Saturday, June 21, 1952

I don't see what's got Philly so riled up over these bus seats. I slept fine. I reckon it's on account of me being so happy to be getting the heck out of Mississippi that it don't make no difference to me where I sleep. Speaking of sleep, I sure do wish I could get a good night's sleep. But I can't stop thinking about my twin brother Jimmy and how he wasn't much approving of me joining the Air Force. Especially with this God forsaken war going on between North and South Korea. Jimmy threw such a hissy when he found my enlistment application that it put us in a huge fight. It got so bad we ended up not speaking to one another for I can't even remember how long. Jimmy and I are so different from one another. We always have been. He's very cautious and deliberate. He thinks before he acts and I, "in all honesty" (as my big sister Rose would say) don't. Which is mostly what had Jimmy so worked up about me joining. But he and I have completely opposite views on what can come from joining the military. After all, I need a bit of shaping up. I realize I'm too much of a rebel and I need to learn how to follow some rules. I need more structure in my life. Especially, if I'm ever to get married, one day, to my girl Amy Lee Chancey. She's just about the best thing that's ever happened to me. I can't even begin to imagine what it will be like to be so far away from her. I promise to write her every week if not every day. I got her picture right here with me. And I always will. I love her so much.

I just need to get the hell out of that tiny little town of Eugene, Mississippi. And Jimmy will be leaving Eugene in September, anyway, to start college at Ole Miss. As for our little brother Jordan, I hope one day, when he grows up, he moves on to bigger and better things too. And as for Rose, she's got her new husband Dean plus Mama and Daddy just down the road and seeing how that's what she always wanted, I reckon she'll be fine.

Eugene's a nice town and all but it's just too small and everybody knows everybody else's business. Plus, with being a twin I couldn't ever get a moment to myself. Geez. This is my first time away from home alone and damn, I can already feel the freedom. I reckon this will be the first time in my life I'll get a chance to really get to know myself.

Speaking of being a twin, Happy Birthday Jimmy! We're eighteen today. Wish me and Philly luck as we head out on this whole new adventure.

I got no clue what to expect of these next eight weeks of boot camp other than what Grandpa and daddy's told me. But I sure as heck am excited to find out.

Oh yeah ... and Happy birthday to me too! - Billy McGee.

Sunday June 22, 1952

The 18-hour trip ended up being 21 and a half on account of our bus breaking down some ten miles into Texas. We left Vicksburg at 10 o'clock a.m. on Saturday and arrived at Lackland around half past the lucky number seven this morning.

There were twelve of us and I was put in charge, which got me more foot room in the front seat and a railing for my feet. Wish I'd have known better than to relax because I'll be damned once that bus stopped here at Lackland and I didn't have a drill sergeant hollering at me from outside to hurry up and move my ass. My first reaction was to smile which also ended up being a mistake. He came on the bus and grabbed me by the arm cursing at me to get moving. Philly was right behind me. That fool made it worse by asking what was all the commotion for. Before I knew it, the guy had Philly thrown down on the ground calling him every single name in the book. He even told Philly he wasn't worth the shit he scraped off the bottom of his shoes last night. Boy did all twelve of us line up in a flash just so the guy could yell at us some more. He said we was "just a number" and that he was our "mama, daddy, preacher, teacher and best of all your worst nightmare." I reckon that's what the job of a training instructor is all about.

Our first order of business was personnel checks. Each of us had to strip off our civi's, which get donated to charity and be issued our uniforms. Next we all got haircuts. Philly's pretty much stayed the same but mines now the shortest it's ever been. Everyone's was done so quick that one kid had a mole. Boy did he ever scream. Then we all had our physicals and got our immunization shots. They x-rayed and examined us right down to our teeth. Then the same TI took us over to supply where we got issued additional clothing, bedding and other gear. We were shown our barracks and taught how to properly make a bed and hang our clothes to pass inspection.

There's 52 of us in the barrack and Philly and I are in the same one but different bunks. I'm sharing with some farmer boy from Nebraska who's over six feet tall so lucky for him he got assigned the top bunk. The group we're assigned to in the barrack they call an outfit and our ID is Squadron 3707 Flight #325.

They call suppertime chow and tonight's was better than any of us ever expected. It was chicken, green beans, corn bread and potatoes. Philly and I can't wait to find out if breakfast is going to be just as good. They're about to call lights out so I best get to bed although I doubt I'll sleep any. I'm too excited.

Tuesday June 24, 1952

Today was indoctrination where RTC officials welcome the new boots. Our first two weeks will be in classroom learning about the history of the Air Force, its customs and airmen courtesy and discipline. There are no written tests just lectures.

Fall out is every morning at 0430, that's military time for 4:30 am. We all march outside in our underwear for roll call and calisthenics. Then we shower, shave, dress into our drill uniforms and make up our cots. Breakfast chow's at 0600 and then its back to our barracks for inspection at 0700 sharp.

We're in different lectures all day until 1800 at night and taps is at 2000. Everything we do here is pre-planned and everywhere we go we march. The TI said we'll be learning songs to march along to. After taps we're allowed one hour before lights. Some of the guys play cards or just sit and talk while others, write letters home or keep a journal, like me. Wish I had my guitar, then I could write some songs. Writing a letter to my girl Amy Lee now.

Wednesday June 25, 1953

Today's lecture was on rankings. All new boots start off as E-1 Airman Basics. But they got other nicknames for us like boot, private, I've even heard the name Slick Sleeve but we're not official airmen until we get our first stripe. From there each grade or rank goes up by the stripe. E-1 through E-4's are called NCO's which means non-commissioned. Two stripes is a 1st class Airmen E-3, which means third enlisted rank. Three stripes is E-4 Senior Airmen, also called Buck Sergeant, four stripes is a Staff Sergeant E-5, five stripes is E-6 Technical Sergeant and then they start introducing diamonds. 6 stripes, sometimes with a diamond, is E-7 Master Sergeant and 7 stripes, also sometimes with diamond, is a First Sergeant called First Stud ranked as the NCO over the entire Squadron. After that there's Command Chief and Master Sergeant positions. For me to get into Officer Candidate School and flight school I'll need to have at least one year in college or ROTC. After school, I'll work my way up to second lieutenant so I can become an official pilot. Some of the guys are talking about how hard all that is and on top of that keeping your sergeants impressed. But I know I can do it. My...