Hometown Veteran Recalls Easter Day Battle in Okinawa

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PIIIItiiiii!IP .... $.. 5111113 ... $11141111113111$.-J)~$blll$ .. $.. $~$,..$.$ .. $.$$111$111&$ .. £.6 .. £.£ ... £··· COMING UP SPORTS INSIDE Lincoln County Solid Two school records broken Waste Authority manager at the RuJifbso Invitational submits resignation Tra<:k Me-t~ today. -«.:~~ Page SA Page 7A Page 2A • ews I MONDAY, APRlL 17, 1995 No. 97 IN ouR 48TH YEAR 50 CENTS I ~----··-- -~~~--~~- ~ -~--------~ ~~~·-----~--~~~--------~--~~~~ r-------------------------------------------------------~ TliESmE Hometown veteran Huge military exercise planned recalls Easter Day The largest air defense exercise ever staged on this planet is being prepared in southeastern New Mexico, military officials said. battle in Okinawa Exercise Roving Sands '95 will by KATHLEEN McDONALD board. include 20,000 troops from all four Ruidoso News Staff Writer "I thought they had to be drunk branches of the U.S. nrilitary, plus Fifty years ago E118ter Sunday, or doped or something to do what German and Dutch troops. It will Ruidoso Downs resident L.E. they were doing," Fletcher recalls. be the largest German contingent Fletcher was manning the guns "It was just kind of unbelievable to ever participa~ in military ex aboard a naval cruiser anchored off that they'd do that. We were sur ercises on U.S. soil. Okinawa's shore. prised and shocked - it was a new The exercise runs from April 29 It was D-day for the U.S. rnilita- kind of warfare." through May 9. Much of the equip ry's Pacific War campaign aga.irurt. His first encounter with the mentis being shipped by rail to Japan, the battle closest to Japan's kamikazes was in the battle of Roswell, then transported over mainland and the bloodiest en- Leyte Gulf, in the Phillipine Sea. highways to the White Sands Mis counter of the campaign. The battle is remembered BB the sile Range. More than 60,000 army and most intense and largest sea battle The annual exercise focuses on marines went ashore at daybreak in naval war history. air defense. Army and Marine air that April 1, disembarking from During that battle, the cornered defense units at White Sands will more than 100 American ships American ships bombarded the face mock attacks by Navy and Air ready for battle in the south China Japanese fleet in a counter of Force units flying from the Roswell Sea. Code name for the landing op- fenaive that lasted four days. Industrial Air Cent.er and other Please help me I'm falling eration was "Love Day." Fletcher's cruiser, which held a Bites... The only actual firing of Students fronf White Mountain Intermediate School participated In several Spacelab events last Fletcher, an 18-year-old marine mere six working guns and four weapons will OttUl' on McGregor week. Instructors tmm the Alamogordo Space Center took students through a portable planetarium who had already engaged in seven spotter planes, assiBted in the sink Range by White Bands, said in and demonstrated proJects deslg·ned to stlmulale Interest In space. As part of a design engineering sea battles since joining the u .B.S. ing of a formidable Japanese formation offiCGI' MtUor Steve pmjeet, atutJenta eons!ructed a tower to hold a ping pong ball uafng atlcks of spaghetti, marshmal Minneapollifs crew in November battleship, the Yamishiro. Panton. lows and tape. Margaret Shan1a, Chelsea Whitaker and Anna Powers (kJfl to right) are surprised 1943, worked as a captain"s orderly Fletcher was honorad for hia ConvoyB traveling through Lin when their space tower collapses. and a gunner. He loaded the two to part in the October 23-26 battle coln County will only reach speeds I ----- - -~-~- ~-~ - - --+ ---~~~-~~-~~~~~-- -----~~~--~~ three-foot-long shells into the five- just this January when receiving of 45 mph. so civilian motoristB inch batteries that blasted the is- the Phillipine Liberation medal and may be slowed. land's shore. the Phillipine Republic Presidential Fletcher relates his war experi- citation. Bears lose easy free lunches \¥ith ence from his book-filled Agua Fria It was this battle, he relates, LQcal choirs home, which he shares with his which intensely pierced his war high school sweetheart. In his tell- memories. Leyte Gulf was where perform Monday ing, which comes through a chamc- the Japanese first unleashed their and Sunday Upper Canyon's ne-w dutnpsters teristic gentle voice, his deep love secret weapon - the kamikazes ~ for the "Minnie" and its crew be- which were piloted by 16 and 17- The Eastern New Mexico Uni Haavier garbage containers are "They're not bear proof, but responsible for garbage collection comes apparent. So is his pride in year-old Japanese boys still in avis versity of Ruido80 Choir, the headed into the bear-plagued Up they're better than what we have and disposal in most of the county. being part of a collective effort tion school. Ruido80 High School Choir and per Canyon section of Ruidoso. there now," said Joe Lewandowski, At the 10 a.m. authority meeting securing freedom. "Sometimes I'd think of those ENMU's Mariachi Alma De One hundred heavier containers manager of the Lincoln County today, Lewandowski will report to "Semper fidelis; Always faithful. boys in the planes," he said. "They Ruidoso will join to perform a will be installed. Solid Waste Authority, which is board members that the authority That was drilled into you, and the were just kids given some sake and spring concert Monday in Carrizozo will begin providing service to Car discipline, the esprit de corps - psyched up by the idea of dying for and Sunday in Ruidoso. rizozo Aug. 1. The board meets in that stays with you," he says. "We their emperor. The Carrizozo concert hegins at the recycling center on Second were proud to be marines, defend- "AB the planes came down you 7 p.m. April17 in the Trinity Street in Ruidoso Downs. ing our homeland. defending our could see the pilots in there as clear United Methodist Church. The Carts that will be used for door country." as anything, red ceremonial sash Ruidoso eoncert begins at 3 p.m. to-door collection service in the The American invasion forces at and all," he recalls. April 23 at First Christian Church, county seat of Carrizozo are sched Okinawa encountered light opposi- The kamikazes - meaning 1211 Hull Road. uled to be delivered July 15. The re tion at first, but over the next two 'divine wind' - contained only quired dumpsters and roll-off con weeks the fighting grew intense. enough fuel for the one-way trip tainers already are in stock, Land ~nits encountered heavy into the naval fleets. Their most Health office to Lewandowski wrote in a report to assaults with the Japanese concentrated effort was at close for training the board. For the authority's 1995- defenses, who were secretly Okinawa, where they inflicted 96 budget. $30,600 should be al entrenched in natural and artificial thousands of casualties on the caves throughout the mountainous floating American forces. The Ruidoso Health Office at lotted for the purchase of 600 carts island. During the three-month battle, 105 Kansas City Road will be and an additional residential truck, closed April 20-21 so employees can he said. Meanwhile the naval units Fletcher recalls more than 4,000 of attend a training session in Ros which served as airfields and had the suicide planes were shot down well. to remain off Okinawa as long as by the naval ships and navy-marine No services, including Women, ~ They·re not bear necessary to shield the land forces, fliers. Infants and Children, immuniza proof, but they·re endured waves of attacks fnmi Not until June 21 did the tion, fmm1y planning and prenatal, kamikaze pilots. organized resistance on Okinawa will be available on those days. better than what we The suicide planes, screaming end The fighting claimed the lives have there now. ., down into ship hulls with ven- of approximately 7,000 U.S. geanee, set off devastating explo- soldiers and marines; approxima~ JOE LEwANDOWSKI sions with their cargo of bombs. ly 5,000 sailors died and more than MANAGER, LINCOLN COUNTY SOLID The kamikazes damaged more 5,000 more were wounded. W ASTB AVTHORITY than 300 ships and sank 30 during llistory books note more than the three-"month war, successfully 70,000 Japanese fighters died on jarring the nerves of many on Please see Okinawa, page 2A Corona, at the for northwest edge of the county, has notified its private carrier, Southwest Dis posal, that its contract will not be ~I never got scared renewed when it expires July 31. until I got to Lewandowski will put in a bid for the authority to provide service. Okinawa. The fear on If apprav'ed, that will mean all five those ships was fire. towns and the county will be se"ed \XIhen those photo by the authority, the p1an originally Forestry Team wins at state envisioned when the group formed kamikazes hit, they'd four years go. HoweVer, at that just burn people to a Ruidoso High School"s FFA Forestry Team recemly took first time, Carrizozo and Corona alrea~ pltlce at state oor11petitl0n hosted by the New Mexico State Uni were tied up in priva~ eont.racta crisp.• versity College of . Agriculture and Home Economics In Las with several ye111'81ef\. i Cruces. The team will travel to Kansas City. Mo. In November to 'l1le board also· is acheduled. to. LE. FLETCHER compete In national competition. Left to right - Frank Jensen. elect new ofliCI&ta for 1996..96 and to Betty Hobbs and Chase Hampton. Clayton Hancock Is not pic go over parts or the proposed an WoRLD WAR D VB'T'BRAN tured.

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