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Visit from a General

3/2-5/43: Hello, dearest – please pardon the break, but there have been three hectic days since I was last writing.   The cause of all the commotion was a visit & review of the post by General Weaver, in command of the Army Air Force Technical Training. 

 

The officers have been tearing their hair trying to beat us newcomers into shape.  This afternoon was the climax – review parade at Retreat.  We have been practicing for it all week, & yesterday and today were up at early yours – 5:45, breakfast over, & double-timing it out to the parade-grounds by 7 AM for 1&1/2 hours of drill & parading in practice.  Then the regular hours drill 10-11, & in afternoon, our first real physical training period – 2 hours solid calisthenics.  I found I’m in a lot better shape than many of the boys.  What a work-out, & the last part we moved onto a sandy stretch where the sand was full of little brambles.  It was awful – the damned things stuck in the most inconvenient places & like needles.

 

Last night we all got hot with wash rags, mop, polishing cloth, etc., & went over this place as if with a microscope.  You have no idea of what cleanliness is til you [illegible] the Army.  Here, it is fanatical; just the merest trace of a smudge will bring a gig.  For inspection, we have to leave our drawer (desk) open 2 inches; if they aren’t exactly 2 inches open, we get the gig.  We worked until 10 PM, scrubbing hard.  Wash bowls have to be not only clean, but dry.  This is really beyond all ideas I ever had before coming here.  After lights out, 3 of us still had so much sewing to do we went into the clothes closet, shut the door, turned the light on, & sewed insignia onto the arms of shirts.  We would have got gigged out of the place if the guard had come in & found us out of bed.  This morning I had to get up at 5:30 to polish shoes, make my bed, etc., so I would be out in formation at 6.  Our room came off OK in inspection – only 1 gig, & that was because of some imagined flick of dust on one table.  They couldn’t let us off without checking something off.

 

In P.T. (physical training, henceforth) our leader got us out there in this terrifically hot sun & kept us doing exercises until his lordship the General got around to coming our way & reviewing us.  We were on the toughest leg exercise of all when he came, but we got through it.  As soon as he was safely out of sight, we were ordered back to our rooms, & without shower or anything had to change into uniforms, hurry back & be doing some close-order drill on the Plaza.  Last of all, 2,000 of us marched off to the parade grounds.  Half of it, the back half, in sand & and our lungs were filled with dust.  There was a lot of pomp & ceremony, reporting of officers, etc.  Then round & round we marched, -it is a very large parade ground, & after going completely around it once we thought we were set for leaving the parade grounds, when the band struck up a fast march, & around we had to run again on the double.  Most of the fellows made it, & only two fell by the wayside.  We were absolutely wringing with sweat & covered with dust.  What a mess!

 

A festive air pervades the place.  Apparently the General was pleased, because they have given us liberty to 1 A.M. & permission to go to the movies in our own theater.  I went to see “In Which We Serve” – very good.  We get movies right up to date here, often way ahead of the city showings.  All but one of the boys have gone into town (what town I haven’t yet learned), & the one left & myself have just had a half hour bull-session.  Boy, do I feel tired, & what a welcome thing it is to have the tremendous pressure of the last few days relieved.  I literally have not had a single spare minute.  And has it been hot!  Just like the hottest summer days at home.  I’m browned to a crisp on my face.  Had a wonderful swim in pool during P.T., 3 days ago.  Was classified a #1 swimmer.  A new group came in today.  I’m an old-timer here – a whole week, today.  Please excuse mistakes.

A Tribute to Walter Reed Weaver, 1885 - 1944

At the time of his visit to Boca Raton, Major General Walter Reed Weaver was assigned command of the First Technical Training District, with the mission of providing basic training and officer candidate schools for new recruits.  To house these programs at various sites, he sought out large resort hotels that were vacant in the wartime economy, such as the Boca Raton Club.

 

With the success and growth of First Technical Training District to many sites, the General’s health deteriorated in 1943 under the wartime exigencies of a huge, critical task.  He died on October 27, 1944, and was buried in Arlington National Cemetery.  He was awarded the Army Distinguished Medal for his World War II service.

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