Subject: Pappy Drake Date: Monday, 10 June 2002 From: Thomas Deas To: Paul Webber You might like this------TOM ----------------------------------------------------------------- In Olden Times Thomas M. Deas, M.D. While we were in New Guinea, and especially on Morotai, there was an individual in our Regiment named Pappy Drake. I think he was a Truck Driver for Headquarters Company, and was a native of West Virginia. This Soldier was pretty popular individual with a certain group of our "foot sloggers" who liked to drink whiskey on occasions. It seems that Pappy was very adept at the art of distilling and bottling pretty good whiskey. I didn't know Pappy Drake but he was a legend in our Regiment. My tent mate on the Island of Morotai was Major (Later Lt. Col.) Wilbur Koonce, a Chemical Engineer in Civilian Life and one of those who helped to develop the popular wall board for kitchens and bath rooms called Masonite, manufactured in Laurel, Mississippi. He was well known and trusted by all those under his command in his position as S4 (Supply Officer) for the 124th Infantry Regiment. Soon after we were pretty well settled in Morotai he told me that he was going to try to get Pappy Drake to show him his operation. There was no question that he was operating his still and producing a fair amount of good "bootleg" Whiskey. So Major Koonce talked to Drake and Pappy agreed to show him his still if Major Koonce would promise not to expose his site of operation. Well, Koonce was not interested in turning him in. He knew these boys were going to have alcoholic beverages of some kind or the other and Pappy Drake was the only person making these beverages that didn't make the "imbiber" sick with cramps and other symptoms. Thus he agreed not to divulge the "where," or anything else and Pappy Drake agreed to take him to his still. It seems that Pappy bought copper coils, yeast and corn meal from some of the enterprising Navy Boys-either while a ship was docked, or maybe en route-as to Morotai. I don't know if there was a still in the Philippines, but I probably would be right if I guessed there was. He was an inveterate Bootlegger!! And, from what I heard, he would be set up and working within 48 hours after landing some place. I just don't know the details there. And the story was that he sold his wares for about $25 a fifth. I don't know that I ever saw anyone that became sick off his whiskey, but I saw many who became sick off of "Jungle Juice" made from Coconut milk and some of the fruit juices. Anyway, Major Koonce made his arrangements and one afternoon on Morotai, after we had been settled and not having any problems with the enemy, more or less, Pappy took the Major to his still. They must have stayed a couple of hours and when they came back, Koonce told me that Pappy was a better chemist than he was!! He said that he saw his operation and that he was distilling for him while he was there. He said Pap had a hydrometer and was able to determine the percent alcohol as the batch was run off. Koonce said that the first of the batch was disposed of because it has wood alcohol and some other poisonous substances. Then, if I remember right, at about 40 proof he saved on up to about 80-90 proof, and the mixture after that was disposed of as unsafe. The mixture ended up, at the end, about 70-80 proof, I think. I just don't quite remember exactly. I have NO idea how many gallons of whiskey he made while overseas, but he certainly made a lot and always had ready buyers. I am sure that he came home with a pretty pile of money, but I don't know how he got it home. That is as much a secret as the location of those stills. I don't remember anyone that would admit they found a still, but I do know many people who were his faithful customers!!!! Major Koonce had nothing but admiration for his skill at getting his materials and hiding his stills throughout the times we were in various locations. You would have to admit that it took skill to be able to have the equipment for cooking his "mash" fermenting it and then distilling it. But it took more skill to be able to hide the operation. It also took some money to buy the corn meal, yeast etc from the sailors. But the profit was pretty good too. What he sold was for cash! I have often wondered what might have happened to Pappy Drake. I know that he survived the War. I don't know how he was able to get all of his money back to the States, but he must have been able. I have often wondered if Pappy went back to West Virginia and if he continued to ply his trade back home. One asks just how he got away with his distilling and bootlegging. I would guess that the Officers were glad to have someone supply alcoholic beverage that didn't make the men sick and cost so much that one couldn't buy a whole lot at a time-but that is a guess. I am sure that many of the officers were good customers also! We had two Pappys in the Regiment, both were legends. One made good whiskey, and one drank a lot of it but led the best group of fighting men in the Regiment! ----------------------------------------------------------------- Transcribed by Paul M. Webber on 10 June 2002, from an e-mail sent by Dr. Thomas M. Deas in Homer, Louisiana. Dr. Thomas M. Deas, M.D. Note: The 'second Pappy' was Lt. Col. George Dent (Pappy) Williams, Commander of the 3rd Battalion of the 124th Infantry Regiment during WW II. Home Page: http://home.pcisys.net/~pwebber/31_id/rtw.htm