Eldon R. Olin (aka “Ole”): U.S. Army Signal Corps – Patton’s 3rd Army - 33rd Signal Construction Bn

     Eldon Olin, better known as Ole, was born on 23 March 1921 in Chinook, Washington to John and Ellen Olin. He had eight brothers and sisters, three of which were half-siblings. His father died when Ole was about nine years old and in an effort to help his mother financially, he retained a job delivering telegrams for the Postal Telegraph Company. 

Cover of a CCC manual

     Ole’s family was one of many across America who was deeply affected by the Great Depression which hit in 1929. He quit school after the 8^th grade and upon turning 16 Ole joined the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). He was initially tasked with felling trees in the Oakridge area for $1 a day. 

     Later on he served as a sign painter as well as an axe man with the survey team. Ole inherited his father’s love of painting and after saving up for a while, purchased a beginners oil painting set for $4. He later sold his first painting for $5 and thus his free-time art career began.

Bunny & Ole on a motorbike 1942

     In late 1939 Ole gained employment with the Hinkson Timber Cruising Company in Eugene, Oregon. He started at the bottom and ended up learning how to perform the variety of tasks performed on a timber cruise. While attending his sister Elva’s 15^th birthday party (1940), Ole met his future wife Bernice “Bunny” Eversole. The two eloped (Bunny was 17 1/2) and were married in Toledo, Oregon on 9 June 1942. 
     In the summer of 1942, Ole was working as a Compassman on a timber cruise out of Eugene. In August of that year, while on a job just East of Seattle, Washington, Ole received a telegram from his wife urging him to head home straight away. Ole was being drafted and was to report immediately to Fort Lewis. From that moment forward their lives were forever changed. Ole officially entered the service on 10 September 1942 at the age of 21 and went through basic training at Camp Crowder in Missouri, as well as Message Center School.

Louisiana Maneuvers

     He was then sent on to Camp McCain in Mississippi for further training and after that he participated in maneuvers at Camp Polk, Louisiana. His young bride made her way to Camp McCain in January of 1943 with the desire to spend as much time as possible with her husband before he was shipped off to war. Bunny managed to find them a room to live in, which included an old leather sofa for a bed and use of the bathroom. She also found a job at the local drugstore where she worked as a waitress. Whenever Ole was on leave he spent it with his wife. In April of that same year, the couple found out they were expecting. Bunny was quite homesick by this point so Ole, able to get a pass, took her back to Oregon by way of train.

Ole was soon sent on to Camp Van Dorn (also in Mississippi) for mobilization training then to Camp Polk, Louisiana. He was in the Signal Corps and was given the job of telephone lineman. This required him to spend ~10 weeks learning to build open wire lines and lay field wire. On 30 November 1943 his first child, Michael, was born. At the beginning of December Ole traveled back to a couple of the Camp’s he had previously been to, receiving training for overseas deployment.

H.M.S. Andes

In late December he was given leave to see his newborn child. Unfortunately, traveling by train from the South to Oregon was slow going and most of his leave was spent on a train. But the excitement of being a new father kept his spirits high and he was grateful for the precious little time he had to hold his son before heading off to war. On 31 January 1944, Company B of the 33^rd Signal Construction Battalion began making their way to New York where they would board the H.M.S. Andes. 

     On 9 February they departed from the United States and arrived ten days later in Liverpool, England. From there it was on to Wrexham, Wales by train to receive training on mine detection & clearing, unarmed defense, and so forth. While there Ole stayed in an old castle. He attended gunnery school as well in Scotland. After this training they headed to London and then crossed the English Channel, landing on Utah beach in Normandy on 12 July. When Ole first entered France the 33^rd was under the 2^nd Army but soon moved to the 3^rd under General Patton.

Coming Ashore at Normandy - Ole's Private Collection

     The Company was divided into squads of eight men placed on detached service and scattered across Europe. Initially, lines were hung from wooden poles. However this method was abolished as they were easily seen and destroyed by the enemy. Lines were thereafter laid along the ground and camouflaged with brush. Sometimes the lines even had to be run across rivers.

     A typical day for Ole started with washing up by putting water in his helmet and then eating his breakfast rations. The squad would then crowd around their Sergeant and receive their orders for the day. 

Ole with his M-1

     Being a lineman on the battlefield was no easy task and being shot at was a very real concern as they were often in enemy territory. The men would rotate which one was 1^st , 2^nd , 3^rd , etc. Ole was among those who came under fire while on the job. The men always had to be on guard and they stayed with the job until it was finished, even when it meant staying overnight in enemy territory. Ole carried a .30 Cal. M-1 on him and a Thompson Sub-machine gun was kept in the truck. 

.30 Caliber M-1

Thompson Sub-Machine Gun being Demonstrated by a British Cpl.

     Ole’s job included determining where telegraph or telephone wire would be laid, laying the line, maintaining them, and performing any repairs. Once a job was completed, they headed back to the bivouac area in their truck(s), ate their dinner rations, and grabbed some shut-eye. Canned rations, that Ole sometimes had, included ham & eggs, hash, cooked potatoes, and fruit. Fruit was less common and was a real treat for the men when it was available. When it came to sleeping, the men would round up whatever bedding materials they could from old mattresses to blankets. Such “luxuries” quickly came to an end when they procured lice infested bedding which led to them all being given some sort of salve by the medics to kill the lice.

     Mail call…..nothing compared to letters and packages from home. When the mail would finally catch up (after going through the hands of censors, travelling thousands of miles, and criss crossing its way across Europe) to Ole and the others, each and every one hoped to hear their name called. “I was thrilled and so were all my buddies (about receiving post). Even little French and Luxembourg children would hang around. We would share like a third of a Butterfinger to three kids and such,” Ole said of mail call during the war. The locals were always very appreciative of anything Ole and his buddies gave them, whether it was a cigarette to an old man or a piece of candy to a little girl. He went on to say that his wife Bunny sent him many Gumdrop cakes, cookies, and candy; which he would generously share with his buddies.

Mail Call at unknown location with unknown men

     News from home was about the only “news” Ole and his buddies got, except for the occasional radio they would come across in an abandoned house. Ole recalled that he and the guys loved it if they could tune into music or the BBC. In his free time, Ole loved to sketch and paint. He even managed to paint a picture of his wife (from a photograph) onto the canvas of a German machine gun cover while on the Brest peninsula in France. 

A sketch of Ole's wife Bunny, drawn by him during the war

     When Company B was close to the German border, Ole witnessed a buzz bomb launched. Then on Thanksgiving Day 1944, he and his buddies stood in the chow line anxiously awaiting a celebratory meal. Unfortunately, their plans were disrupted when German planes strafed the group of men. Ole was second to last in line with his Captain directly behind him when the event occurred. As the planes came down the street, everyone ducked inside a building. Thankfully no one was injured. Like many husbands and fathers who were in the military, Ole worried about returning home to take care of the family he had just begun. Getting home was always on the forefront of the telephone lineman’s mind. Ole's outfit went into Germany during the Battle of the Bulge. He witnessed at least one of the concentration camps and the liberation of the camp.

Braving The Cold For Communication

L to R Eldon Olin, Sgt. Slacker, Charles Stewart) - Frank Marks Collection

     On 10 February 1945 Lieutenant General George S. Patton, Jr., Commander of the U.S. Army, commended every officer and man of the Third Army Signal units for “the superior manner in which his tasks have been performed.”  Also according to the commendation letter, the men “in spite of an unprecedented change of direction, and in the minimum of time, the men maintained the signal communication of the Army at a time when signal communications were more than usually vital, and under conditions of weather and enemy action particularly difficult.” 

"Baker" Company Marching in England (Ole's Collection)

     Later on 26 June 1945, the 33^rd Signal Construction Battalion was the direct target of a commendation from Colonel Elton F. Hammond, Signal Corps Signal Officer, for their outstanding performance in the France, Luxembourg, and Germany campaigns. In it Col. Hammond states that he had desired to commend the men of this Unit in person. However, he was unable to meet up with them before their departure from the area they were in at the time. In the letter the Colonel states, “The best measure of success of your organization in accomplishing this difficult assignment is the fact that despite frequent and unpredictable changes in Corps’ command post locations, this headquarters was never without adequate wire communication to its subordinate Corps. It is well known that the establishment and maintenance of these all-important wire communication facilities could only be accomplished by the loyal, hardworking, and extreme devotion to duty of every member of your organization. The successful accomplishment of your missions contributed materially to the successful operation of the Third U.S. Army in one of the most outstanding military campaigns in modern history.”

     While in Luxembourg-Merl, Ole and his buddies stayed in the “Beim Wooner” (At The Carriage Builder’s”) tavern for a bit. The business was owned by Jean Pierre and Rosalie Laroche-Gaviny. 

The tavern Ole and his buddies stayed in while in Luxembourg-Merl

Ole's Painting of "Susie" 

     Rosalie had noticed the talented artist drawing his buddies to pass the time. One day she asked Ole if he would please do a drawing of her daughter Suzanne (called Susie by the G.I.’s). He asked his commanding officer thinking he the answer would be a firm no. Much to his surprise the CO agreed, saying it was the least they could do to repay the family’s kindness. (*Note: The tavern is still around today but is now known as “Café De L’arret” (Bus-Stop Tavern).

“Café De L’arret” (Bus-Stop Tavern)

     Ole was still in Germany when the country surrendered on 8 May 1945. Everyone was beyond excited for Victory in Europe (VE) Day….this part of the war was over. His platoon visited Munich and went into Austria while making their way out of Europe. Ole had acquired enough service points to head home but he was sent on to the Pacific Theater. While in route, Japan surrendered and no longer would Ole have to worry about the Axis Forces. He did have to spend two months in the Philippines though. According to Ole, he and the others spent them drinking beer, eating coconuts, and laying on the beach. They had certainly earned it. 

2nd Plat. Co. B 33rd Signal Construction Battalion in the Phillipines

     He ended up transferring out of his outfit into the Buckeye Division of Ohio and shipped out at the beginning of December 1945, arriving in San Francisco on 11 December. He hopped onto another boat that took him to Tacoma, Washington where he reported to Ft. Lewis. Three days later he was discharged with the rank of Corporal. 

Company B with some of their war booty
(L-R   Elmer A. Bokamper, Joseph LaBarbera, Charlie Seelenger, Charlie Stewart, Ray Martin)

     Ole served in the Normandy, Northern France, Ardennes, Rhineland, and Central Europe campaign’s in over nearly a year’s time. His decorations and citations include the Good Conduct Medal, Victory Medal, American Theater Service Medal, European African Middle Eastern Service Medal, and the Asiatic Pacific Service Medal. Ole passed away on 27 March 2014, obviously before he could see his war story published on this blog. Thankfully he was able to visit the National WWII Memorial in Washington D.C. in October of 2012 thanks to their local chapter of Honor Flight. Ole described his involvement in the Second World War as “the worst time of my life.” At the wars’ end he suffered from “battle fatigue” and hoped that those who read his story will do all they can to prevent such an event taking place again.

"Monday Morning" Painting by Ole

     He went on to obtain his pilot’s license in 1948 and to have a second son, Greg, on 11 June of that same year. Using this new skill and his experience in the timber industry, Ole ended up creating a career as a self-proclaimed “tree detective”, providing clients with aerial photographs of their land. Ole was one of many who helped bring aerial photography into the civilian world, proving to clients that the photographs contained a wealth of information pertinent to their business. He and Bunny had their third child, a daughter named Bonnie Jo, in February of 1951. Ole continued to paint in his free time, often using his timber career as the subject matter. Getting his hands on proper supplies once the end of the war brought him back stateside, allowed the true depth of his talent to show. To view or purchase Ole’s work, visit www.eldonolin.com. 

     In order to help preserve the history of the telephone lineman and the 33rd signal Construction Battalion as a whole, Ole donated his personal collection of photographs he had taken during the war to a 33rd S.C.B. reenactors group out of New Jersey. You can find them on the web at 33rdscb.tripod.com or on Facebook. (**NOTE: Any photographs that do not give credit to anyone in particular came from the author's research on the internet)

     As always, comments on the war stories, requests for your war story to be written, or anything else are greatly appreciated. IF you request that I respond to your comment please leave your email address. If you prefer to contact me directly, email me at aengleford@gmail.com and note WWII Blog in the subject line. Thanks for visiting the blog.

Contacting Comment Posters

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We're back!!!

We are back collecting the war stories of the worlds WWII veterans and civilians! I had to temporarily put this project on hold due to caring for my disabled mother but I will soon be posting a new war story so please check in often. If you know of a veteran or civilian who lived during WWII please pass their contact info on to me as time is not on our side. Our aim is to preserve and share the war stories of all those who lived through this war whether an American homemaker, a German Paratrooper, a young child, or a Holocaust survivor.

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I would like to ask my European readers to contact me for one of two purposes:
1. To put me in contact with WWII veterans from your country
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Update

Sorry for the time between posts. I hope to have the next war story posted within the next 1 1/2 week. Thank you for being patient with me, as I have had much on my plate.

Hattie “Kitty” Bass (Ulmer) – WAC

Born in 1918, Hattie Bass grew into an adventure seeking gal. In 1942 she was living in Wilmington, North Carolina where she was volunteering a few hours each week with the Aircraft Warning Service (AWS) which had a local station at the town Post Office.

          Hattie picked up the nickname ‘Kitty’ and despite a war going on, she kept a bright outlook on life. Her duty with the AWS was to keep up with spotted planes along the coastline in her area. Air Observers would volunteer along both American coasts to report all aircraft they spotted and pass that information along via a phone call to people like Hattie. The Air Observers were trained to identify enemy and friendly aircraft by counting the number of engines, reading any markings, and recognizing the aircrafts’ shape.

          Congress approved the creation of the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC) on 14 May 1942 after a bill for such was introduced a year earlier. Five training centers were opened: 1 – Fort Des Moines, Iowa 2 – Daytona Beach, Florida 3 – Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia 4 – Fort Devens, Massachusetts 5 – Camp Ruston, Louisiana. The WAAC had no military status and in 1943 Edith Nourse Rogers, the Massachusetts Congresswoman who had introduced the first bill, introduced another to enlist and appoint women into the U.S. Army on 01 July of the same year. President Roosevelt signed off on it and 90 days later the WAAC was transformed into the WAC (Women’s Army Corps). More men were needed on the fighting fronts which surely played a role in allowing women to serve their country.

          Hattie, having heard of the WAC, thought it sounded like a great adventure and a good job. It would be full-time and she was told that she would even be able to live at home, which appealed to her very much. She soon decided to join up and her parents didn’t object to her decision. At the age of approximately 25, Hattie attended basic training at Fort Des Moines beginning on 18 October 1942. The women went through much the same as the men did from being fitted for uniforms to being interviewed to receiving inoculations against disease. In December of ’42 Hattie was stationed in Wilmington, N.C. where she continued her work with the AWS. She ended up having to live in barracks, not at home as she had been told. She ended up asking for a transfer overseas.

          On 17 April 1943, Hattie was transferred to Camp Polk, Louisiana and in June she moved on to Fort Devens where she received the overseas orders she desperately wanted. It was on to Camp Shanks in New York in September and from there she boarded the British Troop Ship, Strathnaver. Hattie was headed to England to work in the ETO (European Theater of Operations) and the trip across the Pond proved to be a nerve-racking one. When the Strathnaver left the New York harbor, Hattie remembers being surrounded by other vessels as far as the eye could see. Upon awaking several days later and looking out across the sea she was shocked to see no other vessels surrounding hers. The Strathnaver was essentially a sitting duck for German u-boats prowling the ocean’s waters. Hattie found out that they were having engine trouble and the crew was attempting to make the necessary repairs. The convoy couldn’t wait on a single ship so they had to leave them behind.

          A destroyer was dispatched to escort the mechanically impaired ship to St. John’s, Newfoundland. Hattie and the others spent two weeks there while repairs were made. Once again the troops boarded their vessel but as they were leaving the harbor it struck a rock which ripped a hole in it. They were forced to dock again at St. John’s. After the hole was repaired they boarded the Strathnaver for the third time. About 30 minutes out to sea her ship began dropping depth charges which meant that a German u-boat was likely in the area. It seemed that the Strathnaver was not meant to make this voyage to England because the percussion of the depth charges messed up the new repairs. The ship once again returned to St. Johns and another ship was sent to pick up the troops. Before they could start their journey to England they had to wait until the next convoy left America. Hattie and the others finally set foot on foreign soil when they arrived in Liverpool, England in October of ’43. The trip had taken an overwhelming 45 days to complete!

          From Liverpool, Hattie made her way to London by train. She recalls the English trains being very different from the ones in America. In London Hattie worked as a typist for A.G. Cables where she and other ladies worked one of three shifts each day. The cables would come in like telegraph cables with the strips of paper with words on them pasted to a sheet of paper. When they came to Hattie they still needed to be decoded and she would then type or cut a stencil of the message so copies could be made for distribution to other places. The cables could be anything from requests for supplies or troops to Top Secret information. One such top Secret cable that Hattie decoded was the one that told of General Eisenhower’s impending arrival to London where he would be taking over SHAEF (Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Forces), formerly known as ETO.

After Eisenhower took over SHAEF Hattie was transferred to the Psychological Warfare Division (PWD) where she was a typist and secretary of sorts for a Colonel. Hattie said that the PWD were responsible for providing leaflets to the Air Force which they would drop over various areas. Some leaflets would urge enemy troops to surrender and some would pass along information to citizens of occupied areas.

The war experience was very different for American service members stationed in England. Hattie recalls the blackouts each night and heavy bombing in London. She said it was scary at first because of the air raids. During nights when it wasn’t foggy the Jerries would fly over and the air raid sirens would sound. When this would happen Hattie, who was living near Hyde Park, would go down into the basement with the others. She recalls feeling the ground shake when the ack-ack guns in the park would go off as well as when the bombs exploded.

She clearly remembers the V-1 and V-2 buzz bombs. The V-1 could be heard buzzing through the air and suddenly it would stop and glide to the ground. The V-2 was more advanced and would simply drop from the sky and head straight down. Eventually she got used to it and had the attitude of ‘if it’s going to hit me, then it’s going to hit me’. “I felt for the British people and have a great admiration for them. They put up with a lot,” she said of what they endured and came back from.

In November of 1944, Hattie was transferred to G2 Intelligence Department in Paris, France where she was in a typing pool. She then moved to Reims, France where she worked in the little red school house. Hattie was working in Reims when the Germans came there to sign their surrender. From there Hattie was transferred to Frankfurt, Germany and then on to Berlin. She was in a typing pool while in Berlin where she typed up dossiers on German’s who the Allie’s wanted to bring to trial. The files would contain information such as where they were from, what they were to be charged with, and what they had done. Of her time in Germany Hattie shared that she had never seen people as hungry as so many of the German’s. They would pick out of the trash any food bits thrown out by the American’s.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

          From Berlin Hattie headed back to France and then took a ship across the English Channel to England again. From Southampton, England she boarded the Queen Mary and headed back to America. She chose to leave the military in October of 1945 because she didn’t much care for army life. However, she did enjoy the work she had done and despite the obvious negative aspects of life with a war going on, she managed to make the best out of the circumstances. Hattie had begun as a Private but she left as a T5 Corporal.

          Once back in her home country, Hattie married her hometown sweetheart John Ulmer, who had served in the Navy during the war. It took her about a year to be able to hear or see a plane without it reminding her of her war experience in Europe. “It was great to get home,” she said of her return. Hattie was interviewed about her time in the WAC for the article ‘2 ships and 45 days’ which was published in the magazine America in WWII. Today she is 94 years old and enjoying the world and country she served to preserve. 

The Blitz (BBC 4-part video)