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Camp Lucky Strike was
one of several tent camps built around Le Havre at the end of 1944. Others
were named Old Gold, Pall Mall, Twenty Grand, Herbert Tarlton, Wings, Home
Run, and Phillip Morris. As you can see they were named for popular
cigarette brands. They were created in order to dispatch equipment and
troops disembarking from the port of Le Havre to the front. Lucky Strike
was built around a German bomber base. Col. Maurice Protheroe, a friend of
the author, was in charge of building Camp Lucky Strike.
Apparently I, as a RAMP1, was one
of the first people to be assigned to Camp Lucky Strike, arriving by C-47
from an Evac hospital in Germany 7 April 1944. All I had was a wool shirt
and trousers, new pair of Army shoes two sizes too large, and cotton
underwear and socks.2 No coat
(remember it was early April and very cold!), soap, or tooth brush,
nothing.
The camp was divided into sections. My guess is that each section held
from 500 to 2000 men. Our section's main street was built with metal
strips with holes made for aircraft landing strips. In the center of th
section was a canvas tarp covered eating area (we ate standing at
shelves), canvas kitchen, huge canvas water tank, Red Cross tent, and
several administrative tents.
Rows of squad tents, I thing each had 12 canvas folding cots, were laid
out in opposite directions from the central area. The tents had cots
PERIOD, no lighting, no heating. no chairs, no tables, nothing else. At
the rear end of the tent row was a tent with a large box in the center3.
It had a series of round holes along the edge - toilets - and a large hole
underneath for the excrement. Again no lights, no water.
Upon arrival I was issued a barracks bag, two Army blankets, mess kit
complete with knife, fork, spoon, and canteen cup, towel, and a canvas
bucket. Then assigned to a cot in the first tent. My guess is that the
bucket was to carry water from the canvas water tank to my tent for
bathing. What a laugh. Both the weather and water were too cold and I was
too weak.
Was very sick when I arrived and when I left. After a couple of days there
were so many people eating at our mess that you finished one meal and went
to the rear of the line to wait for the next meal, a period of up to four
hours! I was too sick to stand in line that long. Was very happy to be
free but the conditions were still terrible.
On my first night at Lucky Strike visited the Red Cross tent where I had a
cup of coffee and a donut. As I recall that was about all there was,
except of course the lovely ladies. The rumor the next day was one of the
guys died that night apparently from eating 23 of the donuts. That ended
the donuts!
The people in charge didn't seem to know what to expect or how to handle
us. Processing consisted of a very brief physical (probably only looking
for contagious diseases), debriefing (at the time I had no idea where I
was when captured, little knowledge of the Battle of the Bulge, or seen
any maps). My guess is that the debriefer was very inexperienced and
probably thought we were very stupid.
Several days later I was sent to the quartermaster tent where I turned in
my outer clothes for a new Ike Jacket, wool shirt and trousers, web belt
pair socks, combat boots, and a field cap with red braid. It was the only
cap they had with braid. It fit me and the red showed that I was
artillery. I was not issued any insignia until I arrived at Fort McPerson
in Atlanta on May 1.
They gave each of us a neat little cloth pouch that you could tie around
the waist. It had a razor, razor blades, shaving cream, comb, soap, tooth
paste, and wash cloth. It was provided by a Red Cross Chapter in New
Jersey! Thank you Red Cross.
Also received $20 partial pay. Remember the Germans had taken all the
money from most POWS. Arraigned for one of the Red Cross ladies to
purchase a cake for my 21st birthday on Friday the 13th. Gave her my $20.
On Thursday they posted orders on the bulletin board that I was to go home
the next day. Got back my $20.
On my 21St birthday was trucked to Le Havre and boarded the John Ericksen
for the trip home. Arrived at Staten Island 28 April, and went by train to
Camp KiIrner.
By the end of April the Army had things well organized at Camp Lucky
Strike. There were Post Exchanges and movies. During this time 3,000
German POWS were utilized in the mess and laundry area. Of course the
infirmary was always full of men who had eaten too much of the rich food
after their diet in the Stalags and on the road.
At the peak 5,000 RAMPS left for home by plane or ship from Le Harve in a
SINGLE DAY.. In all, 89,000 former American POWS went through Lucky
Strike.
Beginning in June Camp Lucky Strike was used to deploy units for the war
in the Pacific. Later on whole divisions were deployed through the camp
for deactivation in the United States. The 106th Infantry Division Was
relieved of its POW guard duties in September and arrived at Lucky Strike
around the 10th for the trip home and deactivation.
1 RAMP was the term given to Allied POWS. It stands for Recovered
Allied Military Personal. It was my status on all Special Orders.
2 Received these clothes at a shower and
delousing unit before being admitted to the Evac hospital.
The Army referred to these toilets as Quartermaster Boxes.
LUCKY-ST 11/30/94
Supplied by Richard
Lockhart |