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PORTLAND INQUIRER
Pag«* 8
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FILLING A GREAT NEED IN THE
COM M UNITY-TH E DAY NURSERY
rnmwmi*«
170,000,000 Christm as G ifts
Expected to G o O verseas
Approximately 33,000 uniformed
men and women in the Army and
Navy postal services are preparing
for their biggest job—that of mov­
ing an estimated 70,000,000 pack-
ages of Christmas presents (thre
CHILDREN OF BUSY
times as many as last year) to the
PARENTS AT PLAY AT
military men and women overseas,
the Office of War Information re­
ST. MARTIN’S DAY
ported today on the basis of data
obtained from the Army and Navy.
NURSERY
Army postal officers are prepar­
1717 N.E. VICTORIA ST.
ing their organization to move
about twice as many Christmas
parcels as were handled in 1943,
when 20,000,000 holiday packages
A BENEFICIARY OF
were sent overseas.
The Navy Mail Service expects
THE COMMUNITY CHEST.
nearly four times the volume of
gifts handled in 1943 through fleet
postoffices in New York and San
Francisco. A total of 7,480,000
DRIVE OPENS
packages went through the fleet
SEPTEMBER 25th.
postoffices last year, 3,480,000 of
them to advanced bases or ships at
sea and 4,000,000 to ships putting
in at American ports, the Navy re­
ported.
Both Army and Navy said that
this year more facilities have oeen
established all over the world to as­
sure prompt delivery of properly
wrapped and properly addressed
packages to service men and wo­
men overseas on or before Christ­
mas Day. That’s why “ Christmas
Mailing Month” has been set for
September 15 to October 15. Par­
cels mailed during that period, of­
ficers said, should reach each sol­
dier or sailor, wherever he may be,
by Christmas Day, provided the
senders take a few simple precau­
tions.
Packages should weigh not more
than five pounds and have combin­
ed dimensions of not more than 36
inches. Be sure to address pack­
ages plainly and correctly, the Ar­
my and Navy officers said. Don’t
use labels that, in handling, may
come off. Put an extra address in­
side. Don’t send perishables and,
above all, don’t try to put edibles
such as fruit cakes or cookies in
the same box with wrist watches,
pocket knives, or other durable
gifts soldiers appreciate.
If the
edibles spoil they may destroy the
entire contents of the box.
The only packages that were laje
in arriving or not delivered at all
last year were those incorrectly ad­
dressed, wrapped, or improperly
packaged.
U. S. COAST GUARD
By Herbert Baumgartner Ylc.
Aboard a Coast Guard manned
Attack Transport somewhere in the
Pacific— (Delayed) Anyone aboard
this vessel during the invasion of
the Marianas Island can tell you
the Negro stewards and steward’s
mates had plenty to do besides take
care of the officers’ meals and
staterooms.
Coast Guard and Navy Negroes
attached to gun crews and emer­
gency battle dressing stations gave
a fine account of themselves when
enemy air attacks were numerous
during the early stages of the
fighting.
Steady hands and smooth coordi­
nation are required of ammunition
passers and loaders, and the effi­
ciency of these men was attested
by the unbelievable screen of ack-
ack- that went up on occasion when
Nip planes came in close.
It s not much fun waiting there
in the pitch dark for them to come
overhead,” said Coast Guardsman
Elmer M. Freeman, Jr., steward’s
mate, second class, of Brooklyn, N.
Y., “ but when you see a Jap plane
go down in flames you can’t help
but yell for joy. It’s just like when
the home team gets a score in the
ball game.”
Freeman, whose parents live at
431 Macon ’St., is 18 years old. He
has been serving with the Coast
Guard since August. 1943 .