EIGHT AWARDED BURMA BRONZE STAR
Depot Soldiers Transported Three Locomotives Over Manipur Road Eight men, recently returned to this Depot from Central Burma, were this week authorized the Bronze Star for their participation in that campaign from 27 March to 9 June 1945. The men are: Sgt. Harold E. Cross, Sgt. George E. DeBord, Cpl. George Gantz, Jr., T/5 Frank D. Claypool, Pfc. James J. Launius, Pfc. Thomas L. Dwinnell, Pfc. Oral M. Melvin and Pfc. Robert R. Walker. Under the supervision of Lt. Col. M. B. Richardson, the Liaison Officer at ALFSEA, the men transported three locomotives to Myingyan via the Manipur road into Burma. Enroute with the engines to their destination the men ran across many late traces of the retreating Jap and saw many destroyed bunkers, tanks, and other enemy equipment scattered along their path. "In Burma," one of the men reminisced, "we saw many Naga tribesmen. They're husky strapping fellows, and because of the steep hills hemming that territory their leg muscles, especially, are bunched like whipcord from walking the hills and living in the bush." "The Nagas," another man picked up the conversation, "get a bounty on all the Jap heads they bring in and they bring in plenty of them. They're really rough looking and tough boys and certainly help out the Allied troops." Moving deeper with their equipment the men found much of interest during their stay in Burma. They told of flushing out deer, monkeys, panthers and other cats, and listening to their occasional screams which ripped through the night and cut the silence. "At night," another man said, "campfires of the tribesmen gleamed and dotted all through the mountains. It's high country there, about 8,000 or more feet above sea level, and the nights are very cool. The clouds sit right down on the ground." The men encountered many temples and places of worship and were surprised at the prodigious number. One of their best memories and a highlight of their equipment bearing journey was a 75 foot high statue. Representing some goddess, the idol was of beautiful construction and inlaid with finely cut pieces of mirror and brilliant colored glass. But the thing they enjoyed the most of their transporting trek was the many Nipponese planes which lay crumpled, burnt, and twisted both on recaptured airfields and half hidden in the growing grass. This, they really enjoyed and was a perpetual reminder that although they weren't pilots, locomotives could help finish the Japs too. |
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One of Calcutta's most beautiful buildings, Victoria Memorial, located in the Maidan. Opened by Edward Prince of Wales in 1921; this edifice was erected with funds subscribed by the people of India. The scaffolding was originally placed around the building for protection against bomb blast but is now used for cleaning purposes. It is closed for the duration but contains a treasure of relics, paintings, statues and papers relating to British-Indian history. Built of Jupiter marble, this building dominates the Maidan. |
A lamp has been burning within Jain Temple for seventy-six years. Erected in 1867 the temple is a composite of various types of architecture. Jainism is the only one of the almost primeval monastic orders of India which has survived to the present day. There are twenty-four Jain Gods. Located in one of the less wealthy sections of Calcutta. |
Goats are sacrificed to the Goddess Kali in the court in front of Kalighat Temple. Kali's body is alleged to have broken into fifty-one pieces, with a toe falling where the temple now stands. A statue of the goddess is within. Pilgrims make offerings here. The Champa tree, where Hindu women come to pray when they desire sons, is located here, too. |
This Burmese Pagoda is in the Eden Gardens, the public garden located at the Hooghly River extremity of the Maidan. This specimen of Burmese ornamental architecture was removed from Prome, in southern Burma, in 1854 and reconstructed on its present site in the latter part of 1856. |
Built in 1813, the Town Hall of Calcutta is situated on Dalhousie Square East, just a few short steps from the American Red Cross Burra Club. The Hall cost Rs seven lakhs (roughly a little over $200,000). It is a silent sentinel in the square, which is just off the business district and into which runs Clive Street, The Wall Street of the city. |
St. Paul's Cathedral, situated in the Maidan, was completed in 1847 and is one of the finest structures of its type in Calcutta. The Cathedral contains many fine stained glass windows, statues and portraits. This is but one of many fine places of worship of all religions that exist in Calcutta. |
Top: 1st Echelon Garage operations with left to right: S/Sgt. William Fuller, Motor Sergeant, investigating repairs,
S/Sgt. Archie Terry glancing at work schedule, Sgt. Lonnie J. Trice inspecting the bumper, and Pvt. William T. Mitchell making final adjustments on engine.
Center: Dispatchers Office with Sgt. Howard Smith receiving a transportation request while Lt. James McAnelly checks routing report. Bottom: At the Gas Station T/5 Marvin H. Enninga gets ready to take off as Pfc. Jerry F. Javurek fills her up with Sgt. Theodore Wojcik reads the gallonage. |
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ROVING REPORTER
The Roving Reporter waxed curious this week and wondered how some of the men felt about their military career so he ambled out and asked: "If you had it to do over again which branch or arm of the service would you choose?"
CAPT. MORRIS W. ZOOGMAN, QMC - The Quartermaster Corps. That's where I'm assigned and that's the department for me. It wouldn't matter what type of outfit we served or where just as long as I'm in the Quartermaster Corps.
CPL. DONALD W. CAMPBELL, HQ UNIT - Who said anything about choosing? I was drafted. If I could choose I'd rather be with a combat engineering division where the going isn't as soft, but where men are treated like they have hair on their chest, not fuzz.
PFC. KENNETH B. SAWYER, AACS - I'm in communications but I'd rather be in an Air Combat for I don't like this behind-the-line service. The Air Corps. is rough in spots but when I think of the Infantry, I'm satisfied for I want my fighting in the air and not out of those bathtub foxholes.
PFC. VERLIE R. BURRIS, ORDNANCE - The same one I'm in. Before I entered the Army I worked two and a half years in Ordnance with the War Department. So I fit right in with my job assignment now. Many of the fellows don't so I guess I'm lucky.
S/SGT. WALTER S. HINCKLEY, SIGNAL CORPS. - The Wac.
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Sports Stars Amuse With Humor A merry USO unit convulsed an audience Monday night at the Post Theatre when sports stars Henry Armstrong, Kenny Washington, Joe Lillard, Bill Yancey, and writer Dan Burley presented their Special Sports Review. Dan Burley, managing editor and sportswriter for the New York Amsterdam News, MC'd the program and first introduced Bill Yancey of baseball and basketball fame. Yancey interspersed his experiences with a mirth provoking wit and answered all and sundry sport questions flung by the audience. Joe Lillard, ex-All-American footballer from Oregon U. tackled the 'mike' next and place-kicked his infectious jollity everywhere. From here it was anybody's giggle game with laughs tearing around right end, through the center, and beyond all sane normal goal posts. Kenny Washington, former UCLA All-American footballer, broke from the wings of the theatre next and matched tit for tat with Lillard as both of them ranged from stooge to straight man with sports being wedged in between. Hank Armstrong, that streak of jagged lightning who won the featherweight, lightweight, and welterweight boxing crowns, gave a brief demonstration of exploding fists as he boxed his shadow to a draw and figuratively killed the punch in a punching bag as he thrummed it around. The gleeful festivities ended with both the performers and the audience singing to the welkin as Dan Burley unraveled many musical compositions he'd composed and restrung them boogie-woogie style to ecstatic threads of jive. Chat-A-Jee AC Wins, Loses Two During the week the C A J softball team won two and lost two. This brings their record to three and three. Last Friday they took on a combination Sad Sack-Sulton outfit and set them back 6 - 3. Pitcher Young was the hero of this game. An Airdrome team set Young back with a 7 - 3 drubbing. On Thursday evening the Blockbuster outfit from Calcutta came down and actually trampled on the CAJ. Twice they ran out of the baseline to run into Higgins who was playing first base. An incident was narrowly averted the second time this happened. The CAJ lost this game 5 - 0 but the game scheduled for Saturday with the same team was cancelled for obvious reasons. The second victory of the week for the team was gained at the expense of the Tigers. The hero of this game was McLam, converted infielder turned catcher. His rifle-like throws nailed numerous would-be base stealers, nipping in the bud rallies that were getting out of control. The score of this game was 8 - 7. The Chat-A-Jee A C team is composed of a group of men from the Falcons, Rebels and Sad Sacks, not necessarily from their ball teams but from the outfit. They will take on all comers at any time. Want a game? Call Cpl. McConeghy at 72. |