Bob, On Being Drafted

I was in my sophomore year, I guess, at Princeton. In those days, it was a time of coming out of the Depression era and into the war era. But because of the war, there was an accelerated program to get you out in two years and eight months. Some of my classmates were doing that.

After Pearl Harbor, I had tried to get into all three branches of the military - there were only three back then -- no Air force -- but I couldn't pass the physical! I never had any vision in my right eye. So then one day, I got a notice that told me to report to the Newark Induction Center on December 1, 1942. I got on a bus and went down there, and spent the day in my stockings and shorts with a bunch of other fellows. After awhile, somebody handed me a whole bunch of papers, told me which of the many numbers constituted my ID number and shook my hand. I asked, what do I need an ID number for? They explained to me that I had just been inducted into the Army, and I explained to them how that couldn't be since I'd been unable to enlist. They told me, "Don't worry. It's only for Limited Service." Meaning what? That my service would be restricted to the continental United States. Well! I thought, I'm in but I'm not really in! HOW DID YOU GET UNRESTRICTED? Before I knew it, I was on a convoy going to Europe, the Mediterranean, Italy, the South of France, and Africa.

Not able to see with your right eye? That meant you were the only guy in the war who didn't need to squint when aiming a rifle, right?

Oh, ho, ho. I earned the highest score on the firing range. They gave me a bolt-action Springfield '01. [1903?] I'm left-handed, of course, and you had to do this in a prone position. So there I was, with the strap wrapped around my right arm. The strap was necessary to steady the thing. You had to cock the rifle, take it off your shoulder, pull the bolt - and the shell casings flew out to the right. If you were right-handed, they were harmless, but, being left-handed, they flew into my face. You had to do this eight times in 90 seconds or something like that. Or maybe in all three positions - prone, sitting and standing. We used the Springfield and, of course, the carbine which was automatic. I never operated the Garand, a gas-operated automatic. Or a pistol. Except my father showed me how to use one of those, once.