DIY History | Transcribe | Nile Kinnick Collection | Nile Kinnick diary of service in the U.S. Naval Reserve Air Corps, December 3, 1941-February 25, 1942

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Nile Kinnick diary of service in the U.S. Naval Reserve Air Corps, December 3, 1941-February 25, 1942

Page 045

Saturday - Jan 3.
Our section drilled with rifles for the first time this morning. Man, how heavy those babies get. I can now understand how a twenty mile march carrying a gun and pack would be quite a workout. Never realized before how funny a man's hip action looks while marching - at least when wearing a tight fitting pair of military pants, and viewed from behind. I couldn't help noticing how the motion of each man's buttocks different even though all were executing the same maneuver. In fact viewed from a posterior angle I found that most of the fellows presented a personality entirely at variance with that shown from the front. He who from a normal angle of observation appeared virile and determined was apt to seem quite effeminate and prissy when his walking movement was studied from the rear; he who looked relaxed and at ease from the front looked taut and strained from behind; and he who looked firm and strong was apt

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Saturday - Jan 3. Our section drilled with rifles for the first time this morning. Man, how heavy those babies get. I can now understand how a twenty mile march carrying a gun and pack would be quite a workout. Never realized before how funny a man's hip action looks while marching - at least when wearing a tight fitting pair of military pants, and viewed from behind. I couldn't help noticing how the motion of each man's buttocks different even though all were executing the same maneuver. In fact viewed from a posterior angle I found that most of the fellows presented a personality entirely at variance with that shown from the front. He who from a normal angle of observation appeared virile and determined was apt to seem quite effeminate and prissy when his walking movement was studied from the rear; he who looked relaxed and at ease from the front looked taut and strained from behind; and he who looked firm and strong was apt