Complex sentence: In 1943, at age 18, he was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1944 and sent to basic training in Florida, the first time he had been more than a few miles from his hometown.
Split into simpler sentences: In 1943, at age 18, he was drafted into the U.S. Army. He was sent to basic training in Florida, the first time he had been more than a few miles from his hometown.