Page 45 - Winterling's Chasing the Wind

mother and Mr. Stich moved to a few places near 5 Points, and I rented a room at 129
West Beaver Street. It was very convenient because as Student Manager, I spent many
hours working at the theater. There were many restaurants downtown, but the most
economical were Hargraves at State and Main Streets, the Athens on Main Street, the
324 Restaurant on Forsyth Street. Among my favorite dishes were Salisbury Steak and
breaded Veal Cutlets. The Athens Restaurant had the best Greek Salad and Spaghetti
dinners. Aside from the Krystal and Milligan Hamburgers, my favorite was from
Amber House, which was on Forsyth Street across from the St Johns Theater. But my
most economical meals would be a can of Chung King Chop Suey heated on a hot plate
in my room.

In February 1950, I decided to turn my life in the direction of my interest in aviation. I
first went to the Navy Recruiting Office in the Post Office Building on Monroe Street.
When I expressed my interest in flying, they said I needed to have two years of college.
I then went down the hall to the Air Force Recruiter who encouraged me to enlist and
then apply for Cadet training. When I signed up, they said I would receive orders to go
to Lakeland Air Force Base in San Antonio, TX for Basic training. When I informed
my boss, Sheldon Mandell, of my decision, he took me into his office, gave me my
week’s salary, and said “goodbye”. I guess if I had told him that I had been drafted, he
would have been more cordial.

CHAPTER 11 - A Home in the Air Force
With the exception of a family visit to Ohio in 1935, this was my first trip west of the
Atlantic seaboard. I had traveled north to New Jersey via Philadelphia on the Atlantic
Coast Railroad’s Champion twice since moving to Florida in 1941. Now at the age of
18, I found myself a young man heading west! At first, the trip seemed no different as
we rolled through Tallahassee. But as the train rolled in the evening darkness, a porter
led me to a Pullman bunk bed. What a delight! On my previous nocturnal train rides, I
had to sleep upright in a coach seat.

I awoke the next morning as the train was approaching Louisiana and New Orleans. I
had just enough time between trains to tour the incredibly wide Canal Street before
catching the Sunset Limited to San Antonio. It was well after dark when a truck from
Lackland Air Force Base picked us up at the train station and took us to the Induction
Center at the base.
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