blog #403 >> Grandpa's Diary: Installment #7

December 30, 1943 - March 5, 1943

Today Thurs. Dec. 30th I went up on a "Hop" with Lt. Trussel in the ship "233". We flew The Bakersfield-Range. I flew the ship back to the field from Bakersfield (on Int.) under the hood. We did a few acrobatics at 8000'. I got an earache in my rt. ear. I think it was from the "high" alt. (Just an old softy!)

My ear "hurt" for 5 days so I went to the Hospital. I had a 99.4 Temp, so I stayed for "12 days"!! I entered the Hospital on the 4th of Jan. & got out on the 17th of Jan. (Side note in circle: Jan. 1, 44)

New Year's Eve I went to bed early. My ear was "aching." (Rough)

The Doc. said my ear trouble was caused from an insect bite that infected the middle ear. (In later journal we learn that he burst his inner ear drum, but that's not in this one.) I got out on the 17th. (Mon.) Then I left on a 2-day pass at noon. I went down to L.A. Hitch-hiked down in 4 Hrs. Hank had sent me a telegram & said he was expecting to arrive in L.A. at 6:30 P.M., on a furlough. His train got in at 9:45. It was sure wonderful to see him again!!! I thought maybe he couldn't make it, but he arrived O.K. We went out & had Dinner together then we took a street car out to Vaughns. She put us up for the night. The next morning we caught the 8:00 A.M. train for Bak. & Portland (San Jaquin Daylight.)
Got into Bak. at 1:10 P.M. Then I got off & Hank went on up home. We had a nice ride up together. (talked & talked!) The train we came up on was a "streamliner".
I'd sure loved to went on up with Hank!!! I hitch-hiked out to Taft & took the bus to the field. Got out to the field at 5:00 P.M.

Jan. 29th I got a pass from Noon till Jan 31st at 6: A.M. Then I met Hank in Bakersfield at 4:30 P.M. when he came in on the train from Oreg. I got on the train & we rode down to L.A. together getting into L.A. at 10:00 P.M. Sat. evening (29th). We stayed Sat. night at the Service Men's Center out on Hollywood Blvd. Then on Sun. we fooled arround down in L.A. We went to the Show: "You're for Fun" at the Music-Box theater Sun evening. Then Hank decided to stay over another day!!!


Also on the Sun. afternoon we went out threw Hollywood & we had our picture taken beside a P.38 plane?! We saw the "Hollywood-Canteen" too. Then Sun. Evening we rode the back to Gardner together with my Buddie "Bob Jennings".



Then Hank & I stayed in Taft at the "Fox Hotel" that Sun night. Then on Mon Morning Jan 31st we went out to the field together. I got a pass from The Link Dept. for that day & also Hank met all my Buddies & saw our field. Then at 10:00 A.M. I got paid. The in the afternoon at 1:00 P.M. we hitch-hiked down to L.A. we got into L.A. at 3:30. Then I stayed in the depot with Hank till 5:30. Then I had to say good-bye to him and hitch-hike back to Gardner. Hank caught his train for Texas at 6:45 P.M. that Mon night (Jan. 31st) I caught a ride all the way to Gardner Field with a kid from the field that I knew. So I got to the field at 9:30 P.M.

Then the fellows told me we (8 of us Link-Instructors) were being shipped to Minter Field the next day on D.S. to stay 5 days, helping out with the instructing of Minters Cadets. So the next day (Feb. Ist) we shipped to Minter with enough clothes to keep us 5 days. We got to Minter Feb. 1st about 4:30 P.M. They gave us beds & put us in Barracks. We were attached to the 302nd HQ. & HQ. SQD. We went to a "refresher" course in the Minter field System the next day (the 2nd.) Then that afternoon we started instructing at 2:00 & worked till 10:00 P.M. Getting up the next morning at 4:45 going to work at 6:00 A.M. & working till 2:00 P.M. Then on the (4th) we finished up their Cadets & we left Minter at 2:30 P.M. in the afternoon. We went to Bakersfield. Stayed in Bakersfield till 10:00 P.M. that night. Then during that evening Bob Jennings & I went over to "Johnsons" & spent an enjoyable evening!!! with "blurry" & "Leon"
Then at 10:00 P.M. we took a bus out to Taft. (singing all the way!) Then we rode out to the field getting out to Gardner at about 12:30 A.M. Minter field is O.K. but Gardner Field is better!!!



Reinemunds had there baby. He was born on Feb. 3rd (44') They named it "Richard Michael" ("Mike") He's sure a cute baby!!

On March 5th (44') at 5:30 P.M. I and Erwin Jessen left for San Fransisco on a 3-day pass. We traveled all night, taking 14 Hrs., to get up to Frisco. of course we hitch-hiked. I visited cousin Herb., Ruby & Mary. On Fed. 6th Ruby took me down to Fleishhacker Zoo in S.F. Then on Feb. 7th Herb. & Ruby & I went to the beach. We visited The Cliff House, Playland, etc. We had a swell time! Then the morning of the 8th I visited Herb. at the St. Scott. Then in the afternoon at 1:00 oclock I left for Taft with Jessen. We made it back to "Bak". by 7:00 P.M. Then we Hiked out to the field by 9:30 or 10:00 oclock. Ide's little girl Mary is sure "cute"! She's growing fast too!


Cont. in different journal...