Group History

Atlantic Free Press Article

N0. 3 Published on board for Personnel Aboard.

ATOM BOMB ERASED FOUR SQUARE MILES

Via Short Wave Radio from the United States Aug. 8^th, 1945 – More complete reconnaissance by US planes and statements from Tokyo radio yesterday reveal that the havoc caused by the Atom Bomb was even more complete than indicated in the almost unbelievable early release.

More than 60% of Hiroshima’s metropolitan area was destroyed by the terrific blasting power of the new-type explosive, according to the official estimates.

General Spaatz, USSTAF Pacific Commander, reported that four and one tenth square miles of heavily populated residential and industrial areas were wiped out.

It was if a giant bulldozer had swept all houses and factories into the water, according to Spaatz.

Toyko radio reported that all living things in the blast area section were seared to death and burned beyond recognition.

Spaatz added that more Atomic Bombs are headed for the Jap home islands, but said that the people would be warned by leaflet before the next bomb was dropped. The Atomic bomb will end the war six to eight months sooner than previously expected, according to Spaatz.

The Hiroshima area was completely obscured for more than four hours after the bomb hit, observers reported. Debris rose to a height of 20,000 feet and smoke soared higher than eight miles.

Pres. Truman Speaks Tonight

President Truman is expected to release details concerning the effectiveness and future use of the Atomic Bomb when he talks to the nation at 10 p.m., EWT. Recently returned from the Big Three Potsdam Conference, the president will also reveal plans for de-militarization and de-industrialization of Germany and the arrangement of ultimate peace treaties with the Nazi satellite countries.

(Since the broadcast will not be picked up until mid-night, ship’s time, public relay by ship’s tannoy will not be possible.)

UTOPIA……….

Now that the dark green waters surrounding England have changed to an ocean of blue as the ship nears the US thoughts and $64 questions turn to home.

The AFP will print a series of articles telling the GI what to expect immediately upon arriving in the States

Disposition centers hope to provide steaks for the homecoming troops, but this much they will promise you: Suitable clothing for the trip to a reception station, a phone call (at your expense), telegram service, and plenty of ice cream.

G.I. Show Features Three Swing Bands

"Broadway Afloat", a 45 minute entertainment feature , crammed with three GI name bands, seven vocalists, two comedy teams, unfolds before and audience of 15,000 today in the Queen Elizabeth’s Officer’s lounge

Bands from the 388^th Bomb Group, the 2032^nd and 2085^th Quartermaster Companies have combined and will present a 10 man aggregation. The Germlins of the 388^th Bomb Group have broadcast over AFN, BBC, and have been air waved to the states. The QM Swingsters have traveled widely in Britain to play for GI and Officer dances.

Two female vocalists, Lts. Mastera and Holloway of the US Army Nurses, and five "Sinatras" from the vocal contingent. They will be augmented by tapper Walter Palllow; Johnny and Mickey, a dance team, and five comedians. James Cohl will MC the show.

Biggest feature of the program will be the unveiling of "The Lady Done Hollered Time," a swing hit, by John Henderson of the 2085 QM crew.

Despite capacity crowds expected for each performance, arrangements have been made to assure seats for every passenger aboard.

Assurance has been giving that all men on detail will be able to see the show. For their admission will be their distinctive button.

First show opens 1200 for EMs eating No 5 mess. EMs No 4 attend at 1300, EMs with No 3 cards listen at 1400. No 6 sitting squats at 1600. No 1 mess men attend at 1700, while No 2 GIs get an 1800 show. An officers performance will be given at 1500.

G. I. Pets Enjoy Luxury on Trip to New Home.

Besides the numerous "Dog Faces" on board, there are seven authentic canines on the passenger list. They are quartered on the Queen Elizabeth’s sun deck, which is lavishly equipped with 24 handsome kennels.

The ships butcher is in charge of the care and feeding of this carefree little outfit, which consists of 3 Cocker Spaniels, 1 Wire-haired Terror, 1 smooth haired Terror, 1 Aberdeen Terror and a fairly rare importation called the Welsh Goigi. The meat specialist, who prefers to remain anonymously, feeds his charges twice a day with palatable concoctions of cooked meat and brown bread. All the pets have been properly declared, and all have clean bills of health from the British authorities.

The butcher, who is making his first voyage with ship, having been with the Queen Mary since it’s beginning, says that the peace-time menagerie is far more abundant and more diversified. In his time he has ministered to Cheetahs, Lions, Jaguars, Snakes, and numerous other exotic species. No Giraffes, though the deck head is too low.

Most of the dogs on the present cruise are here because of a warm camaraderie with various US Officers and GIs during the trails of war.

Many double-bunked "Dog Faces" have been enviously eyeing the roomy dog quarters.

Fleet Air Wing Looks to Pacific

Completing a historic cycle, which started 18 months ago when they came to England to hunt Nazi subs, personnel of the Fleet Air Wing Seven Headquarters are going home to prepare for Pacific wars.

Their PBY planes escorted the first German sub intact into Plymouth following V-E day.

The Headquarters Squadron formed the nucleus for the Wing, coordinating the work six Naval groups, whose work ranged from sub patrol to the escort of troop ships. They are the last men and officers of Air Wing Seven to leave England.

Long after they have returned to the US, however, an organ in Dunkeswell, Devon church, however, will serve as a memorial for the personnel who came to Devon in early ’43 but never will return.

Nurses Needle Willing Brass

Brawny, ribbon-bedecked officers, whose war deeds won the plaudits of the world, have turned to domestic diversions enroute home.

Under the supervision of US Army Nurses, a handful of Air Force Officers are learning to knit the Ma used to do.

Sweaters, socks and afghans drape the Officer’s Lounge, from early morning until 11 p.m. daily, while more ‘brass’ joins the sewing circle hourly.

"After a season of throwing a baseball all season," commented Lt. Marion McDonald of Larned, Kansas, "it’s a treat to throw stitches when Margie is the teacher." Lt. Margie Lindberg is a nurse from Duluth, Minn.

Captain David Olsen of Martinez, California, really is knitting for Olsen intends to send his sweater to his English bride.

To the rythum of the Elizabeth’s engines are knitting one and purling two in cadence "manufacturing" enough "products" for a modern dry goods store – and brother that’s a lot of wool.

Baseball Bulletin

Rain scrubbed Tuesday’s Brooklyn - Brave game, the only major league duel of the day. All teams are slated for action on Wednesday.

STANDINGS

From a Nephew to an Uncle

Dear Uncle Sam;

Home is the place where the Queen Elizabeth is carrying us after years spent in England, France, Germany and the dirty streets of Africa. Home may mean a tenement room in Manhattan; a shack off the railroad tracks running through Georgia or a wooden frame house on Main Street. Some guys live in 50 room houses, others crawl into a sack for fifty cents a night. We’re all coming home, dear Uncle. All of your nieces and nephews.

The talk is of hamburgers; three inch steaks; Mom;s cooking and dames. But after the steak, the stuffed stomachs and the sight of Lux-washed women, we’ll begin to look at the America we left behind us.

Your nephews and niece dear Uncle are not a pack of kids coming home from the Woodland Youth Summer Outing. We have seen life stripped to the bare fundamentals of a Greek Tragedy. The slick news columnists, the vulgar paragraphers from monthly magazines and the heavy breasted snobs have warned you to expect your nieces and nephews turned into class A neurotics.

They’re all wrong, dear Uncle. We’re healthy and we’re wise. We’ve had the long nights in to think and we’ve had the short bitter moments in which we thought we would never lie awake any more.

The trip from Greenock, Scotland to Manhattan takes approximately five days. We’ve got five free days in which to envision our homecoming and our America. Don’t disappoint us, dear Uncle.

Veterans Benefits (G.I. Bill of Rights)

One fellow says, "Yes Sir. I’m coming back to school when I get out!" Another pipes, "I hear I can get a loan to build a house and start a business or may be get a farm. "That’s for me!" "All I want is a job --- a good old civilian job." Another, "I want to us the hospital facilities the Veterans Administration is setting up. I’ve heard they’re putting five hundred million dollars into new hospitals to help fellows like me get our health back."

If you’ve heard these conversations or been in them yourself, you probably know it’s the popular nickname "GI Bill of Rights" you think of when it comes to your post-war planning.

The law covers a lot of ground, and best we can do here is define eligibility. List and discuss some of the provisions; and urge you, if your are interested to ask for details you need to know.

Eligibility for this seventeen billion dollar program for Veterans of World War II is as follows:

You must have had active service after 16 September 1940.

Your must have served at least 90 days unless discharged for medical reasons.

Your discharge must be other than dishonorable.

Since not all GIs can comply with these rules, and future bonus legislation will be subject to deductions for benefits received under the GI Bill, which is only fair.

If it’s education you want, you are entitled to at least one year which may be vocational training. Then, if you are under 25, or if you are over 25, and can show your schooling was interrupted when you went into the Army you will receive as many additional months as the time you spent in ASTP (or V-12; if you’re a Navy man), figure on a maximum of four school years and you have it. Courses of study and the school are pretty much your choice. Tuition up to $500 per school year and subsistence of $50 if single, $75 if married—per month will be provided for a full-time course. You may apply for educational benefits anytime within two years after your discharge ore within two years after the war – whichever is later – and all schooling must be completed within seven years after the end of the war.

In the matter of loans, eligibility is much the same and time limits vary from those above only in that loans can not be made more than five years after the end of the war. There’s an important fact to know about loans. Neither the Federal Government or the Veterans Administration will make direct loans to veterans. What the V.A. will do is guarantee up to 50% not to exceed $2000 of loans for specified purposes made from ordinary lending agencies. The Federal Government pays the first years interest on that part of the loan that is guaranteed. The importance of this part to you is that to get a loan from a private agency, you must conform to the usual standards: that is . represent a good risk, show promise of potential success in the purpose for which you are borrowing the money. Loans are classified as to purpose in three groups:

Purchase, construction, or repair of a home,

You must have served at least 90 days unless discharged sooner for medical reasons.

Your discharge must be other than dishonorable.

Conditions of the loan are 4% interest with loans payable in 20 years and liability shared on a pro-rate basically between the V.A. and yourself. In other words the percentage of liability remains constant.

Re-adjustment allowance will be provided on the same eligibility rules as before noted, plus a residence in the U.S.A. and registration with the U.S. Employment Service which will indicate your ability and willingness to accept suitable employment. A job will not be considered suitable if it exists due to a strike, lockout, or other labor disputes, or if working conditions are substantially less favorable than those for similar work in the same locality.

Veteran Preference. Federal Civil Service --- 5%.

Disabled Veterans Preference. Federal Civil Service – 10%.