Dale Benton Brown, Jr.

October 1, 1942

A card from Andrew Thompson to The Tribune, says he has been transferred from Camp Bowie, Texas to Camp Shelby, Miss. He said he enjoys receiving The Tribune each week and tell all his friends hello. Andrew is advised that two other Bunnellites are now at Camp Shelby - DALE B. BROWN and Otis Hunter.

January 7, 1943

Andrew Thompson and DALE BROWN are here on a visit from Camp Shelby, Miss., Andrew left there 24 hours before Dale and neither knew the other had leave.

January 21, 1943

Tech. Cpl. DALE BROWN returned Monday to Camp Shelby, Miss., after a short leave here with his father, Dale Brown, Sr.

July 1, 1943

Cpl. DALE BROWN, who was recently transferred from camp Shelby, Miss. to California, is here on a short furlough visiting his father, Dale B. Brown.

July 8, 1943

DALE B. BROWN, who is stationed in California, left Saturday to return to camp after a short furlough here with his father. Dale got the surprise of his life in New Orleans on his way back. His sister June (Mrs. H. H. Paulling) who has been in Puerto Rico for over a year arrived in New Orleans a few hours ahead of Dale. She called her father here and he told her to contact Dale on his arrival there, which she did, only to spend a few short hours together. Dale went on to California and June is coming here.

October 21, 1943

A letter from Cpl. DALE B. BROWN, from Fort Dix, New Jersey, where he recently arrived from the desert training grounds in California. Dale says he likes Dix fine and we can go to Philadelphia, New York or Trenton in an hour. When we were in the desert, it was 70 miles to the nearest town. Dale says he has a friend in New York. "He said he would show me a good time. I told him to get me a girl and take in as many night spots as possible." Dale also said he was enjoying sleeping in barracks again, after seven months on either cots or the ground - mostly the ground.

December 2, 1943

Cpl. DALE B. BROWN from Ft. Dix, N.J. was here last weekend visiting his father. Dale had 5 days furlough, plus traveling time. Says he likes Dix, especially after 5 months in the desert.

January 20, 1944

DALE B. BROWN has written his ______ Tribune he sent to him there. (OK, Dale, she's coming)

February 17, 1944

Cpl. DALE B. BROWN writes his father here that he has been visiting at Casablanca and Oran in North Africa.

March 23, 1944

A letter this week from DALE BROWN who is in North Africa, telling of his trip over. Dale says he is receiving the Tribune regularly and he hopes to continue to do so. He said - - “From the time I got on the boat - - the day I will never forget - - I never felt better in my life. We had a calm sea all the way over (thank goodness), therefore I never got sick. At times I was dizzy, but never sick. We had food meals on the ship. We ate twice a day and I never missed one.

We had complete black-out from sunset to sunrise and that was a long time to stay in the hold; the only thing you could do was go to bed. You could not smoke in the hold so as soon as we could go on deck in the morning it was a mad rush. We had shows and a PX so you can see for yourself the trip wasn’t too bad. I was glad to hit port, however for it was getting tiresome.

As soon as we hit port we took a long ride on the famous ‘Forty and Eight,’ which you ought to remember from the last war. It looked to me like it was the same old box cars. The country over here is beautiful and so are some of the girls. As for the Arabs, I can’t say much for them. All they wear is rags of all colors.”

He also said that he had visited Casablanca, Oran and several other cities but he couldn’t say much for them. “They all are dirty. I’ll take our American cities anytime.”

June 29, 1944

We also learned this week that Benjamin Cauley is in Italy. So far as the editor knows he and DALE BROWN are the only two from here in that sector. Incidentally, because we had Dale's address wrong for many weeks he is just now beginning to get The Tribune.

August 17, 1944

We1l fe1lows, here is a letter from a guy we haven't heard from in a long time. This writer hopes all of you enjoy as much as we have. It is from Cpl. DALE B. BROWN,

"In Italy," Dale says: "As I sit here writing you this letter the fellows in the squad are having a discussion on the news we just heard over the radio. We have a large map, and each time that news is confirmed we mark it on the map. Therefore, we keep up with the other battle fronts as well as ours. From the way thing’s look I can't see how this war over here can last too much longer. I hope to be home for Christmas. Maybe I am too optimistic.

When we fell back off the line for our rest, I had several good times in Rome. The first couple of passes were sight-seeing. The next ones were mixed. I wish everyone in Bunnell could see the Vatican. It is beautiful. The statuary and engravings in St. Peters is something I will never forget. One just can't describe it.

I found Rome a very beautiful city. But to my surprise the city is almost as modern as our cities at home. However, transportation is not too good. They have several street cars that are just like ours. You can't find standing room on them. Nearly everyone has a bicycle but some do have cars, sma1ler than ours. Railroads are scarce in Rome.

The residential district apartments are modern and each has a balcony, to add to its beauty.

The Roman walking down the street is very friendly. If you can make him understand, with your hands, he will do anything for you. They dress nicely, but most of the women wear wooden shoes. A majority of them can speak a little English.

As we moved north, the people seem more independent. Their farming sections are very rich. The people seem different. They act as if they are scared and don't have much to do with you. Although when we bivouac, we do make friends easily. A little piece of candy and a cigarette is all it takes.

At the present time I am bivouacking in the middle of a valley. There are farms all around us. Therefore, we do get plenty of fresh vegetables to eat. The fruit is getting ripe and we don't want for that either.

The towns, as we go north, seem to be in better condition. The Jerry is getting wiser and
pulling out before we get there. One of these days we will catch him and give him a beating like we did before.

Mr. Fuller, if I can just sweat out this last obstacle, and we get the Jerry on the run, the chances of coming home are good.

Tell everybody hello for me, and that I hope to see them in the near future."

(Ed Note: Thanks very much Dale for that excellent letter. All of us hope your sweating out period won't be very long and that we may be able to greet you here at home soon. Incidentally, this writer
is glad to find that you are sightseeing in a manner that will, in after years, be a source of great satisfaction. Keep it up whenever you can.)

February 22, 1945

And here's a letter from the Italian Front - from Cpl. DALE B. BROWN, who has been "on the line" for many months there: Dale writes:

"Since I last wrote you very little has happened here in Italy, although I have been busy.
In the earlier part of the year we did a little shifting around. But lately we have been stationary. There is plenty of work to be done over here at the present time.

The winter here is about I gone - I hope. The snow is just about all gone, thank goodness. The ground is beginning to thaw out and the mud is plenty deep. The roads are in bad condition and we are repairing and building new ones up to the front lines.

At the present time I am guarding prisoners, but my time I will be up this week and I am glad. I am anxious to get back to my company. Although I see my buddies every day, that is not like working and being with them.

Today the weather is almost perfect outside. The sun is shining and that is what I like I to see.

The Jerry here in Italy still has plenty of fight left in him, even though he admits he has been defeated.

Lately, there has been plenty of activity up here on the front - especially at night.

There are rumors that we are going to be relieved for a while but how true they are I don't know. If one listens to every rumor, he would go crazy.

I hope this war is nearing the end. Probably after the Big Meeting it will hurry it up some.
This is a hard job now, sweating it out, knowing it is nearly over.

I have a little poem here that one of the fellows wrote, and I liked it very much. There is more truth than fiction in it. So I thought I would send it along to you. With that, I will close for now, hoping all is well in Bunnell." (Thanks so much for the letter, Dale, and the poem. Although we have a rule against printing poems, but we are running this one at the end of this column. All of us back home, however, haven't forgotten that war on any front is still just what General Sherman said it was - Hell.)

June 28, 1945

Here is some news that is not so good for relatives and friends, but the Japs would class it as bad news: Cpl. DALE B. BROWN, JR., and M/Sgt. Zeno C. Mercer are apparently heading for the Pacific area without coming to the States. Both are attached to Engineer outfits.

August 23, 1945

Sgt. DALE B. BROWN, JR., has landed safely in Boston.

August 30, 1945

Sgt. DALE B. BROWN, JR., arrived at Bunnell last Tuesday. Dale said that they were two days from Panama and were ordered to return to the States after the news of the Jap unconditional surrender.

Dale served about 20 months overseas. He has 370 combat days to his credit.

October 18, 1945

CALL ME MISTER

DALE B. BROWN, JR.

The above named Flagler County men are now entitled to be addressed as “Mister” instead of by any military title heretofore held...........