The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1944-02-26
Negro Infantry And Antiaircraft
Units Plentiful In South Pacific
BY FLETCHER p. MARTIN
.; .. War correspondent)


lHsprsssntins the Michigan Chronicle and
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES ProhibitedI
ADVANCE BASE, SOUTH PA
CIFIC Via Courier) trip was
no different. Dark clouds drenched
the ocean. The ocean drenched the
ship. South winds grew stronger
and the towering mast reeled
drunkedly. The bow and stern
threatened to dip under the foam
ing water. The stomach threat
ened to secede. During the might
the ship resembled black shadow
as she periously moved to the
northern destination. We were in
squall. Dishes ratified as the
ship rolled. The diesel churned
increasingly.
Showing off from the jaggered
shore of Guadalcanal we rounded
the point and headed for the open
sea. That was the first afternoon.
Mid-morning of the second day we
passed the spot where the allies
had lost four ships during the
Guadalcanal landings. An enemy
task force had picked them off
one at time. The indigo blue
water rippied, underneath were
these battered craft and dead crews
1t gave one a feeling hardly de-
scribable.
Under Four Bombardments
The ships executive officer said
he was from Maine and had been
under aerial bombardment four
times. The last time an armor
piercing buster had dropped 100
yards off the stern. II was best TO
keep life jacket handy. We have
been lucky he said. But after a
time one gets so one doesn't care,
he added. There is so little time
any way you look al il.
We reached our destination. the
New Georgia group. The islands
were no different from any in the
South Pacific Damp. musty. lone
ly. Maybe il was the constant rains
that gave the feeling Of lonesome
ness. Soldiers seemingly moved
without aim around the dock. The
islands were like huge mountains
springing out Of the sea. Noun
tains of coral and snake-root trees.
We disembarked and boarded a
barge crammed with trucks and
bombs. The sea was rough but
the pilot said the trucks wouldn't
roll Off ! found a camp OF Negro
infantry, A jeep was waiting when
our barge pushed ashore and we
made our way along coral road
10 the infantry. The driver re-
marked something about the rain
and hot coffee waiting. Military
policemen patrolled the highway TO
dissuade speeding.
Rains Continued
For two days and nights now the
rain has refused 10 quit-evcn for
an hour. The bsrges stop running
T. II. Brooks chaplain from Sanford.
North Carolina) has had 10 recn-
force our tent.
This is the South Pacific II is
the worst OF places: il is the best
Of places. At the present II is n
sacred haven for everything that
stinks The Shiny little lizards
crawling around the screen. the
unrelenting hum Of thousands OF
insects, the basking crocodiles. the
smelly pees-and the downpour.
The camp site here. was told
was once thick jungles. These men,
not unlike the pioneer OF another
era. have had 10 chop trees and
build roads 10 make habitable a
site even the natives ignored. Their
tents cover a wide area and nightly
the acres arc guarded by lone
srnufrs. who IKE the ship. resem-
BILE ghosts in the night.
Negro Units Guarded
Across the channel are allied air.
fields. Long runways guarded BY
Negro anti-aircraft units. The col
ored infantry at the present works
the docks. In the event that Munda
Is placed under an emergency
again. these men can work as well
as fight Bombings from enemy
aircraft are not as heavy now as