Basic Training #2 - November 11, 1943

November 11, 1943 - still stateside.

"Everyone in the Battalion has to take basic training over again.  You see, our outfit is condemed.  We're in no condition to go overseas.  We don't know enough about defense"

"The Chaplin, Captain Chamberlain is starting a dance band for the 879th (879th Airborne Engineers) and everyone who can play an instrument was called in.  Anyway, I'd like you to send my guitar to me cause I've been asked to play with them.  The 'Old Guitar' is right in the band now"

"Remember the 881st? Well, they're breaking up.  And most all the outfits at Westover are gone, etiher broke up or demolished or moved out. "

Burma 1945

1st Row: Left to Right: "Mu-se", "Aug' 45 - Bhamo Burma"
2nd Row: Myithyina, Chahua Assam

From Burma - February 28, 1945

From Burma - February 28, 1945 To Henry
From his location in the Burma mountainside he could see China.  "I never ate so much so much meat until I came in the Army, but here it is scarce, so when you do get it, it really hits the spot. Today I got our PX rations, and received two cartons of cigarettes this month instead of the usual 15 packs.  We get cigars and sometime pipe tobacco so that helps out and makes the cigarettes last a month.

"When a "Chink" gets shot up, they stand around and laugh, but if you say something funny, they've go a strait face and think your nuts".



879th Airborne Engineers HQ Comany

The men of the 879th Airborne Engineers.

From Westover Field Sept 11, 1943

Written September 11, 1943 at Westover Field.
As the 881st Engineers formed a battalion and prepares to go to California.  "Did you hear about that flyer that was lost up here after his plane crashed.  When he jumped, he lost a leg from the plane hitting him.  That was 2 or 3 weeks ago.  They found him yesterday, sitting beside a tree. To think that he lived all that time & died before they could find him.  He climbed out of his chute, put his gooves over his stump of a leg & sat beside the tree waiting for help."