Carroll H. Dunn
A
His name was [Charles
Also, I talked with the junior officer among the
regular engineer officers who were at Custer with whom I had a little better rapport,
a graduate in the class of 1930 named [Robert B.] Lothrop. Incidentally, he was a
prisoner and died during World War II, having been captured in the Philippines. But,
also, in late 1938 it was clear that war clouds were forming, and I began to believe that
there was a fairly high probability that we could be engaged in war activities. If so, as
a Reserve officer, I would probably be affected. From the point of personal
involvement, if that were the case, I would be better off being in early as a Regular
officer. That, together with what I knew of the Corps' activities from my experience
in relation to it, led me to believe that, while I might not under normal circumstances
choose a military career, the opportunities in the Corps together with then present
conditions did. influence my decision. After talking it over thoroughly with my
be, we decided that I would accept.
Of interest, as I compare it with personnel practices today, was the fact that they not
only wouldn't tell you where you were going on your first assignment until after you
had made a commitment, but you also had to agree to pay your own way to get to the
first assignment. They didn't offer as many incentives as they do today, but still there
was a great deal of competition for the vacancies, so they were able to call the shots.
I sent a response accepting a commission, wrote the Caterpillar Tractor Company that
I wouldn't be arriving for employment on the 5th of July, and then came my first
problem with the Army. This was completed about the 27th of June. The camp was just
about over, and I was supposed to go back to Champaign, pack up my things, and get
ready-1 thought originally to go to Caterpillar, but now to go into the Army (I knew
not where).
the adjutant of the camp, an infantry major, was about as
bureaucratic as you could get. Somehow he decided that, even though the original
telegram said that I would have 13 days to report to my first station, I couldn't leave
Camp Custer until I knew where I was to go. He wouldn't allow me to go back and
pack up my things. He kept me at Camp Custer until the 9th of July when I finally
found out I was going to be assigned to Fort McIntosh, Laredo, Texas, about 1,500
miles from Camp Custer. Now I had to get there at my own expense, having wasted
nine days while I sat cooling my heels waiting on the Army to tell me where I was
going, and waiting on a major to make a more enlightened decision!
Anyway, the orders came, and not knowing how I was going to get to Texas and
realizing that I had to go by Champaign, Illinois, I made a deal with a Corps of
Engineers
who was one of the instructors at the camp, Charles
(whom I later ran into a number of times). For I bought a 1930 Buick that he had
at the camp. I set out for Champaign to pack my things, then to Indianapolis to say
goodbye to my wife-to-be, to Arkansas to see my folks, and headed for Texas to be
there in four days. I made it. The car performed reasonably well, and I rolled into Fort
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