The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-06-09
GIs Recondition Jap Trucks Twice
Under Whitening Enemy SHIPPER Fire
BY CHARLES II. LOEB
tNkpA War Corresponosntl

FIFTH AIR FORCE, Philippines
Add the names of these Tan
Yanks to your list OF unsung heroes.
They've not been heralded in the
press Of the nation. and no recon-
mendations for citations have been
made. but white infantrymcn who
engaged in the bitter battle for
Fort Stotsenburg are still register
ing astonishment over the quits"
they displayed under enemy fire.
S-Sgt. Arthur Blakely. Box 80.
y South kinloch. st. Louis. Mo.
S-Sgt. Clifford Tyler. Hawkins
avenue, Rankin. Va.
T-Sgt. Tyra h. Hackett. 2l8 Cen
ter street. Oakland, Calf.
Cpl. James Z. Franklin. r. 2,
Box ia, Austin, Tex.
THESE MEN, members Of the
l940th Engineer Aviation Utilities
company were selected early in
the fight for Fort Stotsenburg to
accompany Ii. James 3. Anderson,
white, on an advanced echelon mis-
sion to select camp site and motor
pool for the company near vital
military installation we had just
wrested from the Japs. All were
expert mechanics.
In the wake of the Scrapping in
fantry troops. their keen eyes
rested on scores OF wrecked and
burning enemy vehicles scattered
over the terrain. Tanks. trucks.
wrecked planes. civilian cars were
streWn around the foot of hill
position our infantry was attack
ing. Here was transportation
slightly scrambled-but transporta-
ton.
The sight OF the Japanese junk,
still smoldering, and the stencil
of dead bodies would have
brought walls OF anguish from
YOUR civilian garageman who
keeps your car for weeks because
we can't get the part without
a priority To these engineer
mechanics. trained TO make new
jeeps out of old: to repair carbu-
rators with safety pins. and make
fine motor adjustments with .
GI knife. II was \ glorious chal-
lenge.
FIRST THEY found Jap truck,
burned. but with motor intact.
Fifty yards away they found an
unburned chassis. Scores of trips
were made up 10 the front lines.
until part by part, two disable We
hlcles were running.
We had 10 get up there fast and
get our parts" Sgt Blakely told
me. because the Filipino civilians
usually moved in right behind our
troops 10 strip all vehicles OF their
parts. Soldiers of the 18th Infantry
kept shooing us away from their
lines, but we wouldn't give up until
we had at least two truck running"
Then came disaster. The Nips, in
a last minute. desperate attack, re-
captured the valley in which our
group had established
their motor pool" When our
troops drove them out. they had
again destroyed the trucks-this
time more completely.
o With sniper fire still coming
down from the hill. the men started
out again. This time they were
lucky. Our troops captured = Jap
motor pool almost intact. A little
adjustment here and there. and the
boys and their Lieutenant were on
wheels again.
Among additional prizes are Jap
generators and radio equipment,
most Of il now in working condi-
ton. When the remainder OF the
! 940th arrived on planes. three and
four a trip. they found welcom-
ing committee awaiting their ar
rival: committee that proudly
them 10 their bivouac
area in wierd assortment OF HI
bred motor power.