Page:The history and achievements of the Fort Sheridan officers' training camps.djvu/189

 THE FIRST OFFICERS' TRAINING CAMP

���MAJOR WALLACE B. SCALES

Adjutant First R. O. T. C.

��"Late" civilians, accustomed to saun- tering up to a desk at the luxurious hour of 9 or 1 A. M., welcomed not the cruel notes of "first call" at the uncomfortable stroke

of 5:30 especially in chill barracks on a

frosty May morn. To add to the misery, "reveille" was blown at 5 :40 and "assem- bly' five minutes later. Those first few mornings some could "make it" only by omitting a portion of the apparel — gener- ally those two miserable pieces of canvass. But one such offense was enough. Follow- ing roll call the company w^ould proceed to the nearest available open space and there, either by squads or as a w^hole, proceed to stimulate circulation and appetite with thirty minutes of vigorous calisthenics.

"Soupy" that call to w^hich the expression "A. W. O. L." is never ap- plied was blown at 6:20, whereat the line, already eagerly formed again

since dismissal from physical drill w^ould "right face", go "column left" and pound over the board floors of the mess shacks w^ith a hungry viciousness w^hich caused enameled dishes and tin spoons to leap in the air and rattle, seeking a voice to cry "route step" and thus "save the bridge." The breakfast fare w^as a goodly one of some variety of canned fruits, cooked or "dry" cereal, eggs and bacon, and large slices of bread, the consumption of which was greatly enhanced by the presence of pitchers of molasses. There seemed to be a sufficient supply of "Pullman" cooks and waiters to cheerfully produce a never-ending stream of supplies.

Any inclination to "linger over the cups" received an abrupt jolt at 6:45. The company area must be "policed", and this was the time set aside for the performance of that task. It was accomplished in each company by an avalanche of men who "vultured" everything north and south between two imaginary lines, from barrels to match sticks. If any scrap remained after the initial tour, it was the duty of the first sergeant to see that the perform- ance w^as repeated.

Then came the assembly at seven o'clock. Here commenced the w^ork of the day except for those w^ho, either be- cause of enterprise or inability to prepare the night before, snatched a few^ moments for study between "first call " and assem- bly for drill.

From May 15lh until June 15th the training for the thirty companies of the two regiments was carried out along lines CAPTAIN E H W McCABE

that would give the same type and amount Assistant Adjutant First R. O. T. C.

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