FJ14M

DEL MONTE AIRFIELD, MINDANAO

by S/Sgt Joseph Finigan, Kingman AZ

I was on the ground crew of Capt Collin Kelly’s plane when he was out on a flight one day. They needed a maintenance man to go to Del Monte so I was shanghaied on the move. We took off at about 4 am in a B-18 loaded about twice as heavy as it should have been. Got to Del Monte and there was nothing there, but a materiel squadron, which was already running low on food. All I can remember is that we ate pineapple, and canned salmon most of the time. First meal was dried bread, pineapple and salmon. Ate out of mess kits that would always be filled with water from the heavy rains.

I had no place to sleep, so slept on wings of B-17s for about 4 days. Greatest interference at Del Monte were the rains, and no change in clothing as we were allowed to bring only 40 lb with us. No cots, and only 1 blanket. They took chocolate from emergency ration boxes, and made cocoa once a day -- but plenty of pineapple. Chow didn’t improve.