Original Items: Only One Grouping Available. Now this is a lovely grouping attributed to African American soldier, Corporal Ardis Fields. Corporal Fields (ASN: 36554042) enlisted in the US Army on December 30, 1942 and served until December 8, 1945. Fields first attended Quartermaster Basic Training which lasted about a year. More than 32,000 officers, officer cadets and key enlisted personnel received their training at the Quartermaster School between July 1, 1940 and December 3, 1945. The physical conditioning of entrants was emphasized from the beginning of the training program. In addition, the rigorous military training entailed learning to use all armed methods of protection, crawling through simulated battlefields, taking refuge in foxholes (of their own digging), making technical decisions regarding rations, and learning every aspect of ammunition supply points (ASPs). The demanding course was not entered into lightly: eleven weeks of academic training and six weeks of field maneuvers, plus military training in the midst of war lay ahead for the recruit. After his initial Quartermaster training, he was assigned as a truck driver, being assigned to the 179th Quartermaster Battalion (Mobile Company).

The following is an extraction from his Separation Qualification Record in regards to his duties:

TRUCK DRIVER 931: With 179th QM Btn (Truck). Drove heavy trucks over 2 ½ ton capacity or half-tracks to tow or transport personnel, material or equipment. Checked operation of lights, brakes, steering mechanism and other operating parts. Service, cleans and lubricates vehicles. Made minor road repairs to vehicles in emergency. Camouflaged vehicles. Accomplished standard vehicle report forms. Tools used included pliers, wrenches, hammer, jack, grease gun, and oiling equipment. Knows the general principle of the internal combustion engine. Posses army motor vehicle operator's permit”.

A lot of people do not realize just how much work goes into being a truck driver! Not only are they concerned with their basic tasks of delivering important supplies, men and equipment on the battlefield, along with the imminent threat of danger, these men also had to have the knowledge to keep their vehicle operational.

The items in this collection consist of the following:

- Documents: The (3) documents are for his time in service but are not for enlistment or discharge. The documents are for his qualifications and compensation.

- Booklet: “STILWELL ROAD, STORY OF THE LEDO LIFELINE”: The booklet was prepared to give soldiers working that lifeline worthwhile information such as key points of interest, threat levels etc.

- 2 ¾” x 3 ½” Photo: We believe this photograph to be of Fields but there are no identifying marks.

- Embroidered China Burma India CBI Shoulder Sleeve Insignia (Unused): This is a lovely example with only minor wear from storage and display. In August 1942, Brigadier Frank Dorn came up with a patch featuring the sun of China and the Star of India incorporated into US colors. He had a few samples made in India and wore the first one on his left shoulder at a high level staff meeting. He had the other samples sent as production guides to Indian manufacturers. Before long it was standard issue for all US personnel based in China, Burma and India.

- Corporal Chevron: The chevron appears to be uniform removed.

- Insignia and Ribbons: Consists of a Driver-W Badge (broken pin), US/QM collar discs and 3 ribbons.

- Overseas Cap With Theater Made CBI Corporal Chevron: This is a lovely example which features a corporal chevron with an enameled CBI insignia.

A great grouping with a lot of potential research opportunities! Comes more than ready for further research and display.

The Ledo Road (from Ledo, Assam, India to Kunming, Yunnan, China) was built during World War II so that the Western Allies could supply the Chinese as an alternative to the Burma Road (which had been cut by the Japanese in 1942). It was renamed the Stilwell Road, after General Joseph Stilwell of the U.S. Army, in early 1945 at the suggestion of Chiang Kai-shek. It passes through the Burmese towns of Shingbwiyang, Myitkyina and Bhamo in Kachin state.

In the 19th century, British railway builders had surveyed the Pangsau Pass, which is 1,136 metres (3,727 feet) high on the India-Burma border, on the Patkai crest, above Nampong, Arunachal Pradesh (then part of Assam). They concluded that a track could be pushed through to Burma and down the Hukawng Valley. Although the proposal was dropped, the British prospected the Patkai Range for a road from Assam into northern Burma. British engineers had surveyed the route for a road for the first 130 kilometres (80 miles). After the British had been pushed back out of most of Burma by the Japanese, building this road became a priority for the United States. After Rangoon was captured by the Japanese and before the Ledo Road was finished, the majority of supplies to the Chinese were delivered via airlift over the eastern end of the Himalayan Mountains known as the Hump.

Of the 1,726 kilometres (1,072 mi) long road, 1,033 kilometres (642 mi) is in Burma and 632 kilometres (393 mi) is in China with the remainder in India.

After the war, the road fell into disuse. In 2010, the BBC reported, "Much of the road has been swallowed up by jungle.