Related by Marriage: On the Town, Mojave Desert Edition

There were few entertainment options in the desert city of Barstow, California, for the U.S. Army men stationed in nearby Camp Irwin. In the early 1950s, there was a movie house and a few bars in the downtown area. Big cities were more than a couple of hours drive away, one way: Los Angeles was 150 miles to the west, following US Route 66, and Las Vegas was 150 miles to the northeast.

Camp Irwin, Barstow, California, Summer 1951. Mr Irene's Dad poses with two buddies from his tank instructors' group as the men prepare to head into Barstow. These two friends were both Italian-Americans from New York City. The man still dressed in fatigues was a sergeant, and he had a lead role in the instructors group.

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Camp Irwin, Barstow, California, Summer 1951. Mr Irene's Dad reports that the conversation went something like this: 

Man on the right: "Let's go into town, boys."

Sergeant: "To go into town, you need money, which I don't have."