DIY History | Transcribe | Nile Kinnick Collection | Nile Kinnick diary of service in the U.S. Naval Reserve Air Corps, February 26, 1942-September 1, 1942

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Nile Kinnick diary of service in the U.S. Naval Reserve Air Corps, February 26, 1942-September 1, 1942

Page 001

Thursday - Feb. 26
Four hours in the same classroom listening to lectures on the same sort of material is a long sit, but we do it every morning - broken only by  ten minute breathers at the end of each hour. How I wish that I had studied engines more in civilian life! Nothing but careless indifference brought me this state of ignorance. I was exposed enough to get at least a general knowledge but, oh no, I paid no attention.
This afternoon we shot clay pigeons (trap shooting) with a twelve gauge shotgun, using # 7 1/2 shot. My exhibition was ludricous, I couldn't hit a thing.  They didn't even record my effort, advising me to try again at a later date.  It is humiliating to do no better than I did. Why I haven't learned to shoot at least fairly well in the past 10 or 12 years I'll never know. Of all things a man needs to be good at in a war, it is shooting. I must remedy this deficiency - and soon. There is no reason in the world why I can't be proficient in shooting as well as in other things. It is nonsense. I hope I get

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Thursday - Feb. 26 Four hours in the same classroom listening to lectures on the same sort of material is a long sit, but we do it every morning - broken only by ten minute breathers at the end of each hour. How I wish that I had studied engines more in civilian life! Nothing but careless indifference brought me this state of ignorance. I was exposed enough to get at least a general knowledge but, oh no, I paid no attention. This afternoon we shot clay pigeons (trap shooting) with a twelve gauge shotgun, using # 7 1/2 shot. My exhibition was ludricous, I couldn't hit a thing. They didn't even record my effort, advising me to try again at a later date. It is humiliating to do no better than I did. Why I haven't learned to shoot at least fairly well in the past 10 or 12 years I'll never know. Of all things a man needs to be good at in a war, it is shooting. I must remedy this deficiency - and soon. There is no reason in the world why I can't be proficient in shooting as well as in other things. It is nonsense. I hope I get