Passages from The Wainwright Papers"

[okla]

Hey Phantom....I am wondering if the "trunk lockers", that were mentioned, are what we, of the Korean War Period, referred to as "foot lockers" If so, those things, as a lot of folks on this Forum could testify, were approximately 4 feet long, 2 feet wide and about 2 feet deep. I am leaning, heavily on the word "approximately". I distinctly remember them being about as wide as our GI Bunks, sitting, neatly, at the "foot" of said "sleeping accommodations". There was a "tray" (for toilet articles, etc) that could be lifted out, revealing an area for larger clothing articles, etc. Those lockers, minus the tray, would be ideal for shipping records, etc. This info could be classified as a SWAG, I suppose. Cheers.

[The Phantom]

Thanks for your valued input Okla.
I never had the opportunity to serve, one leg too much shorter than the other from a boating accident while in college.

Were the foot lockers made of wood or metal Okla?
There is a picture here somewhere on site with these footlockers at the base of beds in Topside Barracks, pr-war, as you say as long as the beds are wide at the base.

I find this excerpt from this early 1942 diary work very telling as so many Filipino's had a difficult time receiving their monies, some up to this century.
War, especially one where a group or of soldiers is completely cut off and then imprisoned for years, and many records lost, destroyed, or never even put to paper in the first place, can make future rectification of inaccuracies very difficult indeed.

[okla]

Hey Phantom....Regarding whether the "footlockers" were wooden or metal....The only ones I ever saw were wooden, but metal ones could have been in use also. All our equipment and much of our clothing was WW 2 stuff. The "new" USAF Blue Uniforms were in use, but the WW 2 ODs were still to be seen. I would imagine that a more modern "footlocker" is now in vogue. Time marches on, but those old jobs served their purpose, being used when lacking chairs. Also as a table. With a GI blanket adorning them, they were handy for playing Poker, Pitch or Gin, etc. Nostalgia has taken hold. I must cease my drivel. Cheers.

[The Phantom]

Nothing wrong with waxing nostalgic okla, sometimes that's the best thing we've got going my friend!

'Civilian Relief"

In December 1941, the U.S. Congress appropriated a large sum for relief of civilians in the Philippines.
About 20 December, $10,000,000 (P20,000,000)was given to the Commonwealth Government on this account.
Later, while at Corregidor,$5,000,000 was advanced.
Although these funds were to be accounted for as those advanced to the Philippine army, no vouchers were turned in for credit.
It was known some of the money was apportioned among several provinces."

"U.S. High Commissioners Affairs'

In accordance with The U.S. Treasuries instructions The High Commissioners Office in Manila registered many securities and such other property belonging to American citizens and firms as a means of preventing the enemy from converting such property to their own use when they had occupied the islands.
When he had moved to Corregidor much clerical work had still to be done before he could render a report to Washington.
Having no clerks with him, the Finance dept. loaned him the services of Lt. Col. W.A. Enos and his men from the Fort McKinley office who compiled the data in the form required.

Upon the departure of the U.S. High Commissioner from Corregidor, 3 boxes of papers and unknown contents entrusted to him were turned over to the Finance officer,USAFFE as custodian.
About 27 April, the boxes were opened and all contents destroyed, except the following: one packet of flat silver which was turned over to the quartermaster, Fort Mills, one packet of trinkets and jewelry received from the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation, all the property of the Filipino's, which was turned over to Maj. Jose Razon, acting head of the Philippine Commonwealth on Corregidor.
List of items destroyed was radioed to the chief of finance."