Evening star., 1944-02-18
Model Town Set Up|
By Navy Specialists
On Captured Jap |s|e|
BY MORRIS MARKEY.

ATOLL IN THE MARSHALLs
Feb. 3 (NANA) Delayed. - Not
even the thunderous spectacle OF
the battle itself was 50 fascinating
as the scenes I have watched unfold
here during the last five days. l
wanted to know what the United
States forces do with a piece of
earth which its cannon, planes,
rife bullets and tanks wrested from
the enemy.
After watching in the dust and
brilliant heat of the day and be-
meath q thousand arc lights during
the night as a multitude of men
labored necessarily building useful
ness from total ruin, I can say this !:
These men are fighting and dying
bravely, winning battles, and they
possess all the universal human
characteristics.
But the building expertly and
with magic swiftness over the
wreckage Of battles and the winning
OF these battles are stunning ex-
amples Of purely American genius.
Seabees Convert Island.
The conversion of these islands
into advance air and sea bases is
IN the hands of a new, very special
group OF experts assembled by the
Navy. You have heard of the Sea-
bees. OF course. They are here,
leveling away the torn ground with
huge machines, clearing away the
sand and rubbie OF battle and re-
storing the face OF the earth so
that things may be built upon it.
But there is another group OF
specialists; In a sense, an extension
of the Seabee idea. 1t comprises
onicers who were particularly
trained in civilian life in a score
OF crafts and sciences and picked
enlisted men who are capable of
executing our plans. Their Job is
to create Immediately a full-scale
operating base and at the same
time to establish a civilized COM
in 4 new and alien land.
l have watched them unload a
fantastic and endless variety of
equipment from ships which were
waiting just of the islands even as
our marines attacked. Long be-
fore the last Jap was dead this
equipment was moving ashore in a
precisely planned order. Fresh
water was the first need, so giant
were the first equipment
ashore, instantly turning sea water
into the drinkable variety.
Vessels UnIoaded.
Everything is of the vessels and
into the compounds now, ind I have
just strolled through an area 10 city
blocks long. This section is holding
everything from motion picture pro-
jectors to mobile Welding plants,
from pianos to complete machine
shops at which to respair airplane
engines, from religious affairs to sur
gical operating rooms, and from
to beer for the canteens.
Immense quantities OF excellent
food. fly screening. tobacco. machine
tools. lumber and structural steel
are piled in banks and already are
being used.
Under the direction OF the islanS
each duty is assigned to
4 regular unit seared to carry it out.
One OUTFIT is charged with house
and housekeeping. making
the islands . hvable place for our
men. Another has full equipment
and full crews Of expert mechanics
for the maintenance and repair Of
all planes landing on the restored
airport. A third operates the har-
Dor and anchorage for surface
vessels.
Sanitation Unit Set Up.
There is also a medical and sani-
tation unit, 4 department for civil
air raids, and an intelligence de-
partment. And, Of course, there is
an outfit for managing communi-
cations and all radio operation.
The ceaseless, intelligent and CO.
work OF all these people
promises to be more Of 4 payofI
than the battle itself. Everything
is meshing in a miracle of complex
A brief II days ago the Japs were
living here with an elaborate estab-
lishment Of hundreds Of buildings,
shops, hangers, clubs, homes and
theaters, living quietly II a bit ner-
vously. Today, everything they built
in one-quarter Of century has
been wiped from the tortured earth
In its place is rising 4 new, model
town.
I just looked under a tent flap
and saw a chaplain and a welfare
offcer in . discussion around q jeep
They were holding = familiar look
ing object. Yes, 1t is 4 juke box
They finally decided to await setting
1t up until the combination recrea-
ton hall-canteen-sports center has
been built. I see the carpenters
its timbers now. 1t
probably will be finished and the
juke box will be playing by tomor-
row night
released s. the North American