SPECIAL SERVICE OPEN HOBBY SHOP A Hobby Shop, under the auspices of Depot Special Service, opened its doors to Depot personnel on Tuesday, December 11. Sgt. Pierino Merlo of the 83rd Hq. Sq. is in charge of the shop's activities and will act as supervisor. The shop has ten work benches each equipped with a vice. The tool room is well stacked with hand tools of every description, ranging from small screw drivers to large, heavy duty power drills. The projects and the material used by each man will be up to his own selection. The material will be furnished by Special Service to the shop and will include plastics, stainless steel, wood, shell casings, leather, metals for metal craft, model airplane kits and linoleum for block printing. The shop is open from 10 am to 10 pm. The building that houses the shop is the large warehouse just west of the Headquarters building next to the Houston Street gate. If you come to work on your favorite hobby or if you already have a project started come on up to the Hobby Shop and makeuse of its facilities. For further information or suggestions you might have concerning a new hobby not mentioned here, get in touch with the Special Service Office at Tiger extension 72. Temporary Neighbor Of Depot All of Bengal seems to be beating a path to Sodepore, a hamlet only a few miles from the Depot where Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, internationally known Indian leader is at present stopping. Late every afternoon the Barrackpore Road is lined with Indians heading for Sodepore intent on seeing and hearing the "Mahatma." Mr. Gandhi is now 76 years old having been born Oct. 2nd, 1869. He comes from a trading caste family, his father and grandfather both having been prime ministers of Indian states. The "Mahatma" (Great Soul) is well known in the states for his championship of the "untouchables" of India, for his non-violence civil disobedience campaigns and for his numerous fasts. His last hunger strike was undertaken at the age of 74 years during February-March, 1943 while under detention with other Indian leaders for threatening a civil disobedience movement. |
AT ARC FIELD DIRECTOR'S OFFICE The feminine gender will undoubtedly have a say in the decisions rendered by the ARC Field Director's Office from now on and GIs with problems will have a new feminine shoulder to cry on when they appeal to the Crimson Croix for succor. Charlotte E. Warner of Memphis, Tenn., and former Red Cross memsahib at the Field Director's Office in Calcutta, Kanchrapara and Karachi has been assigned as Assistant Field Director for Bengal Air Depot and surrounding territory. Roy C. Hutchinson, long suffering Depot Field Director, again has someone to share the burden and toil that accompanies the guardianship of Red Cross loan funds. Charlotte was Assistant Field Director at Camp Shelby, Miss., for one year prior to coming overseas. Before and during the early part of the war she was engaged in flood relief work, served at the Kennedy General Hospital in Memphis and was assigned to a Clubmobile that met convoys during maneuvers, way back in 1941. After that flurry of activity, Charlotte drove for the Army in the Motor Corps and Transport Command. Anyone who might doubt that many men have left Bengal Air Depot (BAD) has but to look at the records of the Statistical Department to bolster his waning faith. Between the dates of VE day and VJ day a total of 156 enlisted men went forth. From VJ day to the 10th of Dec., 1817 EM took their last look at Calcutta. Those figures add to a total of 1973 EM shipped out in a period of 224 days. An average of a little over 8.8 men per day. At that rate it won't take long to make Bengal Air Depot as GI less as a Salvation Army reading room on a Saturday night.
Our departed editor wrote his wife recently to try and put a little more color in her letters. That the same old thing about "who shot John" retold in countless previous missives had begun to pall on him. The dutiful spouse, ever anxious to please her wandering warrior, answered Leonard's plea with a letter written in five different colors. Each line was a different hue. The first red, the second purple, and so on through green, brown and black. The soldat liked the letter so much he has requested that his mate enscribe all her letters in a like manner in the future. Up to the time he left, Johnnie had not received a reply to his 'colorful' request. |
To: The Staff of the Tiger Rag This issue lights two well-deserved candles to mark the second birthday of the Tiger Rag. As a Depot newspaper it has faithfully and grandly fulfilled all functions for which it was intended and I wish on this occasion to express my appreciation and congratulations to the Staff and all contributors for a truly fine paper. Rather than wish you a third anniversary, however, I shall wish that the day will soon arrive when we all look back on the job we did here and its speedy consummation with a rich feeling of work well done. The Tiger Rag has always been an excellent morale agency and has forever steered towards its true objective to inform, entertain and cement the espirit de corps of the troops of this command. GLENN C. THOMPSON Colonel, Air Corps., Commanding |
ARMY AIR FORCES INDIA-BURMA THEATER Office of the Commanding General On the occasion of the 2nd Anniversary of the Tiger Rag I send my hearty congratulations to you who have presented the news, the humor, and the little items of daily interest to the personnel of the Bengal Air Depot and Headquarters, Army Air Forces, India-Burma Theater. The entertainment value and the help to the morale of all personnel of a post publication has long been recognized. Your publication, by maintaining very high standards, has been an aid to this Headquarters in its educational and entertainment program and has helped to cement that feeling of comradeship which all of us who have served in China, Burma and India will remember with pleasure when we go home. /s/ T. J. HANLEY, Jr. Major General, U.S.A., Commanding |
PX Reopens Watch Repairs A watch repair shop has been opened at the main PX according to Bengal Depot Post Exchange Officer, Capt. Charles Hemenway. The shop has one repairman who formerly worked for the Ordnance watch repair at Kinnison for seven months. The unavailability of parts except for Swiss watches will make it impossible to do elaborate repair work on models other than those with Swiss movements. However, other types of watches with mechanical trouble of undetermined origin will be accepted and repaired, if the difficulty lies in adjustment and does not necessitate parts replacement. Watches should be turned in at the Photo Shop next door to the PX office. |
|
|
The all seeing eye caught these two lucky white-ringed Beer Muggers for those cases of free suds each. Come ye to theTiger Rag office, men, for those cool bottles of warm beer. The Refreshment Bar was the site this time for the poses of this weekly feature run in conjunction with Special Service and the PX. |
T/Sgt. Janet Guyre, stationed at Halloran Hospital, N.Y., is going to enter this strange dog in the Popular ScienceMagazine Handicraft contest for GIs. She made it herself but that ain't how she got her rating. For those who want to know more about the contest (not the rating), see Lt. Bud Widom at SSO. |
USA Not Going To The Dogs? Oh, Rats! This, at least, is the inference to be drawn from the current dispute between New York City and San Francisco, self-assertedrat centers of the nation. New York, on the one hand, reports its king size rodents are so big and mean they've been frightening the life out of cats employed to exterminate them. San Franciscans reply the New York claims are pink elephant exaggerations and even if they were true, theeast coast rats are only featherweight copies of the scampering scourges that roam the Golden Gate city. Oddly enough, the respective Chambers of Commerce haven't thrown one word into the controversy. This may make the rat-race the first civic contest in history in which not a single superlative was fired by a C of C heavy weapons squad. The debate, however, is not without a stake. Benjamin Bufano, a sculptor (and a San Franciscan), has offered to award his big black granite rat, one of his own chiselings, to the city that comes up with the biggest resident rat. The rat's nest as stirred up when a report by the U.S. public Health service called attention to the rodents infesting New York. It said the rats had invaded Gotham from transports during the war. Verification came immediately from waterfront warehouses, where it was reported the rats forced one produce merchant tomove out of the second floor of his building - without even an eviction notice from the OPA. Another dealer said his firm had lostthree cats, killed by the rampant rats, in one month. Then John O'Neil, a dock watchman, came up with a story he had seen a six-pound rat "just a few hairs smaller than my terrier," only a few hours before being interviewed by the United Press. This was too much for loyal 'Frisco rat-reporters. Arturo Gutianno, who said his 20 years of driving a garbage truck qualified him as an expert, called O'Neil a "bragging Irishman." "He hasn't got the rat to prove it, has he?" asked Gutianno, referring to the dock watcher's six-pound claim. "Sure, there'vebeen times when I've seen 'em that big too," he declared, "but not when I was on the wagon." Gutianno then pointed to a San Francisco exterminator, who keeps a "file" of rats for experimental purposes. His largest model, name of Mike, weighs 26 ounces, and is the biggest entry either city has offered on the hoof to date. But O'Neil is not a man to accept derision without comeback. He has promised to catch Stinky Joe, his six-pound prize - whoscorns policemen and inventors of better mouse-traps - and mail him to San Francisco so the scoffers can see what a real rat looks like. "I've seen San Francisco rats," said O'Neil, "and I've seen ours. I'm goin' to catch Stinky - maybe in a bear trap - and send him out there. They'd better duck. Stinky and his mob probably would chew up that granite rat. They don't like outsiders, especially from California." |
Gandhi leaving Sodepore for one of his series of talks with Governor Casey. |
|
HEADS . . . . . . . . . . |
OR TAILS ? |
|
BARRACKPORE AIR BASE Outstanding in the social events held this past week was the 411th party held at the British and American Officers Clubin Calcutta. The steak dinner, from soup to nuts, was delicious and thoroughly enjoyed by all. The mixed drinks, brandies and wines to be had were very palatable, and if the quantity wasn't all that was to be desired the quality was and no complaints were registered.A vote of thanks to LOU MONGIELLO who provided the feminine touch to the party by bringing fifteen members of the opposite sex. Thegirls were well chaperoned by mothers of some of the girls as JOE ZERR and JULIE SANDGARTEN found out when they gallantly offered toescort two of the girls home. It was all or none - Guess the chaperones had heard about GI wolves. RAY RETZLOFF, "the mad Russian," must have indulged in a few extra vodkas as it was five o'clock the next afternoon before he was able to lift his aching head off thepillow. ROBERT KEARSE, the Kenton, Ohio flash, ventured onto the dance floor amidst a maze of jitterbugs and it is still a matter of contention whether he was wrestling or dancing. ED McCABE still claims that the only reason he spent all the next day after the party in a horizontal position was becausegood steak always tires his stomach and it requires very careful attention afterwards. A good story, and he sticks with it - or isstuck with it. "Gas" GAGE, on reaching the barracks area, had a little trouble keeping his equilibrium, and wound up lying on his backin a ditch directing a stream of words at P. D. JOHNSON, who claims he tripped him. A set of weights used by the physical culture class very mysteriously disappeared, and a drag-net was thrown out for the culprit. Sleuths MATKOWSKI and CASE tracked down the purloiner and forced him to retrieve the weights which he had thrown into a water hole at Kinnison after he had finished using them. No action was taken, and now that the weights are back, the class is once more functioning 100 per cent. "Shorty" BAKOR sporting an eye will all the colors of the rainbow surrounding it claims that he bumped into a screen door;but the way I hear it his raucous voice has been disturbing the late arisers in barracks T-2, and someone hung a hay-maker on him. BERNIE MABES has recently entered the lists as a Red Cross Commando, and didn't lose any time in "moving in." The merger of the 333rd and 411th squadrons under the heading of 411th and the attaching of all other units to the 411th sort of puts all the eggs in one basket which looks like a good idea. An excellent follow through now would be to ship the whole basket back to Uncle Sugar. Speaking of eggs, a phenomena has occurred in the mess hall recently. Every morning for the past two weeks, eggs sunny side up have been on the menu. Attendance at breakfast has noticeably increased and the change from pancakes and puff-balls certainly is appreciated. Most recent departures for home include CAPT. WOOLMAN, CWO SMITH, CAPT. BREWER, HERB NICKELSEN, GEORGE NEALE, and a few morehappy GIs, and now the men between 50 and 55 are "sweating" it out. The Special Service feature of announcing over the loud speaker, twice daily, all coming events around the base is a very popular idea. Also the musical hour is enjoyed by all those not fortunate enough to sleep in a barrack that has a radio. - "Wally" Kilrea ACCS Did Their Share SGT WILLIAM DONOHO The Emergency Maintenance Center, 61st AACS Group, performs the function of supply for the 61st Group throughout India and Burma. This unit has in the past kept up the stream of supplies to the far flung AACS detachments throughout India, Burma and China keeping control towers, DF stations and other vital AACS installations in operation. Since January 1945, approximately 2365 tons of supplies have been received and 4520 tons have been shipped. Emergency callsfor equipment have been answered quickly, not only for units of the Fourth Wing but also for installations at such far-off places asOkinawa, Casablanca and Paris. Initiative, of individuals and of the group, has overcome such obstacles as lack of warehouse space,transportation difficulties, and in the early days lack of operating equipment. The task of supply, though diminished, continues. At present, under the command of Capt. Norman L. Danforth, personnel are engaged in consolidating all warehouse activities at Kamarhati compound, with offices at Bengal Air Depot. Formerly equipment waswarehoused in widely scattered areas at Wellington, Maidan, Dum Dum, Kamarhati and Tollygunge. There have been several administrative changes. At the first of the year the unit was operating as the 137th Station and was quartered at Hastings Mill. In February personnel of this unit were assigned to the 130th AACS Squadron and stationed at Bengal. In August the 130th Squadron became the Emergency Maintenance Center, In off-duty hours there have been a wide variety of squadron activities ranging from parties to lounging in the well-equippedday room. There has been a lively program of organized sports, and recently the unit's basketball team walked off with the championshipof the Hastings Mill league. |
ORDNANCE |
The Depot personnel worked hard to bring about that final victory. Here are scenes at the Motor Pool showing (top) the 1st Echelon Garage operating; (inset) a glimpse of the Dispatcher's Office;and (bottom) the gas station being busy. One of the many operations that won fame for the Depot was Signal Engineering that just couldn't be stopped when it cameto fixing anything radio or radar. The interior of the Radio Repair shop shown above operated 24 hours every day. The Hindustani Chowkidars composed of Ghurkhas proved fit guardians of the Depot and provided the color that the busy GIs had notime to give. Lt. Col. Edward B. Dixson, Deputy Security Officer, is shown inspecting the men just prior to the weekly Saturday review. One of our own hush-hush stories could be told with the end of hostilities.Civilian personnel came in for some well merited praise.Shown above are the babus of this huge organization. With censorship off, the GIs could finally tell of their proximity to Calcutta.Tiger Rag ran a special edition showing some of the local sights of which the Jain Temple was one. A Bond Lottery to promote the sale of War Bonds was successfully run by the Finance Office.Shown above is one of the first GIs, S/Sgt. Gordon Holleran, to participate. Lt. Bud Widom's SSO ran a photographic contest with T/5 James A. Langley taking most of the prizes.Above is his Portrait Class entry. We did not forget those who fell by the wayside while we kept the supplies flowing and the equipment up to par.This was Memorial Day cermonies. VJ Day was fittingly celebrated on the Depot with rejoicing unconfined.Some of the men are shown here celebrating at the Rajah's Rest. The old timers knew their tasks had been done and were counting the days like the above GI. Pfc. Ward Taylor,to when they would leave for home. And leave they did. By plane and by boat, the men who left because of age or by points were looking forward to their first lookof Shangri-la again. There were many men who wanted to be the "Guardians of the Peace" now that the war was over.Shown above is the first group sworn into Regular Army Service by Lt. Kenneth J. Colangelo, the Recruiting Officer. Awards were being constantly made to the Depot men.Above, three GIs are receiving from Lt. Col. Paul C. Uhlenhop the Bronze Star Medal for transporting needed locomotives to the British 14th Army in Burma.They are Sgts. Harold R. Cross, George E. DeBord and T/5 Frank D. Claypool. Outstanding accomplishments by GIs in service groups brought the CBI Service Chief award. Cpl. Alex Palhegyi above is receivinghis from Col. Wilfred Douglass. Under the excellent guidance of Capt. Charles Hemenway, the PX rose to new heights in supplying the Depot personnel with quantityand quality of supplies. With the war over, more supplies started coming in. Most popular was the beer which is shown speedily disappearing. |
Major General Thomas A. Terry, CG USF IBT, like so many other prominent visitors before him, had nothing but praise for the Depot after inspecting its many activities.He is shown above leaving one of the installations followed by Col. Glenn C. Thompson, Depot CO. There were no lack of enterprising GIs to gain their commissions from the ranks.Lt. Earl Tews of the Legal Office was "broken" from a staff sergeant to get his. The Headquarters Lake produced many surprises but this was the heaviest.The fish was still quivering as the picture was snapped. Many of the men were commended by their superior officers for their diligence and enterprise such as the then Pfc. Gustave E. Malget pictured above who won the praise of the Assistant Motor Transportation Officer for his devotion to duty. Red Cross gals came and went - always with a big grin such as Mabel is portraying. Of course, there were the popular Rajah's Rest baby contests with the above two smiling their best for daddies and the judges. Pin-Ups came into their own on popular request from the Depot personnel. One of the Depot's outstanding athletes was S/Sgt. Earl J. Lawrence who had things pretty much his own way in the welterweightclass, winning ten straight before departing for Shangri-la. Our home-town girls were featured also, such as this someone's sweetheart. The Depot GIs put on their own shows as witness the burlesque on zoot suiters by three of them. Lovers of the finer music were not forgotten by SSO.Isle of Song presented at the Depot Theater won much acclaim with the singing of Isabella Wilson and Frank Murphy above. The Depot had its mascots, such as Chico pictured above standing retreat with the members of the 316th Depot Supply Sq whichhad adopted him. The Emblem for Faithful Civilian Service has been awarded to 2559 civilian personnel to date for their excellent records whileworking on the Depot. Col. Glenn C. Thompson, Depot CO, is shown pinning one of the first upon an employee of the Air Corps Supply. Purple Heart awards were also made to the men of this Depot.Sgt. Sydney E. Gross is having his pinned on by Col. Mario Cordero, previous commander of troops, while Capt. Jesse Crim, former DeputyAdjutant, reads the citation. |
Another famous visitor was Archbishop Francis J. Spellman of New York who is shown shaking hands with those who participated inthe Mass he held here. Thanks to Maj. Walter Gerdan's Utilities the Post Chapel became the scenic beauty as well as the spiritual home of the Depot. The Depot GIs rose to every emergency such as the above three men of the Motor Pool Paint Shop who worked without rest day andnight during the recent Calcutta riots until they had every Depot vehicle properly painted.They are T/5s Melvin White, Dalton Cumberbatch and Cpl. John H. Williams. A different sort of recreation was to be found at Rajah's Rest.Brig. Gen. Frank D. Hackett, former Depot Commanding General, aided in the house warming of the new ARC club by cutting a 45 lb. layer cake while a bevy of ARC gals looked on. One of the best Table Tennis teams on the Depot was the Globetrotters of the 1953rd Ordnance Co., the members of which areshown above just after winning the Federal League Championship. Baseball was chief inter-company and inter-squadron sport with plenty of excitement on hand for both participants and onlookers. Tennis was another method of loosening up the stiff muscles in which many of the Depot personnel engaged. Running baseball a close second for most popular sport activity was volley ball which always had its many players and followersas depicted above. Although the Depot is well on its way for "mission completed" status, there is plentiful work for all personnel as pictured bythis busy scene at Message Center in Headquarters. The Tug-trailer still winds its way about the Depot saving time, leather and tempers. The men did not permit time to lay heavy on their hands.T/4 JohnVisich and T/5 Bert Miller had their own ideas on how to use their recreational periods for making this radio controlledboat which they are shown above launching on Headquarters Lake. With more time on their hands, the men built a Hobby Shop pictured above from which so many souvenirs have been fashioned. The Welding Class was one of the most popular features organized by the Information and Education Section for far seeing menwho wanted to adapt themselves to civilian careers. One affair the Depot always looked forward to were the popular weekly dances held at the old Rajah's Rest which brought outsuch attendances that finally only ticket holders were admitted. The Emblem for Meritorious Service was one way of showing our appreciation to our civilian employees who had helped us keep upthe renowned standard of our services.James Wooley, Civilian Security Investigating Chief, has his pinned on by Lt. Col. Stuart Petersen while Lt. Col. Edward B. Dixson reads the citation. Elaborate wedding of the year was the nuptials of S/Sgt. Charles F. Leo and the erstwhile Miss Marjorie Chipun, surrounded here by congratulating friends. Biggest USO attraction at the Depot arranged by Lt. Bud Wilson, SSO, was the Jinx Falkenburg - Pat O'Brien show.The troupe is being shown welcomed by Gen. Frank D. Hackett and Lt. Wilson. It was not all work and no play to make Jack a dull boy.For each six months of service the men went away to rest camps throughout India and some came back to tell Tiger Rag readers their experiences. Cpl. Norman Kiell of Classification made sure he kept clean. |
A Gala Field Day was enjoyed by all the Depot personnel as confirmed by three of the above views.The winning BAD baseball team is shown in the lower right-hand corner. |
ENLARGE IMAGE |
|
Weekdays. Monday through Friday - Mass - 0700 Saturday Mass - 1830 Instruction Class - Tuesday - 1930 Chaplain T. F. Brosman Sunday Evening Service: 1830 hrs by Chaplain William C. Hart Sunday Evening: 1930 hours, Base Hq. 2 Room 204. Friday: Religious Service at Maghen David Synagogue at 1930 hours, transportaion leaves Motor Pool at 1830 hours. Chaplain Abraham Simon |
TUES, DEC 18 - 7:00 pm - Bridge Lessons 8:30 pm - Christmas Carols - directed by Sgt Boger accompanist Cpl Lang WED, DEC 19 - 2:30 - 4:30 pm - Have your fortune told by Woody 8:00 pm - Pinochle Tournament 9:00 pm - Baksheesh Drawing - prize. 9:00 pm - Quiz Auction - Bid for prize. THURS, DEC 20 - 7 - 10 pm - Dart Tournament - prizes. 8:30 pm - Impromptu Theater 8 - 10 pm - Bridge Tournament FRI, DEC 21 - 7 - 10 pm - Sculpture by Trego 7 - 9:30 pm - Bingo |
|