Sir , Yes Sir.
50 years ago I boarded the train in my Navy Blues, just after the President was shot, from Pittsfield Massachusetts, headed to the Great Lakes Naval Training Center outside of Chicago. It is in Illinois, and I think it is close to Alaska.
It was an interesting 80 days.
At the end of my walk the other chilly day, I smelled food wafting by me. Memories flooded back. At Great Lakes we would line up outside the chow halls in rank, and in the cold and snow, by company. We were Company 540. (P.S. I didn't have to look to come up with that. My combo lock, which I still own, was 24-28-32. Yes it still works.) Our Company Commander was Boatswains Mate First Class M. K. Metzker. It was freezing cold in rank, so we left no room between us for any warmth we could get.
50 years ago and that pleasant food smell brought me right back.
Everyone my age who served feels that every young man or woman should experience Boot Camp.
I had a lot to learn.
Thanks, Uncle Sam!
November 2013
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