This is just the beginning! Our collection holds over 300 years of history, including rare newspapers, obituaries, marriage records, birth records, and so much more—most of which you won’t find anywhere else!
This newspaper page contains 11 articles. Subscribers can read the full text of each article.
Newspaper
Sheppard Field Texacts
Location
Sheppard Field, Texas, United States of America
Date
Dec 30, 1944
Page
5
A wartime club quip has Lt. Col. Rick Bagby and others recalling a Marine joke about a Japanese helmet. A Marine boasts he killed a hundred Japs to fit the helmet, prompting puzzled reactions from Maudie and bystanders.
Steve Ballas sent a live turtle to the Texas bound 1st Set unit just before Christmas. Cpl. Jim Kaez named him Oscar after a ducking in transit. Oscar wears a painted orange shell with an American flag and Section A on the side and sits on the 1st Sgt desk awaiting assignment.
A poem recounts a satirical view of Europe shaped by war and dictatorship. The speaker mentions Germany, Hitler, the Kiel Canal, submarines, and Messerchmitts as symbolically molding a grim landscape. The lines portray the rise of a sinister regime through vivid imagery.
In the dawn mist memories rise of guards at Sheppard Field with names from Corporal Taylor to Charlie May. Veterans stationed in Italy France and the Pacific are recalled as they join the old guard spirits while the Texas wind at 0300 chills those on post 9 or 16.
Cpl Barnhart reports growing radio school complexity at Sioux Falls while Cpl Taylor polishes pots and pans at Harlingen. Tippin sends a mournful Christmas card about Infantry. S Sgt Aschen Brenner mails V-Mail from Sunny Italy. Pvt Cyr shadows a furlough, others face pass-less delays awaiting shipping orders. Lt Costello absent, Pvt Reuter reads orientation communique.
In Pratt County Texas a Christmas tree brightened the dayroom as troops share gratitude for free issue items from GI supplies. Rumors swirl about D Day timing and Pvt Dick Merrill slated for Operations Tower School amid a Washington brain-trust plan.
In a tense exchange Lt Costello orders a chair while Sgt Dubell responds. Sgt O Brien seeks shipping updates as Pfe questions guard counts. Sgt King and S Sgt Dotson react with brisk remarks revealing a charged, unclear briefing about a male child.
Capt. Abbott Abercrombie and Pvt. Robert H. Porterfield are noted in Section H with Christmas bags of fruit and nuts. The piece comments on holiday cheer, New Year’s resolutions, sick call dips, a visit from Camp Howze, gifts for Sgt. Zimmerman and others, a groom’s first month marriage, and warm wishes for a happier New Year.
The passage notes Christmas is over and routines resume with the clacking of typewriters and the sight of blue bonnets. The mood suggests a small town settling back into its familiar patterns after the holiday.
The Section I quintet defeated Section P 25 23 at Sheppard Field South Gym in a closely fought game. Granberry led the winners with support from Conley Fischer Gerner and Swenson. The entry notes discipline issues with pool tables and a light hearted report from barracks 288 including duties of quarters and a car mishap involving First Sergeant Foscue.
Section O teams boast two straight wins over Section M and Section II. Key players Beard Downs Wilkins lead the section as Pvt. Champion and Pvt. Messick invite tryouts in the Section Poolroom. Christmas decorations brighten the Section Orderly room as Sgt. Maj. Ramsey replaces Sgt. Booth.
We want people to find what they are looking for at NewspaperArchive. We are confident that we have the newspapers that will increase the value of your family history or other historical research. With our 7-day free trial, you can view the documents you find for free.
People find the most success using advanced search. Try plugging in keywords, names, dates, and locations, and get matched with results from the entire collection of newspapers at NewspaperArchive!
You can also successfully find newspapers by these browse options. Explore our archives on your own!
Browse by location and discover newspapers from all across the world.
Browse by date and find publications for a specific day or era.
Browse old newspaper publications to find specific newspapers.