Jackson advocate. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1939-current, 1943-12-25

Glance TOWARDS Tie IO1 tilCdooOi''
section and look for the name
ASSAM. The territory surrounding
the Assam Burma border has be-
come familiar country to thousands
of Brown American soldiers. BY
far the greater number located in
this general vicinity is engaged in
the construction of this 'Road to
Tokyo" as the route was dubbed
by the first contingent of troops to
begin work.
The allegations of TIME maya
zine (Oct. I'D to the contrary
Notwithstanding, it was not the
engineer unit that had built air
bases in Canada which played the
role of advance party on this great
project. In December, 1912, when
work was begun on this Assam
Burma route, the first two units
assigned to the project arrived.
They were Negro engineers and
they "sweated 1t out" to use army
parlance, along with Chinese and
Indian engineer troops until March,
when. other troops assigned to the
project began to arrive. At this
writing, approximately thre e
fourths of the troops engaged In
the actual construction of the road
are Negroes. Far out in front, on
the coveted point" of the road
is the present advanced contingent,
group out of famed colored unit
formerly stationed in Florida. They
are now in such an inaccessible Sec
ton of country that almost all OF
their supplies are dropped to them
by air. They are performing more
than creditably, as they have dur
ing the entire year, and are In
spring the admiration of all as
they cut their way relentlessly to-
wards Japanese-controlled territory.
TASK DEVOID OF GLAMOUR
Building a road, on the surface,
appears to be prosaic task, de-
void as it is of the glamour and
violent drama that are part OF
combat assignments. But though
this has not been the super-hurnan
achievement which correspondents
strive to make of every accomplish
ment of soldiers overseas, it has
been no simple road building job
It has called for the application OF
liberal doses of very human skills
and capabilities backed by persis-
tence and quits.
The route over which the road
winds itself goes over some OF the
most difficult terrain imaginable
The country is all mountainous
and 1t receives, according to some
authorities, the heaviest rainfall In
the world. Added to this, during
the early days of the task, were
the difficulties imposed by shortages
of supplies and equipment here at
the end of the line," logistically
speaking. This has been no CLAM
our-boy job, and it has certainly
noJ been a push over.
Building this road has meant
literally, the leveling of mountains
the moving of millions of tons OF
earth. 1t has meant Sloshing around
in veritable seas of mud for weeks
on end, weeks during which it was
all but impossible to remain dry
over half a day at the time. 1t has
meant cropping around in ever-pre-
sent clouds of dust during the dry
spells. 1t has meant steaming In
the humid monsoon heat and bak-
ing under merciless tropical sun
1t has meant a ceaseless and often
unsuccessful struggle to avoid con-
tracing one Of the numerous tropi-
cal diseases which plague us here
malaria, dongue, dystentery, and
the dreaded black water fever
among others.
MIRACLES PULLED
It has meant the pulling of minor
miracles by maintenance crews In
order TO keep the heavy equipment
in operation in a situation where 1t
has been difficult and often impos-
sible to procure requirements fCr
outworn parts. It has meant a
consistent, struggle against rain
swollen streams tn get necessary
bridges built and 70 keep those
completed from being washed away
It has meant almost forgetting, for
weeks, that such a word as recrea-
ton existed. It has meant contend
ing continually with landslides
cave-ins, and washouts. Take ii
from the men who have worked on
it for a year, this road has been
no push-over.
Nor has this gigantic project teer
carried out without it's toll OF
heroes. 'lns'hg and undccorateL
though they be.
There was Pfc. Herbert L. Simn1s
from Wilson, N. c., who lost his
life. though not his fight to keep q
bridge from being washed away
when he slipped into the swirling
waters of swollen mountain
stream while attempting to clear
away the debris which was threat
ening to undermine one Of the
piers of the bridge. And Albert
Allen. technician fifth grade. from
New York City, who, unmindful Of
personal danger. attempted to res.