Map Legend from Page 25, Translated

 We saw men preparing for mission, studying maps. Let's take another look at that map from Page 25:

 And now, thanks to kind efforts of consultants to G&C, we have translation of the meanings of the map symbols in the legend which we see in the bottom right corner. Thanks, K. 

The beautifully rendered cubic rectangle has on its top surface two large characters.  The right one is "Index," and the left one is "for Map."

On its front surface, from left to right, are the symbols and their meanings.

Country Road

Creek

Mountain Range

Small River

Dike

Railway Station

Power Line

Temple

Bridge

Railroad

Spring-fed Pond

District Boundary 

County Boundary

Small Rocky Hill  (literally, "Pile of Rocks" and "Dirt")

Village

Town

County Seat

Road for Cars

Railroad Not in Use = Abandoned Railroad

Unfinished Road

Police Station

Next posts we will see what juicy details Mills, Mills, and Brunner and the Jackal Team Log dish up for us, relating to the photos we have been examining. The team is preparing to sabotage the Ping-Han railway line. 

 

  

 

 

 

OSS CBI Photobook 28 - Harvests

 While some are getting the cabbages nice and clean, others are preparing harvests of sorrow for the westward-advancing Japanese Army.

Mom snipped that print a little bit too much, yet we can tell that Boris Chu is up there translating for Paul Cyr.

The image above is worth embiggening to see Cyr up on that mound again, delivering instructions. The translator this time is probably the man standing near him in a white jacket. He is kind of bending forward - perhaps that is his posture for listening hard.  Others, presumeably staff members, are gathered in that doorway. Their faces show serious attention also.

This diagram taped to a brick wall is done in ink and calligraphy brush. That includes all the titles and legends. New Yellow River Bridge. It says wide about 30 feet. So, this is one section of a long span?

 

 It must have been hot, as the photographers stand in the shade whenever they can. That is why we have quite a few photos with shaded sections next to glaring bright sections. I balance it out as best I can, with the goal of showing detail. Can you spot the man sitting in the group hugging a couple of bazooka sections (or something) to his chest?

 

They are moving out, past the harvested fields.

 Cyr has a walkie-talkie, one of two that came with the SCR-300 radio. From Niesel's article we learn that it was wireless, weighed only 35 pounds, had 17 vacuum tubes more rugged than earlier tubes, ran on batteries rather than hand-cranking, and used FM rather than AM, resulting in 41 channels rather than 1, clear signal, and an operational distance of 3 miles rather than a quarter-mile. Good for the Galvin/Motorola team of Noble, Bond, Magnuski, Morris, and Vogel.

The SCR-300 was first used in combat in Italy in 1943. 

Somebody bought an unused one on surplus and posted nice photos. 

This paper discusses all the geeky stuff that Berent Friele was dealing with all the time for Jackal. 

And Youtube comes through with the goods, including histories and audio demo, here and here too.

A couple of images off the web show the backpack radio, the phone-style handset, and the 2 walkie-talkies.

 

 

 

OSS CBI Photobook 27 - Preparations

 

OSS CBI Photobook 26 - Demons and Warriors

 

 

 

Happy Warrior

 

Stoic Warrior

Kid Warrior with Demon Trophies

Warrior

Demon

Happy Warrior

OSS CBI Photobook 24 - Goals, Gear, Guns, and Goofballs

 At Field Base near Hsin-Hsiang, negotiations about cooperation seemingly completed, missions involving rail sabotage are in the planning and preparation stage. The Chinese volunteers and their OSS mentors continue with their training and now we see them packing up arms for airdrop.  That's Cyr standing in the middle of that empty wrapper; behind all the men, up those few steps, is a pile of black duffel sacks ready to be filled for the drop.

Hey I thought you guys were spooks. Aren't you supposed to be keeping a low profile?

These two irregulars are sure living up to the designation. EJZ at left, and Berent Friele at right, are both smoking cigars. Did they get this from Robichaud/Frenchie? I wonder. We see that captured Japanese sword again; the combat knife; the pistol in scabbard with the signature leather leg-tie thing; the boots close up; a new thing: those black gaiters, which we will see again later in this post. Pretty interesting for an Orchard Lake altar boy! Friele models the captured Japanese helmet with those long chin straps they had; a Puppet army shirt worn over his USA shirt; again the gaiters.

 

Here we have Cyr trying to camouflage himself with shades, beard, and Puppet army duds. Boris Chiu, next to him, is looking pretty serious. I would too. 

 

Our Chinese language consultant sees a few words in the partially-obscured wall poster behind Paul Cyr:

I can catch some of the words on the painted wall in your picture. I see smoothly...and straight-on...and treasure (noun or verb).    Thanks, K.

So it is wartime propaganda, perhaps the equivalent of Keep Calm and Carry On. 

 

 

 

Something is exploding or exploded. What?

 

Now I wonder if the guy at left is Zarembo, the West Pointer. His diary is all in a consistantly humorous tone - see MMB55 ff - so maybe he likes organizing skits as well. For this ID I have nothing more to go on than this inference on the basis of personality. Let's all stay on the lookout for more clues.

The man on the left has excessive thoracic kyphosis and a shortened right leg. He stands with his right foot on a brick so that his back will not hurt from asymmetrical strain. Mills explains in MMB Chapter 1 the hatred of the Chinese for Tojo's sadistic invaders. The locals would get together and build an airstrip for American planes in one day (MMB Chapter 3) or they would fight if they were lame. 

 

These guys are going over the plans for a mission. Cyr, with his experience from his previous deployment in occupied France, set the parameters for map-making; Dad/our EJZ drafted maps according to Cyr's specifications. (I have a sheaf of them and will start posting them once I get them figured out.) Third from left is Boris Chiu with cigar; fourth from left is Paul Cyr with pencil. I think those black things on the table are flashlights. The window curtain is a piece of parachute, such as we can see on the back dust jacket of the MMB book.