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Relating to The Earl E. Myers Story Chapter 6 — Early “Yardbird” Days |
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| I entered the service at Ft. Levenworth as a yardbird, 5 Jan. 1943. On the first formation we were asked if any of us had previous military training and I raised my hand. That was before I found out not to volunteer for anything in the military. The "Old Sarge" had me take the troops to chow, classification and other military formations such as P.T. and to the hospital for physical, etc. He also found out that I had worked in the Forum Cafeteria and put me on K.P. as an additional duty. I asked him one day if I could be transferred to The Army Air Corp. No reply.
About 5 days later he called me aside at a formation and told me that I was being transferred to the Army Air Corps as a radio operator on B-25s, since I had helped build them. I was transferred to St. Petersburg FL. for Basic Training. We arrived about 3 a.m. in St. Pete on a troop train and they had us form up and gave us a "Short Arm" at the train-side, and it was 85 degrees at 0330 hrs. After coming from Ft. Levenworth, where it had been minus 25 and wind blowing about 30 mph, I said, "Man this is for me"! It wasn't long before the Old Sarge found out I could march the troops to and from different formations. Also, he found out about the K.P. at Levenworth. I got K.P. again along with marching the formations. The Ft. Levenworth Sarge must have put a note in with my records. I was a "marked man". I asked the Sarge one day, near the end of basic, if I could go to McDill Army Air Base and take the Aviation Cadet exam. He did not reply at once and just shrugged his shoulders and said, “We'll see?”. About a week later he told me I could go to McDill, Which I did with all speed. End Chapter 6 — Go to Chapter 7 Go to EEM Introduction —Chapter 1 — 2 — 3 — 4 — 5 — 6 — 7 — 8 |
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