WELCOME
VISITORS
Vol. 1
CAMP ABBOT, OREGON
No. 16
Thursday, Sept. 2, 1943
Dedication Visitors Will Witness
Engineer Combat Demonstrations
GRINS HIS APPROVAL
51 Abbot Men
Granted Final
Citizen Papers
"Battle" For
Bridgehead
On Program
At least five phases of Engi
Citizenship papers were grant
neer combat training will be
ed to 51 engineer soldiers of
Camp Abbot by Circuit Judge
demonstrated before visitors at
Ralph S. Hamilton in Bend
tending the Post dedication pro
last week-end. Many were from
gram today, Col. Frank S. Bes
countries now in the European
son, Post commander, announc
theater of war.
ed. The training demonstrations
Preliminary proceedings lead
will be the opening feature of an
ing up to the ceremony which
gave these men their final pa
“ open house” program which in
pers, in accordance with special
cludes an inspection of the can-
war-time regulations for service
men, began at Camp Abbot earli Col. H. P. Kitson (center), director for the Ninth Service Command, grinned 'his approva 1 following tonmcnt area’ a l)aracie b>‘ EnR'-
er in the week. Victor M. Hem- a recent inspection of Camp Abbot training facilities. Accompanying the colonel on the tour of train- neer training units, the dedica-
ing sites were Col. Frank S. Besson (left), post commander, and Lt. Col. Clarence . Douglas (right), , irin
men, representing the U. S. Im
direction of the Training Division. The picture was taken in the field fortifications area.
11011 te 111 115 ’ aatn SCh D:> vli,‘
migration Service, assisted by --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- iting dignitaries and a retreat
Mrs. Opal Sprague, deputy Des
formation.
chutes county clerk, handled the
A special training schedule
details with officers of the post
has
been arranged by Lt. Col.
personnel division.
Clarence
J. Douglas, director of
The breakdown of the coun
The Service Club, destined to Instead of sitting on the floor the Training Division. Visitors
tries from which the men are
naturalized follows: Germany 7,
be the most popular recreation Indian fashion, patrons found will witness running of the ob
A committee of Bend business
comfortable chairs and even a
England 6, Italy 5, Canada 4,
spot in Camp Abbot, opened its juke box in the club lounge. stacle course described as one of
Mexico 4 , Sweden 4, Cuba 3, men has assumed the responsibi
the toughest in the country, con
Czechoslovakia 3, Poland 2, Nor lity of requesting §6,000 from doors at noon yesterday and'cap- There were cooks in the kitchen,
struction'
of fixed and floating
lied off its first day’s program and the soda fountain was going
way 2, Austria 2. One each from
United War Chest funds to fur
bridges and a demonstration of
Finland, St. Pierre et Miquelon,
with a dance for corporals and full blast.
combat training on the bayonet
Hungary, Chile, Nicaragua, Rus nish day rooms at Camp Abbot, privates of the Post cadre.
Discords in the club’s domestic course.
Frank
Dunning,
Red
Cross
field
sia, Ireland, Roumania and Scot
Opening of the unit represent tranquility were caused by a
A feature of the program will
land.
director for Camp Abbot and co ed a victory over adversity. A lack of forks and trouble with
be a simulated attack involving
ordinator for t h e Post's day week ago the club, its cafeteria the kitchen stoves. The floor in a river crossing in assault boats,
room program, has announced. and soda fountain were faced the recreation room didn’t look the establishing of a bridgehead
with the problem of operating like a wax company's advertise
and charging of an embankment,
A United War Chest drive is
with a staff of about two per ment because an electric buffer
to capture an “enemy position.”
scheduled for October.
sons—Mrs. Helen Smith, princi was unobtainable, but the danc
Details of the training will be
Credit for requesting the funds pal hostess, and Miss Helen Sou- ers seemed unperturbed. Hos
explained by guides.
belongs entirely to the commit hrada, cafeteria hostess—and a tesses expressed the belief all
A tour of the cantonment
limited supply of furnishings. would I k ? harmony within the
tee, not to the Red Cross, Mr.
area is scheduled for 3 p. m„
The first contingent of first
next
few
weeks.
Today things looked brighter.
and a parade by soldiers of the
year ROTC advanced course stu Dunning pointed out. The Red
52nd, 53rd, 54th, 55th and 56th
Cross
merely
acts
as
a
coordinat
dents who have completed their
Dedication Delays Award Cols. Williams, Matthews Engineer Training Battalions at
basic training as members of ing agency for groups interested
ERTC training battalions here, in promoting the welfare of sol Of Good Conduct Ribbons To Attend Belvoir School 4:10 o'clock.
Speakers for the dedication
have left to resume college diers at the camp.
Lt. Col. Adrian H. Williams, program, in charge of Colonel
Since the only parade sched
studies pending the occurence
uled at Camp Abbot during the former commanding officer of Besson, will include Senator
o f vacancies in officer candi
month of September is part of the 12th Engineer Training Rufus Holman of Oregon; Maj.
date schools approved by the
the dedication ceremony, no Group, and Lt. Col. Coke S. Mat Gen. Alexander M. Patch Jr.,
W ar Department.
Good Conduct ribbons will Ire thews, 51st Battalion command commanding general of the IV
Sixteen men, 15 from Co. A,
awarded this month, the Person er, will leave soon to attend a Corps; Robert W. Sawyer, pub
51st Tm g. Bn., and one each
nel Division announced. The six weeks' field officers’ training lisher of The Bend Bulletin; Maj.
from companies B and C. They
number of awards for October course at the Engineer School Gen. Thomas M. Robins, assist
were transferred to the Star
at F o r t Belvoir, Va., Colonel ant to the Chief of Engineers,
will be doubled.
No
stranger
to
Oregon
and
the
Unit, Army Specialized Training,
Williams was succeeded by Col. Washington, D. C., and Brig.
University of Wyoming, Lara Northwest is Major General
F. Russel Lyons, former com Gen. Warren T. Hannum, com
DEDICATION ON RADIO
mie. All were former students Thomas N. Robins, assistant to
mander of a regiment working manding general of the Pacific
o f the Colorado School of Mines, the Chief of Engineers, Wash
Camp Abbot dedication cere on the “ Alcan” highway in Alas Division.
Golden, Colo.
ington, D. C., who appears on monies will be transcribed today ka.
The dedication will begin .it 5
by staff engineers of Station
o'clock with invocation by Chair-
the post dedication program to
TO FIRE FOR RECORD
KOIN, outlet in Portland for the
lain Norman M. Goldberg and
LEAVES FOR (K s
Firing for record will be re day.
Columbia Broadcasting System.
end with retreat and benediction
Famed
Bonneville
dam,
ac
quired on the first three Sun
Pvt. Sam G. Benzing, C-51st
The program will be broadcast
by Post Chaplain William H. An-
days in September of all mem claimed as one of the greatest tonight from 7:30 to 8 over a net Engineer Training Battalion, has
• drew.
bers of Service, Supply, Motor engineering feats of all time, work, originating from KB.ND, left to enter the Officer Candi
Dedication of the Station Hos
and Military Police companies, was built during the period Bend.
date School at Fort Belvoir.
pital and a flag taising cere
accoiding to a memorandum when General Robins was north
mony were features of the morn
issued by the Training Division Pacific division engineer.
ing portion of today's o[ien house
While
in
Oregon
he
visited
Only men who have fired since
Early Summer, 1943: Division engineer. North Pacific divi program. Speakers included rep
August 1, 1942 will be excused. Camp White, military installs-
sion, receives request to propose location for E. R. T. C. He resentatives of the Oregon State
tios in the Portland area and
contacts R. W. Sawyer, Bend publisher, who suggests site. Later Medical Society, the Central
will
address
a
meeting
of
the
TO PRESS D A Y E A R LY
visits site and forwards recommendation.
Oregon Medical Society, the Cen
Society of Military Engineers at
The “Engineer” goes to
October, 1942: First directive for construction of camp is tral Oregon Dental Society and
Portland Friday night.
press a day early this week,
sued by Office Chief of Engineers, Washington.
Mr. Sawyer.
He was accompanied to Camp
and the press run has been
November 1, 1942: Area Engineer's office established at Bend
A large Red ” rcss flag was
Abbot by Brig. Gen. Warren T.
increased 3M copies. In or
November 8, 1942: Contract for construction camp, railroad presented to the tospital by Mrs.
Hannum,
Pacific
division
engi
der that visitors may he
spur and access highway awarded.
E. A. Stevens, c hairman of the
neer of Salt Lake City, and Lt.
aware of one other activity
May 15, 1943: Camp Abbot officially activated as Army's Deschutes Cour ty Chapter of
Col. Ralph A. Tudor, dictrict en
of this Engineer Replace
third, and newest Engineer Replacement Training Center.
the American Rt d Cross.
gineer of Portland.
ment Training Center.
Committee Seeks
$5,000 for Camp
Dance for Cadre Feature
O f Service Club Opening
First ROTC Men
Back to College
General Robins
No Stranger to
Northwest Area
HISTORY OF CAMP ABBOT