V STA rFUBRA*> I- THANKS FOR MAIL YOUR YOUR VISIT . XMAS GIFTS GEN. M cCO ACH NOW! CAM P ABBOT, OREGON Saturday, December 11, 1943 Trainees Asked To Submit Suggestions Gen. McCoach Visits Abbot M U SIC A L ENGINEERS Post, Training Ideas Will Be Given Study Awards Good Conduct Bars To 24 Soldiers M aj. Gen. David McCoach, Jr., commanding g e n e r a 1, Ninth S e r v i c e Command, made his first visit to the A rm y ’s newest Engineer Re placement Training Center Thursday and Friday. A l though his visit was of short duration, the commanding general saw virtually every section of Camp Abbot, met for the first time the staff officers who make operation of the training center pos sible, and upon departure, in dicated he was extremely well pleased with the prog ress of the post. The general, an officer of ex tremely affable personality, ai- The boys o f Company C, 51st Engr. Trng. Bn., are really musically minded. They have their own rived in mid-afternoon Thurs hand to give the company enthusiasm on the march. You will hear them almost anytime somewhere on the post. It may lie in the All-Purpose Kec Hall cheering a basketball team on to victory, or in the day. He came from his head Post Theater at an Orientation program. They are, back row left to right: I’ vts. William E. Kurgeson; quarters, at Fort Douglas, by Harold Kndieott, First Sgt. Henry G. Biggs; Cpi. Wayne S. Havhard and Pvts. Rogers I,. Griffin and , plane to Redmond A ir Base, Harris -I. Gummer. Bottom row: Robert Salesbury, Ralph P. Fulston; Ross Goodbar and Raymond C. where he was greeted by Cot. I.oose. Frank S. Besson, ERTC com mander. Arriving at Post Headquarters he met the staff officers on duty and then made a tour of inspec tion of the immediate area in What do you want your company with Col. Besson. Later friends and relatives to send you in the afternoon he reviewed for Christmas? three battalions of Engineer Most wanted are cigarets, A n amateur show, complete with cash prizes and open trainees and personally present says a survey conducted by Ad to all Camp Abbot military personnel who can sing, dance, ed Good Conduct Medals to th-: vertising Age. Of 500 men in imitate bird calls or come forth with any sort of perform following enlisted men: T/Sgts. Frederick K. Krug- terviewed, 89 per cent requested ance remotely associated with stage presentations, will be R. L. Franklin, Glen cigarets; 87 per cent, socks; 85 held at the Service Club N ew Y e a r’s Eve as one of the high man. Hawkes: S/Sgt. James per cent, wrist watches; 84 per lights of the entertainment program arranged for Camp R. Russo and Sgt. Peter R. Wal cent, shirts and stationery; 83 All types of acts are needed for Training will be suspended ker, ali of Service Company. per cent, pen and pencil sets. the show, Lt. V. G. Henderson, Christmas and War Depart T/Sgt. James A. Butler, S/Sgts. Wo- »n in service first asked P A IN T LIB R A R Y SHELVES Special Service Officer, said. ment employes, except for those Harry I. Randall, William C. *;onery, then for stock Library shelves were being for Abbot d u r i n g Christmas whose work makes them indis- Bohl, Jerome F. Herrman, and linted this week to add to the ings, pen and pencil sets, gloves week, the Special Service pensible, will observe a holiday. Sgt. James C. Cobb, of Supply tractiveness of the reading and hangars, clothes brushes O ffice announced this week. (Continued on Page 5) (Continued on Page 2) and furlough bags. >om in the Service Club. Double acts, skits with larger casts and virtually anything sol diers can work up will bo wel comed. All those wishing to take part in the program are re quested to call the Special Ser vice Office, 'phone Extension 8. Pvt. Seymour Goldston of Ser vice Company will be master of Lt. Col. A. M. Mock, Executive O fficer of Camp Abbot, Eighty-four civilian employes of Camp Abbot were ceremonies. Christmas festivities will get despite his years as a successful engineer in civilian life, presented with blue and silver ribbon bars, in the center of which was the red, white and blue emblem of the Arm y under way Thursday with a always has been interested in military affairs. Mack in Service Forces, at the Post Theater Wednesday morning, Christmas decorating program the days when he was a student at Ohio State University, and were lauded for their loyalty by the E R T C commander. at the Service Club. Open House he was prominent in ROTC circles, serving in his senior The ribbons were em blem atic---------------------------------------------- is scheduled throughout the day year as cadet colonel of the ----------------------------------------------- when he was made a group ex- o f the award for civilian O'Donnell, chief of civilian per- and all soldiers are invited to RO TC unit. Upon his graduation from th-1 ecutive officer. He served in this Service. sonnel, called attention to the take a hand in decorating the university he was commissioned capacity until June, 1942, having “ I consider this a privilege,” fact that those who serve in club and an 18-foot tree. A Christmas Tree party for in the Officers’ Reserve Corps received his majority the pre- said Col. Frank S. Besson, in mufti felt they were doing their brief remarks made just prior part as much as those in uni- children of all personnel on the and did reserve duty regularly ceding February. In June he as- to his handing each civilian the form. He pointed out that while post is scheduled at the club thereafter. In 1933, he served a sumed command of a battalion tour of duty as company com and was made a lieuteant col award recently authorized by the some might suffer inconveni- Sunday. onel a few months later. In De A formal Christmas dance is mander of a CCC unit. \Var Department for employes ences because of the long dist- Col. Mock’s rise in the Army cember he was assigned as as who have completed six months ance from camp to town, it was set for Wednesday night. In ad Of satisfactory service at Camp well to remember that men in dition to being the most gala af has been rapid since he was call sistant S-3, ERTC, where h<; Abbot. Col. Besson was obviously uniform were called to go thou- fair scheduled during the week, ed to active duty in January, served until February, 1943. With the formation of the pleased to present the ribbons as sands of miles from home and the dance will offer members of 1941. At that time he reported at the W AC Company an oppor Fort Belvoir, Virginia, for an in Camp Abbot cadre in February, indicated by the broad smile and put up with many hardships, genial handshake bestowed upon Col. Russell D. Turrill, direct- tunity to blossom forth in civilian structor’s course with the grade 1943, Col. Mock was made execu- of captain. Upon completion of tive officer of the 12th group, each employe as they filed or of personnel, in the role of clothes. Christmas Eve will be devoted the course he served as company serving as such until last month, across the theater stage. master of ceremonies, said the In a speech of acceptance, in awards were made by the War to choral singing. Midnight mass commander at the Fort Belvior when he was named executive (Continued on Page 5) will be read at the Post Chapel. ERTC from March to June, 1941, behalf of the employes, John J .t (Continued on Page 2) Camp Abbot trainees this week were urged to submit ideas and suggestions about the post and training meth ods by Col. Frank S. Besson, E R T C commander. “ I hope to get some valuable ideas about the camp, its opera tion and training,” Col Besson said in an official notice in the Daily Information Bulletin. To encourage trainees, there is an Idea Box in each company orderly room. This box will be opened only by the company commander and will be so open ed each Monday morning, the ERTC commander directed. The company commanders will.then forward the ideas to the com manding officer through group headquarters. Col. Besson pointed out, in an nouncing solicitation of trainee ideas, that officer and non-com missioned officer cadre are free at any time to submit ideas and suggestions about the camp and the training program, but that trainees might feel they do not have such a free opportunity. It is to rectify this impression that the ERTC commander has asked new soldiers to offer suggestions, ifie plan is similar in many re spects to the ideas sought by the commanding officer from civili- and employes that will improve operation of the camp. W hat Soldiers W ant for Xmas 8 4 Civilian Employes Given Service Awards Post to Have Gala Yuletide ERTC Executive Officer Long Military Student