Maneuvers (8)

Stationery Letterhead from the Desert Training Center

The town where Beth and the other wives of the 92nd Evac doctors stayed, Indio, was near the edge of the desert. Beth explains the topography to Mary X in a letter dated 15 February 1943:

...As to the mountains and Indio. This is the Coachella Valley and mountains are an all sides. The highest mountains are to the west. San Jacinto about 40 miles west is over 10,000 and snow capped. In all other directions they are lower and are just bare, eroded rock and clay hills. They look like "crumpled taffeta" in the morning and evening sun. In all directions are valleys and mountain passes. Indio is below sea level and 26 miles [s]out[h] east [of Palm Springs]. Camp Young is about 1700 feet above sea level. While Eugene's address is now Camp Young instead of Rice, he is 20 miles east of Young and quite isolated from other army units. At present they have no lights and water only in small amounts. ... Love, Elisabeth

The area encompassing the Desert Training Area was bleak.  The APO of the 92nd Evac was changed from #545 to #441, Desert Maneuvers.  Their name was changed from the 92nd Evacuation Hospital (motorized) to the 92nd Evacuation Hospital (semi-mobile).  Maneuvers near the Salton Sea began, and Gene records the proceedings in his diary:

Looking towards the area where maneuvers were held

February 26, 1943 (Friday)  Yesterday I went with Mason to Niland to inspect our new site.  We turned at Young to go to Mecca thru a rather scenic canyon.  Very interesting erosion there.  87 miles from here to Niland.  We went looking for Iris - out thru the Marine area along the All-American canal, tried side tracks in deep sand and almost stuck - finally back to Niland where we found the officers from the QM [Quarter Master corps] who were laying out the sites and had us slated for an area at the edge of town - such as it is!  Returned here late for supper.  Found Ireland had returned.  The "Great White Hope" as Armstrong called him, who has nothing to offer.  He talked to me and gave me the old line about how the SGO [Surgeon General's Office] had nothing to do with us, that he had talked to the AGF [Army Ground Forces] Col. [W.E.] Shambora and that there was still hope , to try to keep the chin up.  Es is zu lachen [translation: It's laughable].
     I heard that things in our forward echelon are not all peace and quiet - everyone mad at everyone else.  That also is to laugh! ...

February 28, 1943 (Sunday)  We were up at 0400.  Breakfast 0430.  Were to leave at 0600.  The forward echelon came in almost at 06-- and we stopped in by the canyon below Young for a "pee" (I don't think the nurses did!)  Things were certainly Tarfu [Things Are Really F___ed Up].  The trucks became separated from the carryalls at Niland.  We pulled into the designated place I had seen Thursday.  But that wasn't it!  Luckily the trucks didn't follow us, for one small truck with a water trailer got stuck.  It was a sight to see the 4 wheel drive just about burp the whole car!  We parked at a cross roads, the convoy pointing every direction, to await the Col. who had gone ahead to scout.  He came flying back, screamed at Terstegge as usual and we started out East of town 5 miles along the (Route A) maneuver route, thru the Marine Camp Dunlop.  We settled in a fairly good spot - lots of small rock and sand, palo verde trees and some bushes.  We began to set up in a dispersed fashion - scattered to heck and gone.  It is rather fun.  Officers 2 to a small tent. ...
March 1, 1943  Constructed a fire pit.  Went to the Marine dump and got 2 good buckets, a painted wash stand, etc.  The Marines, to our good luck except for the hordes of flies, have the sloppiest dump I ever saw, bar none.  Piles of boxes, cans, discarded stuff including precious wire [electric wiring?], and garbage!  It really is a disgrace to have such a dump!  I hope some General sees it!
     Today we have a two-seater throne to replace our straddle trench of yesterday.
     Trucks all dispensed and camouflaged.  A large red-cross (3 bed sheets square) on the ground.
     We can see the Salton Sea from here.
     My feet are bothering - several large blisters due to fungus, I'm certain.  It is rather warm in the sun.

March 3, 1943 (Wednesday)  Left our Niland camp on Red Route - about 1/2 the outfit, finally found the green route, went east thru Salvation Pass - not really a pass at all over some very tough roads.  I rode in a command car with top and windshield down and it began to sprinkle.  The field jacket did rather well, especially drying out.  At Wiley's Well we turned north to the highway, and west along it (not on it - no fair to go on it!) to Hopkins Well [neither hot springs is reliably located on any current map, but there are hot springs in the Niland area].  The rest of the convoy turned up about an hour later.  We left at 9:30 and arrived about 15:30 - 60 miles.  A lot of second gear it was so rough.  We really bounced around.  We had the top and windshield up for 2/3 of the trip, rules or no rules! 
     I started them to setting up the mess for we were all hungry.  It showered at intervals.  But we positively enjoyed it, having had so little rain.  This Hopkins Well has natural hot water.  There are showers with it, but we can't use them because of maneuvers!  Silly!  It will be 2 weeks Saturday since I've had a shower - only sponge baths!
     Rathman and I helped put up a small wall tent for ourselves.  Blowing up the air mattresses always makes me laugh.

March 4, 1943  It showered most of the night and leaked in a little on Omer [Rathman].  I slept fairly well.  This morning I went chasing after rations but with practically no results.  The roads were fairly muddy in spots.
     Mail came in from the base camp.  I have a letter my Honey mailed only 2 days ago!
     This place we are at is quite sandy and in a large flat valley.  My sense of directions is still very much off.  This morning I had a new experience - eating breakfast in the rain.  It was funny to have the rain plopping in the coffee and on the grapefruit!  But we actually enjoy the rain, we've had so little.

March 5, 1943 (Friday)  Last night I again made a trip to the 6th Division Motorized Ration dump and could get no rations!  We drove about 6 miles blacked out when some MP's [military police] told us to turn our lights on - the maneuver was over!  This is really some experience - driving black out over bumpy, strange roads.
     Omer built up a fire this morning and it was very pleasant.  About 8:30 we went over to the showers and had a naturally hot one!  Was it ever enjoyable!  Then we came back and aired our bedding which was somewhat damp.
     We heard rumors last night that the bunch at Niland was to remove to Freda!
     Suddenly at 1100 they told us to pick up, we were going back to Desert Center.  But I'd had a hot shower at our Hot Well!  We finally got started at 1:30 and returned here by 2:30 to find most of the "A teams" back and eating.  Except Matthews and most of the officers who had not been told and had gone on to Freda.  A messenger was sent to tell them, but they didn't arrive back here until 5:30 P.M.!  Matthews looked distinctly crestfallen.  They had gone cross country to Freda.  It seems as though the higher up really deliberately withheld information from him!

March 7, 1943  Maneuvers ending gave me a week with my Honey!  The first I'd even spoken to her in 3 weeks.  Fried spring chicken dinner - I chopped off his head and picked him and my Honey cleaned and fried him.