Prosper/McKinney Hometown boys 1959
While sitting and trying to watch a documentary today on girls who are in the Israeli forces it prompted my husbands memory of when he and several others joined the Army reserves. He said I remember when I joined the Army Reserves back in 1959. I asked why he joined and he said because the draft was still in force and the boys his age were rushing up to join the Army Reserves to keep from being drafted and having to serve for 2 full years of active duty. We had no war or rumors of war then and I couldn't figure out why he would object to 2 years away from his little hometown of Prosper, Texas. I would think that would be an opportunity for excitement and to see the world. Seems Home town boys wanted to remain home town boys! They did not want to be that far from mama and family then. Rex Malone, one of his friends, had just married and gotten his draft notice in the mail. He told Chick, my hubby, about it and to keep from going away for 2 years he was going to join the Reserves. Chick said, "Hot dang, that means I'm not far from that draft", so off they both went to join the Reserves.
Charles Carter and several other boys from Collin County were already in the reserves. They all were stationed in Fort Chaffee, Arkansas for boot camp. My husband said the first interaction he ever had with a black man was when he arrived at Fort Chaffee. There they had to build a tent and it required 2 halves to make a full tent. His other half was carried by a black man. He said he never had any dealings with black people other than to see them in the cotton fields picking cotton. He and the black man were hesitant to interact, but they put up their tent halves and got under their blankets on separate sides of the tent. That night looming in the horizon not far from where they were camped was a tornado and raging thunderstorms. He said they heard the roar of thunder and wind and bolts of lightening were bouncing all around. The commanders and sargeants tents were blown away and he said, "Me and my black tent partner were lying side by side by morning and under the same blankets trying to keep dry and warm." The town nearby was blown away.
He went on in his memories to tell about Stintson, a little skinny fella, in his troop and Sergeant Espinoza, a mean ass, fat bellied Hispanic man, who commanded Stintson to fall down on the ground and give him 50. That meant 50 push ups! The little skinny guy took off his shirt and the whole troop couldn't believe their eyes. That guy was like Barney Fife but with muscles bulging everywhere you could see. He said Stintson said, "Which arm, Sir? Sarge said, "I don't care, you pick." Stintson did 50 push ups at the greatest of ease with his left arm. Sarge, "Okay Stintson you little SOB you can get up now".
I hope he tells me more, but it won't happen until I get all settled in to watch a movie or documentary again on television and then. "That reminds me of a time in my life when me and Plus, Rex and Wallace stopped at old man... So right now Chick is watching the documentary I started and here I sit trying to remember the story correctly.
Charles Carter and several other boys from Collin County were already in the reserves. They all were stationed in Fort Chaffee, Arkansas for boot camp. My husband said the first interaction he ever had with a black man was when he arrived at Fort Chaffee. There they had to build a tent and it required 2 halves to make a full tent. His other half was carried by a black man. He said he never had any dealings with black people other than to see them in the cotton fields picking cotton. He and the black man were hesitant to interact, but they put up their tent halves and got under their blankets on separate sides of the tent. That night looming in the horizon not far from where they were camped was a tornado and raging thunderstorms. He said they heard the roar of thunder and wind and bolts of lightening were bouncing all around. The commanders and sargeants tents were blown away and he said, "Me and my black tent partner were lying side by side by morning and under the same blankets trying to keep dry and warm." The town nearby was blown away.
He went on in his memories to tell about Stintson, a little skinny fella, in his troop and Sergeant Espinoza, a mean ass, fat bellied Hispanic man, who commanded Stintson to fall down on the ground and give him 50. That meant 50 push ups! The little skinny guy took off his shirt and the whole troop couldn't believe their eyes. That guy was like Barney Fife but with muscles bulging everywhere you could see. He said Stintson said, "Which arm, Sir? Sarge said, "I don't care, you pick." Stintson did 50 push ups at the greatest of ease with his left arm. Sarge, "Okay Stintson you little SOB you can get up now".
I hope he tells me more, but it won't happen until I get all settled in to watch a movie or documentary again on television and then. "That reminds me of a time in my life when me and Plus, Rex and Wallace stopped at old man... So right now Chick is watching the documentary I started and here I sit trying to remember the story correctly.
posted by Sasebone at
12:24 PM
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