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Show each week. I hope to get leave soon and express my appreciation personally. personal-ly. Until then, I remain, A friend, Beth Evans. i Armed Forces The following letter was received re-ceived by Mr. and Mrs. C. G. Salisbury Salis-bury from their son, Lt. Joe Salisbury, Salis-bury, who is stationed in the Pacific Pa-cific war area, and we believe it will be of much interest to Herald readers: S W P A, Sept. 10, 1943. Last night, right . here, three Springville fellows sat in a jeep and talked of home and the past and dreamed of the future. They were Sergeant Frank "Pete" Morgan, Mor-gan, Sergeant Floyd "Chet" Cran-dall, Cran-dall, and myself. I told you I had been with Chet before, and we knew that Pete was across the island. He's enroute to the mainland main-land for a leave, so Chet brought him over to see me. We surely enjoyed getting together, to-gether, and we talked of everyone we know. I believe Chet has seen more Utah fellows down here than I did during all my service in the States. He and Pete both work in Air Force Technical Supply. More than once, Pete has gone into the jungles (I mean jungles) to help salvage wrecked aircraft" (enemy and friendly.) You see, wrecked enemy aircraft are valuable to Air Force Intelligence, and parts salvaged sal-vaged from our own aircraft are priceless here. Salvage and disposal dispos-al of aircraft parts and equipment equip-ment material is the biggest factor in keeping them in the air, especially in this area, and these boys know their work. They have watched the development develop-ment of this command for they have been here twenty months, so they could tell me a lot I didn't know about it. I'll bet the native girls almost look white to them by now. Well, I saw a couple of blond natives myself yesterday. But I had a good story to tell them, and now I find I can tell it to you. When we came into this location, for temporary duty, we knew that something big was coming com-ing off. We knew, too, that 'they weren't organizing hundreds of parachute troops here just for practice. For several days we helped prepare, pre-pare, here and at the advanced bases; then, one afternoon, all the pilots were briefed. We studied the well-planned operation to every detail. The next morning our group led the vast formation of C-47's to perpetrate the greatest single par-atroop par-atroop operation ever performed in any theater. We dropped them into in-to a position where they could complete encirclement of two important im-portant enemy bases. Major Williams, our group operations op-erations officer, led us in our popular popu-lar ship, "Honeymoon Express." I was flying "Sweet Petudie," but my favorite in the squadron is "Lazy Lady." , Heavy and medium bombers had bombed and strafed the entire area, to silence any "Ack-ack" that may have been there, and we were assured as-sured that the Nips would be plenty plen-ty busy. Just before we reached the target, medium bombers made one last strafing pass, and as we approached 'for the jump, attack bombers laid down a smoke screen on all sides. That wasn't so spectacular spec-tacular as the hundreds of. 'chutes, red, blue, and mostly white, opening open-ing from our own ships. Of course, we were supported by many squadrons of pursuit ships all types and they encountered no opposition whatsoever. Neither did the troops, so they were able to take and hold the ground until a vast force was moved up, ground troops as well as engineers, who, with their native help, built up our new base and positions. Having been planned and supervised super-vised by the general staff, the operation op-eration was observed by two or three of the highest-ranking generals, gen-erals, who flew over in a bomber. That "Air Armada," as they called it, was the the largest massing of aircraft ever staged in the Southwest South-west Pacific area. You've no doubt read about it in the news, so you must know where it took place. Today, I had a day off, as did Chet; so with a few other officers, we drove up into the mountains in one of our command cars to see the huge waterfalls there. After several miles of rough riding, we hiked up a beautiful trail through tropical growth. The tropical plant life is very fascinating to me. There are here, also, the most beautiful birds and butterflies I have ever seen. The falls were magnificent; falling fall-ing from a rugged plateau into the rich valley below. Farther down the river, there are crocodiles. With our clothes on, we got soaked in the spray among the rocks, but we took some fine pictures. Hope you can see them, as well as the shots of Pete, Chet, and me together. to-gether. Now our operations are as usual, us-ual, with things running fairly smoothly, though we haven't returned. re-turned. . Love to all, JOE. of Mr. and Mrs. Ross Mason; Glen Fred Clark, son of Mr. and Mrs. W. B. Clark, and Reverl Hatfield, son of Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Hatfield. Lt. and Mrs. Gene Bird came from Reno, Nev., recently to spend a ten-day furlough with their parents, par-ents, Mr. and Mrs. E. Emmett Bird and Mr. and Mrs. W. W. Clyde. Lt. Bird is enroute to Miami, Fla., where he expects to receive further orders. He is pilot on a C-47 Curtiss Commando, said to be the world's largest twin-engine plane. An idea of the size of the plane, which is used for transporting transport-ing men and supplies, may be vis-ioned vis-ioned from the fact that 100 men can stand at one time on one wing. The following fine letter of appreciation ap-preciation was received this week from Calvin Clyde, son of Mr. and Mrs. Ed Clyde: The Springville Herald, Springville, Utah. Gentlemen: I want to express my appreciation apprecia-tion to the Herald and to the Junior Jun-ior Chamber of Commerce for sending me the weekly issue of my home-town paper. It's been a great help to me during dur-ing my training here at Camp Hood. It is through the Herald that I'm able to keep track of what goes on at home, who marries mar-ries who and when, where my friends in the armed services are, what happens in the town, how the "home front" is coming along all this the Herald tells me. " My battalion here will be breaking break-ing up soon. Our thirteen weeks of training are over. We came here most of us as young boys, but we can proudly say we are leaving as soldiers soldiers in the best army in the world. . Soon we will be sent to colleges all over America. As yet, I do not know when I will be sent. When I reach my new station, I'll send you my new address and I'll really appreciate receiving the Herald there. Sincerely Yours, . Calvin G. Clyde. John W. Smith, son of Mr. and Mrs. Albert Smith of this city, has been promoted to technical sergeant ser-geant in the , Army, according to Word received here. He went into the Army with the National Guard and is now stationed at Camp Beale, Calif. Dear Sirs: Again I want to thank you and the Herald for the good deed you are doin in sending the local paper to the boys in the service. I have enjoyed it very much and am sure the rest on your list appreciate it, also. The main reason for my writing at this time is to inform you that I am to get an honorable discharge on a Sec. 9 (dependent) from the Army with a service bar for good conduct. I expect to leave here tomorrow, tomor-row, Sept. 29th, to report back to my induction station in Los Angeles. I expect to get back into defense de-fense work soon and although I will be a civilian and doing my part, my heart will be with the Army and the boys I had to leave. Serving my country has been an honor, and I wouldn't take anything any-thing for the experience and the friends I have made here. My company gave me a good send-off and wished me luck and that is what I am wishing for you. Good luck to you of the Chamber of Commerce in all the undertakings undertak-ings you are doing for the men in the service and for the city of Springville. Thanks again for the home-town paper. Yours very truly, Cpl. Orvil Clark, Headquarters Co. E.U.T.C Camp Claiborne, La. Washington, D. C, Sept. 29, 1943. Dear Mr. Thorn, Just received another copy of the Springville Herald and decided decid-ed to take this opportunity to express ex-press by appreciation to you and the Junior Chamber of Commerce for sending it to me. Believe me when I say, it is a great morale booster and is eagerly awaited |