Preparing for the Invasion of Sicily

At this time General Patton immediately started getting all troops ready to go invade Sicily.
... (read the story as I wrote it)

Beginning our World War II Experience

In February 1943 I was sent to Camp Shanks, NY, a giant training camp for all troops going oversees.

USS Monticello (AP-61) (also SS Conte Grande)

Left Camp Shanks, March 1943, on a big ship, the Monticello, along with 9,000 soldiers on way to North Africa.  Convoy had about 70 ships, battleship Texas, a cruiser, and other ships of all kinds.
On the 9th day of the voyage, I was on deck and heard planes and looked toward the Straits of Gibraltar and saw a flight of British Spitfire planes coming out to welcome us to North Africa.  2 days later landed in Algiers, Algeria.  Other ships went to Tunisia and Morocco.

We started our job running railroads.  Now in French Territory had to be a little diplomatic with French Railroad employees.

July 4, 1943 we had three troop trains in a small town of Maison Carree, Algeria, one filled with German prisoners, another one with Italian prisoners.  The center train was full off ammunition aircraft bombs ut to 1000 pounds each, and all kinds of other ammo.  in the night, "late" an explosion occurred sending parts of everything as far as our camp 3 miles away.  German and Italians disliked each other so much they would not ride the same train.

The Drum and Bugle Corps

About 1932 the V.F.W. and Boy Scouts issued a call to all boys in the Menard and Bolton bands to join a drum and bugle corps.

An old soldier from World War "one" was put in charge.  There were about 75 volunteers making a good siz organization.  At this time money was short from the recession.  Our families had no way to purchase uniforms and drums and bugles.  The V.F.W. through a gift of a well to do person donated the drums and bugles, mostly equipment used before and donated, however very good quality and appearance.  Most of the boys were Boy Scouts and had uniforms, so Boy Scout uniforms became our uniforms.  Each scout troop had different colored neckerchief, so this made a very colorful corps of Boy Scouts.

Mr. Arthur Murphy, our leader, started our training immediately.  As most of the boys played in a band already knew how to march and obey commands.  It wasn't long before we surprised people of Alexandria Pineville marching in parades and other functions.  We continued operation about three years.  The last year we won the State Championship all around.  it was an organization enjoyed by all of us.  Our leader was a wonderful man and taught us a lot.

It was not too long before World War II started and most of us joined the Army or Navy.

The Band at Menard Memorial High School

In about 1932 Menard organized a band to be used in parades, football games, and other things.  After a short while they had a full band.  Instruments were donated to the school with no cost to students participating.  My brother, Bill, played trumpet, and I, trombone.

Soon the Band Director organized a band of forty or fifty students.  There was no time to teach music to players so Mr. Floyd Kirk, the Director, said he could teach us by number, which hed did; and we got a band together quickly, as it was football season and we played at games.  Our uniforms were donated to the school.

a bit of humor :-)

The band played on for two or three years.  The Band Director also directed the Sodality of Blessed Virgin, The Glee Club.  When the time came for him to leave, he took all of the instruments and uniforms with him.  About that time money was scarce.

Why I went to Menard Memorial High School?

The great depression was in the beginning stages.  My brother, William Crumplar, and I, Milford Crumplar, were attending public school "West End Grammar" located a few blocks from my house.

West End Grammar School, Alexandria, LA

Alexandria Daily Town Talk came out about 1925 and said that it appears this school would have to close account of no money.  My mother saw this and, I remember her saying "I don't want my boys on the street, getting into trouble", so she went to Menard Memorial School, a few blocks away on Elliott Street.  It was a Roman Catholic school, staffed by The Brothers of the Sacred Heart.  Mother went to see the princibal, Bro Ceral, and inquired as to the amount of money it would take to send her two sons there, even though they were Methodist, not Catholic.  He agreed to take the boys as students and she would pay, I believe, the figure of $5.00 weekly each.  We started immediately and stayed from that time in 1926 until we graduated from high school in 1940.