“You mean you walked 15 miles or so each day with a heavy pack on your back?”

During the summer of 1943, I received the inevitable “Your friends and neighbors have chosen you” letter from President Roosevelt. After about three weeks reprieve at home, we landed at Fort Devens, Massachusetts for processing, during which I was interviewed by a Classification Specialist. When he heard that I was a History Teacher, he threw up his hands. “If you were a Science or Math Teacher there would be no problem, but the Army doesn’t know what the hell to do with fellows like you or me. I’m an English Teacher.” He paused momentarily, then, “What do you do in the summer?” was his next question. “I have worked quite a few summers as a substitute letter carrier”, I said truthfully. His face lit up at once. “You mean you walked 15 miles or so each day with a heavy pack on your back?” I had no recourse but to answer miserably, “That’s about it.” A few days later I was one of 500 men “railroaded” to Fort McClellan, Alabama “Basic Infantry Replacement Training.”…….

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