Vol. 1
No. 17
CAMP ABBOT, OREGON
Saturday, Sept. 11, 1943
Training Cycle Extended!
♦
Medical Chief
Tells of Work
In S.W. Pacific
Published reports that the
Army and Navy medical officers
were at odds in the opening cam
paign of conquest in the South
Pacific were branded as false by
Col. Frank G. Crandall, Jr., com
mander of Station Hospital, at
Camp Abbot, in a speech before
the Oregon State Medical Soc
iety at Portland last Saturday.
On the contrary, the Camp
Abbot officer told his audience,
all medical plans of both forces
were worked out by the senior
''Vficer of both branches of the
/ervice working together.
The mortality among casual
ties evacuated to the Army and
unbelievable in that area and
been due mainly to three factors,
Col. Crandall said. He cited use
of blood plasma and of sulphona-
mide drugs, both locally and in
ternally, and efficient organiza
tion of medical service, as the
reasons for the low figure.
The hospital commander ob
served that there is a preval
ence of tropical diseases among
the U. S. armed forces, particul
arly in the Solomon Island
group, and he said dysentery
was prevalent in all South Paci
f ic areas. Quinine, he pointed
Ojt, was practically unobtainable
and Atabrine is used generally
as a substitute. A large percen
tage of the men have not been
actually ill with clinical malaria,
but have been exposed to it in
numerous instances and when
they were returned to the main
land for treatment in general
hospitals for war wounds, devel
oped clinical malaria, Col. Cran
dall added.
He emphasized that since the
malaria carrying type of mos
quito is prevalent in Oregon
that he felt from a public health
standpoint every step possible
should be taken to eliminate and
(Continued on Page 2)
Wacs Get Medals
At Formal Fete
Members of the WAC com
pany were participants in their
firsth formal military parade at
Retreat Friday when they pass
ed in review in front of Col.
Frank S. Besson, post command
er, and his staff.
The occasion was presentation
ct the WAC Service Medals «rib
bons until after the war) to fem
inine soldiers who chose to re
enlist when the name of this
Army unit was changed from
WAAC.
The WAC ribbon is of rayon
moire, of the same size as other
service ribbons, and has a moss
green center with old gold edges
at each end.
It was the first demonstration
Of WAC drilling as an individual
unit to music of the post band
and the company made an excel
lent showing, a wording to re
viewing officers.
DEDICATION DIGNITARIES
Three Weeks
On New Unit
Problems Set
The training cycle at Camp
Abbot has boon extended to 1!)
weeks, IT of which will be spent
exclusively in conditioning train
ees for combat engineer units, it
was disclosed yesterday.
The new schedule will have as
an added feature three weeks of
unit training and will involve
working as units on simulated
battle problems both on the post
and areas adjacent to it. This
phase of training will, in reality,
he the same as that undertaken
in specialized maneuvers.
The program, according to Lt.
Col, Clarence I.. Douglas train
ing division director, will in
clude six weeks of basic training,
Distinguished military figures, and prominent citizens of Oregon, view Camp Abbot troops marching eight weeks of tactical and tech
in review at dedication ceremonies. Left to right are Col Aubrey H. Bond, 12th group commander; nical instruction, while the lat
U. S. Senator Rufus Holman. Portland; Maj. Gen. Thomas M. Robins, assistant chief of engineers; ter three devoted exclusively to
Maj. Gen. Alexander M. Patch, Jr., commander IV Corps; Brig. Gen. Warren Hannum, Pacific Divi unit problems, will range from
sion; Col Frank S. Besson, Post Commander; Lt. Col. Ralph Tudor, District Engineer, Portland, military courtesy to execution of
and Robert W Sawyer, Publisher, Bend Bulletin. rh -t.> i>y v im i- n t, P<*»t I’h o tw w h e r .
forced marches, experience with
demolitions and actual problems
of combat.
In reality, the throe weeks
unit training will lx* four, for
night problems, involving build
When someone gives Pvt.
ings of fixed bridges .laying and
Edith Thompson of the War
destruction of mine fields and
Company an order the devil
In a ceremony marked b yjts
other, as yet unidentified, train
himself couldn't get her to
simplicity, Camp Abbot — the
ing activities consume approxi
disobey
it.
Army’s newest Engineer Rc - 1
mately a weeks time. The night
Pvt.
Thompson
works
in
placement Training Center—was
problems will be in addition to
the Quartermaster purchase
formally dedicated last Thurs- j
the regular daylight training
warehouse.
A
few
days
ago
day. More than 3,000 visitors j
schedule.
a general came in to buy a
streamed through the entrance
It was indicated the revised
pair
of
c
o
v
e
r
a
l
l
s
.
Pvt.
gate of the camp, established to
training schedule came about as
Thompson
said
she
couldn’t
Camp Abbot began receiving train combat engineer troops, to
result of experiences of Ameri
fresh milk again Sunday after view first hand, training activi sell them to officers without
can troops in the successful
a
permit.
its supply had been cut off for ties, demonstrations of combat,
North African and Sicilian inva
The general protested. The
about 10 days as a result of a and hear high Army officials
sions where the corps of engin
War.
was
adamant.
Every
milk shortage in the state and and civilians extoll the memory
eers won highest praise from
one
else
was
faint.
Here
was
the reluctance of distant dairy of the late Brig. Gen. Henry Lar
military observers and members
a woman robbing strategy
concerns to supply this post com Abbot, in whose honor the
of the press corps accompanying
of
its
meaning,
a
general
of
when more favorable markets camp was named.
the troops.
his
coveralls
and
the
whole
could be found nearer at hand.
Earlier in the day hundreds of
Another feature to be stressed
outfit of its peace of mind.
The problem of obtaining milk the great conclave, which gath
in the new training cycle will be
"Well,
who
fhe
hell
made
had been anticipated by the Sup ered for the official dedication
emphasis on night patrol prob
that rule and where the hell
ply and Service Division, how ceremony, had attended dedica
lems. To stress the importance
do
you
get
a
permit?”
the
ever, and Post larders were tion of Station Hospital to hear
of maintaining strict discipline
general
asked.
He
know
stocked with a 30-day supply of the new modem medical institu
at night when in combat, a comp-
when he was licked.
the canned variety.
tion established amid the peaks
plcte coverage of right and
“Major
Hayes,”
replied
Supply and Service Division of the Cascades lauded by visit
wrong methods of night tactics
the
Wac.
officials attempted to alleviate ing medical men of more than
will be presented. One will in
"Major, eh?” the general
the shortage here as soon as local renown. Here too, they wit
volve the lightning of matches
said
and
departed
in
search
supplies were cut off. Lt. Col. nessed raising of a new Red
by men placed at stated inter
of
a
more
understanding
Merrill A. Pimentel went to Salt Cross flag, that symbol of
vals
to enable trainees to Judge
audience.
Lake City by plane to confer mercy which floats from the
distances and recognize the
A
short
time
later
he
got
staff at every station hospital.
(Continued on Page 4)
light of flares. Blank cartridges
his coveralls—but he had a
will he fired, so they may learn
A seemingly unending stream
permit.
the range of the man firing by
of motor cars wound across the
No More to Be Released
counting the seconds between
vast meadow’ separating the
From Army Because of Age buildings of the camp proper Commander of Service
the flash and the lrport. Other
Men who have reached the age from the swiftly flowing Des- Com pony Is Promoted
demonstrations will be that of
of 38 will not hereafter be re c h u t e s river which w inds! Its Capt. Fred B. Hohcnhorst careless movements — a man
leased from the Army because through the post, to see a dem now!
bumping into wire with his steel
of age. The provisions for dis onstration of combat. Fledgling
The popular and energetic helmet; loose mess equipment
charge of men who had reached engineer soldiers crossed a commander of Service Company, rattling; a man whistling 300 or
the age of 38 on or before Febru stream in assault boats while E. R. T. C.t SCU No. 1973, was 600 yards away and a driver
ary 28, 1943, has expired, accord machine guns spurted bullets notified of his promotion from dropping a tailgate of a truck
ing to officers in charge of the over their heads. Visitors saw first lieutenant Wednesday, ef an eight of a mile distant from
personnel division.
the lines. It is expected that
the men, but a few weeks out of fective as of Sept. 3.
Capt. Hohenhorst has supervi trainees will be thoroughly
peaceful civilian life, clamber up
N EW W A C AR R IV ES HERE
the river bank,, dash through sion over more men than any schooled in demonstrations of
T 3 Pansy O. Belcher, who lias clouds of smoke from exploding other commander on the post. error which might prove fatal In
Other promotions to captain combat.
been assigned to Montana on mines and then capture a simu
The definite schedule of the
recruiting duty, has reported to lated enemy beachhead as thun wore: Lts. John V. Banks, Vern
the Wac company here for duty. derous explosions shook the sur on E. Vrana, William F. Ward. new training cycle has not as
She has been assigned to Station rounding terrain. They passed Promoted to first lieutenant was yet been completed, but lt is
Lt. Theodore E. Pennington.
iContinued on Page 2)
Hospital.
(Continued on Page 4)
3 , 0 0 0 Visitors Tour Post
A s New ERTC Dedicated
To Post Resumed
Stars Hell! It
Takes a Permit