The 45 Times
May 27, 1945
Radios Planes and Men!!
May, 1944 Bosnek beach head was the site of the first landing
of AACS men on this island. Three days after D-Day, an AACS weather team
of three radio operators and a radio mechanic hit the beach. Several hours later the voice of AACS
floated through the ether.
A six by six truck was used as the detachment’s first
operations base, for mobility was needed so that communications could continue
uninterrupted, regardless of enemy activity.
Frequent counter-attacks brought the Nips uncomfortably close to our
small station, but whether standing or on the move the detachment’s broadcasts
were sent out. Nevertheless, in the
latter part of June, enemy action forced the outfit to move. A small island off the coast was selected
for our new location. Being better
established, the radio station then began to function more as an AACS station
should. 1st Lt. Robert A. Timm became
commanding officer. More radio
operators, control tower operators and radio mechanics were added. Although heavy fighting continued on the
main island, Detachment 45 was preparing to become the major communication
center of the SWPA.
Soon, a complete radio station and control tower unit adjoined
the new airstrip on the small island.
In those days, the men of Detachment 45 experienced the meaning of
“rough”. Many a fox-hole was dug in the
sharp coral. Heavy tropical rains
poured down incessantly. Supplies were
limited. Radio mechanics produced
makeshifts to keep the patched-up equipment operating. The all-too-frequent bombings and strafings
endangered the operation of this tiny unit of the AAF, but the dauntless
courage and determination of the men kept the airways communications coming and
going, despite all obstacles.
By July 1st, the battle of Mokmer Ridge had been
won, and the infantry had the situation on the main island well in hand. Air strips were cropping up and the AACS was
needed there. Skillfully, as the need
grew, the detachment transferred its men and equipment to the main island. This move brought it face to face with the
task of setting up a larger camp area and a central communication system to
link the chain of airstrips undergoing completion with the outside world.
Through the foresight of the pioneers of Detachment 45, as well
as by their backbreaking efforts, a somewhat healthy camp area was built, but
it was free of the dreaded scrub typhus which at one time had as much as 30% of
nearby outfits immobilized. Most of the
time was spent, however, in setting up the station, while only spare time was
used to make a place to live.
Work on the station had continued through August, and the
receiver and transmitter sites were cleared the latter part of that month. During September and October, more personnel
arrived to relieve the men who had worked practically day and night installing,
operating, and maintaining the station and building a more livable place. During this time, the Detachment suffered
its first casualty. T/Sgt. Moore, a radio
maintenance mechanic, sustained injuries that were fatal when a P-4-(sic)
skidded of the runway and crashed into the D. A. T. tent.
During October, D/F and radar facilities were added. The station had shifted almost all its
personnel and equipment to its present site.
During this not a single circuit went off the air.
On through November and December, our outfit busied itself in
setting up housekeeping. Messing
facilities were afforded us by the 41st infantry, our
neighbors. Although our personnel
doubled and tripled, the infantry handled our messing cheerfully. It was their efforts that gave us a
Thanksgiving dinner that will be long remembered by those who partook of fresh
turkey and cranberries instead of the usual canned, dehydrated, and
vitamin-lacking foods.
By the end of November, the young detachment was fairly well
established as being the largest and busiest Army Airways Communication System
center of the SWPA. Social life and
entertainment was limited. The Bob Hope
show appeared when the outfit was in its growing pains. But on 8 November, at the infantry theatre,
the detachment’s wolves had their fill of the feminine form divine as offered
by a USO troupe. It was a night of
strange howling for the men who saw their first leg show in ages.
December was a busy month for added improvements to the
detachment area. As the 41st
infantry prepared itself for further glory at the expense of the Nips,
Detachment 45 opened its own mess hall.
Cpl. Papadokis, the big little man from Pittsburgh, was the mess
“Sergeant”.
December 2nd was not just another day for detachment
45 for it brought ye olde beere rations of 18 cans issued in series of 3 cans
every other day. A lapping good time
was had by all. Also during December, a
not too heartily appreciated convenience was added, namely the “squawk
box”. The abhorred drone of “report to
the orderly room immediately” roused many a bleary eyed sackster. Our heartiest good cheer to Sgt
Entrkin(sic), “The Voice”, and long may
he screech the air with ---- “news casts!”
For our Guinea Christmas, the prodigious efforts of our cooks
and bakers turned out an almost-like-home Christmas dinner. Served by the aristocratic first
three—graders, the bird and all its trimmings were consumed ravenously and the
evening found a well fed and beered bunch or sack artists slumbering with
bloated joy.
The end of 1944 found the detachment with a large complement of
men and officers. The radio station
facilities including receiving station, transmitting station, control towers,
radio range, D/F, radar beacons, homing and weather were generally conceded to
be the largest and most comprehensive in the SWPA. The efforts of radio operators, radio maintenance mechanics,
cryptographers, teletype, and weather men resulted in handling more radio
groups and crypto groups than any AACS station in the SWPA, if not the
world. Not bad for a bunch whose home
alternated between a six by six truck and a fox-hole.
The new year came in the bangs of all sorts of firearms. It was during January that the detachment
was aroused in the middle of the night to answer a call for a task force needed
to install a station elsewhere. Detachment
45, now used to rugged living, within 24 hours hustled a group out to dig in
again on strange and unknown beaches.
About this time, the 41st infantry pulled out to
scorch their name (the Nips had unwarrantedly given them their name “The Bloody
Butchers”) across points northward.
That meant the end of after-mess delicacies. But T/Sgt. Travis joined our outfit solely for the purpose of
changing our “Greasy Spoon” kitchen to the nearest thing resembling a SWPA
Waldorf Astoria. The quantity and
quality of our victuals was immediately improved by the Sgt. who prefers doing
to talking.
The history of Detachment 45 would not be complete without
giving credit to the ACS outfit attached to us which did an efficient job of
installing much of our equipment.
The “Coral Coffee Corner”, supervised by the “Red Cross” and ruled
with an iron hand by the capable and competent Marie, was a Godsend to boredom
with its games, books, ping-pong, bingo checkers, and cards. Here a cup of coffee each night and an
occasional afternoon cut of battery juice could be enjoyed.
Each Sunday the nearby chapel was available for the services of
all faiths, and our personnel used the opportunity afforded them to worship
their creator.
March and April found the detachment resembling an octopus. Through the combined efforts of all, an impressive
and unprecedented amount of traffic was handled, consisting of an unforeseen
number of radio groups and crypto groups which marked an all time high.
New wings were now added to the receiver station. It was then that the other members of the outfit
believed that the cryp section was in its true character of “Toppblowers”(sic)
when it was enclosed by a barbed wire fence.
More radio teletype was installed along with a switchboard to handle
land line traffic.
The followers of the cinema were not forgotten. With the combined efforts of several of our
teletype operators and our detachment carpenter, our indispensable theater
sprang up. A note of appreciation is
due Sgts. Main and Lloyd for their handling of the projection end and to Cpl.
Tucker for the construction of the screen and projection booth, not to forget
the men of the detachment who pitched in to make those, nice, soft, and
comfortable wooden seats.
One of the highlights of this period was the work of our D/F
unit. Instrumental in saving a plane
and occupants, praise was bestowed upon the unit for its aid.
As for recreation facilities for the men, a newly formed
enlisted man’s club, the “Club 45”, has opened its doors (it really has no
doors) and the unbelievable is now true—ice cold Coca Cola and beer are here to
stay!
The first of May brought back our old CO, Capt. Robert A. Timm,
who, during his absence, acquired another bar.
He is one of the few officers who can well note the progress of the six
by six truck detachment 45 to the station today that ranks with the top
organization s of its kind throughout the world