Picture was taken during a camp show on March 4, 1944 at Camp Malakole on the island of Oahu. When the ship, the Fred Ainsworth docked, there may have been a Hawaiian greeting in the form of Hula girls but I'm not absolutely sure of this. What I definitely do remember is that we were going to be treated to a narrow gauge railway ride to our destination, Camp Malakole in late afternoon. Terrific! "We don't have to walk", I thought to myself when we boarded the train. These cars were of the open top variety suitable for hauling sugar cane, pineapple whatever. We had to stand, packed like sardines I would say, but at least a ride is a ride. It took awhile before the train would start moving on the straight-a-way but as soon as it tried to negotiate a turn a section of the train turned over on its side and came to a screeching halt. The open boxcar that I was on remained upright during all this. To make a long story short we all got off and assembled for the long march ahead that took us well into the night before we could get some sleep.

I was on KP the day this picture was taken at Camp Hulen, Texas in the Spring of 1943. Our Battery Commander, Capt. Owen M. Watkins Jr. is at the extreme left. In the background, Battalion Headquarters for the 485th AAA AW Bn.

Ready for inspection. The items must all be clean and neatly arranged in a prescribed manner on a canvas cot. Although the cot assembly may be folded into a compact unit, we were not permitted to bring them along on maneuvers. Among the items are the cup,folding mess kit with knife, fork and spoon, shelter half (one half of a pup tent), raincoat, khaki shirts and trousers plus ties, socks, undershirt and shorts,handkerchiefs, canteen, canteen holder, pouch for the canteen, cartridge belt that the canteen holder is fastened to along with the first aid kit/pouch, five or six pup tent wooden pegs (shown next to the canteen, two woolen blankets, a cap to be worn with fatigues and one for dress,etc. No boots are displayed here because I'm wearing the only pair that was issued to me.

A captured Japanese AA gun loaned to us for display purposes only. Notes I had written on back of photo reads as follows: 13.2mm or .519 caliber Model 1933, fully automatic, air-cooled, gas operated, clip-fed, fires 500 rounds per minute. The picture was taken at Libbyville, Oahu in the early part of 1944.