First Travel From Home

This took place in August 1941. At age 17 I had graduated from high school in May and in August I traveled to a small college about 50 miles away for football training. My coach, an alumnus, arranged for a full scholarship. For two weeks I labored in 90 degree weather, and in association with coaches and teachers I decided that they wanted me for football and not to give me an education. I went home. Being a good student I found it easy to enroll in another college, Wofford College, which was in commuting distance of home. My brother, one year ahead of me in school, was doing just that. So, I also became a commuter. After the first semester he left school to work for the Air Force. Then I became a resident in the dorm This college had a mandatory R.O.T.C. which meant that we enlisted in the Army Reserve which came active with war. In later years I realized I was not a very smart teenager. My sophomore year was hectic. The Air Force took over the college. The juniors and seniors were sent to officer training camps. Of course, no freshmen were enrolled. We sophomores were farmed out to a junior college and a girl’s school. That situation was short lived because we sophomores were sent to a nearby infantry camp for basic training in November. After 13 weeks we were assigned to various infantry divisions. I fought for 11 months in France and Germany. I reemphasize that I was not a smart older teenager. I believe I could have found a better path.