General Notes

Address:<ADDR> 107 Shenandoah Drive
Clanton
AL
35045
USA
[coosa1.ged]
On 27 Aug 1997, Alvin Wesley Bridges sent me, Ron Bridges, a note and the
following newspaper article, which was from a Clanton, AL, newspaper,
dated 3 May 1945.
THREE BROTHERS IN SERVICE
(under the title are three pictures of PFC Alvin Bridges, PFC Lester
Bridges, and PFC James C. Bridges)
Sons of Mr. and Mrs. T. L. Bridges of Marbury, Ala., the three brothers
above have seen various degrees of service in the U. S. Army.  Pfc. Alvin
Bridges, husband of Mrs. Mildred Easterling Bridges of Clanton, in the
Coast Artillery, returned from the South Pacific in December, 1994,
following thirty-four months over sea duty; he enter the service August
12, 1941, and went to the South Pacific in January the following year.
Pfc. Lester Bridges entered on June 20, 1942, and after spending three
months at Keesler Field, Miss., went to Victorville, Calif., where he is
now stationed.  Pfc. James C. Bridges entered February 12, 1943, went to
North Africa in June, and is now in Italy with the Fifth Army.
The following was from the note.
My first stop overseas was Bora Bora, 75 or so miles from Tahiti.  It
was the most beautiful place I have eve seen.  Lots of nights while on
guard duty you could see a rainbow.  A rainbow at night is a beautiful
sight to see.
From Bora Bora we went to the New Hebrides group. The Island of Efate
- Nothing pretty about it.  There was a deep harbor that a lot of ships
operated out of, included the Battleship Missouri.  I was privileged to
get to eat Sunday dinner on it once.
Next came a 2 weeks preparation on Guadalcanal.  Preparing for the
next move which was the Treasury Island.  A small island, nine miles off
the coast of Bougainvillea.  Here we saw plenty of action.  We had 90 mm
antiaircraft guns that would shoot 5 miles up.  That was as high as
planes could fly in those days. The most we shot down in one night was 12.
It was from here I got to come home after 34 months in the above
places.  After 1 month at home - 2 weeks in Miami - finished out in San
Diego, Fort Rosebrans.
"CLANTON SOLDIER BACK IN STATES
Miami Beach, Fla. January 5
PFC Alvin W. Bridges - 25, husband of Mrs. Mildred L. Bridges of Box
104 Clanton, Alabama, husband returned for service outside the
continental United States and is now being processed through Army Ground
and Service Forces Redistribution Station in Miami Beach, where his next
assignment will be determined.
PFC Bridges served 33 months as a cannoneer in the South West Pacific
theater of operations.
Army Ground and Service Forces Redistribution Stations are located in
various parts of the United States.  Military personnel returning from
overseas are processed through these stations before assignment to
military organizations and installations within the United States.
During the period that returnees stay at an Army Ground and Services
Forces Redistribution Station, they are given a painstaking occupational
and physical classification as well as physical and dental reconditioning
designed to reorient men recently returned form combat area.  This
processing is carried without haste in pleasant surroundings conducive to
mental and physical relaxation.
Before entering the service PFC Bridges was employed as a stock room
clerk.  He became a member of the Armed Forces on August 13, 1941.  Union
Banner, 11 Jan 1945." (1)
(1) Researched by Ronald D. Bridges in the Department of  Alabama
Archives and History (surname files) on 17 Jan 1999.