Allen Walhof volunteered for the draft in 1954. The Korean War was still going on, but was starting to wind down. Some of his friends had already gotten married and were able to avoid the draft in that way.

Al was dating Vonnie De Groot at the time. She was a teacher at Worthington Christian School. Al was 20 years old and thought that going into the service was inevitable.

Prior to joining the army, Al was working at his uncle’s farm south of Edgerton. His cousin, Peter A. Walhof, was gone to the war and Al was helping out until he returned home. When Peter’s tour was done, Al volunteered for the army.

At that time, those who were drafted served for four years, but if you volunteered for the army you would only have to serve two years. He thought about signing up for the navy or the air force, but both of those branches also would require four years of service.

Al’s basic training took place at Ft. Bliss, Texas, which is near the border with Mexico. It was winter, so the warm climate was welcome and not too hot. He and his fellow soldiers would sometimes go across the border for fun.

Al recalls that basic training involved a lot of walking and exercise. He learned how to use the 75mm Sky Sweeper, which was an anti-aircraft gun used in the Korean Conflict. Al also learned to be a generator operator. He did not enjoy running the gun as much as he did the generator, so he was glad to be given that responsibility.

“I was used to tractors and machinery, so it was a good fit,” he said.