Letters To Home - January 18, 1951

Fort Benning, Georgia
January 18, 1951

Moved out Thursday morning, by bus, to a place called Sand Hill. The name fits. The barracks are located about half-way up a sizeable hill, in the center of a large pine forest. Beautiful place; I think I'll like it here.

The weather is wonderful. Tuesday was the coldest day since we arraived; 56 degrees.
The mornings are quite chilly, but by 11 a.m. it's warm.

We've been issued our personal weapons. No more Garrand M-1 that didn't work right. Instead, most of us will carry the M-2 carbine. Basically, it's the M-1 carbine. as we learned in basic, but with a selector switch to permit full-automatic fire if needed. Don't think much of the carbine as an offensive weapon, but artillery men aren't supposed to be offensive. Next week we all have to qualify with the carbine. Should not present any problems.

To date, have not been introduced to our main weapon, the 105 m.m. howitzer. That comes next week.

Of the gang that I trained with in Dix, not one remains. Lonely now.

Have to get to the tailor's and get my shoulder patches changed. Have to get a new garrison cap with red piping instead of the infantry blue. Some eager beavers, in order to make points, bought red caps before moving out here. Sergeants in charge don't seem impressed.

Most of the old gang, the ones that went to the infantry and to the 42nd Artillery Battalion, are stationed at a place called Harmony Church, quite a few miles from here.