My grandpa fought for McArthur in the S W Pacific.
He drove a bulldozer, and was a mechanic when needed. Endured bugs, heat and humidity, tropical fungus and diseases, short rations, shifts that were brutal—6 on and 6 off for days. Occasionally Japnese airstrikes (that loved to target Bulldozers) and even Japanese snipers.
Still compared to a rifleman they would have called him lucky. He had a cot and pillow with mosquito net and a tent each night, hot meals usually, base security (Air Force engineer battalions came with their own organic security platoons armed with all light arms including MGs and bazookas) and once an island was more secure even ice, a commons area and rarely beer.
831st (871st..something) AAEB Battalion 1943-1945
You may enjoy, “General Kenny Reports”. It is all about the Fifth Air Force. Very good read I think.
My dad was Army Air Force in England and then in Europe during what had been called the coldest winter on record
At the ‘Bulge’, he said it wasn’t possible to dig fox holes and they had to use ‘vacated’ fox holes or else toss a grenade to make one for themselves. They had been trasported there in a hurry, from Belgium, and didn’t have proper winter gear.
Many, many sad stories