Blazer Summer 1998
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7 BLAZER SUMMER 1998 THE REAR GUARD .. army that had just given it up to the 70th Division. The Iron Chancellor, Otto von Bismarck. united many March 21. 1945. Teutonic and Saxon states into a modern nation In this Signal Corps photo. the soldier is identified called Germany. From 1871-1890 as power grew. he only as "Sgt. Robert Heller of the U.S. Seventh Army." expanded the new nation's Western boundaries into He was a Trailblazer; the 70th was the only unit in Alsace-Lorraine. His monument stood over the prize the fallen city and the axe-head patch can just be city of Saarbrucken, a symbol of German conquest. discerned on his left shoulder. Does anyone know But here it stands a battered rear guard to a Nazi anything more about him? • Reunion '98 --will be one to remember So here I come again. At Tucson some of you asked about the Mall of America. I can only say that details are in my Reunion preview in the Spring issue of the "Trailblazer," so please reread that for notes about the waltz or polka dancers, or maybe even some marchers Mall. The bad news is that parking at the hotel is not want to quit. One of our own, Dick Nelson, HQ/1 st Bn/ free. The good news is that instead of $9.50, parking will 276, is a member of the brass band. So let's all turn out cost only $4.50 per day. The plans are under way on to support our fellow Trailblazer. Thursday morning Sept. 3 to Friday, morning Sept. 4 will be our chance to meet stage a golf tournament. and have breakfast with our First Timers. This is always Andy McMahon is making an interesting event in that we also have the fun of hear- the arrangements with the local help coming from Don Docken. I think they are hop The President's ing to work out a shotgun start so everyone will be able to get back to the hotel about Report George Marshall the same time. Please call Andy (803) 754-9362 ing how they found the 70th and also how they met their [email protected]. Don (612) 735-8325. wives and what their occupations were. Our menu will That same evening (7 p.m.) our plans have been con be pretty much standard fare of English muffin, firmed for the Liehtenstein Nein German brass band to scrambled eggs, Canadian bacon, cheddar cheese sauce, play for our European dinner. They will play their typical and breakfast potatoes, along with the usual juices, rolls, oompah, and polka style music for a half hour as we are preserves, and drinks. The afternoon features the "Twin taking our seats in the Nicollet ballroom, following the Cities" bus tour. wine and cheese reception, 6 to 7 in the hallway just Saturday, will be a chance to meet Steve Dixon of outside the ballroom. Peachtree City, GA. Steve is the grandson of Kelly Dixon, The Edelweiss Dancers will entertain us for about a a former member of the 70th Division. As a result of his half hour after we finish our meals and while we are interest in learning of his grandfather's service, Steve waiting for tables to be cleared for dessert. They tell me has become an Associate Member. He has established a that they will have some 1 0 to 12 couples in native Ba "70th Home Page" on the Internet that has won a num varian costumes. They will provide their own music via ber of awards among the computer advocates and has audio tape, so that you will get the full atmosphere of accordingly found many new members for us with the Bavarian folk dancing direct from Minneapolis. use of his computer network. He will be demonstrating The program will continue with some short announce the computer and how to access the Internet and search ments about future trips if available. Then the brass band for members who have become lost to us. His demon will come back for another half hour or so until you stration will take place during our lunch break between the business meeting and the Unit Meetings time. If noth ing is being planned for your unit meeting, then Steve can probably be persuaded to continue his demo for you. Please don't forget to register early. Send your Reunion The registration to Secretary lou Hoger who will print up Trailblazer your badges and maintain the list of attendees. He sends this info on to a number of committee people so that your tour tickets, meal choices and seating can be is published four times a year by planned. Your money will be refunded if you find that the 70th Infantry Division Asso ciation and friends. Subscription: you cannot attend, and you may win one free night at $12 annually. the hotel if you register before August 1. , Bring your auction items and sign in your item witli Editor our Auction Chairperson; If you have questions about Edmund C. Arnold any of the other committees see the list of chairpeople 3804 Brandon Ave., S.W. #415 below: Roanoke, VA 24018 (703) 776-2415 Registrations * Chuck and Doris Stender ....... (419) 865-8424 Staff Artist Seating Peter Bennett 3031 Sir Phillips Dr. Dick and Babara Haycock ...... (916) 487-3103 San Antonio, TX 78209 Hospitality (210) 828-5477 Ray and Anne Gieselman ....... (816) 674-2340 Volume 55 Number 3 Souvenir Sales Summer, 1998 Henry and Madeline Clarke ..... (408) 867-3184 2 70th Division Assn. TRAILBLAZER ~ "Old-timers" from 3rd Division come home as Trailblazers HERE ARE more stripes here than in a zoo-full of OR THE 3rd had won its name, The Rock of the Marne, zebras." That was the comment of a Red Cross worker in crucial battles in World War I. Their square patch T as she looked at the 70th Division disembarking at the F with its diagonal bands of blue and white, would im Port of New York in October 1945. press on the losers that they were truly losers. As she looked more closely, she noticed that almost every On the other hand, the 70th was a new Division, one of the one of them wore the honored 3rd Division patch on their last three formed in WW2. Its men were almost all inducted right shoulder. There was the explanation of all the non-coms in the summer of 1943 when the Division was formed and and no Pfc.s their battle stars were only three. (The Ardennes-Alsace cam She wasn't the only one confused by the situation. Even paign was recognized late.) It would be a while before the many of the soldiers personally involved didn't quite under necessary discharge points would be low enough to affect stand "the big picture." them. When the war ended in both theaters - ETO and the Pa So here was the solution. cific- pressure was intense to "get the boys home by Christ Transfer the 3rd's high-pointers to the 70th and let them mas". That had almost been promised for Christmas of 1944 come home as the Trailblazer Division. And let the "newer" -before the von Runstedt offensive in the Ardennes extended 70th men stay in Occupation, wearing the 3rd's famous patch. the war an extra quarter of a year. Some 14,000 Rock men and officers were transferred. The Now, with the 1945 Yule still six or seven months off, ci men were almost all non-coms. The privates and Pfc.s were vilian demand was a repeat- "get 'em home fast." The point replacements that had come into that division during the Battle system had been devised to make sure that "first in; first out" of the Bulge and so were stay-on low pointers. was fairly applied. The 3rd Division had been in combat in About 600 original Trailblazers stayed with the homecom Sicily and Italy before coming to France. With points awarded ing Division. They came home with their low points because for time in service, time overseas and for battle stars, 3rd they were "essential administrative personnel." The largest men were high on the homecoming list. There was just one group were company clerks and their assistants. They had to hitch. get the records of each GI in order before the Queen Eliza From Presidents Roosevelt and Truman through the Pen beth (the original great ship) landed in the States. Seventieth tagon, the high command wanted to remind the Germans con HQ clerks also had personnel record piled high on their stantly that they had lost the war, that the Americans were ocean-going desks. All worked around the clock on the voy truly conquerors. What better way to do it than to have the age. 3rd show the colors. The tranferred 3rd men were given the following welcom ing letter as they dewed on their new axe-head patches. President's Finally - this will be my last message since Andy McMahon will assume my duties after Minneapolis. I'd Report like to thank Andy for backing me up on many occasions (continued) and especially during my incapacity during this last year of my term and the close on support he provided on the Talent Show monument at Fort Benning. On that project I must thank Stan and Dorothy Lambert. (402) 482-5427 Charles Kelly and Frank Ellis for the idea, and for push Silent Auction ing it to completion. In addition I need to acknowledge Bill and Jean Stachel .