1944-09-08

Page 8 PORTLAND INQUIRER FILLING A GREAT NEED IN THE COMMUNITY.. THE DAY NURSERY CHILDREN OF BUSY PARENTS AT PLAY AT ST. MARTIN'S DAY 1717 N.E. VICTORIA ST. A BENEFICIARY OF THE COMMUNITY CHEST. DRIVE OPENS SEPTEMBER 25th. 70,000,000 Christmas Gifts Expected to Go Overseas ' Approximately 33,000 uniformed men and women in the Army and Navy postal services are preparing for their biggest job-that of mov– ing an estimated 70,000,000 pack– ages of Christmas presents (thre times as many as last year) to the military men and women overseas, the Office of War Information re– ported today on the basis of data obtained from the Army and Navy. Army postal officers are prepar– ing their organization to move about twice as many Christmas parcels as were handled in 1943, when 20,000,000 holiday packages were sent overseas. The Navy Mail Service expects nearly four times the volume of gifts handled in 1943 through fleet postoffices in New York and San Francisco. A total of 7,480,000 packages went through the fleet postoffices last year, 3,480,000 of them to advanced bases or ships at sea and 4,000,000 to ships putting in at American ports, the Navy re– ported. Both Army and Navy said that thls year more facilities ha.ve been established all over the world to as– sure prompt delivery of properly wrapped and properly addressed packages to service men and wo– men overseas on or before Christ– mas Day. That's why "Christmas Mailing Month" has be!)n set for September 15 to October 15. Par– cels mailed during that period, of– ficers said, should reach each sol– dier or sailor, wherever he may be, by Christmas Day, provided the senders take a few simple precau- ' tions. Packages should weigh not more than five pounds and have combin– ed dimensions of not more than 36 inches. Be sure to address pack– ages plainly and correctly, the Ar– my and Navy officers said. Don't use labels that, in handling, may come off. Put an extra address in– side. Don't send perishables andr above all, don't try to put edibles such as fruit cakes or cookies in the same box with wrist watches, pocket knives, or other durable gifts soldiers appreciate. If the edibles spoil they may destroy the entire contents of the box. The only packages that were la~ in arriving or not delivered at tJi last year were those incorrectly ad– dressed, wrapped, or improperly packaged. U.S. COAST GUARD By Herbert Baumgartner Y1c. Aboard a Coast Guard manned Attack Transport somewhere in the Pacific-(Delayed) Anyone aboard this vessel during the invasion of the Marianas Island can tell you the Negro stewards and steward's mates had plenty to do besides take care of the officers' meals and staterooms. Coast Guard and Navy Negroes attached to gun crews and emer– gency battle dressing stations gave a fine account of themselves when enemy air attacks were numerous during the early stages of the fighting. Steady hands and smooth coordi– nation are required of ammunition passers and loaders, and the effi– ciency of these men was attested by the unbelievable screen of ack– ack- that went up on occasion when Nip planes came in close. "It's not much fun waiting there in the pitch dark for them to come overhead," said Coast Guardsman Elmer M. Freeman, Jr., steward's mate, second class, of Brooklyn, N . Y., "but when you see a Jap plane go down in flames you can't help but yell for joy. It's just like when the home team gets a score in the ball game." Freeman, whose parents live at 431 Macon St., is 18 years old. He has been serving with the Coast Guard since Augul"t. 1943. ' ; ..... i