August 10, 1954

I have no intention of beginning every other entry with "Up early and to the office…." The first few entries probably needn’t be dated at all, as they shall be taken up with the preliminaries and backgrounds, however sketchy. I am living, at this writing, at 2012 Hutchins Avenue in Rockford, Illinois. It is a two-story, flat-roofed frame building with two-tone siding (bottom half, tarnish-white, top half green). My family is composed of my father, Frank, my mother, Odrae, and our Boxer dog, Stormy (pedigree name: "Storm of Dracrest"). It isn’t a fancy home, and was once a grocery store (which accounts for the flat roof) before being remodeled into two apartments.

You may wonder how I can be so certain, as my manner indicates, that this work will be published. That is very simple—I’m not. However, if it isn’t published, no one will be the wiser, and no one will miss it. If it is published, it will be read, and so to the reader, if any, I address my remarks.

August 14, 1954

My career in the Navy has now officially begun. Yesterday, August 13 (Friday the 13th—typical of my luck), I reported to Glenview Naval Air Station. I had to get up at 5:00 a.m., which I dreaded, and my parents drove me to Glenview, which is some 86 miles from Rockford. I have not yet been sworn in, though my enlistment started yesterday.

August 15, 1954

Tomorrow I must report back to Glenview ( I had the week-end off). I’ll be sworn in and flown by Delta Air Lines to Pensacola, Florida.