How do we get there from here?

First of all, the Army gave you $47.00 to get from Fort Benning to McChord Air Force Base, In Washing ton State. It wasn't enough to fly, so you added a little to it and took the train. When you got to McChord, you waited for the weekly (or thereabouts, depending on the weather) then flew on a contract flight in a DC-6 (4 reciprocating engined Propeller) aircraft. You landed in Elmendorf AFB, and waited for a shuttle truck to Fort Richardson.

The shuttle was an M34 multi-fuel duece and a half (it didn't run well on either diesel or gasoline) with an insulated canvas top and a heater in the cargo compartment. It was a special Arctic rig. Of course, the heater didn't work half the time either.

The truck stopped at the headquarters of the 1st Battle Group, 23d Infantry, and was told to take us all to Bravo Company since the Battle Group had already departed for Operation Willow Freeze. This was a Major Field Training Exersize (FTX) where the 23d was playing the Aggressor to the 1st Battle Group of the 187th Airborne Infantry from the 82d Airborne Division at Fort Bragg. It was a big deal, and included the Alaska Scouts, Princess Patricia's Royal Canadian Light Infantry, and a lot of other specialized units.

We parked in Bravo Companies empty barracks which was used a a transient billett till the unit came back. Three if us were assigned to B Company and three each to the other companies. There was a Staff Sergeant who was the Charge of Quarters. He had a broken leg from a skiing accident, and was charged with getting us all ready to join the unit up north.