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The soldier turned shopkeeper
As the war rolled on, and the invasion of Normandy boosted the allies’ fortunes, it started to change the balance of power in Europe, and Abe's duties changed also. His position as “Motor Maintenance Specialist”, a classification he earned in the officers’ candidate school, was left behind. In Italy, he was charged with running the Post Exchange, the PX.
It puzzles me that upon graduation, the Army considered him a Motor Maintenance Specialist. I don't know what he thought of that. He could do many things, but he never sang in the choir, played poker, and I never ever did see him check the oil, let alone change it, in any of the many Chrysler automobiles he drove as a traveling salesman. Whatever the army taught him about internal combustion engines did not stick.
He was not a motor head. So putting him in charge of the PX was a good move.
As a traveling salesman in the late thirties, he learned inventory, logistics, bookkeeping, and how to treat his PX customers, no matter what their rank in the service.
As a military shopkeeper he wrote my mother that he "sold a lot of goods at the PX, and the books he showed the auditor, they balanced to the penny.”
A Vietnam veteran friend of mine suggested, Abe’s Motor Maintenance title was a cover story. Perhaps the Army could use it as he moved up into something more important than changing oil and spark plugs? If he was actually working in some clandestine role, this motor head moniker would give him cover
As the war rolled on, and the invasion of Normandy boosted the allies’ fortunes, it started to change the balance of power in Europe, and Abe's duties changed also. His position as “Motor Maintenance Specialist”, a classification he earned in the officers’ candidate school, was left behind. In Italy, he was charged with running the Post Exchange, the PX.
It puzzles me that upon graduation, the Army considered him a Motor Maintenance Specialist. I don't know what he thought of that. He could do many things, but he never sang in the choir, played poker, and I never ever did see him check the oil, let alone change it, in any of the many Chrysler automobiles he drove as a traveling salesman. Whatever the army taught him about internal combustion engines did not stick.
He was not a motor head. So putting him in charge of the PX was a good move.
As a traveling salesman in the late thirties, he learned inventory, logistics, bookkeeping, and how to treat his PX customers, no matter what their rank in the service.
As a military shopkeeper he wrote my mother that he "sold a lot of goods at the PX, and the books he showed the auditor, they balanced to the penny.”
A Vietnam veteran friend of mine suggested, Abe’s Motor Maintenance title was a cover story. Perhaps the Army could use it as he moved up into something more important than changing oil and spark plugs? If he was actually working in some clandestine role, this motor head moniker would give him cover
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Officially classified as a Motor Maintenance Specialist, the army realized Lt. Sacks had more civilian experience with men's apparel business than motor manifolds.
In Italy he ran the post exchange (PX), until he was tagged to run a Signal Corps Company. |
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To do what and where? Did the Army quietly tag talented officers who would later be “activated”, given jobs that matched their skills?
Lt. Sacks waited just a little while to find out.
He wrote my mother Bea, in November 20,1944, bragging that he had been assigned to the United States Army Signal Corps.
"I am in the big picture now."
For the Lieutenant, his move up the military ladder started - with new clothes and long underwear.
As he wrote home:
“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. (Olive Drab) 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.”
So for this practical signing bonus gift from the Commanding Officer, how was Lt. Sacks expected to reciprocate?
In his next letter, he answers that:
“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.”
Lt. Sacks waited just a little while to find out.
He wrote my mother Bea, in November 20,1944, bragging that he had been assigned to the United States Army Signal Corps.
"I am in the big picture now."
For the Lieutenant, his move up the military ladder started - with new clothes and long underwear.
As he wrote home:
“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. (Olive Drab) 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.”
So for this practical signing bonus gift from the Commanding Officer, how was Lt. Sacks expected to reciprocate?
In his next letter, he answers that:
“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.”
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Early on, Lt. Sacks was not "read in" on all the duties and responsibilities he would assume leading a Signal Corps squad. This document details the mission, and he brought the complete version home when he returned to the states. |
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