Our work began about 22 hours the 21st November, 1944 when we arrived at Penning Camp, England, after a fourteen day boat ride and an hour and a half train ride. We were billeted in Pyramidal Tents, through which the cold, damp wind never ceased to penetrate. We began immediately by issuing, to each and every man in the Battalion, two additional blankets so that they would be comfortable for the remainder of the night. This made things a little rough on the B. S. O. Crew. The lights at the Camp were still in the first stages of being installed so we had to use flashlights. We had to laugh when the men came in to pick up the blankets as they would slip and slide in the mud, of which there was a sufficient quantity and of a very 'gooey' quality.

On the morning of the 22nd we arose bright and early so we could look over the Company Area. We found that we had outdoor latrines and wash rooms, about which everyone voiced their opinion. It wasn't a very good set up as we were having typical English weather, which at that time of the year was far from pleasing. During the day we were assigned, by sections, to different tents and immediately set out to make ourselves comfortable. The first thing we did was to install a Sibley Stove, which looks like an inverted funnel, (and gives about as much heat as one) in our tent.

This was to be our cause for much grief, as it had to be cleaned out every day and

wood had to be cut. Of course there was some discussion about this so it was decided that Dausch would start the fire every morning and get the tent nice and warm for the rest of us. (This of course was not very appealing to Dausch.) T/Sgt. Hutto was given the job of cleaning out the stove pipe every day, and all went well with him until one night when he caught his sweater on fire, while out on top of the tent. From then on the question was 'Who is going to clean out the pipe?'

The shower situation was also very bad as we had to walk quite a distance to the building in which they were housed, and then after a nice hot, (most of the time, cold) shower we walked back to our tent and proceeded to thaw out by the fire in our stove.

Cpl. Sturr, the dispatcher, had to set up at the edge of the motor pool so that he could be a guard as well as a dispatcher of vehicles. Transportation was one of his biggest headaches at that time, as there were only five trucks, and these were run day and night. Every night there was a pass convoy to Salisbury so we had to have the drivers work in shifts. The shifts worked out well and no driver had to drive night and day just because his truck was always needed somewhere.

We finally received our T/O of vehicles, loaded them up, and took off in a cloud of muddy water for Southampton, England. Here our trucks and other vehicles were loaded on the Liberty Ship 'Joseph Storey' and after a few days on the channel we arrived at Le Havre, France. Our vehicles were again unloaded and lined up, and after a hot breakfast we again started off. This time we went to Totes, France, where we caught up with our advance party. We had our first hot meal in 6 days here, and it happened to be chicken.

From here we went to Reims where we bivouacked in the woods. The ground was covered with snow and it was very cold. Sgt. Hutto picked up some straw from the 10lst Airborne Division, which was placed on the ground and gave us some protection from the cold. We were here about three days when the order finally came for us to move out. This trip took us to Louvigny, France (At one time it seemed that Dausch would kill us all).

We stayed here for about three weeks when the order to paint all vehicles white, came out. This they said would make the vehicles hard to detect from the air, as snow was on the ground at the time.

We started to work here almost as soon as we arrived. Snow suits and Shoe-pacs were needed, one for camouflage and the other for warmth. Nothing but the best for the doughboy. Sturr got tangled up in some wires here and fell on his - and ended up with a sprained wrist. Dausch decided to take a rest here to, so he got sick. (It was sure a funny sight one old buck trying to help the other.)

Then came the trip to Holland where the Buzz Bombs fly. One of them landed a short ways from us and I don't think any of the boys liked the sound of them after that one explosion. Finally word came that we were in the 9th Army. Then the rat race began. The first stop was Klooster Liebosch, where the section went to work again cleaning out a room that was filled with debris. After it was cleaned up we received a lot of new clothing and started issuing it to the companies. Lt. Dziejma would come in every day asking for a pair of trousers which he didn't get. Of course Hutto said his job was to supervise so Dausch and Schillinger did the work. The Ration Crew, Skoronski, Aldridge, and Hilke were very busy delivering rations so that the Companies would have hot meals at all times. The 'Deacon' decided that he needed a maul to aid in the destruction of enemy equipment so he requisitioned one for himself. (It served its purpose to.) Gaugler left us here to, he was assigned to Capt. McDonald with the forward elements and everyone started calling him Jr.

Finally the word came that we were to pack up and be ready to move into Germany, so with the help of Madden, we loaded the truck with everything we had and started out. We rode all day and bivouacked on the road at night, sleeping wherever we could find room. Eventually we arrived at Lintfort where our mission terminated, and our work began again. We started here to take in the clothes of all the men killed, and wounded in action, separate them and then turn them into the Quartermaster. We generally had a nightly visit from a Jerry Plane, and our ack-ack set up some very colorful displays.

Here, at Lintfort, we were relieved and sent back to Holland for a rest. The B. S. O. had so much equipment by this time that it had to make two trips to take it all with

them to Venlo. Dausch and Sturr were left to guard the equipment left behind at Lintfort, but Dausch had one of his spells of sickness, so Sturr took care of him and the equipment. Dausch could speak a little German and when the civilians tried to get into the building he really murdered the language so I dug a hole and buried it right away.

Venlo, Holland was the usual work of getting new equipment and turning in salvage, and we kept Madden and the truck busy all the time. Pipes and Ouellette changed jobs before we left Venlo, Pipes driving the Old Man, and Ouellette driving the Transportation Officer.

Finally the order to move out came down and every available truck was loaded with gasoline. (The rumor was that the 8th was going to float to Berlin.) At this time Sturr gave up his idea of being an assistant driver to, and turned over his place to Hutto and Schillinger, and started to ride with the kitchen. (He did gain a little weight while he was with them.)

From this point on the B. S. O. was pushed into the background and they didn't have as much to do. (They couldn't get the transportation to do anything). Then on to Paderborn, Lippstadt, and Werl, (and the way we were travelling we were beginning to whirl ourselves). We hit the Ruhr pocket and stayed there a while, and then we were off again for Wolfenbuttel, Halberstadt, and Elbingerode. Eventually we ended up in Uslar.

In Uslar the section was set up in a big shed partitioned off with chicken wire. All the excess equipment and clothing was turned in to the B. S. O. and then transported to a salvage depot. Lt. Wilson's equipment evidently was mixed in with the salvage stuff because he couldn't find it after he returned to the Company from the hospital.

The writer will always remember Uslar as the place where Lt. Dziejma finally made 1st Lt. after bucking all these years. It will also be remembered by Service Company, for it was in this town that we received the joyous news of V-E Day.

After a month in Uslar we loaded the vehicles and were off to Czechoslovakia and some more rumors.

Right now we are waiting until our final status is declared. Of course the rumors are rampant and some of the old ones we heard back in Camp Polk are at the top of the list. Remember these? 'The 8th will never go overseas', 'This is a replacement outfit', and many others, too numerous to mention here.

Just in case this outfit is scattered to the winds, the B. S. O. Section wishes each and every man in Service Company, the best of luck and may God speed you all swiftly home.