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| James W. Taylor's WWII Experiences |
| Donor | Original Source | PIMA ID | Donor ID | Category |
| Richard P. Ellinger | James W. Taylor | NA | RPE-44003 | OCR-DA-P |
That was the word that summoned me and thousands of other Texans to report for induction into the armed forces during WW2. I had graduated from Littlefield High School in May of 1942. Within a week I was enrolled at West Texas State Teachers College up near Amarillo in the small town of Canyon, Texas. I had a job at the college farm and dairy milking cows (by hand) at 5:00 A.M. and 5:00 P.M. in exchange for my room and board---such as it was. The following April, 1943, I received my first "greeting" to appear for induction. The male population at West Texas was reduced daily by draft notices. I "disenrolled" as others before me had done and returned home. When I appeared before the board, they told me that they had already filled the quota for the month and that I should return to college until further notice. I returned, to the surprise of my fellow students as they had expected that I was long gone in the army. It was about a month later that received my next "greeting". I was ordered to report May 21, 1943, the day before my 19th birthday. |
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Again I "dis-enrolled" and returned home. West Texas State and perhaps other colleges had adopted a policy, out of patriotism I suppose, to grant full credit hours to any one required to leave as a result of a legal draft notice. The grade so recorded upon the transcript would be the grade that existed at the time of "disenrollment". That greeting instructed me to be at the Littlefield bus station at 7:00 -- A.M. There was only one "draftee" there that I knew. He had graduated a year before me. When the bus arrived, several seats were occupied by "draftees" coming from other communities to the northwest. There was a roll call to see that everyone was present and we boarded the bus. |
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When we arrived at the induction station in Lubbock, it was already crowded with "draftees" from all over the south plains. We were told to undress, stack our clothing and get into a line. I spent a lot of time that day in line, totally nude while official looking people poked, pried and examined me from head to toe. Lastly, I was interviewed by a "shrink" who asked embarrassing questions.
WW2,3-5 P 3 |
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