The following letter to my Dad has not been edited for spelling or grammatical errors. It is post marked Oct 18, 1951.
Wed.
Dear Dad & Bern,
The T.C. after U.S.N. stands for Training Center.
Well some more about the Navy. When we first got here, we got 1 shot 1 vaccination and a blood test. Last week Wed. we got 1 shot and today we got a shot; so far thats 5 needles and we've still 3 more to go (the worst is ahead.)
We had our first weekly test today. Out of 40 questions I got 9 wrong. The possible score was 4.0, I got 3.1, 2.5 is passing.
We've learned, so far: Knots, ratings of officers, care of clothing, military drill, etc.
Each Company has a chief for a commander. We have about the easiest chief there is. Just to give you idea how bad some of these chiefs are. If you talk in ranks of a class, tape on the mouth or a stone; if you put your hands in your pockets you have to sew them up and if your pockets are unbuttoned your pocket gets ripped off. Of course we don't get any of this (so far).
Heres a small idea of what the barracks arrangement is. In the center of each compartment there is a "quarter deck"; the section where the table is and the radio etc.
Here's the dope on getting tickets for visitors week: there is no cost) the address is:
Senior Hostess
Building 42
U.S.N.T.C.
Great Lakes
Ill.
You must write and tell them the number of people coming and when your coming. The 27th which is Sun., or the 26th you can come. All you do is request a certain number of tickets. If at all possible, bring Richard K. or Donald K. or one of the guys.
It's a ways off, but I'll get a 12 hr. liberty in about 3 or 5 weeks. If you could get down, I'd like to get up to Kenosha. Of course I'll go anyway, but it would be nice if you'd come with part of the gang.
Love
Dave B