Next Phase #12: By directive

Camp McCoy

Sparta, Wisconsin

TEDIUM AND REALIZATION

Mitchell marched a four-hour late night watch, and had KP once again, fortunately not with Skorupski, but unfortunately it was on the day he was to fire his sidearm, so he never had the opportunity to shoot his beloved .45, or for that matter anything else, because the troops were not given liberty, so neither boy had any idea of how potent they may have been to the girls of Sparta, Wisconsin, who somehow lived through the ordeal of never meeting either of them.

By the time the two-week period at Camp McCoy was finished, Norman and Mitchell had had more than their share of playing soldier, and the thought of Korea and what it really meant had frighteningly begun to sink in.

July 22, 1950

“Fall in! Tench hup! Dress right dress! Tench hup! Right-shoulder arms! Left face! Forward harch!”

The entire command was to pass in review, then board the trucks that would take them to the trains that would return them to their respective armories.

“Hup-two-three-four! Hup-two-three-four!”

The command, accompanied by the stirring music of the Camp McCoy band, marched the perimeter of the parade ground.

Passing the commanding officer, camp officers and their guests in the review stand… “Eyes, right!” heads and eyes snapped to the right.

After the second progression around the parade ground, the command broke into individual companies that formed row upon row of helmeted, armed soldiers.

Speaking through an echoing microphone, “Men,” the commanding officer said, “the Thirty-Third Division is being activated!”

There was a rustle and stirring within the ranks.

“Quiet down!” the platoon sergeants whispered from the corners of their mouths. “Take it easy! You’re at parade rest! Shut up!”

Within seconds all eyes and ears strained forward.

“You will return to your homes to put your affairs in order,” the commanding officer continued, “and will be issued further orders within the next thirty days.” Hesitating a moment, “…It has been brought to my attention that a goodly number of men in the Thirty-third are underage.”

Leaning forward, Norman and Mitchell glanced at each other.

“By directive of the Commander, U.S. Army, Washington, D.C., any enlisted man under the age of seventeen years must step forward and be honorably separated, unless otherwise directed by his commanding officer, from this now-activated military force.” Pausing once again, he looked from one end of this standing army to the other. “Your company officers will take your names upon arrival at your regimental armory and the processing of your discharges will commence immediately.” Pausing once again, his eyes again swept the entire complement. “To the rest of you men, may God bless you and return you safely to your families.” Snapping to attention, he saluted.

“Tench-hup! Present arms!” The salute was returned.

Dropping his arm to his side, doing a smart about face, the commanding officer returned to his seat.

                                                             ***

After ten, three-hour weekly drill sessions and one, two-week summer training camp, Mitchell Lipensky and Norman Parminter were honorably discharged from the U.S. Army, and in the future, for the record, Norman and Mitchell were considered to be veterans of the Korean War.

Norman was one month past his sixteenth birthday and Mitchell approximately one month from his sixteenth birthday.

  (A "Becoming" Excerpt)