The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1944-02-12
BN FLETCHER r. MARTIN
L. -. War Correspondent

ADVANCED : % u TIL PACIFIC
( BASE VIA ArnaD -- The rains
ere coming Rolling and swelling
lcad-colorcd Clouds gather over a
.cad-colorcd sea. Even now large
Sp.asAcs OF ra.n beat along the
beach Chris Guilory, chef war
! rant officer. gath Infantry. and this
writer were sitting on a log facing
I NE mlcicSS span OF water, talking
/ about the Infantry when the first
drops fell. Chris is the units main
tcnancc officer and chief mechanic.
To fully understand the impor-
lance IL army vehicle maintenance.
ono should SIT on a log and listen
to Chris explain about the unglam-
orous and dirty job Of keeping
trucks running IN order that sup
pics move IN this neck Of the Solo
mons woods q d and learned that
the army. IN addition 10 travelling
on is stomach. must also use heavy
vehicles TO speed along the Mes
sage 10 Garcia"
A little man with greying temples
and a brogue as Southern as a
Georgia ham. Chris Guillory talked
Of his work in the army, and the
department. He explained the job
Of keeping 260 vehicles moving. the
cadres that have been sent out TO
other units, the lack OF automotive
parts -. and wife named Mary
Gulllory waiting for him in CO.
lumbus Ga The way he talked
about maintenance made il clear
that these mechanics are in there
too.
This man represents many thou
sands OF Negroes in the South and |
Pacific who have been |
called on to work, and work hard, |
behind the lines. The work is dirty |
but it makes lot OF things pos
siole. Not stating that they wouldn't
like doing something more direct to
win this war. since 1t has been
deemed that this task they must
do. they're making lot OF Con-
gressional medals possible for SOL
diers a little closer up. Chris is a
tinkerer he thinkers with motors TO
make them turn TO get supplies to
Munda and Bougainville.
AT the present he's Supervising
the construction of a large shop,
! more space for more trucks. Tires
and accessories are being Grated to
keep them from getting lost. The
mechanics have put away pumps,
pliers and wrenches and work with
saws, planes, hammer and nails.
The new home is nearing COM
pletion and Chris is hopping around
like a groom waiting to wisp the
bride over a new threshold.
This maintenance section was or
gained IN 1884 and was placed I'M
der the immediate supervision OF
Chris Guillory, then private first
class. specialist third and a gradu-
ate of the Motor Mechanics section
OF the Tank School of Fort Ben
ming. Ga. In 10 years the section
has grown to maturity and gradu-
ated cadres to engineer, infantry,
and artillery units, and the 92nd di-
vision Lieutenant Robert r. Thorn
as. OF Columbus, Ga, is the present
motor officer. and Lieutenant Hor-
ace II Hayes, OF Berkeley, California,
chief maintenance.
The shop. on completion, will re-
"NsAaSAN q iANSN Sol dSN Will ~ IllC~
chanics all trained. all soldiers. all
dirty. Only three of these were
mechanics in civilian life, but the
army has given them a new voca-
ton. and several have spoken the
desire TO continue once they return
TO the cIvvies
When the infantry force landed
on an island south Of the Solomons,
almost two years ago, Chris Gull
Tory and the men were called on
TO help service vehicles OF the whole
island command. OF. those early
days, General Neal c. Johnson, base
/ commander wrote in part:
commencing Chris Gullory
I FOR lneStimable value in maintain
ing vehicles Of the unit which was
take d;o the limit OF their capaci-
ty. serving in addition the organi-
cation Of which they were a part,
numerous units Of the United States
/ Armed forces al the base
The general recognized the hard
ship vehicles were exposed 10 on
= rc1-cTS --r1cty ard terrain and
spoke o. the 'rcsourcefulness and
( unt.rIrg energy OF Chris Guillory
and his crew rejecting with high
credit 0pon himself" and the men
1 under him