. I have decided to take Sgt. Lawton up on his deal to transport me round trip to D.C. for $8.50. It seems too much, but actually it would cost me just as much for trains, cabs, and streetcars, and it will be much more convenient. Finished reading the Book of Mormon this morning. Started reading Leon Feuchtwanger's "This Is The Hour," about the painter, Goya. I have been at the visitors lounge now for hours. Talked with two of the fellows who went to Atlantic City with me. The two who were from Ward 27 waited at the wrong Pier and then hitch-hiked back and got in at 6:10am. The others hitch-hiked too, but