What did it take to graduate from the U.S. Army boot camp, also called basic training, at Fort Jackson in Columbia, S.C. in the summer of 1969?
I remember the salt tablets recruits were given so many days to replenish the salt in our bodies after sweating so much because the temperature seemed like boiling.
I had a heart murmur. I was questioned if I wanted to be released after I had been examined after marching double time to the rifle range. I said no. Instead, they gave me a new responsibility to ride to the rifle range in the ammunition van. I was somewhat scared that it would blow up. I was disappointed to hear that one recruit committed suicide on the rifle range.
Written tests were sometimes given. I particularly remember the word order that was the right answer on one of them.
I heard some recruits had stolen U.S. military medals, and they were trying to sell them to other recruits. They were thrown out of military service with dishonorable discharges.
The staff was not always the best. Some recruits had big blisters on their hands after being ordered to do push ups outside in 103-degree weather. I got damnation myself because I forgot to salute the bursar officer before I received my paycheck.
I must have made up for it because I was put in charge of our barracks cleanliness contest. With that, a nickle had to bounce two inches on tightly made beds.
The biggest obstacle was “drag ass” hill slanted at a 60-degree angle. At the bottom, we had classes, such as with the pogo stick, and other combat events.
As the three and one half months were coming to an end for stadium field graduation, I missed it because my father died in Port Charlotte, Fla., and I was given two days to attend the funeral. But I still graduated.