In 1952 the cutoff age to be called into active duty was 26. I had been
called a few months before I reached it. Now, after about two years I
was able to get out.
As the mustering procedure unfolded, we had a 'dream of a recruiter'
trying to induce us to sign up again. If we wanted station keeper in
Kopeka (or anywhere we named) he could do it for us. Most of us (many
vets of the two wars) just laughed; we had had enough of that kind of
malarkey.
The magic day came; I became my own person. It was in December 1953. I
had been spending much of my liberty time in Tiajuana, and I like the
Mexicans. I decided to spend my mustering out pay on a trip to Mexico.
I stayed with a family in Guadalajara; we went to Mexico City, and a few
other places. I had already resolved to live the civilian life in San
Diego; it was obviously more civil to civilians than to the military.
But with Christmas rapidly approaching I decided to spend it at home
(N.O.) I went home and somehow never back to the West Coast (until long
afterward).
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