Post #52: Boiling hot basic training at Camp Blanding

A note from Jim Flint, Gilbert's son and letter transcriber ...

A gap in letters exists from the February 17, 1940 letter from Cornell until this next letter of October 4, 1944. I hope that there may be a few letters from this period tucked away in family attics and storage boxes. If found, please forward the letters to me to help fill in the missing pieces in this story of a remarkable life. Here are a few details to help fill in the gap...

Gilbert Hall Flint graduated from Cornell in the spring of 1940 and returned home to the family farm at Flint Hill. In the summer of 1940, he married Viola A. Morris and moved to South Byron, New York to start his first position as a teacher of agriculture. A son, Keith Gilbert, was born in the spring of 1941.

Gilbert Hall Flint's next teaching position was in Pine Bush, New York, from where he was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1944 along with many of his agriculture students. His basic training took place at Camp Blanding, Florida, where he prepared for combat in Europe. This letter is written home from Camp Blanding to his Aunt Dorothy at the family homestead on Flint Hill.

October 4, 1944
Camp Blanding, Florida

Dear Aunt Dorothy,

I was certainly very pleasantly surprised to receive your nice letter and very generous package all on the same day. I can sincerely say that they both were very deeply appreciated and they will surely last me awhile.

I am glad that you had a nice time in New York City, and it was also nice for Cousin Ethel. I will try and write her a letter soon. I am badly behind in my letter writing, but will try and get caught up in the next couple of weeks. Also I have to write in the day room with about 10 people beating on the piano and some playing a trumpet, others ping pong, others singing, so it is rather hard to concentrate at times.

I went to Jacksonville this last Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning, and went to Sunday School and church in the Presbyterian church there. I thought maybe Mrs. James would be interested in seeing the enclosed circulars.

I am as usual kept very busy here and am going through very intensive training. The weather has improved a little and the nights are some cooler, although about like our July nights at home. The sun is still boiling hot in the daytime and most of us have trouble with prickly heat and heat rash from sweaty clothes.

I haven't missed an hour of training so far and this Saturday will complete my first 10 weeks - only seven more to go. But those seven will be real tough ones - speed marches, forced marches, endurance tests of all kinds, and an integrated and combined final work out with all the weapons we have learned to use in actual battle conditions. We will take part in village fighting with rifles, carbines, pistols, machine guns, rifle grenades, hand grenades, rocket launchers (bazookas), mortar guns, and t.h.t. bombs. You have to keep on your toes every minute and make sure that you don't make any mistakes, or it's just too bad as we use all live ammunition.

For two weeks we will go on maneuvers in the woods and swamps and never come back to camp at all - about the middle of November - sleep on the ground on a raincoat - at night wild hogs and dogs and some wild cows run all over.

I must close for now but always enjoy getting your letters and hearing all the news. The war is far from over and I am learning everything I can while I have the chance. It will probably be very useful in times to come. Sometimes we wonder what the future holds for us and what destiny is to be granted to us, but we only hope for the best and find as much humor in our task as possible - whatever happens one must always be able to laugh occasionally.

If you have a chance the next time you go someplace - get Keith a little book that you think he will like and wrap it up and tell him his Daddy sent it to him. I tried to get one Saturday and couldn't find any. Thank you very much.

How was the apple crop this year? Remember me to everyone -

Lovingly,

Hall