less than 8 hours, carrying full field equipment. At this time, the deserving men were granted 15
day furloughs.
As the month of August drew to a close, most of the men thought the time had come for
them to prove themselves. They did know, however, that Uncle Sam was not sparing any
expanse or being rushed when it came to readying for combat one of these crack units, which he
was later to depend on to win the war by whipping a tough enemy in the field. Consequently, the
1st of September found the Regiment speeding west on seven full trains to the California-
Arizona maneuver area.
During the five month interim between the Louisiana and desert maneuvers, the
Regiment, as part of the Division, was de-motorized and reverted back to the status of a regular
infantry division. The nature of the fighting overseas had shown that motorized divisions would
not be required initially and could not be employed as effectively as could regular infantry.
By 11th September, 1943, the Regiment was in place at its regular station, Camp Granite,
California. This was a tent camp located some 40 miles east of Desert Center. Here rigorous
training was conducted in the principles and privations of desert warfare. Although the fighting
in North Africa had ended by this time, the training received in the desert was valuable from the
standpoint of physical conditioning, moving and maintaining direction at night, operating
efficiently with limited water and food supplies, and logistical experience.
After three weeks of Regimental Combat Team problems conducted in the vicinity of
Salome, Arizona, from 21st October to 10th November, the Regiment, as part of the Division,
engaged in 20 days of corps maneuvers in California against the 93rd Infantry Division. This is
a division composed of colored soldiers which has since distinguished itself in action at
Bougainville and during other major engagements in the Pacific. The skillful opposition offered
by this unit during the maneuvers was most valuable to the Regiment in ironing out the final
kinks and readying it for the tests ahead.
At the completion of the desert training period, the Assistant Division Commander,
Brigadier General Samuel T. Williams informed the troops that this was their last maneuver.
Although everyone knew what this meant, they did not mind saying goodbye to the desert with
its sand, sun, chilly nights, and loneliness.
It was now time for the rumor factory to produce the location of the next station for the
Division . Grade “B” output had it that the next trip would be back to Texas to Camp Barkeley,
but Grade “A”, with judgment and common sense added, brought out the name of Fort Dix, New
Jersey. It was now time for staging. The training and been long, hard, and thorough. The men
were now as ready as they could ever be for battle. They had been trained in every phase of
army life and combat that the Army had to offer.
After a four day train ride from 26th to 31st December clear across the country, the
Regiment detrained at Fort Dix. For the first time in nearly two years of training the men lived
in regular barracks with steam heat and running water. Time was now devoted to weeding out
the physically unfit men, securing serviceable equipment, range firing, and most important, the
 |
 |
 |