Latrine Flyswatter.

In 1943 my Army unit completed basic training at Camp Cooke. Camp Cooke was near Lompoc, California. It was converted to Vandenberg Airfield. The Air Force launches missiles from there now.

We loaded on trucks and moved to San Bernardino, California for desert training. We put up tents and installed a large latrine. It was about 15 feet square. The walls were wire screen. In the building was a large wooden box with lidded holes. Under the box was a pit latrine. It was hot in San Bernardino. The flies were terrible.

To the job of KP (kitchen police) was added the job of Flyswatter in the mess hall and the latrine. Wouldn't you know that I would pull the job of Latrine Flyswatter? All day long I sat in the latrine and swatted flies. I was a pretty good  flyswatter and got to visit with everyone in the company at least once per day. But overall it was s****y job and I did not like it. Why couldn't I have pulled Mess Hall Flyswatter?

Our desert training was aborted after a month. We then headed for San Luis Obispo and amphibious training at Morro Bay. I had a better job one day during our stay in San Bernardino. It was as a caddy at a celebrity golf tournament at the Lake Arrowhead Country Club. Mickey Rooney and Johnny Weissmuller were two of the many celebrity players.

In the evening around the swimming pool a good show with Hollywood Stars was put on. You might recognize them.