"Officers shall not shoot Buffalo in the direction of the Officers' Quarters."

We were told when we left Denver to not take any heavy or extra clothing as it would have to be shipped home when we got Army clothing on our arrival. We arrived at the base about midnight, in temperatures of about 10 degrees. Having only worn a light sport jacket it was quite frosty. We were told that they weren't expecting us so we stood outside in the cold for about an hour. At that time we were sent to unheated tents, given one blanket and an Army cot. Our clothing was issued about a week later.

After about a month at that location our next stop was Kansas State University at Manhattan, Kansas. Betty went to Manhattan to be closer to me. Our visits were for a few hours a week. At the university we received a freshman course in three months. This was to prepare us to be Officers and gentlemen.

From there we went to a classification center at San Antonio, Texas. My wife also traveled there, however I was restricted to the base and in the six weeks at that location, only got a pass twice to go to town for ten hours. We had extensive testing and I wound up qualifying for training as a Pilot, Navigator, or Bombardier. I selected Pilot training and was sent to Tulsa, Oklahoma. We trained in a PT19 Fairchild, a two-seat, low wing plane. This aircraft was made of plywood. I washed out after soloing and was sent to Ellington Field near Houston, Texas for reclassification.

From Ellington Field, the next assignment (in January of 1944) was Big Springs, Texas for Bombardier training. I received my Bombardier wings and was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant. When we were commisioned we had to turn in all of our GI issue clothes except a rain coat, shoes and socks. So for the day between being enlisted men and being officers we were free men--without clothes. Instead of being "all dressed up with no place to go," we were "all undressed with places to go." The next day we were allowed to put on our officer's clothes.

We were then sent to Harlingen, Texas for Gunnery training. My gunner's wings were received on graduation.