GOING HOME
This story deals with my leaving the 357th Fighter Group, which had been my
life from January 1943 until September 1945. All personnel were being sent back
to the United States using the point system that had been set up to muster out
soldiers. The accumulated numbers total determined in what turn you would be
sent homeward. While we were in Neubiberg, our days were less stressful, as
we had to keep the planes flight ready, but only a very few ready for immediate
flight. A lot of our time was spent in playing softball and eating ice cream.
Our Group had confiscated a very large ice cream maker and we had ice cream
all of the time. We had ice cream for a lot of our meals and we could purchase
an ice cream cone whenever we wanted. And I love ice cream!
It was during this period of time that our Group had started flying officers
and enlisted men to southern France to rest homes for rest and recuperation(called
R & R). First Sergeant Henry Ramm tried to talk me into going numerous times,
as my record showed that I had gone the longest time without furlough in the
362nd Fighter Squadron. I always refused, as I was afraid that I would be in
France and my number would be called for transferring out. My name was near
the top of the list and I wanted to go home!
Finally the day arrived and a group of us (approximately 30) found our names
posted on the bulletin board to be ready to leave the following morning. Early
the next day we were at the orderly room with all of our equipment and boarded
a 6 X 6 truck for our ride to Salzburg. Upon arrival at the Salzburg Camp, we
were billeted in barracks to await our traveling orders. It was here that we
found that we were joining an anti-aircraft company for shipment back to the
United States as a group, as this appeared to be the easiest way to handle dismissals.
Our CO had been a Physical Education Officer, so we were kept busy and in shape
doing calisthenics, etc.
My stay here lasted approximately three weeks, as there was a dock strike in
New York Harbor and the ships were not being unloaded, so they could return
to France and pick up another load of soldiers. Finally our orders were cut
to transfer by rail to Le Havre, France for our trip across the Atlantic. Early
on the following morning we were transported to the rail yards to board 40 X
8 box cars (so called, because they would hold 40 men or 8 mules) for our ride
to Le Havre to catch our ship homeward. In these box cars was straw covering
the floor for padding in case you wanted to sit or lie down and with a large
supply of army rations piled in one corner. It was a tough and tedious trip
to the sliding door in case a person had to relieve himself during the night.
The floor was practically covered with sleeping bodies in sleeping bags and
the box car weaved back and forth quite a bit, so a few were stepped on.
This was an interesting trip and one I would not want to do again. The train
would stop along the way in various cities and at some stops we were allowed
to get off and do some of those dreaded calisthenics. The wondefrful Red Cross
ladies seemed to always be there with their donuts and coffee and sometimes
with sandwiches, which really was appreciated by all of us. During these stops,
our troop train was always surrounded by civilian adults and little children
waving , greeting us, thanking us and at times handing us beautiful flowers.
They were generally in tattered clothes and with a hungry look in their eyes,
which really got to us, so we started opening up our rations and taking out
candy, chewing gum and bits of food to give to them. Then someone got the idea
to give away some of their excess clothing, which all of us started doing. At
this point, the officers in charge, stopped us from doing this, as it was creating
a safety problem because the civilians were getting a little wild and taking
chances in order to obtain additional items. I will never forget the look on
the faces of those people-it was a very emotional time for all of us.
We finally arrived at LeHavre in early evening and were transported to Camp
Twenty Grand in a 6 X 6 truck to await our orders to board ship. It was very
cold and rainy in early November and we were placed in another muddy area in
unheated tents. To try to get some sleep that night, we piled everything we
had on top of us, even our heavy army overcoats, to keep warm. After approximately
two days here, we were tarnsported to the Port of Le Havre to board our ship
for our trip across the North Atlantic to the United States. We found that we
were to board a Victory ship and again would be part of the overload. On this
return trip we had 1700 on board and it was filled to the hole and that is where
we were placed. (On The Bottom) We didn't care, as we were headed home!
This trip was supposed to require 8 days on a Victory ship , but we ran into
a bad storm about five days out in the North Atlantic. A group of us were sun
bathing on deck, playing cards and matching quarters, when it hit suddenly.
We were ordered below deck, the doors were locked and the wind funnels were
turned to the rear to keep the wash from flooding the inside of the ship. Or
so to speak-Battened down the hatches! It was a very bad storm and we finally
had to cease trying to battle the waves and headed south to go with the storm.
I asked one of the Merchant Marines how high the waves were and he said that
they were 60 to 75', but weren't too bad as the ship had been in waves 75 to
100'. That consoled us a little, but it was still very scary. I can say that
during this storm I experienced my extreme height of fear! The storm lasted
approximately 1 1/2 days and during that period there were only 300 people eating
out of the 1700 on board. The ones that didn't get sick had to clean up the
ship before we reached port. It was during this time that I almost joined the
sick group! After the storm, it got very calm and we headed toward New York
at full speed.
We finally reached New York Harbor, sailing past that beautiful sight-"The
Statue Of Liberty", a previous gift from our French friends, and with a
mass of boats that came out to escort us in and a brass band playing aboard
one of them. This was truly a very emotional period in my life! We were unloaded
to a ferry for our ride to dry land and given a full quart of fresh milk. Ooh-It
was good , as I had been drinking powdered milk for a long time, and it should
be said here-"We did kiss the ground when we placed our feet on that good
old U S soil". We were transported into Camp Shanks, which was our Camp
Of Entry. As soon as we had been assigned to a barracks and told what we would
be doing here and when we could expect to be shipped out, we ran to the telephone
building, that had been erected for just this sort of thing with many phones
and operators. I got in line and took a number and after about 30 minutes got
my chance to place a call to my wife. My wife happened to be away and her mother
answered. I asked her to relay the message that I had arrived safely in New
York and would be shipped out the following day by train bound for Camp Atterbury,
near Columbus, Indiana. I told her that I would call and let her know when to
pick me up. After our phone calls, we all ran over to the PX and ordered the
largest chocolate milk shakes that we could get.
The following morning I boarded the train for Camp Atterbury. It was an uneventful
trip, but filled with a lot of anticipation and thankfulness that I was going
to be back home soon with my family and loved ones. As soon as I arrived in
Camp Atterbury and found out when I would be discharged, I called my wife and
gave her the news. It goes without saying- "I had a very sleepless night."
After finishing my mustering out process the folowing morning, I was taken to
the Transportation Depot. Some of the soldiers left by train, some by bus and
a few of us left by car. I will never forget my feeling when I first saw my
wife driving up in our car. The following few days were spent in visiting with
family, plus getting acquainted with all of the new members of our extended
family! Oh, what a happy time!
- Hoyt Parmer