The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1942-04-23
THE LOST CAPTAIN

| ing center-still undlsclosed-
seventeen selective service re-
cruits settled down into the soft,
plush-bottomed pullman chairs
and watched the Fort Bragg post
| gradually disappear from view.
MAGAZINES were passed out to each
soldier, but most of them were
back numbers and quickly tossed
aside.
Before long, the men became
acquainted with each other, con-
versations began, and a rather
revealing discovery was made.
Each of the seventeen had been
recommended for service in the
quartermaster corps. All were
from North Carolina, and as the
respective home towns Of each
were mentioned, that old game of
"Do you know so-in-so?' soon
held sway
One youth from Charlotte and
another from Taylorsville, both
of whom had attended State col
lege, started poker game in the
rear of the car. Another group
exchanged jokes. The rest got
together and discussed their ''fu-
lures"
Destination Revealed
While still speeding across
South Carolina, and shortly before
the porter had fixed our berths,
cur destination was no longer a
military secret. Or if it was, the
news had leaked out.
It seemed that some fellow had
looked over the shoulder of the
captain who was in charge of our
unit, and on a paper containing
our names, Camp Forrest, Tenn,
was written across the top.
What a surprise that was! Or =
by one, we'd guessed nearly ev-
cry army post in the deep south.
But Camp Forrest? We'd never
heard of it.
Morning found us in Atlanta,
Ca, where we breakfasted and
were permitted to visit around
town until II o'clock. I called
up boy whom I used to know
at Chapel Hill, who is now with
the Associated Press, and asked
him if. he would like to see me in
my uniform. He said: ''Nope. I
guess not. If you've seen one
soldier, you've seen 'em ALL"
All men were back at the, rail-
road station well before II o'clock
and learned that their buddies
were being sent to Camp Shelby,
Miss. We, the stalwart II, "a
gain boarded our original car.
Or Was It? ~
When the train chugged out of
Atlanta, most of us figured that
we would be in Tennessee in
practically no time at all. But
no such luck. We dipped down
into Alabama, and were so long
getting out, / began to wonder if
all that talk about Camp Forrest
wasn't just another soldiers ru-
NOR"
Not until the train had pulled
into Chattanooga was I fully con-
WINGED that Tennessee would be
our home for a while. Even the
little captain finally broke down
and confessed that Camp Forrest
was our destination. We were
dismayed, though, when he ad-
mitted knowing absolutely moth
ing about the camp.
The train pulled into Tulla-
homa, Tenn, late that afternoon.
A couple of army trucks were
waiting to transport us to our
new quarters. Our captain climb
ed into the front of one of the
trucks with the intention, appar-
emily, of directing the drivers to
our particular regiment.
Two miles out of Tullahoma
we entered Gate No. l at Camp
Forrest, were checked by the
military police, and permitted to
proceed on our way. First, we
stopped at tank destroyer regi-
ment, but the captain soon dis
covered his mistake and we NOV
ed on. Next stop was at the 108th
medical regiment, but that very
definitely wasn't for us, and so
we again pushed on.
Lost: One Captain
The third and most bitter stop
of all was at the 33rd division
headquarters. There we piled
out of the trucks, snapped to at
tention in a nonchalant sort of
way, and awaited further instruc-
tions.
"Wait here" the captain said.
"I've got to 60 back to Tullahoma,
and I'll be back here in a few
minutes"
With that he climbed into
jeep and headed out of camp,
leaving us standing in one of the
coolest winds ever to penetrate