Can you help me determine the author of a humorous World War II poem about toilets?

While I was clearing out my late father-in-law’s attic, I came across three cases of Kodachrome slides taken by his late cousin David Tewes, who had been a soldier stationed in Alaska during World War II. Among the slides was a group of photos taken in Attu, Alaska during the War, and one of those photos, labeled “An Aleutian Latrine — Our XMas Card”, contained an unattributed poem and a shot of a soldier doing his “business” in the snow.

The poem is transcribed below.

An Aleutian Latrine

Out on the wind swept tundra,

A place where howling winds will play

Stands a new three hole cabin

Overlooking a cold, cold bay.

It’s a very rugged country,

For here nature lovely calls.

You have a choice of constipation

Or a dose of frozen whatsis.

When the mercury says zero

And the weather’s very mean,

Then a man must be a hero,

When he visits our latrine.

For the seat is white with snowdrift

And the breeze blows thru the hole,

So your whosis gets frost bit

And your whatsis blue from cold.

It’s a struggle thru high snow drifts,

While the howling winds cut cappers

With a sigh, you sink on frozen boards

And reach out for the toilet paper.

Then gloom surrounds you, no paper is there

While you are in a bad position.

You can not act, nor seek relief,

Till channels clear that requisition.

I’ve seen brave men stoop to sugar bowls

Even paper bags and cans

And some even lost the fight

And did it in their pants.

It takes guts to serve your country,

As a sailor or marine…

But a man must be a hero

When he visits our latrine.

It takes guts to be a soldier,

And to heed your country’s call.

It matters not the whosis be cold

And although you loose your whatsis.

For when the work is over,

and the bloody war is won,

If you’ve used our ole three holer

Then — you are a man, my son.

* “whatsis” and “whosis” are placeholder words used to avoid giving offense. Use the rhyme scheme to decode their secret meaning!

I have not been able to find another copy of this poem; Google definitely doesn’t know about it. I would love to track down the author if the author is known.

It’s possible that David wrote this poem, although he did not sign his name to it. Based on his photos and his hobbies shown in his other photographs, I wouldn’t be surprised if he did write it.

Chris Steller pointed out on Twitter that the author Dashiell Hammett was stationed in the Aleutian Islands at the same time that David was there. It would stand to reason, however, that if Hammett had written the poem, David would have wanted to note that, since Hammett was well-known for his book and movie The Maltese Falcon.

The rest of David’s photos from Attu are posted on the website I built to showcase his photography, in case you can find any clues therein. Any and all tips, ideas, or wild speculations are welcome in the comments below!