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The 6th Historical Detachment was conceived sometime
in the fall of 1950, and born on the 9th day of October, 1950. On
19 October, Cpl Edward D. Cochley, who had been unwillingly and
grudgingly yanked from his peaceful status of citizen, and place on
active duty only one month before, became the first individual to be
assigned to the 6th Historical Detachment.
The first words he heard spoken in Camp Atterbury, Indiana, home of the
detachment, after introducing himself and giving his assignment to the
CQ on duty late at night in Post Hq, were : "Wotinhell is that ?"
It seemed that no one on the reservation knew anything concerning the
6th Historical Detachment. For the lack of anywhere else to stay,
Cpl Cochley was given shelter in the local AUS, No. 5015. Imagine
his delight when he was called up to personnel, given a three-day pass,
and told to report back on Monday morning ! On the given date, he
reported back and was put to work temporarily with the Classification
Section, where, 6 days later, he was joined by another member of the
organization, Cpl (then PFC) Kenneth L. Price.
Together they tried to determine their status, and through the days that
followed considered the many possibilities that lay open. In the
latter part of November, after becoming accustomed to a soft life and
trips home every other weekend, Cpl Cochley was placed on DS with the
461st Ordnance Ammunition Co, where he acted as Cadre, training new
recruits in the basic arts of the soldier. This was somewhat akin
to the "blind leading the blind."
In the middle of December, when I was on DS with the
461st Ord. Ammo Co., the company went on the rifle range to qualify. It
was soooo cold, most of the weapons froze. They had to be taken into
the Ordnance truck that was standing nearby to unfreeze them, then run
out and fire a few rounds to get them warmed up. (no peeing allowed).
Being an Ordnance Co, we were all firing carbines. That night, someone
got a local newspaper and read that the night before had been the
coldest ever in Indiana (at that time).
During this period,, Cpl Price continued working in the Classification
section, soon proving his ability and eagerness to work. On 12
December 1950, an officer, 1st Lt William D. Magnes, finally reported in
as commanding officer, and the unit immediately began to function.
After a few telephone conversations and heated discussions, Cpl Cochley
was relieved from DS with the 461 Ord Ammo Co and assumed his duties as
clerk for the 6th Historical Detachment.
Entirely unlike the 5th Historical Detachment, which the 6th was
eventually to meet in California, the 6th Historical Detachment had no
trouble in drawing T/O equipment, which, as a matter of fact, had been
held since sometime in October for someone to pick up. This was a credit
both to the efficient 6th Historical Detachment, a to Camp Atterbury
technical services. This high degree of efficiency on the part of
the tech services was to take a complete about-face when the time came
to clear the post for overseas shipment.
The first few days in operation were spent in drawing equipment and
supplies, and in deciding just what the mission of the Historical
Detachment would be while it was in Atterbury. It was finally
decided that the mission would be as is quoted in AR 210-10, which reads
in part: "The installation commander is responsible for the maintenance
of an installation diary, in which he will cause to be entered in
chronological order all noteworthy events of interest from a historical
or statistical standpoint which occur at his installation." It was
decided also, that in addition to a Post Diary, the 6th Historical
Detachment would compile a brochure on Camp Atterbury, a summary of
activities that occur from day to day in the operation of the post, and
in the combat training of the 28th Infantry Division, a Pennsylvania
National Guard division stationed at Camp Atterbury.
After all equipment was drawn, all supplies requisitioned, and working
space made available, the detachment requested the necessary letters and
memos be sent to different units and sections in Camp Atterbury,
informing them that the historical detachment would require an initial
report, and weekly reports thereafter on all matters of an historical or
statistical nature important enough to be included in a Post Diary.
Work was begun to record the influx of reports, and to crack the whip
over the tardy.
Simultaneously, a work plan was set up for gathering material for the
Post brochure. Units were questioned as to whether it would be
permissible for the detachment to have a Signal Corps photographer take
shots of activities taking place during the training periods.
Other activities, such as the QM laundry, bakery, repair shops and
warehouses, Red Cross offices, water works, fire houses, the hospital,
etc., were also photographed.
Work was just getting underway on the Post Diary, and the Post brochure
was completed and almost ready for the publisher, when the axe fell !
Secret orders were received ordering the 6th Historical Detachment to
the Far East Command. At once the normal routine of the daily work
ceased, and a steady furor took its place.
Little time was given to the moving of the unit overseas, but it was the
express desire of the commanding officer that everyone have a few days
leave before departure. Accordingly, everyone worked at a feverish
pace, trying to get the init POM in as short a time as possible.
On 21 January 1951, the commanding officer, Lt. William D. Magnes and
the detachment driver, Cpl Kenneth L. Price, left on their respective
furloughs, leaving Cpl Edward D. Cochley to behind to attend to the
packing and crating of equipment and loading of equipment and vehicles.
This was done, and upon the return of Cpl Price, on 25 January 51, Cpl
Cochley left to take his five-day leave.
During Cpl Cochley's absence, Lt. Magnes and Cpl Price both went through
the overhead artillery course and the infiltration course, thus
qualifying for POR. On the return of Cpl Cochley from leave, he
too ran both courses, qualifying for POR.
With all the equipment and vehicles loaded on a flatcar and ready to
leave, the 6th Historical Detachment departed Camp Atterbury on the 4th
of February, be Sedan to Indianapolis, Indiana, and from Indianapolis to
Oakland, California by TWA "Constellation", arriving at Camp Stoneman,
California, late at night the same day.
After a short stay in Camp Stoneman, during which time additional
equipment was drawn and arrangements were made to have unit equipment
transshipped to the far East Command, the detachment, together with the
5th Historical Detachment, left Camp Stoneman, and arrived at Travis Air
Force Base, California on the 9th of February.
Due to a foul up somewhere in Camp Stoneman, the two detachments were
not scheduled on a flight when they arrived at Travis, so a two day wait
was endured before a plane was available. At 0100, 11 February,
both detachments left Travis Air Force Base, arriving in Hawaii at
approximately 1300 the dame day. Again boarding their plane, the
"Ocean Rover", the detachments arrived at Haneda Air Force Base, Tokyo,
Japan, stopping only for a short time on Wake Island. The date of
arrival was 13 February 1951.
Upon arrival in Yokohama, Japan, the unit was assigned to 8th Army,
attached to Japan Logistical Command, further attached to Hq, Yokohama
Command, and further attached to Special Troops, Yokohama Command.
The duties of the detachment, as outlined by the 8th Army Historian, Lt
Col Elbert Nelson, would be to undergo further training to acquaint the
detachment with the method of making interviews, preparing After-Action
interviews, and to obtain working knowledge of the monthly Command
Report.
Soon after arrival, work was begun toward preparing an after-action
report on events in and around CHECHON, Korea (DS3109), Map; NJ52-10,
Korea 1/250,000). The Historical Detachment, accompanied by Lt.
Middleton of the 5th Historical Detachment, visited both the 155th
Station Hospital in Yokohama, and the Tokyo General Hospital, to gather
information from patients who had been in that area during February.
The work was very exasperating and disappointing, since so man patients
who were listed in the hospital A&D sheets as being from units
concerned, had either (1) been wounded before the particular action had
taken place, or (2) had been transferred to another hospital.
After some progress had been made on the report, both detachments wee
given a change of assignment, in a decision which was to make the
detachments integral parts of the EUSAK Historical Section. Lt.
Middleton, of the 5th Historical Detachment, was to write the personnel
section of the Command report; Lt. Magnes, of the famed 6th Historical
Detachment, was to write the logistics section of the report. The
writing of the logistics section soon became a matter of routine,
although it required the full-time effort and attention of both Lt.
Magnes and his clerk, Cpl Cochley. At this time, Cpl Price, the
driver, "had it made." No work could be found for him, so he
merely made an appearance at the office twice a day, every other day, so
as not to be dropped from the rolls of the 6th Historical Detachment.
On 15 March 1951, the detachment was notified that its equipment had
arrived on the freighter William Luckenback. On 17 March 1951, the
organizational jeep and trailer with equipment loaded in the trailer,
was picked up from the holding area #2, directly across from Camp Coe,
Yokohama, and the trailer w/equipment was stored in Bay Number 8 of the
Japan Locker Fund storage warehouse.
Taking advantage of the use of the unit vehicle, the detachment made the
first of several jaunts in the Mt. Fujiyama area, and other points in
and Yokohama. Much of the country life of Japan that is not
ordinarily seen by occupation personnel, was thus made easily accessible
to the detachment.
In the latter part of May, the 5th Historical Detachment was dealt what
seemed at the time, a low blow, but proved to be a Godsend to all
personnel concerned. It was alerted for Korea, and on or about 8
June, departed Yokohama by rail for Sasebo. It was in Sasebo that
both enlisted men of the 5th Historical Detachment, ER's by trade, were
removed from the shipment and immediately processed for return to the ZI
in accordance with current 8th Army directives. The lone officer
made his way to Taegu, and was soon returned to Yokohama on indefinite
TDY to the EUSAK Historical Section.
On 29 June 1951, Cpl Edward D. Cochley, clerk for the 6th Historical
Detachment, was notified to prepare for return to the ZI for release
from active duty.. At 1300, 30 June 1951, Cpl Cochley departed
Yokohama for Camp Drake from where he would be returned to the ZI !
Which brings us up to date.
1500, 8 July 1951 boarded USS Telfair
1520, 9 July 1951 Departed Yokohama
1000, 21 July 1951 Closed San Francisco
1600, 23 July 1951 Departed Camp Stoneman, California
0900, 26 July 1951 Closed Ft. Custer, Michigan
0100, 31 July 1951 Arrived home
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