In Memory of Eight Ball - Morale Officer
Equus asinus
— Camp Bouse —
Inscription
He was our drinking buddy
While on duty
He drank our beer
He was
Full of good cheer
And went to the nurses' quarters around the bend
And came to an untimely end,
Of the Colonel, he was unaware
That it would be the crime of all time
If he ate the nurses' underwear
And was slain by
The jealous rival
Rest in peace
ERECTED - 2005 by Lost Dutchman & Billy Holcomb Chapter of ECV And the Citizens of Bouse
LOCATION - 33° 55.888′ N, 114° 0.287′ W.
Marker is in Bouse, Arizona, in La Paz County. Marker is on Broad Street (Arizona Route 72 at milepost 27) south of Main Street, on the right when traveling west.
The story of Eight Ball as told by the Veterans
of the 526th Armored Infantry Battalion.
Eight Ball was a male burro about three years old. He came into Camp Bouse during WWII and soon became the mascot of the camp and soldiers. He was very tame and friendly and the troops were very fond of him. The men discovered that he liked beer. They would fill up a helmet and Eight Ball would get the staggers and list to one side. His brae was hilarious when he was drunk. When the men went on leave to Phoenix or Tucson they would bring a bale or two of alfalfa back for him.
There were approximately 20 nurses at the 150th Station Hospital. The hospital and nurses were in a separate compound within the camp with MPs to guard them and their equipment.
One day Eight Ball wandered into the nurses’ compound through a gate that had been left open in error. He went to the laundry area and ate the nurses’ underwear that was hanging on the clothesline. One of the nurses caught him in the act. She went out of the compound and unfortunately the first officer she came across was a Lt. Col. nicknamed “Wild Bill". He was a heavy drinker who fancied himself quite the lady's man and was not well respected by the soldiers. The nurse explained what Eight Ball was doing and the officer pulled out his 45 automatic and gut shot Eight Ball and left him to die. When the GIs heard what had happened, a near riot ensued. A Sergeant went to the armory without orders and obtained an M-1 Rifle and put Eight Ball out of his misery. He then obtained a halftrack and the GIs buried him east of the camp. There is a marker on his grave.
When the tank battalion unit shipped out to Europe the Col. had been removed from command.
When the Veterans of the 526th Armored Infantry Battalion suggested a monument to Eight Ball I did not understand his importance to the morale of the GIs and when the monument was being planned to honor members of the 526th Armored Infantry Battalion who lost their lives in the Battle of The Bulge, the Vets insisted that a monument to honor Eight Ball also be erected.
Eight Ball and Sgt. Frank Pettinato, A Member of the
526th Armored Infantry Battalion
Final Resting Place
Eight Ball was buried by the GIs east of the camp. A marker now stands on the site to remember the Morale Officer.
33.989238, -113.621071
These are not the exact GPS coordinates for 8 balls grave. BUT it is along this road, which is North of Wenden, thru Cunningham Pass. Take the Power Line road towards Patton's camp or Midway. Take the right fork and go past the telephone pole corrals. That road runs almost parallel (north of) to the Power line road. It is on the north side of that dirt road. It is very visible from that road .
44362 E. Main Street
(P.O. Box 817)
Bouse Arizona
PH: (928) 851-2509
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