ALAEN 314.7
22 January 1951

SUBJECT: Post Diary

TO:  Commanding Officer
       Camp Atterbury, Indiana
       ATTN: Post Historian

1.  On activation of Camp Atterbury, the duties and responsibilities of the Post Engineer Organization pyramided from a small maintenance group of thirty-one (31) people, plus fourteen (14) firefighters, to an organization of close to one thousand (1,000) civilian employees in a period of about three (3) weeks.  During this period of reorganization it was necessary to carry out high priority activation projects, prepare plans and specifications for several projects including the hospital, paving of roads, construction of coal pads, replacement of smoke stacks on one hundred and eighty (180) buildings, and about twenty (20) additional and equally important projects.  It was also necessary to to energize the permanent civilian employees to high gear operation under extreme pressure.  Normal maintenance, of course, had to continue without interruption.

2.  The type of personnel recruited by Civilian Personnel consisted mostly of farmers and unemployed civilians in the immediate vicinity of camp.  Men who had at one time painted the kitchen at home, applied as qualified painters, men who had fixed the farm pump applied as qualified plumbers.  Other building craft applicants ere equally unqualified.  Obviously this condition presented a state of confusion in the entire organization with plenty of headaches and grey hair to the Post Engineer who had only one officer (Captain Bentley) as his assistant the first two (2) weeks, and he was involved full-time ordering and expediting delivery of material and supplies.  It took considerable screening of personnel to find suitable supervisors and group foremen qualified to direct operations on various activities.

3.  About the middle of August 1950, two (2) officers arrived as assistant to the Post Engineer, Lt. Colonel Ribbs (then Major), and Major Bittner (then Captain).  Colonel Ribbs was assigned as Executive and Major Bittner as Chief of Operation Division.  Well qualified engineer non-commissioned officers were also assigned to this organization as they arrived for duty at this camp.  About the first of September 1950, the administration and supervisory staff was very well organized to carry on the assignment.  During this reorganization period, the administrative and clerical staff was proportionately increased and trained in their respective duties.

4.  Because of the tremendous amount of work to be done and the short period of time in which to accomplish the first phase of our mission, it meant working around the clock seven (7) days a week for the first two (2) months.  In the meantime, carloads after carloads of lumber, railroad ties, coal, and equipment was rolling into camp, which had to be unloaded and stored.

5.  In addition to the purchase and hire activities of the Post Engineer, the following contracts were awarded during August and September.

Some of the above contracts progresses very rapidly and according to schedule, but a number of them were delayed due to shortage of critical materials, principally steel items, and unfavorable weather conditions.

6.  By the first of October 1950, everything was going along very smoothly except that we were not accomplishing the amount of work with our purchase and hire organization that was originally anticipated due primarily to the poor grade of craftsmen we were able to employ at established wage rates.  It therefore became necessary to group projects that could be done by contract and still protect the interests of the Government.  Plans ans specifications were prepared, bids taken, and contracts awarded for the following projects:

The last part of September 1950, it was evident that the hospital bed capacity had to be increased.  Immediate action was taken to negotiate a contract for Phase II of hospital activation program.  On 7 October 1950, a contract in the amount of $462,438.oo was awarded to cover Phase II.

7.  In addition to the activation of the camp proper, the Post Engineer was also charged with the construction and rehabilitation of all training aids.  Most of the training aids used during World War II were either obsolete or had deteriorated to a point where they were not economically reparable.  All repairs on training aids that could be used were accomplished by Purchase and Hire, however, because of the urgent need for raining aids, contracts were awarded for the following:

During this period the following training aids were being constructed by Post Engineer personnel:

7.  During the month of October 1950, we were informed that the Post Engineer would go on an operational basis effective 15 November 1950.

Theoretically that meant that we would reduce our personnel ceiling to operational strength or 482 spaces and would confine our activities to maintenance and operation of post facilities.  While we reduced the organization to our authorized ceiling, thee was no reduction in workload.  This meant that we had to accomplish the same amount of work with about 200 less spaces.  There was a shortage of transportation throughout the activation period causing considerable delay in getting personnel and materials to work sites.  This bottleneck was partially eliminated when authority was granted to contract for hauling of coal. This contract, based on delivery of 84,000 tons of coal will amount to approximately $31,500.00.

8.  The months of November and December 1950 was more or less the same as the preceding months, lots of work to be done and little time to do it in.  Our mission was complicated by cold weather causing an excessive number of freeze ups due to improper or negligent firing practices on the part of the troop units.  During this period the following contracts were awarded:

9.  During the month of December, plans and specifications were prepared for the following projects which are now in the hands of the contractors:

Note:  This very briefly covers the major activities of Post Engineer Organization up to 31 December 1950.  It does by no means cover minor activities, such as opening up plugged "Johns", repairing leaky faucets, replacing burned out grates, collecting rubbish and ashes, filling requisitions from units for lumber, paint, nails, stone, signs, and a thousand other needs.  Nor does it include fabrication of non-standard items of furniture, shelves, partitions, doors, and general repair and maintenance.

H. G. PETERSEN
Colonel, CE
Post Engineer