The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1941-07-10
News From
CAMP HAM

Camp Ham, Calif.-Minnesota
soldiers in the 216th Coast Artil-
lery at Camp HAN are getting a
post-Fourth Of July fireworks cele-
bration-10 days Of it in the Mo-
jave desert.
Flashes from three-inch and
smaller caliber anti-aircraft wea-
pons will take the place Of fire
crackers at the desert firing range
as the men take their turn at fir
ing practice.
The Minnesotans will bivouac in
a tent camp with facilities similar
to that Of Camp HAN, and will
leave from there each day in trucks
for the various firing ranges on
the desert. Although the desert
heat is nearing its peak, adequate
water facilities for bathing are
provided from wells sunk in the
desert.
After firing allotted rounds of
rifle ammunition, the men will turn
to firing the bigger anti-aircraft
weapons. Searchlights will be us
ed to supplement the guns in night
firing. Airplanes from March Field
will tow targets for the bigger
guns.
Sgt. Kenny Kuefler
Last Saturday afternoon the per-
sonnet of Camp HAN saw the big
est and best show that has ever
come here. At 200 in the after
noon most all the men Of camp be-
gan marching out to the huge
stage which had been built on the
side Of hill forming sort of a
bowl like. Everyone was there and
when about six or seven thousand
persons get together in a bunch
1t Is quite a crowd. That's how
it was out there. The feature of
the show was Kay Kyser and his
orchestra and they are good. They
opened the show with the song
"San Antonio Rose" and things
started off in fine shape. He play
ed three or four times and then
introduced his lovely songstress,
Jenny Simms, who sang along with
handsome Harry Rabbit and those
who could really sing. They ap-
peared on the program at regular
intervals and were appreciated by
their audience. Then next on the
program they introduced charming
Carol Sands and while she was
out there they shot a scene of the
show Cadet Girl" a show which
is now in the making. The boys
went for her in a big way and she
gave out quite few autographs.
Linda Darnell also appeared so you
see the boys were really seeing
their share of the Hollywood stars
that afternoon. Kay Francis did
love scene with Kay Kyser and
the act in itself was a scream. The
latter part of the program was TAX
en- up by session Of the "Kollege
of Musical knowledge" Six names
were drawn from a big bowl and
the six lucky contestants went up
on the stage where they were well
coined by two beautiful girls. They
kept pouring questions to them and
the winner was finally picked out.
He received a five dollar bill for
his reward and the runner-up only
got three sheets of Uncle Sans
lettuce. Then about the last fiji
teen minutes of the program an
other famous movie actress appear
ed on the stage and she was none
other than Marlene DIETRICH who
1xyoC GO wall orvI,,AoJ ,~l Gu 1xvoIl
liked that General Colladay COM
missioned her an Honorary second
Lieutenant of Camp HAN, which
is quite an honor. But also in the
course Of the program was a sing
ing star by the name of Judy Can
ova and she was about the biggest
hit of the day I should say because
she had to sing four songs before
the boys would let her go. But
all in all it was a swell program
and was well worth the two mile
walk up and back.
The United Service Organization
in California is doing neat things
for the boys already. Last Sunday
the whole Of Camp Ham was in
vited to attend a program in the
Hollywood Bowl. Needless to say
everyone was thrilled at the pros
pect Of going to the Bowl and
everyone clamored to go along, but
few had to stay in camp on those
certain details that had to be TAX
en- care Of. So about half past
two on Sunday afternoon the first
serial Of the four serial convoy de-
parted from Camp Ham. Each
serial consisted of about 1900 men
and approximately 1875 vehicles so
you can imagine how big the con-
voy was, and on top of it we had
to go through the heavy Sunday
traffic. The 217th CA (AA) were
the fourth serial so we didn't leave
camp until about $3.50 and then we
began to pull out. The traffic by
the main gate of camp had JAM
med up so much because of the
preceding conveys that there were
cars jammed up for miles along
the road. But the convoy didn't
stop because we had a police es-
cort from the California Highway
Patrol and those boys really knew
how to handle traffic. They took
us through some of the tightest