Letters To Home - December 31, 1950

Fort Dix, New Jersey
December 31, 1950

Back in camp after Christmas leave. Quite a hectic trip. Ed has his car in camp, so he, I, and three others rode home to Western Pennsylvania. Ed's car, a 1948 Chevrolet convertible, is a good runner. We picked up a quart of some kind of whiskey at the package store, right outside the camp's main gate, before we left. Can't remember how we got to the Pennsylvania Turnpike, but we did. The night was strange; no moonlight to speak of, but it was quite light, with excellent visability. Probably on account of the snow covering. We stopped at the Midway rest stop to use the facilities, got some black coffee. After about an hour, we stopped out in the middle of nowhere to let off one of the guys. The last we saw of him that day, he was starting up a sizeable hill, forified, no doubt, with some of the whiskey.

Got to Butler, Ed's hometown, about 5 a.m., December 24. Ed furnished some coffee, then took two of us out to the main highway so we could get a ride towards home. Got a ride to Mercer almost immediately, and then another quite soon, right to my front door. Didn't even get a chance to finish the bottle.

My folks had been up most of the night, waiting, and had a large breakfast waiting. After breakfast, I fired up my old Dodge and took the remaining guy to his home in Williamsfield, Ohio. We are both planning to ride back to camp by rail.

I slept a bit Christmas Eve day, visited around, and stayed up quite late on Christmas Eve.

Christmas Day was a bit of an anti-climax, since had to leave that night back to camp, but many relatives came in, and, after all, it was Christmas.

The folks took me to Youngstown, Ohio Christmas evening to catch the train. Took the Pittsburgh & Lake Erie train to Pittsburgh, then had to transfer to the Pennsylvania Station by street car, since it was snowing quite hard, and cabs were scarce. Caught a Pennsylvania Railroad passenger train that was running about four hours late. Good ride, but the train lost another hour between Pittsburgh and Trenton, and I was almost late getting back to camp. Got lots of sleep on the train. All-in-all, a very satisfactory leave.

Almost finished with firing the various weapons. Fired the B.A.R. (Browning Automatic Rifle) the other day. What a sweetheart! I've made up my mind that, if I ever do get into combat, somehow the B.A.R. is going to be the weapon-of-choice for me. Best thing I've fired yet, to my way of thinking.

Fired the .30-caliber air-cooled machine gun, too. Not bad, but easy to burn out barrels if you're not careful.

Lots of rumors are flying around. One of the fellows in the barracks helps out at Headquarters now and then, claims that I am on a list of 22 to stay here at Dix to give basic training to new recruits. That doesn't excite me one bit. Don't think I could face a new round of basic every eight weeks or so. Much better than Korea, though, I'm sure.

That big dance at McGuire Field turned out fine. I arrived about 7:30, and the place was already jumping. The band was fair; a civilian band, sounding much like Eddy Howard, which is O. K. as far as dance bands go. Danced a few times with various partners, then went out to the lobby for a coke. Noticed a perky blonde with one of my less-favorite comrades-in-arms from "I" Company; a nasty-tempered Australian. He excused himself for a minute, and I couldn't pass up the chance to take her to the dance floor. Wonderful dancer, fun to be with. I got her name, address and phone number. Jean. Beautiful name.