Camp Adair Sentry
PUBLISHED EVERY THURSDAY
An Independent weekly newspaper pub
Htbed for the laboring and military per
• <nnel of Camp ^dair, Oregon, and ita
■ rrounding interests by the Camp Adair
6*nlry at Corvallis, Oregon.
«Editor and Manager____ »... Don C. Wilson
& O. Address, Box 34T, Corvallis, Oregon.
Phone BÁ5-M
The Camp Adair Sentry is circulated
free at Camp Adair and is available to
every workman employed there daring
• instruction, by permission of Lt. Col.
p. E M Dea Islets, U.S.A., area con
itruction engineer. News from the camp
areg undergoes censorship prescribed by
area headquarters and is available for
r»print.
Subscription by mai) 91.50 a year or
Bl for six months.
Advertising rates upon request.
Address all commiiniestion* tn "Camp
Midair Hentry, Corvallis, Oregon.”
FILLS A GAP
When Camp Adair was first an­
nounced for this location, stories
were rife of the devastation of
communities where cantonments
had been built. Most of the reports
here came from California camp
centers. There were a few from
other sections. It was told about
this peaceful valley that we were
due for an awakening and that it
would be rude.
Wild stories about the depreda­
tions of low-life workers who built
the camps were bandied about free­
ly. Then the soldiers came, and
they completed the wrecks. All the
crimes in the book were to he
expected, according to the stories,
and to cope with the lawlessness
was next to impossible.
Intensive studies of camp areas
already in operation were made.
Delegations took trips to (rather
facts and men of experience from
operating camp areas were invited
here to tell us what to expect and
help us meet the deluge.
We were warned that we could
hot realize the situation we were
developing.
To date, the cry of “wolf, wolf,”
has proved to be only a mental
hazard. Towns in the Camp Adair
area have prospered from the ad­
vent of the big new payroll and
jails have been the only empty
living quarters in the communities.
The workers have shown them­
selves to be just like our own
people. There have been some few
problems, but they have been
solved.
And now the soldiers come We
will get more, of course, but if the
ones here now are like the others
to come, communities are prepared
to welcome them for the gentlemen
thy are.
• •••••
There may be a reason for our
good fortune here. There may be
several reasons. That the experi­
ence in the Camp Adair area has
been different from others is grati­
fying, to say the least, and The
Sentry salutes the communities for
their preparation and foresight. Of
what did this consist?
Organization of a group known
as the Four County Cantonment
Camp Adair Sentry
Augustß, 1942.
Page Two
Council was the basis upon which months — participated actively in ' there is an allowance for artistic
was built the good relations be­ the drive to make every citizen a imagination or poetic lleensr or
i what you want to call. To make
tween the strangers here and the shareholder in the United States
I writing vivid and of interest one
homefolk. This group consists of government.
When the transition to olive drab | must be given leeway in the use of
Marion, Polk, Benton and Linn
counties and the larger communi­ and drill fields took place, the new colorful expressions for better
ties within those counties. Mem­ army had other things to think character portrayal.
Anybody can say, “A man came
bers of the council are the county about. They reasoned, and with
judges of the counties and the justification, that the buying of into the room.” But to present a
bonds and the financing of the war strong picture of a writer s re­
mayors of the cities.
The set-up has been appreciated, was up to those who remained at action to a person, it is necessary
to say that a “huge” or a “fat
both by the army and by civilians. home.
Now comes announcement that or a “scrawny” man came "stag­
Whether or not the work of Mr.
Johnson’s office is entitled to all soldiers are being asked to buy gering” or "plunging“ or “stumb-
the credit for the fine relations bonds out of their army pay — a , ling” into the room. Thus H. B.
existing may be a question, but salary that in most instances seems in his picture of me.
There Is no need of a defense
both sides of the fence concede far below the one garnered in civil­
that it has been, in a large mea­ ian life. “Why?” asks the soldier. for H. B. in his portrayal of Zack
“Why should I give the govern­ presented in a recent issue of the
sure, responsible.
Ail manner of problems have ment back the few dollars it gives Sentry. Only I want to say public­
me? I’ve given up my daily way ly that the job was well and sin­
passed through Mr. Johnson’s of­
of living, my family and my home. cerely done and that I enjoyed it.
fice with resulting accomplish­
Uncle Sam is asking a little too
ments that are desirable.
A better reason for writing is
much. Phooey.”
that 1 might be permitted to give
“The office was set up for six
Outwardly it would seem that my reactions to H. B. The first
months. The six months are almost
the soldier is justified in his “beef.”
time that this writer saw him was
up.
Certainly he is doing his share
during “chow" one night. Henry
If there is any serious question and more in this fight.
was doing kitchen police, and I had
as to the necessity and desirability
But, let’s look at the record, as
of keeping this office doing its Al Smith says. Are the soldiers approached a water ban-el to clean
stuff, that question arises from making an additional sacrifice in my mess kit, when 1 saw a rather
ignorance as to the work of the buying War Bonds and Stamps ! A skinny old gent “stoking the fur­
nace.” I wondered how this old-
office.
careful analysis of the situation
In setting up his organization shows something else again. It is timer had landed in the army (he's
here as commandant of the camp, never foolish to save money. It’s 63) and was doing “K.P.” at that.
We got to talking and the most
Col. Gordon H. McCoy has had pretty difficult but it’s not foolish.
invaluable assistance from Mr. And no one can gainsay that a startling fact that came out of
Johnson, according to his own fistfull of War Savings bonds isn’t that chat was that Henry actually
enjoyed being on “K.P.” Later on
statement to The Sentry. Almost a savings.
as I came to know him better. I
every day the camp commander
The War Department tells us I
consults with the coordinator on that the buying of bonds by sol­ learned why he felt that way.
subjects concerned with the rela­ diers must be voluntary—a desire
H. B., the old-timer, had the
tionship of the camp and its per­ on his part to invest and save right spirit. He was in this man’s
sonnel, to the civilian communities money. The War Department is army to give everything he had.
and their personnel. These frank insistant that this policy be carried If there was a job to be done, no
and open discussions nip many out by officers in charge of the matter how hard it was, he wanted
prospective problems in the bud selling program. This should help it. If he could get-into a combat
through informed decisions. Col. a lot in the case of those who auto­ outfit (at 53!) he would be tickled.
McCoy continues the confidence in matically resent being told what Meanwhile, whether it was latrine
Mr. Johnson’s advice and judg­ they must do with their own money. orderly, kitchen police, taking down
ment with which Col. R. E. M. Des
In other words, buying War tents, drilling, or any other kind
Islets, area engineer, solved many Bonds is not an “army must” in of work, H. B. wanted to be on
community problems during the any sense, but a pretty smart way the detail.
construction of the camp.
That’s the way H. B.. the old-
for the soldier to set aside a few­
In the humble opinion of The dollars every pay day. This war timer, does everything. He may­
Sentry, the office of the coordinat­ is coming to a close one of these punch hard but he punches clean.
or should be continued for the days, not tomorrow surely, and
Let's all work the same way and
duration and Mr. Johnson should maybe not for some time. But it it won’t be such a long war.
be maintained in that office. Upon will come to an end and when it
Sincerely yours.
a basis of past and present experi­ does a few dollars in U. S. bonds
Pvt. Lavon Zakarian,
ence, the office can be of more will come in pretty handy.
DE ML Section,
value than ever now with the
Camp Adair, Oregon.
Leaving out, if you will, any
population of the camp about to patriotic motive, the purchase of
mount. The value will be in direct War Savings bonds by soldiers and
FORT — I. A reservation for
proportion to the added numliers of civilians alike is sound business free soldiers where they can do
soldiers.
anything they want except leave,
judgment.
The office should continue fb be
which is the only thing they want
to do.
financed as it is, from public funds,
“HANGOVER”
except that the budget should prob­
Here I lie upon the bed
ably be increased. And now is the
Throat so sore and throbbing head
time to make this decision.
Bloodshot eyes and l>ody sore—
Here’s to Sven Johnson, co­
The morning after the night before.
ordinator. Long may be wave.
TOUGH—HI T GOOD
By E.A.H.
Almost every soldier had ex­
perience and contact with the pur­
chase of War Savings bonds in
civilian life. The majority of those
regularly employed — and who
wasn’t during those last hectic
HE LIKES THE LOOKS OF IT
Haaee. the carni» traap h
bragging. He let» the soldier
do that for hi«. And the «ecgrant rea lb means it!
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CORVALLIS
Can't eat a thing, got no pep—
Lost my money, lost my rep:
Can’t get up. I feel so bad.
Boy! What a wonderful time I had.
Never felt so bad before.
Even my darn old tongue is sore.
W hen I sneeze I still taste gin.
Gosh! What a party it must have
been.
Can’t remember where I went.
Don’t know where the time was
spent.
But what a time it must have been-
Look what a helluva shape I’m in.
—Pvt. D W K.—CASCV
To the Editor:
Many of us coming into the army
from civilian life look forward to a
new way of living, *4 our first
impulse is to forget our old jobs
and try to orient ourselves to the
strange life that >s the army.
When H. B. wrote his reactions to
nie. I read it with interest because
I have been reading most of H B.'i
stuff, and it was about me.
I know and understand a writer's
problems So it seemed strange to
me that my friends thought that
H. B. had been laying it on rather
thick. Now I know that there is
no more kind-hearted man in the
army than H B.
In writing a character sketch.
$25.00 up.
Corvallis, Or*.