Hi. I'm a newbie here. My dad, George Lingel, was a TEC4 with the 93rd Signal Battalion in WWII. I'm doing some research for a story I'm writing. After basic training, were soldiers pretty much moved on to the next round of more specialized training immediately? Was any leave ever granted (other than on compassionate grounds) between basic and whereever a soldier went next? Thanks for any help. TEC4 (Janet)
Janet, a signal battalion was all about radio communications. During the basic training phase, a series of tests were given to evaluate a recruit's abtitude. Contrary to common belief, many opportunities popped up for a GI to transfer to different units. Notices were posted on bulletin boards all over the base. Your dad may have shown a talent for radios or volunteered, passed tests, then on to more specialized training. Passes to local towns were given out fairly regularly. Sometimes, between phases of training, 48-hour passes may have been given. A general concensus among vets I've talked to holds that the Army made a special effort to station one as far from their home town as possible, or, when training found a GI within close proximity to his hometown, no passes were given to him, for fear that he may not want to come back. Many GIs made every effort to visit home though, if only for a short stay before having to head back. Hope this helps.
During the WW 2 period individual and unit training was scheduled fairly tightly. Soldiers often found themselves far from home for most or all of this training. Your father would after basic training have been sent to a speciality school for training in his particular job. In a signals battalion he likely would have received lineman training in rigging telephone lines. This would have included pole climbing, running and securing the lines, splices, and testing. Or, he could have received radio training or, signals equipment repair training or, any of several other speciality skills associated with communications. Being a T-4 means he was more likely to have received this sort of training than something more mundane like truck driver which signals units would also have. Once his speciality school was finished (this would last 4 to 12 weeks or so typically depending on the school) he would have been given orders to travel to his command / unit wherever it might have been. Enlisted back in those days had to wear their uniforms basically 24/7. They were not authorized civilian clothes unlike officers. Leave was a relative rarety for enlisted too. A soldier after being in the service a year or so might get some but, it was no certainty.
