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Reminiscence of My Service During World War Ii

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Reminiscence of My Service During World War Ii REMINISCENCE OF MY SERVICE DURING WORLD WAR II BY JAMES DRUMMOND BOZEMAN, MONTANA DECEMBER, 2001 Copyright © 2001 [James Drummond]. All Rights Reserved. Cover Picture ( left to right ) Pilot 1st Lt. James Drummond Co – Pilot 2nd Lt. Leonard J. Poskett Bombardier 2nd Lt. Thomas R. Bacon Navigator 2nd Lt. Hyman Abrams Engineer S/ Sgt. Joseph N. Herrick Assistant Engineer and Top Turret Gunner Sgt. William D. Morris Armorer and Ball Turret Gunner Sgt. Laurel F. Clemans Assistant Radio Operator and Nose Turret Gunner Thomas J. Mawhinney Tail Turret Gunner William M. Sturgill Radio Operator S/ Sgt. Roy L. King Contents Page number Induction ---- Fort Douglas, Salt Lake City, Utah 1 Infantry training ---- Camp Roberts, Paso Robles, California 3 Cadet Classification ---- San Antonio, Texas 13 Army Air Corps, Pre-flight ---- Kelly Field, San Antonio, Texas 15 Primary Flight Training ---- Grider Field, Pine Bluff, Arkansas 21 Basic Flight Training ---- Coffeyville Army Air Field, Coffeyville, Kansas 31 Advanced Twin Engine Training ---- Altus Army Air Field, Altus, Oklahoma 39 First Pilot Four Engine Training ---- Tarrant Army Air Field, Fort Worth, Texas 48 Combat Crew Training Center ---- Peterson Field, Colorado Springs, Colorado 55 Overseas Port of Embarkation ---- Morrison Field, West Palm Beach, Florida 59 Morrison Field to Tunis, Tunisia --- to Cerignola, Italy 78 Waging War with the 484th Bomb Group ---- 15th Air Force 82 My Diary ---- Bombing Missions 90 Airfield Ground Casualties ---- 484th Bomb Group 111 Certificate of my Bombing Mission Targets ---- 113 The 15th Air Force in the Mediterranean ---- 117 Replacement Depot # 7 ---- Naples, Italy 128 Camp Patrick, Virginia to Santa Ana, California 129 The" MEN BEHIND THE TRIGGERS" ---- Harlingen, Texas 131 Instrument Flight Instructor ---- Lubbock, Texas 134 Commendations ---- 139 Air Force Reserve ---- 151 My World War II Orders ---- 167 "So You Are Tired Of War" ---- 235 The Home Front ---- 241 Family Servicemen ---- 243 A Special Ride on Last Flying B-24 Bomber ---- 252 i It was not an easy thing for me to leave a Montana sheep ranch and the security of a small rural community to enter the awesome task of joining millions of other "GI Joe's" fighting to preserve our American heritage and the freedoms we enjoy. Serving in the Armed Forces during World War II was one of the greatest things that ever happened to me and, like so many others, we grew up before our time. Training for the job was rigorous and demanding and where we learned discipline and responsibility. We soon learned that our tasks were easier to accomplish when we all worked together and shared the load. Everyone, in the Armed Services and at home, witnessed each day the ravages of dictatorships and the loss of individual rights and freedom in those countries that were out to conquer the rest of the world. Serving in the Armed Service has given me a greater appreciation for the basic principles on which our country was founded. My reminiscences include, not only my personal experiences, but also a collection of pictures, clippings and reproductions of printed articles and handouts that I acquired during my time in the service. I also included copies of most of the assignment orders that were issued transferring me from base to base and other military duties and activities. The orders document the names of servicemen from across the nation of as well as Montana servicemen assigned to the same activity. Many of my friends have suggested that this collection of material was worthy of preserving in an organized fashion, at least for my family. My brother, David Drummond completed his tour of duty as a B-24 pilot in the Pacific Theater with the 7th Air force. My brother Tom served as Wing Administrative Inspector with the 3rd Bomb Wing in Korea. My wife Betty's brother, Jim Watson, served as a Navigator aboard a B-29 in the Pacific Theater with the 21st Bomb Group, 497 Bomb Group 20th Air Force and was Killed in Action. Betty's brother George also served in the Air Corps and was stationed in the United States. Enjoy my efforts and I hope that this document of the procedures and records accumulated during my service time will give you a better understanding of my daily life as I ventured my way through World War II. Jim Drummond December, 2001 ii Reminiscence of my Service during World War II BY JAMES DRUMMOND Induction - Fort Douglas, Utah Most of us leaving Montana State College at the end of Spring Quarter in June of 1942 knew we would not likely return in the fall. I had just completed my sophomore year in Agriculture and completed the required two years of training with the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC). Every male was required to register with the Selective Service when they reached the age of twenty – one. My 21st birthday was in February of 1942 and I was registered in Deer Lodge County. I returned home to the ranch near Galen at the end of the quarter, about the 20th of June, and decided that I had better enlist in a branch of the service of my choice. I seriously thought of joining the Army Air Corps because I enjoyed mechanical work and thought it would be fun to work and travel with the big birds. I don’t recall what I did about those thoughts. I had a low selective service number and I knew my time was growing short before being drafted. I applied for admission to the Marine Corps that was promoting a great career and training opportunities. I also thought they had fancy looking dress uniforms. I did not pass the physical after reporting to the Marine recruiting station because of a low foot arch that was classed as a flat foot. This was news to my folks and me. I was quite disappointed that I was not accepted but now realize that it was probably a stroke of luck for me. My Draft Notice came the first week in July directing me to report to the Montana Induction Station in Butte for my physical on the 9th of July. I reported to Butte on the morning of the 9th and by afternoon had passed the physical (flat feet and all), taken the oath to defend our country and was inducted into the army. Before the new inductees were sent home that afternoon we were released from active duty and assigned to the Enlisted Reserve Corps at Anaconda. We were also handed orders that effective July 22, 1942 we were to proceed by train from Anaconda to Fort Douglas, Utah where we were to report to the Commanding Officer. I joined our contingent in Butte on the 21st and, after an overnight train ride on the Union Pacific to Salt Lake City, and were met at the train by several non- - commissioned officers and escorted to the reception center. We were at Fort Douglas four or five days where we were outfitted with our uniforms, a World War I steel helmet, and our khaki all wool blankets and other gear. This was followed with another physical examination, shots and vaccinations. Paper work was filled out for power of attorney, wills, next of kin, G. I. Insurance, personal history and many other necessary forms. My worries and concerns of Army induction were eased when Dan Mizner met me on the street. Dan and I had been in high school in Deer Lodge at the same time and were College students at MSC. It was a great feeling to find someone I knew and could visit with in the hustle and bustle of a very active army staging camp. 1 2 During the various interviews I was asked me what I would like to do in the army. I have concluded that was a standard army question to ask what you would like to do, where you would like to be stationed then place you as remotely away from the answer as possible. My answer was I would like to get into the Army Air Corps. I was sent to a non- commissioned officer who called me into his office and asked if I would like to work on the China Clipper. The China Clipper was the name of a large seaplane so I was quite thrilled to have been asked and responded quite positively. He escorted me over to the mess hall and proceeded to explain that I was to operate the dishwasher, commonly referred to as the china clipper, and assigned me to K.P. (kitchen police) duty for the next day. My first big assignment wasn’t too successful for the Army because one of the pressure water pipes into the dish washing machine blew off the “china clipper” and water ran everywhere. The kitchen crew shut the water off and swamped the place out while I finished my shift doing dishes in a big sink. Infantry Training - Camp Roberts, California Individuals from our contingent were shipped out of Fort Douglas to a number of different army installations across the country for basic training. I was shipped out of Salt Lake with a small group of recruits on a Union Pacific passenger train heading West. We were not told our destination and every time the train pulled into a station we wondered if it was our stop. A colored recruit sitting near me was handed orders to debark at Oakland, California where he was to attend a cooking school. Most of us from Salt Lake continued on to Camp Roberts near Paso Robles, California for basic training in an infantry unit. Camp Roberts, California - 1942 3 4 In 1940 The U.
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