CBI Theater – 1945
Fish Story along the Stillwell Road
ALONG THE STILWELL ROAD – The latest man-bites-dog incident turns out to be a fish story.
S/Sgt. Charles T. Hardin, Trenton, Tenn., power shovel operator for an Engineering Battalion along the Stilwell Road, used the world’s largest fishing tackle to bring in a 100-pound catfish out of the Dihing River.
Hardin, an engineer, was scooping up gravel from the river’s bed, as it had been his custom to do over many months since he has been in ol’ I-BT. He noticed a massive, torpedo-like form wending its way up to the spot where his shovel was operating.
Giving the controls a quick one-two, Hardin hit the lumbering fish with the big bucket and stunned him into insensibility. Then, skillfully maneuvering the huge snorting shovel, he hauled him in as easily as dipping for a trout.
His piscatorial prize turned out to be a white bellied catfish, measuring almost six feet from tail to teeth. As Hardin put it, “I’ve scooped up a lot of gravel to help build this road, but I never caught anything bigger than a minnow before. This time I hit the jackpot.”
After the fish was hauled off to the company area, the boys began slicing off steaks for a fish fry was contemplated.
A real tribute was paid the Stilwell Road Isaac Walton by one of his buddies, who remarked, “Old Hardin can throw that bucket anywhere he wants!”
Poem from CBI WWII
THE DEVIL’S DILEMMA
I met the Devil yesterday beneath a shady tree; |
“O, Mortal, know,” he spoke, “that once I ruled a proud domain;
Within the bowels of Earth I reigned o’er punishment and pains of those were sent to me who’d lived in sin and hate, To suffer for eternity upon hot Hades grate.
– BY S/SGT. G. W. HICKOX |
Click on images to enlarge.
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Military Humor –
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Farewell Salutes –
Howard Anglin – AR; US Army Air Corps, WWII, CBI, P-61’s 426 Night Fighter Squadron
John Bushfield – Boise, ID; US Army, WWII, 10th Mountain Division
Virgil DeVine – St. Louis, MO; US Army Air Corps, WWII, ETO, B-26 tail gunner
Charles Goodwin – Haskell, TX; US Navy, Vietnam, pilot, USS Coral Sea, KIA
Charles Hayden – Vancouver, CA; RC Air Force, WWII, B-17 tail gunner
Jay Kislak – Hoboken, NJ; US Navy, WWII, pilot
Anna Newman – Sarasota, FL; Civilian, WWII, truck driver, MacDill Air Force Base
Albert Rivoire – Pawling, NY; US Army, WWII, ETO, 104th Infantry Division, Bronze Star
Robert Seeber – Omaha, NE; US Navy, WWII, PTO, radioman, USS Isley
Geoffrey Wright – Orewa, NZ; British Army # 14418502, WWII, ETO & CBI, Captain
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Posted on October 8, 2018, in Uncategorized, WWII and tagged 1940's, Army, CBI, Engineers, History, Military, Military History, Pacific, Pacific War, WW2, WWII. Bookmark the permalink. 109 Comments.
As a point aside I read that no one knows who the young man with “war is hell” written on his helmet is. It’s an iconic pic from the Vietnam era.
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I have been told that he is Larry Wayne Chaffin of the 173rd A/B Brigade Battalion; and that he allowed this picture to to be taken on 18 June 1965.
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This post is so touching. Thank you. Micheline
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Much appreciated, Micheline!
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Great story, is appropriate to giggle?
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Go right ahead, many others have (including me)! We have to have these good stories once in a while!
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Great fish tale. What a treat that must have been. There’s more than one way to catch a fish.
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You don’t even need to strain yourself bringing him in with this method, eh?! haha
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Just amazing!
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A light-hearted post for a chance. Same with today’s post.
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That was some CATFISH! LOL!
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Reblogged this on John Cowgill's Literature Site.
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Thank you, John for helping to share this history.
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You are very graciously welcome.
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With those comments you have me wanting smoked catfish! Anyhow, the smoke angels are absolutely amazing! Thanks
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The smoke angels are created by the Angel Flights, those planes that bring our KIA back home. But I’m always ready for some fried catfish. hush puppies and greens!!
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Holy Hannah! Now that’s a fish story, alright, GP! Loved it. Oh… I hope I can get this image to show… Nope… didn’t work. Just google “Victorian fish ad card” (images) and look for the fishing fish wearing bonnets.
Hugs on the line!
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Thanks, Teagan!
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こんにちは☺️🇯🇵🇺🇸
You hear this?Justice☺️☺️☺️🌸🌸🌸👍👍👍I love USA☺️💕🇯🇵🇺🇸
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Thank you, Nasuko, we love Japan!!
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こんにちは Nasuko,
お会いできてよかったです。 私はYouTubeのリンクが私のためにはうまくいかなかったのではないかと心配しています。
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☺️👇🌸🌸
Remarks by Vice President Pence on the Administration’s Policy Toward China
FOREIGN POLICY
Issued on: October 4, 2018
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/remarks-vice-president-pence-administrations-policy-toward-china/
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Thank you very much!
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and this Youtube’s full text here👇☺️🌸
https://search.yahoo.co.jp/amp/s/www.globalresearch.ca/we-re-going-to-take-out-7-countries-in-5-years-iraq-syria-lebanon-libya-somalia-sudan-iran/5166/amp%3Fusqp%3Dmq331AQGCAEoATgA
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When I think of the rations and other stuff that soldiers had to eat, a tasty catfish would be awesome! Amazing.
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I agree! Having something that wasn’t dried or reconstituted must have been a great treat!!
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The observations on the human side—I love the cartoons, especially Murphy, and that inverted tank …
Sometimes all you can do is take time out for a giggle, then get back to it …
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That small giggle can do more good than we think. Thank you.
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Enjoyed both tales, G. Using a steam shovel to scoop up a tasty dinner is hilarious. And the poem equating war with hell on earth rang true. Thanks. –Curt
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Thanks, Curt.
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That’s some fisherman’s tale, GP; don’t tell the guys you see sitting patiently by the banks of the local river every chance they get! Intriguing poem, too…
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I won’t tell if you won’t!! Thanks for dropping by.
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S/Sgt. Hickox was absolutely right. Such sentiments are not new, of course. My own belief is that when Satan tempted Jesus by offering him the world, he could do that because he owned it in the first place. Quite a few Christian heresies over here in Europe have taught more or less the same thing, namely that we are in hell right now.
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Okay, I can buy that, but how do I know what i did to paying like this? and how come some people don’t seem to be in hell at all, just living the life fantastic? (I know, I’m being a pain in the arse….) 🙂
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Fascinating post with the photo of the Catfish + “The Devil’s Dilemma.”
I’m grateful for your posts of this historic time as well as grateful to all who made the outcome of WW2 turn out the way it did.
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Thank you and I can well appreciate your sentiment for the troops and home front workers – we acted like a well-oiled machine back then – we worked together!
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I know others have said it, but thanks for a fantastic post all around- fish story (always like a good one of those,) poem and humor. It’s good he got a photo of that catfish for evidence- WOW!
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I found it easy to believe since I have had a catfish steak from a 30-pounder, delicious!
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NICE!
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Thanks!
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Slightly different tack for you today, GP – But I like it. I also like the humor.
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Ah, we have to have an easy read once in a while. Constant statistics and horror stories can rile one’s nerves after a while. (sort of like politics does to me!!)
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Ha ha – I understand!
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Gek verhaal van die reuze grote vis en goed gelachrn met de militaire humor
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Ik had ooit een biefstuk gesneden uit een 30-pond meerval, dus dit verhaal was gemakkelijk voor mij om te geloven. Ik ben blij dat je deze hebt genoten, plus de militaire humor. Niet alle oorlogsverhalen hoeven gruwelijk te zijn.
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Poignant poem, that was.
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I thought so too.
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Thanks Rick, very interesting story. J.C.
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Glad you enjoyed it.
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Reblogged this on depolreablesunite.
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Thanks, Rick, much appreciated!
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Charles T. Hardin had an amazing fish story.
Just imagine the one that got away 🙂
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Love this one!!
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Reblogged this on Dave Loves History.
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Thanks, Dave, much appreciated.
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Enjoyed the fish story (and photo). It’s nice to hear the lighter side too. Thanks for sharing
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My pleasure. Not all war stories need be gruesome.
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Six feet! My, I didn’t know they got that big!
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I had a catfish steak off a 30-pounder that came from north Florida, so I believe this story too! 🙂
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The poem is absolutely amazing.
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I thought it fit the situation of war, 73 years ago and today. Thank you for reading it.
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I’ve been MIA for a while… it was fun to open up your blog at last and read this fun story about the fish!! How crazy!!!
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I hope all has been well with you and you have merely been busy to cause your absence. You will continue working on the blog sometimes, won’t you?
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Absolutely! Yes, there has just been a crazy lot going on in my life, but I have still been trying to keep up with posts. It is nice to have a moment to read what others are researching and posting 🙂 I hope all is well with you too!
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Yes, thank you.
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As always, a most impressive post. I love the devil’s perspective, but perhaps it,s message could have been valid for so many millennia regarding human warfare. M 😦
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True so true, MV!! A few of the readers have commented on that.
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LOL! I like the Pvt. Murphy cartoon!
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I really get a kick out military humor myself!
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I always loved Bill Mauldin WWII cartoons.
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I’ve never met anyone who didn’t!!
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Fun story, GP. Thanks.
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We can’t always have everybody shootin’ up everyone else tales all the time! Thanks for reading it, John.
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Ha ha ha. 😀
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Stellar post. Humor, truth, poetry–I had to RT.
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And i thank you very much for that Jacqui!!
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Catfish steak must have been welcome fare from their usual rations. Great story about a lighter moment in the war.
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I enjoy including the humorous and lighter stories once in a while.
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A large scale fish 🙂 love that poem too.
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Thank you, PV.
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Pleasure
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There’s a fishing story that wouldn’t be believed without the photographic evidence!
I’ve heard of people getting the boot, but that was doing it in style! 🙂
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Indeed, quite an outstanding catch!!
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Quite a poem…
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Isn’t it though, I couldn’t pass it up. Thanks for coming by, Pierre, you’ve sure been busy lately!
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Quite…
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Wow… that poem pretty much says it all.
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I think the Sgt. says it all, agreed.
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Two impressive tales, one about a 100-pound catfish (a true fish story) being caught by a power shovel, the other in poetic form about the devil in distress over the earth taking his job away. Lots of food for thought, GP!
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I wonder if we have the devil worried again these days. eh Peter?!
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More than ever before, GP!
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He really hit the jackpot. That’s a huge fish! Love the poem. “For Earth’s no longer what it was; it’s Hell, that’s what it is.” True during the war and sometimes in peace too.
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Living in NC, I’m sure you’ve had some catfish, eh? I couldn’t pass up that poem either.
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I don’t think I had catfish. Does not like the sound of it. I love blue fish and flounder. The poem is very apropos in today’s time.
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Despite being written 73 years ago!
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What a great ‘fishy story’! At least the photo proved it wasn’t an exaggeration. 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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Up in north Florida, catfish have been known to get pretty big. I had a steak one time that was from a 30-pounder!!
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I have never eaten Catfish, GP. Something to try one day though. 🙂
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A great south-eastern meal choice I must say. Fried catfish, hush puppies and greens, and you’ll have a southern drawl before you know it!!!
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Why I do declare! 🙂
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Don’t try to kid me, you’ve already tried it!!! 🙂
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That was quite a fish!!
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I’ve heard of catfish this large, even ate a steak off one caught here in Florida, but I’ve never actually seen one. No wonder they’ll allow Hardin to throw that bucket wherever he wants!!
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Thank you, Ian.
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Thank you.
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Much appreciated.
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