Enlisted and was sent to Ft. Belvoir VA in '44. Near the end of training our whole group and many other groups were transferred to Camp Howze TX for Adv. Inf Training for 6 weeks as Inf. casualty replacements and then immediately sent overseas to ETO as Inf.

replacements. However, Combat Eng training was at least as tough as Inf. training. However, I sure recall the songs we sung on marches as Combat Engineers. "Ive been

working on the railroad", and the old King Cole song. "Old King Cole was a merry old soul , and called for his privates three. Beer, beer, beer said the privates, merry men are whe. No one else can drink more beer than a combat engineer. " And then up to the corporals, " we want a 3 day pass said the corporals, merry men are whe", and so on up through the ranks. Anone else remember the songs??? Sure wish I could really remember all the verses.. Just like the Jody "songs" and "Cadence counts". Seems like the new breed of our warriors seen to think that is something new. Not left over from many years ago. NOthing is new... Only a transition.

Try this

http://www.flowgo.com/flowgo2_view.cfm?page_id=58987

cadetat6

Piper Cub 50 HP

1942 I was a 19-year-old kid with his first real job in a defense plant .A year before I enlisted in the Army Air Corp I received my pilot’s license. First you have to find some-one to turn the prop. so you can start the engine , then you taxi to the take off run way. Before take off you would turn 90 degrees, put on brakes and rev the engine full throttle and if it sounded ok you turn back 90 degrees and take off. You had to layout a triangle cross country course, I did that and with the instructor I completed the flight. Now I had to do it solo. I was to fly to Saginaw Michigan to Flint Michigan and back home. I took off headed to Saginaw, singing and eating a Powerhouse candy bar. I would look down and that would look like the RR track, and that would look like the little town. After about half an hour I was to be at Saginaw. Looking around all I saw was farmland. I climbed a few thousand feet, made a big circle and saw an airfield in the distance. I landed at the airfield and was ready to taxi to the tower. Now remember this, it was my first cross country and the wind was high and every time I took my feet off the brake I was blown to-ward the edge of the run-way. All I had to do was rev the engine and taxi to the tower, but I was not singing and eating a candy bar. I was worried about being blown off the runway.

Well you guessed it. I shut off the engine, got out, picked up the tail and pushed back to the tower and found that this was Flint tower. I now changed my flight Detroit to Flint to Saginaw back to Detroit. Year later I was an Army Cadet flying the PT-17 Stearman and the AT-6 Texan, I often wondered, could I pick up the tail of an AT-6 Texan?

Art a long ago airman?

This is for every one who has senior moments and wonders about

some past rememberances

I will start with my memory

In the service you were given your uniform and all that you need.

I was in the Air Corp Cadet at Gettysburg College and I seen

in my diary " went into town and bought a pair of shoes"

Now why would I buy shoes ? USE "REPLY" TO ANSWER AND ALSO TO

ASK ABOUT YOUR SENIOR MOMENT.

If you have a senior moment you wonder about

just click "REPLY" and enter your senior moment

cadetat6

Found this entry in our guestbook this week and was honored to hook him up with Memories of Richard Fietz.

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I was surprised to see a picture of my Father, Robert Knapp (1922-2001), on your web site. He is right behind Richard Fietz in the photo of the 370th Combat Engineers. He also served in the 104th Barrage Balloon. I came across your site trying to find info on his units. I enjoyed reading Mr. Feitz contributions very much since my father also served in those units. Thanks for creating such a great website.

Steve Knapp

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I sent the email to Dick and he wrote saying:

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Dear Marion,

Thanks for the reply. I had re-read the initial e-mail from you and located the address on your web site.

I sent Steve a message. He replied, expressing an interest in photos and info regarding which of my adventures his father had shared.

Actually, his dad and I were together from basic to my early return to the States. Since we were in a 12 man engineering squad together we knew each other quite well.

I located 3 additional photos of his dad which I sent to him.

I expect he'll have some questions.

appreciatively,

Dick