Milford chronicle., 1945-06-15
G.. |. MIRACLE WORKERS
A MarianaS q. VI. Salvage Company

in the Daily Target, a paper printed
by servicemen in the Marianas and
was brought to the Chronicle by
Mrs. Milbourne Berridge. Her hus-
band is one OF the G. |. Miracle
Workers.
The japanese inhabitants "i
Hceng-A-S -Shee Village on this is
land OF the Marianas never dream
ed that sOmeday it would be busy
saving money for the United
States. If any OF them were to re-
turn now. they would think the
village had been Transformed by
American magic Ga good conclu-
sion. at thaU and their eyes played
tricks. for only a trace OF the
sleepy town remains and the area
is the home of QM Salvage Re
pair Company.
The pillars of the old village en-
trance gate still stand. hut behind
them are rows of strange new q !.
tents. and outdoor theatre. a long
wooden mess hall, shower. baa-
kethall court and PN. The flies and
mosquitoes have vanished with the
former citizens of the town.
The company arrived last sum
mer and worked month to clean
out the wrecked village and pre-
pare for operations. The Jap school
and Crumpled homes. the temples
made way for Western Industry.
And down the road bit. the hl%
Cd trailers are now set up, repair
ing 10000 pairs of shoes a month
and thousands of cots and clothing
items and various equipment.
First Lieutenant John Hearn,
who helped activate the outfit
back in Camp Ellis, Illinois. de
scribed the arrival in Hawaii early
in 1914 and 6 months of opcrat on
at SchOfield Salvage Yard.
Arrived Here Last August
we reached the Marianas III
August and the first night We were
caught in sQuall without tentag6
and slept in the mud. a total initi-
alton to the island. The next few
weeks We built up our area ant
fought the water problem, GOinl
many miles for drinkable water.
"Luckily. we had no serious all
raids until November but Den2ut
Fever laid low ~ per cent of The
personnel and 10 per cent of the
company was hospitaliZed. We
spent sometime burying Jap deaC
about the place. then by October
we were prepared for full-tim'
operations.
The personnel. for the most part
has had civilian experience in re
pair work. y semi-mobile unit. th'
company keeps its machinery il
trailer workshops. Typical shoe eX
perts are + Charles Morris o
Brook lyn. Michigan who owned
shoe factory for over % years; I
John GulCh, Hungarian hoOtmak
el who came to New York an
2ained an interest in a shoe manu-
featuring firm: and Pfc. Byro'
Key, a saddle maker of Tulsa
Oklahoma. To date, the shoes. re
pairing 5000 of them. In one
month period they repaired 1.3S
cots.
Primary Mission
The Commanding Officer. Cap
Clayton p. Felix of Little Fall!
; Minnesota says: Our pvimar
( mission. of course. is to save tn
} government money by saving il
f equipment think the men haI
. done an exceptional job.
: Most of the excitement is owe
5 but the men have few memOrit
of the earlier days. In December
, misguided aviator, son of hippo
: struck at a nearby airfield an
> sprayed the Salvage Company are
+ with bullets. The men dropped tn
I hammers, SpranG from the mf
chimes and over for fOXhOles. The
E there was a night when Jap fire
: from the hills at a guard. But IL
/, big moment was the making of tt
; Gunners straps.
j., To many gunncrS had been pul
;, ed out of the B-29's through sha
tered bliSters over Japan and II
Air Force &C declared raids Won
, pause until some protection COu
be devised. An officer called Il
( Salvage Company about 1900 OF
u evening. wondering if the QUIT
: could improvise remedy-by OCT
{ the next morning. The reply wa;
They'll he ready" Three hundrt
II safety belts overnight. improviS'
II from scrap materials.
: All over the island MP's heef
n haltinG jeeps and collecting str;
> buckles And by POO that nicl
II the order was we'll under way, al
.e sure of fullment.
d Later, the Air Corps called al
1t reported the safety belts had say,
r lives of B-29 gunnerS.
s THE boys have made an cxtr
j. curricular contribution toward |
,r land morale" says Master Ser
A. cant Herman Bailen. They go o
ID of their way to do things requir
lr of them. They've made NOV
screens. repaired punching has
sewed boxers trunks. made a no
ing mat and any soldier. sailt
Marine or Sea Bee who pops in G.
have a rush job on his clothing
shoes"
The company mas devised a 81
cial press for repair of nurS
10 shoes, and designed orthopedic {