Page:My 1102 days of wwii.djvu/37

 again I was told, "This is not your train." I began to wonder if I really did have a train. About an hour later the third section pulled in — this was it! But it was not the limited special that my ticket had led me to believe. No doubt these obsolete day coaches had been retired at least twenty years or longer before the war.

We finally settled down for a long ride home with about six more people than seats in each car. With half a dozen people standing around, you can bet your life you would lose your seat when it became necessary to go eat or use the rest room. On returning it was your turn to sit on the floor or take your exercise until you had a chance at another seat.

This was my fourth trip across the States riding in day coaches. It proved one thing, you are able to survive for five days without a bath.

Changing trains in Chicago and Cincinnati and sleeping next to different people - both male and female for five nights and having traveled 10,500 plus miles in the last 35 days, I finally arrived in Roanoke, Virginia and home.