Part of my Papa's life, World War II

This is from a newspaper article written in 1945, in Archer County, I guess. Granny sent me the copy today and I wanted to share it. I will copy it exactly as it is, punctuation and all, spelling too.

The thrilling experiences of an Archer City boy, Robert Alonzo Berryman, were related in a letter handed to us this week by his mother, Mrs. Boss Berryman. Excerpts from the letter follow:

"We took off from Biak at 4:30 the morning of January 30, 1945 on board a C-46 transport plane bound for Leyte. The plane was heavily loaded with 7400 pounds of lumber, three belly tanks and three passengers and equiptment.

Everything went along smoothly until about 9 o'clock when we ran into a teriffic storm. On board were the pilot, Lt. Wilkins, F-o. Louis Winstrop, co-pilot; S. Sgt. Robert Casey, radio operator; T. Sgt. Louis Dusas, crew chief, and three passengers. Sgt C.J. Sisk, Pfc. Robert A. Berryman and Pfc Bernard Trammel. We first noticed the right engine was not running properly when we were about an hour from our destination. At this time Dusas, the crew chief, ran back with orders from the pilot to throw out all our equiptment and anything of any weight. As we were throwing our various items such as food lockers, bags, clothes and incidently a case of beer, the left engine started cutting out and caught on fire. We started making preparations for a crash at sea such as inflating life rafts, ect. The pilot did not know at the time that we were over land until he saw an opening in the overcast. We prepared ourselves for the crash as he circled for a landing spot. He saw a small clearing of about 150 yards with only small bushes and tall grass. We then braced ourselves with the life rafts against the end of the lumber. As we came in with the wheels up, we clipped the tops of several trees as we lit in the mud and slush and was headed for a grove of trees when the prop of the right engine dug in the soft turf tearing it completely off. In doing this, the engine caught under the wings thus turning us around, and probably saving all our lives, otherwise we would have crashed into the trees. We only recieved minor cuts and bruises. As we got out of the wrecked plane, not knowing we were in friendly territory, we immediately took our weapons and posted a guard until important equiptment could be destroyed. We then proceeded to a small grass hut where a small family of Filipinos lived. They took us to the guerillas who took us to the home of Mrs. Christeta C. Serra and daughters. There we recieved our first Filipino meal. This meal consisted of fish and rice and a drink of Pacroy Nipa wine, or jungle juice. We spent the night at Mrs. Serra's and early the next morning we returned to the scene of the crash. We removed the small electric plant, lights and wiring. Incidentally, we took the cautious bell and installed it at the home as a dinner bell. We removed the radio and installed it in the home of Mrs. Serra. The family was very much impressed with the set. They especially enjoyed listening to the late war bulletins. On the fourth day our radio operator, S. Sgt. Casey contacted Leyte who inturn promised us a Cat plane which we instructed to land in the Tago river. On the fifth day, we again radioed them and explained that we were very short on food and no cigarettes or attibrine. Again they promised us help and on the sixth day we recieved orders from guerilla headquarters to report to Barbo where a small landing strip was located. On the seventh day, we headed for Barbo by home made boat. We went down the Tago river to La Pas on the coast, spending the night at La Pas. Early the next morning, we boarded a captured Jap launch heading toward Barbo, forty miles away. We were about an hour from our destination when the crude oil engine became overheated. The engine was stopped for cooling and again fate reared its ugly head. The crew worked on the engine for about an hour and a half. Finding it impossible to start, we constructed a crude sail made from a parachute from the plane. This was about 3:30 in the afternoon and at 2:30 the next morning we finally drifted into shore. A family of Filipinos met us on the shore. The took us to their home and gave us a tasty meal of fish. The fish tasted very good as we had not eaten in around twenty hours. We spent the rest of the night there and the next morning we proceeded to the town of Barbo. The next day and night was spent in the barraks of the guerilla soldiers. The guerilla soldiers looked upon us as officers of our army.

Early the next morning we went to the air strip via a captured Jap truck. There we recieved orders that we were to be picked up as soon as Major Evans arrived. Then came more troubles. A company of Japs broke through the guerilla lines and headed for the strip. We were moved back into the hills to the home of Mr. Pearson and family, superintendent of the Tambia Gold Dredge Co. Here we saw our first gold mine, however we were only interested in getting back to our organization. We recieved word that the Japs had changed their course. Thus, the Major arrived and we were ready for the pickup. On our fourteenth day in the jungle, we were rescued by two C-47's which were cargo ships and escorted by two F4U's, fighter planes. The planes were bringing supplies to the guerilla soldiers. Incidentially, had these planes not come, we might have still been in the jungles. The seven of us, tired and worn out airmen, boarded the plane for Tacloban, Leyte. We arrived at Tacloban an hour later and then proceeded to Dulong by truck, where we spent the night. Early the morning of the 13th of February, 1945, we took again in an ill fated C-46 to Biak. We stopped at Peleliu for re-fueling. We arrived at our squadron at 5 o'clock p.m. We were greeted by the commanding officer and all the fellows. We didn't know we were so popular until our return to the squadron.

In closing we wish to say that the Filipino people cannot be praised enough for their hospitality and their generosity. Their food was very short yet they gave and shared everything they had. We made friends in the Phillipines that we will always remember and we all hope to see them again someday but under different circumstances."

Signed by,

Robert Alonzo Berryman

Good day / Bad yesterday

Yesterday I finally got comfirmation that my co-worker George, actually he does all the work, is quitting. I can't be mad at him, I drove him to his interview, and then pushed for the company to hire him. I just didn't think that they would offer him enough to leave, but they did. So, he put in his notice, he will be history on the 15th. I can't even conplain that he won't be giviing me two weeks because he is going to work for my biggest customer. I have really enjoyed working with George. This made the second time that I hired him, because I hired him at Adkins Supply too. Obviously, I like the guy, but he is leaving. I did tell him that he can't leave until he finds his own replacement, and he may have. I will interview a guy tommorrow that may actually be better than he is, and cheaper. He has experience in the chemical industry, and that will help alot. Well, enough of the bad, on to the good.

Today, I didn't get to fire the other salesman that we hired at the first of August. I told them not to, because I did some research on the guy, and all I found was bad things. Fired twice for failed drug tests, then for stealing from the company he worked for. Yeah, I need that kind of help. But, I did get to go watch my boss fire him. They actually asked that I be there for security reasons, just in case he reacted violently. He is quite a bit bigger than my boss, Shawn, but not bigger than me, not that I can fight. Alas, nothing interesting happened, he just handed over his shit and left. Boring! He was charging all of his cigarettes, booze, food, and gasoline to the company credit card. Did I mention that he drives a diesel? OOPS, now that is a mistake that anyone could avoid, if they weren't on DRUGS! I do feel vindicated because for the last month and 8 days I have been being told to be nice to him, he can teach you something. What, how to shoot up? I don't need that shit!

So today, Shawn said, "Alright, let me have it." I said, "Let you have what?" "You know, I told you so." I said, "Man, you got that up front, I have no opinion, nothing to say, or anything else about it, except that I missed his fire date by 8 days when I told George that I will give him a month before they fire his ass." Shawn said, "Really, nothing, that's not like you." I said, "Hell, I gave up on it weeks ago, I just didn't let it bother me, we had too many other things going on, he was a non-factor. But I would like to be consulted, and I think I should be, if you ever decide to hire another salesman in MY area again. By the way, maybe I should be who he reports to also. I know how easy it is to get away with stuff when you report to someone in Midland instead of someone locally." Shawn says, "Why, what have you done?" To which I said, "Nothing, I wouldn't still be here if I had, but maybe you should fire George." Yeah, he got the joke, get it, George is quitting.

I was the #2 salesman in the company this month, and a few months back set a company sales record, so he knows that I do my job, even if the last few months have been slow. Also, all of the business that the #1 salesman did was handed to him, I went out and got everything that I have by myself, with George's help, of course. So if we go home early every once in a while, I feel we have earned it. I will miss George's help, but I will continue to see him often. The company he is going to work for accounts for about 60-70% of my monthly business, but that will be reducing soon, because I closed an account today that will be huge too. They will probably be about 40% of what I do soon. Couldn't be happier about that, but now I will be doing most of it by myself, until the new guy has his feet firmly on the ground. Oh well, it takes effort to make it in anything that you do.

That's about it for work, I still get to come home to the three greatest kids in the world, in my opinion. Picked Nat up from art school today at 5 pm. Guess what, I have seen the fish that Angie is waiting to see. It is not finished yet, but it is impressive. She is very talented. By the way, how many of us wanted to take a class AFTER school when we were in the 5th grade. Hell no, not me, I wanted to fish, or play baseball, or football. She is voracious in her appetite to learn, and I am very impressed.

Matthew continues to have good days at school, behavior wise. He got a 100 on his last spelling test, and there were 20 words, I think. I may be getting his and Natalie's lists confused, but a 100 is a 100 no matter what. I am very happy with his performance this year, I hope it continues, but I have that feeling............ Yeah, you know the one, all the sudden he decides to beat the shit out of one of his buddies. The boy is taller than almost anyone in his class, and is terribly strong. I do think that most of the times he has hurt someone he was just playing, but he is used to playing with me. Kiddos hurt a little easier. He doesn't mean to hurt anyone, but I feel sorry for whoever gets it when he does. Maybe it will be his sister's first boyfriend, hey, that's a thought. OK, maybe it's a wish.

And, as Angie says in her blog, Brayden is saying da-da a lot. Yes, that is very nice to come home to. He pulls up on me alot when I am playing video games with Matt also. The first time just shocked me, I wasn't ready for that. To me, I guess he is still a newborn, but he is soon to be very, very mobile, and that is when things actually get fun. We have all of the sockets in the house covered, but I bet he gets into someting, the other two did. He makes fart noises with his mouth, I couldn't be happier. My favorite sound, if I go too long without hearing it, I just go ahead and make one myself. Sometimes, even, they are fake!!

I guess I should go to bed now. Have a big friday tommorrow, I gotta work George's ass into the ground. Just for old times sake. But we will probably be done by 3, for my sake.

See ya then,

Jim

Coyotes -1 Dogs - 0

Well, the coyotes took one of our dogs away from us today. Maverick was severly injured, and has gone into the witness protection plan. Our neighbor, Luty, is a vet tech, and she is taking him into her work as an injured stray. We do not have 500 to 1000 dollars to fix him, so if he goes in as a stray, he gets fixed for free, then adopted into a house in town. Better for him, and better for us. Now, tommorrow, the score will read Jim/Marbles - 2 Coyotes - 1. We win, and I will run up the score if I can.

Later, off to Matt's party

Jim