"Back at the Gap" BACK AT THE GAP Major General Frank H. Smoker, Jr. (USAF, Retired) Roads, support facilities spring up as reservation grows 16th in a series Rapid progress was the keyword for construction of new quarters at Indiantown Gap in early 1941. And, as much of the early construction neared completion, new projects continued to be built to provide adequate, comfortable training facilities for Pennsylvania's 28th Division and the other Army troops. As the barracks were completed, specialties such as refrigerating plants, laundries and similar service units were also being built. Most striking was the immense spread of the new hospital in Area 14 at the west end. The 28th Division officers estimated that there was perhaps more area under roof there than could have been found on the entire reservation the last time the 28th Division camped at Indiantown. Unique closed, covered walkways connected many of the hospital buildings, which allowed patients to be taken from one building to another without being exposed to the outside air. Many new roads and streets were created where farm fields once stood. A new road designated as Service Road cut through the heart of the reservation from the 55th Infantry Brigade (Area 3) west past the division headquarters, direct to the hospital area. More important was a new, four-lane, hard-surfaced road running from the east end of the post westerly through the reservation past division headquarters, then south to Harper's Tavern. It was named Fisher Avenue in memory of Gov. John S. Fisher of Indiana, Pa., under whose administration the land for the reservation was acquired. Pennsylvania National Guard history was also perpetuated in the naming. Asher Miner Road, which runs from the main entrance at Funck's Family Restaurant north through Indiantown Gap, was named for Brig. Gen. Asher Miner of Wilkes-Barre, who as a wartime colonel led the 109th Field Artillery in France and Belgium. Clement Avenue, another major road running west from the center of the reservation to the west sentry station, was named for Maj. Gen. Charles M. Clement of Sunbury, the first commanding general of the 28th Division during the reorganization period at Camp Hancock, Ga., where the present 28th Division was born. McLean Road, which leads west along the north side of Blue Mountain and proceeds through the artillery range corridor to Manada Gap, was named for Brig. Gen. William S. McLean, a federal judge from Luzerne County who died while commanding the 53rd Field Artillery Brigade. There were three military police sentry stations established on the post to control inbound and outbound traffic and to ensure that the soldiers leaving the camp had proper leave passes. One was located at the main entrance at the south end of Fisher Avenue, another at the east end of Fisher Avenue which led to Lickdale, and the third at the west end of Clement Avenue. Probably the "most famous" road on the reservation was State Road, located on the south side of the camp, which led east from Fisher Avenue in the direction of Ono and Jonestown. It quickly became known to the soldiers as AWOL Road. Because there was no MP sentry station on that road, from all accounts, it was used frequently by the soldiers to come and go as they pleased. For those who may not know, "AWOL" stands for "Absent With Out Leave." Many years later, AWOL Road was legitimized and renamed as Biddle Drive, but to nearly all who are familiar with the Gap, it is still referred to as AWOL Road! Operation of the camp was aided by 168 men of the 1325th Service Company on duty with their officers from Camp Dix. From the MPs at the sentry stations and crossroads directing traffic to the handling of supplies and equipment stored for use of the incoming troops, these men were very much on the job. A building for officers' quarters to house those already on duty was rushed to completion in Area 9. Quarters were also built to house approximately 1,000 men of several white and black service companies, the black troops being segregated in the Special Troops Area 8 (segregation of troops in the military continued until 1952). These units were permanently assigned to perform reservation services. A laundry, a bakery, a refrigerating plant and 11 warehouses were built, in addition to a Hostess House Service Club building, post office and dental clinic. Division headquarters, established in an old barn at the northeast corner of Fisher Avenue and Service Road (where the traffic light is now installed) was enlarged by the addition of new buildings and quarters for the commanding general. Meanwhile, work was progressing on the new power house and substation in the engineer area, and a 25-ton incinerator was added to the sewage-treatment system. A carpenter shop and motor-repair shop were also constructed. In addition, two firehouses were completed, and their apparatus was manned by men of the 1325th Service Company. A third firehouse, with quarters for the firefighters in the rear, was built at the junction of Clement Avenue and Asher Miner Road. A big water main was laid from Jonestown to the reservation's central water system, and connected to the three 750,000-gallon water tanks, one of which had been newly erected at the east end of the Muir Airfield.   The first new agency to get into operation was the new telephone building, located across the field from division headquarters. Here an initial installation of 200 telephones went into operation, manned by men of the Signal Corps. The quartermaster area at the east end of the reservation (now Area 1) rapidly took shape, and on the hill to the south of it, in Area 2, 10 stables were completed ahead of the barracks, to take care of the incoming horses. In the cavalry, it was always "the horses come first." Clearing of areas at the artillery firing range was also going forward, even if lost in the confusion of the more spectacular construction activity. Other notable improvements included the addition of 100 more targets on the 200 and 300 yards target range. Some 2,700 sugar maple trees were planted along the main roads and highways of the reservation by permanent personnel. These trees commemorated the memory of those officers and men of the World War 28th Division who paid the supreme sacrifice. In another step to assure a plentiful supply of good food for the rapidly expanding personnel assigned at the Gap, two cold-storage facilities were authorized for Indiantown Gap. These units provided refrigerated storage space and facilities for perishable food to supply 12,500 men for four days, or enough vegetables, butter and such perishable products for the population of a city the size of Lebanon or Lancaster. Bids were opened by the office of the quartermaster general for an estimated 24,746 gallons of cream and gray paint to meet paint requirements for the Indiantown Gap cantonment. The exteriors of all mobilization-type buildings then constructed or being erected under the present emergency program of temporary construction were to be painted a cream with doors of warm gray. All in all, this new Indiantown Gap was designed to provide a training area for some 23,000 men. So, by late 1941, sufficient facilities were available to care for the Pennsylvania troops at their estimated induction strength, and Indiantown Gap was prepared to receive additional Army troops. As a consequence of all of this activity, more comforts and conveniences were provided to the 250,000 World War II soldiers who passed through the Gap on their way overseas. And today, as then, Pennsylvania is fortunate to have most of its citizen-soldiers train within the borders of its own commonwealth. -30- © 2004 Frank H. Smoker, Jr. All rights reserved. Reproduced by permission of the author. Go "Back at the Gap" Index