Becky is house sitting and doing much of the straightening and cleaning up. She has called many times saying that we would not believe what she found. There are photographs, documents, and souviners that are World War II vintage that I have never seen.
Ma served in the Navy as a WAV. Pop served in the army. They both graduated from high school immediately before the United States entered the war, and both had enrolled at Wayne University (now Wayne State University). Pop joined a program similar to ROTC so he could finish the term. He was called to active duty over the July 4th weekend of 1943.
This post will start a series of articles that present a photographic chronology of William J Miller's service in the army.
William Miller at Camp McClellan, Alabama
perhaps August, 1943
William Miller at Manhattan College
New York City
November, 1943
"System 9", Whippany, NJ
October, 1944
These three photographs were found in a cigar box, and in two different paper bags in different locations. I am glad that they were saved and we can gather them together.
Pop needs to comment on these picures and tell us a story about these pictures.
ReplyDeleteI really like the photos coupled with the letters. It's really neat. The stationary is pretty cute too.
ReplyDeleteGrandpa-I have a few questions.
Did everyone get to test to go to school? Or was it something you opted to do? Did you get to pick what sort of classes you would take or was it based on how you scored or what they needed more people to do?
What kind of things would you get in the mail from your parents? Candy and nuts at least. How long would it take to get your mail from them?
I shall attempt to answer Becky's question about mail first. Unless we were moving to another location (at least before we went overseas) letters arrived in 5-7 days. At the time of my birthday (21st) in September, 1943, we were away from our barracks for several (5 ?) days. We were encamped in our 2-man tents. Melvin Singer and I shared our tent. My mother baked cake and sent some. I don't recall how she sent it. I shared it with Mel. I remember it was moist. When my mother baked cookies she shipped them in a cylindrical can which had a tight-fitting lid. I think she taped the lid also. I recall that one batch followed me for many weeks while we were on the move. They were still very good although more than a little crumby! Candy and nuts fared the trip better.
ReplyDeletere: selection for school. In infantry basic training in Fort McClellan, Alabama, apparently our company was composed of guys who had either just graduated from high school or had some college background. We were tested to determine into which phase and level of the program each person would fit. ASTP = Army Specialized Training Program. There were 3 phases: beginning & advanced. I was placed in the intermediate phase of electrical engineering because I had not had drafting in college. A man could have opted out of the program, but he would have been sent immediately into a combat unit. Upon completion of the intermediate phase (like a college quarter), I was placed in the advanced phase. At the end of 3 (?) weeks the army discontinued the whole program. We then were reassigned to various army units. I was assigned to the Signal Corps. After taking more tests I was sent to Fort Monmouth, NJ, for Radio Repair school for 13 weeks. I was then assigned to the 3186th Signal Service Battalion where I remained for the rest of my time in the army.
Everyone was ordered to go to the testing site. I suppose that if anyone said that he did not want to take the tests, he would have been transferred into a combat unit immediately. I don't recall if we were given a choice of curriculum. I do feel that the assignment was based on test results plus the impression of the examining officers.
ReplyDeleteLetters would arrive i 5-7 days. Packages longer, especially overseas--up to 3 months. My mother baked cookies and sent them in a sealed can. Not all of them were crumbled on arrival. She sent some cake for my birthday (21). Don't recall how packaged. It arrived when we were living in the field.
Thanks Grandpa. I love hearing about this!
ReplyDeleteI also think it is super funny that you can remember that a cake was moist. You must have really appreciated it. I bet it was delicious.