I had duty Christmas of 1959, but got leave to go home around New years. The night before hitch hiking to Tennessee, someone stole my dress shoes from under my bunk. I had to polish up the brogan's to make the trip. This photograph was made just after walking through the gate. If I was lucky I could make it to Maryville, Tennessee in twelve hours from Whiting Field.

I made the trip four or five times with out many problems. But on one winter trip some farmer set me out on HWY 29 at his drive way, and way out in the country. (Near Troy, ALA.) No lights, and no traffic at 10pm. I hitched both sides of the highway until around four AM. Learned a good lesson, and some blisters from the plastic handles on my suitcase. I would never again get in for a ride with out asking how far the ride was going.

One of the things I always wanted to do was to ride some boxcars. One night another sailor offered to teach me how to get on the trains, but the train's available were going through Nashville, and not anywhere near Knoxville, where I wanted to go.

Made with a personal Rolleicord camera.