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20 - 26 AUGUST 1944

 

 

20 August 1944

 

 

 

    Sunday, a day of rest.  The first in a long time.
1000 hr    From Reg’t--2nd Bn less 1 company and 1 LMG plat will move to Kamiri, Wednesday, August 23rd.  Our  permanent camp while on Neemfoor, will be that site.  It will be our 7th camp in 4 months, in between moves, combat, and 2 dry runs on combat jump.
1600 hr   2nd Bn move to Kamiri has been advanced to Mon., tomorrow. M boats will ferry Hq’s,  E F Co's from Roemboi Bay to Kamiri Jetty, starting at 0900 hr  Trucks will shuttle units to jetty at Namber.
   
 

 

 

21 August 1944

 

 

0800 hr

 

    Trucks are shuttling 2nd Bn less D Co to Kamiri.  D Co will move down to Revetment area at Namber, and patrol to the South West till releaved in a week or so.
0900 hr    Pvt. Ling, (Sgt. Robert D. Ling)  of E Co shot himself thru chest with an M-1, and died in 4 minutes.  Men say he had been nervous and upset for past week.
1200 hr    Boat ride to Kamiri took 1 hr and 15 minutes.
1300 hr    New Regt’l area is about 4 Miles south of Kamiri jetty.  We will sleep in hammocks, in jungles surrounding new area till tents are constructed per task force specifications.  It will take 1 or 2 weeks to construct tent frames, and no personal will move in till entire area is completed.
2030 hr    E Co barge stuck on a coral reef in Noembei Bay, for 7 hr being released by flood tide.  The Co just arrived at our new area at Kamiri
 

 

 

22 August 1944

 

 

0800 Lt Col Britten allotted ea Co its area and work is starting immediately to complete clearing of the area and cutting native timber for tent frames.  It is almost impossible to dig a hole in the coral or corner polesa, and only one pry-bar is available to Bn.
1600 Beginning 28 August, Regiment must finish a complete Bn to work unloading boats at Kamiri for period approximating 3 weeks.  It will be a composite Bn, with Col Britten as C.O., and ea Bn furnishing 2 Co’s.  After 6 weeks of combat, the men are receiving a questionable rest.
   
 

 

 

23 August 1944

 

 

0800 Work will continue on new area. All timbers required for erection of frames will be cut today.
   
 

 

 

24 August 1944

 

 

0800 hr The staff of Composite Bn to work on docks will be Lt. Col Britten, C.O., 1st Lt McNerney Adjutant, S/Sgt. Osterhoudt Sgt-Major, Lt. Jacimiak mess officer.  The Co’s to comprise BN are A,B,E,F,G, and H Co’s.  The staff and O’s of 3 Co’s will go on deck tomorrow to observe the 1500 hr to 2000 hr shift of the 158th unloading boats and assigning details, and absorb technique.  Task Force has an efficiency scale outputed, designating amount of bombs, gas, etc.  That would be unloaded in any certain length of time.  Any delinquencies in work must be explained to Task Force.  We are not a Stevendore unit, but if the work must be expedited future combat operations, the 503rd can do it better than any other outfit..
1000 Tent frames are being constructed by Co’s present at new area-Hq, E & F.  Tentage will not be issued till all frames are completed.  Word is halted 1500 hr, and all men shuttled to ocean to bathe and wash clothes.  Only drinking water hauled by trailer is available in Regimental area.
1200 Pvt Baum, Hq Co killed himself with a carbine slug thru his mouth.  Men say he had been upset over Pilot-Brother missing in action.
2500 0800 hr  Bob Hope, Kay Francis and Co will put on a show at 1230 hr, in Kamiri bomb dump.  The (men) are being released to see show, with exception of necessary duties.  We have waited 22 months for a show like this, but many of us must work.  Officers relieving 158th at docks Sunday, will observe 1300 hr to 2000 hr shift today to acquaint themselves with duties.
   
 

 

 

25 August 1944

 

 

:

 

 One of our patrols killed 2 enemy.
   
 

 

 

26 August 1944

 

 

1000 D Co arrived at camp from Namber.  E and F Co’s went to docks on three weeks unloading duty.  A plat from both E and F Co’s were left behind to continue work on new area.
1100 Regiment S-3 ordered an officer and tactical platoon (Lt. Whitson and 1st platoon E Company) to replace a platoon of 158th, guarding a plat of 56th Sig. Bn., on coast about 1/2 mile North of Manokwari.
1230 Five men of blood type A were requested by 71st Evac Hospital to give blood to Burbage, D Co, wounded by grenade.”  As stated before Burbage was in the small portable surgical hospital at Namber and not the 71st Evacuation Hospital at Kamiri.  He left on the 27th when the surgical hospital was closed going on to Hollandia.  All the patients at the surgical hospital were to be evacuated to Hollandia.  I requested that I be sent to the evacuation hospital since I was so far on the road to recovery, and the request was granted.  Burbage was doing well the last I saw of him.  He was in good spirits and on the way to recovery.  The critical time was the first two days.
1500 Col. Britten will get a 15 day leave, departing by plane 29 August for Finchafen, where he will board boat for Brisbane.  4 EM of 2nd Bn will accompany the Colonel.
   
 

 
 

 
 

  

 

 

 

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Last Updated: 12-01-13