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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.