Page 13 - chuckclark_ccompany

As they were getting ready to go, Todd noticed another

bus arriving. It was met by another sergeant. Todd learned

that two or three buses came in each day, but there was

always room, because every day a couple of busloads of men

shipped out. He also learned they would be there about a

week.

In the morning, following reveille and breakfast, they

lined up to get their new clothes, shoes, uniforms and

toiletries, and a duffle bag to carry everything in. Then they

retired to the dormitory, where they tried on the clothes and

were taught how to arrange their uniforms on racks and

how to organize their footlockers.

The next thing was to line up for military haircuts. The

rest of the week they got their shots, filled out

questionnaires designed to tell whether they had any

special skills or military experience, took IQ tests, and were

taught how to salute, come to attention and fall in

formation. All of this, to teach them how to be soldiers.

Fort Niagara was an old, historic fortress, and over the

years, the outer part was modernized with two-story

buildings. Located north of Buffalo, it sat on a bluff over-

looking the junction of the Niagara River and Lake Ontario.

Todd and Denny had become good friends, and Sunday was

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