We left for the Aleutian Islands in November of 1942, and arrived in December. Along the way we picked up about 350 sailors from a Liberty Ship that had broken down. Our Alaska cruise liner was already overloaded by about 150 passengers. 

We pitched our pup tents on the island of Adak (8 Dec 1942) and slept on the tundra and snow. In the mornings we were in water from the heat of our bodies. We ate "C" rations for a few weeks, then when we did get a mess hall we would try to get back to our tents with the food in our mess kits but the wind would fold our mess kits up and spill our food. When we tried to get more food, they would say "NO DEAL!"

We jumped from island to island (Shemya, about February 1943; Amchitka, about March 1943) playing music for the men but we would freeze our butts off. After we settled the island of Attu, we got our instruments back and we did more playing. I would get a jeep from the motor pool and drive down the water trails as the creeks were the only way you could get around. We would go to the Navy area and play for our food, as every Wednesday they would serve steak and ice cream! Boy, was that a treat! We would also play for the civilian workers while they would gamble...boy, what tippers they were! I remember one time we were playing, "I came here to talk to Joe," a 1942 big band song, and the Japanese bombers flew over at 30,000 feet. The whole damn Massacre Valley opened fire with 50 caliber anti-aircraft guns. Boy, did these guys get heck!

I took my Cadet exam at Dutch Harbor in September of 1943 and passed everything except the Cadet Aviation Examination Board (consisting of one Artillery Lt. and one Infantry Lt.). I became a pilot nevertheless when I returned home in 1945.

We were shipped to the States in late November 1943, arriving at Seattle, Washington in early December. I barracked at Fort Lewis for 3 or 4 months and then was shipped to Camp Hood, Texas (now known as Ft. Hood). We played at all the big band dances and toured the State with USO groups.

• Newspaper Article about the 4th in Alaska (large)
• Newspaper Article about the 4th in Alaska (small)
• The Fighting Fourth

Here are some pictures from these times. You can e-mail me at: collings@aol.com