Jump to content

"WAC AREA, OUT OF BOUNDS" sign


sundance
 Share

Recommended Posts

I recently picked up a wood 17" X 24" sign I thought was neat. I'll try to get a picture up when I can. It's in black on a white 3/4" (approx) board. It is worn and sort of dark/weathered now. The sign reads "WAC AREA - OUT OF BOUNDS ALL MALE PERSONNEL". There is a note in pencil on the front as follows: " Lifted at Pinetree, Gen. Doolittle's HQ at High Wycombe in July "45. Ollie, Cpl. Signal Corp., 417th Signal Corp." Just thought it was interesting that that was an item Ollie wanted to bring home.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Awesome! the fact it came from 8th Air Force HQ is even better! Pretty sure I remember General Savage in Twelve O'Clock High telling the operator "Get me Pine Tree..."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

AAF_Collection

Wonderful item!. With research you could perhaps locate pictures of the sign in it's original location. I have some items from staff at Pinetree.

 

Matt.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Matt - I have looked, but nothing yet. There has to be a shot of it out there somewhere. I can't imagine the amount of movie film and still shots that must have been taken on that base.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Last night, I was reading the book “When Women First Wore Army Shoes – A First Person Account of Service as a Member of the Women’s Army Corps During WWII” by Ethel A Starbird.

 

I thought about this thread when I read the following story. She was stationed in New Guinea at the time of this story. While the story itself is funny, the underlying cause is disturbing. It is pretty sad that they had to be protected not only from the enemy and civilians, but their own fellow personnel:

 

 

The night was right: flood lights were dimmed, bed check long over, the entire area lay in deep shadow and even deeper slumber. A corporal, coverless in the heat in the tent across the way, awoke with her leg in an unauthorized grip whose owner murmured intimate suggestions through the mosquito bar. Her screams discouraged further explorations and, at the same time, roused every recumbent WAC within earshot.

“It’s a man!” bellowed the corporal. “Get the bastard!”

The place exploded; an aardvark in an anthill couldn’t have done it better. Women in various stages of undress spilled out of every tent; brandishing whatever weapon came to hand – mess kits, beer bottles, steel helmets, even an occasional native spear acquired in a Hobby hat swap. Chances of identifying the intruder in this melee became immediately impossible; everyone – except maybe those wearing curlers – was considered fair game.

“I’ve got him,” yelped one warrior, whanging out with a mess kit.

“The hell you have. It’s me – Dottie.”

“Take that!” whooped a roller-derby type as she flattened a hazy figure in the pathway. Who proved to be the company clerk.

A helmeted camper launched herself like an unguided missile into the fray, taking out the mess sergeant. I collapsed under a tackle worthy of the NFL.

Uprooting guy ropes in their frenzy, the defenders managed to bring down at least one tent before the skirmish ended. Fortunately, injuries from friendly fire were few but, unfortunately, the culprit made a clean getaway. Probably through the snipped out portions of burlap along the back fence. After that, flood lights remained on high beam all night and visitors to the latrine went armed, accompanied, or both.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Baron3-6 - You mentioned the movie Twelve O'Cloch High. I noticed that it's on late tonight on TCM. I'll have to listen for a mention of Pinetree.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hey Kat...good to read that the "gals" knew how to protect themselves from unwanted male attention! I'll wager that the "intruder" never dared venture to the WAC compound again! :o

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hey Kat...good to read that the "gals" knew how to protect themselves from unwanted male attention! I'll wager that the "intruder" never dared venture to the WAC compound again! :o

 

wow. That definitely drives home the purpose of the sign!

 

RC

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...