Barbara Greenlee Toomer, West Valley City, Utah: an interview by Becky B. Lloyd, February 25, 2006: Saving the legacy tape no. 756

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th W t oa t you know. The ocean there is cold. But no th ulf i n t ld. h Gulf is warm. It was a big surprise. We were so surprised. BEC: Really? BAR: Really. We weren't thrilled the way it was there. BEC: So you finished up basic training and it was a time that you remember favorably. BAR: Oh, yes. It was wonderful. I remember we went to Bandera one time which was a dude ranch. They had dinner and dancing. It was just a fun, fun time. As I say, I don't remember anything about the basic training for the Army at all. They must have had something for the Army there, because we wound up doing it. Then I was transferred to Fort Bragg, North Carolina. BEC: That must have been a big change from the strictness of the nursing college. BAR: Oh, yes. Of course, I'd already been exposed to Saint John' s. But yes, it was a big difference. So then we wandered off to Fort Bragg, North Carolina. BEC: And that's where you said that you stayed for the duration of your enlistment? BAR: I was there. I never left. In fact, in 1955, when I was pregnant and had filed papers to get out, the Army transferred me to Tokyo. I thought, "Why didn't you do this a year ago?" It would have been so much fun. But at that time, you had to get out if you were pregnant. I was. Let's see, Jean was born in July. So I got out at the end of March or first of April. I put in two years. BEC: What do you remember about your time at Fort Bragg? BAR: I first was in surgery. I think I was in surgery. BEC: Did you have a choice of what you could do? 26