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HOT FOOD, WARM CLOTHES
Oct. 4, 1944
“Word got around the post that I was to leave and it was very gratifying to know what people thought. This went from Pvt. to Col. The boys that worked for me wanted to quit. But a little persuasion was needed. They gave me a ‘Flight Bag,’ a soft Val-a-Pak, for a gift.
“The auditor checked the books and sent a very good report. There was close to a half million that cleared thru me and not a penny ever went astray.”
And then a few days later, the Signal Corps came calling, with a special message. As Abe tells it, it took him totally by surprise:
“Am sitting here trying to more or less wake up from what I call a dream. While writing to you yesterday, a notice from Assignment Office came for me to appear there.
“When I got to the office I was told to wait. Finally, a Major and a Capt. called me in. They interviewed me and assigned me on the spot to this organization.
“The story is that I’m a Liaison Officer between Division and 7th Army. Am ASSIGNED for this outfit.
“A command car picked me up and brought me here. We live in a building with showers and hot fresh food. Was oriented as to what is expected of me and it sounds wonderful.
“Am in the Big Picture.
“Tonight at supper the C.O. asked me if there was anything I needed.
“I said all I could use was some warm clothes, just in case some of mine gets lost. Before I knew it, there was long underwear and O.D. clothes at my disposal, as much as I needed. Heretofore, one had to pay good money for that.
“At present I’m the envy of a lot of boys, I only hope that I prove worthy enough to hold on to it.
“S.I.A.M. You are probably a little curious as to the title of this Co. The title means Signal Information And Monitoring.
“Please don’t worry, baby. I couldn’t have gotten a better deal had I asked for it.”
********************************************************************************************************************************
The second part of this story that ran in the Jan-Feb 2025 issue of Electric Radio Magazine, follows Lt. Abe Sacks, his SIAM crew, and six truckloads of radio gear into France and Germany. Read about where they traveled and how they passed encrypted radio transmissions from behind the front lines up to command headquarters.
Part Two: Victory on the Airwaves
Unless noted words and photographs (C) 2024 Andrew Sacks
HOT FOOD, WARM CLOTHES
Oct. 4, 1944
“Word got around the post that I was to leave and it was very gratifying to know what people thought. This went from Pvt. to Col. The boys that worked for me wanted to quit. But a little persuasion was needed. They gave me a ‘Flight Bag,’ a soft Val-a-Pak, for a gift.
“The auditor checked the books and sent a very good report. There was close to a half million that cleared thru me and not a penny ever went astray.”
And then a few days later, the Signal Corps came calling, with a special message. As Abe tells it, it took him totally by surprise:
“Am sitting here trying to more or less wake up from what I call a dream. While writing to you yesterday, a notice from Assignment Office came for me to appear there.
“When I got to the office I was told to wait. Finally, a Major and a Capt. called me in. They interviewed me and assigned me on the spot to this organization.
“The story is that I’m a Liaison Officer between Division and 7th Army. Am ASSIGNED for this outfit.
“A command car picked me up and brought me here. We live in a building with showers and hot fresh food. Was oriented as to what is expected of me and it sounds wonderful.
“Am in the Big Picture.
“Tonight at supper the C.O. asked me if there was anything I needed.
“I said all I could use was some warm clothes, just in case some of mine gets lost. Before I knew it, there was long underwear and O.D. clothes at my disposal, as much as I needed. Heretofore, one had to pay good money for that.
“At present I’m the envy of a lot of boys, I only hope that I prove worthy enough to hold on to it.
“S.I.A.M. You are probably a little curious as to the title of this Co. The title means Signal Information And Monitoring.
“Please don’t worry, baby. I couldn’t have gotten a better deal had I asked for it.”
********************************************************************************************************************************
The second part of this story that ran in the Jan-Feb 2025 issue of Electric Radio Magazine, follows Lt. Abe Sacks, his SIAM crew, and six truckloads of radio gear into France and Germany. Read about where they traveled and how they passed encrypted radio transmissions from behind the front lines up to command headquarters.
Part Two: Victory on the Airwaves
Unless noted words and photographs (C) 2024 Andrew Sacks
