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The landing of the 801st on Terceira was difficult. There were no port facilities yet on the island that could handle the large ships and their heavy cargos of turcks and bulldozers. The weather was rainy, with the temperature in the low forties, an the sea was rough and cold. Since the treaty only allowed them ashore as noncombatant technician guests of the British, the 801st had to hide their weapons as they smuggled them ashore.
Pierced plank Marston matting was laid out to the LSTs on the bottom of the harbor in six to eight feet of water so that their cargo could be towed ashore. The Liberty ship had to transfer its heavy cargo to barges hurriedly constructed using empty 50 gallon drums.
Everything the battalion owned was scattered over their assigned area and boxed in heavy crates. This included the box containing the tools they would need to get into the other boxes. Fotrunately, someone in S-4 (Supply) remembered that dad always carried with him a pair of pliers and a screwdriver. These were borrowed, and the all-important box of tools was opened. So you could say that constuction of the air base at Lagen's Field began with dad's screwdriver and pliers. |
