In this letter, Bill describes their accommodations, a Squad Tent1. In this letter he asks for a small camera. I don’t know if he ever received it and if he did, I have not seen any of the pictures.
- A Squad Tent was a standard military tent used by the U.S. Army during World War II to provide shelter for small groups of soldiers, typically a squad (around 10-12 men, though this varied). These tents were widely used in various theaters, including the South Pacific, where Bill was stationed. These were typically large tents, 16×16 feet wide and long and 11 feet high at the peak. They were made of heavy canvas, treated with waterproofing agents. They were supported by a wooden or metal pole frame and ropes and stakes. Soldiers often slept on cots to protect against pests, mud and wet conditions. These were permanent structures, that could be setup and taken down quickly making them ideal of mobile operations and combat zones ↩︎