The Mississippi enterprise. (Jackson, Miss.) 1938-current, 1943-04-24
Ammunition
Companies Train
At QUITO.
BY S/Sgt. Allen Franklin

panies of Negro troops have made
their appearance to start basic and
technical training. The new ord
nancemen will become specialists
in ammunition. They hail from al
parts of the United States
Long recognized as fine soldier.
the American Negro excells in close
order drill and much keen com
petition is looked for in the neal
future between the companies.
The various company rosters reac
like a regular who's Who" from
all walks of life. There are profess
sional boxers, football players, bas-
ketball stars. singers, musicians
lawyers, doctors and students from
several colleges.
To make finished soldier out
Of the men in the least possible time
group of cadremen from the Alb
erdeen Proving Grounds in Mary
land were sent here to- instruct in
all military fundamentals.
Heading the list of cadremen is
First Sergeant Earl Davis of Win
ston-Salem, North Carolina who
barks out his orders with the clar-
ity of the real trooper he is. Along
with Davis are three old-timers who
have served for many years in all
parts of the world.
Corporal Edward Johnson. So. en-
listed in the 25th Infantry back in
1912 and was sent to Honolulu. lat
er he was assigned to a camp in
Nogales, Arizona. He saw service on
the Mexican border during 1916 and
throughout the first World War he
was in France in an Ammunition
Supply Company. After the war he
rejoined his old Infantry outfit and
was for years in the cadre school
at Ft. Riley, Kansas, he was trans
ferred to the school in Aberdeen in
194l. Cpl. Johnson is married and
his wife makes hor home in Ok
ford, North Carolina.
Sergeant Levin Folks, SO, was
drafted in 1918 and has been in the
Army ever since. His first outfit
was the 813th Pioneer Infantry and
he was in France for over a year
with them under constant fire. At
ter the war he was transferred to
the 25th Infantry and was station
ed at Nogales, Arizona. Later he
transferred to the hard-rid1ng 9th
Cavalry and for five years was sta
toned in an outlying post in the
Philippines. Transferring to the 10th
Cavalry he was sent to Fort HUGH
ush, New Mexico and remained
there till 1941 when he was sent to
school in Aberdeen, Md.
Sergeant c. H. Boyd, 48, enlisted
in the regular army 81 years ago
and was attached to the oath In
fantry. He saw service in the heart
of Mexico with General John ].
Pershing and after the World War
was stationed at Fort Sam Houston,
San Antonio for many years. He
transferred to the Artillery and was
sent to TT. Sill, later he went to
the 9th Cavalry at TT Riley, Ken.
Perhaps the next most colorful
and prominent soldier to be sta
toned for training at the Ordnance
Unit Training Center is Private
Robert S. Williams of Providence.
Rhode Island. Pvt. Williams of the
643rd spent z years with the Hall
johnson choir just prior to induction
in Uncle Sans army. This exper-
fence was used in organizing and
rehearsing the choir which sang at
chapel services for this battalion
last Sunday morning. Williams also
sang for three years with the Eva
Jessye choir and travelled with
them all over the United States and
parts of Canada. He had planned to
tour Australia with the Hall john
son choir but was prevented by the
war. Playing the part of Crown in
"Porgy and Bess'', he appeared on
the stage in New York and Los An
geles. While in Los Angeles he also
appeared in Run Little Chillun,"
and directed the Federal Choristers,
male choir of postal workers.
Many of the companies in this
battalion have enough talent to
have a small swing band of their
own: William Hackett, alto sax; JAS
Calhoun, trumpet; Eugene Kirksey,
trombone; Cpl. Mckenzie Washing
ton, piano; Most Reed, drums: Nose
Reed also dances as does Charles
Lilly; Elmer Gale SINCE. Clarence
Graves, trumpet; John Broadnax,
drums; Lavell Greene, sax; Darius
piano; Francis Washington,
Continued on page two)