Crisp County GaArchives News.....CORDELE BOY FOLLOWS BATTLE FROM PEARL HARBOR TO GUADALCANAL 1942
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
WYLIE SHEPPARD JR http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00030.html#0007303 August 15, 2011, 2:17 pm

CORDELE DISPATCH 1942
WHEN THE FIRST JAP BOMBS STRUCK PEARL HARBOR ON DECEMBER 7,1941, SGT. RALPH W. 
ROBERTS OF CORDELE. GA WAS IN THE THICK OF THE WAR WITH JAPAN. SCHOFIELD 
BARRACKS AT HONOLULU HAD A RUDE AWAKENING AT 7;50 ISLAND TIME AS THEY SHELLED 
OUT AN MASSE. SGT ROBERTS WAS IN THE COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT AND THEY TOOK 
TO THE HILLS FOR A CRACK AT THE JAP PLANES SYSTEMATICALLY LAYING WASTE TO THE 
GREAT NAVAL BASE AT PEARL HARBOR.
 THINGS HAPPENED QUICK AND FAST, ARMIES WERE MADE READY TO SHIP OUT. A YEAR 
LATER ROBERTS WAS IN THE STRONG FORCE LANDED ON GUADALCANAL TO RELIEVE THE 
WEARY MARINES, WHERE HE REMAINED UNTIL MAY 20TH,1943 BEING EVACUATED WITH 
WOUNDED BACK TO A HOSPITAL IN THE U.S.. SGT ROBERTS WAS NOT WOUNDED BUT 
SUFFERED FROM WHAT WAS KNOWN AS SHELL SHOCK, NOW CALLED WAR NEUROSIS, CAUSED 
FROM A BURSTING BOMB FROM A JAP PLANES NEAR A HOSPITAL ON GUADALCANAL WHICH HE 
WAS PASSING IN HIS COMMUNICATIONS JEEP. ROBERTS BELONGED UNSUNG COURIERS WHO 
SHUTTLED BACK AND FORTH FROM HEADQUARTERS TO THE FRONT LINES WITH MESSAGES, 
MAPS AND ORDERS, AND WHATEVER ELSE IS DEEMED NECESARY. SOMETIMES THEY ARE 
CAUGHT IN ENEMY TERRITORY AND MUST DODGE ENEMY PATROLS FOR DAYS TO WORK 
THEMSELVES BACK INTO THEIR OWN LINES AS THEY LAY TELEPHONE LINES. SGT ROBERTS 
MESSAGE CREW WAS ESPECIALLY FORTUNATE IN THE SMALL LOSS OF LIVES IN BATTLE. 
 THE CHIEF AILMENT AMONG THE MEN WAS OF MALARIA, WHICH WAS NOT CONSIDERED 
SERIOUS UNTIL THE FEVER WENT TO 103 OR BETTER. THE TEMPERTAURE RARELY GOES 
OVER 100 DEGREES IN GUADALCANAL, BUT THERE IS AN EXTREME HEAT PRESENT IN THE 
ACRID JUNGLES. MEAT WILL SPOIL IN TWO HOURS IF NOT UNDER REFRIGERATION.WATER 
IS A SCARCE ITEM ON THE ISLAND, THAT IS THE KIND YOUCAN DRINK. THE ARMY USED A 
CAPTURED JAP WATER PURIFER TO FURNISH DRINKING WATER TO THE TROOPS. WATER FOR 
WASHING CLOTHES WASV A RARITY EXCEPT TO THOSE THAT WERE ENTRENCHED NEAR THE 
STREAMS.

Additional Comments:
I WILL FINISH ARTICLE IN PART 2

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