The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1945-05-24
Army Makes Report
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Continued from page y
in general, ships were unloaded
while lying in the stream. their
cargo transhipped to shallow
depth watercraft, ranging from
/ Let's down to ducks, for unload
ing directly on the beach. Because
the process was extremely slow and
now much more than current sup
plies were handled, no elaborate
warehouses were built If backlog
or pool of supplies became neces-
sary, ships could be and were re-
tanned in the harbor to serve as
floating storage for their own car
60
Because of the climate, housing
was limited to tents and admins
tration was conducted in native
structures, built from native mate
rial by native labor. AT the same
time, in the tent areas lumber was
priceless as flooring and scarce to
such an extent that combat troops,
additionally averse to performing
service troops jobs, fought for the
privilege of unloading ships SO they
might get dunnage that would
raise them out of the mud The
same material was used for the
few army sheds and buildings that
were erected at some points. Rough
timber for bridges, communication
poles and corduroy poles and cor
duroy roads was cut on the spot
by available troops. But lumber in
large quantities was neither avail
able OF necessary for conduct OF
the war;
Picture Now Changed
And that, roughly and in gem
eral, has been the combat picture Of
lumber thus far. From now on
however, its combat use will be to-
tally different and substantially in
creased for two fundamental rea-
sons. First Of all, we must-starting
from scratch-build many immense
bases, actually fullscale cities COM
bining the triple functions of ship
ping, industrial and housing cen
tiers, many as complete and COM
pick as city in the United States.
Further, every piece of equipment
for the operation OF those bases,
from screWdrivers to giant cranes,
must be boxed or Grated and ship
ped from the United States in the
greatest mass cargo movement ev-
er attempted.
Very shortly, our combat forces
will be hurled against the enemy's
home coasts. In every assault land
ing accompanying them will be an
even greater number of service
troops who Immediately will COM
mences construction of piers and
Wharves and cargo-handling facili-
ties. For in the coming campaigns,
ships must be unloaded with maxi
mum speed and without transship-
ment, SO that supplies will move /
forward as soon as they come out
of the hold. Huge Warehousing ia
cllitles must be built because from
now on weather is expected to be
a serious obstacle in maintaining an
adequate supply pool and much of
our offensive action will be in area
subject to torrential doWnpours. ex-
Eremes Of temperature and high |
winds. Weather too will force hous-
ng to the fore as basic need. /
Use of tents will be restricted by
climatic conditions as. severe as in |
he northern United States and
semi permanent buildings will be
'equlred in rear and rest areas to |
maintain combat efficiency. Large
buildings will be needed to house
he higher echelons of maintenance
and repair. And in all the buildings,
lumber will be the basic material. /
Oriental Bridge Too Light
While construction is under way
It the base, lumber will also be
moving forward with the advance
n heavier volume than it was ever
Used in Europe Bridges alone will
'equlre far more timber than we
lave ever used before, for even
hough the japanese leave all ex-
sting structure standing and they
probably will leave none-oriental
bridges are not built to sustain or
handle the weight Of metal we shall Il
move over them. Emergency road
will have high priority,
or IN many areas our guns will not
&c able to move except on wood. Il
That forWard-area need of lum- 4
'er will continue throughout the
vars course and the construction
4 mammoth bases will be repeated
fter every assault landing. Be
ause Japan is a chain of islands
nd China vast and roadless land.
70 base will serve more than its
area and the truck con-