The Joy of Discovery (Part III)

In my further search for any information on the chess player Sgt. W. A. Harris of Brownsville, Texas – see "The Joy of Discovery (Part I)" and "The Joy of Discovery (Part II)" – I hoped to find clues in John Randolph's Marsmen in Burma (1946), his tale of and tribute to the 124th Cavalry, the last mounted unit in the United States Army.

The MARS TASK FORCE was one of two American Long Range Penetration Units which saw action in far-off Burma. With a mission to circle around and behind Jap[anese] lines through dense Burma jungles and over high mountains, it made history for itself which is matchless among the unique chronicles of world War II.

Although a chess player himself, Randolph has only two chess references in his book.

On the U.S.S. General H. W. Butner, the troop ship that took the 124th across the Pacific, he noted activities including

Card games, checkers, dominoes, "Salvo" (battleship), and men learning to play chess.

When the men were getting ready to hit the trail in Burma, they had to divest themselves of everything except the essentials.

Things not edible were almost 100% excess baggage. My mother-in-law sent me a tremendous volume of chess plays. to ease my conscience, I slipped up on another chess player, M/Sgt. Arnold M. Rouse, from Houston, dropped it and ran. I have never inquired if he burned it, buried it, or gave it to some native.

Randolph does not mention a Harris in his recounting. His selection of photographs includes one of 15 members of the 124th from Brownsville, Texas, so maybe Harris is included there.

For now, this trail has become impassible.

(The above regimental print is available from the offical Marsmen online store: http://store.marsmen.org)