Sunday January 29, 2012

I looked out the window at 0600 and it looked dry and clear. When we headed to the MAC at 0730 it was snowing hard. Today I swam 1,500 yards. It was snowing so hard that we decided not to go to Meijer's today. We did sit in the lounge at the MAC and watched the last two games of the finals at the Aussie Open. It was exciting.

When we got home I started shoveling and Nancy fixed breakfast. Nancy fixed her world famous scrambled eggs for breakfast. After a great breakfast we both went outside and finished shoveling. We got about 6" of snow. I did take my Sunday nap. After the nap I headed outside and again shoveled the walk. The EGR plows had not yet been down our street. After the drive was clear I took the Taurus to the BP station and filled it up. Gas was $2.55 per gallon.

Nancy is fixing beans and rice for dinner tonight. We will finish the GRP and watch 60 minutes and whatever is on between 2000 and 2100. It will be any early night.

The postmark on the letter was January 29, 1963: On January 28, Monday, I wrote my mother a letter from the Naval Base at Coronado, Ca. I had just finished a survival training class on Sunday. Monday I got a Typhus, Cholera and Plaque shot and was packing to head to Treasure Island Navy Base in San Francisco. I was suppose to ship out to Saigon on Friday, February 1. In the letter I described my past week at Survival Training. The following is what I wrote, including English errors.

"Last week from Sunday to Sunday we had survival training. The only thing I can say is thank God it is over. Monday they took us out in the bay dumped us overboard and we had to wait for a helicopter to pick us up. Monday afternoon we went to a pool and they gave us a series of swimming tests. Tuesday we went to the beach. They left us there to find food. All we got was some crabs. Tuesday night we slept on the beach. All they gave us was a parachute to make a tent and sleeping bag.

There were 53 people in my class. A parachute makes a pretty good sleeping bag. The only clothes we had were on our back. Fortunately everyone had long underwear. All this week the only thing we had to eat was 2 crabs and some bark tea, cactus roots and 1 man meal (K rations) divided between two people. A few people got sick. Surprisingly the officers could take more that the enlisted men.

On Wednesday they sent us to the mountains, Warner Springs to be exact. If you want to look on the map.
It was hot during the day but got down to the 20's in the evening. The rest of the week we spent in the mountains, Thursday we had lectures on POW camps, escape and evasion. Thursday night they turned us loose on a night escape and evasion excise. We had to evade an enemy dressed in communist uniforms. It was cold.
On Friday they gave each section (6 people) a map and compass and said find your way to a point eight miles from our area. All this was over mountain and we hadn't really eaten since Tuesday morning. I will never take up mountain climbing. We were issued a parachute tent and sleeping bag which we wore on our back. The enemy was located in this area and we had to evade all the way. That means travel in the thickest brush.
Saturday morning at 0500 we walked two miles to a day evasion course. This time the enemy was everywhere. We were all captured and thrown in a POW camp. They took all our clothes off, and doused use with cold water. We were to sleep in a bunker that was only a hole in the sand. The guards were allowed to slap us around. They didn't pull many punches. After this the guards were continually harassing us. Each man was privately put in a little black box. This box was about 3' x 2.5' and you crossed your legs put your rump on your feet and your head between your legs. The box was shut tight. After 30 minutes your legs go numb. When let out you can't walk, you are then sent to an interrogator who tries to get germ warfare confession signed. You are allowed only to give name, rank, serial number, date of birth. The interrogator are really tricky. If you don't answer questions they throw you around and work you over. My interview lasted about 45 minutes and I really was worked over. About four in the morning we all had a bowl of rice. Around six they called us together and informed us the problem was over. This 22 hours in a POW camp was extremely realistic.
Now don't go writing a letter to your Senator because I thought the whole week was very beneficial. If I had more time I could explain it to you. This training is given to all aviators and people going to Viet Nam."

I sent Mother a picture taken of me on Sunday after the course was over. The week before the survival training I had a "Disney Land with Guns" (self defense) class. We were taught how to use various firearms and I had to qualify on a 45 revolver. I think I had to put several rounds in a 25 yard target. Marines ran the class.