Preparation For Overseas Movement (POM)
On January 18, 1944 we were moved to Camp Tyson, Tennessee. The unit traveled in style in the Officer's private cars instead of the ambulances and the six by six trucks which were so familiar later. Our first impressions of the post were not too good as it looked so small and dull, but we soon learned that everyone was grand and we had a wonderful time there.
The remainder of our nurses arrived at this area to make up our complete T/O. Now that we were altogether we really went into training - even to the obstacle course where two of the nurses became injured so the powers that be decided to eliminate that part of the training course.
Nice things do happen once in a while and it was here that we were granted our first and last leaves before leaving the United States for overseas duty. It was wonderful to get home but it was ratherhard to leave them as we did not know when we would ever get there again.
The nurses did some duty at the Station Hospital there and you will never know how out of place we felt to be dressed in fatigues when every other nurse was dressed in the traditionl white uniform. All of our whites had been sent home as part of our overseas preparation.
Leaving Camp Tyson is something that never will be forgotten - it was very impressive to us who were more or less still in the "Rookie" stage of the ANC. The outfit marched with full packs (even the nurses) to the troop train. Everyone was so quiet. we stood and stood - rushed to wait - for what we will never know. When we resumed our marching again, one could hear all of the feet in unison and we had perfect lines - or so we thought. This was really our forst taste of regimentation, and left very vivid impressions on our minds. Down deep in the pits of our stomachs we had a funny feeling as we knew we were on our way to POE and all of the future seemed to be one of these big dark secrets where everyone talks and nobody really knows anything.
The troop train was anew experience, as was Camp Kilmer, in the days to follow. Enroute we played cards - even poker, which for many of us, had been an unheard of pastime in civilian life; however, it helped to pass the hours away. We were on the train for two days and at last reached our destination- that Port of Ports where all of the last processing is done before we went overseas. We never did like Camp Kilmer very much even though it was a means for many of us to visit New York City. For many of us it was our first opportunity of gazing at the "big tall buildings".
The ANC uniform up to this time had been the two tone jobs but here the Quartermaster issued us the olive drab. You should have seen us in that big building where you in at one end and come out the other completely outfitted whether the clothes fit or not. The Army in spite of all the poor fitting certainly did everything that was possible to have us equipped with the things that were to be so necessary in the months to follow.
Classes and more classes! Was there never to be an end to them? Close order drill, gas warfare, abandon ship drill, tent pitching, security lectures and the many "must" movies to get us somewhat prepared for the future. We were allowed to have one twelve hour pass off the post and we were allowed to telephone our families and friends during certain hours when we were "off restriction". It was a funny sensation to call them and realize that we were talking to them for the last time in many months and yet for security reasons we couldn't tell them that we leaving for overseas.
At last the day arrived! Orders came on the 26th of February 1944 for our sudden departure for the ship that was to carry us on our way across the ocean. Never will we forget the peculiar sensations that we experienced - mixed emotions of terrific expectancy about the future. From the experiences of the past eighteen months we has reason to have those and a lot more added to them. The nurses were loaded into GI trucks at the eerie hour of midnight and we were taken to the railhead where under cover of darkness and great secrecy we boarded the blacked out train. A two hour ride brought us to our destination. Everyone was so quiet. No one thought it possible for forty girls to stay so quiet for as long a period but everyone was communing with their own thoughts. What suspense! We were all so tired! We were so loaded down with our equipment - helmets on our heads, pistol belts around our waists, gas masks, musette bags, all over our hooded field coats under which we wore our Class A" uniforms. What a picture!
The train chugged along slowly and after what seemed ages we were told to get off the train and go on the ferry. As we looked about us it seemed as though we had never seen people so tired and worn looking as they were that night, but now we realize that it was the terrific strain that everyone was going through. At the dock we were given hot coffee and good doughnuts by the Red Cross and I don't think that they ever tasted so good.
The nurses went up the gang plank in two's and on board the ship. Everything was shrouded in secrecy and we couldn't even find out the name of the ship or when it was to sail. We were reluctant to take our feet off good American soil as we knew it woild be a long, long time before we would be able to set foot back on it again.
The 107th Evacuation Hospital was not the only unit on board and we soon found as our shipmates personnel from the 32nd, and 103rd Evacuation Hospitals and 42nd Field Hospital. Forty-two nurses and forty-six nurses were alloted to a room and we had never been so crowded in our lives. The only difference from sardines in a can was that sardines have oil around them. However, this was another experience and we accepted the crowded conditions as a necessity and as long as we were only on board for twelve days, we managed very well.
Life on board was very pleasant for most of us and many new friendships were made that will probably last a lifetime. The days were spent playing cards, reading and writing letters. Many of the passengers stayed on the upper deck and watched the progress of the convoy. This convoy was one of the largest to ever leave the United States. At night strict blackout was observed and eveywhere we went we had to carry our life preservers with us - just in case. Fortunately we did not encounter any enemy action so our crossing was fairly uneventful except for the rough seas which caused many of the nurses to be sea-sick. S many ships about us gave a great feeling of security and on the outside we were well protectedby the corvettes and the accompanying destroyers that kept us well guarded.
Land was sighted on the 8th of March - the shoreline of Northern Ireland and everyone became excited as soon as we were to land in the territory of a strange land. Early in the morning we again dressed up in all of our field equipment and were ready to put our feet on solid ground again. In spite of the uneventful trip it was a relief to know that we were at least out of the reach of submarines - but what was to come was anyone's guess.
That morning was one of hectic activity. Clad once more in our OD's and being one of the last units to leave, everyone hung over the railings, yelling to the departing troops and waving to "natives" on shore.
On January 18, 1944 we were moved to Camp Tyson, Tennessee. The unit traveled in style in the Officer's private cars instead of the ambulances and the six by six trucks which were so familiar later. Our first impressions of the post were not too good as it looked so small and dull, but we soon learned that everyone was grand and we had a wonderful time there.
The remainder of our nurses arrived at this area to make up our complete T/O. Now that we were altogether we really went into training - even to the obstacle course where two of the nurses became injured so the powers that be decided to eliminate that part of the training course.
Nice things do happen once in a while and it was here that we were granted our first and last leaves before leaving the United States for overseas duty. It was wonderful to get home but it was ratherhard to leave them as we did not know when we would ever get there again.
The nurses did some duty at the Station Hospital there and you will never know how out of place we felt to be dressed in fatigues when every other nurse was dressed in the traditionl white uniform. All of our whites had been sent home as part of our overseas preparation.
Leaving Camp Tyson is something that never will be forgotten - it was very impressive to us who were more or less still in the "Rookie" stage of the ANC. The outfit marched with full packs (even the nurses) to the troop train. Everyone was so quiet. we stood and stood - rushed to wait - for what we will never know. When we resumed our marching again, one could hear all of the feet in unison and we had perfect lines - or so we thought. This was really our forst taste of regimentation, and left very vivid impressions on our minds. Down deep in the pits of our stomachs we had a funny feeling as we knew we were on our way to POE and all of the future seemed to be one of these big dark secrets where everyone talks and nobody really knows anything.
The troop train was anew experience, as was Camp Kilmer, in the days to follow. Enroute we played cards - even poker, which for many of us, had been an unheard of pastime in civilian life; however, it helped to pass the hours away. We were on the train for two days and at last reached our destination- that Port of Ports where all of the last processing is done before we went overseas. We never did like Camp Kilmer very much even though it was a means for many of us to visit New York City. For many of us it was our first opportunity of gazing at the "big tall buildings".
The ANC uniform up to this time had been the two tone jobs but here the Quartermaster issued us the olive drab. You should have seen us in that big building where you in at one end and come out the other completely outfitted whether the clothes fit or not. The Army in spite of all the poor fitting certainly did everything that was possible to have us equipped with the things that were to be so necessary in the months to follow.
Classes and more classes! Was there never to be an end to them? Close order drill, gas warfare, abandon ship drill, tent pitching, security lectures and the many "must" movies to get us somewhat prepared for the future. We were allowed to have one twelve hour pass off the post and we were allowed to telephone our families and friends during certain hours when we were "off restriction". It was a funny sensation to call them and realize that we were talking to them for the last time in many months and yet for security reasons we couldn't tell them that we leaving for overseas.
At last the day arrived! Orders came on the 26th of February 1944 for our sudden departure for the ship that was to carry us on our way across the ocean. Never will we forget the peculiar sensations that we experienced - mixed emotions of terrific expectancy about the future. From the experiences of the past eighteen months we has reason to have those and a lot more added to them. The nurses were loaded into GI trucks at the eerie hour of midnight and we were taken to the railhead where under cover of darkness and great secrecy we boarded the blacked out train. A two hour ride brought us to our destination. Everyone was so quiet. No one thought it possible for forty girls to stay so quiet for as long a period but everyone was communing with their own thoughts. What suspense! We were all so tired! We were so loaded down with our equipment - helmets on our heads, pistol belts around our waists, gas masks, musette bags, all over our hooded field coats under which we wore our Class A" uniforms. What a picture!
The train chugged along slowly and after what seemed ages we were told to get off the train and go on the ferry. As we looked about us it seemed as though we had never seen people so tired and worn looking as they were that night, but now we realize that it was the terrific strain that everyone was going through. At the dock we were given hot coffee and good doughnuts by the Red Cross and I don't think that they ever tasted so good.
The nurses went up the gang plank in two's and on board the ship. Everything was shrouded in secrecy and we couldn't even find out the name of the ship or when it was to sail. We were reluctant to take our feet off good American soil as we knew it woild be a long, long time before we would be able to set foot back on it again.
The 107th Evacuation Hospital was not the only unit on board and we soon found as our shipmates personnel from the 32nd, and 103rd Evacuation Hospitals and 42nd Field Hospital. Forty-two nurses and forty-six nurses were alloted to a room and we had never been so crowded in our lives. The only difference from sardines in a can was that sardines have oil around them. However, this was another experience and we accepted the crowded conditions as a necessity and as long as we were only on board for twelve days, we managed very well.
Life on board was very pleasant for most of us and many new friendships were made that will probably last a lifetime. The days were spent playing cards, reading and writing letters. Many of the passengers stayed on the upper deck and watched the progress of the convoy. This convoy was one of the largest to ever leave the United States. At night strict blackout was observed and eveywhere we went we had to carry our life preservers with us - just in case. Fortunately we did not encounter any enemy action so our crossing was fairly uneventful except for the rough seas which caused many of the nurses to be sea-sick. S many ships about us gave a great feeling of security and on the outside we were well protectedby the corvettes and the accompanying destroyers that kept us well guarded.
Land was sighted on the 8th of March - the shoreline of Northern Ireland and everyone became excited as soon as we were to land in the territory of a strange land. Early in the morning we again dressed up in all of our field equipment and were ready to put our feet on solid ground again. In spite of the uneventful trip it was a relief to know that we were at least out of the reach of submarines - but what was to come was anyone's guess.
That morning was one of hectic activity. Clad once more in our OD's and being one of the last units to leave, everyone hung over the railings, yelling to the departing troops and waving to "natives" on shore.