Correspondent’s View

The Golden Stairs up Imita Ridge. Engineers cut more than 2,000 steps into the mountain.

October 1942, Australian journalist, George H. Johnston, recorded his graphic account of the rigors, of what he called, the toughest fighting in the world: “The insect life, from scorpions to butterflies, is impressive, but only for a time though.  You eventually reach a stage when flora and fauna and even the Japs gradually lose interest.  Your mental processes allow you to be conscious of only one thing – ‘The Track’ – or more usually – ‘The Bloody Track.’

“You listen to your legs creaking and stare at the ground and think of the next stretch of mud and you wonder if the hills will even end.  Up one almost perpendicular mountain face more than 2,000 steps have been cut out of the mud and built up with felled saplings inside which the packed earth has long since become black glue.  Each step is 2-foot high.  You slip on 1-in-3.  There are no resting places.  Climbing it is the supreme agony of mind and spirit.  The troops, with fine irony, have christened it ‘The Golden Staircase.”

Men & horses transport equipment down a stretch of Kokoda Track near Ower’s Corner.

“Life changes as you push up the track.  Standards of living deteriorate, sometimes below normally accepted standards even of primitive existence.  Thoughts become somber, humour takes on a glum, almost macabre quality.  When men reach the nadir of mental and physical agony there are times when sickness or injury or even death seem like things to be welcomed. “Near Efogi, on a slimy section of the track that reeks with the stench of death, the remain of an enemy soldier lie on a crude stretcher, abandoned by the Japanese retreat.  The flesh has gone from his bones and a white bony claw sticks out of a ragged uniform sleeve stretching across the track.  Every Australian who passes, plodding up the muddy rise that leads to the pass, grasps the skeleton’s grisly hand, shakes it fervently and says, ‘Good on you, sport!’ before wearily moving on.” George H.Johnston (1912-1970) – best known for his book, “My Brother Jack,” he was a war correspondent during WWII for the Melbourne “Argus” newspaper. Click on images to enlarge. #################################################################################

Sad Sack’s Military Humor – 

Building the shower

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Farewell Salutes – 

Vernon Casanave – Palm Bch, FL; US Army Air Corps, WWII, SSgt.

Hiram Davidson – Little Rock, AR; US Army, Korea & Vietnam, Sgt. Major

Peter Dawson – brn : Yorkshire, UK & Horsey, AUS; Royal Navy, 10 yrs.,

Thomas Gordon – Pueblo, CO; US Army Air Corps, WWII

St. Clair Knight Jr. – Greenville, SC; US Army, WWII, ETO, Capt., 102nd Infantry Div.

Albert Laubenstein – Saskatoon, CAN; RC Artillery & Infantry/Lincoln & Welland Reg., ETO, KIA 1/26/45

Erwin Murdock – Boynton Bch., FL; US Navy, WWII, PTO, gunner’s mate 2nd class

Melvin Raley – Gibson, GA; US Army, WWII, ETO, H Co/22 Inf.Reg/4th Inf.Div/3rd Army

Charles Stevenson – Timaru, NZ; RNZ Army # 821225, 27 MG Battalion

Marvin Underwood – Evansville, IN; US Army, WWII, PTO, 158th RCT, Purple Heart, Bronze Star #################################################################################