2. Time Away: Meeting Barbara and the Lives and Enterprises That Ensued

My training was in all aspects of photography as it was known in 1952. It lasted a few months, I do not remember how long it took, or much else about getting back to Idaho.  Dragging that trailer house back to Idaho during the winter had to be a challenge.  I suspect my older brother Byron may have lent a hand.  

After leave time I was to report to Camp Stoneman, California, to ship out to Korea and the two week sea voyage put me in Puson (as it was known to us in 1950) in cold, cold March. After the waiting period l was assigned to PW record section south of the city.   Barbara made arrangements to stay with her folks as she was pregnant at this time.  Living off her folks at this time was not what Barbara would have liked to do but felt that there was no choice. I had signed up to have all but a few dollars of my meager  army wages sent to Barb as at least some compensation. Diane was born on the thirty first of October 1953.  I got the word by radio telephone which was state-of-the-art back then.   As a new father I had some obligations to take care of, so I scoured the PX for appropriate gifts for the other two members of my family. A baby sized red snow suit and a good sized Teddy Bear was what I sent Diane and I am embarrassed that I do not remember what I sent Barb.  Baby Diane was born with a growth or tumor on her left eye and was referred to a doctor in Salt Lake City and with Barbara’s folks help the tumor was successfully removed.  I did not know any of this until it was all over nor do I know who paid for the procedure.   

There were a multitude of experiences related to my army career that will have to be addressed in another writing, even though they indirectly influenced our lives.  One such program, however, allowed draftees such as myself to get out of the army early.  When drafted the tour of duty was two years, this program allowed a person to be discharged with a 1 ½ years active duty, providing you had a legitimate reason. I readily took advantage of this opportunity to finish my Master's Degree. Transportation was by troopship of course, it was quite a thrill as we approached the west coast and could see the Golden Gate Bridge where the ship had to wait overnight before sailing under the Bridge and entering the harbor. 

Frank