March, Wednesday 17, 1943

Well, I'm off duty for the afternoon. The guard duty wasn't so bad. Tuesday morning we fell out and were issued rifle, belt, and bayonete. Then we drilled for an hour and then were marched up to the west drill field where we practiced guard mount. At 10:30 AM we went up to the wet drill field again but this time it was the real McCoy. We were lined up then the officers and N.C.O were inspected. Then a 1st loouie inspected each man's piece. Then we were marched by the reviewing officer with the band leading and we went right down to the guard house. There we relieved the old guard. I was in the first relief, third post. We got to the guard house then we had to go back to our barracks for our overcoats. By the time we were ready to go on duty at 11 o'clock it was too hot for them but we had to wear them anyway. Our corporal had five posts to relieve, 26, 1, 2, 3, and 4. The five of us fell out in front of the guard house. First the corporeal inspected our arms then we had to fix bayonetes. No. 1 post is in front of the guard house so number one man fell out and relieved the old guard. They the rest of us went on. We went to the 26 post next. It's the electric plant. The guard walks around the transformers and has to call the guard house every hour on a phone. On each side, to the east and west, of the electric unit are sand bags piled in a wall about 40 feet high and a hundred feet long. These are to protect the plant from bombs I guess. Then we went to post number two. It's a post that separates the parking lot from the field. The sentry is to keep people from entering the field from the parking lot. then we went to post number three.

I fell out and came up to the old sentry. We both came to post arms and he told me his special orders then I repeated them. He then fell in where I fell out and the relief moved off. I was on duty from 11:AM till 1 PM. I was stationed directly across from a building where civilians got passes to enter the field. When they got the passes they had to pass me in order to get into the field and I had to see that everyone had a pass. The people who work on the field have pins like pa's but visitors got paper passes. Every time I asked to see a pass I had to come to post arms, and every time an officer passed, usually in cars, I had to present arms. So I was handling my piece all the time. When not at post or present arms, I had to stand at right or left shoulder arms. I could stand at parade rest once in a while, but not for over three minutes at a time. This was my post.

When I was relieved we went to chow and then back to our barracks and got our pillow cases, one blanket, and your toilet articles. I went back on duty at 5 PM till 7 PM and then was off until 5 AM in the morning because my post didn't have to be watched at night. The hours of my post were from 5 AM until 9 PM. We went to supper at 10 PM and then the other boys went on duty at 11 PM while I went to sleep. While sleeping you had to wear everything except your over coat. You slept with your bayonete and the N.C.O.s had to sleep with their pistols on. I went back on duty at 5 AM till 7 AM and then I was through. They woke us up at 4 AM for breakfast but I slept until 4:45 AM. After I came off at 7 we had to GI the guard house and then we slept until 10:30 when our relief came. When we were relieved we went back to our supply house, turned in our pieces and bayonetes and then we had the rest of the day off. Some of the posts were: guarding supply houses, finance building - live ammunition, water tower, munitions dump, gasoline tanks, gates, and the open sides of camp. The permanent guards guard the gate house, air post and phones. The relief guards all the rest. I got a thrill of guard mount and I didn't mind the duty at all.

I got the sox today and they're swell. They're almost too nice. I got a letter from Unk and one from Ray King. I didn't hear from you yesterday. Down here they give you guard duty when you have completed your basic training so from now on we're eligible for K.P., special details, and 30 mile hikes. I sure hope we get shipped in a hurry. Oh yes, Monday we had to stand retreat with rifles. Each training group has a platoon with rifles and we were it Monday. Well, I guess that's all so I close and see if I can get this in the mail so it will go out today.

Love,
Rae