Action (May 1941 - Mar 1958)

December, 19 4 4 23 f Incidentally, these people were Kachins. Ever hear of them? -A couple of days after leaving there, we reached the place where we had decided to establish a base, from which small parties could work out exploring other j trails. While there I was unofficial mess E sergeant, so one of the officers and I fixed ? up a litle kitchen in which we had a counter, from where we served the chow line. There were ten enlisted men and five ' officers in the party, but there was no rank distinction at all. Everyone shared the work. Our food was for the most part flO-l rations. They are complete meals for ■ ten men for one day and they include everything down to cigarettes and toilet paper. We supplemented this with fresh .. ' vegetables and rice brought in by neighboring village women, and bought a young water buffalo for 60 rupees, which the native soldiers killed for us. We skinned and butchered it, and had quite a feast on T-bone filet and round steaks, not to ' mention a couple of pot roasts. Eating so well was the only thing that pulled us through the rigors of the trip in good .4, shape. We all took atabrlne regularly and soon everyone had a bright yellow tint to V their skin. I still am a little yellow, but it will wear off. After about ten days there, we started back. Oh yes, while there -we received our scheduled air drop of supplies and food. Two of the parachutes we never found, contained 30 cartons of cigarettes and 100 lbs. of salt. Our supplies of both of these articles were very low. We had to depend on the cigarettes in the 10 in I rations, but we were soon sick of second rate cigarettes. The return trip was a little easier, as we were all in better shape. We received strong rumors via native grapevine that there were 300 Japs in the vicinity of our return route. We were quite concerned about that, but with the exception of one good scare, which I will tell you about some day, they never materialized — for which we were all thankful. ! We arrived back in India about the first of September. We now call ourselves , 'The Hoof and Hump Club," exclusive \ membership of 15. It was a great experi ence, but I wouldn't want to do it again soon. Ten days after 1 got back, we heard about a party being formed to rescue a downed P-51 pilot. I was assigned to cover it. It seems the pilot developed motor trouble over the North Burma jungle and bailed out. He wandered in the jungle for a month before he finally found a Naga village. Then sent a runner out with a message from him. He was in pretty bad shape from malnutrition, malaria, dysentery and infected leech bites. Three air corps officers were parachuted to him at once, including a medical officer. A party of ten of us started to bring them out. We secured guides and found the best way to get near him was by river. So we started out in two assault boats powered by outboard motors. We had to Lt. PERCY BREWER, USN, former projectionist at TCP is now somewhere in the South Pacific. drive 75 miles to reach this river. It was a shallow, rapids-fllled river and we had plenty of trouble getting the 15 miles downstream we had to go. The point where the guide indicated we should beach the boats was at the junction of the river we were on and a smaller river. We loaded our packs, bed rolls and my camera on our backs and started into the jungle. It took us four hours to go three miles. We did most of it on our hands and knees, as the trail was so steep and slippery. We stayed that night at the usual village and started out early next morning. Hiked 15 miles by 4:30 p.m. over really rough trails, in some places practically no trail, just pushing our way through the brush. Leeches were the worst I've ever seen. That night we reached a village where we could see the village in which the flyer was. It was across a vally on top of another mountain. About a half day's march from us. We sent a runner there with a note that we would be there the next morning. They sent word back that the best way to bring him out was to float him down this small river, near the village, on a rubber life raft which they had airdropped and would meet us at the junction of the two rivers where we had beached our assault boats. So we turned around and made a forced march out. We got there before they did. They had a rough trip and almost upset a couple of times, filling the raft with water. The flyer was cheerful but unable to walk unaided. I would judge he weighed about 150 lbs. normally, and I'm sure he didn't weigh 100 now. We transferred them to our boats, making a bed for the flyer on the rubber raft in one of our boats. It was impossible to buck the strong current and go back the way we came, so we had to continue downstream 60 miles. It was a beautiful ride through towering, rocky, jungle-covered gorges with monkeys chattering at us, occasional villages on the shores with the natives lined up to watch this phenomenon, and numerous breath-taking waterfalls emptying into the river. However, it was very dangerous, as we were constantly shooting rapids and being tossed around in whirlpools and cross-currents, several times nearly upsetting and shipping considerable water. After almost six hours, we arrived at the point where an ambulance was waiting for us and we loaded the pilot into it, so he will be OK now. If you don't believe by now that I have been busy, hence no letters, then I can't convince you. Received the May issue of Action yesterday. Noticed an article about a TCP fireman being discharged from the Navy and returning to work at TCP with full seniority. Glad to hear the Studio is sticking to that policy as that Is every serviceman's big worry for after the war. Gosh there are a lot of new faces at TCP. Some honeys too! (Uh, uh, I forget I'm married now). Have to look hard to find some familiar faces on Action pages. Sam is no longer our basha boy. He had too many to take care of. Our new one is new at the job and only understands English when he wants to. A little on the lazy side but I don't expect too much for $3.00 a month. Give my regards to all the old gang at the Studio. I hope it won't be too long now till I can be back In the old life again. CHARLES. Sgt. C. L. Zimmerman c/o P.M., New York, N. Y. Enlarged to show details PHILLIPS Feature Value EMERALD CUT DIAMOND RING $385 Plus 20% FED. TAX Improved cutting technique adds more BRILLIANCY than possible heretofore. SUBSTANTIAL SAVINGS FOR T.C.F. PERSONNEL Please bring identification as we do not cater to the general public. CHRISTMAS SHOPPING HOURS: DAILY 10 to 6; from Dec. 16th to 23rd, 10 to 9. Wm. E. PHILLIPS Co. JEWELERS 7th Floor Metropolitan Bldg. 315 W. Fifth St. Los Angeles 13 Est. 1928 Mutual 1321