Ernie Tabeling

Jul 24, 2017, 8:39 PM

Ernie Tabeling was the truck driver for our team during WW2 in Europe. We were with the 3125th Signal Service Company. Ernie was not a big man and when he sat behind the steering wheel of that big truck he looked even smaller. An ever-present smile belied his driving habits. All of our team members were certain that Ernie has developed his driving habits in a demolition derby and his attending the Army truck driving school had not affected those habits one iota. A ride with Ernie was an adventure. It seemed as though every pot hole, bomb hole or mud hole was a challenge ad if he missed one it was not intentional.

Ernie probably caused more of his company mates to resort to prayer than any evangelist on the sawdust trail. There was a prayer by all men before a departure asking for a safe journey and a prayer of thanksgiving upon our arrival at our intended destination. Amazingly, we never had an accident nor was any one injured but we did experience a lot of bouncing around and those seats were not cushioned

Although Ernie truly loved driving that truck, his true passion was poker, not the penny-ante stuff, but the bigger stakes. He did not play poker with any one in our company, he sought his fortune or misfortune among those in other units and the results were similar to the path of a yoyo, constant ups and downs.

Our company was ordered to Europe and we were booked for passage on the USS Mount Vernon, the former
luxury ocean liner, Washington. When converted to a troop transport, the capacity was about 6,000. We boarded the ship in New York and our team was directed to the area we would occupy for the next several days. We claimed our bunk and stowed our gear and as soon as this task was completed Ernie made his exit. We knew he was going in search of a poker game.

We had been informed the speed of the Mount Vernon was greater than that of a U-boat so we would not be going in a convoy. We would zig-zag our way across the Atlantic and arrive at our destination in about seven days. Sometime later we received word that the evening meal was being served and off we went to the mess area. Ernie had not returned s we felt certain he had found several soldiers willing to test their skills in a poker game.

It had been a long day so most of us decided to hit the sack about 10:00 p.m. I had just settled down when Ernie came to my bunk and whispered, "Joe, are you awake"? I assured him I was and then he said, "I want you to hold this for me". Ernie handed me the biggest roll of money I had ever seen. I asked him how much was there and he replied, "about five thousand". I told Ernie there were men on this ship who would kill me if they knew I had that much money on me. Wondering where I was going to put the money I finally decided to tuck it down in my undershirt. Ernie may have slept well that night but I certainly didn't.

Five thousand dollars! That was enough money to buy a small house, or several automobiles or many other high ticket items. Afraid to place the money in my duffel bag or some other place near my bunk, the best place seemed to be my undershirt as the safety vault.

The next day Ernie came to me and said he needed some money. We found a relatively safe spot where he could make a withdrawal. After peeling off what he wanted, the remaining roll went back into my undershirt. It was cool enough to wear a jacket and that helped to hide the bulge in my undershirt. The following day Ernie again approached me and said he needed some money. I was beginning to feel like the present day ATM. The daily withdrawal was becoming a habit and the roll of money was becoming smaller and smaller. By the time the USS Mount Vernon docked in Bootle, England, Ernie was dead broke. But not to worry, there would be other poker games and Ernie would be back in the chips. The yoyo was now down at the bottom but as soon as payday arrived the yoyo would start its trip upward.

(Before the final battle in Europe, the call went out for volunteers to join the Infantry. Ernie volunteered and that was the last we saw of Ernie.)

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