An excerpt from “World War II As We Saw It”

by Captain John Calhoun Culler Jr. And Mary Rives Dixon Culler

Since I had met all the requirements through the ROTC at Clemson and had attended the summer camp at Fort McClellan, I was given my commission as Second Lieutenant, US Army in June 1941. I was given orders to report to Camp Jackson (now Fort Jackson) for active duty on June 15, 1941 along with many other Clemson graduates including my roommate at Clemson for four years and best friend, Walter (Brotch) Bennett. We were fitted with our uniforms and with our gold bars, which designated our rank. After exhaustive tests and thorough physical examinations, we were issued orders to go to our next duty station. Regretfully, I was sent to Camp Croft--near Spartanburg--and Brotch was sent to a camp in Georgia

I was assigned to an Infantry Replacement Battalion and given a platoon in the heavy weapons section. My platoon sergeant had had ten years experience in the infantry and had an excellent knowledge of the day by day experiences of military life in camp and on the parade ground, but was lacking in military tactics and use of weapons. Therefore, we were a good team, as I had been schooled in the other essential areas of army life, regimentation and tactics. We fit together very well. My platoon consisted of three squads of 12 men each. Each squad had a Corporal who was in charge and reported to the platoon sergeant. The assigned weapon of each squad in the platoon was a three inch mortar. These were replaced a few weeks later with six 81 mm. mortars--two for each squad. Changes in the TO and TE (tables of organization and tables of equipment) were made frequently at that time, obviously to equip and train individuals and units with the latest advances in military hardware and expertise, as France and England were being overrun by the Germans and we were expecting that our time would come at an early date. Since I had a check coming in each month, I was able to have a radio of my own in my room in the BOQ (bachelor officers quarters) and, therefore, had an opportunity to hear more news than I had heard at Clemson such a very short time before..

We were assigned new recruits about every fourteen weeks and our mission was to give them basic training (in some areas, called boot training). We prepared them to join a unit that was being trained for combat. The training included such things as sanitation, first aid, disease prevention, body cleanliness, military courtesy, close order drill, care of clothes and all equipment--and numerous other subjects. Much of this was done by the officers in charge of their platoons and was derived from studying and reviewing appropriate "field manuals" on a day by day basis. There were some training film available and we used it when we could, but small group or individual instruction seemed to work best for us.  We taught them to disassemble, clean, and reassemble their weapons blindfolded and to fire them with a high degree of accuracy. These included the mortar, 37 mm anti-tank gun, 30 caliber machine gun, 50 caliber machine gun, 45 caliber automatic pistol, 30 caliber rifle fitted with bayonet as well as hand grenades and perhaps others. We taught them how to use the bayonet, how to use the knife and fatal judo and wrestling techniques and how to creep up on an enemy sentry and dispatch him with no noise or any outcry.

We built an obstacle course and used it to give intense training in overcoming physical obstacles such as jumping over ditches, climbing over walls, and numerous other exercises which improved fitness and getting the body in good physical condition. Many of the features were patterned after football training programs. Of course, all of this included a full field pack and an indispensable rifle. This was deadly serious business as the trainees realized that this was not "fun and games" and that they would likely be using these practices for real--especially bayonet tactics in hand to hand combat--with a real live enemy with no quarters asked or given., and likely, at an early date. They varied in age from 18 to 38 initially, but the older age was reduced some time later. Their education in my platoon ranged from almost zero to college graduates. We had an Indian Chief, a US Senator, and a college professor of English as well as farm hands and furriers.

I bought my first car shortly after I arrived. The camp was about 100 miles from [my hometown of] Wolfton and I wanted to spend as much time there as I could as I felt it would not be too long before I would be sent to a combat unit. Also, it was nice to have transportation to and from Spartanburg, to go to church and, incidentally, to visit Converse College once in a while! I paid $225 for it. It had been used by the SC Highway Patrol and had about 75,000 miles on the odometer. It had a full sized seats--both front and back. There was a full sized wind shield on the back of the front seat which helped to reduce the wind on the occupants of the back seat. It was called a Ford Phaeton. The curtains were made of canvas and they had windows made of icing glass--a forerunner of plastic. I had several close friends who did not have a car and I rarely went anywhere alone. My best friend was Kelly Freeman, from Mississippi. He and I made numerous trips to Spartanburg and other points of interest.

On Sunday, December 7, 1941, I went to Winthrop to visit Dusty and Myrtle. While there, I heard that the Japanese had attacked Pearl Harbor. I had never heard of this place and, since it was said to be at the Hawaiian Islands and a long way away, I did not give it too much thought. No one else that I talked with seemed too interested, so I didn't get excited about it at all. That is, until I got back to the main gate at Camp Croft! As I approached the gate, I noticed that there were MP's all over the place and several machine guns were aimed down the road. I was waved to stop and a fully armed guard with several others behind him as back-up approached me and firmly ordered me to turn the motor off and get out. They gave me a careful and complete examination to see if I had anything in my pockets and proceeded to look inside and under my car. After they finished, they told me that they were checking to confirm my identification and that I was legitimately authorized to enter the camp. The camp had received instructions from the War Department to be on the alert in case that additional attacks might be made by the Japanese on military installations.  This action gave us additional impetus to give (and the recruits to receive) as much intensive training as possible. Winston Churchill, the Prime Minister of Great Britain, was quoted as saying that the Japanese attack did relatively little to benefit themselves, but awakened a sleeping giant. Unfortunately, I was to be a part of this.

I remained at this camp until March 1942 when I received orders to go to Camp Jackson (now Fort Jackson) near Columbia, SC to be on the cadre to activate the 77th Infantry Division, which had been on paper only since it had been deactivated shortly after World War I had ended.