Image provided by: SEIU Local 503; Salem, OR
About The Oregon state employee. (Salem, Oregon.) 1944-195? | View Entire Issue (March 1, 1945)
19 He drives a 2/6 ton G.M.C. truck. He mentioned that the natives were very interesting, and in that connection writes: "The old women srhoke cigars, the young ones wear pretty dresses, but no shoes and the little kids don’t wear any pants. Most of their houses are made of bamboo. They wash our clothes for Us for a reasonable price and do a good job of it. "The cocoanuts are' very plentiful and ^occasionally we see some bananas and sugar cane. The natives raise water buffalo, chickens and pig«. In many cases the chickens live with the na tives.” Bob said that mail is a better morale builder than a beer rations so let’s write the boys and tell them about home. Thanks Joe for letting us read your letter. Lt. Lloyd R. (Pop) Chandler has reported to Camp, Endicott, Davisville, Rhode Island, for re-assignment after visiting his many friends in Oregon. . Sgt. Lester Tolvstad, U.S. Air Corps of Hobbs, New Mexico, stopped in La Grande recently enroute to Oregon City. He is changing Engines and su perchargers on B-17’<r Quite a contrast to running a roller on Paving Crew No. 5, He spent the day calling on old friends. Sgt. Bernard H. Gruis, son of Ed ward Gruis (of the La Grande Shop) is a member of the 701st tank destroy er battalion, a Fifth Army unit which has been in combat -almost 500 days in the Apennioe Mountains in Italy. An official Fifth Army announce ment says in the 10 day period from May. 25 ito June 4, 1944, the battalion destroyed 29 tanks, a battery of 210 millimeterhowitzers, 30 vehicles and two self-propelled, guns between the Anzio beachhead and Rome. It is one'of the first United States tank destróyer units to have fired on German tanks and has fought with troops of eight Allied nations. | Pfc> William Thomas Orr, former employee, of the Highway Department, has been overseas for more than a year and a half, and is now stationed in the Admirality Islands, where he is serving with a portable surgical hospital unit. His wife and daughter reside in La Grande. Sgt. Joe M. Duvets, Jr., with the Army Signal Corps, was a recent vis itor in Salem, being bn furlough after nearly two and one half years of ser vice in North Africa, Corsica and Italy. He has now reported to a re-assignment center at Columbia, South Carolina, accompanied by Mrs. Devers. Mr. Dev ers, chief counsellor for the Highway Commission, advises that his boy stayed close to home during the furlough and enjoyed every minute of his visit. Yeoman 3/c Birdie Hebei, formerly with the Highway Department, is un derstood to be enjoying her service in the Waves. She is. stationed at San Francisco and besides her regular du ties is acting is an art director for a magazine published in the interests of the Waves activities. Lt. (j.gtjL John R. McCullough, son of C. B. McCullough, Assistant High way Engineer, is reported on board the destroyer U.S.S. Overton which saw recent action at Lingayen Gulf in . the Philippines. Lt. McCullough had hoped to be furloughed this spring, but ex pects that recent developments will preclude such freedom due to "prior commitments.” Major Herbert B. Glaisyer, Jr., with the U.S. Army Air Corps at Williams Field, Arizona "dropped in” on his '¿.(Continued on Page 40)