ROTC Training Center - Sand Yearbook (Camp Custer, MI)

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learning of ceremonies. At the end of the week the entire organization was marched to liagle Lake, near the Camp's base hospital. A tent camp was estab- lished. In the Red Cross building that evening a splendid entertainment was given by the First Company. There were wrestling, comic boxing, a jazz or- chestra, and the First Company's quartet. The next day we spent some time in the morning atdrill. XVC also had ta lecture. ln the afternoon, we struck tents and were soon on our way back to the barracks. By this time Saturday inspections had become a part of our regular program. 'The fifth week, july 20th, was much the same as the fourth. Two days were spent by each company on the ritle range and the rest of the time in regular drill. Friday was a holi- day and in the morning a lield day contest took place. In the afternoon a ball game was held. Another part of the regular program for some of the students was the Friday night dances at the Community llouse. Saturday morning in- spection terminated the work for this week and every one began to look for- ward with eagerness to the day when we would all be going home. 'XVeek, July 27th. Monday things opened with a rush. NVe all marched to the ritl'e range and observed 'the demonstration of hand and rifle grenades, Stoker's 3-inch trench mortar, one-pounder gun and light and heavy Browning machine gun. This was like a second Fourth of .luly with all the booming, but it made us think some, and we were mighty glad we were not in No lVlan's Land. Next on the program was the platoon tiring problems at standing targets SOO yds. and kneeling targets at 500 yds. And at night in the Y. M. C. A. we finish a full day watching the First Company perform with their second show. They sure have talent-we hand it to them. XVe almost split our sides with laughter. XfVe topped off with ice cream served in cones and called it a full day. July 29, 30 and 31-three big days of maneuver and camp at liagle Lake. This is the life. The lasttday we got soaked with rain as we returned to camp driving in the rear guard of the enemy. A , l August l. liverything rush and clean up and turn in property for tomorrow we get our mileage money and tickets back home. This lasted until after taps and then WVill they serve us a meal in bed? or was l dreaming for I sure heard mess call. E . . August 2, VVe are off and camp is quiet once more. livery one got away some way or another either by train, auto or car line, and now there is nothing ahead of us until camp next year. 18

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others in the baggage car, but nevertheless, we got there just the same. From the station we were marched to an open space on the shore of Gull Lake. llere we pitched our tent city. And, oh, what a day followed. The Knights of Co- lumbus were in charge and they furnished all the ice cream, candy, lemonade, and ice water that you could possibly put away. The lunch was served by women and girls who were residents of Kalamazoo. 'Fourteen-mile boat rides were free to members of the R. O. T. C. That evening we had our tirst meal from a field kitchen and it was a novel experience to eat out in front of our tents and then go and wash our dishes in the lake using sand in place of soap. That night we slept on the ground in our tents with only a rubber sheet under ns. For most of us this was entirely new but we slept sound just the same. The next day, july 5th we hurried in our preparation for leaving and soon we were off on an eleven-mile hike hack to camp. Our packs were taken back in trucks and the only part of our equipment that we carried with us was our cartridge belts. llefore our journey was over some of us were nearly all in and the ambulance that was following our column was filled to capacity. So ended the second lap of our course and after resting on Sunday we were ready to start on the third week. The work continued much the same except that the bayonet combat was dropped from the course of the junior companies as this form of drill was too hard and strenuous for many of the smaller students in the organization. 'Hy this time we were becoming better acquainted with our fellow soldiers and therefore had a better time and enjoyed army life more. XVe were set to work on learning the sentinel's general orders. XVC began work, both theoretical and practical on the subject of patrolling and scouting. The morning drill remained much the same. Calisthenics, games and open and closed order drill. The afternoons we spent in the field putting into practice the things that we had learned about patrolling. This was all intensely interesting. XVC were steadily becoming better soldiers. XVe terminated the week by a hike to Hart'Lake which is not far from the camp. On this hike we took full equip- ment, including ritles. NVe pitched our tents and after the evening meal. which was served from the held kitchens, we participated in a field maneuver. Com- pany l, the senior advanced students flied forcel, were sent out to make an effort to enter the camp, playing the role of enemy. The other live companies fBlue forcej were used to guard the camp along a ridge of hills between two roads which had been agreed upon as the line of resistance. The maneuver lasted until 10:30 P. M. and at that time all returned to camp for the night. It was a cold night and the discomfort was rather general throughout the camp but this was part of the training as most of us learned new tricks on how to keep warm. The next morning the entire maneuver of the night before was explained to us and we went out and reacted our parts in broad daylight. After mess, we marched back to our barracks. XVe had passed the halfway point in our course. XVe looked forward with eagerness to the fourth week, july l3, as it was to be our lirst chance on the rifle range. liach comp-any spent two days on the range. XVe learned what it was like to have bullets passing over our heads when we worked in the target pits. Some proved to be expert rifle shots, while others had a hard time hitting the target at all. The other days of the week were spent at the usual calisthenics, practice marches, drill, and in the 17

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