[Milsurplus] Coastwatchers nix BC-474 BC-654

[WA5CAB at cs.com]

As it happens, I just finished reading a biography of CAPT Russell W. 
Volckmann (at the time of the fall of Bataan, later MAJ through COL, retired as 
BG).  He escaped from Bataan and made his way back to North Luzon where he 
eventually raised a guerrilla army of Division size (~22,000) called USAFIP-NL 
(US Armed Forces In the Philippines - North Luzon).  According to his 
diary, the radio set with which they first made radio contact with SWPA was 
home-brew.  The book (and presumably his diary) give virtually no details as to 
radios used but does say that at GHQ the radio being used to talk to SWPA was 
powered by a generator driven by a waterwheel below a falls.  No details on 
what type of generator, though.  And most references to radios from 1944 on 
are limited to what they were being used for or to a comment that they were 
delivered by submarine.

There were, of course, guerrillas on other islands.

In a message dated 10/30/2010 6:32:58 AM Central Daylight Time, 
arc5 at ix.netcom.com writes: 
> -----Original Message-----
> >From: Hue Miller <kargo_cult at msn.com>
> 
> >While i'm feeling ornery, i think i'll push on farther.
> >I don't think any BC-474 or BC-654 were issued for Philippine
> >guerrilla operations,...
> 
> 
> "The Americans invading the Philippines continued to recieved information
> from the radio network operated by the guerrillas within enemy 
> territory...  
> The (radio sets) used by the guerrilla forces were a motley assortment:  
> SCRs- 284, 288, 300, Australian ATR 4-A, 
> and a Dutch set having an electric generator driven by a bicycle-type 
> treadle."
> 
> >From "The U.S. Army in WW II- The Signal Corps: The Outcome" pp. 281
> 

Robert & Susan Downs - Houston
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