I�m ready to start tomorrow I guess. You two be sure and keep your
fingers crossed all next week, cause I�m going to need everything I�ve
got to make it. . . . The PT�s have a song too. I forget the name of
it. When you go to jump you holler �Geranimo.� That�s the PT battle
cry. We had a lecture yesterday given by the major in command of the
PT�s & he told us again that we were an elite group of men & that we
should dress as such, act as such & so on. They sure are proud men. I
hope I can be one of them.
Our 1st 4 jumps are from 1200� & our last one 800
feet. Everyone says the jumping is really swell. It�s the stuff you do
before you get to jump. The parachutes we use are 28� & hold 185 lbs.,
so I ought to come down pretty easy. We were also told that we could
quit up till we�ve made our 5 jumps & them we couldn�t. A man is
court-martial led then just like anything else. When we quit now or are
washed out we aren�t sent directly to a unit that is going overseas.
Also the parachutes we use have made 18,000 jumps without a death. They
are just about foolproof. Instructors have just rolled them up under
their arm & jumped & they still open.
Well it�s starting to cool off here a little now & I�m sure glad.
. . . Kansas is paradise compared to this, wind and all.
Your loving son
Did I tell you how the PT wings looked? I can�t draw very good but
this is the idea.
Will scribble a few lines to let you know I arrived safe & sound & ready
to go to work. We start Monday. Class 75. Talk about heat, the sun
feels like it�s about a foot from you and you can light a match anytime
of the day & the flame will burn straight up. Will have 4 weeks of
training, A, B, C, & D. A is where they try to tear you down. Class
usually consists of about 100 during & during A period about half drop
out. They are sent back to where they came from & are sent overseas.
Talk about your exercises. I mean you get them 8 hrs a day for A period
& running 9 miles also. B period is jumping off 35� towers with lines
hooked to you & bob you up and down. C period is packing chutes &
jumping off the 250� tower with the parachute. Some fun. D period is
your five jumps then you are a paratrooper & go through a ceremony & get
your wings just like an air pilot. It�s really something. Most of the
boys drop out A period but I�m sure not. They�ll have to carry me off.
The call it wash-out just like in the air corps. You get your boots
during your second week, B period, & the boys are really proud of them
and their wings. Any paratrooper you talk to says a marine don�t even
walk on the same side of the street as a PT. I guess we are in a class
all by ourselves. Ha-Ha. I mean you really get tough. The boys that
made it & left today say all you�ve got to do is pay attention, do your
best, say you won�t give up and have nothing to do with the washouts or
the guys that got hurt. Everybody that has gotten hurt it�s traced to
the man himself as the cause, so I�m going to give everything I�ve got &
mark my words I�m going to leave here as a qualified PT with wings.
Have you seen PT wings? They are sure neat & they say when a PT goes to
town the rest of the boys get out of their way. They sure treat us nice
here. When I come home with those wings on I want you to just watch me
throw out my chest at the boys. Ha-Ha. We sure are treated with
respect.
We make five jumps in D stage and you jump with the chutes you
pack yourself. I�m really going to try hard cause the best ones are
picked for demolition school which lasts about 3 more weeks & you come
out of it with a rating. Otherwise you are just sent right out to a
line camp. Wouldn�t you like to see me with a couple or 3 stripes on?
I hope I don�t freeze when I jump cause that�s something you can�t
control yourself. Took another stiff physical today and passed ok.
Cross your fingers til I get thru A period. Us Taylors don�t give up
tho do we. Hope you are both well & write soon & wish me luck.
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