Atomic Peacenik

I’ve been letting go of some historical impressions and working on new ones.

Here’s an impression based on an incredible photograph of Amphibian Training Force 9’s Ordnance Section during their time in Kiska, Alaska - circa late January 1944.

I love the variety of cold weather garments in this photo. I combined several different outfits seen throughout it for this impression.

Special thanks to the Signal Corps Archive on Flickr.

Original photo caption:

“SC 334877 - Col. Pascoe, and the men of the A.T.F. 9 Ordnance Section. 26 January, 1944. Kiska.”

Photographer: Pvt. Sarver.

Photo Source: U.S. National Archives. Digitized by Signal Corps Archive.

Me at 25

Last weekend I presented my project “Puerto Ricans in Connecticut: The Early Years (1944-1954)” at the CSU Making History Conference in New Haven.

“Corporal Mary Alice Kadelak O’Brien, Women’s Army Corps, who is assigned as a driver to the Base Motor Pool at Bradley Field, 1944”

Source: Connecticut State Library, State Archives, PG 048

Via: “Bradley Airport’s Military Origins,” Connecticuthistory.org, January 10, 2022,

“New Britain, Connecticut. Women welders at the Landers, Frary, and Clark plant”

June 1943

Photographed by Gordon Parks

Source:

Library of Congress, Farm Security Administration - Office of War Information photograph collection.

• Flood of ‘55 •

Bridge 00901

Built 1953

at Bridge Street (U.S. Route 202)

over the Housatonic River

New Milford, Connecticut

c. August 19, 1955

Residents of New Milford observe the aftermath of Hurricane Diane. August 1955 saw two powerful hurricanes hit the northeast in less than one weeks time. Diane arrived on Thursday the 18th just days after Hurricane Connie had rocked Connecticut. The destruction caused by the statewide floods of Friday August 19th were unlike anything Connecticut had experienced up to that point, the likes of which have not been seen since.

New Haven, Connecticut

United States of America

May 2, 1970

By David Fenton

After many years I am gravitating back here. Eventually I’d like to have a Wordpress version of this blog but for now I want to make tumblr a happy place again.

The history scene on Instagram and other platforms is truly exhausting. Tumblr is mostly dead and very imperfect but I used to love it here.

I’ll be a senior in college next semester. I’ve settled into pursuing a BA in American history focusing on ethnic minorities and working class people in the United States military during modern foreign wars. When I finish my BA I’d like to earn a masters degree in public history.

American war history is my way of studying cultures of the whole world. I love the history of everything. Over these many years I have let my experiences and mentors inspire my direction. I chipped away at my interests to hone in on something that I truly love and wish to educate others about.

I have a lot to share here.

For those of you who aren’t bots

Thank you for sticking around

Committee For Nonviolent Action

New England, United States of America

1961-1964

Photographs digitized and shared by former CNVA demonstrator Gene Keyes

“Litter!” Part II:

Evacuation on Foot

The task carried out by U.S. Army litter bearers during World War II was not only physically and emotionally exhausting it was dangerous. First echelon medical personnel with the 70th Infantry Division knew this all too well.

“Not more than 30 minutes later tanks passed the aid station on the way to clear the town. The Medics had been informed that the road between Bushbach and Kerbach had been cleared of enemy troops. We at the aid station waited for the litter squads return. Soon we received a steady flow of calls for litter squads. We were hopeful that the first litter squads would soon return. Yes, they did return alright. We observed them coming down the road from the front.

We were surprised to learn however that this squad had met enemy automatic-weapons fire and their only alternative was to seek cover in a creek. They were covered with mud and soaking wet, for they had to remain there for some time. When they arrived at the aid station they were shivering with cold. The group included Pfc. George Brush, Pfc. Gladany, Pfc. Stallsmith and Pfc. McBride. All had been pinned down by this machine gun sniper located on a hillside nearby. The route had supposedly been cleared of snipers, for infantry riding tanks had just passed a short time before.”

- Ray Waterhouse

274th Infantry Regiment Medical Detachment

From an account describing the assault on Kerbach, France. February 17, 1945.

Quote via Trailblazer Mag., Fall 1993. Digitized by Steve Dixon.

OG Photo: “Wounded being evacuated out of Wingen.” This shot almost certainly shows 274th I.R. Litter bearers in mid-February 1945 based on their location & helmet markings.

Photo digitized by Steve Dixon.

Note: Our impressions represent 276th I.R. MED. litter bearers during the Battle of Forbach c. February 19-20, 1945.

We intend to portray 274th and 275th I.R. MED. personnel in the near future.

“Litter!” - Part I

In our context a litter is a collapsible stretcher meant to carry wounded, sick, or other physically incapacitated people from one place to another by means of two to four carriers, know as “bearers”.

There were several different models of litter in use by the United States during WWII. The one photographed above is an original war time 9936600 Litter, Straight, Wood, M-1943. A model that frequently pops up in original photographs and newsreel footage.

According to TO&E 7-11 (Feb. 26, 1944), U.S. Army Infantry Regiment Medical Detachment Litter Bearers were designated as Medical Aid Men, MOS 657.

These men were members of their Battalion Section’s dedicated Litter Squad, a group that relied on teamwork. Each 136 man Infantry Regiment Medical Detachment contained 36 dedicated Litter Bearers, 12 to each Battalion Section Litter Squad.

This differentiated them from Company Aid Men, aka Combat Medics, who were designated as Surgical Technicians, MOS 861. Unlike the Litter Squad, members of the Battalion Section’s Company Aid Squad mostly worked independently from one another within the rifle companies they were assigned to.

Like Company Aid Men, and almost all other U.S. Army Medical Personnel in Europe during World War II, Litter Bearers were completely unarmed.

Walking and running while carrying an injured or dying person is an exhausting job. Humans are heavy.

Moving into the combat zone, often after hostilities had ceased or moved on to another location, litter bearers first had to search the ground for people who had been treated, tagged, and left behind by Company Aid Men for evacuation. Usually working in teams of four, the litter bearer’s primary goal was the immediate evacuation of infantrymen from the battlefield to their respective Battalion Aid Station (B.A.S.), an installation set up as close to the frontlines as possible, ideally 300-800 yards away (according to the WW2 U.S. Medical Research Centre). Vehicles allotted to the Medical Detachment were utilized to assist in litter carries whenever possible but they were not always available and carries were often done on foot back and forth from the B.A.S.

Composition of the Infantry Regiment Medical Detachment

126 enlisted men & 10 officers (per the Feb. 26, 1944 TO&E)

This chart shows Company Aid Squads, Litter Bearer Squads, & Battalion Aid Station Squads with the 2nd Battalion Section as an example.

In actuality each of these squads existed in all three of the individual Battalion Sections.

Source:

FM 7-30

War Department Field Manual

Supply And Evacuation The Infantry Regiment; Service Company And Medical Detachment

1 June 1944

Page 120 - Figure 9

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