Chapter 2 Over the Bounding Waves: October 5 to November 1, 1944

Above is a photo of the appreciation page from the 409^th Infantry journal with a hand written dedication to Charles Meagher.

In relating the story of the 409^th Infantry in World War II, I have chosen to use the chapter headings from the journal that was published after the war and given to all the soldiers who had served in that regiment. (See Posting #1) Therefore, Chapter 1 was called “The Cactus is Born” as written in my copy of Charles Meagher’s journal. [The family name “Meagher” by the way is pronounced “Mar” as in “MARvelous”.]  I will continue to use the chapter names from the journal as they give a flavor of the times that I feel is very authentic. In some cases the expressions are not common today. I hope that you readers will also find that they bring you a taste of the ’40’s. 

The journal itself is 167 pages long. I have read it very thoroughly and taken 20 pages of notes. (See, former students of mine? Note-taking is a useful life skill!)  While the blog account is summarized by me in my own words, I will also quote from the journal because I find the original words of those who were actually there convey the drama of the story better than I ever could. 

After each chapter, I will add a “b” version: for example after telling about the 409 going “Over the Bounding Waves”, you will find Chapter 2b “WAY over the Bounding waves” which will be the Jeanne and Madonna story of following the route of the 409.

In the beginning of October, 1944, after a year and half of training and maneuvers, the 409^th Infantry reached its full strength and its orders to move out. The Allies had invaded the Normandy coast of France on D-Day, June 6 - called “Jour-J” in French. The Allies had also landed on the southern coast of France on Aug.15, and fought their way north through the Rhone Valley. Paris had also been liberated in mid-August that year, and fierce fighting was pushing the German army back into Belgium and Northeastern France. French resistance groups and French citizens were liberating towns and cities all over France. Those pockets of German resistance that remained either surrendered or tried to make their way back to their lines in the north.

On Oct. 5, 1944. The 409 was ordered to move “quickly and quietly” from Camp Shanks, New York to a railroad yard where trains were waiting. “This was not a dry run....No time was lost. No practice alerts were necessary.”  After an hour-long train ride, they were ferried across the Hudson River to the wharf. As the “Cactusmen” embarked onto the USS Monticello, a Service Command band played and Red Cross women handed out coffee and doughnuts. The following morning, the ship left port.

Although the ship had been a luxury liner, the “men also shortly learned that whatever luxuries the liner had boasted were obviously things of the past. Conditions ...were far from enjoyable.” Among the discomforts were lack of space, the “erratic operation of the ventilation system”, and “the expected siege of seasickness”.   (p. 18)

“Life above decks was as good as life below decks was bad”. Men were able to get out of the hold twice a day to enjoy the fresh air and sunshine. Entertainments included games of poker and craps, music, reading and, of course, speculation about where the Monticello and the 409 were heading. Some details of these activities taken from the journal include the following:

“The ‘jive’  addicts gathered around the stand when the Navy orchestra started playing ‘lowdown’ music. Daily music sessions were aided and abetted by appearances of the Regiment’s own master of ceremonies...and other entertainers ...(who) defied the poor acoustics in that great open air theater known as the Atlantic Ocean to sing such popular ballads as “Old Black Joe” and “Old Man River”.  (p. 20)

“The well-read aboard ship were reading The Bayous of Louisiana, The Robe, Good Night,Sweet Prince and anything by Thorne Smith.  (p. 20)

As for the speculation about their eventual destination, “after a week at sea the consensus of opinion was that the convoy was bound for the recently liberated port of Marseille.....When the convoy steamed past the Rock of Gibraltar into the Strait there was little doubt that Marseille was the port.”  (p. 21)

“About mid-day of October 20 the Monticello nosed into the dock at Marseille...Although the war had long since moved on to the northeast, Marseille was still a port of desolation and destruction. Despite 6 weeks of work by Army engineers, there were still sunken, burned-out ships in many of the docks......During disembarkation an air raid alarm was sounded and a heavy protective smoke screen covered the area. If enemy planes were over them, the Cactusmen didn’t see any bombs come down.”  (p. 21)

Now for one of those army stories that are only amusing in retrospect. The Cactusmen headed off on what was supposed to be a 2 1/2 mile march to a bivouac area, heavily burdened of course with packs, gas masks, horseshoe rolls and overcoats. “That two-and-one-half-mile report will undoubtedly live in the minds of the men of the 409^th as one of the great understatements of World War II.”  After merging with other troops, slow downs, and an accident where a truck swerved into the column injuring 3 men, the column was still marching 8 hours later. Whenever anyone asked how much farther to the bivouac area, the answer came that it was “just two-and-one-half miles”.  “Eventually the men of the 409^th began to think that there was a bivouac area just two-and-a-half miles from whatever point you happened to be around metropolitan Marseille.”

After 8 hours, the men bedded down where they were on a rocky field. During the night they had to use their blankets as cover during a rain storm. “Daylight revealed that the column had halted in the darkness not more than five hundred yards from its goal. A survey of the so-called ‘bivouac area’ convinced the men that it really made no difference however. It was simply a choice of rock piles.” (p.21-22)

“Life was rugged in Marseille, or so the doughboys thought. It was rather rough sleeping in a tent with only four blankets, a jacket and a raincoat to keep our the chilly October winds. How did those guys at the front manage with only one blanket? Little did the Cactusmen know that many times during the winter they would spend the night in a foxhole with no blanket whatsoever.”  (p.23)

During their stay in Marseille the soldiers of the 409^th worked alongside of U.S. Navy personnel at the wharves, unloading supplies to be delivered to the front.  But their trips into the city were not all for work. “They will remember the wine, the cognac, the girls, the Red Cross club, the theaters, the sidewalk cafés, the wide streets in the heart of the city, the narrow streets of the outskirts, the churches, the blue street cars, the colorful uniforms of the soldiers of many nations.”   (p. 24)