A Signal Corps Success

Six Army Signal Corps OCS Graduates Do The Impossible

This is the continuation of a story begun on our January 2018 Home Page. To go to an archived version of that page, click here: January 2018 Home Page Archive. To return to this month's actual Home Page, click on the Signal Corps orange Home Page menu item in the upper left corner of this page.

 

 

Slowly time moved on, and the Company began to take form. In June another Officer joined the unit; Second Lieutenant Horton R. Andrews, of Spokane, WA.

Our research finds no record of Lieutenant Andrews having attended Army Signal OCS, nor of how he received his commission. However, since he held an Amateur Radio License, W7CQ, and appeared to come from a prominent family in Spokane, WA, it is likely he was given a commission at the time of his enlistment. That is—while it is pure speculation on our part—his local draft board may have offered him a commission due to his local standing as a respected member of the community. Records indicate that he had relative financial strength for those times, a modicum of community influence, and most important of all, he held an Amateur Radio license. Having this kind of pull when the draft board called often meant that you could pick not only your own branch of service, but in the very early days of WWII, your starting rank too. This was not uncommon in small town "cities" like Spokane.

As to his “relative financial strength,” local court records indicate that in 1940 – 1941, just prior to his enlistment, he sued and won a case against a local home builder who cheated him out of money on a $3,700 contract to build a brand new house for he and his family. As all know today, in 1940 $3,700 was a lot of money. It is likely that anyone able to contract for such a new home was well known in the community.

Regardless of how he got his commission, as it relates to our story, in 1942 Horton Andrews mysteriously ended up in the Signal Corps, as a newly commissioned Second Lieutenant, at the very same time as the Signal Corps was desperately looking for quality men who understood radio communications and direction finding.

Upon arriving at the 138th, 2nd Lieutenant Andrews was assigned command of the Plans and Training section.

By the end of June, 1942, with the various assignments and reassignments of EM, the Company stood at 3 officers and 140 enlisted men.

One of the interesting things that happened at this time was that the recent Signal OCS Officers assigned to the unit decided that it was time to find out just how many men in the unit could hit the broad side of a barn door, if forced to shoot their weapons and defend themselves. The results were scary. When tasked to complete a small bore rifle course, most of the men failed.

The solution to this was simple: July 1942 was dedicated in its entirety to having the entire Company go through an intensive training course in marksmanship, including the manual of arms, as well as learning how to solve various and numerous field problems of the type one often encounters when field equipment (e.g. jeeps and the like) stop working. The unit’s history states that the entire Company successfully completed the training.

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We see then what it was like for a young Second Lieutenant to be assigned to a Signal Company back at the beginning of World War II. Unlike in our time in Korea or Vietnam, most of the Signal Companies that were stood up at the beginning of WWII needed its Junior Officers not to come in, take command, and head to war, but to first build and train the unit that they would eventually command. That is, a Company had to be built, before it could be commanded.

For the 138th, September and October saw the complexion of the unit change, as its complement of men and Officers began to fill out even more quickly. On 11 September the C.O. discharged Master Sergeant Ball from the Army, only to bring him back a few seconds later as Second Lieutenant Millard J. Ball. Lieutenant Ball was given the duty of Operations Officer.

On 2 October another Officer came on board. This time it was the addition of 2nd Lieutenant Ellis C. Atchison, a graduate of Army Signal OCS Class 42-08. He was assigned as the new Supply and Transportation Officer.

On 26 October yet another Army Signal OCS graduate, this one from Class 42-03, arrived. He was 1st Lieutenant Harvey E. Gabler, and he too was assigned as an Operations Officer (Lieutenant Ball was later reassigned to the 954th Signal Radio Intelligence Company). This helped close out the month with the unit now having 8 Officers and 255 enlisted men on board.

By January 1943 the unit’s Officers felt they had the company fully organized and ready for final training before heading off to war. Thirteen months old from its inception on 7 February, 1942, January was to see an intensified training program inaugurated.

It took two and a half months to complete the unit’s final training. On 18 March it all wrapped up, with the entire Company firing the .30 Caliber, M-1903 for qualification, as well as the Thompson Sub-Machine Gun. Everyone qualified.

- - -

From the beginning little more than 12-1/2 months had passed, from the date the Company was constituted on 7 February 1942, to the date when its Officers felt the men and the unit were ready for war. When one considers that all of this was done by 9 truly green Army Signal Corps Officers, 6 of which held brand new Signal OCS commissions, with no prior command experience to speak of, it all seems remarkable.

As we said at the beginning of our story, building a Company from scratch is no easy task. Building one prepared to take on an enemy in war—one known for his ferocious, no quarter given, win or die attitude—is even more difficult.

These were truly remarkable men. They were all Signal Corps Successes.  

The Officers involved, their rank at the time of joining the Company, and the order in which they joined are:

138th Signal Radio Intelligence Company Officers

2nd Lieutenant Felix M. Marshall, Commanding Officer

2nd Lt. Harold G. Harbin, a graduate of Army Signal OCS Class 42-03, KIA

2nd Lt George W. Gilmore, Wire Platoon; a graduate of Army Signal OCS Class 42-08

2nd Lt Francis J. Turner, Intercept Platoon; a graduate of Army Signal OCS Class 42-08

2nd Lt Ira Belth, Position Finding Platoon; a graduate of Army Signal OCS Class 42-08

1st Lt Horton R. Andrews, Plans and Training; no record of commission

2nd Lt Millard J. Ball, Operations Officer; field promotion from Master Sergeant

2nd Lt Ellis C. Atchison, Supply and Transportation Officer; a graduate of Army Signal OCS Class 42-08

1st Lt Harvey E. Gabler, Operations Officer; a graduate of Army Signal OCS Class 42-03

Army Signal OCS graduates that joined the unit after it was sent to its Pacific Theater duty station:

2nd Lt Leroy Painter, a graduate of Army Signal OCS Class 42-09

2nd Lt Lester Glenn Tingley, a graduate of Army Signal OCS Class 42-07

Prolog
( Content below excerpted from Company's "History of Services." See Sources below for document title.)

The 138th was heading for Brisbane, Australia, to join the war in the Pacific.

To help prepare for transit to their new duty station, Lieutenant Leroy Painter, originally from Kansas but now a graduate of Army Signal OCS class 42-09, was assigned to the Company, to temporarily take command of it while now Captain Marshall travelled across the country to prepare facilities at Ft. Dix, New Jersey, to receive the unit.

The Unit’s History lists the following:

– 2 May, Captain Marshall (Commanding Officer) and 3 enlisted men constituted an advance party to Fort Dix, New Jersey. 1st Lt Gabler assumed command.

– 4 May, saw the Company entrain for permanent change of station, across the continent to Fort Dix, New Jersey.

– 9 May, the organization detrained at Fort Dix, New Jersey (Overseas staging area) and Captain Marshall again assumed command.

– 14 May, left Fort Dix, New Jersey by train and arrived at Staten Island to board the United States Army Transport (U.S.A.T.) Uruguay.

– Set sail at 0550, 15 May, thus starting the journey for overseas service. Living quarters on the Uruguay were badly crowded.

– 22 May, arrived at Panama Canal and commenced passage. Company strength at the end of May was 1 Captain, 4 1st Lieutenants, 2 2nd Lieutenants, one WOJG and 251 Enlisted Men.

– 10 June, crossed international date-line. Arrived at Brisbane, Australia on the 14th of June, disembarked on 15 June and marched to Camp Doomben (Brisbane), where Headquarters was established.

– July; Joining of 2nd Lieutenant Lester Glenn Tingley (Army Signal OCS Class 42-07).and 7 enlisted men. Only routine duties occupied the month of July.

– 2 August; August was again crowded with a multitude of rapid moving events. On 2 August, the first contingent of the Advance Echelon, consisting of 1st Lt Painter, 2nd Lt Turner and 44 enlisted men, left Brisbane for Port Moresby, New Guinea. The second contingent, composed of 2nd Lts Belth and Tingley, WOJG Himes, and 68 enlisted men, departed Brisbane for Port Moresby on 3 August, closely followed by the 3rd contingent, consisting of Capt Marshall (Commanding Officer), 1st Lt Gabler and 43 enlisted men, which left on the 4 August. 1st Lt Gilmore and 99 enlisted men were left at Camp Doomben, Brisbane to form the rear echelon. Headquarters was set up close to Headquarters, Advance Echelon, Fifth Air Force, about 10 miles from Port Moresby, and camp was established. 

– 31 August, the Advance Echelon of the 3rd Operating Platoon departed for duty at Dobadura, New Guinea. Company strength still stands at one Captain, four 1st Lts, three 2nd Lts, one WOJG and 256 EM as of last of August.

– 20 September; first Red Air Raid Alert on 20 September at 0400, closely followed by Red Alerts on the 21st and 22nd. No casualties, no damage.

– October; 1st Lt Gilbert E. Toothaker, graduate of Army Signal OCS Class 42-08, assigned to unit and attached to the 126th Signal Radio Intelligence Company, APO 923, along with 5 enlisted men.

– 13 November; A milestone in the life of this organization. On this date the 138th Signal Radio Intelligence Company was redesignated the 138th Signal Radio Intelligence Company, Aviation, effective 13 November 1943, per Par 1, Secret General Order No.  274,  Headquarters  Fifth  Air  Force,  APO  925,  dated  13  November  1943,  and  War Department  letter  AG  322  (28  Oct  1943)  OB-1-AFRPG-M,  dated  29  October  1943.

Lineage

Constituted 138th Signal Radio Intelligence Company on 7 Feb 1942.

Activated on 14 Feb 1942.

Redesignated 138the Signal Radio Intelligence Company, Aviation on 29 Oct 1943

Redesignated 1st Radio Squadron (J) on 29 Feb 1944

Redesignated 1st Radio Squadron, Mobile on 14 Nov 1946.

Inactivated on 8 May 1955.

Disbanded on 15 Jun 1983.

Reconstituted, and consolidated (1 Oct 1993) with the 6920th Security Squadron, which was designated, and activated on 1 Oct 1978

Redesignated 6920th Electronic Security Group on 1 Aug 1979

Redesignated 301st Intelligence Squadron on 1 Oct 1993.

Unit Stations

Fort George Wright, WA, 14 Feb 1942-5 May 1943

Brisbane, Australia, 15 Jun 1943

Port Moresby, New Guinea, by c. 5 Aug 1943

Nadzab, New Guinea, by 21 Feb 1944

Biak, Sep 1944

Leyte, by Dec 1944

Clark Field Luzon, 31 May 1945

Yokota, Japan, 20 Dec 1945

Irumagawa, (later Johnson AB), Japan, by 1 Feb 1946

Misawa AB, Japan, 26 Jan 1953-8 May 1955

Misawa AB, Japan 1 Oct 1978-.

Decorations

World War II Campaign Streamers: Asiatic-Pacific Theater, New Guinea 1943-1944, Leyte 1944-1945, Luzon 1944-1945

Air Force Outstanding Unit Award: 26 Nov 1950-18 Jul 1951; 1 Jul 1982- 30 Jun 1984; 1 Jul 1986-30 Jun 1988; 1 Jul 1991-30 Jun 1993; 1 Oct 1993-30 Sep 1994; 1 Oct 1994-30 Sep 1995. Philippine Presidential Unit Citation (WWII).

 

 

Sources:

– Genealogy; Felix M. Marshall;

– 138 Signal Radio Intelligence Company – History of Services; 14 February 1942 to 31 January 1944; AF ISR Agency History Office

– Supreme Court, Washington State: 2 Wn.2d 294, HORTON R. ANDREWS et al., Respondents, v. STANDARD LUMBER COMPANY, Appellant; [No. 27704. Department One. Supreme Court, January 18, 1940. Copy:  

 

 

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This page originally posted 1 January 2018