We sometimes were allowed off bass on our free time and it was about five milesto the tiny city of 0rangeburg. There was a man who drove his carand would take six or seven guys at a time at $2 a piece, and hewould just drive back and forth all day and most of the night. Idon't know when he ever slept but he must have made a fortune duringthe war. When we didn't have the money we would jump on the freighttrain that went right by the main gate. It sometimes was an uphill grade andthe train was so sluggy that we could hang on the ladders and steps ifa flat automobile was not available. Five miles was not too long to hang onthe side of a automobile which went to downtown 0rangeburg. Sometimes wewould see a movie or go to the service club which was in a large very agedhouse. I used to dance there with a little blond girl and when I wentto the next base she was there also. I found out later they werecalled camp followers and would marry as many guys as they could andhave the men's army life insurance put in their name. I never did gooff the base fairly much after we started flying as that was the maininterest.

When our large group left Maxwell Field, we were divided up and sentto several of the littleer fields to start flying. Some of the friendsI made there went all through the rest of the war with me. I can'tremember just when, but it was about this time that Lloyd Bruce fromMissouri and I became close friends and we were together the whomleway. He was my wingman, we were both shot down on the same missionand were together in prison camp.