My first day of Basic Training

I got drafted in July of 1955 and was instructed to report to Ft. Douglas in Salt Lake City on the 5th of August. I did so, was sworn in and was bused with 30 other draftees to Ft. Carson, Colorado. We arrived there about noon the next day and were bused from Colorado Sprins, CO to Ft. Carson. That same day about 100 draftees from elsewhere arrived at the same time. They had us line up single file on the edge of a big parade ground about the size of three football fields side by side. We had each been given a small paper bag. When we marhed onto the parade ground, tnis big mean looking drill sergeant yelled "Halt!" We all did. He then hollered "Right Face" and 129 guys turned right and one turned left. Who was that dummy? You guessed it. It was me. The sergeant came to where I was standing and asked if I knew my right hand from my left. I said I did but he had picked up a rock about the size of a baseball and put it in my right hand as a reminder of which was right and which was left. He told me that I was to carry that rock in my right hand all the rest of the day. I could only put it down while I ate. I even had to sleep with it that night. Anyhow, we were instructed to "Police the Parade Ground" that is to pick up anything that wasn't grass and put it in the paper bags as we crossed the field and stop in a line on the other side. We were then mrched to the mess hall where I had my first army meal. The rest of the day went without incident but I never forgot which was left and which was right.