Early Days in the Military

My father first entered the military in November 1952. He completed his basic training at Parks AF Base in Hayward, California, before shipping off to Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, MS—the same location where Neil Simon set his autobiographical play Biloxi Blues.

During World War II, Keesler had been a training center for pilots, including the famous Tuskegee Airmen. By 1949, it was mainly used as a technical and radio operator training school. My father was sent to learn radio there in early 1953.