Montgomery Alabama

When I reported to Montgomery for preflight the 9th of November in 1941 I was reporting in from MacDill Field at Tampa. I had been admitted to the Aviation Cadet program and was reporting along with several other fellows from MacDill. Since Martha was going to go with me we were taking the car and it was a help to take at least one or two other guys with us to help pay for the gas. This was going to be a pay raise but it wouldn't start for a while yet and we needed the help. As usual, in order to save money we drove from Tampa over night and got to the base probably about 8:OO AM. Martha had no place to sleep but we were all curious about the base and what it looked like. We decided to take a look before we checked in cause we had all day, I thought. We stopped at the main gate and the guard asked if we were reporting in as new ACs. of course the answer was yes but--no but just drive right over there and park, which I did.As soon as I stopped the car there was an upper classman standing along side. He said "Alright misters out of the car and come to attention" We did and after he determined that we could stand at attention he ?Suggested? that we unload our gear and that was no small task with all of our stuff and Martha's too. When I removed a wooden box with a handle on each end he asked as if he had every right to expect an answer, "And what is that". My answer had to be "A sewing machine". That threw him completely but he had us take our gear and get in line with some other unfortunates. We did that with sufficient hazing to keep us standing up nice and straight. I was standing there wondering when and how I was ever going to see my beloved again. When no one was looking I managed to roll my eyes up in my head in a question and shrug my shoulders slightly. I think one of the upper classmen saw me and felt sorry for me and went over to the car and told Martha that she had just told me goodbye and that she might as well leave. So she did and I just stood there and watched her drive off into the big city of Montgomery. Never to be seen again, I thought.

I went ahead with what I was told to do cause there was nothing else for me to do. Got my head shaved, clothing issued etc. At supper time they made announcements and lo and behold they announced that I had a phone call and was to return the call. After we finished I went to one of the tack officers and asked him when I would have time to make a phone call in response to the message. His response "Mister an Aviation Cadet has time for anything". Very enlightening. I took care of formations but as soon as I was not in formation I ran around the corner to where I had seen a phone booth and called. She had a place to sleep, she didn't know just where but was in the dry. I realized already that we were going to have a lot of time on the drill field so I told her where that was and suggested that she come out to the base and wait on the road between the drill field and the barracks where I was sleeping. The next day she did and on the way back from the drill field I stopped and saw her long enough for a kiss