34
not the ports from which the real in
vasion armada set out for France.
These ships were built by American
rubber manufacturers and were as large
and approximately o f the same design
as the real vessels they were "doubling”
for. Since this hoax was an important
factor in confusing the enemy, the
phantom fleet had a part in making
the invasion a success although its
ships never carried a man or fired a
gun.
There seemed to be nothing in the
world that Private Sawtell couldn’t do.
Around Manila, where he served, they
called him "the most versatile man in
the army.”
One day, when an officer wanted a
haircut and the barber was away, Pri
vate Sawtell volunteered to do the job.
"Were you ever a barber?” asked the
officer.
"Y es, sir,” replied Sawtell, " I was a
barber for three years.”
A few days later another officer,
heartily tired of the regular camp ra
tions, wanted a special dish prepared.
"D id you ever cook?” he was asked.
"Y es, sir; three years’ experience, sir.”
The dish was marvelous. Three days
*
Bottling Company of Corvallis
later the colonel’s horse threw a shoe.
Sawtell fixed it. A fter that he was, suc
cessively, dentist, letter-writer, watch
repairer, leading tenor in the camp
show, and a dozen ‘other things. In all
these tasks he claimed long experience,
and in all he served superlatively well.
One day the colonel called Sawtell
into his office.
"Saw tell,” said the colonel,. " I have
a warrant for your arrest. Seems you’re
badly wanted back in the United States.
You have been a particularly valuable
man, Sawtell, and I hate to lose you,
particularly as you will have to go to
prison.”
"O h, that’s all right, colonel,” re
plied Sawtell. " I ’ve had experience—
four years in Leavenworth.”
Butch Beeler, a gunner on one o f U n
cle’s battle wagons, is home on leave
for a spell. On Christmas day, while
Butch was settin’ with his cat before
the fire, -his wife, Rosie, had to deliver
some Christmas presents across the
street, so she warned him to keep an
eye on the fire.
She went out. Butch fell fast asleep.
Tw o hours passed. The fire died down.
Rosie returned. She took one look at
Butch sleeping there before the col,d
stove, and shouted: "F ire!”
Butch sprang to attention, tore open
the oven door, rammed in the cat,
slammed the door and yelled, “ No. 1
gun ready!”
C O V E R P IC T U R E
Western Sunset
From H arris State Park on the
Southern Oregon Coast.
R alph G ifford P hoto
Medford Concrete Construction
Company
Concrete Culvert Pipe, Sand,
Gravel, Crushed Rock
Phone 2469
Medford, Oregon