PAGE TWO THE POST, FRIDAY, JANUARY 21, 1944 THE OUTPOST Where those at home and the men and women in the armed services from the Back Mountain Region—in camps and on the fighting fronts—=keep contact with their fellows throughout the world. FROM FIELDS AFAR On Sardinia and No Heat Dear Editor: When a fellow lets the fire go out because he is so interested in read- ing the paper, it is high time some- one knows about it. It’s the same old story, I've been going to write but didn’t, anyway, I'm doing it now, so that's what counts. The Post has followed me from the East Coast of U. S. to the West Coast and then back again. Now it’s a regular call- er over here. I got my copies while in Africa and it is back on schedul€ here in Sardinia. Last week I met Glenn Loveland here on the island. We are stationed about five miles apart. Sure was good to see someone from our sec- tion of the country. I have been doing some flying with the squad- ron of which Glenn is a member. By the time this reaches you we'll probably have been flying together. Good luck and keep up the fine work of keeping us “Posted” on who's where and what they are doing. Sincerely, Ward S. Yorks, Capt., Somewhere in Sardinia. ® We can understand how a fel- low could keep warm reading Es- quire, but for the life of us, we can’t imagine anything very hot in the Post. Myra has put her foot down on my running any more pic- tures of pin-up girls, but I've got a couple of dandies on the wall above my desk. Thanks for a letter we all enjoyed.—Editor. In The South Pacific Dear Sir: Thank you very much for’ the copy of the Dallas Post which I re- ceived here today. I have been plan- ning to enter a subscription for the ‘ Post, but we have been moving ##ound so mich that I nedgr got around to it. The Post contains just about everything ‘that I am interest: ed in as far as events back home are concerned and that makes it doubly welcome. I've never had the pleasure of meeting you and I don’t know exactly what to talk about but I'll try to tell you something about this place. We're located on the beach of a rather nice island. Cocoanut palm trees grow all over the place and our huts are built under the trees. The huts are screened so as to be as cool as possible, but in spite of the open-air effect, they're plenty warm. Since we're right on the beach, swimming is popular. We are here so there’s nothing to complain about. We have a Barber Shop, Li- brary, Post Exchange and movie. The pictures at the movie change daily and it’s free, so we go almost every night. The natives are very interesting. Native boys work on the reserva- ~ tion. We're doing our best to learn the native language, but as yet we're not doing so well. The natives do our laundry for a nominal fee and their work is excellent. They don’t know much about the way to wash clothes, though. Their method is to lay the clothes on rocks and | town news and where his pals are a V Mail letter since I have been here, but since I received two pa- pers today, I thought I'd better write a long letter letting you know how pleased I was to get them. The both of them were old papers, but I sure did enjoy reading them. The one was published September 17th and the other one October 1st, so you can see that they were old. They were the first ones I got in about three months and I sure read them from cover to cover. I believe I know everything in both of them by heart. I hope I will receive them steadily from now on. I suppose it will take some time for me to get them, since I am so far away. I was thinking for a while that I wasn’t going to get any more. But I and most of the boys know by now that the Post always gets there, even if it is a little late. I would rather have them late than not at all. A person sure can get a lot of home in service and a lot of other impor- tant news out of it. So at this time I want to thank you for sending them and I hope to receive them steadily from now on. Now I will take time and tell you about myself and what we are do- ing. It is very hard to tell much about what we are doing, but I will try my best to give you a lot of ideas. So for myself, I am fine. I was sick with a cold for a while, but I, soon got over it, and I sure was glad of it. There sure have been a, lot of boys having bad colds. I guess the change of climate has been get- ting them. We have had several hikes and I have pulled through’ them O. K. We haven't had much of anything else to do. I have hit K. P. and guard several times since I have been here, but there isn’t anything to them. I love K. P. That is the day a person sure can eat. I don’t think many of the people would know me now, because I am fatter than I was the last time I was home. It must have done me good to come over here. But still there is no place like the Back Mountain region. I will always say that. I have been in a lot of states since I have been in the Army and I will take good old Back Mountain. I suppose most of the boys are in service now. Would you please let me know how many of the boys are in service from the Class of '40? That sure was the top class of Leh- man. If you don’t believe me, ask the rest of them. I guess most of them are in by now. Well, since I can’t think of any more I will close for this time. I hope to receive the Post steadily from now on and thanks a lot again for sending it. Enclosed you will find the Free Posts For Soldiers’ Coupon. I be- lieve a certain girl from Dallas turned one in for me. Guess you know who. Best of regards and luck to every- body. Yours truly, Albert or “Pete” Mekeel, c/o Postmaster, New York, N. Y. beat them with a club, so they don’t last very long. The best part of the laundry deal is the service. We send our laundry out one day and get it back the next day. After the service in the states, this is quite a treat. I noticed in my address that the A. P. O. was wrong. We have a new A. P. O. now, so I would appreciate it if you would change it. Sincerely, Russell Greenwood, Somewhere in the South Pacific, Via V. . .-Mail. ® No formal introduction neces- sary, Rus. “Back Mountain” is the password to anything we've got, and anything you write us. I notice you are with the Finance Disbursing Sec- tion, which sounds like it ought to be a popular job. There are lots of Kingston Township boys out your way. Keep an eye open for them. Your mother gave us your address. Enjoyed your comments on laundry service. Local dry cleaners will promise nothing in less than two to three weeks. That’s how hard the manpower shortage has hit them. Hope to hear from you again soon. —Editor. In England Dear Editor: Well, I thought I'd better write a few lines to you tonight. I sent you © Martha claims the class of 1942 | was better, but I notice she got a | V-mail leter this morning from a | guy stationed in England who was in the class of 1940 and signs his name “Pete”. She appeared thrilled. She'll answer her letter privately, but I'll answer mine here. She'll also include the names of the fellows in service from the class of 1940 in her letter to that other “Pete” and Fla., William Dymond, son of Mr. and Mrs. Oscar Dymond, of Shavertown, was among the selectees accepted for the Army this week. A/C Richard Warner, of Miami, is home on leave to visit his mother, Mrs. Calvin Warner, who is seriously ill. * * * Lt. John S. Rhinehimer, M. C,, has been transferred from Seymour Johnson Field, N. C., to the 76th i for two days. General Hospital, Vancouver, Wash- ington. * ® * Sgt. Darwin Husted returned to Fort Bragg, N. C., after spending a ten-day furlough with relatives in Idetown and his sister, Miss Ruth Husted, at Kingston. * 0% Birthday congratulations to Pvt. Alfred Smith and Cpl. John Ondish from the folks at home. x * William G. Lloyd, F. 1/C, with the U. S. Fleet in the Atlantic, re- turned to duty after visiting his parents, Mr. and Mrs, Harold Lloyd, of West Center street, Shavertown, * * It's Sgt. Davis Now . .. Clifford “Bud” Davis, son of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Davis, of Dallas, has been promoted from corporal to sergeant at Walker Army Air Field, Victoria, Kansas. A graduate of the Air Force Technical school, at Amar- illo, Texas, and Boeing Flying Fort- ress School, at Seattle, Washington, Bud is serving with a bombardment squadron. He is a graduate of Leh- man High School and was employed at Hazard Wire Rope Co., until he enlisted on November 2, 1942. = Lands In England . . . Mrs. Robert J. Pritchard, of Sha- vertown, has received word that her husband, Sgt. Robert Pritchard, has arrived safely in England, where he is serving with a mobile anti- aircraft group. (Continued on Page Six) PUT THESE IN YOUR BIRTHDAY BOOK! We thought you'd like to know the birthdays of the Back Mountain boys in service, so we are printing them here for you. So that you will have plenty of time to get a card and mail it, we will publish the names four weeks in a row previous to the birthday. If you haven’t the address or do not know where to get it, just call Dallas 300 and ask for Martha. whose writing looks very much like that on the letter I received. —Editor. Somewhere In Italy. Dear Mr. Risley: take long after a fellow gets at it, but the thing is to get started. If it hadn't been for my wife, I suppose I would have written sooner, but seeing as she gave you my new address and I still receive the Post (even though it takes a litlte longer to get to me than it did back in the States) I guess I kind of made ex- cuses to myself and put off writing to let you know how much it is ap- preciated. Now my conscience will be more at ease. Even the two fellows I work with, one from Indiana and the other from Minnesota, read it. Newspapers are kind of scarce over here and any news is good news, even though (Continued on Page Three) At long last, here it is. It doesn’t Madara W. Krieger Jan. 21 Harry E. Metzgar Jan. 21 Leon F. Wazeter Jan. 21 Goodwin P. Hilbert Jan. 22 Glenn E. Ehret Jan. 23 Frank R. Klug Jan. 25 Denzil J. Morrett Jan. 25 Harold H. Holcomb Jan. 26 Roy Schultz Jan. 26: G. Wesley Cave Jan. 27 Robert C. Pogar Jan. 28 Loren Fiske Jan. 29 Kenneth P. Jones Jan. 29 George S. Race Jan. 30 William Sayre, Jr. Feb. 3 Richard W. Prynn Feb. 4 Raymond F. Sutton Feb. 4 Carl Misson Feb: 5 George V. Dymond ~~ Feb. 9 Harold L. Brobst Feb. 9 Joseph W. Garrity Feb. 9 James Roberts Feb. 9 James Fehlinger Feb. 3 William P. Oberst Feb. 10 William J. Hill Feb. 11 Alden W. LeGrand Feb. 11 Jay Gould Feb. 12 Donald Mzisson Feb. 12 Jheodore Busch Feb. 14 George Kromelbein ~~ Feb. 14 William E. Simpson ~~ Feb. 15 James L. Campbell Feb. 16 Percy J. Higgins Feb. 16 Allen D. Pritchard Feb. 16 George Yanek Feb. 16 Letter Of The Week My dear Editor: I know you will be interested in learning that your pa- per can be quite a morale builder as well as other things, ‘way out here in the jungles. Yesterday, while on my tour of duty, I picked up a piece of paper lying in the brush and started to read it. read everything we can get our hands on out here.) I no- ticed James Oliver's ad first “Could this be— way out here?” I know Oliver, through my connection with C. I. T. brought back pleasant. memories. Well, I read on; it was only one sheet of paper, and I noticed names I knew as well as places, and what pleasant memories welled up inside of me—I felt close to home for a little while. the name of your paper was obliterated, but the date said September 24, 1943 You will forgive me if I say your name escapes me mo- mentarily, but is it Howard Risley? Myra, and the Smiths and a good many people around Dal- las—Mike Kuchta, the Dairy Owner, (names—my, I'm ter- rible on mames), your amiable plumber—big fellow, Atty. Jurchak and many others and Dallas seems almost like (We thing and said to myself, Corporation, and that ad Incidentally, I know your wife, home, although I've been away from the valley for some Years now. Well, we're doing a job out here, as you can gather from the latest papers. With more ter and get home so much sooner. humming, boy! stuff” we could do even bet- Keep those factories My best wishes to you and my friends for a successful New Year. Regards, Carl J. Kasper, Ist Lt., Somewhere in the South Pacific Editor’s Note: Carl Kasper is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Kasper, of Northampton street, Wilkes-Barre. He has a young son about a year old and is a Lieutenant with the Army Air Corps on New Guinea. Needless to say the editor—and Myra especially were thrilled with this letter, for Carl, you see, was one of the bright spots in her English classes at a A. R. High: School. “That was many years ago’, said the editor. “Oh, not so long ago”, said she. Two Davis Boys With Uncle Sam T/SGT. KENNETH E. DAVIS T/Sgt. Kenneth E. Davis and Pfc. Ted B. Davis, sons of Jennie Baird Davis, of Alderson, are doing their part for Uncle Sam, Ken as a gun- ner in the Air Corps, and Ted with the Field Artillery. Kenneth, who celebrated his 21st birthday on November 2nd, is a graduate of Lake Township High School. He has been in the service one year and three months, and completed radio school at Scott Field, Ill, and gunnery school at Laredo Field, Texas. He arrived in England during September, and PFC. TED. B. DAVIS when last heard from had complet- ed his fifth mission over enemy ter- ritory. Ken says the boys are treat- ed grand and were given a nice din- ner on Thanksgiving Day and had as their guests a number of British children. Their bombers are B-17s | thanks is long overdue. I offer no and certainly beauties. Ted, a graduate of Laketon High School, entered the army on June 26th and was with a Field Artillery Camp After a fifteen-day furlough in October, he was trans- Observation Battalion at Bowie, Texas. ferred to Camp Polk, La. Two Sons In Armed Forces ENSIGN HAROLD W. KOCHER Ensign Harold W. Kocher and Pri- vate Donald Kocher, both sons of Mrs. Laura Kocher and the late Wallace Kocher, of Lehman, have returned to their duties after short leaves with their mother, being called home by the sudden death of their grandfather, Harry B. Hoover. Ensign Harold W. Kocher at- tended Laketon High School, Ches- PRIVATE DONALD KOCHER brough Seminary, North Chili, N. Y., Bloomsburg State Teachers’ Col- lege and, before entering the service, was employed as Junior Merchan- diser by Montgomery Ward and Co., Baltimore. He was Quonset Point, R. I, until September 6th, 1943, when he entered Harvard stationed at | FROM CAMPS AT HOME On New Ship Dear Sir: I guess I'll start the New Year out right by writing to you and thank- ing you for the Post. I received the paper for the week of December 17th and sure was glad to get it. You have been having a pretty hard time keeping up to me with all my moving around. I have another new address now which I should keep for the duration. I hope. I'm on board ship now and hope to stay on for a while anyway. I have been in Texas two weeks now, having left Norfolk two weeks ago today. I sure was glad to get out of there. I am in a little town of Orange, only 65,000 population. The people are very nice to the servicemen. It sure is nice the way they treat you here, compared with Norfolk. They will talk to you and tell of points of interest, amuse- ment centers and things like that. If I would have asked anyone in Norfolk of any place to go, they would have stuck up their nose and walked away. Enough of that. I have been working pretty hard the last two weeks, the hardest since I've been in this outfit. I've been cleaning guns, storing ammu- nition, taking stores aboard, paint- ing and things like that. I'll be glad when everything is aboard and the ship is all set to sail. Someone told me this place had nice sunny days. It has rained every day but two since I've been here. Those two days were really hot ones. The land is level as far as one can see. Around the docks here it is all swamp and mud. I enclose a story of the ship I am on and the officers and crew names. It is rather dirty and wrinkled from carrying it around. I'll sign off now and hope to get the Post agaim soon. Aya Thanks again, Ted Schwartz, c/o Fleet Post Office, New York, N. Y. Ted, we thoroughly enjoyed the program of the commissioning of your ship which you included in your letter. The girls here in the office insist on keeping the ship’s name secret or I'd publish it for all the folks to see. They are worse than the army and navy censors they even cut Texas and the town of Orange out of your letter, but I've put ‘em back in. If those are mili- tary secrets we'll both be hanged. Good luck to you boy, and to your ship which sounds like a dandy. —Editor. te] Down South In Kentucky Dear Mr. Risley: I am afraid that this note of excuse, but I'll try to do better in the future. I know of no fitting way to express my appreciation for re- ceiving the Post other than to say “thanks a million”. It is good to know how and what the folks are i doing back home these days. I look ‘forward to the Post every week, as I'm sure do many other fellows in the service. As for myself, and what I have been doing, I'm afraid that I can’t say much. One thing though, life here on the campus is very much different than it was back in Camp Claiborne, La. I have a poem about Claiborne around somewhere. I'd like to send it to you, but I'm afraid many parts of it would be unprintable. Here is a poem about Texas; I'm sure any fellow who has ever been stationed there will agree with its sentiments. I clipped it out of the school paper here, so it’s not original). Many times since leaving Shaver- town I have wondered where all the old gang are now: Irv, Bud, Frank, Ted, Joe, Jack, Lorey, Bob, Al, Vince, Paul, Ed, Jim, Melvy, Ben, Johnny and all the rest. To many of the folks this may seem like just a list of names, but I'm sure that each of the fellows will know who I mean. { The last few days it has been rather crisp and cool down here in | Lexington. It is just the type of weather that makes a fellow wish that he was back home playing | hockey out on Posten’s or Johnson's pond. Oh well, maybe we'll be able to have some good games next win- ter. Let’s all hope so anyway. When a person starts writing University, where he recently grad- (Continued on Page Four) about the weather, that means that about, doesn’t it? That's just about what I've done. . . . In signing off, I hope all the folks back home had a very Merry Christmas and the happiest of New Years. Thanks again for the Post, it’s really swell. Respectfully, Pfc. Milt J. Evans, Co. C, 1548th S. U., Box 2038, U. of Ky., Lexington, Kentucky. ® Nice to hear from you, Milt. We've been having lots of cold weather so that the snow hasn’t melted for the past three weeks, all of which. has spoiled some of the best skating in years. Just the other day I got a swell new travel booklet on Kentucky from the Motor Club, with many fine pictures of Lexing- ton and the blue grass country. It's one of the many states I've never visited, but one that is going to be a “must” on my list after the war is over. Here's hoping you get a chance to see the historic spots as well as some of the thoroughbreds. —Editor. Married Life Is Great Dear Editor: Well, here goes. I finally got around to dropping you all a line. I will admit that I feel ashamed of myself for not writing to you more often. I receive the Post every week and enjoy it very, very much. I read every word in it from front to back. The weather has been very changeable down here in Norfolk, cold one day and warm the next. I spend most of my time down here with my wife—that is besides working hours. I got married when I was home in September. Married life sure is grand. We have a basketball fount e out at the Depot. As yet our league hasn’t started, bt we hope to<get going right after the first of the yearl I think we will have a very good team. I will let you know how it turns out later. We had a dumdiondhip softball . team at the depot this year. We won the trophy. Our record was thirty-five wins against one loss. Not bad for amateurs, eh! We had some very good players on our team .—Tom Hanley, who played third , | base for the San Rrancisco Seals last year was our individual star. I really wish that you all could see him * field the ball and knock home runs. We also have a great basketball player on our team—Guilbert Streng, who hails from Kingston. He played with the Wilkes-Barre Pro- fessional team. What a player! Do you remember Crossin who played for Luzerne in 1941. Well, he has nothing over this man. What a wow! Well, there isn’t much more to say right now, except to wish you all a very, very happy New Year. Corp. L. E. Williams, U.S. M.C. 352 Princess Anne Road, Norfolk, Va. © When I read your very interest- ing letter, I said to Martha, “Gee, I can’t find an L. E. Williams on our mailing list, where does this boy | come from ?” Martha had all the | dope at her finger tips. “Mr. Risley”, she said, “don’t tell me you don’t know Lem Williams and his twin brother, Harry, sons of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Williams, of Trucksville. i They enlisted in the Marine Corps together on December 9, 1942. Harry's in the Canal Zone and Lem and his wife are in Norfolk and I had a nice letter and card from them at Christmas”. Then it all dawned on me. Of course I know the Williams boys and their folks, too. Good luck to both of you and we'll look forward to more letters soon.—Editor. * Jeronimo Dear Howard: T've just finished reading the Post which arrived in tonight's mail call. It sure was great getting the home news after being without it for sev- eral weeks. I thought I'd drop you a line and thank you because if I don’t do it tonight, I won't be able to for a week or so. I'm jumping into maneuvers to- morrow night or sooner, and promises to be full of excitement. We have actual enemy, and Gen. Arn- old, Gen. Marshall and men from the War Department are due down watch action. It’s been all excite- he has run out of material to write (Continued on Page Three) i here in these parts of the wilds to 3B > uy Ai A R i
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers