Note: The following is one of a series of articles looking at events in the history of Bulloch County.

Part II

While fighting in the Pacific Theater during World War II, the Bulloch Boys landed at Hollandia for some “rest and relaxation” leave. There, they got to see Bob Hope, Jerry Colonna, Frances Langford and Patty Thomas at a USO concert at the main American rear base.

At the concert, Bulloch Boy Gilbert Cone made chairs out of whatever materials he could find and then sold them to enlisted men (for 5 guilders or $2.65) and officers (for 9 Guilders or $4.75).

Before they returned to the front, he had made 32 chairs and pocketed over $100.

The Bulloch Boys were part of the Philippines invasion force that boarded over 100 ships and 80 LST’s and sailed for Leyte Islands, the Philippines.

Also, the group supported the 1st and 41st Division Commands. Arriving on Oct. 22, 1944, the Bulloch Boys set off for 1st Cavalry forces at Tacloban and then the 24th forces at Caragar.

After several months of fighting, and a short stint at another rest camp, the Bulloch Boys again set off for battle, this time for Luzon. They landed at Lingayen Bay near Manila Bay.

The local group was again attached to the 1st Cavalry. They were surprised to discover that Filipinos here weren’t as friendly as those on the other islands. They learned these natives were “communists.”

They had been convinced that they should hate Japanese and Americans both. Keeping one eye on the natives, they soon reached the Philippine capital of Manila.

Both the 1st’s and 41st’s generals wanted to lead the Americans into the city. The race was on. The three prongs of the American attack were attacked ceaselessly by bombers.

The Japanese were firing all weapons they captured on Corregidor and Bataan Peninsula at the advancing Americans. The 1st Cavalry reached Manila in three days.

Their advance groups beat the 14th Corps and 11th Airborne forces into Manila. Near Deloris, Captain Jobst and ‘C’ Battery ran into a Japanese patrol.

The same Bulloch Boy Gilbert Cone mentioned earlier had become very sick. Believing he had appendicitis, “Chappy” West told several men to take him to the First Cavalry Field Hospital.

His group they took, instead, to Manila and the 120th U.S. Army General Hospital.  After a six-hour ride in the back of a truck, he arrived at the hospital and spent the next several hours in surgery.

Doctors told him that he could join his unit, which was awaiting a ride back to the United States at the Manila Disposition Center. Instead, Cone helped guard a trainload of Japanese prisoners.

He was then transported to the Replacement Depot before finally locating them men in his unit. After another month of waiting, their ship arrived and they were homeward bound at last.

Roger Allen is a local lover of history who provides a brief look each week at the area's past. E-mail him at rwasr1953@gmail.com.