Reflections of My Life by JL Byars – page 10

Our next move came as a surprise to almost everyone.  Our next stop was Indiantown Gap, Pennsylvania.  This move took place in mid January.  I found this place to be a lot colder than Pickett.  We stayed here about seven months.  The camp was extra clean and modern.  Our training got more serious – more marching, mock battles with tanks, barb wire entanglements, practicing on night patrols and a lot more on what to do in case of a surprise attack.  We also learned how to dismantle mines that might be in our way once we were in battle.  Now we were waiting for our next move.  These days of waiting were hard to enjoy, the army slogan was – “hurry up and wait!”

Mary and Virgie went to Hershey, Pennsylvania (near Indiantown Gap) before Neta and Doris came.  The day Neta and Doris arrived, we could not leave camp so the girls met them at the train station.  It was snowing and they had to walk (no buses or taxi cabs in Hershey – only a trolley and it did not go past their house).  As they walked, single file down the snow piled sidewalk beside a tall brick  fence, Doris said to Neta, “Mary must have had her raincoat stored in a candy box -it smells like chocolate!!”  Little did she know she was walking past the world’s largest chocolate factory!!  If you ever get a chance to go through this plant you will really enjoy it.

We found a room with a wonderful Pennsylvania Dutch couple and Doris had room and board there.  Doris and Neta worked at the Hershey Furniture Factory for the eight months we lived there.

Hershey was a beautiful town.  Mr. Hershey’s home was there and he owned everything – the trolley, the department store, the candy factory, the furniture factory, three farms and Homes for Boys, a beautiful rose garden and a wonderful park.  We saw Tommie Dorsey, Benny Goodman and other top bands at “Sunday Concerts in the Park”. We spent many weekends enjoying the park, rose garden and zoo.  The park was one of the best-equipped  for entertainment and sports.  I saw my first hockey game there.  Also saw the first black lady with white people in a public place.