1965 

It was June 1965 and I was 20 years old. Just finished Business school in Minneapolis and started to look for a job. This was when the Vietnam war was beginning to escalate and the United States were sending more troops overseas. Since I no longer had an educational deferral from being drafted on active duty into the army I was looking for an alternative to active duty which was signing up for the military Reserves. There was a big waiting list trying to get into either the Air Force Reserve or the Army National Guards. I decided to volunteer for the draft and drove from Minneapolis to the Draft Board office located in Worthington, the county seat for Ellsworth, and volunteered for the Army. I then drove home to Ellsworth and told my Mother the news. She was sad when I told her that I was going to take a physical for the army at Sioux Falls in about a week.  

The next week there were about seven of us taking a bus from Worthington to take an Army physical in Sioux Falls, SD. The army put us up in the local YMCA for the night. I remember walking around downtown Sioux Falls as we were not old enough to get into the bars so we just walked around town. The next day started the Army physicals as we went from room to room taking various parts of the medical physical. I had a blood pressure problem....too high or low...so they put me in a room and told me to lie down. Toward the end of the day no one came into to take my blood pressure and I think they forgot about me. Finally I heard someone calling my name and came out of the room. Not sure if they took my blood pressure again but the next thing I did was take an oath and was sworn into the army. 

I went home to Ellsworth for about two weeks and the Army sent me a bus pass for travel to Ft. Leonard Wood, MO. The time period was the end of June, 1965. The Bus stopped at various places and one city in particular that sticks in my memory was Kansas City, MO. I got off the bus and immediately noted bathrooms for "Whites" and "Colored". This was my first exposer to segregation. I sat at the cafe counter next to a black person and was immediately served while the black person was ignored. I thought this to be very rude and not right/fair. 

Ft. Leonard Wood 1965

.....the nickname for Ft. Leonard Wood was “Ft. Lost in the Woods”.... being in the military was a new experience for me. Drill Sergeants were hollering at the new recruits telling us to get in line for everything from physical training, marching to classes and eating in the mess halls.

I particularly remember a Senior Drill Sergeant who had a nickname of “Hawk”. I am not sure why he had that name but do remember he was the senior Drill Sergeant and perhaps the “Hawk” title was a symbol of greatness. The Drill Sergeants asked for volunteer during the first week of eight and I raised my hand. Well, that was the last time I volunteered as I ended up peeling potatoes for a day. 

We did a lot of physical training that started at around 6 am each day except Sundays. I thought I was in pretty good physical condition but soon found out that was not true. We did a variety of exercises as well as running a couple of miles each day. I especially remember an exercise having to do was the horizontal ladders. The Army goal was to go back and forth about four times.

At first I could not go the length of the horizontal ladder one time but by the end of the eight weeks I could go four times which was the Army’s standard. What I found out about myself was once the ideal/goal was in my mine it became easy to accomplish. 

Week 1 As you adjust to Army life, you begin to learn the importance of Army Values and learn how they shape you as a Soldier. You will take your first diagnostic Army Physical Fitness Test, learn how to march and prepare your barracks for inspection. You will practice Drill and Ceremony, learn your Special and General Orders and the Military Justice System. You will also learn how to disassemble, reassemble, clean and sight your M-14 rifle. This knowledge provides you the foundation for good soldiering. 

Week 2 You’ll be taught unarmed combat skills, learn first aid, map reading and land navigation. Your confidence will be put to the test at Victory Tower – where you’ll rappel from a 30-foot platform. You’ll learn the Army value of Loyalty and the importance of teamwork. 

Week 3 You will be introduced to the bayonet and basic bayonet movements. You’ll become even more familiar with your M-14 rifle as you practice basic rifle marksmanship fundamentals. You’ll learn how to defend yourself from chemical attack and continue to improve your fitness through Physical Training. Through examples of the Army’s history, you will learn another Army value – Duty.

Graduation Day! At the end of the eight weeks of training there was a parade of soldiers signifying the graduation from basic training in the army. Theses soldiers, all Privates, marched with a lot of pride and discipline. You would not believe these were the same men who started out eight weeks earlier.

The army gave each of us written orders for the next eight weeks of school. Some of us would be sent to the artillery schools, infantry schools, armor schools and other schools within the army.

What an education the Army gave you. I met so many people from different parts of the country ...white, black, Indian and Latino individuals. Being raised in a small town of Ellsworth, Mn this was quite an education for me.

Ft. Sill, Oklahoma 

My next 8 week assignment was at Fort sill, Oklahoma. I was in training for a " gun bunny” position or a soldier who learns all about howitzers. ...cleaning, moving and firing the howitzer.

During the first week of training the supply sergeant for our unit found out that I was from Minnesota and he too grew up in Minnesota , specifically New Ulm. He got me assigned to work in the supply room. During the next 10 weeks working in the supply room meant I did not have to do outside training. I remembered the work could be tough but on the cold days working inside versus training outside was great.

All soldiers were paid monthly, usually on the last day of the month. I was paid $98 and was provided a place to stay and food to eat as well as health coverage. After receiving the monthly pay a number of soldiers went to the “Canteen” store to drink beer or went on a pass to Lawton, Oklahoma for a good time in the bars. They spent the monthly pay pretty fast and around the middle to near the end of the month they had a need for money to buy beer but had no money.

I would lend out $5,$10,$20 with a promise of repaying double my money and usually got repaid at month end after everyone received their monthly pay. So I made a little cash on the side.....the start of a banking career and it is ironic that after my active army time would spend 35 years working for Wells Fargo bank.