From 4deucer, a year ago
Sir,
Magnificent response! Thanks so much! My Dad wore the sleeve patch of the AAF for many months while here in the States. He got transferred to the Army infantry when the AAF became full, and went from Miami Beach to some proving grounds in Illinois. I still talk to his youngest brother (my Uncle John, who they called 'Peanut' only because he was the youngest of the 5 brothers). Uncle John is 82 this year.
Uncle John told me that my Dad's unit got pretty cold in Illinois because they moved them out from Florida in such a hurry that they didn't have time to issue cold climate clothing. From Illinois, Dad went for Chemical Warfare training at Ft. Meade, Maryland, then further infantry training at Fort Howze, Texas, where he earned his Expert Marksman Badge with Carbine and 50 ca. Machine Gun bars.
From there, as best I can tell, to maneuvers in Louisiana, then to San Francisco, CA where they shipped out for the Philippines in early 1945.