1921
One of the most interesting documents received by this reporter during the war is the one from Al Catterall mentioned in this column last month. Written from headquarters of the 492 nd Air Service Group under date of 3 August 1945, and titled Report on Bavaria, we give it to you practically in full. There were several very interesting photographs accompanying the report. We regret that space limitations preclude running all the 16 splendid action photographs Al sends:
The May issue of the ALUMNI MAGAZINE just caught up with me and in line with your P. S. am enclosing a "reproduction of my mug" together with a number of other reproductions which you may find of interest.
After going through the Normandy, Northern France, Rhineland, and Central Europe campaigns, we found ourselves out of business on V-E day in Lippstadt, Germany. My Group serviced P-47 Thunderbolts throughout the campaign and wrecked many a German aircraft in the air. Now we are wrecking the Jerry aircraft on the ground. After V-E day the services of my Group were loaned to the Air Disarmament Command to assist in disarming the German Air Force. We have been assigned to disarm practically all of Bavaria and moved our Group Hq. to Ainring, Bavaria, which is a small hamlet at the foot of the Austrian Alps just about as far south and east as you can go in Germany without spilling over into Austria.
Our main purpose in life at present is to locate everything connected with the G.A.F. and destroy most of it. That not only covers the aircraft itself but the means of production, factories, underground installations, airfields, flak and radar installations, technical research establishments and laboratories (including the researchers themselves), G.A.F. personnel, air-craft armaments, fuels, and damn near anything you can think of plus a lot you can't think of. Since practically the entire Luftwaffe had been withdrawn into southern Germany you can see what a job has been cut out for us.
It is interesting work because we never know what surprise will turn up tomorrow. We have come across the early models of the buzz bomb, a plane with an engine in the nose and another in the tail, a bridge to be carried by air, bombs that spike into the ground and send out radio direction signals, jet planes in great numbers, huge flak guns larger than our biggest, buried document, and so on far into the night. Sometimes it's like a treasure hunt but with real treasure at the end of the trail. However, sad to report, we haven't run on to any liquor caches. Unfortunately the Ground Forces have been ahead of us.
We are fairly comfortable in our present location, partly housed in a couple of large Bavarian resort buildings, that kind you see photographed, overhanging eaves, muralled outside walls, lots of gingerbread, etc. Have seen all the places where Hitler did this, and Hitler did that, but frankly, at heart I am not really a tourist. As a matter of fact, the suite I am occupying for quarters is the one the old devil himself used when he was weathered in here on his aerial trips from Berlin to Berchtesgaden. It doesn't disturb my sleep at all and the rooms are comfortable. In those same photographs you usually see lots of snow and that is what worries me. The snow on the tops of the Alps is a daily reminder. Our job is now about half finished and I hope we will be through with this phase sometime in the fall. After that.... who knows ? One can hope, however, and my hopes are on the States.
A report has come in that Jack Hurd has been promoted to Lieutenant Commander in the Naval Reserve Sons of '21ers who entered College as freshmen last July are King Cole's boy, Maurice Jr., from Ventnor City, N. J., and Rog Wilde's son, Roger Jr., from Winnetka, Ill... Jack Hubbell, with ear ever to the ground, reports two Manhattan items of note. He writes that Harry Chamberlaine is now advertising manager of GoodHousekeeping, and encloses a clipping from Tide for September l which informs the world that "William E. Terry, a member of the New York advertising sales staff of Redbook for the past eight and a half years, has been named eastern advertising manager of the magazine." But what Jack (with understandable modesty) fails even to mention is that Major Jack Hubbell himself was the subject of an article in the August issue of Advertising and Selling. We haven't seen the article in question, having lifted this item from Dartmouth Club News for October, to which New York publication we also are indebted for the news that two '2iers are among standing:committee chairmen of the Club for the current year, Cliff Hart, on activities, and Lt. Col. Ort Hicks, on athletics and games
Fiank Hickman, No. 1 man of The CottonTrade Journal, sojourned a short time in Washington early in September, en route from New Orleans to Europe as a "war correspondent," and Nels Smith seized the occasion to get a few '21ers together for refreshments at the exclusive Cosmos Club. Frank was in grand shape and looking forward eagerly to revisiting some of his pre-war business haunts in what's left of the European capitals. Nels told of the recent extended trip to the West Coast and of seeing "Jack" Sercombe, prominent Portland, Ore., attorney. M. F. (Mac) Johnson was present and came up with the news of his recent transfer from W.P.B. to the Office of Surplus Property in the Commerce Department, where Mac is in the Accounts and Audits Branch.
John L. Sullivan, new Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Air, has drawn an important assignment, for John will be the principal speaker (a fait accompli by the time you read this) at the annual Navy Day dinner in Washington being held October 27 at the MayfloWer Hotel Frank Livermore on October hied himself from the Nation's Capital to your scribe's home in suburban Rockville for Sunday night supper and a miniature '21 reunion
Dutch Bausher wants to hear from yon about a gift (either initial or supplemental) for the Class of 1921 Memorial Fund. We have only a few months to go before our 25th Re. union and actual presentation of the Fund to the College. Why not write to Dutch today? Address him as J. Lee Bausher, a 10 Maple St Reading, Penna. (and don't forget the little matter of a check).
REPORTS ON BAVARIA. Lt. Col. Alan D. Catterall '21 has been assigned with his group to the job of disarming practically all the German Air Force in Bavaria. At the time the picture above was taken he and his group were servicing P-47's in recently conquered German territory. He now has better quarters.
Secretary, 201 W. Montgomery Ave., Rockville, Md Treasurer, 545 Hinman Ave., Evanston, Ill.
