Stateside Service: Oregon State College/ASTP


On the train from Palo Alto to Corvallis, Oregon, we passed through some beautiful country and we arrived in good spirits with the prospects of earning a degree and, at least, a break from Army life. My group was first assigned to Snell Hall, a former women's dorm but in the second term we moved to the Men's Dorm. The course curriculum had been designed for an accelerated program, i.e., to complete a full semester in three months, and complete the basic course in nine months, the equivalent of two college years. This acceleration was my downfall as the course work utilized math not yet mastered even though I got an A in algebra the first term, a B in geometry the second term, and a C in calculus in the third.

Whatever, we were divided into sections (there was a small Army detachment assigned to OSC to oversee our activities) and marched to and forth classes together but that's about the extent of military formations and exercises except for special occasions involving joint OSC events. Everyone had to work hard under this rushed-up approach to education, which distinguished our program from others, including the Navy V-12, which followed conventional lines and time. Of course, our curriculum was heavy in the sciences including mathematics, physics and the like. We did have a few courses, however, that particularly appealed to me such as geopolitics and speech.

Snell Entrance		Snell Hall

Despite the pressure, we all (or most of us) enjoyed it. We soon made friends with our new classmates and had lots in common. We were also practically the only, at least able-bodied, men on campus and our presence was obviously welcome to the young ladies. Mixer dances were held and dating and romances soon bloomed. Others brought their fiancé's from home, got married, and took a place just off campus and some of those already married were soon joined by their wives. During the week, however, all soldiers were required to sleep in the dorm. One young Oregonian lassie picked me out at a dance and, on a canoe ride way up a small stream in a forested but remote city park area, practically took my virginity from me. A few weeks later, she told me she was "late" but that pronouncement was premature. Nevertheless, it scared the hell out of me and I preserved my semi-celibacy until after the war was over in Europe. I did, however, meet some lovely girls both on campus and elsewhere in Oregon.

First a Women's then a Men's Dorm

One weekend in the summer, a group of about four or five us hitchhiked to Newport on the coast. En route, you pass through some of the famous Oregon forest areas. Newport is a resort town perched high over the coastline with beautiful views. We quickly discovered why only a few or no one was in the water as we waded into the surf and felt our feet freezing into ice blocks. Man, it was cold! However, we lucked out. There were four lovely and sweet girls our age from Salem also visiting for the weekend. We hooked up had had a great time dancing and innocent flirtations. As it turned out, several of us saw them often in Salem on weekends and in Portland when two of them moved there to work. I was dating a beautiful brunette (Virginia Resnik, I think) and I pined for her months after we left Oregon.

My campus sweetheart		Friends

ASTP Unit 3900

CO "F" ASTU 3900		ASTU Band

During this period, my mother's long-term relationship with a married man hit a big snag. After constantly promising to marry her when his children became of age, he was now obviously stalling. Probably more in an attempt to push his hand, my mother decided to leave him and come stay near me in Oregon for an indefinite period. While I loved my mother very much, I wasn't exactly anxious to have here with me at OSC, or anywhere else for that matter. I was never really seriously consulted and out she came. She rented a room in a nearby off-campus home and started working in a campus sorority kitchen. It was nice to see her but, frankly, I was embarrassed and, so to speak, she cramped my style. I didn't want to hurt her, she had had enough of that in her lifetime, but I was uncomfortable. The problem was solved for me, however drastically, as described by the events that happened next.

Off to Portland		Virginia - The Reason

In the third term, things started getting tough for me. While I was doing OK in math, the course work was often based on a level of math I had not yet studied or mastered, e.g., in physics, and consequently it was affecting my grades in non-math but related courses. In retrospect, I did much better than the average in holding on through the third term but I knew the end was in sight for me. During this term, however, we began to hear rumors that ASTP was in jeopardy and all sorts of rumors flew about. But as the term neared its end, the bomb burst. Because of unexpectedly high casualty rates in the Sicily campaign and the impending European invasion, there was an "emergency" need for additional, front-line manpower. It wasn't difficult to find. There were about 300,000 young army soldiers in ASTP and the Army Air Cadets training programs-which were virtually eliminated and most of the student and cadets transferred directly to infantry divisions awaiting overseas deployment.

The ending was worth a Hollywood movie. After many, prolonged goodbyes at dances, walks in the park, etc., the fatal day arrived We assembled outside our dorms with everything we owned in one duffle bag and marched down to the Railroad Station where the troop train was waiting for us and the OSC band was playing. OSC students, friends and faculty were there to give us a resounding sendoff. Wives and sweethearts were being separated for who knows how long, maybe forever, and the spirit grabbed the crowd. A girl that I had dated a few times but was no big thing to me, apparently didn't have anyone to kiss goodbye so, caught in the moment, she sought me out and overwhelmed me with hugs and kisses. That didn't help a thing. So, it was bye bye OSC and all the "beavers" left behind (but OSC would hear from me again).

		Homework

Preparing to march to Corvallis train station

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