John Edward Binnion: 18: More "News"

John Edward's Master Sergeant
epaulets, family collection

 John Edward.
Master Sergeant.

"The highest rank
an enlisted soldier can obtain," 
he wrote home on May 28. 

In addition to the
Master Sergeant promotion,
"Erstwhile is
the battalion Sgt. Major."

This role he explained
in his June 4 letter.

 John Edward letter home, June 4, 1942, family scan

A letter of congratulations soon arrived from the University of Texas Band
Director George Hurt, who had supported John Edward and
written letters on his behalf since enlistment.
The letter began with warm regards, and continued
with encouragement on a personal level.
"You have gone exactly the same way that I did .... Every rank
that you have held, I also held."

Hurt explained how he
"understood all the lower ranks"
when he became an officer -- and added that he believed
John Edward also would become an officer.

George E. Hurt, Director, University Bands, University of Texas, letter to John Edward,
June 10, 1942, family scan

 
Meanwhile, routine life continued at Camp Blanding.
We learn more about camp living arrangements and recreation
in nearby towns in a letter that John Edward's good
friend Henry Gomez wrote to "Mrs. Binnion." 

"Last night we sat in the show for four hours to see 'Gone With the Wind'
and it was very warm, but we managed fairly well" (14 Jun).

 

Henry's heartfelt opening and earnest closing to Mrs. Binnion
reveal much about her warm communication with him.

Sgt. Henry Gomez to Mrs. Binnion, June 14, 1942, family scan

Henry wrote about how he met "Johnny," and then added:
"Please do not worry about Master Sergeant Binnion. He is doing all the good
and I think he's a swell fellow. Everyday I see him I like him more,
and after receiving your letter I feel that Johnny is just like a kid brother."

 

 

The next letter that John Edward wrote home
was hastily written:

John Edward letter home, June 19, 1942,

"Here's the deal -- I'm going to
Officer Candidate School right away."

 

Orders instructed Master Sergeant John Edward to report
"not earlier than nor later than July 4, 1942"
to The Quartermaster Officer Candidate School in Camp Lee, Virginia.

 

Special Orders for John Edward to attend the Quartermaster
Officer Candidate School, June 20, 1942, family scan

 A two week furlough began the next day, which John Edward wrote about from his
relatively luxurious accommodations on the "Silver Queen" train.

 

John Edward letter home, June 21, 1942, family scan

His semi-private room, with benches that train stewards converted to
beds in the evening, was considerably more comfortable -- especially with
a lower berth -- than the troop sleeping cars John Edward was accustomed to.
 

Army and Smithsonian photos, ca 1942

 But furlough would not include California:
"I tried to get off early last week so that I could come to Los Angeles,
but the Colonel couldn't see it my way -- maybe after school is out."
Travel across the country would have taken well over half of the two weeks.

And so he made arrangements to see Milton (the friend we met in
the previous post) in New York. If cousin John Nance Garner,
Vice-President under Roosevelt, "is in Washington, I'll see him too" (21 Jun).
 

He would go to Coney Island,
Radio City and the 'Hit Parade' Broadcast,
the Broadway musical comedy 'Let's Face It,'
the Bronx and it's Irish neighborhood 'Hell's Kitchen,'
the Statue of Liberty, and the Empire State Building.

 

He added, the "only thing missing" were the "bright lights."
"Everything is 'dim out' just like you folks probably have out there" (22 Jun).

Both coasts were on "black out" or "dim out" after sundown.
On the West Coast the threat of Japan cast an ominous shadow of fear,
and internment of Japanese-Americans was well underway.
It was German and Italian threats that loomed on the East Coast.
Newspapers reported in June of 1942 that German agents had successfully landed
in Long Island and Northeastern Florida. But their plans to sabotage factories
and water supplies and to bomb bridges and railroad stations were
disrupted when two of the agents defected.

One of the highlights of his New York City visit
was a Brooklyn Dodgers baseball game:
"Naturally, that's a MUST on my list!" (22 Jun).

John Edward letter home, June 22, 1942, family scan

It was well worth traveling over an hour via subway
and bus to see the Dodgers play:
His next letter opened with a report on the baseball game:
"the Dodgers won last night. Wonderful game."
  In fact, the whole city "is a wonderful place." 

Brooklyn Dodgers on Ebbets Field, public domain

This time to explore the city and see friends,
or, as John Edward said, "this life of leisure" (22 Jun)
that was "spoiling" him, seemed to be just what was needed
before he began Officer Candidate School at Camp Lee.

 

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John Edward Binnion: 17: "Startling News"

 

In this photograph
of John Edward
as Staff Sergeant,
his garrison cap has a
Quartermaster Corps pin
that is much like
the one he sent
to his mother
with the letter below.

 

 The garrison cap
and tucked tie,
following uniform code,
maintained an orderly
and streamlined look.
They also served
practical purposes;
a garrison cap could
be folded flat
when not worn,
and a tucked tie
would not interfere
with field work.

On Mother's Day that year, May 10th, John Edward wrote to his mother that
the Chaplain's sermon "set me to thinking about all the mothers 
in the world that had sons in the army" (10 May).
He continued:

John Edward letter to his mother, May 10, 1942, family scan

 

Mother's Day had been designated a national holiday shortly before World War I.

When America entered World War II, mothers began to wear a sterling silver pin
with one blue star for each son serving in the war. The rectangular pin
had a red 'frame' around the blue star(s) set against a white background.

 John Edward sent his mother an
additional pin to wear, the
Quartermaster Battalion crest for
the 36th Division. He included
an explanation about the
meaning of its colors and emblems.
Its motto, Venio Cito, signified
the prompt delivery of services and
equipment for troops. He wrote,
"wear it and be proud of it. I am."

 

John Edward letter to his mother continued, May 10, 1942, family scan

The battle streamers he mentioned each represented a distinctive military
event or achievement for a Battalion. They were attached to the poles of
military flags where they could freely swing in the air. The 111th Battalion's mass of
streamers was noticed by General Marshall during the recent American-British review of troops.

 

Such visits had been made to training camps around the country, and an
Army Times newspaper clipping about them was included with the next letter home.

John Edward letter to his father, May 12, 1942, family scan

As always, he inquired about his parents and attended to their lives with some detail.

And, while he had several pieces of bad news that month, it
was only about the personal one that he wrote home:
"Ruth wrote 'finis' to our affair on the 1st of May. That's the worst blow
that I've had in a long, long time. But that too was in the cards,
I guess. I wrote to her yesterday" (10 May).

Other bad news was received several days later:
denial of his application to attend the Adjutant General's Officer Candidate School.

Memo from Adjutant General's office to John Edward, May 15, 1942, family scan

Around this same time cousin Maj. Jim Caviness
wrote about John Edward to his mother Johnnie:

"he is favorably regarded by his officers,
even if he does become discouraged at times."

Letter from cousin Maj. Jim Caviness to John Edward's mother Johnnie, May 14, 1942, family scan

 

With unwavering confidence cousin Jim added his oft-written words
of encouragement -- this time accompanied with an empathetic comment:
"He will come through O.K. if he just keeps plugging, yet I can
understand his feelings at times" (14 May).

There are two friends we hear about during the next
few months. Henry Gomez was also in the 36th Division,
and John Edward asked his mother to write to him.
If she wanted to.

He explained that a woman in the Corona Women's Victory Club
"admitted" that she wrote only because the organizer "Mrs. Kay asked
her to, and that she was just 'doing her part.'" He added:
"Our morale is o.k. without getting a kick in the pants" (21 May).

Of course, Johnnie had been writing to soldiers for some time,
as we have learned in other posts. Sometimes on her own initiative,
and sometimes at the request of John Edward -- such as the medic
who befriended him during the extended head injury hospitalization.

John Edward letter home, May 21, 1942, family scan

And Milton is
a friend from
California, who
"always remembers"
John Edward's
birthday with 
a card.

John Edward letter home, May 21, 1942, family scan

There is also news about the intensive training that
continued at Camp Blanding.

There were 12 mile hikes in full gear,
sometimes twice a week; and
"we also have to swim 100 yards
with full equipment on our backs" (21 May).

The troops were being prepared for battle.

"We are starting maneuvers soon, and they will last (I think)
until August or September.
Lots and lots of maneuvers. Long ones and short ones" (24 May).

 

John Edward letter home, May 24, 1942, family scan
(with hand-written insert "pounds")

 

The "startling news" that John Edward refers to will be good news
this time. It arrived a few days later by Special Order.
 

Special Order to promote John Edward from Staff Sergeant, S/Sgt, to
Sergeant Grade I, Master Sergeant, M/Sgt., May 27, 1942, family scan

 

 

John Edward was promoted -- again within just
a few weeks of his previous promotion.

Letter home, May 28, 1942, family scan

We have now accompanied John Edward through 73 letters
written home during his 18 1/2 months in the Army.
Much of this time had been spent struggling with bias and disregard
because of stuttering. He had been overlooked and bypassed time and again. 

"His frustration could be overwhelming.
He fought back with whatever was available to him
and then he let his natural talent and passion for the job and army take over.
The next thing you know, reading on through the letters, is that he
then becomes the youngest Master Sergeant in the US Army."
--John Edward Binnion II, August 1924

As John Edward wrote in his letter of May 28, he
"had reached the highest point (and I repeat, the highest)
that an enlisted man can obtain."

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