Citizens Military Training Camp - Sentinel Yearbook (Fort Sheridan, IL)

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THE SENTINEL BOOM! BOOM! TOMMY RETA.N On Monday, August zcth, the CMTC Battalion left on its annual three day hike. The first night we camped on the aviation field, and believe it or not, we still maintain that that was one ofthe worst nights ever endured by human beings. This said Monday started out with just an ordinary summer shower which lasted up until about five o'clock and then we were greeted by a few rays of the sinking sun. However, we recall the state- ment of one of the old time regulars with us to the effect that we had better get ready to swim because he said, when it rains up until five on a hike, it will start again at night. Did his prophesy come true? Well no, he said that it would rain that night: he didnit say anything about a Hood. It seemed that-the very heavens were bent on taking revenge on us. By nine o'clock our camp looked like the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, looked like a big liner had just gone clown with bits of human wreckage Hoating round. Water, water everywhere and not a boat in sight. A few of us, who were not strangers to Camp McCoy, knew of some old rifie pits situated about at half-mile from our camp. WVe knew that these pits were constructed of concrete with a large dugout in the center and no doubt would be nice and dry on a night like that. So after debating the question for quite awhile, six of us fellows, being half drowned and very tired, left camp and went, sloshing and falling thru the mud and water, the half mile to our new camp. The dugout was a welcome sight to us, wet and sleepy as we were. Imagine on a night like that, to find a place that was dry, with lots of wood for a fire. The relief was almost too much for us to bear. Soon a nice fire was burning and our new home was nice and warm, so warm in fact that several of us removed our shirts and boots in order to dry them better. Those of you who remained in camp with the rain making a river .down your collars and a lake in your shoes, were simply out of luck according to our opinion. Lulled by the sound of rain on the outside and the warmth of our fire inside, the hosts from the Land of Nodi' began to steal upon us and then all was still. How long we slept we shall never know, for we were awakened to find ourselves in semidarkness with 1558 falling all about. Too, there were machine gun bullets whistling by our ears, then the whole countryside was shaken by a terrific explosion, at least it seemed that way to us fellows, still half asleep and running around in the dark. There were no stop-watches along, so we were unable to say just how fast we made the first hundred yards, but we are willing to wager that the last one out of that dugout made it in nothing fiatn. VVhat a fine ending to our comfortable night's rest. There we were, in our bare feet, no shirts, and the cold rain drenching us anew. No human being could stand that for long, so some of the braver spirits ventured back to the dugout to investigate the damage done and to try to find out if possible just what had caused the explosion. Soon we all were back inside the shelter and a new fire was burning. Altho we were quite nervous, we decided that even another explosion like the last would not drive us out into that awful night. However, to be prepared, we put on our shirts and boots and settled back to make the best of it. Our rest was not for long. WVe had hardly dropped off to sleep again, when the second and last explosion in our temporary home took place. This burst of fiame-simply blew us right out of the door. ln making for the nearest high ground one of our members fell into a deep mud hole. WVe left him where he fell. Thus ended out first night on the hike and to this day, none of us are able to tell just what caused the explosion, however, we can surmise. Can you? I Page' Om' lluurlrrd Forly-om' . . .v. . . . .v .v . .v.v. . . . . . . . . . . . . .- .v. . .v. . . . .v va.v.v.v.v.1.1-v.v.v.v.v.v.v.v.v.v.n

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THE SENTINEL SOCIAL ACTIVITIES AT CAMP MCCOY V. L. GREENWOOD The first CMTC dance was held August Sth at the Assembly Hall in Sparta. NVe were transported to the dance in camp trucks, which was a new way for most of us. The dance was attended by about a hundred and fifty girls from neighboring towns and there were also a number of fair ones who were vacationing in this part of lVisconsin. Re- freshments were served throughout the evening. The second dance of the series was held on the evening of Visitors' Day, August 15th at the same place. Some of the boys having made acquaintances at the first dance enjoyed having dates for the evening. Most of us depended on the good graces of our Hostess, Miss Kelly, and on Chaplain Patrick to provide dancing partners for us. The third and final dance was held at Spring Bank, August 2ISt, the evening of the second day of our hike. Although we were all fatigued from our day's travel we were not too tired to enjoy a Red Hot dance. The crowd was large and the refreshments were good, so the outcome was never in doubt. The boys' first choice was Miss Emma Lou lVilliams. a fair co-ed, who attended all three of our dances. Miss YVilliams was a guest of Lieutenant McClain. Although the Lieutenant was deprived of most of the dances with Miss XVllllEll11S, she never-the-less enjoyed the evenings. VISITORS' DAY V. L. Gnmznwoon The CMTC Battalion welcomed Visitors, Day with a snappy physical training period which was conducted by Lieutenant Bush. This was followed by our usual camp duties which occupied the remainder of the morning. . The guests of the Battalion were entertained for lunch at the regular CMTC mess halls and we had a chance to show our friends just how we live in camp and the kind and quality of food we were furnished during our stay at Camp McCoy. However, it was noticeable that some of the boys were handicapped by having visitors present. Quite a crowd gathered after lunch to watch the inter-battery baseball game, C7 Q? 00 ag Q I xxll! .. t ,fm 'te 5 Jigga' Q., K. fa fl lax, f N s 4 ? i 4 YQ-X f Xf X f f 1 Page Om' 11 umlrrd Forly-Icvn view gi. 5' the last and deciding game of the camp. As to who won ask Adams of Battery HD . As for yours truly, we left our adding machine in camp and therefore lost count long before the end of the game. Immediately following the baseball game, we enter- tained our visitors with a Gymkana consisting of stake driving, mounted wrestling, mounted tug-of-war. a shoe race, and a centipede race. The best part of Visitors' Day came at 8:30 that night when we adjourned to Sparta for the dance, where at the M. XV. A. hall we tripped the light for otherwisel fantastic until the wee small hours. On the whole, we vote for Visitors' Day and many of them. ........ .. .......... ......' .....v.v....vw.v.v.v..... .. ..