104th Cavalry Comes to Salem

“Merry – Xmas 104 Cav” is decorated on one end of the wall. Photo dated December 25, 1943. Photo taken at the Oregon State Fairgrounds. WHC Collections 1998.012.0003.

Do you have projects you keep avoiding because you know they are going to be a bit sticky?  Ever since writing about the U.S.O. in Salem, my understanding of troops billeted here during WWII had been annoyingly murky at best.  There are vague stories about the Salem Airport and the Oregon State Fairgrounds, but documentation was thin.  Finding these photos labelled “104^th Cavalry at the Fairgrounds, December 25, 1943” seemed like a good, holiday-themed lead.  The ensuing chase for the proverbial rest of the story started off with more questions than answers.

For Christmas parties in 1943, the newspaper seemed like a good place to start digging.  Society pages of the era are often chock full of the minutest details of social engagements — who was there, what they ate, down to the variety of roses decorating the table.  I was disappointed in my search.  While the 104^th Cavalry Band did make the society page, frequently playing at sorority gatherings or USO dances, the majority of the references I was founding came from a very different section.

Of the 110 references to the 104^th Cavalry in Oregon papers in 1943, most of the reports are found on the sports page.  The unit’s short-lived, but relatively successful run in the city basketball league helped me create a pretty good timeline of their stay in Salem.  Competing against teams like the Mayflower Milkers, Willamette University Frosh and the (fearsome) General Finance,[1] the 104^th “quint” took an early lead in league standings with smashing wins of 26-22[2] and 20-7[3] over their opponents.  When the newspaper announced that a new team’s spot in the league had been taken over by a new team in February 1944, it was a good indication that the unit had relocated.[4]  This was backed up by engagement or marriage announcements that trickled in later that year for a pair of Salem women –Miss Nyla Phillips and Miss Lucille Harder — whose sweethearts were stationed with the “104^th Cavalry at Fort Lewis.”[5]

It seemed straightforward.  The 104^th Cavalry were at the Oregon State Fairgrounds from 1943 to early 1944.  Except that there were all these aberrations that kept popping up.  An October 6^th article in the Oregon Statesman described “obtaining the 104^th cavalry band from Camp Adair for the dance.”[6]  The obituary for Lieutenant Calvin H. Smedley in July of 1943 described him as “of the 104^th Cavalry attached to Camp Adair.”[7]  Back on the sports page, a huge rivalry between the “fighting 104^th Cavalry of Coos Bay” and the “GI Ducks” from University of Oregon took up quite a bit of newsprint.[8]

Confused, I went to the State Archives in search of some evidence of the 104^th at the Oregon State Fairgrounds.  Surely there must be some contract or other government record showing occupation at the state-owned facility that might clear things up.  Be careful what you wish for.  I found lots of correspondence – fairgrounds manager Leo Spitzbart had heaps of trouble with various military units utilizing the accommodations and wrote lots of letters.  The Oregon State Fair was suspended for two years during the war and much of the facilities were taken over for use by the military.  Through the letters there is lots of information about overdue electric and water bills the army neglected to pay in accordance with agreements, unauthorized “remodeling” of buildings, smoke damage from coal stoves brought for heat, the construction of unwanted buildings, dealing with the complaints from a score of restaurateurs whose dishes and cooking utensils were destroyed in the process of providing concessions to the men, and the absconding with padlocks that were difficult to replace in a wartime economy, there is nary a mention of the 104^th Cavalry.  The 115^th Cavalry;  the Antitank company, 162^nd Infantry;  the 174^th Infantry; the 71^st Infantry all are referenced, but no 104^th.[9]

At this point, I was starting to get nervous about the accuracy of the photo caption.  While the decorations in the back of the photo clearly read “Merry X-mas, 104^th Cav,” maybe the photo was taken somewhere else?  Perhaps a history of the unit might confirm the Salem story and thankfully volunteer Matt Hale was in the archives that day to provide some top-notch sleuthing and general knowledge of U.S. Army protocols and lingo.

Western Defense Command Patch – WWII.

The 104^th Cavalry Regiment originated as a part of the Pennsylvania National Guard.  They were inducted into federal service in 1941.[10]  The un-cited Wikipedia article did mention that the troops were housed at Salem, Oregon, but my heart fell a little when looking at the uniforms in the picture compared with the distinctive unit insignia displayed on the screen.  The elaborate horse head and did not match the geometric pattern of the diamond-shaped patch seen on many soldiers’ sleeves in the image.

A memo dated March 24, 1943 provided concrete proof that the 104^th Cavalry was assigned to the Oregon Sub-sector, of the Northwest Sector of the Western Defense Command under the command of Colonel Albert H. Stackpole with headquarters in Salem, Oregon.  This assignment helped explain the apparent discrepancy in patches.  The insignia for the Western Defense Command consists of a yellow sunburst rising over black mountains on a red sky and matched the design seen in the photograph.  The Western Defense Command’s role was to provide home defense and training.  It may be weird to think of now, but Oregon was considered a prime target for invading armies from Japan.  Stackpole, in encouraging phrases was quoted declaring an attack on the Oregon coast could occur at any time and likened “defense preparations on the pacific coast to a football game, saying the losing team generally starts throwing wild passes.”[11]  Understanding the nature of their commanding officer’s duties in regards to home defense, attachment in Camp Adair and duties in Marshfield are perhaps not as confusing as they were before.

Although the 104^th Cavalry’s stay in Salem was short-lived, their legacy lived on locally.  Two leading officers, both WWI veterans and coworkers at the Harrisburg Telegram newspaper, were detached and sent on special assignment during the remainder of the war.[12]  Their exploits, letters to friends in Salem, and visits back over the years continued to make the Salem news.   Commanding Officer Stackpole was reassigned as a liaison to the Chinese Army and was awarded the Bronze Star for meritorious service.[13]  His former executive officer, Lt. Col. Bion C. Welker made a big splash during the surrender of Paris in 1944.  The story, captured in the Stars and Stripes reads like something out of a James Bond novel.  In a captured German vehicle, Welker demanded to see the Stadt Kommandat of Paris who was then entrenched in the plush Continental Hotel.  Welker declared in “perfect German” that the commander was out-numbered and defeat was imminent.  Surrender was eventually accomplished and the stars and stripes reporter found Welker sipping an expensive glass of wine watching the fighting in the streets below from his “penthouse window.”  His only complaint was that a German officer had “stolen his only shirt and his toothbrush.”[14]

This org chart found in the War Diaries Collection on Fold3, shows 104th Cavalry based in Salem and under the umbrella of the Western Defense Command.

This article was written by Kylie Pine.  It first appeared in the Statesman Journal in 2018.  It is reproduced here with citations for reference purposes.

Unit Members

The following list was compiled from individuals listed in newspaper articles about the unit.  OS = Oregon Statesman.  CJ = Capital Journal.

Citations

[1] “City Cage Teams Playing tonight.” Capital Journal 16 Dec. 1943, pg 9.

[2] “Tonight’s City Clashes Billed.” Oregon Statesman 16 December 1943, pg 8.

[3] “Cavalry Shares League Lead” Oregon Statesman 17 Dec 1943, pg 11

[4] “Jayvees Lose to Milk Quit, 38-21.  Capital Journal 4 Feb 1944, pg 6.

[5] “Plight Troth at Saturday Ceremony.” Capital Journal 19 Jun 1944.  “Miss Nyla Phillips Engaged.” Oregon Stateman

[6] “Dance to Honor Navy Seniors.” Oregon Statesman. 6 Oct. 1943, pg 6.

[7] “Lieutenant Smedley dies in Marshfield.” 6 Jul 1943, pg 8.

[8] “Oregon Gridders to Play Cavalry.” Capital Journal. 20 Oct 1943, pg 5; “Armyducks set 4 more tilts.” Oregon Statesman 15 Oct 1943, pg 11; “All Games at 3:30” Eugene Guard 14 October 1943, pg 10 – “The 104^th Cavalry from Marshfield, a coast defense unit, has been definitely scheduled for a game here…” and more into November not recorded.

[9] Fair and Exposition Center Records.  Oregon State Archives.  61A-090/1.  Box 1  Correspondence and Reports.

[10] “104^th Cavalry Regiment” Wikipedia.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/104th_Cavalry_Regiment. See also: Niehorster, Dr. Leo.  “World War II Armed Forces: Orders of Battle and Organizations – Cavalry Regiment (Horse and Mechanized)”  http://www.niehorster.org/013_usa/40_org/cav/cav_hm-rgt.html.

[11] “Air Attacks on Coast Predicted.” Medford Mail 30 Mar 1943 pg 1.  “Air Attack on Area Held Probability.” Bend Bulletin 30 March 1943, pg 1.

[12] Magee, Margaret. “Serving Uncle Sam.” Capital Journal 24 Jan 1945, pg 3; Capital Journal 20 Feb 1946, pg 6; “Eastern News.” Oregon Statesman 16 Jan 1944 pg 8; “News of Officers” Capital Journal 10 Nov 1945, pg 8.

[13] Magee, Margaret. “Serving Uncle Sam.” Capital Journal 24 Jan 1945, pg 3.

[14] “Former Salem Officer Dares German Lines to Demand and Obtain Yielding of Paris Nazis.” Oregon Statesman 24 Sept 1944 pg 6.; Magee, Margaret. “Soldier Editor Once Here Participated in Capture of Paris.” Capital Journal 28 Oct 1944, pg 12.