8th Air Depot
This, the 8th Air Depot, was built near the coast with its back to the jungle.
It was built on a ten square mile cleared area that remained exceptionally dry.
The jungle could be seen about five miles away and it seemed to rain every day over there.
It was about 4 degrees off the equator, and twice a year when the sun was directly overhead
the sky remained cloudy, rainy and cold enough for the natives to wear heavy over coats.
Ocean breezes kept the climate medium hot but not boiling during the rest of the year.
The depot was built by Pan-American and was designed for major overhaul. It was equal to those in the states.
In the picture can be seen C-47 transports.
These airplanes were the major carriers of freight and passengers.They were durable, very safe flying airplanes.
Landing speed about 65 and cruising speed 175 miles. With favorable winds they could average 200.
The C-54 began to replace the C-47 but deliveries were slow
and not till the end of the war had they taken over most of the work.
The crest of the 8th Air Depot Group was at the entrance to the camp.
In the middle of the crest was the Roc, a mythical giant bird of the Arabian Nights.
This was the bird that carried off Sinbad the Sailor. The bird in the sign is even stronger;
it has picked up an airplane hanger in one claw.
A ribbon banner in the other has a motto
"WE TAKE THE ROCKY ROAD"
The camp was located about one mile from the airfield.
There were hundreds of fourteen foot square houses made of plywood.
The windows went all way around the huts and had only screens.
Each hut had four or five canvas cots with mosquito nets protecting the sleepers.
The anopheles mosquito was looking for blood and it was a carrier of malaria.
We all took a yellow Atabrine tablet.
Those who kept up with dosage looked Chinese: we had yellow skin.
The men marched to work each morning but rambled home in the afternoon.
Army life was not too bad. A house boy cleaned and made the beds,
also brought a stalk of bananas to hang in the room.
There was a beautiful beach about two miles away.
A movie star would drop by every now and then.
What a good life!
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