Evening star., 1948-04-15
By Jerry o'Leory, Jr.

Stor Sfoff Correspondent
CAYENNE, French Guiana (By
MaiD A fromer Washington Army
officer, his attractive brunette wife
and one Puerto Rican sergeant are
the sole inhabitants today OF the
Air Forces rambling, once-busy
Rochambeau Field near this colon.
ial capital.
Left behind as caretaker when the
Army pulled out Of Inini-as French
Guiana also is called-was Capt
William r. Burgess, Al, formerly Of
Cabin John, Md, and Chevy Chase
His wife Mickey is with him al
Rochambeau. Their only helper ir
the task of keeping the base from
rotting away in the fierce heat and
steaming rains is Sergt. Hernandez
the Puerto Rican, and about Is ma
tives of the French colony.
Capt. Burgess and his wife live in
one of the buildings amid the scores
Of barracks, shops, Offices and other
installations the Army left behind
Their home, which lies no more
than 20 miles from Frances in
famous penal colony, Devils Island
is surrounded by mass Of beautiful
tropical fowers-hibiscus, bougain-
villea and other exotic varieties
known only to botanists.
Plane is Only Contact.
Their only contact with other
Americans is the Army plane which
flies mail, food and other supplies
into Rochambeau from Atkinson
Field, British Guiana, about $50
miles up the coast. In between lies
another abandoned air base on the
United States vital wartime route to
Brazil, Africa and the Middle East
Zandery Field in Dutch Guiana.
Zandery, which lies near Para
maribo, capital OF the Dutch colony,
has been turned over to the Neither
lands. Although the United States
might reoccupy 1t In event Of war,
not even an American custodial Of
flcial remains there now.
Capt. Burgess, who is bronzed by
his months under the Guiana sun,
appears to like his lonely post. But
the jungle and heat are fighting a
stubborn battle to waste the airfield
away. There are nearly 1000 trucks
and other Army vehicles in the
Rochambeau motor pool, but their
drivers are gone. Capt. Burgess
has been trying to dispose Of them
to the French, who maintain
battalion of colonial troops in
Cayenne. The Army had not figured
1t worth the expense to ship the
trucks away when our occupation
ended. So far. however, the canny
French have not seen fit to buy.
Keep Lawns Moved.
To occupy his time, Capt. Burgess
his wife and Hernandez have been
trying to keep the huge base ship
shape. They keep the neat lawns
moved, they repair the buildings
and maintain such electrical and
mechanical fixtures as were left
intact.
Occasionally, their solitary lives
are frightened by arrival Of Par
American Airways' planes or small
family sized aircraft from the United
States, whose owners are following
the hop-skip-and-jump air route
from North America to Brazil and
Argentina. -
They meet every plane, eagerly
asking for news from farther up the
line and Of the world at large
Neither Of them speaks French, and
the natives Of French Guiana have
no more than passing acquaint-
ance with English. Except for ole
newspapers mailed in from the
United States, the radio Is their
only means of keeping up with cur.
rent events. .
Capt. Burgess, career soldier, re-
calls wistfully the days when he was
commanding officer at Zandery