From the notebook of William Franklin Rockholt Sr. Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. China-Burma-India Theater, 1945.
Dad was an engineer, working on the Ledo-Stilwell Road, connecting India, through Burma, with China. The purpose of the “road” and the associated pipeline, was to allow land transportation to supply/aid the Chinese in their war against the Japanese invaders.
He was assigned the 1756th Engineer Petroleum Distribution Company in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater of Operations supervising the construction, operation, and maintenance of the India, Burma, and China pipeline.
In addition to Dad’s copy of the “Stilwell Road, Story of the Ledo Lifeline”, I have a small pocket sized notebook of his. Of little interest are the cryptic notes regarding explosives, beam stress, concrete stress bearing capacity, linier conversions, pressure gage diaphragms, and other engineering notes. These surely were meaningful to Dad, but were little more than letters and numbers on the faded, yellowing pages to me. I am certain that I must have seen this little notebook at some earlier time, but it didn’t really come to my attention until several years after his death. Of interest to me was the journal, kept fragmented in between these notes. In his own words (and even his misspelling), his journey home, at the end of World War II, aboard the U.S.S. General C. C. Ballou.
His Journal:
Dec 10, 1945 – Karachi India Today at 1600 we loaded the USS General Ballou. It is very nice weather. We have already moved into our compartments. Ready and raring for chow. There is lots of activity going on. Chow at 1700. They serve by compartments. Our compartment (2 Baker) is always on the first call.
Dec 11 – Up real early this AM. I got up and dressed real quick, made a dash for the wash room. Imagine my surprise to find 300 or more GIs in that place. Well I nearly missed chow. My compartment was called over the bitch box. And do you know, before I could get out they had already called two other compartments (You see, they call two at once. One lines up on port side, the other starboard side) Well, you can’t break lines in other compartments. (That’s what they think) I just fell in with 2 Charlie, and walked right in like an ox. Those guys checking right and left on my meal ticket (2B) in box car letters on it too. Every time I stuck it out my thumb would get over the B C? Well, the guy that punched it took it from me. He looked at it. Fumbled a little and says How come you here. I asked surprised, “Isn’t this 2.B?” He says Oh hell forget it and grins. Well I got my breakfast anyway.
0900 - We are supposed to pull out right now. There are two tugs here now looking like they would like to snort at something, blowing their heads off. Our ship just blows back at them
1000 - Everybody visiting ordered ashore. 1045 We are casting off. Under Way. We took off under our own power. A nice running boat.
1130 - We are called to chow. The boat is well out now, land almost out of sight. Boy does this baby scoot.
Dec 12 - Well I got in the right line for chow this A.M. Nothing much going on except clean up quarters. I have a terriable job. When everything is cleaned, swabbed and all trash is dumped in a G.I. can, Merejohn and I have to carry it topsides and dump it over aft rail.
1400 - We had our first drill to abandon ship. Very very successful. Let’s hope we don’t have another.
Dec 13th 1945 - Well, today is going very nicely. At 07:30 this A.M. We sighted land. Arabia. Yesterday noon we had traveled 469 miles. NOON TO NOON 419 miles. The weather is nice, a little hot topsides. Very smooth sailing. Our date of arrival is estimated Jan 2. The captain expected to get us in NY for New Years Eve. Hope he’s right. I’ll get some new dope noon today.
Yep, we made 450 miles noon to noon today. Doing pretty good huh? 7425 miles from New York. 869 miles in 2 days. (48 hrs) let me do some figuring. At the rate of travel we are now going, we should be at destination in 16 days traveling time. That will put us in port 29th Dec. That’s my figures. Now the Captain says he is trying to reach there the 30th. The navigator figures Jan 2nd. Now who is right, me I hope, every day counts with me.
Dec 14th – Well honey, today has been another nice day. Everything is going nicely. It doesn’t seem possible for the sea to be so calm. But I guess it is because we are in the Gulf of Aden. I sat on the rail for a long time today, watching the jelly fish float by. They are very beautiful. A brownish purple on the edges, with a center of a lighter hue, from a lavender to a light pink. I also saw lots of little flying fish too. They are about the size of a giant grasshopper. They fly 20 or thirty feet on the average.
Land is in sight at 1730. We traveled 458 miles, noon to noon today. The U.S.S. General Ballou was commissioned Jun 30, 1945 at Richmond, Calif. She is a steam turbine. Really can travel too. Noon today she has traveled 44611 miles since she has been commissioned. This makes her third trip. Richmond to Marsay, France to Norfork to Calcutta to NY to Karachi and now to NY. Built in Kaiser yard No 3
Dec 15 – Its pretty smooth sailing right now. About 0400 it got real rough, the little swells were really cutting up. We are in the red sea now, I don’t know just how far up. 1300 No dope as to our position yet. 1600 No dope yet, guess he is forgetting it. There is an army band giving a consert right now (1730). There are two shows on tonite. Maybe I can see both of them. Yep, I got both of them. One early one late. Pretty good shows. Now to bed. Good Night. Noon to Noon 555
Dec 16 – Sunday morning almost a week out. Gee, I’ll be glad when this is all over. This morning its rougher than ever. I don’t mind that up and down motion so much but now she has a little side twisting motion that makes me feel kinda funny inside. Hope I don’t get sea sick. “You’re drunk there is nothing wrong with this ship” Ha. Attended church services tonight, topside hatch #6. Real nice services too. A navy chaplin did the preaching. Noon to Noon 450
Dec 17, 1945 – The same old thing, pretty rough. But, I am doing fine so far. I just cant get enough to eat It seems that they are starving me to death. Land has been in sight all afternoon. We are in the narrow channel entering the suez canal. Africa on the port side Arabia starboard. We got our dope on the ships position noon today. We traveled 424 miles noon to noon. Today 2771 miles from Karachi. That’s their figure, mine are 2706. Guess they know though. How would I do for a navigator? Huh.
Khi to Pt. Said 2780 ?(suez104 mi) 5638 from NY 2771 from Khi 424 today noon
We pulled into the harbor at night fall, have dropped anchor, don’t know what they intend to do. It’s cold outside so I think I’ll stay inside.
Dec 18, 1945 – Well, they pulled through the canal last night, 97 miles. We dropped anchor at 0700 to take on water and oil. They just made the announcement that any one wishing to send a telegram could do so in the troops mess hall.
It’s now 1100 and I just got the telegram taken care of and we are now getting ready to take off again. Boy it’s cold.
1245 - I just got back from chow. It is raining and I got wet. Down here in my compartment drying out. We are already through the harbor now. Lots of big boats tied up here.
1400 - We just passed a big English boat that left port said a few minutes after we dropped anchor. Just like a freight passing a tramp. No dope on our milage today. I guess the rain is the cause.
Dec 19, 1945 – Well just about the same old routine stuff today. The medetirranian is almost as smooth as glass. I have spent the most of today in the ships library, just coming out for chow. Well I am catching up on some reading. So I won’t have to read much when I get home. Ha. I can take care of some other things.
We have traveled 735 miles since I got the last report. He didn’t give any noon to noon data.
Estimated time of arrival Dec 31st. 3280 from Karachi, 4903 from New York. She is beginning to see my way. Ha.
Dec 20 – Well things are about as usual today, the same old thing.
The weather has been a little rough, not so much. I sat on the rail trying to see some more porpoise playing in front of the ship. I don’t think I told you I saw two, about 6 ft long playing right in front of the bow of the ship.
No dope on the position of ship. We passed some islands. It is getting a little rougher. Think I’ll see a show.
Dec 21 - Still getting along fine, eating all I can get. It is still rough, but I’m feeling fine. Passed a lot of pretty good sized islands. We are supposed to reach the rock sometime tomorrow if it is favorable. I just heard we are running into a gale and a 90 mile one too. Gosh, I hope it isn’t that rough. We heard they have a gale of 80 miles at the rock too, so we might not go through if it continues like that.
The ships position at noon today. We are 4031 from NY, 4134 from Karachi, 446 noon to noon, 47567 since commission.
1800 – We will soon run into the gale. Things are getting pretty rough now. The spray is going over the bow. Lot of the GIs are already in the latrine. Using the commodes. Some are really sick, poor fellows. I haven’t gotten sick, BUT.
1900 – And everybody is inside now. The waves are coming over the bow and spraying up into the gun mounts fwd. This baby is really rarin now. She rises up in front and comes down into the waves with a big slap, for about 2 or 3 times, then rides smooth for about 10 waves. The bow really goes under too. Me? I am inside, feeling woozy but not sick. Thank goodness. I would laugh at those guys but I am afraid I would get the same way, so there. What a mess in the latrine, everything full and running over.
Dec 22 – Well, we rode it out. I finaly went to sleep with this skift pitching like a donkey. She was taking it head on so I didn’t have to tie myself in the bunk,. It has been going very nicely today, awfully cold. It has snowed some too. Everything going as nicely as can be. We are expecting to pass the Rock about 0130 Sunday. I am going to try to see it, if it is at midnight.
Dec 23 – We are now passing the Rock of Gibraltar. It is not light enough to really tell much. But, we know it is there, off starboard bow. There are lights on each side of the strait. We can see the outline of the Rock. Wish it was light enough. The day is starting off nicely. It is gray and cold. I expect to stay below if they don’t run me out to clean up down here.
Tomorrow is Christmas Eve. I sure wish I could be walking down that road to five pair of arms waiting to squeeze me. I can do some squeezing myself you know.
Our position noon today is: to NY 3241, from Karachi 4761, noon to noon 391, dis s comm. 48342.
And we are in a gale, not so bad they say. But this ship is doing every trick in the book. Luckily, I’m not sick one little bit, but I will be glad when this GI can set foot once more on solid ground.
Dec 24 Christmas Eve 1945 - Well, we have been aboard 2 weeks. One more to go. There isn’t much going on unusual aboard. I saw a Christmas tree all lit up in the ships officers mess. I wonder if our Christmas tree is lit up at home. I’ll bet it is. I won’t even get home for the holidays but I am on my way at least. That is something isn’t it?
Dec 25 1945 Christmas morning – Very dark and rainy. We have been traveling in this kind of weather for quiet a while. This boat is never still, if it isn’t rolling its going up and down or doing both.
I made services today at 1100. A real Christmas sermon, quiet a few confessed Christ. We had a real Christmas dinner. Roast turkey, all I could eat, fruit cake and all of the trimming (ice cream).
Our position noon today – 2433 NY, 5670 Khi, 410 noon to noon, sin comm. 49133. Arrival estimate – Jan 31.
Dec 26 – Well, I feel kinda stuffed this morning. You know, only a few more days left now, and Boy oh Boy, I’ll get off of this thing. Yeah, I got sea legs, but I am a land lubber C and I am going to stay there too. It is really rough outside and it is so close side it stinks. Imagine yourself in a compartment with tiers of bunks 4 high. Put men in there head to foot, head to foot. Reach an elbow to this side and touch the man beside you, stretch a hand eighteen inchs across the aisle from you and bump the man across from you. Just as far as you can see there are rows and rows of them.
These bunks are exactly six feet six inchs long and just wide enough for your shoulders. On your right, away from the aisle, there is a free space of two inches and another man stretched out. When the bunk above you is occupied (about 20 hours each day) the sag in the canvas is about ten inches from your face. You can’t sit in the bunk because it isn’t high enough and you can’t sit or stand in the aisle because you block it. So, you just lay down or get out. Water is another problem, about 500 men bathe and shave, wash and clean up in our troop head. The water is on for 15 minutes at the time. Well, we all line up and wait for the water to come on and here is what happens. The water comes on, you are pretty well up in time. You intend to shave this time (you can’t do both), you finally get to the lavatory, get your face washed and lathered up, the water goes off. If you didn’t have sense enough or let’s say forethought enough to draw up enough water in the basin to use, you are licked. That’s life on a troop ship. But who minds, we are on our way home. I haven’t heard a man gripe one bit since we started. I believe we could be throwed in with a bunch of hogs and it there was any fuss raised it would be the hogs. We’re GIs going home.
Dec 27, 1945 – Up at 0600 as usual, to start the day off. It is still dark. We are in the chow line, the spray is blowing over the rail on us. We are getting a salt water bath early this morning. We have been on the tail of a storm since we came by Siscily, not real bad but rough as all get out. We are making fair time. If we don’t run into it we will make it into NY about noon Monday, Dec 31. I hope that storm keeps moving on or gets to one side. Doesn’t it know we have a priority.
Dec 28, 1945 – 0400 It sounds like we have hit a rock pile. BOOM-boom-boom-boom-boom. That big boom is the bottom of the ship striking the main force of a wave as she is going back into the water, those short dull booms are the blades of the propeller striking the water as it is going back down. One end of the ship is out of the water the other is way down in it. The ship goes up and down 25 or 30 feet. I was up on the fwd gun mount this morning watching the bow go under the weaves, the spray would come right back where we were. We had to get down behind the shed to keep from getting wet, and I raised up to see again and got it smack in the face anyway. So I got wet anyway. We have slowed down lots not, the ship isn’t cutting up so much but it is still rough. We have changed course and headed straight into the waves. At 0800 we were at 37” 45’ N 47”31’ W 1230 miles N.Y.
Dec 29, 45 – Not so bad this morning, but this skift sure has taken a beating the last 24 hours. In fact the last 2 weeks I can’t see how it has kept itself together. I have worried quiet a bit about our galley. If this thing should break in two all we would have would be the mess hall and the dishes. Now what could we do with those things? Wash em, Ha. No I don’t even think it would happen, but it gives us something to think and worry about.
They have been doing a lot of welding down below the last few days. And one of the sailors say they will dry dock for repairs in NY this trip. The two last trips have gave Ballou quiet a pounding. Some of the seams are split in the hull. But she can take it and ask for more. This is a new ship and is lots stronger built than those liberty ships. Do you remember some of them split in two? This is Saturday morning, I hope the last time I have beans for breakfast. We expect to dock about 1230 Monday and we get beans for breakfast Wed.
To NY 916, From Khi 7182, Noon to noon 193, 50704, Estimated time of arrival Jan 1st.
We lost a lot of time yesterday, so we don’t dock until Tue. Jan 1st now. We also had to stop this morning for about 2 hours to make some more repairs. The storm has calmed down now but there is more on the way.
Dec 30 – The storm hit last night about 1800. Not so bad but it looks rough ahead. We haven’t checked speed yet but we aren’t traveling but about 15 knots now. It really started in rough about 2300 last night and is still at it this morning at 0800.
Spray has been coming in to the A decks all night and coming over the bow back to the bridge, on the main deck. It is all you can do to stand up. A bunch of the boys at chow slid all over the place and spilled stuff all over the already slick deck so you can imagine what a mess we have to put up with around here.
I don’t know whether we have altered our course or not. We are taking the waves on our port bow and that really makes her buck. She is pounding bad.
Dec 31 – Well everything is cold this morning, remind me to get my longies out this evening. Huh. I know I don’t wear them Butt it’s cold see.
Everything is quietening down now, pretty smooth sailing but it has been raining and the wind must be right off the coast. We are about 500 miles off early this morning. Supposed to land about 1000 tomorrow. Everything is in an uproar today. All of us are getting our things ready to jump off at first notice. Me too. We are all getting to bed early as possible.
Jan 1 New Years 1946 – And what a noise. The ship is celebrating, they have blowed every whistle and sounded every alarm on the boat. One fellow called over the announcer, All hands, rise and test, the worlds on fire. Gee whiz, what’s wrong? Well, we just waited, nothing happened, so we went back to sleep about 0100.
Everybody stiring about 0300, how’s a guy going to sleep on a mad house like this. I stayed in my sack until 0445, then someone put the lights on and everybody got to moving the bags and digging out the heavy wools. I almost froze last night myself.
Revilee has just sounded and everybody is now ready for chow. Me too. After chow we have to get everything in order for inspection. I have a detail to go down to the wash room on the deck below No 2C. They will inspect at 0930 so we are going to get it cleaned up and keep the boys fought out until the officer inspects. The boys are really going to it too. This is our last clean up and it’s gotta be good, so the officer says.
0930 – I am right on top now, looking that lady Liberty over real good. A very spectacular sight too. A fellow feels good when he first sets eyes on that statue. We will be docking very soon now. We dock at pier no. 88 and I see 54 now. Washington Bridge is way up the river. The Europa is docked on the New Jersey side on our left. She is he big German liner. At one time the pride of Germany. Now we are using her to bring home our sorry GIs. Wonder what they think of that?
1000 – We are now tied up at the pier. They are now sending us below to start debarking.
1100 – We are on the pier now. Whew I am tired out. What a mess of men. The red cross is giving us donuts coffee and everyone gets his first half pint of good old cows milk. Oh boy, I have waited months for just this. Just wait until I get home.
1300 – We have just loaded on the ferry, going back down the river on the N.J. side to go to camp. Off we go. She don’t buck like the Ballou.
1345 – Well, we have made it to the train. Whew, I am all petered out. But I am sitting down in a real seat with springs in it, just chawing on the cushion.
1350 – The train is now on it’s way and the thing has springs on it. I can’t believe it hardly. I still reach over and pinch myself once in a while to just see. I can still remember those long rides on the Bengal and Assam railroad. Eat and sleep in a small compartment on hard board seats. I was so sore I couldn’t sit or lay, in fact I couldn’t even stand still after I got off of that thing. No springs, no springs like freight cars, traveling like jackasses..Ha.
1530 – Pulling into Camp Kilmer. Oh boy, real houses to sleep in. Wood floors. We loaded our baggage on trucks and started marching. It was a sight to just watch. That bunch of Rookies marching. Yeah, rookie civilians. Walking all over the road. We were supposed to march three abreast. But look, 2-3-5-6-1-4- yeah, just like that. Walking backwards, hoping, jumping and running, everybody talking, pointing and shouting. It was great to see a bunch of guys let go for just a while.
We march to theater No 5 where the post commander welcomed us home. With a big army bank. Told us he had a big new years dinner waiting for us. Then our disposition area commander No 1 told us what we had to do and what they were doing to get us out as soon as possible. So out of there and another long hike back to our area. Oh my dogs. Now all I have to do is carry my baggage from the baggage rack No3, about ¼ mile to my barracks and up a flight of stairs then we can go to chow.
1630 – Boy, what a feed. I ate turkey again. But this was real tasty. Cranberry sauce hot rolls fresh butter hot coffee creamed potatoes cake and a whole pint of cold sweet milk.
1709 - Shh I just slipped off up here and put a call in to my darling and boys. I am supposed to wait until they tell us we can go but they wont be doing anything this late. And I just gotta know how my gang is getting along.
1806 – I got my report on the call. They are going after Bertha. She will call me in about 2 hours. Gee this place is crowded now, they let the boys out a while ago. See what I mean about getting here early.
1920 – I got to talk to that Darling of mine. Well I just had to force myself to talk. I just almost filled up and stood there. Sugarfoot let herself go. I am glad she did. I know how she felt and I didn’t mind it one bit. It really sounded good to hear that girl talk.
Jan 2, 1946 – Today has been dull as far as our activity. We have to stick right in barracks. But things are humming at our headquarters. Runners are always going and coming. We will know tomorrow when we start for camp.
Jan 3 – At 0930 today we got the dope on leaving for home. We assemble at the ramps with our bags at 1330.
1530 – And we are almost at the train. As usual we hurry up and wait.
1600 – We are all on board now. Our baggage all messed up. We didn’t get a baggage car as we were supposed to, so its scattered in cars C & D. I am in D and as usual hooked. Where is the car commander? That’s me. All gripes from the train commander and the troops wind up here with me. Not so bad though, a good bunch of guys.
(Lets start back the other way in this book)
Jan 4, 1945 – Well I wake up in another foreign country, this time in Canada. We left the United States at Niagra NY and entered Canada. We have traveled across Canada to Port Huron, and are now back in Michigan, headed for Chicago.
1700 – Maybe you can read now. I have been trying to scribble while the train was in motion. We are now in Chicago. Now all I have seen is railroad and stock yards. We can get off of the train but we can go any place. And I am just sticking around close. It’s very cold and raining outside so all I did was get out and get some exercise and fresh air. Oh, I had to get outside and in the chow line. They have cut the train in two so we had no cars to line up in. W have ate now and it is now 2015 – I am in the kitchen writing. See what a mess a KP did. Maybe it will not ruin everything.
Jan 5, 1946 - Today has been just another day of traveling. We are on our way to Kansas City.
1530 – Just back from meeting the train commander. We will land in K.C. at 1600. Also a lot of other things, such as nobody leaves the train except a man appointed by car commander to purchase items for the whole car.
2100 – We are now (illegible) the KCS (illegible) me to bed nighty (illegible)
Jan 6, 1945 – 0600 - I woke up in Heavener Oklahoma this morning. We are way behind time. We should have been in Cp Fannin at 0500 today. Now it looks like it will be in the afternoon now.
1040 – We just pulled out of Dequeen Arkansas. We had to sidetrack for both of the Streamliners, Southern Bell. We are going for our last chow on the train now.
1230 – We are now in Texarkana. We will be pulling for Camp Fannin in about 10 minutes. I have had an awful time at writing here lately, guess you can tell that by the looks of a few previous pages.
And that was the last entry. Dad received an Honorable Discharge on January 8, 1946 at the Camp Fannin Separation Center. I guess he was just too busy to jot down a few more words, or maybe he was just too anxious to get home.
