MK435

{A\GC\AM435-KM} Improvisations in the Jungle by K Meyers

[10-__-42] During the month of October, four officers and several enlisted men of this squadron under the command of Capt, now Major Frank Bostrom, left our home base in Australia to proceed by air to choose a site and make necessary preparations for establishing an advanced base from which half of our squadron would operate. On the following day, seventy-two of our men and one officer departed by boat taking with them the necessary equipment and supplies to set up a permanent operational camp.

Upon arriving at the site, the members of the echelon moved in temporarily with a pursuit squadron which was located about seven miles from the air strip on which our squadron was to operate. A couple of days were spent there while awaiting the arrival of the ground echelon. The time was not wasted though as Capt Bostrom was busy with the rest of the men choosing a camp site and planning the best possible path by which to move the equipment arriving by boat.

A site was chosen on a hill well shaded by coconut palm trees, which not only would give protection from the tropical sun but also serve as a natural camouflage. With the exception of the heavy tropical undergrowth, the spot seemed ideal for a permanent camp. It was located in what had, previously to the war, been the source of much copra, which is that part of the coconut from which soap and skin lotions are made. Surrounding the area were many indications of the recent battle between our troops and the Japs, the most prominent of which was the numerous Jap graves which file the air with a very disagreeable odor.

The arrival of the boat started the real task and once again brought out the quality of the men in our army. The unloading and moving of the equipment and supplies over roads that soon turned into seemingly bottomless pits of mud was a job that kept the men working hard for twenty-four hours a day. A temporary kitchen was set up immediately and the mess sergeant did a good job of taking care of the appetites. One of the biggest jobs at the boat was guarding the rations as the troops already stationed there seemed to take a liking to them.

The job of clearing the area of underbrush and fallen palm branches was begun as soon as enough tents were set up to temporarily house everyone. As usual, the men tackled their job with determination and results of their efforts were soon noticeable. By this time, everyone had become accustomed to the daily rains and was accepting the adverse weather conditions without complaint. As individual tents were put up in their permanent positions, they were supplied with drainage ditches and slit trenches, both of which were a necessity.