WWII CCKW MAINTENANCE AT DOW AAF

joel gopan · Post by **joel gopan** » Sat Jan 21, 2006 6:34 pm

The Motor vehicle Squadrons were services at the Base motorpool, there were both GI and Civilian Mechanics, some of whom worked for us after WWII and into the 60s. They scheduled all vehicles for monthly grease jobs whether they needed it or not. Jerry Marsh, a long time employee of ours and my oldest friend commented that even snowblowers got serviced, althought they may have been in storage.(his term for storage was "Pickled"). My take is that the atmosphere and tempo at the Base in WWII was not as hectic as in a combat zone. My first memories of Jerry, born July 1, 1900, was the WWII Army AF mechanics hat ,with the long visor that was always flipped straight up, which he always wore until the mid 1950s. I would love to find one of those. Jerry passed away April 1, 1985. I got some of my first TMs from him, he was the first civilian mechanic hired at Dow during WWII.

joel gopan · Post by **joel gopan** » Sat Jan 21, 2006 6:41 pm

Some vehicle maintenance was also done by German POWs housed at Dow,in addition to work at the base, there were daily work trains that would take them off post to do chores such as gardening, and logging. They were well behaved according to newspaper accounts that I have read over the years. The POW Barracks were torn down in 1951. Some of the POWs immigrated to Maine after WWII.

Matt · Post by **Matt** » Sun Jan 22, 2006 4:44 am

Hi Joel,

There is a firm here in the UK who make very good copies of the AAF mechanics hat,I'll get the details for you.

Matt.

joel gopan · Post by **joel gopan** » Sun Jan 22, 2006 10:42 am

Thank you. I don't know how many hats Jerry had, but they were his trademark for over 10 years, and I have always wanted one. They seem to have disappeared from the heads of Dow AFB airmen at the start of the Korean War.

armydriver · Post by **armydriver** » Sun Jan 22, 2006 10:56 am

There was a German POW camp at Fort Sam Houston during WWII. Robert G. Cole High School is now located at that site. Prior to the POW camp that site was the location of Dodd Army Air Field , where Captain Fuloise made the very first bombing run ever made by the Army Air Corps against some Mexican troops under command of Pancho Villa. He did not hit anyone, but made history in the act of doing so. The year was 1916.
There are a number of German soldiers enterred at the National Cemetary at Fort Sam Houston, that died while being held prisoner. A lot of them chose to remain in Texas after the war as there are several large German communities in and around San Antonio, like New Braunfels, Texas.

joel gopan · Post by **joel gopan** » Sun Jan 22, 2006 11:45 am

The Retired Army Sergeant in the next bed to me during my recovery from Army surgery in 1969, was Retired Sgt Major Harry Trundy, born in 1895 and kicked out of the Army in 1960 when they discovered he was 65 of age, and had altered his 201 File. Sgt Major Trundy was the NCOIC of the PX System at Ft Monmouth at the time. Sgt Major Harry Trundy enlisted in the US Army in 1916, and served under General Pershing when the Army wnt into Mexico after Pancho Villa. Sgt Major Harry Trundy's claim to fame was having been personally assigned to KP by General Pershing who discovered him asleep on his horse during mounted guard duty. Harry had been nearly two days without sleep. Sgt Major Trundy served in the Engineers during the construction of the Burma Road in WWII. He was of an unique breed of Soldier that was "Born To Serve", and was a feisty old SOB. My kind of leader.

armydriver · Post by **armydriver** » Sun Jan 22, 2006 1:11 pm

I love this thread. I did my masters thesis on the young , then Lt, Patton and his Mexican border service. Persing was headquartered at Fort Sam Houston and his house, now called the Pershing House and on the National Historical Register, is the quarters of the commanding general of 5th Army. Still as a three star he is not the ranking general in the San Antonio area, but the four star that commands the Air Training Command of the Air Force has that title. The CO job of 5th Army has been , for the most part, a retirement assignment and their last command.

Matt · Post by **Matt** » Sun Jan 22, 2006 1:17 pm

Hi Joel,

Here's the site for the AAF mechanics caps www.eastmanleather.com they are not cheap but I guess quality never is,I have one of their repro B-2 caps and they are very nice.

Matt.

joel gopan · Post by **joel gopan** » Sun Jan 22, 2006 2:18 pm

Thank you. This is 2006, it cost money to be in business,I never said this hobby was cheap. I will check the site out. I have 3 NOS A-11 Leather Helmet, one Small, two Large. They came from surplus right here in Maine, at Presque Isle AFB in the 40s.