Image provided by: Deschutes Public Library; Bend, OR
About Abbot engineer. (Camp Abbot, Or.) 1943-1944 | View Entire Issue (May 21, 1943)
How's Your "Highball?" See Story on G.l. Courtesy— Page I ABBOTENGINEER Get the Abbot Habit! History of Post In M ay 28 Issue PUBLISHED WEEKLY FOR ALL UNITS AT C A M P ABBOT Vol. 1 C A M P ABBOT, O REG O N No. 1 CAMP 75 % COMPLETE ABBO T FACE! Post Commander JACOB’S LETTER In our quest for the first EM to arrive in Camp Abbot, we trekked to the QM orderly room, queried a few of the boys and was directed to call on Pic. Eugene Jacobs. Find ing the allegedly pioneer ar rival was a cinch. He was on a detail clearing the debris in rear o f the SCU 1973 barracks. "Yes, I was one of the first four G. I.’s on the post,” the tall angular soldier said. The first night in camp the thermometer read 20 below. Like all pioneers he kept a journal of his adventures in form of nightly letters, aptly tagged, “Roughing It At Ab bot.’’ Typical item, with apologies to Sgt. Georg Meyers, YA N K correspondent: “ I f for the duration I must Weep Oregon tears. I ’ll need one alabaster memory; don't spoil it! No symphony could ring more sweetly in my ears than the watery rush of a G.l. norcelain toilet!” •vAh, the good old days when ^ a m p Abbot was young! .{T.lk, iCU Aided Camp Activation Work By PFC. MOItRIE C. GUSS Nestled in scenic, rugged gran deur of (he snow capped Cas cade mountains— Ideal r< gion in which the train engineer troops —is Capip Abbot, the Army’s newest ERTC, which, («slay was termed 75 per cent complete. COL. FR AN K S. BESSON Designed by Army Engineers, Portland, Ore., district, first con struction of the camp started less than six months ago. Sev- 1 oral thousand workmen created the compact-like, future teeming Army metropolis from the boul der-dotted, jack pine strewn and lava seeping terrain. | Ingenuity of C.E. officers over cam e numerous obstacles -ad verse weather conditions, impen etrable roads, and rugged living to speed building of facilities Commanded Famed Unit to house troops and construct In World War I; Has Two unique training sites essential to engineers in modern com So»*, Dao^Mer in Service school bat -warfare. i Two troop trains, arriving a Veteran of 34 years of dis day apart, recently brought most tinguished military service is of the 245 officers and 1,253 en the signal arromplishiiieiit of listed men comprising the cadre. Col. Frank S. Besson, command Majority was from Fort Leonard ing officer of Uanrp Abbot, the Wood, Mo., and the balance Army’s newest Engineer Re from Ft. Belvoir, Va. The cadre placement Training Center. was activated at Fort Leonard Col. Besson assumed com Wood early in February and mand May 12, being transferred completed a course of intensive here from the ERTC at Fort training a week prior to depar Leonard Wood, Mo., which he ture for Camp Abbot. First increments of trainc«“s, had commanded. Graduating with high honors coming from various reception in the 1909 class from the Unit centers, are scheduled to arrive ed States military academy at here very shortly to create the West Point, Col. Besson quali four-battalion llth Group, and fied for service with the Army three-battalion 1 ith Group. 1 “ Everything is in readiness for engineers. He also won the saber—as did their arrival,” said ( ol. Frank S. Gen. Douglas MacArthur—em Besson, post commander. Other blematic of the outstanding ath personnel on Col. Besson’s staff —Col. Iasi ter II. Hall, executive lete at the acamedy. In the first World war he was officer; Major Paul I- Diediker, in command of the First Engin adjutant; Lt. Col. Clarence >1. eers, First division, which saw Douglas, chief, training division; action at Toul, Cantingny and Lt. Col. M. A. Pimentel, chief, Soissons on the scarred western supply anil service and Maj. Rus front when the Allied offensives sell b. Turrlll, chief, personnel section— reiterated that, literal raged through the Hun lines. Since then he has been an in ly, the “ welcome” mat is out. Capt. G. C. Zellhart, post engl* structor at the command and (Continued on Page 3) (Continued on Page 2) Abbot C. 0. Is Veteran of 34 Years In Army CAMP NAMED AFTER THIS SOLDIER Brigadier General Henry Larcom Abbot was graduated from West Point, second in his class, in 1854. He had a distinguished career in the en gineer corps in various sections of North America. On Sep tember 2, 1855, in command of a detached party engaged on one of the projects of the Pacific Railway Survey, he camped on the site of the present ERTC. The colorful story of General Abbot's life will appear in next week’s issue. (Photo courtesy The Bend Buletin.) CAMP GAS BOARD NAMED Selection of personnel to con sider gas rationing applications | by Camp Abbot personnel was Lt. Col. R. S. Dicey, executive I announced this week by camp officer, heads the operation of [ authorities. Members of the board are Maj. Service Command Unit 1973 whose personnel aided in the I Emmet C. Forsythe, Maj. Homer pioneer days of activating Camp G. Vawter and Capt. Winsor D. Wilkinson. Application blanks Abbot. It was on March 6, under the maybe obtained in Post head provisions o f General Orders No. quarters. The military board 30, HQNSC, that the SCU was submits appliactions to the Bend activated with Col. Dicey In com- rationing committee for final action. (Continued on Page 4) Huge Flag Is Dedicated at Camp Abbot Colorful military ceremonies Aere held Wednesday at retreat when a huge new garrison flag was hoisted to the top of a 102- foot Oregon pine flagpole on headquarters square at Camp Abbot . . . the Army's newest ERTC. ___ _ ifaTutTng "5Td Glory “ "for" the' first time at the post were all troops of ERTC, SCU 1973, two detachments of WAACs, as well full. Some other form of recog as numerous civilian employees nition is considered courteous. who paused in their work to pay Be sure to salute the national tribute to the national colors. color or national standard when Col. Frank S. Besson, post it passes and is part of a forma commander, expressed satisfac tion, including color guard. tion with the brief, though, im Be prepared to salute Old pressive ceremonies. The flag, Glory when it is lowered at re which measures .38 by 20 feet, is treat, unless you are Indoors. reputedly one of the largest in Stand at attention during the the northwest. sounding of rereat and the fir- Units participating in tha for ing of the gun; then salute until mal retreat included Hqs. of- the final note. If you eannot see | fleets of ERTC and SCU 1973, the flag, face and salute the Hqs. Co. ERTC, 12th E T group, music. Salute before and after mak ; 11th ET group, the 23-piece ing a formal report to a super , ERTC band, under the baton of ior officer. Make a special point | W. O. Charles S. Spalding, and of being courteous to a lady. A | 54 newly-arrived WAACs. The post flag pole is looted at salute is preferable to removal of headdress. Be especially on j the intersection of Center street the alert to salute passengers in | and Hq. Ave. Six veterans sold- a G. I. sedan, carrying a red J iers, attached to SCU, served as plate, emblazoned with either ; flag orderlies and color guard. one, two or three or four sliver They are 1/Sgt. Fred Millikin, Henry F. Manning, stars—they are for the conven ' S/Sgt. ience of general officers. Salute S/Sgt. John L. Opager. Sgt. Tim- —the signal for friendship and othev M cN V 'e, Sgt. John Hav- loyalty. erty and Sgt. Alfred McGeorge. G. I. C ourtesy Q f h e t e S m a r t Soldier From Rank Yard bird Proper execution of the salute —most important of all military courtesies — distinguishes the smart soldier from the yardbird Variety of G. I. The salute serves two pur poses; ( I ) as an act of recog nition between fellow soldiers, and (3) as an indication of re- pect for authority. Abbotmen are advised to keep the following rules in mind relative to saluting: The salute is rendered only at a halt or a walk. Saluting dis tance is at which recognition is easy; usually, about 30 paces. The salute is advanced before the person to be saluted ap proaches closer than six paces. Execute the salute smartly; never In a casual or perfunctory manner. Be proud of the ex change of greetings. Don’t salute the driver of a motor vehicle In motion; salute only the passengers, if any. Don't salute if your arms are Men Enroule Camp Abbot Destined To Become Largest ERTC In United States B ING AROUND PINE TREE Speaking of “ firsts" beckons us to include this historical item. First mascot in camp was an in telligent black-and-white terrier, named “Ring,” belonging to Pfc. ! Jejx W e a t h e r by. SCU 1973. "Ring” sleeps under his master’s bunk on a canine patch quilt and has a set of “dog tags.” CONFESSION ROOM During the first several weeks of the camp’s existence when everything was in a hel ter-skelter, Cpl. Louis Fabian, acting post sergeant major, used the EM latrine in post headquarters for a conference room with office members. Friday, May 21, 1943 rôsf Special Service Office Plans Ambitious Program Welfare of the enlisted men, their families and guests is to be the keynote of the many func tions of the Camp Abbot Special Services Office, supervised by L t P. H. "Pat” O’Brien, S. S, O. director. "Our office Is organized pri marily to improve the morale of men here,” said Lt. O’Brien. "It will be our earnest desire to spon sor as many events as possible so long as they do not conflict with the daily training sched ules.” An ambitious program is near ing completion to benefit ERTC. and SCU units. Highlighting the projected schedule are movies. Service C lobs. Guest House, three libraries, an all purpose ree hall, various types of athletic exhibitions, art projeets, band concerts, d a n e e s. sightseeing tours to nearbv lumber mills and scenic w onders. Our office will welcome sug gestions for future types of en tertainment,” Lt. O'Brien added. “I f a plan is meritorious, we will see that it is adopted. That's what Special Services was or ganized for: to provide clean, e n j o y a b l e and appreciative events for all enlisted men.” Lt. O’Brien has two assistants who are experienced in this brand of work, Lts. Wayne L. Leitzell and S. D. Hopkins, Special Services officers of the 12th and llth Groups, respect fully. These officers will plan a variety program for their par ticular groups and each will It« coordinated by Lt. O’Brien. There are also experienced en listed men attached to the S. S. O. whose endeavors will prove of inestimable value as the carnp- wide program is engineered into action. The S. S. O. is located in Rost Headquarters, phone 527.