The Mississippi enterprise. (Jackson, Miss.) 1938-current, 1943-08-14

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geant Thomas Bell, Philadelphia
Pennsylvania. Before his induc-
ton, Sergeant Bell was first class
mechanic and, using his knowledge,
he advanced rapidly in the Army.
Since his assignment to the Air
Force Base, he has done an excel
lent job of keeping his trucks in
good running condition.
Sergeant Bells assistant is Tech
nician Fifth Grade Hester Bryant,
Ocilla, Georgia. He, the sergeant
and other mechanics use a grease
rack built from empty gas drums
logs and coral; work shop made
of logs and canvan truck tops, and
truck-mounted machine shop with
toll chests built of empty bins, the
tops of which are used for work
benches.
Another piece of company inge-
nuity is that of the Impoverished
showers filled by makeshift water
trucks. The water tank is 21a
ton truck and the water is pumped
by small gasoline engine to one
time gasoline drums, mounted on
a platform underneath which are
shower heads. Driver of the wa
ter truck is Private Theodore Jen-
kins, Merigold, Mississippi.
A shortage of lundry facilities on
the island has caused the company
to set up its own washing ma
chine" The machine" is com
posed of four-cylinder motor, a
barrel, two pulleys and one far
belt connecting the two pulleys. II
is by methods like this that the
company keeps clean.
Company Personnel
l
Among the commissioned Of
ficers with company responsibilities
are: Vehicle inspectors, Staff Ser
geant Harvey King, Sewickley, and
Sergeant Norflet Bailey, Philadel-
phia, Pennsylvania; motor clerk
Corporal Arthur Brandon, Nash
vile, Tennessee, company clerk,
Milton Hamilton, Altoona, Penn
sylvania. Company First Sergeant
is Edward L. Hall of Brownsville,
Pennsylvania. Company dispatcher
is Corporal Leroy Harris. Clayton,
Alabama. No truck ever leaves the
motor pool without an O. K. from
him. He is responsible for the
! whereabouts of each vehicle and
its condition, and knows exactly
where each truck is at all times.
He also keeps complete record of
each truck, noting when it was last
serviced, adjustments and repairs
made, etc. He has his own tent.
which is filled with various tools
to be checked out to the mechan-
les. Another dispatcher is Corpo-
raj Robert Hughley, Cleveland,
Ohio.
Every driver has his own truck
and it is expected that he will care
for it as he would his own per-
sonal property. A driver is re-
sponsible for all first echelon"
work such as fixing flats, checking
gas and oil and body squak. He
reports other defects to the dis
patcher who in turn, reports them
to the Motor Sergeant.
A mosquito-net and canvas tent
houses the company orderly room
from whence comes all the admin
istration work Here Lieutenant
Condo and his staff operate and it
is from here that Sergeant Bell
and Dispatcher, Corporal Harris get
their instructions. The administra-
tive company clerk, Sergeant Alva-
rez Browne, is Washington, D. c.
man.
Company Mess
Last, but far from least in the
story of the life and times of this
company, is an account of the COM
pany mess. Headed by Staff Ser
geant Eugene Alexander, South
vile, Pennsylvania, the mess en-
ploys three cooks, Sergeant Harry
Wise, Bishopville, North Carolina;
Private First Class Clarence Reeves,
Bristol, Virginia, and Corporal Joe
Withers, Milburn, West Virginia.
Private First Glass Reuben Will
liams, Monroe, Louisiana, is dining
room orderly. Before coming into
the Army, Private Williams was
employed by the Southern Pacific
Railroad. When fresh meat, rare
on the island, is to be found, they
are. the boys to find it and cook
it to the company's taste, and a
little meat goes long way to
keeping up morale.