View Hank's enlistment record here: here
Read about Hank's hearing problem, and the trouble it got him into during the war here.
My first day was December 7, 1942 (one year after Pearl Harbor day). I got on a train to Fort Dix, New Jersey. My first adventure showed up the following morning. When I reached for my wallet, I found No Money!
The weather was inclement, cold and nasty; in no time at all I developed a sore throat. They sent me to the kitchen where assignments were given out and eventually I got into Company “B”.
There I started getting instruction about the nomenclature of different accounts and how to handle them. I remember the chaplain of Company B warning us that if we made fun of anybody praying he would make us feel very uncomfortable, if we ridiculed anyone, whether they were on their knees or wearing a yarmulke.
I recall getting an education in army terminology when we were told we would be getting some corn bread, which in New York City always tasted delicious. I learned that in other parts of the country corn bread meant some very mushy concoction that tasted very bland.
Company B was outstanding in the rifle contest. This meant that we would be getting a prize. They said that the prize would be steak. It turned out to be Ham steak! We ate it. We weren’t going to start talking about Kosher food.
Our trip started off with a bang, the first part was on a civilian train and through the kindness of our C.O. we were allowed access to the Club Car and its bar. This was appreciated by all – Jigger Aldrich in particular. The bar was open until 10:00 P.M. and all took advantage of it. The car was taken off at St. Louis and it was the beginning of the end of such pleasure. However, our trip continued and we saw a great deal of open country which the better part of the group had never seen before.
We arrived the next day (May 21st) in Kansas City. Here we had a three hour lay-over, and were permitted to see just enough in order to make us want to linger longer. That was impossible, and our travel continued. However, it was here Lt. Pearson had lunch with his sister. The traveling was over the Santa Fe route from here on. We had numerous stops for the purpose of getting chow. All meals were at Fred Harvey’s Restaurants, and we ate like KINGS.
Our travel from K.C. was abroad a troop train, a mixture of everything from recruits to sailors. At one stop (during the night at Dodge City, Okla.) several of the boys (Bob Sanford and Harrison Hardgrove with a group of sailors) acquired several cases of beer which I don’t think met with the approval of a certain Lieutenant. However, the strangest thing of the entire trip was Charlie Evans going to bed with his girl’s picture (Marilyn Clark) and then losing it during the night.
Travel continued and it was on May 23rd at approximately 9:30 P.M. that we hopped off the train at Pomona, California, which we thought was our destination, but to our disappointment found new orders waiting for us which carried us back some 120 miles into the desert, 27 miles from the nearest town of Indio, and over some of the land we had just traveled. Were we a bunch of Sad Sacks and cussing guys, although we were supposed to be Finance men.
Our work there as a casual unit was tremendous considering the conditions which we were working under. Not our living conditions, for they were tops. It offered the best night’s sleep that man could get anywhere. The conditions which I was speaking of was being a green outfit, relieving some forty men, and having to pay something like twenty-two to thirty thousand men. It was a continuous job, lasting seven days a week with a great deal of night work. On Sundays we would quit just in time to see the Hollywood Camp Show, otherwise I guess it would have been just another day.
Prior to our disbursing on our own we were given another little man to man talk by E.L. Dlugensky, Captain, as to what we could expect. His talk covered about everything and then some. It was a great help. However, the proposition of three day passes every three or four weeks didn’t work out. Incidentally, all the fellows didn’t get a week-end, but the ones that did seemed to have enjoyed their short stay in L.A.
Prior to our being put on the alert Lt. Pearson arranged for transportation to Salton Sea. The group made several trips there and the water was thoroughly enjoyed. It was plenty salty and reminded one a great deal of the ocean. While we were there we learned that the immediate vicinity had been the setting for several movies – namely, “Wake Island”, “Five Graves to Cairo”, and “Road to Morocco”.
While at Camp Young only one of our fellows received a furlough, with the Chaplain’s assistance. This was not an ordinary leave of absence, but five days in which St. Otto Seiss could hear wedding bells in his ears. And it was also here that our C.O. was promoted to Major and Mr. Beerman to C.W.O.
T/4 Billy Askew and T/5 Charlie Evans were our drivers and mail clerks. All the boys were tickled pink every time the Lieutenant gave his familiar yell – “Evans, get your hat”. This little phrase was heard quite often and sometimes it didn’t always meet with approval. We now understand that Lt. Miller of the 17th Section has changed it somewhat. It now goes something like this, “Evans, will you please get your hat”.
The only training we received there was taking the Infiltration Course, having lectures on fire prevention and fighting air raids and gas attacks. Commando Kelly was the hardest hit by the infiltration course. He was the last finishing and incidentally the only one having ill effects such as torn clothes. Generally speaking, it was a review of what we had received in Basic. We marched to work in the mornings and that was considered our close order drill.
The fellows never cared to fall out for reveille and there were always a few that wouldn’t show up, but still Finance was always “All present and accounted for”. This was reported to 1st/Sgt. Gustofsen of the Maintenance Company. All the boys got a kick out of hearing him say “Turn about and police up all the way to Theater No 1”. Other than the shower bath problem we never had any trouble.
Our food there was excellent at first, tops for the ARMY, but maneuvers soon started and "C" Rations and SPAM was the food which didn’t agree with the boys any too well.
About one week before our departure we picked up another man, Pvt. Donald F. Peiffer. This brought our total strength to 20 men plus the usual officers.
In preparing for our departure from Camp Young it was learned that three fellows were to be left behind. Two of them were buddies we had taken with us, Harrison Hardgrove and Charlie Evans. Where they are at this time nobody knows. It was quite a funny feeling pulling out, leaving them behind for we had become very good friends. Now we faced the job of learning new fellows and their ways, plus learning their actions once under pressure in the office. Charlie Evans in particular can be well remembered for “My Little Chum, My Little Buddie, My Little Pal have you got a cigarette”, or for his G.P.L.D. As to Hardgrove there is nothing in particular that I can remember distinctly other than that he was a swell fellow.
We prepared for our departure from Camp Young on July 14th, all equipment and men being moved that day. It was quite a screwed up affair for some of the boys were placed in a spot and were not able to take showers before the shove off. Then, too, when the men and equipment started to roll there was a mix-up when trucks broke down. One Sergeant (Bill Askew) was almost lost with the railroad and meal tickets. In due time it all worked out fine, and we boarded the train at Indio at midnight, July 14th, our destination being Camp Atterbury, Indiana.
Our eastward journey took approximately three and a half days for we arrived at Atterbury the morning of July 18th. In the movement we had two stops, one at Tucson, Arizona the other at Chicago, Illinois.
It was the morning of July 15th that we were in Tucson and at such time Lt. Pearson out of uniform found it his pleasure to treat the boys (Aldrich, Van Vliet and myself) to beer at a small little beer tavern.
Our stay in Chicago was somewhat longer. It was something like four hours, and again we had the pleasure of eating at Fred Harvey’s. It was a Saturday night, July 17th, and in the time we had left we were able to scout around a bit in down town Chicago.
On the eastward journey Sgt. Jack Muir passed right through his home town. It was of little advantage, for he was not permitted off the train. However, he later got home on pass.
The next day Lt. Pearson left for Newport News to arrange for overseas shipment. Before his departure he gave us a little chat and said he would be waiting for us at the docks of N.Y. City. From this time on our feet were in hot water for we knew that was the last of the furlough question, although Mr. Beerman did hid darndest to get them for us. It’s the writer’s personal opinion, that the only connection the Finance Department has with furloughs is to pay the ration money accumulated.
The balance of our time at Atterbury was spent very pleasantly, although the group wasn’t in any too high spirits over their disappointments. Our day consisted of swimming in the morning, hiking, close order drill, and softball. At night we were granted passes which was almost a permanent thing. That is, we could always count on a visit to Indianapolis, Columbus, or Franklin. Incidentally this is where the “Homeworkers’ Club” originated. Its members were Corle, Sanford, Herrmann and Seiss. No further description need to be made about such a club. The name is self-explanatory.
While swimming in the Franklin pool the boys met and took an interest in a couple of cute WACS, which I might say got the rush for awhile. One was T/5 Carol Savage – 3560th Service Unit at Atterbury – her home being Boston, Mass. She could be found on duty at the Library in Service Club #2.
Now the time has come and our departure from Camp Atterbury is inevitable. There are only a few happy souls, those being the boys having homes in New York State. The day of departure was August 11th. We boarded the train with the 118th Station Hospital Unit, Nurses and all. Our travel was made by day coaches and turned out to be quite a ride. It couldn’t begin to compare to the transportation we had obtained when going to and from California.
The eats were terrific for we had for every meal what is known as a picnic lunch. Then, too, the lack of freedom was awful.
We were traveling with all the secrecy in the world, not even being allowed to buy ice cream, magazines, sandwiches, etc. at stops in route, but at Mentor, Ohio, the Colonel in charge decided to have a little fun which a good many of the guys didn’t find to be funny. It was side tracking the train and awaking all cars at approximately 11:30 P.M. and having them dress, ties and all. Then the band was called upon after platoons had been formed, of which the 13th Finance was a part, and marched us around the small downtown area near the tracks. It lasted for about twenty minutes and some really ate the cake. It is the opinion of many that it was one of the most idiotic things they had every seen while in the military service, and it really took an educated fool to pull it.
Our stay at Shanks was very brief during which time we received several shots, extra clothing which we later found out was being brought over for use by someone else, and several showdown inspections. While there, all members received a twelve hour pass to visit New York. At least, supposedly New York City, even though two of the fellows in our section got as far as Long Branch, N.J. and Philadelphia respectively – no names mentioned.
At any rate, after receiving all additional clothing, the balance of our time was taken up by hikes and close order drill. Then, too, this is where we ran into old man censor and stopped receiving mail. Here, too, is where T/5 McCarthy gathered his bit of American soil which was brought along.
The passes we received at Shanks and Atterbury had permitted thirteen of our section to get home. The unfortunate ones, I might say, were Jigger Aldrich, Billy Askew, John McCarthy, and Yours Truly.
All was set for our overseas journey and we departed from Camp Shanks Friday night, August 20th, for Staten Island. The walk to the train was terrific, and I know none of the fellows, including the Major and Mr. Beerman, will ever forget it. The Major was train commander on our journey, which was quite lively, but as time passed all quieted down and began to realize what event was beginning to take place in their lives.
It was very quiet at the dock, with the exception of the band playing. Here we received our last American doughnuts and lemonade for quite some time to come. Then came the loading, in passenger list order we boarded the ship and were on our way for a destination unknown at that time.
Prior to our boarding the boat we had seen the rapid growth of a Finance Section from a green outfit into one with field experience and a completed T/O. In such a short period of time we had become a fully trained outfit and ready for our overseas assignment.
In fact, on August 21st when we shoved out of N.Y., we were becoming a part of the “BIG PUSH”.
Follow the story: Atlantic Crossing and Algeria
Read about Hank's exploits in Italy
View some of Hank's photos from his time abroad in the gallery
Hank's hearing problem
I remember a long time ago when my hearing problem first evidenced itself, somewhere along the line, someone said you’ve got to go down to borough hall, they’ll look into your problem.
I went down to the eye and ear hospital and I had a couple of nurses surrounding me, they wanted to take a sample of my blood, which made me feel quamy. They just wanted to find out if I had syphilis. I was sorry to disappoint them.
I had a nice Irish teacher called Mr Hiney, and he was giving us the hearing test. We would sit at the desks and listen to the recording (through headphones) and write the numbers. So I sit there and I write the first three (few) numbers, then I don’t hear any more numbers, but everybody else is still writing. I don’t hear anything, so I think maybe the machine is broken. I get another machine and then the same thing happens.
Mr Hiney tells me to go to the back of the room and says “Tell me what I say”. Out of the corner of his mouth he says “Mary had a little lamb, her fleece was white as snow”, so I repeat that back to him. He then classifies me as having a slight hearing defect.
I had to go through something similar when I went to college. They told me to tell them when I heard the watch. They moved it closer to my head, and it was not until it was nearly touching that I could hear it. “Slight hearing defect”.
Now we come to that pieste di resitance, la grand spectulor, I guess it must have been a branch of the veteran administration. My hearing was classified 1A, perfect hearing. So I took my hearing aids and put them in the bottom of barracks bag, I never did wear my hearing aids during my service.
I had a couple of narrow escapes, once I remember we were getting away from an air raid, and this one guy said “Why the hell didn’t you answer me, I nearly shot you in the head?”, I said “I didn’t hear anything”.