The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1943-10-30
Eyewitness Story OF goth Pursuit Squadron In Italy
Detroiter Seeing Action
With Air Force In Italy


is-of the pilots. They belch sizzling
death from their muzzles at a rate
of more than 600 rounds a minute.
A terrific amount OF heat is pro-
duced by this rapid fire: SO great,
in fact. that II the trigger Is de-
pressed for more than a few Sec
onds at time the guns will burn
up and become worthless.
Pilots in combat don't have time
to measure accurately the length
Of burst they give an enemy plane
once they get II in their sights.
Know Their Job
So the ordnance men have a
pretty critical job to do to keep
the guns in these planes function
ing perfectly all the time. 1t is
an inspiring sight to see them put
these intricate weapons on table
quickly strip them down to small
parts. nuts. and screws. then re-
pair or replace defective ones and
as quickly reasonable the guns.
An imperfectly manufactured or
assembled shell can foul . gun
which might make the difference
between life and death in combat.
To eliminate such imperfect am
munition, the ordnance men must
re-examine each shell and the link
ing mechanism before Il Is passed
on TO the armament section for load
Ing In the guns.
This precaution Is taken because
the most conscientious inspection
at the place OF manufacture. or at
the overseas supply dump will fire.
quently fail to recognize and dis
card a defective she'll.
Handling or Bombs
Their work also brings the ord
nance men into intimate relation
ship with $50 and 500 pound bombs
which they handle with an indif-
ference not shared by war photo
grapher taking pictures OF these
operations.
Through knowledge not common
10 war correspondents. they know
that the most destructive bomb is
harmless until its detonation in
struments have been installed and
set. They. therefore. have COM
placency in tossing these bombs
around that is a little bit frighten-
ing 10 most other individuals.
Most of the men in this section
were members Of the 9th Ord
nance Training Battalion at Aber-
deem Proving Ground, Maryland
II Was the first time that Negroes
in the armed services were given
training at Aberdeen. where the
Army teaches Its ordnance men.
They started in 1871.
Only S Ordnance Officers
Today. the officers and enlisted
men who have finished Aberdeen
are all over the world. doing their
bit on every active front Two OF
these arc Lieutenants Currie and
Freeman. They are two Of the only
five Negroes to finish the aviation
ordnance course in the officer can.
didatc school at Aberdeen.
Blazing the trail with It. Free
man were Capt. Jacob Wood. one
time Chicago policeman. and 1t
Frank Carter Of Norfolk. Va.
After that only two others. AT
least through 1912 were commits
stoned in aviation ordnance (Which
mus, be distinguished from artil-
lery. infantry. or naval ordnance
They were 1t Currie and Tt Oslo
r. Walker. also of Los Angeles.
Does Double Duty
In addition 10 his WORK in the
ordnance section. 1t Currie has
also found time 10 run the Squad
ron's PIX post exchangel, where
cigare;s. candy. and toilet articles
are sold and 10 assist the special
services officer. lst 1t Henry NJ.
Letcher Of Washington. DC. twho
has been promoted to executive Of
iiccr)
When Currie finished high school
in Denver. Colo. in 1892. he was
abnormally little His dad thought
he ought 10 take some time 10 get
some size on him to augment his
TITLE los p,,as21s.lJ NJ l'
So he spent the next four years
trying 10 pick up some weight. one
and a half Of them I'm CCC camp in
California. where he then had gone
10 live.
Able Athlete
In the fall " 1895 he entered
Los Angeles City college and. al
though weighing only lbs TO 1875
pounds while there. he won six
letters in football, basketball. and
track In 1886 the football team.
on which he was the midget ball
CARRYING halfback. won the South
ern California junior college cham
pionship.
That winter ne was forward on
the basketball team which dupli-
Gated the honor. On the track team
his speciality was broad jumping
Currie also was a member Of the
colleges intramural league board.
He had started OF in business
administration with a minor in ply
steal education. But the result OF
his participation in athletics was a
change over To the physical educa-
ton course
Wanted To Fly
After a summer and one semes-
ter at the University Of Southern
California. Currie entered the Uni
versi;y OF California at Los An