Brisbane 1945
8 June 1945, Cpl. Everett Smith found himself and four others from the division on leave in Australia and Smitty was determined to have a good time! Those that went to Brisbane on the same orders for TDY were:
Lt. Col. Francis W. Regnier MC HQ 11th A/B Div.
Major George K. Oliver INF HQ 11th A/B Div.
T Sgt. Manuel C. DeBeon Jr. 187th Glider Infantry
Tec 4 Beverly A. Ferreira HQ 11th A/B Div.
The orders were signed by Major E.W. Wyman Jr., Adjutant General
Townsville, Queensland
My father never told me very much about his R&R and probably for a good reason. (For one, my mother was always around listening.). He did say that when he first arrived in Australia, he wanted a haircut and a shave. While the barber was working on him, he remarked that the pores in Smitty's nose appeared enlarged. My father answered, "You spend five months in the jungles of New Guinea and see what your nose looks like." Dad said after that, his money was no good. Everyone in the barbershop made such a fuss over him that he never got a word in edgewise. They were so extremely grateful to anyone who helped to stop the Japanese. Smitty did always tell me he wished he could make a trip back there; he thought Australia and her people were great, but sadly, he never did.
Perhaps the young lady, Joan, was the reason Smitty wouldn't talk about his time on leave.
Joan
With his thoughts still focused on his R&R in Australia, Everett "Smitty" Smith landed back at Lipa City, P.I. only to discover that a mission was scheduled. The last remaining organized Japanese group, the Shabu Forces, were hold up in the northeast corner of Luzon and General Swing had organized the Gypsy Task Force to take them out. On his orders, this unique unit would include "all Camp MacKall veterans." This would include men from the 187th Infantry, the 511th, the 457th Parachute Field Artillery Battalion, a platoon from the 127th Engineers and two platoons from B Company. Despite Gen. Krueger's disapproval, Lt. Col. Henry Burgess, now 26 years old, would be the commanding officer. (Smitty was at the ancient age of 30, one of the oldest paratroopers besides one other soldier and a few of the officers.) Col. Lahti (31) would be CO for the reserve unit.
We'll have more on Aparri, Luzon next week.
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Military Humor -
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Farewell Salutes -
Rex Allender - Cedar, IA; US Merchant Marines, WWII / US Army
Amador Barbosa (101) - Kansas City, KS; US Army, WWII, ETO
Farewell
Charlotte Bendure - Centralia, IL; US Navy WAVE, WWII, PTO
Ottaway B. Cornwell - Beaumont, TX; US Army Air Corps, WWII, ETO, 1st Lt., pilot, 4 FS/52 FG/12th Air Force, KIA
David Curtis (104) - Salt Lake City, UT; US Navy, WWII, PTO & CBI, USS Black hawk
Joseph De Lorenzo - Pine Brook, NJ; US Army, WWII
Agnes Dion - Springfield, IL; US Navy WAVES, WWII, parachute rigger
Alfred Giumarra - Bakersfield, CA; US Navy, WWII, minesweeper, USS Mainstay
Eugene Gollin - Long Island City, NY; US Army, WWII, PTO, Captain, communications
John W. Harman (100) - Rock Hall, MD; US Army, WWII, CBI, 866th Bomb Squadron
Thomas McNeill - Elmira, NY; US Army Air Corps, WWII, PTO, 503/11th Airborne Division
Floyd D. Simmons (102) - Hontubby, OK; US Army, WWII, ETO, medic (He had been the oldest surviving Choctaw veteran).
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