The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1943-11-29

fun talking about their JOBS. Ihey
are as proud of the number of
miles piloted per day as other
Yanks are of the number of Japs
killed, or the number of planes
they have shot down Early in the
morning we reached the end of
the first run. I had breakfast and
slept most of The day The same
afternoon I started out over the
worst part of the roao, the section
that crosses the mountains.
This road Is a remarkable bit
Of Ingenuity When U. S. Army en-
gineers took over this road, all
they had to work with was a hand
full of natives ana a few spades.
And when you consider the cliffs
and sides of the mountains spann-
ed by the road, MTS drivers are to
be commended for their cool driv-
ing ability.
Coming Up we passed a convoy Of
empties returning to the gulf. Pfc.
Leonard Snyder, of Akron, Ohio,
in whose truck I was riding stuck
his read back in the cab when they
had passed and laughed. II think
1 must know every guy in the
Army" he said.
After coming aoWn the other side
of the biggest hump Big Bertha"
so named by the soldiers, where
I experienced a bi. Of hair-breath
navigation, we rolled into another
way station MTS. Eere we rested
and ate while ordnance men took
care of the trucks and made them
ready for the next run.
1 was amused when Cpl. Peter
j. Macdonald Of Rochester, N. j.,
acting mess sergeant, took out his
false teeth and scal ed the annoy
ing natives away from the mess
hall.
After all trucks haG been attend
ed to, we were OF. our way again.
Convoy Commander First Lie
tenant William Bishop Of Birming-
ham, Alabama, was kept quite
busy keeping the convoy in order.
TIL ere were considerably few
wrecks, and the lacl: of accidents
were unusual for the average run
over the mountains.
We were warned by military po-
lice, who had been advised by a
troupe of Persian soldiers, that
band of Arabs had gone beserk up
the road and had already commit
ted a raid on a small village of
Persians. I took out .38 revolv-
err, which had been loaned to me
for such occasions. and in my
other hand. I held a spotlight.
The driver placed hi. rifle within
easy reach. making sure of his
ammunition We passed through
with itchy fingers. but no trouble
was experienced with these roam
ing badits, who gave conveys more
trouble than the Germans.
On the other side Of the noun
tains the temperature begins to
drop and it becomes quite cool. The
natives grow corn, and a few to-
matoes and cucumbers are to be
seen. We ate water melon, which
tasted pretty good to me. Four of
us ate two dozen eggs, which we
bought from the natives. They cost
us about sc cents.
The Army Transport Service has
taught a number OF natives to drive
trucks and has given them jobs
driving supplies across the route
to Kazvin. These natives under
stand nothing of the law of CRAWL
tation or traction. They do not
understand that upon approaching
a curve at the bottom of a down.
grade, that they must slow down
in order to keep from driving off
the mountain-side to the rocks
below.
One native boy was killed in this
manner. When his body was identi-
fled the family Immediately began
to moan and cry and some began
torturing themselves by beating
their heads upon the rocks. They
took the boys body back into the
nils to their village. I accompan-
led this procession with a few
army officers.
Upon arrival, the local undertake
er, Or embalmer, whichever he
prefers to call himself, first wash
60 the body with clear water, then
With three other solutions, one of
which was sweet-smelling liquid,
perfumed with the scent of dates.
During this time the father of
the boy is standing over his head,
apparently talking to him. This is
what ne is saying, according to an
interpreter: "You were my son.
You have long been good SON.
You went to the American school
and learned to drive, so you could
bring me money. Now, that you
yry1,r L.