;o -:z:a -9P •

MINNEAPOLIS REUNION REPORT Pages 26-32 • 70th ready for next century I want to thank all you Trailblazers for electing me President of most appropriate that we honored Viola Arnold for helping her this great 70th Infantry Division Association. Along with the new husband Ed Arnold get out the "Trailblazer" so many years. Executive Committee, I will do my best to lead the organization As my first official action, I appointed Associate Member, Ed into the year 2000. lane, as the new editor of the "Trailblazer". He is retired Army, a We will keep in mind the purpose of our organization: former member of the 70th Training Division, and is known per­ To extend the fellowship and patriotism of living members; sonally by many of the Trailblazers, having attended many na­ To perpetuate the memory of all men who served in the 70th tional Reunions. Infantry Division; To promote and perpetuate the memory of the achieve­ ments of the Division, and The President's To hold regular Reunions. This Reunion, as reported on page 26, endured many possi- Report !\ndrew McMahon bilities for disaster. But the true Trailblazer spirit prevailed de- spite the problems caused by the Northwest Airline strike that Ed Arnold will help him get started on the next issue. The issue forced many of our members to cancel and were unable to at­ you are now reading is his last. We thank him and Viola for bring­ tend. ing us the award-winning "Trailblazer" lo, these 16 years. He has Past President George Marshall and his wife, Barbara, had also been the longest-serving member of the Executive Commit­ planned a great Reunion for us. It was a deep disappointment tee, giving valuable advice in our discussions. We hope he will that they were unable to attend. We missed them. The good news continue to give us advice as we move into the 21st century. is George has returned home after 19 days in the hospital and is At our Executive Committee meeting Sunday we all agreed that progressing well. We will keep George and Barbara in our thoughts our committee should have more timely meetings where we could and prayers. sit down and discuss the needs and opportunities of the Associa­ As immediate Past President, George continues to serve in the tion. Accordingly, we will have an Executive Committee meeting organization as a valuable member of the Executive Committee. at the Western States mini-reunion May 6, 1999. We will enjoy his counsel and fellowship. An up-to-date Membership Roster should be completed after With the spirit that "the show must go on", the officers and the first of the year. It will include our Constitution and By-laws committee chairmen all pitched in and we had a truly fine Re­ as amended in the Minneapolis business meeting. union. I especially thank all those good helpers, especially Past Andy President Dale Bowlin and President-Elect John Nothnagle for handling the daily affairs and meetings. Kudos to all the committee chairmen and their co-chairmen (another name for their wives) for the splendid work that they did. A special Huzzah for the spouses! Thank you, ladies, for all the MANY THANKS! support you continuously give us and this organization. It was Ema Dell and I are grateful for the many words of sympathy expressed to us on the loss of her brother Henry Pinkney Hobbs, Jr., of Birmingham, Alabama, who passed away while we were in Minneapolis. "Pin key" was a warrior of the first order, one of our "band of brothers". He served in the Navy in WW2 and earned battle stars for every major naval engagement in the Pacific. He The served on the aircraft carrier USS Cabot. He was active in the Trailblazer annual reunions of Division C of the Cabot. He served his family and his community well. We miss him. is published four times a year by Andy and Emma Dell McMahon the 70th Infantry Division Asso­ ciation and friends. Subscription: * $12 annually.

Editor Edmund C. Arnold "Go 'way! I'm busy!" sez Sherwood 3804 Brandon Ave., S.W. #415 Roanoke, VA 24018 Even a German barrage didn't slow a German town when he was halted by the (540) 776-2415 down T/5 Bob Sherwood's repair job. wreckage left by a Nazi rocket. One tire The 70th QM driver was coming through started hissing, apparently victim of shrap­ Staff Artist * nel. Just as he had jacked up his truck and Peter Bennett Oh, for mercy's sake ... removed the fe ll ed tire, a real barrage 3031 Sir Phillips Dr. The POW was trembling, sweating and settled in . Grabbing the deflated tire and San Antonio, TX 78209 just about to collapse of fear as he stood (210) 828-5477 his patching kit, he dove into a nearby base­ in front of a 275th POW interrogator. ment. There he calmly proceeded to fi x the Volume 56 Number 4 He sobbed, "Please, Captain . I have a fl at. He finished the job just as the barrage Fall, 1998 cousin in Chicago named Levy." ended. * 2 70th Division Assn. TRAILBLAZER lli~P

Hundreds of Trailblazers came into the Division - or left the Division - as replacements. No sooner had Task Force Herren landed at Marseilles, than the Companies were combed for rifle­ men to plug those horrendous holes inflicted by the German oHensive of The Bulge. And when the ' Blazers suf­ fered severe casualties in Operation Nordwind's continuation of The Bulge, it was replacements who stepped into those holes in the ranks. No one who has been in battle be­ comes a " veteran" in 1 0 seconds. And veterans have always bemoaned that "rookies" weren't up to the " old-tim­ ers" standards. It took those same 1 0 seconds for the new men to show their admirable mettle - and to be accepted as a true Trailblazer. Here is the story of one of them as told by the staH art­ ist of "Trailblazer" and whose work illustrates this story.

days of field training Gen. George Marshall visited our area- easily distinguished by Only partly trained~ his trenchcoat, combat boots, and absolute attention to what was going on. I do not they filled holes think I have ever seen a man who looked more like a general officer than he did­ ramrod-straight bearing, behavior, and un­ Nordwind wreaked mistakable purpose and determination. I am glad he was on our side. (Ed note: On completion oftheir abbre- , ByPETER "TEX" BENNET viated Basic, the group went to the Port of New York and boarded the great Isle de HQ 2nd Bn/276 France.) As we sailed up the west coast of En­ gland, a line of British destroyers formed an escort screen. We sailed into the Firth nia. Most of us were 18 or 19, but a of Clyde, Scotland, past my ancestors' W E WERE replacements few appeared to be in the 35-year sent to the front to fill the holes in home oflsle ofBute. We disembarked and draft bracket. dragged our duffel bags into a waiting train, the 70th's ranks caused by We trained at Camp Croft, South Caro­ non-stop to Southhampton. There in the Nordwind's fury. We were mostly lina, uphill and downhill - day and night moonlight, hundreds of men hurried country boys from Virginia, North - since they had cut two weeks off the aboard a British destroyer which took us and South Carolina and Pennsylva- normal 17 week cycle. During our final to France. Mercifully the trip was short, • FALL 1998 3 (continued) Albert Morgan, CO of the 276th, ad­ "Kamerad" thinking he had hit German dressed our "packet" with the admonish­ lines. He and the rest of our fearless lead­ but the great adventure was going over the ment against throwing away equipment or ers came back down the hill like a herd of side of the ship and down a heavy rope lad­ clothing. Because, he said, when "the rampant alligators. Two flares were fired, der to the landing craft below which was snow is ass-deep to tall giraffe, you'll need and I thought they would never go out. But heaving up and down with the waves. Here it ..." He also told the story of a scout I saw Olney beside me. I told him I had a we learned that they didn't cover everything who lost his grenade launching attachment, grenade ready and if they opened up again, in Basic. and when his unit came under fire from an I would throw it and we would take off MG 42, he couldn't launch a grenade to down the hill toward the searchlights that ROM LE HAVRE we went on to kill the gunner. shone behind our lines. Nancy and the Seventh Army Re­ We were loaded into the trucks again and We finally backed down the trail like F placement Depot where we were were shown how fast a truck can acceler­ snakes and headed back toward Forbach. herded into what appeared to be a factory ate before hitting the crest of an artillery­ God must have had something else for us with a moat of water over which the latrines rue hill - those Quartermaster truckers to do because He led us past "schu mines", were built. knew what happened to slow or careless snipers, perimeter riflemen, random mor­ At Nancy we were issued the magnifi­ drivers. tar fue and Lord knows what else. We came cent Rifle Cal .30 M-1. Our factory-new Our truck roared up to the Battalion Aid down the hill to a small house where we rifles came to us in a plastic bag packed Station and let us off- double-time. We were-fortunately- challenged and wel­ solid with cosmoline. Cleaning that puppy were told that we would be assigned to car­ comed. The following day we were routed was a big part of one day. We were loaded rying parties at fust, assisting the Ammu­ back to HQ for further assignment. This is onto 2-1/2 ton trucks, and headed North nition and Pioneer platoon carrying an example of how a couple of replace­ where they were making men out of boys. ammunition, water and rations up into the ments came close to being killed - not Nearer the front, we saw greasy black lines. After we would get used to incom­ through their lack of training, but through smoke of burning tanks, dead horses from ing rockets, artillery, mortar and small­ the dereliction of duty of an NCO of the German wagon columns and nameless arms fire, we would be assigned to a Ammunition and Pioneer Platoon. Fortu­ burning small towns. The trucks pulled to permanent unit. nately I do not know his name. a stop at Oeting; we could hear artillery and I had a number of very close calls from other fue raging over the hill at Forbach. rockets, artillery and deadly mortar fire, but An NCO got our attention and instructed NOTHER REPLACEMENT as each day passed I got more "street us to change into the clothes we had in our named Olney and I were on a car­ smarts" about the battlefield. There was a duffel bags, and turn in the leftovers along A rying party at night, hauling considerable improvement in NCOs and with the gas masks. Next he directed us to ammo and water up to a rifle company­ fellow riflemen. I have always felt that the take a couple of grenades and two bando­ our first trip up that hill. The Sad Sack who German soldier is the hardest disciplined leers ofM-1 ammunition and "Leave them was leading us in pitch darkness - hand toughest bunch of killers the U.S. Army has grenade cotter pins alone!!! Take your on the belt of the man in front- got lost, ever fought; he damn near won that war. M-1 up that draw and fue it to be sure it's missed a turn and led us up the hill the way Our victory was the finest American vic­ working OK." the Germans would have. Our own people tory- any century, any war. Somewhere on a nearby ridge, Col. fired on us and Sad Sack screamed * could clearly see the advance part of the Infantry. Many times it was "Bed-check No Divarty news? Charlie" who buzzed your area. It was with 155 mm howitzers that were heard W /0 Lloyd Wehner of McMinnville, Or­ The inadvertent omission of the 725th throughout the area, covering the ground egon and me, reconnoitering to see where Field Artillery from the 70th Division Or­ for the Infantry companies. We indeed soft­ the Germans had planted their artillery. The der of Battle, (as it appeared on the cover ened the load for the foot soldiers as evi­ 725th wiped out many of them with our of the Spring, 1997 issue) prompts the denced by the many truckloads of ordnance hundred-pound payload. following account.) we trucked in to feed those monster of the We were the people who covered the area cannon. for the advance of the foot-sore soldiers. By EDWARD THOMAS The 725th disembarked the US Mari­ We did not make many mistakes while plac­ Sv/725 posa, landing at Le Havre. We shared the ing shells in the target area. Since S/Sgt Keith Schreckengost, Sgt. mud of the heated earth by day and the (Editor's note: The omission ofthe 725th Herbert Watson and I are the only mem­ freezing nights. has been noted and apologized for. The only bers of our battery who are Association I was a forward observer and had many reason there isn't more material about the members, we are a minority. But we close calls driving a jeep close to the front Artillery is simple: Its members don 't send shouldn't overlook the contribution the lines to see where our shells were landing. anything in. Criticism should be directed 725th made in the Saarland campaign. More than once I rode in a Piper Cub. (Yes, to those lazy ol' gunners, not to this maga­ We were the guys who hammered away it was a Piper Cub!) At altitudes so low we zine.)

4 70th Division Assn. TRAILBLAZER • Brusson in Calas, who are historians of our war. They put me in touch with George Davis, of Rhinebeck, New York, who was with the 103d "Cactus" Division. George was at CP-2 two months ahead of us, in October, 1944, and by the time we arrived, he was already a prisoner-of-war. George reported that CP-2 was to be seen again by soldiers shipped to the Pacific to fight the Japanese. Our Division and other U.S. forces were not the fLrst to camp there. In the Town Hall of Aix-en-Provence the clerk had shown us a painting of the French army nearly a cen­ tury earlier. Plateau de L'arbois was a stag­ ing area for them, too, before they went off to fight in the Crimean War. Standing on the plateau, I recalled how miserable we felt in the rain and how eager ., we were to get off that sodden ground . Two weeks later some of us were dying in the snow. LIFE GOES ON ... For weeks while the 70th besieged But the day after the Trailblazers took * Saarbrucken, its citizens had to be the city, people were out and about. (Editors Note: A platoon leader with Com- on constant alert. Especially in the The battered buildings in the back­ pany K and later S-2 and S-1 of the 3rd Bn/ last few days before the city fell, air ground attest to the intensity of the 275, Ted is now a travel writer who often and artillery onslaughts forced most bombing. Photo courtesy of Tom leaves the beaten path.) civilians into cellars and bunkers. Higley, C/274.

Golden Oldies* Coming up to 54 in December is the wedding anniversary for Warren, 70 HQ, Think it was bad then? and Helen Wilson. She was a college stu­ dent in Westchester, Pennsylvania where the Army had established a Postal Service You ought to see it now! school, which Warren attended for six By TED HECK Monte Sainte Victoire is still off to the weeks. K/275 northeast, on the other side of the city of "We met at a church service one Sun­ Aix-en-Provence. The huge rock dominates day," Helen recalls. "Most of our courtship If you thought CP-2 was the pits in that the horizon. It was a mountain I had come was through letters after he went back to wet week of December, 1944, before we to know before joining the Army, having Camp Adair. We were married before he went into action, you were a half century studied the art of impressionist Paul went overseas. early in your judgment. On top of Plateau Cezanne. He had painted it many times. "After his discharge, we went back to de L'arbois today is a massive garbage Some of the landscapes were recently ex­ his hometown in Iowa. He has lived in the dump where the wind carries unpleasant hibited in Philadelphia. My special friend same house since he was in the fourth grade odors and rain is welcomed to keep loose Connie and I were in Aix to learn more -72 years, except for one year in Wichita, papers from flying around. about Cezanne, when I decided to try to Kansas, where Warren worked for Cessna A little below the landfill earth-movers find CP-2. The tourist office was not help­ airplanes. And his four years in the Army, scoop out a bed for the TGV high speed ful, except in finding a hotel room. But a of course." railway that will link Lyon with Marseille. chance encounter with a Town Hall clerk Another sign of civilization is a television led us to her grandfather's village of Calas, Gerald Adamietz,* B/274 , wi II celebrate transmitter. southwest of Aix. She remembered that his 53rd wedding anniversary with his war Otherwise, Command Post Two is pretty Grandpere had talked of the many Ameri­ bride, his Wilma, a German girl. Gerry went much the way I remembered it, when six can soldiers on the plateau. We did not get to the 3rd Division when the 70th went or seven thousand of us camped out in leaky to meet him, but another Anciens Combat­ home and stayed in Germany til January, tents. The barren plateau is full of rills and tant confirmed it. He could not tell us how 1947, working with the Polish Army unit rolls and stunted vegetation. The canal is long the hill was occupied or how many in Regensberg. He retired from a defense sti ll there, where the farmer with his don­ other divisions had used it. It is tough to department. His last trip was to Italy, Hun­ key cart filled canteens with wine. Terrible quantify "beaucoup". gary, Germany and Prague, Czechoslova­ stuff, but the price was right. I later heard from Andre and Madame kia. • FALL 1998 5 •

The 70th Division and

By ROGER FARRIS G/275 I did think that 60 huge transports painted was colder inside than out. I can't remem­ battleship gray, accompanied by destroy­ ber eating. The latrine was planks laid ers, three small carriers and a variety of across a canal that always had a gale force The year was 1944. I was 18 years naval vessels heading east from Boston in wind blowing. old, a callow youth and a recent the middle of a war might cause interest in My friend and I walked through the big graduate of Albion, Nebraska high some quarters. hole in the fence that night and watched school, about to set the music world The Atlantic Ocean is a very large hunk the MPs raid the "bagnio" (that's a whore­ afire. I noted in my morning mail a of very black, ugly, churning water lying house). Gls were actually sliding down letter from the War Department. The in an easterly direction between us and drain pipes carrying their pants and hauled them. It was the first of January and I've away in 6 x 6s by MPs with Thompsons. exact wording escapes me but it been told there are better times to cross. My, my! seems they needed my assistance in The destroyers and corvets would simply Then they dumped us at an old cavalry ending WW II as it had gone on for slide off the crests of those tremendous barracks somewhere, and then it was Task some time. I graciously accepted. waves into the trough and disappear. When Force Herren. Then I got sick and when I After a grueling and prolonged I think of a beautiful ocean, the Atlantic woke up I was 19 years old. never crosses my mind. Well, I got that over with but only with training period of 13 weeks, we We got through the storms, gun drills, the help of all the guys that put me and my were adjudged capable, competent subs and short rations. I was told we passed gear on a truck going somewhere. God and able to stop the indomitable Ireland, then some white cliffs which had bless them! I was considering worrying as Hun. I hadn't got it straight in my to be Dover. I'd heard the song. own mind yet, but not to worry. In E SAILED INTO the beautiful time another train came by and harbor of Le Havre. Well, they W dumped us on the dock again. eventually we arrived at Fort This time in the middle of the night we Meade, Maryland. The country club dined on a slice of bread and two eggs with of the Army, real class. Nice place black yolks. We trudged across to a rail­ to stay for the duration. Unfortu­ way siding, still on our sea legs. We nately things were worse than I crowded up to a coach with large round windows each with a single rose in a bud thought and we were all needed in a vase, white jacketed waiters and warmth different location . .. as yet undis­ radiating from the windows. For us? It closed. seemed too good to be true. Well of course A brief interlude, then on to Camp Miles it was! The train was the famed Orient Ex- _._ Standish north of Boston. It was an odd press . . . but we were not to ride it. Not to collection of shacks scattered randomly worry! through a swamp, spouting black coal Across the siding we came upon our very smoke and named after some general who own 40-and-8 in which we steamed fitfully was playing footsie with Pocahontas. across the frozen French countryside. Awed (Camps are named after generals or ciga­ by its beauty and numbed by its cold. Paris, rettes.) God! It was cold and smoky! Not Chateau Thierry, Barleduc, Neufchateau, to worry. etc. Special arrangements had been made and My newfound friend suggested our feet we were dumped on a dock in Boston. Our were frozen. (I hadn't felt my feet in a "Sgt. Higley said they all were ship, the magnificent "Sea Tiger Victory" couple of days now.) He seemed to know addressed to his company. So appeared to have gone aground on what everything- he was from New York. We he took 'em all." looked very much like a garbage dump. A relieved - over protest - a French rail­ (Roy Veary, who drew the car­ closer examination revealed that it was only road worker of his stove and kicked down toon, says: "We guys in C/275 Boston Harbor. a hundred feet of fence for fuel. This did think a lot of Tom Higley, our old Late in the afternoon the tugs came in nothing to improve U.S./French relations. first sergeant. The cartoon illus­ and pushed us off the pile, put jumper We eventually arrived at a hell hole trates just one of the methods he cables on and got the engines started. Our called the Epinal Repple Depot. Now was might use in caring for his destination, of course, was top secret. But the time to worry! An old linen factory, it troops.)

6 70th Division Assn. TRAILBLAZER • a vocation. This damned dump-and-run EBRUARY 6 WAS to be our day on­ dead and 16 wounded. It took hours to get was getting old. of-town. We saddled up, dropped our back up the hill, load the wounded and get It was an M.G.M. set of an enormous F sleeping bags and got on the trucks. back to that lovely manure pile. It seemed snowfield, and endless gray sky, a bombed We wended our way through the trees and like home. We slept for 12 hours. out chateau and a light colonel standing on the night and arrived near a tree line over­ The schoolboy bravado disappeared, the the hood of a jeep. (Now that makes your looking the snow field above the town. The superfluous BS leveled off, a sense of ca­ men look up to you!) He admonished us to trucks dropped us off- and like the Red maraderie seemed to develop and every­ "kill or capture Krauts." Under these cir­ Ball Express- burned rubber in the snow one got more serious. The raid had a so­ cumstances it seemed a reasonable request. getting out of there. There was no mention bering effect on everyone. To see someone Winter had definitely set in- snow was of returning. Not to worry. with a gun shooting directly at you is bound everywhere and it was bitterly cold. We We worked our way down to the stream to make you review your lifestyle. It's such were taken to a cook shack and told to eat bed and crossed chest deep in ice water. It a personal thing. But not to worry ... we outside where they had parked three 6 x 6 was indescribable! We scrambled out near patrolled and dug in frozen ground with loads of our dead. Soon we were quartered what appeared to be a greenhouse and into dumb shovels and froze and got sick and with a French family in another small vil­ what can only be called a hail of hostile hungry. lage. The house and barn were under one fire. We got chewed up real good and I roof and supported an Olympic class ma­ immediately discounted the Infantry as a E WORKED OUR WAY up to nure pile that was the envy of all. Each lifetime profession. We fought back and the Spicheren Heights getting morning as more material was added, forth all day and finally started to pull back W shelled all the way. We were Pierre troweled it on with the back of a in late afternoon. We backed out with the looking down on Saarbrucken, St. Arnaul, shovel. It was like CBS TV. (Every morn­ Krauts following closely. the river and the tiger's teeth of Siegfried ing more BS.) Our six wounded and four prisoners had Line. It was postcard country- it needed Things were kind of slow, but a rumor been taken across the stream. We used an oomp-pah band with tambourine girls. was circulating that G Company had been doors off houses for stretchers. We broke it The only oomp-pahs around were 88s. We selected to go to Grossbliederstroff. off with the Krauts and caught up with the watched P-47s and ME-109s in a dog fight It was no spa; it was a small town that company. Grisen had been killed and left one day and learned that Newton was right. was full of Germany's finest and needed with the French padre. We left 20 German Whatever goes up must come down. about a day's worth of raiding. (continued on next page)

ANONYMOUS IN THE ARCHIVES ... This fine photo of a fine bunch of 'Blazers has lan­ guished for years in the editor's files. It carried no identification. So-SOP, standard operating proce­ dure, requires this notification: Anyone with a clue is urged to contact the editor.

FALL 1998 7 •

Poor old Henry Norton All That JAZZ The Case (continued) of the Mud, mud, mud. The Germans were do­ God, I was going with them. We did some ing a lot of patrolling and they were good. squad-level plotting. I knew the guard on Missing Medals One big patrol passed within 20 feet of our the supply dump and that he was myopic 2-man outpost. When they passed I sent Pop and had lost his glasses. Not to worry! He For a while, Pfc Henry Norton, HQ lst back and around and bingo, we got them. didn't see a thing. But I forgot to check Bn/274, had serious doubts as to whether We found a Kraut radio operator in one of out so I guess I'm still on sick call. he'd ever have anything to show his grand­ our shot-out tanks and I guess he got the The Krauts were active at night and the children in back-up to his stories of service same as the tank. Fini! hour before dawn always brought an ex­ in World War II. Our squad was down to about nine men change of fue. The 88s had it all zeroed in He was awarded the Good Conduct but all had automatic weapons. I got the (it was their turf, you know) and they were Medal in the Fall of 1944. He lost the deco­ flash-hider blown off my BAR which was good. ration the next day. sobering. Some time later a second looie The P-47s at the tree tops were strafing He was wounded in the Vosges and got wanted me to pay for it. That BAR had and bouncing .50 caliber casing off our the Purple Heart - which was lost as he more years on it than he did and that is re­ helmets, and the tree bursts were terrify­ was bring transferred from one hospital to ally bad P.R. ing. another. I coughed so bad at night that no one So we moved back up that damn hill. Back from the hospital, he was awarded would stay around me. I was becoming The next morning we started into it with the Combat Infantryman's Badge. He paranoid. Baker took me down to see the three tanks, bush-tailed and loaded for bear. pinned it onto his field jacket. The jacket Doc at the aid station. He gave me a pint of And we walked into a real first class bush­ -and, of course, the badge-disappeared codeine, then took a look at my feet. It was whack. overnight. Long after his "bravery in ac­ like seeing an old friend who was in ter­ The Krauts were all set and I've never tion" at Philippsbourg, he was given the rible shape. Size 14s are impressive. seen so much machine gun fire in my life. Bronze Star, which Col. Sam Conley Then a threat of a trench-foot court mar­ It was like chain saws and guys were drop­ pinned onto his new field jacket. Next day tial got very dicey. But then good sense pre­ ping all over with leg wounds. (Thank God -Missing: One jacket, one medal. vailed and I was admitted to the Aid Sta­ there were no spotted owls in the trees.) By a revered soldier's tradition - tion. I had gotten very worried; I thought The tanks bogged down in the mud; our "moonlight requisitioning"- he got a new for a moment he was going to send me tails got very unbushy. CIB in Lorraine. At that point he had no home. But he relented. My squad came But the Krauts finally took off down the definite plans about replacing the other down for showers two days later and, by hill and we held our ground. decorations.

Fantastic stories of war episodes Seingbouse, he and the two ladies enjoyed though this seems unlikely. In any case, he stirred in France an emotional reunion, and Bob for his remained in a coma at the hospital until the troubles was made an honorary citizen of nun who cared for the most critically in­ the town. jured patients blessed him with drops of By JOHN NOTHNAGLE There is another remarkable story tor holy water. When the water touched his lips 570 Signal ecount, and it begs for an ending if anyone he came out of the coma and began a near­ can provide it. On the night of Feb. 20, miraculous recovery. He is today hafe and 1945, Vincent Bousch, 13 years old, was hearty; he fully participated in the festivi­ During the many ceremonies of French severely injured in the fighting for ties held for us, and he has 13 years of ser­ monument dedications, Bob Hays has to Spicheren. There was evidently a triage of vice on the Spicheren town council. And take the honors for WW2 memories. He has the civilian casualties of the village. He he will proudly show you the crease in his a snapshot taken of him and three comrades was placed among those who were not ex­ skull, his souvenir of the war. in March, 1945 in the village of Seing­ pected to live. But his sister fought to save Vincent Bousch, as well as those of our bouse. With the Gis are two little girls, one him and managed to persuade a military group who heard his story, would like to wiping chocolate off her lips. Bob in his doctor, perhaps a Medic, to come and help know who it was who treated him. If that later existence as a physician in Syracuse, him. doctor or medic reads this, or if anyone New York, wondered if he could learn the After emergency treatment Vincent was reading this knows anything about the in­ identity of those girls, now middle-aged placed on the hood of a truck and carried cident, he is urged to contact John women. Incredibly, he did. to Bousbach, and later to a hospital in Saint­ Nothnagle, 1016 Marcy St., Iowa City, IA On May 10, '97, in the setting of a warm Avoid. During all this time he remained 52240, who will see that Vincent's story reception by the mayor and council of unconscious, for three weeks he said, al- gets a proper ending.

8 70th Division Assn. TRAILBLAZER •

.. ~. ""!- ' ~~~. ',.. ' ~ What's .t,' . ' .. ,·. The IOOth up Docl - ~ 4ol Schlonllaunfels Volume 1 Number 9 July 25, 1945 Century Division's history COMPANY B GETS COMBAT MEDICS BADGES parallels that of 'Blazers 131 Men Go to Third Division Jack Herman, C/276, and the "Trailblazer" have extended their audience and the history of the 70th has been presented to many more people. Excerpts of Jack's story that ran in the Spring '96 issue of the magazine have been reprinted in the "Newsletter" of the lOOth (Century) Division. The lOOth and the 70th have much in common. The Cen­ tury left from Fort Kilmer, New Jersey, the POE from which Headquarters elements of Task Force Herren left The lOOth people were in the first convoy that went directly to the liber­ ated port of Marseilles, where TFH landed. In the same con­ voy were the 103rd (Cactus) Division and elements of the 14 Armored Division. They went up the Rhone Valley, the same route Herren took six weeks later. There they relieved elements of the 45th (Thunderbird) Division to which Trailblazer regiments would soon be attached.) After moving around the Vosges during November, the lOOth, on Dec. 2, moved to Lohr and on to Zittersheim. Cal Norman, editor of the "Newsletter" reports: "Co. A of the 398th Infantry Regiment was part of the push MEDIC'S MEMO ... toward Bitche via Wingen-sur-Moder. We advanced along the This 4-page weekly newspaper was published by ridge from Zittersheim to Wingen and arrived at an overlook the 270 Medica l Battalion. This is the ninth issue and on the southeast of the village late in the afternoon. Our ef­ was produced while the Medics HQ was in Braun­ forts to enter the town were met with heavy fire from mor­ fe ls, Germany. (The imposing Braunfels Castle is tars, 20 mm cannon and machine guns. Long after dark (and shown in the vignette a t the right of the nameplate). it was DARK!) we entered Wingen along Rue de E'Cole and Tex Cunningham wa s editor. occupied some houses. "We lost several men to enemy fire and the wounded were sheltered in the home of a forest ranger at the edge of the village. On the point "Some time after midnight we were surrounded by Ger­ mans and 104 enlisted men and four officers were captured -then POW! and led off into captivity. (It was once believed that there were some 1OOth men among the American captives who were four are hit rescued by Trailblazers from the basement of the church in It was that cold, snowy, damp and dark Wingen. There certainly were some 70th men but most were morning of Jan. 4, 1945. Company G, 274 from the 45th.) The town was occupied within the next few made an attack on Wingen-sur-Moder. The days by other elements of the 1st battalion and the battalion next day it mounted another attack. This pushed on in November." time Woodford Hatfield was on the point. In March, '45, the 1OOth captured Bitche, crossed the Rhine After a fierce morning, about 1:30 that at Ludwigshaffen, reduced Heilbronn and wound up around afternoon, Woody was hit Three others of Stuttgart. the company were hit about the same time. "So the Division spent its whole combat life with the 7th One of them died as Hatfield watched help­ Army at times either in the VI or XV Corps. lessly. "The lOOth was soon one of the few Divisions that held Woody wonders who the surviving two the Germans during Nordwind, an episode the 70th remem­ are. Also, who was on the point in the fust bers welL" assault "There is nothing about it in any of (Editor's note: It is the policy of the 70th Association that the books that I have read about Trailblazer any material in the "Trailblazer" may be reprinted if proper history," he says. His address is 9008 Terry recognition is given to the writer and the magazine. The ob­ Lane, Louisville, KY 40258. His phone is ject, of course, is to widen the audience and spread Trail­ (502) 937-6808. blazer history on the widest possible basis.) • FALL 1998 9 •

The Editor's Edmund C. Arnold

Barracks Bag The Army is getting smart. It has intro­ duced a program that would draw upon You are reading the last issue of the patriotism to motivate the soldier to the "Trailblazer" that I have edited. Sixty-four highest level of performance. For me, it of them - and everyone a true labor of We are damn lucky that Ed Lane was comes 55 years too late. love. That isn't a cliche; it is a labor. Each persuaded to take the job. His credentials World War II certainly was a high point issue demands the processing of about are given elsewhere in this issue and I won't in patriotic motivation. Yet the Army ig­ 30,000 words and the handling of un­ be redundant there. nored it. I always found Retreat a highly counted photographs and drawings. But I moving ceremony. What an opportunity to loved it and I shall miss it ... and all the The Association is* lucky that Peter "Tex" remind the soldier he was there because he letters and phone calls from you-all. Bennet continues as staff artist. His pow­ loved his country. Yet - in my company I figure I have written more than 2,000 erful drawings have added great impact to at least- what should have been the emo­ letters on 70th business and received just these pages and it has been a true pleasure tional highlight of the day became a as many. (My neighbors at this retirement working with him. And, of course, the su­ dreaded ordeal. Standing in almost-ankle­ community are amazed at my bulging mail­ perb photographs of Chester Garstki - deep Oregon dust, the snarling order made box every day.) God rest his soul!- made this magazine a us drop our rifles to the ground. The base­ A major labor was finding a successor real trailblazer in military journalism. plate of our rifles, which we had so pain­ to this editorship. There are several ex-jour­ And finally, I shudder to think what the fully cleaned with tooth brushes, naturally nalists in the Association. But they were magazine would have been like without the became caked with sand. And we were too old, too tired- or too smart- to take gargantuan work of my wife Viola. The As­ mercilessly handed out demerits that bled on the job. I finally decided that a lay per­ sociation was appropriate with its bestowal our sparse off-duty time. Patriotism was son just couldn't handle this with comfort. of Honorary Membership on her at Minne­ eroded by hatred for sadistic military dis­ The editor needs a military vocabulary, and apolis. (That's the observation of a keen­ cipline. needs to know a lot of the 70th's history. eyed journalist, not a proud spouse.) That was but one of hundreds of occa­ (How many times have I caught an old­ sions of the abuse of authority - some­ timer getting Philippsbourg mixed up with As a final supplication,* I ask you to fill times by officers but usually by non-coms. Wingen or Forbach. out the Axe-head Archives form that ran in Elsewhere in this issue is the story of Joe the Spring '98 issue. The number of returns Kielar, G-274. It tells of a mess sergeant has been disappointing. I do, though, sin­ - of all people - assuming the right to Age: 90 cerely thank the men who have responded. discipline soldiers for what he considered This is actually an obligation, not to this misdeeds of table etiquette. Such abuse is Patriarchs~ Patriarch editor, or this Association, but to history as bad as the sexual harassment that the is Anderson s Claim and to your family. Please make sure that Army is now ostensibly clamping down on. The man who may be the oldest living your page of history is not left blank. It has been suggested* that the Associa- Trailblazer has just reported in ... again. William Anderson, K/276, will have an Lee Miller, D/275,* has probably tracked early 90th birthday party at the Minneapo­ down more missing Trailblazers than any lis Reunion, the first he's attended ... since other individual. He tells me that last year JI()JlX he located 28 of our missing comrades. He the very first. He is a charter member of A non-funny hoax has been per­ the Association, one of the 'Blazers who hasn't given me an estimate of the ' 98 search but I know he's still looking- most petrated upon war veterans and met in Salem, Oregon in 1964. the "Trailblazer' was a victim, too. diligently. His birthday is Sept. 20. A story in the Summer issue told As he moved about he lost track of the about cash refunds on Gl insur­ Gladys, the wife of* Robert Cole, B/274, Association until he got a letter from then­ ance policies. There was not a died May 7, 1996. President Dale Bowlin in 1996. word of truth in the piece and s~v­ "At the end of combat," he says, "word eral 'Blazers have informed the Tex Metaxis- Call* him Professor now came down to send all over-age men home. editor of that. instead of General - tells us that in So I came back with the 270 Engineers. I Other versions of this hoax have Stephen Ambrose's super book "Citizen am listed with that outfit in the Associa­ emerged from time to time over Soldiers", there is a photo of a 70th man, tion Roster but I wish you'd have that many years. There were indica­ Pvt. Vincent Winge, unit unknown, during changed to K/276, that I served with since tions that made the current hoax the Saarland campaign. the 70th was organized. And I'd like to have seem authentic. The editor regrets my name corrected to William W. Ander­ Ted is planning a nostalgic trip next year, to Korea to mark the 50th anniversary of the false hopes this story may have son. My roster address is correct: 3251 S.E. raised. And he wonders what kind that war and, a year later, to Vietnam for its Dunes, Lincoln City, Oregon. My phone is of a sick slimeball would take de­ anniversary. He served in both those wars (541) 996-3680." light in inflicting this deception. For in addition to The Big War. Let's all salute our ol' Pop! sure, he isn't a combat veteran. * •

10 70th Division Assn. TRAILBLAZER s Recon missions sound like script .~------tion make a gift to the World War II Me­ for Hollywood morial Fund that will build the monument on the Washington Mall. That would do Reconnaissance missions as the 70th three good things. (a) It would, of course, broke through Saarbrucken into Germany help reach the $100 million needed to build might have been a Hollywood scenario. the memorial. (b) It would demonstrate - They had all the ingredients. especially to Congress- the deep concern In two days, March 20 and 21, the 70th of veterans' groups in this project and (c) Recon Troop, commanded by Capt. John encourage our individual members to make Beaver, had swept over a road network of personal contributions. 70 miles and 10 miles wide northeast of If you want to share in this monumental Saarbrucken. Traveling at night - and (no pun intended) project, you may send without maps - the troop captured 250 your check to WW2 Memorial Fund, PO prisoners-of-war and an arsenal with arms Box 96766, Washington, DC 20090-6766. and ammunition for three companies. At the same time you might write your The troop first contacted the 65th Battle Congressional members and urge that Con­ Sxe Division at Hulz and the 26th Yankee gress appropriate funds for the monument. Division at Ottweiler and elements of the Surely they can squeeze out a hundred mils Twentieth Corps at St. Wendel, making the from the astronomical aid we give Israel, Division the link between the Third and Egypt and all those rag-tag Latin Ameri­ Seventh Armies. cana dictatorships. The Troop left Marienau, just outside Forbach, shortly after dawn and met its fust We sure would like to see it before we UNDERNEATH THE obstacle at the Saar River. The only avail­ finally check in, wouldn't we? LAMPPOST ... able crossing was on a pontoon bridge with is where Lili Marlene waited a ton-and-a-half weight limit. But all the But no matter how* tall the stack of mail for her soldier lover. Under­ is any day, two letters will always stand out. vehicles made the hairy crossing and up the neath the Eiffel Tower, an­ slippery banks on the Germany side. One is from Tom Axelrod, K/274; the other other Marlene - Dietrich, Then came the problem of what to do from Robert Cole, B/274. Both ornament this time - stands with with the prisoners it captured. their envelopes with colorful rubber stamps. Ralph Fox, D/276, who was They must have quite a collection because The fust 20 came, hands up, out of the on leave in Paris at the time. bushes near the river. They were ordered the designs keep changing. Tom edits his This photo was sent to the to go to Saarbrucken and until they met company's newsletter, has just had a hip "Trailblazer" by the late replacement. But he ought to be rarin' to American troops. No guards; can't spare Steve Zanolli of the same the men. go by Reunion time. company. Although resistance was sparse, when it did occur it was intense. At one point the * M-8 carrying Lt. William Minahan drew When Jim Hanson, U274, sent in his fire from prepared positions in the woods. checklist for his favorite "Trailblazer" fea­ Book buying Unable to locate the enemy, the lieutenant tures, his wife Beverly added a P.S. She jumped out for a better view. T/5 Virgil thinks it would be interesting to hear of made easy Heck stood upright in the turret to direct the wartime experiences of 70th wives. We That excellent book "Riviera to the the driver. He and Minahan were excellent agree! In fact, over the years we have re­ Rhine" that George Blanchard, C/274, targets for the enemy but they maintained peatedly invited our better halves to send recommends so warmly- and so does the their high profile until the foe was located in their reminiscences. Alas! Response has editor - should be ordered from: and eliminated. been almost zero. We hope our ladies will Superintendent of Documents The troop gathered at Hulz and struc~ agree with Beverly and will send in their U.S. Government Printing Office off to the north. But at Steinweiler they ran stories to the new editor. PO Box 371954 off their maps. So they "became tourists" (continued on page 34) Pittsburgh, PA 15250-7945 and read road signs to gain information. Lt. There are two versions. Cloth covered Paul Koefod guided on the North Star and costs $47 and the Publication Number is eventually reached St. Wendel. AT: bridge builders 008-029-00213-2. Paper covered costs $~6. All this was summed up in a laconic Often, in combat, the Anti-Tank men of Its Publication Number is 008-029-00229- message back to Division: "Reconnoitered the 2nd Bn/275 might have wished that they 9. area by zones, roads freed ofmines. Demo­ were Engineers. They almost made it, too. You need those numbers to order the lition charges removed from four bridges. They liberated a huge quantity of Erector book. You may call the Washington office Encountered some small arms fire. Cap­ sets and spent all their spare time building at (202) 512-1800. tured 250 prisoners. a b-i-g bridge that a real Engineer might We are indebted to Ken Stephenson, E/ well be proud of. 276, for this information. • * FALL 1998 11 r •

'rill~ t;IIf)S'r f~f))JJ•ilNY "No Co. J," says Army manuals; "Oh, Yeah?" says the 274th

According to all the Army charts, there training. That was our job- to give these orders to return to my outfit, M/274, but is no Co. J in an Infantry regiment. Don't Gls basic Infantry training prior to their as­ no transportation. I was told the 70th tell that to the 274th Infantry Regiment, signment as replacements to divisions on­ Division headquarters was near Saarlouis. though. Among its many distinctions, it line. I hitchhiked on vehicles headed my way, claims a Co. J, formed in critical days of I don't remember how many men we fo und Division headquarters, spent a night the battle on Spicheren Heights. trained. What I do remember is the rank, there and then was taken to 274 HQ Infan­ One of its veterans tells of that leg­ time-in-service and qualifications of the try and reported in. It was the week of Feb. endary outfit. men. Most had stripes; they were non-coms 19th. By EDWARD GUSTELY or technical grades. They had been in ord­ Also arriving at the same time were many I, J, M/274 nance, quartermaster, transportation, anti­ replacement infantrymen who had just aircraft and other rear echelon, but neces­ completed their two weeks of Infantry Questions: sary, units. Some had been in England since basic training. Thus it was that I was as­ 1. What are the dates f or the f ormation most frequently they were in their mid-to­ signed to J Co. Capt. Underwood, Regi­ and dissolution of "] " Co., 274th In­ late 20's. mental S-1 , was made company com­ fantry ? We trained three classes. The program mander. I was told that the 274th, with 2. Who, besides myself, were assigned as ended in mid-to-late February. I was given heavy casualties, had taken Spicheren platoon leaders of J Co.? 3. What are the names of the two men killed in action while assigned to J Co., 274th Infantry?

Memories remain vivid of the day 50 years ago. When two of my men died tragi­ cally on Spicheren Heights. It's a long story.

T BEGINS on New Year's Eve, 1944. Then, I was a second lieutenant mortar I section leader in M Co., 274th. I and (I believe) Lt. Murray Lanman, were quar­ tered in a home in Herrlisheim, three miles from the Rhine River. At about 8 p.m., a messenger from Capt. McFarland's C.P. de­ livered a message: I was to pack and report at 8 a.m. Jan. 1 for transportation to Thaon, near Epinal, France. The next day I leaned that I and seven other second lieutenants were given tem­ porary duty at the 2nd Infantry Replace­ ment Depot by command of Gen. Herren (Task Force Herren Special Order Number 1). Casualties resulting from the Battle of TRIUMPHAL TROPHY ... the Bulge had decimated American infan­ An ornate Nazi banner was a prized spoils-of-war try units. Gen. Eisenhower had announced for HQ/274. Here are (from left): George Northrop, Ken that 10 percent of all rear echelon troops Hagg, Warner "Ken" Kaufman and Lloyd Kennedy. would be reassigned to Infantry units after The photo was taken at Gonsenheim, Germany in completing two weeks of basic infantry April of 1945. Ken Kaufman sent in this picture.

12 70th Division Assn. TRAILBLAZER DO HAVE a vivid recollection of the DON'T REMEMBER their names; I following events. Every man had been do recall that at least one was from an I given a blanket. It was very cold. Men I anti-aircraft battery and had been in the were assigned in "buddy teams" of two at ETO for more than two years. Both had periodic locations along the trench. Each technical ra·nks. Col. Cheves does not list team had dug a cavity into the trench wall any J Co. casualties as killed-in-action. at the bottom of the trench, where one But, pages 329 and 330 of "Snow, Ridges could escape the cold, and sleep. The men and Pillboxes" shows: Heights and had withstood one German had been trained in the "buddy system"; Allen, Dewey H. TIS counterattack. More were anticipated. Rifle and it was re-emphasized by me and my KIA Feb. 28 Co.G companies had been recimated and all were sergeant. Two hours sleep, two hours on Staley, Lee P. TIS needed on line to prepare for another Ger­ alert for each man. The sergeant and I fol­ KIA Feb. 28 Co.G man attack. J. Co. was to deploy on lowed the same pattern and each of us Slinkard, Truman A. TIS Spicheren Heights and would be the re­ would check on all of the men as we went KIA Feb. 26 Co. F serve unit should the Germans break "on alert". We never found any infraction Could the two casualties have been my through our lines. I was given a group of of these orders during our inspections. TISs? If so, J Co. was still organized on men - can't recall how many - and a One morning before dawn (perhaps 5 or Feb. 28 or the date of their deaths is incor­ platoon sergeant, and was told to prepare a 6 a.m.), I remember the impacts of heavy rect. defensive position in an abandoned trench enemy artillery rounds. These were not 88s Initially, I blamed myselffor their deaths. system. That's what we did. It was in an or lOSs; these were large caliber, heavy Had I inspected the line after the artillery open area- no trees; the trench was 4 to 5 artillery rounds - equivalent to 8-inch barrage, perhaps they could have been feet deep and probably 3 feet across. rounds. The ground shook hard, even saved. Perhaps not. This story has paral­ I don't remember how many days and though the rounds were not impacting in lels in many others appearing in the "Trail­ nights we were there. [Do regimental close proximity to our trench system. The blazer", "What if ..."Life goes on; mine records show the time frame for J Co.? Col. sergeant and I were awake. We considered has for 56 years. Cheves, in "Snow Ridges and Pillboxes" a non-routine inspection, but decided it was In "Snow, Ridges", Cheves gives no (pages 203 and 204) says the company was unnecessary. I made the next routine in­ record of its dissolution (pages 203-207). organized on Feb. 25 with Capt. spection and found, at one location, no one So does "The Trailblazers" (page 191). Underwood as commanding officer. That's on alert and a blanket covering two men; Cheves says the fighting for Spicheren all. He also says that repeated German the hand of one protruded from the dirt. The Heights ended on Feb. 27. counterattacks were repulsed beginning on ground over the sleeping cavity had col­ At some point J Co. was dissolved; Ire­ 26 Feb. and that by "late on the day of Feb­ lapsed and covered both men under their turned toM Co. and my mortar section. We ruary 28, the regimental front had quieted blankets. supported the 3rd Battalion's attack on down at last, ... The next day, March 1, I got help and we dug out the two sol­ Stiring-Wendel; I was a forward observer all was quiet" (pages 205-207.] J Co. never diers. They had suffocated, trapped by the in the town. Then, on 8 March 1945 I was engaged the enemy, but it did receive blankets and the collapsed earth. They had reassigned as weapons platoon leader for I heavy artillery bombardments while on failed to follow orders and they paid the Co. where I served until August, 1945. Spicheren Heights. ultimate price. Now, do you have the answers to the three questions that began this story?

flour, 2-1/2 tons of coffee and unestimated going off to the West and redeployment cream and sugar. (No "creamers" and ports for shipment and similar places. But "sweeteners" in those days!) the "dugout" was designed for Occupation 75,000 Barbara Lewis of Syracuse, New York, days. was the "captain" of the Red Cross contin­ "What the boys want and need now," said There is some folk lore to suggest that gent. She said that the opening of a Capt. Lewis, "is a cozy, comfortable place the Navy drinks coffee and drinks coffee "Doughnut Dugout" in Limberg in August where they can drop in, get a good cup of and drinks coffee. marked the end of the clubmobile. "The coffee, read, write a letter or just sit and , But so does the Infantry. The 70th Divi­ clubmobile was a combat expedient," she shoot the breeze." Although the dugouts sion, for instance, consumed 75,000 cups­ said. "The mere sight of doughnuts and would resemble the Red Cross Club in ful in two months in Germany. coffee, served by genuine American girls, Weilbert, it would be a project of a sepa­ The java was dispensed by 11 Red Cross was a terrific morale-builder for the dirty, rate branch of the Red Cross. girls who manned- oops! womanned­ tired and war-weary troops. Clubmobiles Miss Lewis had been an architect before three "clubmobiles". Along with the cuppa did a magnificent job." They came surpris­ she signed up for wartime service with the were 230,000 crisp, freshly cooked dough­ ingly close to the lines and were available Red Cross. In her contingent were girls nuts. These were served to the estimated to almost every soldier. from New York, Massachusetts, Virginia, 25,000 Trailblazers and attached troops in The vehicles continued in service at North Dakota and Texas. the 70th sector. events such as track meets and athletic The menu required 12,000 pounds of events, at embarkation points for trains *

• FALL 1998 13 •

The New Officers Three new Vice-Presidents were elected to the Executive is our new President. The President-elect was with 570 Sig­ Board. One was- and is- a Medic, two were riflemen as nal. Biographies of re-elected officers were given in the Fall, 1996 issue.

Andrew McMahon. President looking the town of Stiring-Wendel, in March, '45, he was wounded by mortar shrapnel. After 45 days in hospitals at Andy earned Purple Epinal and Paris, he rejoined his outfit at Wurtzburg, Ger­ many. After VE-Day, he was assigned to the 463rd Anti-Aircraft Heart on $tiring­ Battalion at Scissons, France, convoying soldiers on leave to Paris from various Army camps. Discharged at Camp Atterbury, Indiana in March '46, he Wendel ridge enrolled under the Gl Bill at john Carroll University in Ohio. At Charles Brush High School, in South Euclid, Ohio, where In '48 he joined Associates Discount Corporation in Cleve­ Andy graduated in 1942, he was recently honored by elec­ land and embarked on a 41-year career in finance. His job tion to its Sports Hall of Fame, especially for his golfing prow­ took him to 10 cities in the eastern and southern states. He ess. joined Chrysler Credit Corporation in Orlando, Florida in '67 He went right into a defense plant and until May '43 when and two years later was appointed branch manager of that he was drafted into the Army at Fort Hayes in Columbus, company in Columbus, South Carolina. Twenty years after Ohio. Then on to the Infantry Replacement Training Center that he retired. at Camp Roberts, California where he completed Basic. Then In March, 1954, Andy and Ema Dell were married in Mo­ he was shipped to the ASTP program at Montana State Col­ bile, Alabama. lege in Bozeman. He first heard of the Association in '88 and attended his When pressing manpower needs forced discontinuance first Reunion at Nashville. He has been active in the Asso­ of the program, he came to the 70th at Camp Adair and ciation ever since and has made five Back-to-Europe trips, was assigned to E/276. He stayed with that outfit until the including one to the dedication of the Spicheren Heights end of the war. monument. At the moment he is involved in producing a He became a sergeant at Fort Leonard Wood and served history of Easy Company, 276. as squad leader and platoon sergeant. He moved into his present office from first Vice-Presi­ While deploying troops on the Kreutzberg Ridge over- dent/South after the Board was realigned geographically. Paul Sumner. Vice-President/North and at a primary pilot training base in Phoenix, Ariz.ona. In uniform, he was assigned to ASTP at Brigham Young Sumner was air- University. Then he was one of the many soldier-students who came to the 70th at Camp Adair when the program was washed out. minded even Assigned to E/2 76, he won the Combat Infantryman Badge as a 60mm mortar gunner. After four years of Army service, Paul earned an engineer's before service degree at the University of Iowa. He had a minor in journal­ When Paul Sumner was drafted and sent to the Air Corps, ism and went to work as an advertising copywriter for he brought an excellent resume with him. After graduating Ingersoll-Rand. He transferred to New jersey headquarters from Central High in Guthrie Center, Iowa, he had attended and had a variety of assignments including an international an airplane mechanics trade school and had worked in main­ newsletter for the company. He retired in 1989 as Manager tenance at a glider pilot school in Aberdeen, South Dakota of Communications Services after 37 years of service. He

14 70th Division Assn. TRAILBLAZER • continued as a consultant and trained people in computer In 1955 Paul married Margaret "Peg" Varholy. They have design and managed two large trade exhibitions in Mos­ two sons and a daughter. The couple has been active in cow. He had several international assignments and was a community affairs since moving to Oakland, New jersey. pioneer in the computer world. Recently he's been involved They are Republican municipal chairmen and Paul just com­ in producing the corporation's history book. pleted a year as president of the Oakland Republican Club. He is an active amateur photographer and videographer. He also served as president of Rotary. Having conquered He works part time for the Bergen County Workforce In­ prostrate cancer with radiation in 1991 , Paul is in excellent vestment Board on a program to find work for people on health and looks forward to serving on the Association Board. welfare and those affected by downsizing.

Stanley Lambert. After the war he took his degree from the University of Vice-President/Central Nebraska, magna cum laude. He was an instructor for Vet­ eran Farm Training and, from '52 to '98, he was a self-em­ ployed farmer and rancher. Combat was short He has been most active in civic affairs and in his Presby­ terian congregation and synod. He's held several jobs in the American Legion and for 30 years was a 4-H leader. but hazards were long He has served on the Holt Soil and Waste Conservation Although Stan's combat time was very short, the dan­ Board, on his local school board and, for 16 years, on the gers of warfare hung over him for the four and a half months board of Education Service Unit. He was on the judicial Com­ that he was a prisoner of war. Indeed, one of his friends was mission, was county Democratic chairman and was a del­ killed by a bomb attack on a long column of American pris­ egate to the National Democratic Convention. oners being transferred to a new stalag near Dresden. He was president of the Farm House fraternity, writer and A native of Ewing, Nebraska- where he still lives­ producer of Ewing's Centennial pageant for which he won Stan was among the many ASTP men who joined the 70th the Chamber of Commerce Service Award. He was pre­ at Adair in 1944 and was assigned to 1/2 75. He was an sented the national Block and Bridle Award. early casualty, captured on that infamous ambush on the He joined the Association in 1988 after learning about it road from Philippsbourg to Bitche on jan. 2. During a long in the Legion magazine and correspondence with then Sec­ and harried trek through Germany by train and on foot, he retary, AI Thomas. He and his wife Dorothy have two sons lost 50 pounds. and a daughter and eight grandchildren.

Frank Ellis. Vice-President/West Assigned as 1st Battalion Surgeon, he stayed with the 'Blazers until Stiring-Wendel when he was evacuated to the Evac Hospital in St. Avoid with pneumonia. Not fully recov­ CCC duties spurred ered he came back to the 'Blazers but got hit by the same disease again. He was in hospitals in France and the States until his discharge at Camp Roberts, California in May, '45. him to Army medical He remained in the Reserves and served with Washing­ ton, Utah and Wyoming National Guards until returning to career Detroit in 1954, where he was chief pathologist in GH 298. He retired as a colonel. A real Depression kid, Frank did find a job after his gradu­ He was in private practice in several Western states. He ation from high school in 1934 in Detroit. He worked for an was director of the Blood Program of the Detroit Red Cross auto body parts plant. But he was laid off and so enrolled in and was assistant director of the national program. the CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps). He was a fire tower He married Gertrude Ann Klaver in 1941 and they have lookout and a first aid man. three sons and a daughter, all professionals. They have seven That exposure to the healing arts prompted him to be­ grandchildren. come a hospital orderly. Then on to pre-med and his M .D. Frank has a well equipped metal- and wood-working shop from the University of Michigan. and he has restored many antique autos including a ,'33 He had completed ROTC at Michigan and was commis­ Buick touring car and a 1943 Willys jeep. The jeep has all its sioned in january, '43. But when he went into ASTP, he be­ original military markings from its service in France. It also came a Pfc. He took basic Medic training at Carlisle Barracks, has a ribald name that is "inappropriate for civilian display", Pennsylvania and went to Baxter General Hospital in Texas. he says. So it is on a removable panel so it can be sent to In a short time he was sent to Fort Leonard Wood and the the closet when necessary. Frank shows his cars frequently 70th. all across the northeast.

FALL 1998 15 •

John Nothnagel, President-elect hanging phone wires. After the breakthrough at Saarbrucken, as American forces flowed into the German heartland, he recalls, "our team fell john wore uniforms in with the Third Army and drove on, to judge by the road signs, all the way to Czechoslovakia. But then we were called back and were in Erlangan, just north of Nuremberg, when of two nations in the war ended. "Once we were ordered to rig an antenna so we could send a message to Frankfurt, then Army headquarters. By WW2 some fluke I sure can 't explain, we found ourselves linked Our President-elect, john Nothnagel, 570 Signal, brings to the Pentagon!" an international military and academic flavor to the When the 70th went home, he was assigned to 3 Signal Association's Executive Board. of the 3rd Division and went into Occupation at Bad Wildung. When he was graduated from high school in 1943 he He remembers well a wild weekend in Berlin and two was awarded a full scholarship at Assumption College in months detached duty in Paris! Windsor, Ontario. He immediately enrolled in the Canadian Discharged in 1946, he took advantage of the Gl Bill to equivalent of ROTC. He learned to use the old Lee-Enfield enroll in the University of Rochester. "I chose a major in rifle and the British manual of arms. But he quickly learned a French just for the hell of it. But it was a good choice; I new version of both. applied for a Fulbright grant and one for a French Govern­ At the end of his first semester he enlisted in the U.S. ment Assistantship as a part-time instructor of English in Army Reserve and, on his 1944 birthday, was promptly French schools. In Toulouse, France I met a young woman called to active service. He took Infantry basic at Camp fellow teacher, Gail Outland of Green Bay, Wisconsin, who Blanding, Florida and then to learn radio at Fort Benning. became my bride in 1954." "Perfectly conditioned for service in the Pacific" - he was Meantime he took his Master's and doctorate in French sent to the 70th at Leonard Wood. He did have two years at the University of Wisconsin. He taught at the University of high school French and a semester of German. Both came of Montana, at Cornell College in Iowa and as a visiting pro­ in useful. fessor at the University of Poi tiers, France. He wrote several Assigned to 570 Signal, he was a member of a 3-man books and travelled extensively to France and Africa, radio team consisting of him, Richard Hathaway (who Polynesia and the French Caribbean islands. brought jack into the Association), and Sgt. Victor Ketten, He and Gail have three sons and a daughter, all profes­ deceased. They provided radio links for forward observers sionals. He served as Vice-President/Central during the past at the battalion level with an occasional job of repairing and biennium.

first day of combat- he ''captures'' 6 POWs

By WILLIAM HOMASSA C/275 It was my first day on attack about Feb. He suggested we set the gun up on a little 15, 1945. We took a village without a shot woods. Here we encoun tered gunfire ahead knoll ahead. I suggested a place between being ftred and then, later in the day, we of us and artillery behind. I fo und a dug­ two big trees. He agreed and we started up. marched out to encounter the enemy in a out full of water and jumped in. The next The littl e knoll opened up with a machine woods. We followed along the slope of a thing I hear is our machine gunner yelling: gun and missed. Price ftred back and they hil l. The village was below on our left. The "Holland, you yellow so and so. Where are all came out to me, six of them! Like a dope. Germans were bombarding the village all you?" I stood up - and looking as fterce as an day and when they spotted us they threw a I was fuming and I crawled out and told 18-year-old could look - I motioned th em few 88s in on us. him off. His name was Price and he had down to the riflemen. Even though it was I had stuffed myself with K rations and been overseas 33 months. He said, "C'mon, Winter, I thought there were mosquitos had tremendous gas pains. I was the last we're going to get that nest!" buzzing my ears. I guess the Good Lord one off the hill and into the "shelter" of the We crawled through a ditch and stopped. was with me that day.

16 70th Division Assn. TRAILBLAZER Full military honors were paid to Ken­ Kenneth Holloway, B/725, died June 10 Richard Schoeneman, HQ/276, was a neth Brady, F/725, at the Riverside (Cali­ after a lengthy illness and was buried, with pillar of his Zion Lutheran Church in fornia) Military Cemetery. He died on June full honors at the Military Cemetery at Matteson, Illinois: on the board of elders 4, '98. In 1980, he and his wife Evelyn Camp Nelson, just east of Lexington, Ken­ and board of education, and as fmancial • dropped in to visit Tom, C/275, and Lutie tucky. He joined the 70th in its earliest days. secretary and president of the congregation. Higley in Albuquerque. It was their frrst He stayed in the Army Reserves and re­ He was with the 70th since its organization contact since the war. But not the last. turned to Western Kentucky College. He and received the Bronze Star for action in A favorite story of Ken's: "It happened was there commissioned a colonel in the the Saarbrucken attack. He served four on those long approaches to Saarbrucken. ROTC and then as a lieutenant in the Regu­ years with the Reserves. We were dug in on a long ridge, snow-cov­ lar Army. He retired from the Army in 1967 He died March 11 , 1998 and is survived ered, cold and miserable. Our foxholes as a major. by his wife Kathleen, two children and three were covered with mosquito nets covered Ken was a great admirer of Roberts Rules grandchildren. Kathleen can be reached at with brush. of Order and constantly chided Association 21401 Jean Ave. , Matteson, IL 60443. "Suddenly an officer arrived and, for officers for not abiding to even their minu­ some damn reason, went directly in from tia. His persistence resulted in a Constitu­ Do it today lest you* forget: Send a sym- our very advanced position to see some­ tional amendment that made The Orders the pathy note to an old buddy's family. thing. That would be all the enemy needed. guidelines for 70th meetings. For if even a rat scuttled along there they With the 70th Division* from its birth (and threw artillery fire on us. One of the few Trailblazers* from North he was newly inducted) to its last days, "I had lifted my net a little bit to watch Dakota, Roy Zittelman, HQ/884, died Bernard Zaleta, was with a machine gun and when I recognized high brass, without Nov. 2, 1997. section of the heavy-weapons company, D/ thinking, I yelled, 'Get the hell out of here, A member of the North DakotaNational 276. He earned a battlefield commission for you SOB!' and I yelled something about Guard, he served with the 70th then was his action at Morhange, France. He then drawing artillery and he departed in a big recalled for Korean duty. He stayed in the served for a year with the 3rd Division in hurry. I expected any minute to be pulled Army 29 years and retired as a lieutenant Occupation. He died Nov. 17, 1997 at the out of there and court-martialed for my very colonel. age of 81 after a short bout with cancer. unkind remarks. But nothing happened." He worked in Oregon, then moved back His wife Mary of 55 years can be reached When George Barten, HQ 2nd Bn/275, to Dakota where he worked in insurance, at 122 No. Line Road, Newtown Square, heard the story he recalled the incident banking and financial planning. He was PA 19073. clearly. That "high brass" was Gen. Tho­ secretary of the Chamber of Commerce and * mas Herren himself. Those conditions were founded the Weather Modification Program (The "Trailblazer" lists all deaths not rare, for he liked to visit forward posi­ in North Dakota. whether the deceased was an Association tions and see the situation for himself. His wife Charlotte may be addressed at member or not. Full obituaries are re­ 104 Fourth St., Fingal, ND 58031. quested and any further information about * the deceased's 70th service will be appre­ * ciated.)

Old neighbors meet Missed the deer - . . . but on opposite but got the sleepers A quartet of Weapons Platoon men of II 274 went on a deer hunting expedition. The sides on POW quiz trophies they brought back were not tl'le "At the Herscht factory." horned kind, though. When men from the same hometown ran "And you rode the No. 15 streetcar to Billeted in an abandoned school build­ into each other in Europe, it was always a and from work?" ing, the four set off in a misty morning in good story for the "Trailblazer". And when "Jab. But how did you know that?" quest of venison for the company mess. those men wore the uniforms of two op­ "Easy. I was born in Chernnitz and spent Going up a hill, they took a long shot at a posing Armies, it was a real "small-world my frrst 20 years there." buck - and missed. saga". The two men on the opposite sides of But shortly after, they came across a T/4 William Smith of the HQ/276, was the table had lived only two blocks from couple of Nazis who apparently had been an interrogator of POWs. He carried out each other and had hoisted a stein or two at aroused from sleep by the missed shot. this conversation: the same neighborhood bierstube. They immediately became prisoners of the "What's your home town?" All that, of course, was before Smith four nimrods, all Pfcs: Robert Bailey, 0. "Chemnitz, Saxony." came to America to work in Meriden, Con­ L. Greenman, Ray West and Jay Shelley. "Is that right? Where did you work?" necticut. * FALL 1998 17 . • Axe-head

trumpet and Bob Hegeman was tenor so­ Archives loist. All the rest of the band was also An SS 6th Mountaineer popped into hugely popular among the troops. sight. Those blue denims He had left his rifle behind and came to * retrieve it. When he saw who was holding and blue long johns 1 00 Division tells it, he surrendered - immediately and at and blue skin, too once. of 'Blazer rescue (Bob is the only Association member in By CHARLES MUNIE Canada. ) 1/274 We have rescued thr ee of y our When I saw that GI washing his socks men from a German POW camp. in his helmet (on the cover of the Spring, They are Rudolph Garcia , A/ 275; * 1998 cover), I knew it must HAVE been Theodore Anderson, K/ 275, and Star-a-day taken in the earliest days of the 70th. I re­ Robert Bremer, A/ 276. member seeing those blue denims on the 1 OOth Century Infantr y Divi­ is 27 4th record Civilian Conservation Corps (the CCC). sion The 274th Regiment averaged more than My first introduction to those denims and a Star a day since it went into combat. By the big floppy hat was when we spent the The wording was a little more military April 1 its men and officers had been first 10 days of training out in the rain. on March 29, 1945, but the meaning was awarded 115 decorations. Everyone wore long johns, raincoats, shoes there - and so was the happiness of ev­ In one ceremony, Col. Samuel "Shoot­ and leggings. Helmets had not yet been is­ eryone concerned, the returned prisoners ing Sam" Conley awarded a Silver Star and sued and when we did get them they were and their buddies in their companies. oak leaf cluster to Capt. Roy Vaughn and World War I vintage. We carried Spring­ a Silver Star to Lt. Jacob Meyer who al­ field rifles. * ready had a Bronze Star. We practiced active and passive anti-air­ craft defense. When our lieutenant blew his "Millionaire" Cis whistle we all ran 50 to a hundred feet off and disillusion * the road and flopped, face down, into about Many Trailblazers became "million­ Anderson deserved 4 inches of water. If we were passive, we'd aires" as they drove into Germany after "cowboy" nickname just lie there. If we were active we'd simu­ the Saarland break-through. That is, if late firing our weapons at the imaginary you count that fortune in German His buddies of the 1127 4 called him "The strafing plane. Reichsbank notes. Cowboy Machine Gunner". His company Soon our long johns were all blue-and Soldiers kept coming upon bulging commander, Capt. Edwin Keith called so was our skin. We called ourselves the rolls of bills as they searched buildings him "One-Man Army". "Blue Hornets". With only two sets of den­ for contraband. The numbers were al­ Both nicknames are valid. S/Sgt. ims, we couldn't keep them dry. Each night ways high; some bills were as great as Clarence Anderson, a cowboy in civilian we'd hang them up as close as possible to 100,000,000 marks. At the exchange rate life in Wyoming, was a T/5 on Christmas a heat vent but they never did dry out until of 1945, that bill would be worth $80 Eve. He added stripes promptly. the sun finally came out. We thought it was million. In Wingen his squad was moving along quite hilarious and wondered where the real There had to be a catch - and there one of the streets of the village. A hail of Army was. was. The bills had been repudiated by rifle fire was zeroing in on them. Bullets * the German government during the dis­ came within two feet of Anderson as he sat astrous inflation period of the 1920s. only partially concealed by a boulder. Versatile Band adds Five Germans came down the street. to its specialties Anderson jumped up, loosed a burst of Sgt. Matty Carnevale's Rhumba Band Hoist on petard machine gun fire and five enemy corpses was famous throughout the 70th. It was or littered the street. Shortly after, he and his constantly touring the Trailblazer area, en­ men captured 38 Germans from a strongly­ tertaining the troops. And it was versatile; Caught by gun fortified pillbox. it played everything from rhumba to swing "Hoist on his own petard" was the way That was the time when he had his clos­ to oldies to classics. Shakespeare put it. Rober t L. Skutt, E/ est brush with death. As he started up the Its versatility had to expand, though, 274, phrased it "I captured him with his hill toward the emplacement, a German when it was given the job of running the own rifle." mortar shell landed close by. Shrapnel cut 70th EM's Club. Now they had to be laun­ Bob was a member of a combat team that a hole in the sleeve of his field jacket but drymen, food managers, barroom logisti­ was clearing out the school house in Stiring­ left him unscratched. cians, electrical engineers and whatever a Wendel. Down in the cellar he spotted a Anderson was the first 27 4th man across snafu demanded. German rifle. As he was holding it, the the Saar. In the evening they reverted back to be­ sound of approaching footsteps was heard. * ing just musicians. Headliners were Matty, His companions covering him, Bob pointed on the piano, George Hosfeld played a hot the weapon at the doorway. . • 18 70th Division Assn. TRAILBLAZER Craurford saur horrors long after eoJDbat ended in Europe

For most Trailblazers, one whack at national history - Op­ busy. He arranged for juice and other relief supplies to be brought eration Nordwind - was a lifetime quota. Not for Ralph to the besieged plane. And it was needed. For almost five days Crawford, C/275, though. He has another big one to recall. the passengers had been trapped in a stifling hot cabin, with little Twenty years ago Ralph sat in the control tower of an obscure food or water and no functioning toilets. airport in an obscure town in an obscure country and watched a While Ralph was grabbing a little rest, his phone rang. The high drama of terrorism unfold. German commandos had landed, had taken the plane and res­ On Oct. 13, 1977, two men and two women connected with cued the hostages, killing three of the terrorists and wounding Palestinian terror groups and the radical Red Army Faction hi­ the fourth. By the time Ralph hurried back, the rescued people jacked a Lufthansa plane. Some hundred hours later, after land­ were in the heights of euphoria, dancing in the spray of a hose ing five times in European and African airports, Flight 184 sat that a Somali fire department had laid and eating and drinking alongside the dusty runway at the scruffy airport of Mogadishu, gifts that members of foreign embassies had brought. Somalia, (a name that decades after would conjure up American Ralph's contribution was a bottle of Scotch with which he troops on a mercy mission being beaten to death at the hands of drank toasts with the German co-pilot who had taken over when a warlord's thugs.) his buddy was shot. The screaming hijackers- high on drugs, adrenaline and fear He then hurried back to the embassy to file his story with -had executed the German pilot, threatened three Jewish girls, Voice of America- and scooping the world! tied the hands of 82 passengers and seemed ready to blow up the It was almost inevitable that Ralph should cover a story like plane. "Over and over it was, 'Nazi! Dirty Nazis! All you Ger­ this. After his service with the 70th he stayed in foreign service. mans are against us!!"', Ralph recalls. He served in Europe, the Far East and Africa. He and his wife At that time Ralph was attached to the U.S. embassy in So­ Leonie edited English-language newspapers in Europe. He was malia as Counselor of the Embassy for Public Affairs, and rep­ Voice of America correspondent and was a professional book resented the U.S. Information Agency. reader for the Library of Congress. He directed stage plays - With maniacal screams the pirates were preparing to blow up and acted in them, including the title role of "Harvey". the plane. The reason he places the Mogadishu rescue so high among In that control tower, only 100 yards away, Crawford sat with his recollections: "It was a defining moment in the war on inter­ the German charge d'affaires, Dr. Michael Libal, who was try­ national terrorism," he says. During that period skyjacking ing to negotiate with the bandits. gripped the whole world- especially airlines and their passen­ The terrorists were demanding that the West German govern­ gers - in cruel tension. A year earlier, Israeli commandos had ment release 11 German prisoners, all members of the notorious staged the famous Entebbe Raid in Uganda but that was consid­ Baade-Meinhol Gang- the so-called Red Army Faction. ered by many to be an aberration. The Mogadishu rescue showed Actually, Libal was stalling. For he knew that a plane carry­ that there were well defined and successful tactics to be used by ing German commandos was in the air, heading down to the the hostages' countries. scene. He had invited Ralph to join him. Ralph did- and kept Retired, the Crawfords live in Point Brittany, Florida, near St. Petersburg ... and enjoy the peace and quiet.

enemy laid down an artillery barrage of 3. boy from Long Island, and a jeep driver in COWS and EFFECT on the Richter Scale. HQ Company. "I thought we might be able At the crescendo of the turmoil, came to use the milk," he explained. the noise of many marching feet moving And use it they did. A bunch of farmers, H Q 2 7 6 possesses in. Could they be surrounded by a German real and would-be, fed and milked the herd. counter-attack? Cautiously the men peered Everyone drank the product as fresh milk their own dairy out the window. Then they looked again. It hadn't been on the menu since last fall. was hard to comprehend what they saw. Eventually the herd was turned over to A GI was leading a cow by a rope and Civil Affairs for transfer to France as part As 276th's 1st Battalion set up is CP in a 15 other bovines dutifully followed. The payment for all the livestock the Nazis had German village just North of the Saar, the soldier was Pfc Arthur Strickland, a cow- taken out of that country . • FALL 1998 19 hugging and kissing these wonderful people who took such good care of them all of these years. The minister suggested another route for home that was supposed to be shorter and have more scenery. By noon we had made our way through the beautiful Bavarian mountains. We stopped for lunch along the way. But first the ladies took turns going to the bushes with the little ones. The chil­ dren ate the GI rations and they liked the candy the most. The best load When we were about 10 miles from their home town, our lead truck ran out of gaso­ line. We had to siphon gas out of an army Flack brings kids jeep which was driven by a lieutenant and a noncom who came to escort us into town. back "from war" They told us that the street was lined up with parents and relatives waiting for us. Once we were in town, I told the driver to stop the truck and put down the tail gate so we could hand the children out as fast as we could to the eager parents and relatives. By TED FLACK stopped at various churches to see if we There was not a dry eye to be seen from G/276 could find out where the children might be. this emotional crowd. At some of the churches we stopped at, The truck drivers were told where to I was stationed in Czechoslovakia in there was no answer. We finally came upon leave the trucks. The jeep driver said he July, 1945. My captain told me to go to the a large church and knocked on its door. A would leave me off at my commanding of­ 16th Division Headquarters and report to minister with a noticeable limp answered ficers headquarters. As we said good-bye the Commanding General. The General and we asked him if he knew of any camps to each other the lead truck driver came up asked me "Can you speak German?" "Yes, or farms that would have a couple of dozen to me and said, "You know, I've hauled sir." He told me that I would be leaving in children in them. He said that there was a many loads of just about everything, but the morning for Munich, Germany. I would farm about 5 miles away where he would this was the best load yet." And that it was. be taking one to three 2-1/2 ton trucks and buy eggs and milk and there looked to be three Germans. I would be picking up 35 about two dozen kids there. children, three nurses and two attendants. The day was coming to an end and it was * He introduced me to two elderly ladies getting dusk when we finally came upon dressed in old work clothes, bonnets and the farm. As we turned in, an elderly farmer high top shoes. I also met an elderly man watched us. We asked him if he had any Ball teams set in his seventies who turned out to be a min­ children; he said he had about 34 Czecho­ ister. These three people would be travel­ slovakia children who would be home soon 1st in Reich ing with me. from working in the fields. The first organized game played by Trail­ The General asked me if I had any chil­ We unloaded the ladies and the minis­ blazers on German soil was a softball con­ dren. I said no and that I was single. He ter and waited for the children. The ladies test between the Medical Detachment and replied that he had a 7 -year-old son and that re~ognized some of the older children and the Headquarters of the 276th. The Medics this mission was of great importance to him. helped the younger ones wash up at the won in 12 innings, 10-8. Baker Company He told me that two years ago the Germans small sink near the water pumps. I told the defeated Able, 1-0, and Charlie beat Dog, came through a small Czechoslovakia town farmer to Jet the children eat their supper 6-2. where they took men and women to work before telling them they would be going The Medics were tied 5-5 at the end .of in the German factories. The Germans then home. Then the older children could hardly the standard seven innings but went ahead took these people's children to Germany sleep because they were so excited about 8-5 in the lOth inning. Then Capt. Darwin and placed them in camps. This was done going home and seeing their parents again. Hobbs, of HQ, knotted the score with a 2- so the parents would not run away from After breakfast was served, we loaded on homer. their factory jobs. everyone into the trucks and counted heads. Pfc Dick Thiesen pitched 11 innings for When I arrived at 16th Armored Divi­ The farmer said we would be short one HQ and Charles Schulman took the sion Headquarters, the three German citi­ older boy because a couple of days before mound. He walked in Pfc Joseph Pauly zens were waiting for me. We left at 7 a.m. he had left for home by hitchhiking. The and T/3 Carl Johnson in the 12th. Pfc with two trucks, six 5-gallon cans of gaso­ three nurses and two attendants that were Norman Innerfield went the route for the line and one box about the size of a foot supposed to be with the children were no Medics. locker filled with rations for the kids and longer around and had not been for a few adults if needed. months. * About 4 that afternoon, we reached The farmer's wife and two daughters Munich. We drove down the main street and were in tears. The children couldn't stop

20 70th Division Assn. TRAILBLAZER Expensive real estate Bang-less Bomb keeps fire friendly Generally speaking, when an artillery­ Two Vosge hills cost man sent off a round, he wanted it to go boom and knock out a passel of enemy. over 1 00 casualties Shooting ballistic that carried propaganda material just wasn't their dish of tea. But Isaac "Ike" Gustin, A/882, was happy when one of such paper-laden shells By JOHN NAUMCZIK our exec officer, joined me to size up the fired from his 105 mm exploded about 200 K/276 situation. I quickly put my men in defen­ yards from the firing line. Had it borne the usual explosives it would have been Two hills outside Wingen were expen­ sive positions. doggoned unfriendly friendly fire. sive real estate.Their price was American The 3rd Platoon soon set up their de­ The gun crew of Sgt. Maller, Cpl. lives and American bodies. In two days of fenses while the 2nd Platoon remained in Schnaiver and T/5s Wayne Branson, Rose, bitter fighting, the numbers of K Company, support. The Weapons Platoon received Himes and Renner had fued several such 276, were wiped from 170 men to only 75. their assignments. Meanwhile we were shells and sort of wondered what was in Late on the night of Jan. 7, 1945, K Com­ soon in intense artillery fire. Lt. Peebles them. When the mis-fire occurred, Ike pany, 276th, was ordered to outpost the town of Co. I joined me for a few minutes. The scooted over and picked up one of the of Wingen. Two squads of the 1st Platoon attack continued on to the next day. We charred papers. It was a safe-conduct pass led by S/Sgt Fred Houser and me passed routed them from their positions and sev­ signed by another Ike-Gen. Eisenhower. through the railroad underpass and entered eral prisoners were taken. There were many It invited and encouraged German soldiers the town. Stepping between bodies and wounded on both sides. to chuck it all in and give themselves up to breathing the stench of burning flesh and After taking two hills we stopped to dig the Americans. homes was a sad experience. in. Our initial mission was completed with Over the years, the pass grew very frag­ There was occasional artillery, firing tragic loss, more than a hundred casualties. ile. But Ike had a color-copy made of the phosphorous shells. I had sent a messenger original and sent it in to the "Trailblazer". back to see if they were ours. Whosoever - we were too well illuminated. So we decided on digging in closer to the road and avoid tree bursts. It was 4 a.m. of the 8th before we had holes dug in the frozen ground. The next morning we were greeted with a heavy barrage of 88s. Well dug in, we suf­ fered no casualties. The same day we were moved to Zinzwiller, France and given the mission of attacking the hills and woods ofLichtenburg Forest. On the morning of the 9th we crossed the line and combed several hills but made no enemy contact except for a lot of artillery fire. Fox holes, again, saved us . On the late afternoon of the 11th, my 2nd squad leading, we spotted the enemy on a forward slope of the next hill. There was also a German gun position ahead. I noti­ fied T/Sgt Sunny Kim, our 1st Platoon Ser­ geant. We let S/Sgt Houser's squad pass me while we covered them from the enemy on the next hi ll. Soon small arms fire broke out HARDSHIP DUTY ... and we immediately attacked. There was pleasant time for relax­ At one point a German machine gunner ation during Occupation. This trio of had us pinned down, but he was soon killed _ C /275 men weren't suffering at by a BAR- man. A German had me pinned Schmitten, Germany when this shot down but missed me three times. I had to was made in the Spring '45. From work my M-1lever by hand. In the cold it left, they are Roy Nieman, Arthur didn't eject and reload. Garrity and Tony Catalano, who sent Continuing forward, I realized that we in the photo. (Can anyone tell what had taken the hill. So I took over one of those canisters at the right might their forward positions. Lt. Roger Conarty, be?) •

FALL 1998 21 (~) l\rilS

By FRANK PORTNER K/274 Jan.13,1945 Co. K's story HEN I GOT UP this morn­ ing I couldn't put my shoes Doesn't depend on. I had left my shoes out W in the snow and they were • frozen solid. I had to thaw them out by a on agtng JDeJDory fire before I could put them on. From then on I always put them under my blanket so that they wouldn't get frozen again. Besides the wounded-in-action, we lost many men The Army forbade a soldier keeping a diary in a to trench foot and frostbite. So you could war theater. If such a dairy fell into the hands of the imagine how cold it was. enemy, when a POW was taken, for instance, in­ That afternoon I was back at Battalion formation in it would help track American troop when they brought in some Kraut prison­ movements and point to future strategy. ers. We were on an open field with no fox­ The prohibition was never stressed and some men holes in sight. I helped guard the prisoners - usually because they didn't know they were while some of the other boys were search­ breaking regulations - did keep a daily journal. ing them for weapons. All of a sudden an artillery barrage came in on us. I hit the Those on-the-spot and on-the-dot observations give ground still guarding the prisoners and a far more accurate picture of the soldier's life than prayed that I wouldn't get hit. Thank God I 50-year-old recollections. didn't! We shipped the prisoners out. One of those diaries lets us follow Company K of That night the Krauts sneaked up to our the 274th all through its combat experience. Frank positions and took three men prisoners. Portney began his diary when the regiment left Bos­ Two of them tried to escape and the Krauts ton. He describes the ocean voyage, the landing at shot one in the head; the other one got away Marseilles on Dec. 10 and the 40-and-8 trip to safely. As far as we knew, the third re­ Brumath on the Rhine. mained a POW. From then on we had to keep on the alert because we knew that they * might come back. Jan. 14 The weather was still freezing and artil­ lery was coming in all day. We had only a The battle of Wingen-sur-Moder is now over but few men left in Headquarters Platoon so the Germans keep threatening and constant skir­ we had to pull guard for 3-112 hours every mishing and firefights are going on. When K Com­ night. I had to jump up and down to keep pany is in danger of a German flanking movement the blood circulating in my feet so that they on the left, Capt. Thomas Thompson takes a squad wouldn't freeze. It was dark that night and to outflank the flankers. He is shot through the shoul­ I saw something that looked like a man be­ der and back and evacuated. The company seethes hind a tree. Believe me I was really scared! with rage to the enemy. We pick up this excerpt of I had my rifle with my finger on the trigger the diary on Jan. 13, 1945. and walked closer to the tree. When I was pretty close I called out, "Who's there? ~, There was no answer but I still could see

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Wounded eaptain - hated Krauts Another eold mar(l what was there. I finally walked up to the tree and to my surprise I found it was a pack hanging where one of the boys had put it to keep it out of the snow. Jan.lS- 16 Still cold as ever, artillery still corning in on our positions. Jan.17 We had been told that we would be re­ lieved tonight by another outfit. We thanked God because now we could get off that cold mountain. But that night we were told that our relief was cancelled. This meant we would have to stay on this miserable moun­ tain a little longer. snow and cold, we were all sweating from that wasn't under enemy observation when Jan.18-19 digging new foxholes in the new positions. we had to deliver a message to Company. Cold as ever, artillery still corning in . We had left one mountain and now we were It was a very rough trail through the woods going into another just like it. Our morale over hill and dale. Many times it was snow­ Jan.20 was really low, but that's the Army for you. ing and we couldn't see the trail and we HAT NIGHT on orders, our troops When we got to our destination we found didn't know where we were going. One day started to withdraw about 11 p.m. we were relieving the 103rd Division and we rode over that trail to the Company CP. T and our company had to hold the they had nice defensive positions already We saw places where artillery shells had Krauts back. About 2 a.m. we withdrew, dug in. hit. Thank God that we weren't there then. too. Now for the long march down the We were all thankful that we didn't have Jan. 28 mountain. There was snow and plenty of to dig our own holes. They brought up our We moved back to a rear assembly area ice on this narrow mountain path. To our blankets and we slept pretty comfortable where we were before. It was as cold as left was a steep cliff and to our right was a that night. the first time and snow was still on the sheer drop. We had to stay on the path. The Jan.22-23 ground. We put our blankets on the snow ice was really slippery and every step we We exchanged artillery and small arms and went to sleep. took we fell on our bottoms. The Krauts fire with the Krauts. Jan.29 threw up flares and that made us march still Jan.24 Made another daylight march to the town faster. At the foot of the mountain there That night the 35th Infantry relieved us. of Petersbach. It sure felt good being in a were trucks waiting to take us to a town We rode by trucks part way and marched town again. We were all cold, hungry and named Weiterswiller. the rest of the way to a rear assembly area. tired. The CP was in a French civilian's Jan. 21 It was very cold that night and we were told house. As soon as the French family saw We got there about 9 a.m. and I was fro­ that we wouldn't have to dig in that night how cold we were they made us some hot zen solid from riding on those trucks. We because we would leave the following coffee and fresh milk. After, we all wanted got off the trucks and went into some build­ morning. The snow was about a foot deep to go to sleep. Just then we heard an accor­ ings. It really felt good, warming up by a on the ground. We cleared away a little dion. We all walked in the room; there was nice hot stove. You wouldn't have recog­ snow and laid down our blankets and went a kid about 15 years old playing American nize me. I hadn't shaved in 12 days and to sleep, freezing on that cold ground. songs. It had been so long since we heard my hands and face were black with dirt. Jan.25- 27 music that we forgot about being tired. He The first thing I did was wash and shave We had a daylight march from the rear played "Beer Barrel Polka", "Bless Them and I felt like a new man. Being in that assembly area to Lichtenberg, where we All", "Woodpecker Serenade" and others. house was like heaven after being out in relieved an Engineers unit on the line. The One of our boys picked up a violin and an­ the cold for twelve days. I really slept warm Company was dug in on a hillside and the other one started playing a harmonica. that night. CP was in a building. I was a Co.-to-Bn. We were all so glad to hear that music Jan.22 messenger. I stayed at Battalion till there that we all had tears in our eyes. I can 't About 4 p.m. we got another order to was a message. There I was in the most explain it, but that music was worth a mil­ move. This time we moved by trucks to comfortable hole I ever had. I lined it with lion dollars to us. The people of the house • Kohlutte Forest. When we got there we had big paper sacks on the walls and floor. said we were crazy, we were so tired but to march up another mountain. Despite the There was only one road we could take instead of going to sleep we listened to the music. We told them that listening to the music will do us more good than sleeping. To our disappointment we got an order to move in three hours. I sure hated to leave that wonderful music. We moved at night by trucks to the town of St. Louis. A 'Blazer always Jan. 30 to Feb. 9 We got to St. Louis about l a.m. and went helps a 'Blazer to sleep in nice warm buildings. We were Once a Trailblazer, always a Trailblazer! in reserve for the lOOth Division and it was It's been proven again. really a nice set up. We stayed in this town Cathy Smith Simms of Springfield, Ken­ and didn't have to do anything except a little tucky contacted the Association website. guard duty. After living outdoors so long She had a problem. She wanted to make a this was heaven. Every night all the boys Warm room­ presentation to her father, Louis Smith, G/ would get together and sing songs. In fact 274, of his WW2 medals. The catch: Louis we made up a song about one of our lieu­ sweet musie is not a joiner; that includes the 70th Asso­ tenants and when he heard that song he re­ ciation. Could she ask for help for a non­ ally got angry. Since we knew he didn't like easy. I made Pfc while in this town. The member? the song we sang it whenever we got a Red Cross girls came down one day and Yes, she could. "Once a Trailblazer...... " chance. We had this wonderful set up for gave us some coffee and doughnuts. I ate Jim Hanson, veep/South, obtained 10 days just sitting back and taking life about 10 or 12 of them. Louis's medals and told Cathy and her hus­ band Todd where to obtain a display case. ''New'' 70th Division veteran The happy package was presented at a sur- named ''Trailblazer'' editor One 70th tradition was changed at Min­ Division- as a sergeant in 1973. During neapolis but another continued. the following few years he started his fam­ Edward J. Lane was appointed editor of ily and supported them as a police officer. the "Trailblazer". This is the fust time a While serving as Acting First Sergeant in a paid editor- and one who didn't serve in training company, he heard about the As­ World War II- has been put in charge of sociation in 1979. He attended his first the magazine. Reunion at Lexington, Kentucky, and did But the new editor did wear the axe-head the same at Philadelphia, Portland, Louis­ patch on active duty. His military car3er ville, St. Louis and Orlando. spans 28 years, 20 of them on active duty He re-entered active duty with the Army in many slots: drill sergeant, MPs, as a Reserve recruiter and served at vari­ chaplain's assistant, legal clerk and re­ ous locations until his retirement this sum­ cruiter. But, he says, "I am most proud of mer. the title 'Infantryman' (with the "new" He developed his writing skills as many 70th)." a soldier has done - writing letters home From his early years, Ed was fascinated to combat loneliness and boredom. He has by military history and always wanted a had many articles published in various pub­ military career in the service. "I talked with lication. prise party. An added fillip: Fred "Casey" every veteran I could and read every mili­ He is currently employed as news direc­ Cassidy, CO of George Company, sent a tary history book I could find." He special­ tor of Radio WULF-FM in Radcliff, Ken­ fine letter which the "kids" had framed for izes in World War II and is very well versed tucky, near Fort Knox. He is finishing his presentation. Lou's wife was not forgotten in Trailblazer history. Bachelor's work at Western Illinois Uni­ either. In a handsome frame was a drawing Lane was born and raised in Michigan. versity. With his second wife, Shirley, he of the Good Conduct Medal, by an art stu­ He started a broadcasting career in 1967 has six kids and seven grandchildren. dent of Cathy's. Across it is inscribed: "Be­ and worked his way through college on the Ed's address is: hind every great man stands a great air. 218 Wilma Ave. woman." He enlisted in the Regular Army in 1970 Radcliff, KY 40160 Incidentally, Lou is now a member of the and served in a variety of assignments dur­ and he welcomes your contributions, espe­ Association. ing the Vietnam era. He was released to the cially those war stories. His fust edition as Army Reserve - and the 70th Training editor will be the Winter, 1999, corning out * in January.

24 70th Division Assn. TRAILBLAZER The war goes on . .. and on ... and on ... and ... on ... Panter's Army mileage may be record

Most Trailblazers racked up a lot of Philippines. By that time Japan had surren­ States. So that was another delay. Eventu­ frequent-traveler miles by courtesy of the dered. ally we got home March 16, 1948. Before United States Army. How many do yours So Clay became company commander that, I had requested transfer back to the count up to? of port companies that manned the busy Infantry. When I came home I didn't want Clayton Panter, E and F/274, has been Allied ports. He did get to Japan, to Kure, the shield of the AG on my lapel. I wanted comparing his mileage with that of Don just outside Hiroshima to set up facilities those rifles I was so proud of. Another de­ Donofrio, E/274, and Bob Mingle, same to receive cargo vessels. Of course, he had cision I would regret." outfit. Then comes along Doug Jeffrey, F/ to scoot over to see what the A-bomb had He spent a couple months at Fort Knox, 275, who suggests we run a contest to find done to Hiro. He didn't give any thought Kentucky with the 3rd Armored Division. the most-traveled. to the dangers of radiation; but he didn't So now he's with the Tank Corps. Then on Just send in your name, the places you get any pictures as souvenirs ... his film to the 101st Airborne at Camp Brecken­ were stationed at and the estimated miles. there turned up pure white while those ridge, Kentucky as an administrative of­ The prize will be the awe and esteem of taken at other sites were just OK. ficer. your fellow-'Blazers. He moved up to Kobe, Japan and his "It seems that each one of these organi­ Clay started his odyssey at Fort branch of service was changed to the Ad­ zations was disbanding, so as soon as my Leavenworth, Kansas where he was as­ jutant Generals Department. work was done I was moved on. Where in signed when he volunteered for the Army Meantime he met a nurse from the 28th hell are my discharge papers? Off I go again in 1943. On to Camp Callan, California. General Hospital in Osaka and they were to Fort Riley, Kansas to be with the Judge Next was Amarillo (Texas) Air Force Base married in Koshein. That delayed their trip Advocate on post with the lOth Mountain where he began basic training to become a home and their first child was born in Ja­ Infantry as a claims officer like I'd been in pilot. Aged 19 and full of pep and vinegar, pan. Japan. Enough! I want out! he worried that the war would be over be­ "Your wives may get a kick out of this," "Finally, October, 1949 and I'm out of fore he got a chance to see action. Hah! says Clay, "but we had to have an investi­ the service. (I thought!)" On to Missoula, Montana to the Univer­ gating officer to certify that there was no sity as an air cadet. A short lap this time: to pregnancy involved at the time of our mar­ ITH A FAMILY to support, he Camp Adair where he took his third basic riage. How times have changed! had to go to school at night. This training course. Fort Leonard Wood, Camp "Lynda, our daughter, had to be six W he did at St. Louis University Miles Standish. Marseilles and the jump­ months old before she could travel to the studying accounting and economics. ing-around in Lorraine and Alsace. "One year later. My wife Jean is paint­ "I picked up a little shrapnel behind my ing the windows of our new home. The knee at Wingen," he recalls. "But seeing mailman brings me a little greeting. She all the real wounds around me, I was spills a whole gallon of paint. It seems the ashamed to report it. So my little first-aid II Army needs some good Infantrymen for the kit at my belt took care of that." History Korean War. Oh, why did I ever change my branch from the Adjutant General? N SPICHEREN HEIGHTS, Clay Honor "They gave me plenty of time - 24 was the small target of a big 88 Roll hours. Then I reported to - where else? 0 shell. It landed so close that its -Fort Leonard Wood. And the same build­ shrapnel went right over him. Without a Charles Johnson, HQ/882 ings that housed the 274th all those years scratch on his body, he was still a WIA; the Harry Colborn, HQ 1st Bn/275 earlier. concussion was so great that blood was run­ William Darin, G/275 "Now my old injuries came creeping up ning out of his ears. But reality caught up Clarence Fosbenber, F/276 on me. Not those three bullets in the back with him at Kreutzberg Ridge and he caught Bill Harbold, B/274 but the loss of hearing and the dinky knee , three slugs- one just a half inch from the Many Trailblazers have sent in per­ injury at Wingen. So they assigned me to spine. sonal histories to the Military History the Courts and Boards Section with the 6th After two months in the hospital, he was Institute. It is helping preserve the record Armored Division. That lasted about a on limited duty and sent up to Belgium as of the 70th for future generations. month and I thought they would send me a unit officer at a repple depple. While there This History Honor Roll pays appro­ home. Wrong! the war ended. priate respect to members who have "On to Michigan where I finished out Clay traveled by convoy down to the performed this service for the Division. the Korean affair as the state induction of­ Marseilles area for just one week of pretty A questionnaire and return postage will ficer at Fort Wayne, in downtown Detroit. darn good service at a prisoner-of-war be sent on request from Angela Lehr, I finally made Captain there. camp. He was shoulder-tapped for Pacific Military History Institute, Carlisle Bar­ "lfl haven't left anything out, I figure I duty. And not via the good old U.S. and A. racks, Carlisle, PA 11703-5008. Do it served at 20 places." He doesn't estimate Nope, right through the Panama Canal to right now; that is an order. any mileage but he sure gives all the rest of New Guinea. After a brief stop, on to the us a real challenge.

FALL 1998 25 .The clouds were dark-but-

Remember that woebegone character in the "li'l 5 . The 70th Regional Reserve color guard was Abner" comic strip? A dark cloud hovered above his ,)..,., rounded in Seattle. head whenever and wherever he went. Well, the Ex­ 6 . Word from Arlington Heights, Illinois saddened ecutive Board of the 70th Infantry Division Associa- many with the news that former president Alex tion felt like that although the autumn skies above Johnson was on deeth's door there. Minneapolis were a cerulean blue and the landscape 7 . Several packages of favors for the women's Sat­ was Mid-America's most beautiful. urday luncheon that Barbara Marshall had sent to But . . . . the hotel were misplaced until minutes before the af­ 1. The Northwest Airline's shutdown over a pilots' fair. strike prevented many already registered 'Blazers from 8. Confusion in the hospitality room caused coffee reaching the site of the 1998 Reunion. to run out by 9 o'clock of the first morning, long be­ 2. President George Marshall, struck by the dreaded fore the first lunch break. staph infection after spinal surgery and suffering neu­ 9 . Inevitable health problems and even deaths rological trauma because of that, was unable to at­ whittled away at the registration lists. tend . 3. Andy McMahon, president-elect who would have BUT THE CLOUDS blew away and filled in, was called to Birmingham, Alabama by the the '98 Reunion was unusually success­ death of a brother-in-law. ful! Let the 'Blazers' diary recall five 4 . A major speaker was moved to a new post and days to cherish. was no longer available.

HE TROOPS have already begun the Reunion with a comfortable margin of fly to Atlanta fro m Boston - just about assembling. Several members time. When the first rumors of the strike the same distance as Boston to the Twin T checked in to the spectacular Hyatt began circulating weeks ago, Dick consid­ Cities. And then from Atlanta to the Re­ Regency in the center of its unique down­ ered re-booking on some other airline. But union site, thereby doubling their air miles. town as early as Sunday. the extra $300 fare dissuaded him. They But maybe it was Secretary Lou Hoger (Although Trail blazers did not really did eventually make it on a competitor's who did it the hardest way. His car loaded need it in unseasonably 80+ weather, they line. with all the stuffrequired for the hotel reg­ were fascinated by a 10-m ile, intricate sys­ Many 'Blazers found that they couldn 't istration center, he set out from Mission, tem of winter-proof skyways that link all change flights: The Labor Day passenger Kansas, a near suburb of Kansas City. the downtown buildings.) loads had already over-booked many Sixty-six miles from home, he suddenly For many, si mply getting to the Reunion flights. found himself in the middle of a grove of was on a par with getting to Philippsbourg Paul Durbin, HQ 3rd Bn/274, had no trees rather than in the fast lane of 1-29. half a century ago. Northwest Airlines - problems flying from his home in Hono­ Apparently he had dozed off- no sur­ which controls 78% of all traffic to that city lulu, to Seattle. But then he had to loop all prise as he had been working far into the -had shut down. Alternatives- where the way to Atlanta and then fly up to Min­ previous night on the multitudinous sec­ available-extended travel time painfully. nesota. retarial chores that precede every Re­ Dick and Barbara Haycock, HQ 3rd Bn/ Ed and Pat Cloonan, D/275, also had to union. A son-in-law came to give him a 274, had a stash of more than 1,700 tickets lift to the Des Moines area where his son for the Reunion meals that had to be di s­ toted him the rest of the way to M'polis. tributed according to seating preferences Wednesday~ Stan Mays also had a car breakdown. Bill the members had expressed. They had Diener, F/276, also had an unspecified booked a Sunday flight to be sure to get Sept. 2~ 1998 motor calamity. from their Sacramento, California home to

26 70th Division Assn. TRAILBLAZER CHIEFS OF STAFF .... Just sworn in are these members of the Executive Stan Lambert, Lou Hoger, Jim Hanson and Frank Board. From left, back row: Don Lindgren, Andy Ellis. New officer Paul Sumner was unable to at­ McMahon, Ed Lane and John Nothnagle. Front row: tend the Reunion.

timely death. Then Henry and Madeline Registration was going full blast all day. Clarke, AT/275, took over and finished a Thursday~ The hotel- with one of the friendliest and fine job. And sales were excellent. (Full most efficient staffs the 70th has met - reports will be made later.) Sept. 3~ 1998 offered fine facilities for the meetings of Again, the program offered a silent auc­ old friends. The palatial lobby had many tion. Items were fewer this year than in the Seventy early risers teed off at 8:30 for groups of conversational furniture. The of­ past - partly because of the lower num­ a contest of "scramble", a form of best ball ficial Hospitality Room was spacious and ber in attendance. But silent bidding was golf. The winning team consisted of Don the unseasonably hot weather outdoors was spirited and total receipts were $1,050. Docken, C/275; Samuel Brown, D/275; Bill modulated perfectly indoors. The first official gathering was the tra­ Schaefer 1/275 and Steve Schaefer, Bill's The youngest Trailblazer scion on hand ditional wine-and-cheese reception that son. was Drew Malin, great-great grandson of evening. The site was spacious and com­ Runners-up were Dean Morgan, B/276; Herbert Heitschmidt, B/276. Drew is 11 fortable. And-this is the absolute nota­ Raymond Malchow, B/276; William weeks old - and already a candidate for rized truth!- The cheese did not run out! Bergren, B/276, and Steve Sanders, son of defensive tackle on the Kansas City Chiefs. Apparently the ranks of the 70th has Maurice, HQ/70. Prizes were awarded at a Herb had several family members on hand changed palates, white wine, which has golf party that afternoon. and he reminded that another infant­ always run 50-50 with red, was now de- • The European dinner attracted 185 din­ great-grandson had been at the Orlando manded by three quarters of the guests. ers for a full evening of ooomp-pa-pa mu­ Reunion. It was dinner-on-your own and guests sic and German songs. The name of this A continuous showing of a video of Eu­ had many choices. It was demonstrated event has been changed. Originally it was ropean monument dedications and that at again that those Scandinavians up there the "Back-to- Europe Dinner" and it was for Fort Benning always had an audience. know how to produce a bounteous table. people who had made a 70th excursion back Brian Ellis, son of Frank Ellis, Medic/274 The hospitality room was well filled and to ETO battlefields. But non-travelers asked did a job worthy of CNN's best cinema­ the hotel was very lenient keeping the doors to be included and they are now warmly tographer. There were other displays open. Late one night a uniformed man en­ invited with the dinner an optional extra. equally fascinating. tered unobstrusively. The revelers thought More emphasis will be given to promoting The late Archie Smith, E/274, who with it was a hotel security guard corning to pull this affair at future Reunions. his wife Evelyn had run the PX for several the switch. It wasn't. This was the first time in a decade that past Reunions, had done much of the work It was Brigadier General James Collins we had no foreign visitors at the Reunion. of procuring merchandise before his un- of the "new" 70th. (The party continued.) • FALL 1998 27 Friday~ Sept. 4~ 1998 Friday a 25-hour day

This was a day as full as those during tenant in the Air Force. When they found short at the Orlando Reunion. There Les basics training at Camp Adair. out where I had served in ROTC, they had just embarked on an audience favor­ The First-Timers breakfast drew 98 at shoulder-tapped me at once. The reason ite, "My Way", when a spectator in the front the ungodly hour of 7:30 ayem-in-the­ was: 'The Infantry knows how to march row fell off his chair. It seemed like an or­ morning. There were 32 men who had good."' dinary mishap to Les who kept on. "Stop never before attended a national Reunion. Bea and Ray Pitsch, M/275, marked their singing! Stop singing!" several women (Several had been at one or more regional 60th wedding anniversary in Minneapolis. screamed at him. Having been well trained minis.) in domesticity by his wife Virginia, Les A record of some sort was established RIDAY NIGHT was- for the sec­ dutifully stopped his act. For the Minne­ by Ken Rains, C/275, one of the few avia­ ond consecutive Reunion - a Fun apolis encore he was in an even better voice. tors who made up the tiny "air corps" of F Night. All the talent for the evening's A newcomer - not to Reunions but to Divarty. He has been a member ofthe As­ entertainment was 70th people. And fun it their musical fare- was Jack Horan, D/ sociation for 25 years but this was the first was. Stan Lambert, 1/276, was master of 275. He had a show-stopping set of bal­ Reunion he had attended. ceremonies and his monologues were bet­ lads from our 1940s years. He and Betty Many First Timers were on a list that ter than Leno's or Letterman's- and with­ Fridley worked as ifthey had been teamed Lee Miller, D/275, maintains of 'Blazers out ever resorting to the off-color and scato­ since VE-Day. And the audience loved that he has tracked down by arduous logical. 'em. Sherlock Holmesian efforts. He has found Betty Fridley, wife of Edwin, 1/275, did Concentrating on country music was 117, several, unfortunately, had died before a fine job as pianist. She accompanied the another group, smaller than the Trouba­ the location. "Trailblazer Troubadours", a two-genera­ dours but in the same decibel range. Jack Past President Dale Bowlin mc'ed the tion group of 70th Division men and McCormick, B/884, plays a mean down­ event and called on each of the new mem­ women who did two turns of old favorites home fiddle and his wife, Alice, who plays bers to give a little more than name-rank­ and invited the audience to join in on sev­ the gittar, belts out blues like Dolly Par­ and-serial-number. There were many anec­ eral which they did with enthusiasm. ton. dotes that the audience loved. Les Edwards, B/274, got a chance to Jack Nickerson, F/276, gave another One of them was about Bert Cowen, complete his fine a capella act that was cut crowd-pleasing monologue. A/275. Bert is not as tall as the shortest NBA point guard. But he isn't shy to say that he could be called a short man. He pointed out that shrapnel from a German FIDDLE AND GITTAR .. .. 88 had penetrated his helmet but left him Jack and Alice McCormick are with an unsecured head. "If I had been a a mean country and blues duo six-footed like you, I would have got it that brought down the house at right in the jugular," he pointed out. Fun Night. Dale pointed out that there seems to be a lot of misunderstanding about the First Tim­ ers breakfast. It is optional but all mem­ bers are invited. The actual first-time­ around guys are guests of the Association. Other may purchase tickets at the registra­ tion desk. One question asked of each man was "How did you learn about the Association?" Notices in the Legion and VFW magazines led the lists but several said it was by spot­ ting a 70th decal or bumper sticker. (Is there a lesson here for all of us. Decorate the fam­ ily bus with an axe-head?) AI Riston, in three days served in three Divisions. But his deepest loyalty is to the 70th! He reported: "I couldn't make corpo­ ral in the Army. So I became a second lieu- • 28 70th Division Assn. TRAILBLAZER One for the Guinness Book of Records OR SEVERAL YEARS it was the is a "speechless ventriloquist". Ray goal of the officers to push member Bennett, M/275, was teamed with a puppet F ship above the 2,000 mark. It appears that reminded this reporter of his first com­ that demographics are agin' us. Secretary pany commander. The dummy never spoke Lou Hoger reported on Active Member­ but he had a repertoire of gestures that an­ ship: swered Ray with eloquence. 1988, 1,673 Another third-generation 'Blazer was LES 1992, 1,791 Harrison Henry Schaefer, age 2-112, EDWARDS 1996, 1,970 great-grandson of William C. Schemer, II 1998, 1,895. 275. He gave this reporter a high-five each does it He pointed out that California has the time he saw him-even in a crowded res­ "MY WAY" most members with Pennsylvania and taurant. Florida second and third. The 274th ac­ The party went on well into the night. counts for 27% of the membership. Attendance at Fun Night was 602 and the banquet next night drew about 22 Saturday~ more. At Orlando banquet attendance was 5~ 772 and two years earlier 1,121. Most of Sept. 1998 the loss was attributed to the airlines strike. Attendance down because of air strike Treasurer Don Lindgren reported that the treasury holds $86,217.06. That does not include the special funds for the Reunion. but energy, fun and business are up "Trailblazer" editor Edmund Arnold made his last report, ending a 16-year ten­ This was a day without a siesta. for George Marshall. Oh, yeah ... but there ure. He said that the success of the maga- The most important function of any Re­ were no breaks. And, so smoothly did it run, union is the biennial business meeting. that the session adjourned some 20 min­ Originally scheduled to start at 8, it was utes ahead of schedule. mercifully moved to 9 by the presiding of­ In one of those snafus that soldiers have A PLAQUE OF HER OWN .... ficer, Dale Bowlin, who sat in for Andy long grown accustomed to, the colors had Viola Arnold is only the second McMahon who was supposed to stand in not been emplaced on the podium. So, as woman to be named an Honor­ the Pledge of Allegiance was recited, Floyd ary Member of the Association. Freeman held a 4x6-inch flag for the audi­ Her selection pays tribute to her THE WEB MASTER .... ence to address. many years helping produce For his work in establishing the Robert Soden, HQ 2nd Bn/276, was ap­ the "Trailblazer". 70th site on the Internet Steven pointed secretary pro tern. Dixon was named an Honorary Reports of officers opened the session. Member. George Marshall's presidential message cited the dedication of the Fort Benning monument as the highlight of the biennium. John Nothnagle, VP/Central, reported for his fellow-veeps. He cited the growing popularity of regional mini-reunions, espe­ cially the Western one. Some 422 attended the '98 version in Tucson. The '99 Western mini will be in Denver, May 6-9, '99. Fred Ellis, Medic/274, who will host the affair, emphasized that all Trailblazers are welcome with no regard to geographical locations.

• FALL 1998 29 zine, which-has grown from eight pages published irregularly to 24 pages- some­ times more - all on a regular quarterly schedule, is due to the material sent in by members. He chided them for not sending in their Axe-head Archives form that ran in the Spring, '98 issue. "You owe it to yourself, to your children and grandchildren, and to the nation that your 'piece of history' is not lost," he said. He was given a standing ovation, an un­ usual occurrence at a business meeting. Time and Place Committee chairman, Floyd Freeman, announced that the 2000 reunion would be held October 19-22, 2000 at Drawbridge Inn near Cincinnati Actually, the Reunion will be in the land of mint juleps and Kentucky Derbies. The Cincinnati airport is across the Ohio TWOCOs .... River, about a dozen miles from downtown. Gen. James Collins is the brand-new commander of The Inn is seven miles farther south. La­ the "new 70th". Andy McMahon is the brand-new dies are assured that there will be continu­ leader of the "original 70th". ous shuttle-bus service to take them down­ town or to a nearly outlet mall. of the assembly. One was Dale's adroit pre­ to send in their resolutions well beforehand. The committee was able to obtain ex­ siding. The other was the great amount of The committee checked for ambiguities, cellent room rates of $75. A rate of $65 is preliminary work that Karl Landstrom's conflicts with the constitution and the nec­ available for rooms in an adjacent building Resolutions Committee had done before­ essary legal terminology. (There were seven that will require a three-minute outdoor hand. constitutional amendments offered and five walk to get to the meeting rooms. Members who wanted to offer propos­ resolutions. They were printed in the Sum­ Two things contributed to the efficiency als at the meeting were invited and urged mer, 1998 issue.) 70th Charter changes voted Several proposed constitutional amend­ sits on the west bank of the Mis-sip as does The editor has been a full constitutional ments were acted on with minimal or no St. Louis. That is a long haul from the Pa­ member of the Executive Board. And an­ discussion. cific. other amendment makes any non-member The constitution was amended as fol­ Jack Nothnagle, a map maker, pointed editor a non-voting member of the Board. lows: out that the great river often changes its 5. For several past Reunions, members 1. The new name of our brotherhood is banks. So he proposed that the dividing line have been wrestling with a question they "The 70th Infantry Division Association." be the western boundaries of Louisiana, would have preferred to ignore: "What shall This was a proposal by George Marshall Arkansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Iowa and become of the Association when the inevi­ and he espoused it dearly. It certainly aids Minnesota. These lines will not be changed table 'Taps' comes to the last survivililg his recuperation that it was the fust ques­ by floods or river diversion. members?" tion brought to vote and was adopted unani­ 3. Since its inception, the "Trailblazer" This time the question could not be mously. magazine has been edited by an Associa­ avoided because the newly-friendly IRS 2. A proposal that would divide the con­ tion member as a volunteer duty. The re­ requires that non-profit organizations have tinent for purposes of scheduling Reunions tirement of Edmund Arnold, HQ 70, a definite procedure for the dissolution. A was amended before passage. Until now, brought a problem. An extensive search of special long-range study committee was the Mississippi River was the dividing lines the membership found many members with authorized and will be appointed by the and Reunions were held alternately east and appropriate journalistic backgrounds. But president. This group will study the situa­ west of OJ ' Man River. The proposed no one wanted to assume the arduous du­ tion and make a report that will be pub­ amendment would have changed this line ties. lished in the Winter, 2000 issue of the to one 200 miles west of the river. The in­ So the constitution was unanimously "Trailblazer". That will give members the tent of the proposal was to make travel dis­ amended to direct the Executive Board to opportunity to study recommendations be­ tances more equitable for members in the hire an editor. fore the Y2K Reunion. Western Region. Minneapolis, for instance, 4. This amendment required a corollary.

30 70th Division Assn. TRAILBLAZER Mernbershi p extension is turned down

Because only about a quarter of the voting member. Yet it would be problem­ nanced by individual contributions. These membership attends a Reunion - and atic whether wives of the original Trailblaz­ left $3,200 after all expenses had been met. that number will decline as age limits ers would have that privilege. It was proposed that this money be used to mobility - the vote on any dissolution The proposed amendment was voted prepare a booklet that describes and illus­ process will be conducted by mail so ev­ down almost unanimously. But the basic trates all Trailblazer memorials in this coun­ ery member can express his desire. The purpose of the proposal is sound: Preserv­ try and in Europe. It was voted to draw upon voting will be closely monitored. It will not ing the memory of the 70th by including Association treasury funds to augment fi­ be a tear-out ballot in the "Trailblazer". younger people in that mission. So there nancing up to $5,000. This means as much I~ The most controversial proposed amend­ has already been discussion of tightening as $1,800 would be available. Also voted ment concerned the expansion of member­ the language and proposed it again in 2000. was that each Active Member would re­ ship. In essence, the amendment would Another rejected amendment would have ceive a free copy. have given eligibility for Active Member­ called for the Reunion to be held after Sept. The meeting was orderly and polite. ship and full voting rights to all men who 15 of even-numbered years. It was voted There was no acrimony in the debate. Nor served with the 70th during its first exist­ down because it restricted the Time and was there the total confusion that occurred ence from June 15, 1943 to Nov. 11, 1945 Place Committee from obtaining the best in Orlando. There a motion to abolish mail (as is now the case) plus any man who hotel accommodations at the best rates. balloting was amended and re-amended so served in a unit attached to the 70th, as Another rejected proposal was one that many times that when the final vote was listed in "The 70th Division Order of would have eliminated most planned func­ taken the mail-in vote was continued. This Battle". It was pointed out that such units tions of a Reunion and left open all the time despite the fact that it seemed the consen­ were attached for only a short period. One for an individual member to enjoy infor­ sus of the meeting was just the opposite. was with the Division only two days and mal visiting. The decisive argument was so there was literally no bonding with Trail­ that planned events relieve members from blazers. tending to arduous scheduling details. Furthermore, the proposed amendment A proposal to abolish Life Membershjps would open our ranks to "any direct descen­ was tabled on the ground that this was a dent of veterans who served in any of these specified duty and authority of the Execu­ units." tive Board. Also tabled was a proposal It was pointed out that the granddaugh­ about the maintenance of 70th monuments ter of a gunner in the 648th Tank Destroyer and plaques. Battalion would be eligible to become a The Fort Benning monument was fi- "THE OUTSTANDING"

ALLEY-UP!. ... Happily displaying their just-presented certificates as "outstanding Trailblazers" are (from left): Jack Apostoli, Jack Barton, Jim Hanson, Frank Ellis and Henry Clarke.

• FALL 1998 31 McMahon takes presidency

Election of officers produced the follow- from eight months in Bosnia. Meetings of each of the Regiments and ing new Executive Board: The general closed with a plea to the of Special Troops were held right after the President: Andrew McMahon, 'Blazers: Tell your elected officials about luncheon. Members of Wyoming, the President-elect: John Nothnagle, the important role of the armed forces, both 274th, were told that their successors were Past president: George Marshall, active-duty personnel and veterans like us . now in the 84th Railsplitter Division, an Vice-president/East: Paul Summer, And, he asked, pray for the leadership who Active Reserve unit. It is a pleasant coinci­ Vice-president/South: James Hanson, may have to take our grandchildren into dence that the 84th's shoulder patch also Vice-president/Central: Stan Lambert, harm's way. has an axe-head- splitting a hickory rail. Vice-president/West: Frank Ellis, Another "re-adjustment" that the air­ The 276th gang welcomed Kit Bonn, Secretary: Lou Hoger, and line strike imposed: The "new 70th" was author of the Regiment's history book, Treasurer: Don Lindgren. supposed to send its crack color guard to "Fire and Zeal" which was just off the press A non-voting member is Ed Lane, once Minneapolis but Northwest pilots vetoed and was on sale in the hospitality room. with the 70th Training Division, the new that. So the "original Trailblazers" color Also on sale there was "America's For­ "Trailblazer" editor who will take over guard did the honors. And they did them gotten Army: The Story of the U.S. Sev­ with the Winter, 1999 issue. well. Presenting the colors were Henry enth". It was written by Charles Whiting, a The traditional men's luncheon and the Clarke, A/274; Frank Lowry, A/276; A. R. prolific writer on WW2 subjects and an women's luncheon were simultaneous. The "Preacher" Horton, C/274, and Bob honorary member of the Association. Cop­ ladies enjoyed a modern version of the Crothers, B/275. They did a remarkable ies may be ordered from Dorothy Inzer, Andrews Sisters whose music from our war job considering that they had last heard 1690 Dogwood Drive, Vidor, TX 77662, years brought many memories, sweet and the bark of a drill sergeant half a century or by an afternoon call to (409) 769-7368. sad, to the audience. ago. The price is $24.95 and for members of the The forced revisions of Reunion sched­ Association shipping is free. ules continued with the speaker at the men's luncheon. Gen. Craig Bambrough, com­ mander of the 70th Regional Service Com­ mand, out of Seattle, had been scheduled ~I to speak. By a quirk of fate- happy one this time!- he was promoted to the sec­ ond highest command in the U.S. Army Hometown talent stages Reserves and was - almost at the same time- being sworn in to his new duties in Emmy-worth variety show Atlanta. His replacement- both as 70th CG and HE GALA-EST of the galas is al ity. The platform was not empty however; as luncheon speaker, was Brigadier Gen­ ways the Saturday evening dress-up it was filled with the equipment of the 40s­ eral James Collins. No second-stringer, this T banquet. This was no exception. style band. That was approximately the guy! His talk was rated A+. Some 625 people gathered in the spa­ same amount of gear that the 70th quarter­ Calling himself "the trail boss for the cious ballroom. Table service was excel­ masters corps CARRIED IN in Alsace. The new Trailblazers", he stressed that the lead­ lent and so was the food. Indeed, every meal birthday of Elsie Beckey (the exact num­ ers of troops need to know of the past of was outstanding as a cross-section poll later ber is a state secret) was hailed with the the nation and of the value of our forebears. confirmed. traditional harmonic rendition. Her husband He cited the high moral drive of World War Gov. R. H. Carlson of the State of Min­ is George of AT/275. II troops who knew who their evil enemy nesota, wrote a warm letter of welcome to Johann Ziegler of the 6th SS Mountain was and he cited the extermination camp the state and the city. As always, it was a Division and Herbert Tief of Strasbourg had at Dachau as an example. (Many 70th men dress-up affair and the ladies took the op­ created a colorful mosaic of the edelweiss were involved in the liberation of that camp portunity to wear their most attractive insignium of their division. Their message and the rehabilitation of its survivors.) gowns. Two males took the occasion to use was "We are all veterans of a horrible war Gen. Collins spoke of the 90th anniver­ a new directive from the Department of and fate keeps us together." It was to be sary of the Army Reserves and pointed out Defense. It is now correct to wear your presented to President Marshall. Instead it that Reserves are the support troops for the medals - regular or miniatures - on ci­ was displayed at the banquet and later de­ Regular Army units whose only duties are vilian clothing. Frank Lowry and John livered to George at home. He also received actual combat. Haller, A/276, proudly wore theirs and a statue of an Infantry platoon sergeant, a "One team, one fight, one future" is the hoped that at the next soiree they will be striking piece of sculpture, as a thank-you motto of every element in the Army today. joined by many of their comrades. for his years of service as president. There are more Reserve troops deployed There was no speaker's table, an inno­ Presentation of the outstanding Trail­ right now than at any time during the Cold vation of '96 that will probably continue at blazer Awards was the highlight. Citations War. He reported that the Trailblazer patch least in 2000. People sentenced to sit on were read by Edmund Arnold, certificates was worn in Bosnia. A 70th Public Affair the podium table do not like their position; were presented by Dale Bowlin and the first unit was -even as he spoke - returning it cuts down conversation and convivial- official act of President Andrew McMahon

32 70th Division Assn. TRAILBLAZER Outstanding Trailblazers honored

was to congratulate the five honored men: ity of the site and told how it has been in­ Three charter members of the Associa­ Jack Apostol, F/274; strumental in finding dozens of "lost" vet­ tion were on hand and were warmly ac­ Jack Barton, HQ/274; erans. Steve was a late - very late - ar­ knowledged: Eugene Petersen, Sv/275, Bob Henry Clarke, AT/274; rival, courtesy of the airline industry. That Carle, E/275, and Ed Fischer, K/275. Gus Frank Ellis, Medic/274, and cut short his demonstration of the 70th Comuntzis, Sv/275, also a charter member, James Hanson, 11274. website in the hospitality room, but did not had to cancel out at the last minute because Another popular presentation was award­ dampen the enthusiasm of him and the au­ of family complications. ing an Honorary Membership to Viola dience, so crowded around to see the hand­ Past presidents Ellis and Bowlin were Arnold, wife of Ed, HQ/70. For 16 years some site and to learn how to access it eas­ recognized and the sad news was told that she has played a major role in making the ily. Past President Alex Johnson was on death's 'Trailblazer" one of the best veterans maga­ The appointment of Ed Lane, who wore door in Arlington Heights, Illinois. zines in the country. Her acceptance was the axe-head patch while serving with the Then the band took over. It specialized brief and warmly received. She said, "Ed 70th Training Division, as editor of the in the music of "our era" and the dance floor has a million of these but this is the first "Trailblazer" magazine was announced. stayed crowded all evening. The energy and one I have ever received. And I shall put it In another recent tradition, Orville Ellis agility of the dancers brought astonishment on my own wall." - who led the Association in its years of - and envy - from the more sedentary Similarly honored was Steve Dixon, greatest growth - administered the oath part of the crowd. web-master of the popular 70th website on of office to the new Executive Board mem­ the Internet. He cited the growing popular- bers.

Atuue~~ Moving service remembers brothers-in-arms

were supposed to present the wreath of The first verse- "Oh beautiful for spa­ Sunday~ remembrance. Victims of the air strike, cious skies . .." pays proper tribute to this 6 ~ they had to stay home in Salt Lake City. great and glorious country that the Maker Sept. 1998 So Gwen and Byron McNeeley, 11274, has bestowed on us. And our responsibili­ placed the wreath. (Byron was the "Trail­ ties to protect it against foes ranging from A bitter-sweet ending finale to any Re­ blazer" cameraman for the Reunion.) Communist Russia to the Mediterranean union is always a memorable event. So with Les Andrews led the group in singing fruit fly. the 1998 Memorial Service Sunday morn­ all four verses of "America the Beauti­ The second verse - "Oh beautiful for ing. ful". Then the honored speaker, Gen. pilgrim feet ..." properly reminds us of The auditorium was filling up, long be­ David Palmer wove his well-received talk the creators of this historic Republic, he fore the 9 o'clock scheduled start and the around those verses. said. room was soon filled. The color guard had The general briefly recalled his own The fourth - "Oh beautiful for patriot a new man, Emilio Rojas, K/275, who took four-decade Army career. A highlight was dream ..." pays tribute to those young men the place of Preach Horton who had to leave the friendship that developed between the who dreamed dreams and put them aside early for his home in Comanche, Texas. young line officer and the venerable four to fight a great war. Chaplain Don Docken opened the meet­ star Gen. Jacob Devers, commander of the "And finally, 'Oh beautiful for heroes ing at the stroke of the hour. The colors were 6th Army. Devers - an outspoken and proved in liberating strife,' pays well de- , posted, always a moving ceremony, and Les often tactless man, who had a running served tribute to you veterans gathered here Edwards led in the "Star Spangled Banner". feud with Eisenhower - was asked by this morning," said Palmer. He asked us to Orville Ellis brought in the Book of Honor his young friend what experiences had continue our quest that America's "good­ which was placed immediately below the prepared him to make literally life-and­ ness be crowned with brotherhood, from speaker's lectern. death decisions. "Nothing prepared me," sea to shining sea." The homily was given- as it has been said the general, "and nothing can pre­ It was a message to live in many hearts at the last five Reunions - by Edmund pare you for this tremendous experience." and minds. It was simple, it avoided cliches Arnold. These tributes to fallen comrades (Many, many heads of the assembled vet­ but it unabashedly drew upon virtues and have been so well received that several erans nodded in agreement.) values that too much of the world scorns other Division associations have used them Then Gen. Palmer, whose career in­ today. at their memorial services. cluded the superintendency of West Point, And then - the inevitable and heart­ In another strike-imposed change, Gre­ cited the verses of his favorite American wrenching ritual. Docken, Durkee and gory and June Hosford, HQ 2nd Bn/276, patriotic song. McMahon alternated in reading the 189 • FALL 1998 33 And then - - --- poignant good-byes names of Trailblazers who died-or whose shake or embrace with a brother-in-arms death was learned- in the past two years. of more than half a century. An extra dozen were named from the floor. While many 'Blazers were on their way "Taps" was played by trumpeter Don home by noon of Sunday, almost as many Goodwin. Acoustics were perfect; he left much later that day and many stayed played in the far lobby and the slight echo over until Monday, Labor Day. Animated just added to the poignancy of that moving groups swapped war stories in conversa­ melody. tional coves in the vast and handsome Associate Chaplain Harry Durkee gave lobby. But no matter where and when and the closing benediction. President how the good-byes were said, voices McMahon ordered the retiring of the col­ choked and eyelids squeezed back tears. ors and Chaplain Docken closed the cer­ But the eternal hope that kept imper­ emonies. iled youths alive during the Vosges and Then came searing moments. Too many the Saarland now helped graying men af­ good-byes were said with the sad knowl­ firm: "See you in Cincinnati. Take care; edge that this might well be the last hand- God bless."

Editor THE BLUE PENCIL . ... - The traditional tool of the edi­ (Continued) tor is given to Ed Lane (left), new editor the "Trailblazer" by An invitation to attend a special D-Day his predecessor, Ed Arnold. meeting of the World War II Hi story Round Table is extended to Trailblazers in the Minneapolis area. The special topic will be "Omaha Beach - A Hard Won Victory" on Thursday, May 6. It will be part of the 55th anniversary celebration of the Normandy landings. The group meets monthly at the Induction Center of Fort Snelling. For more information phone Dr. Don Patton at (612) 392-3611.

"Ray Bennett's correct* outfit was M/ 275", says Fred Barnes of the same company.

When the 70th pulled* up stakes in Europe, did D/27 4 go to the 91 st Fir Tree Division ? (That was the organization that sent the cadre for the 70th). That's been bugging T. j. Saxberg for a long time and he wishes that anyone from that outfit would contact him . His address is PO Box 1466, Overboard, AZ 65933. Phone (520) 535-3699.

Most retiring Trailblazers* trek off long distances to enjoy Sunbelt sunshine. Not James Preston, C/370 Medics, though. He moved just give houses up the same ONE OF A KIND .... street to settle in at 507 Boone Trail, is the campanian of Ray Bennett. Unlike most Danville, Kentucky 40422. ventriloquist's dummies, this - urn, person - * "spoke" only in gestures at the Fun Night Show. 34 70th Division Assn. TRAILBLAZER THE HOMILY, 1998 Once upon a time ... by landmines and churned by ar­ young men who did not come There was a village. It was a tillery shells. Rivers often ran scar­ home. peaceful place where surround­ let with blood. Houses, once ing fields were fruitful and moun­ warm havens were now empty Today the village* remember tains stood benign guard over shells above dank basements, and so do we. them. Streams flowed unper­ where civilians huddled while We have held our last salutes turbed, their water crystal and armies fought above them. to them. We have inscribed their pure. names in Books of Honor. We The village was named Wingen Then came the* greatest war in have breathed prayers in the lita­ or Philippsbourg or Baerenthal or history. nies of many faiths and creeds. Grossbliederstroff. For there were Young men became warriors. We have consecrated monuments legions of villages, all more alike Now they did not dream of a de­ in their native land and on foreign than different, yet each with its cade to come; they hoped to en­ hills where they died a death that own unique persona. dure for ten days or ten hours or they had never contemplated. even ten minutes. Their protect­ What more now can we do? Once upon a *time ... ing homes left behind, they lived We can remember ... while the There was a young man. He in meager pup tents, slit trenches world forgets. was alive in that first exhilaration or fox holes. When we remember how they of new adulthood. His mind was fell on their shields while we, filled with dreams and aspira­ Then, finally, a* planet-wide war standing shoulder to shoulder, tions; his body thrived in work, ended. were spared . . . we remember sports and the sweetness of Slowly the villages found age­ why they - and we - were on young love. old rhythms of life again. Crops that battleground. We remember His names were many: were tended and harvests reaped. that we fought for, and won, free­ Armstrong and Schultz, Mountains smiled again and dom for millions of shackled Swensson and Petrocelli, streams ran clear. But they re­ peoples. We remember that we Rodriguez and Chin. For there membered that war and later they fought to ensure those God-be­ were legions of him, each more raised monuments to the soldiers stowed freedoms which exem­ alike than different, yet each with who liberated them. plify America. a unique persona all his own. We remember how swiftly the The sun was occasionally blot­ Then, finally, *finally a planet- evil kingdoms of Nazis, Fascists, ted by clouds. Villages lost vital wide war ended. samurai and Communists de­ crops to implacable drought and Boys who had turned to men voured three continents. And as flood. Youth lost dreams to a mer­ within minutes of their first battle, we remember the past, we see a ciless Great Depression. Yet life returned home to pick up and future. A future of hope. Past and was good, for villages whose past mend the torn threads of life. They future we bequeath to our chil­ was centuries old and for youths embraced parents, they married dren. Both past and future we whose future seemed infinite. Life waiting sweethearts, they raised owe to those men who no longer was good if only because they families. And they implanted stand in our ranks. were alive. stones in memory of all those Brothers in arms, we remem­ ber you; we thank you; we wish Then came the* greatest war in you a deep sleep in a; peace you history. were deprived of when you were Villages became battlefields. young. Once fertile fields were poisoned You are remembered.

LOST BUDDIES 1st Reich Retreat Did you serve with Warren Meryl The fust known Retreat formation by Smith in HQ Co. 2nd Bn/274? His daugh­ Trailblazers in Germany was staged by Fox ter would appreciate any information you Company of the 275th. It was at 1700 of could give. Her address is: Melinda M. March 22, 1945. (Who knows where this Widgren, 4501 Packard Dr. # P-2, Nash­ happened?) ville, TN 37211. • FALL 1998 35 Mail

to the Roosevelt Hotel where the reunion but nothing to carry as a burden into the Call took place. (The hotel has been converted present. to apartments for senior citizens.) I've become rather selective in my Let WW2 monument At the meeting plans were discussed for memories; that's why I hasten to add that I honor service people future reunions but nothing materialized. always enjoy my copy ofthe "Trailblazer". Today we have a great 70th Division Asso­ Not only the factual side but the remem­ - not civilians ciation but, sadly, Jim and Rich are gone. bering, which occasionally does have its The Vietnam Memorial honors those Bill Rorabaugh own flights of fancy. This is what makes it who died; the Korean War Memorial hon­ C/275 so "human"; for I am sure my own recall ors combat men. Why should the World over the years has become "colorized" as War II Memorial honor both military per­ * Ted Turner has done to all those wonderful sonnel and civilians? "Pineapple Man" needs "old" black-and-white movies. A bit of ex­ If Congress wants to honor those on the aggeration makes for a great ego-trip, es­ home front, OK. But give them a separate data for Purple Heart pecially when it might have happened, memorial. This would not take anything I am seeking information on my uncle, could have happened or actually did hap­ away from those who really did their part Edwin Dr ue Posey, Jr., who served with pen, even if others see it in a different way. in the home war effort. I came from Company C, 274. He is trying to find men As MacArthur might have said it, "Old sol­ Schenectady, New York, where, I know, who served with him in an attempt to claim diers never die; they just reminisce." many draft-dodgers worked in the huge a Purple Heart for wounds received from William Hayden G.E. plant that employed 36,000 and the shrapnel in March, '45 near Forbach. HQ 3rd Bn/276 American Locomotive plant where 10,000 He was nicknamed "Pineapple Man" by made Sherman tanks. There were many his captain. His records appear to have been * men between 16 and 36 who should have destroyed by fire. Your time and kind as­ Blind buddy enjoyed been drafted. To have their names on the sistance in this matter will be highly ap­ WW2 monument disgraces those who gave preciated. having "'Blazer" read their lives in vain. Michael Archer-Panchet I didn't know whom to send this notice I strongly believe that the monument % Steve Dixon to and I'm sorry I am late. My husband should honor only those who served in the 1000 Stevens Entry #113 Russell Newton, Medic/275, died Aug. 6, military Peachtree City, GA 30269 1997. I always would read the "Trailblazer" Jim Quinlan L/276 (Ed. note: The major reason why civil­ * President tells Since the Spring "Trailblazer" came out ians are included in the monument project with the picture of my Jeep, I have had sev­ is to entice greater donations from them. A nations thanks eral letters concerning it. I know of a few real disgrace is that Congress won't appro­ members who have WW Two vehicles and to dead veteran priate the necessary funds and that $100 was wondering if you would print some­ million must be raised from the public at A certificate over the thing in the Trailblazer asking if anyone has large. A real disgrace is that a noble effort President's signature express­ a WW Two vehicle to contact me and I will like this should be fouled by the stench of ing the country's recognition compile a list and send it back to all the Washington politics. Perhaps criticisms like of veteran's service will be group. Maybe we could start a 70th M V Jim's should be addressed to each veteran :S presented to a deceased section if enough would respond. Congress people.) veteran's next of kin or William V. Hones friends. C/276 The Veterans Administration * 2008 Bedford Place can issue such certificates Rorabaugh remembers Bossier City, Louisiana 71111 upon request. Eligible recipi­ first 70th reunion ents, or someone representir\g The "Trailblazer" article about the first them, may apply for the cer­ * tificate at any county or state reunion of 70th men 50 years ago in Pitts­ Memories serve well burgh brought back memories. I attended Veterans Service oHice. They that event along with Jim Moretti and Rich even when "adjusted" should submit proof of the Habich. Jim came from Philadelphia and Since I suffered a major coronary sev­ veteran's honorable dis­ Rich from Chicago. They came to my home eral years ago and (as you must have charge. and informed me about the reunion - of guessed by this communication) survived, President Kennedy started which I had heard nothing. My mother was I've found myself more and more con­ the program in March, 1962. thrilled by their visit; she said Jim reminded cerned with day-do-day living and what­ The program has been contin­ her of Cary Grant, the movie actor. ever the future holds, than I have with 50 ued by every succeeding At that time Pittsburgh still had street­ years ago. The past, it seems, is static and President but it has never re­ cars (now replaced by buses.) We rode them set; a great reference point when needed ceived much publicity. • 36 70th Division Assn. TRAILBLAZER to him because he was blind. He always liked to hear about different things going on. Register with VA. Lydia Newton 735 Peach St. Peckville, PA 18452 Fellman urges (Editor 's note: Notices of deaths should be sent to the Treasurer, Lou Hoger, address Just want to re-enforce message con­ years ago, such as, cold weather injuries on page 31. But any member of the Execu­ tained in the article in reference to VA ben­ are now considered responsible for periph­ tive Board will handle such notices. efits that appeared in the Spring '98 issue eral neuropathy, squamous cell carcinoma Promptness is a virtue.) (pg. 26), just received. Urge our members of the skin, arthritis, or bone changes such to register with the VA. Funding for the VA as lesions. Lord knows we served in the * is based on numbers of veterans registered. coldest conditions in memory. There are a Kious seeks brother's Even if not service connected and over the number of others - The guys should fol­ C/27 4 comrades earnings level for no cost care it pays to do low the advice given and contact a service so. It's a backup for whatever care plan you officer of any of the veterans groups, many My brother, Ross F. Kious was killed in may have and for emergency care anywhere of which have offices at the VA Hospitals action Jan. 4, 1945. He was with Company in the country. The fee for service for those and if they don't have a claim in, do it now. C, 274th in Philippsbourg. If anyone has required to pay is far below costs on the There is no cost, the VA will conduct all any type of information relative to Ross's retail market and prescriptions are $2.00 necessary medical exams to establish the brief service, I would greatly appreciate per. It's worth the paperwork involved. claim without cost to the veteran. hearing from you. A whole host of ailments are now accept­ Norm Fellman - B Co. 275th Ken Kious able as service connected that weren't a few B/275 697 Candy Blair Way Lexington, KY 40503 *

that they thus became vulnerable. We then that any victory must be victory WHY? crawled to within thirty yards of the posi­ drenched in blood. tions to a slight rise in the land that pro­ Following the mop-up, I was leading 19 1 1 tected anyone who would stay below it. It prisoners back up the hill when German Hit- n -miss pattern also kept us from gaining the initiative of 88's opened on us. I was hit in the hand by fire. Pfc. Powell, a BAR man bodily shrapnel as well as two other guards tak­ still puzzles one crawled over the knoll and opened up his ing back the captured prisoners. weapon. He vied for the initiative of fire Three out of four of us were hit and only who was missed but lost as a Heinie machine gun put al­ one of the 19 Germans was hit in the ankle. On a frigid January morning as we lay most ten slugs into his head. How do you explain that? in our foxholes, the order came down to I was on Powell's right and to my right attack in the mountains near Niederbronn. was Jack Walsh. The instant Powell was The snow was about a foot deep. The posi­ shot Jack told me to look at Powell. Just as * tion of the 3rd Platoon was on the left flank I turned my head it sounded like someone of Company I, 274, in the attack. The 1st had put my head inside a bell and hit the Happy 75th, Gene! Platoon was on the right. clapper. The bullet just parted my hair and Third platoon lead scout, Pfc. Ferner, was grazed my scalp leaving a line like you Dorothy Inzer, wife of Gene, B/274, has the first man in the company to meet resis­ would if you skinned your knee. It also come up with a super present for his 75th ' tance. When he encountered the fast firing caught the hood of my field jacket. birthday. She will pay to have 2,000 copies burst from a German machine gun, he hur­ In the base of fue, Pfc. Tyler Runkle was printed in the United States of Charles ried back to Lt. Wilson who coolly remem­ the first man hit. Shrapnel got him in the Whiting's book, "the Forgotten Army: The bering his lessons at OCS had S/Sgt. lip and the leg. Pfc. Landrey was killed by U.S. Seventh Army". She, Gene and Tom Ludwick's squad deploy as a base fue while a concussion grenade. Shrapnel got Pfc. Dickinson are honchoing the project and Sgt. Tinney was to take a group around the Kenneth Tromley in the lip and Pfc. Garrett will be taking orders at the Reunion. Whit­ enemy right flank position. The base of fue in the leg. We were suffering from these ing, an Honorary Member, will donate his was deployed at the bottom of the hill but casualties inflicted by mortars and 88's. royalties. (He has given royalties of his could not fire any closer than ten feet over Some of us feared that we might even be book "Skorzeny" to aid British veterans their heads so they moved forward to a bet­ forced to withdraw and face bitter defeat blinded in Bosnia.) If there are any profits, ter point where they could place effective on our first attempt. In this part of the as­ Dorothy is considering contributing them fue on the positions regardless of the fact sault, the situation was grim. We realized to some veterans' cause.

FALL 1998 37 10-day wonder got I was one of the first 16 enlisted men of 1945, I got discharged as an enlisted man, the 274th to get a battlefield commission. I and commissioned Second Lieutenant. I bars at Epinal was a Staff Sergeant acting as Platoon was then sent to Epinal, France, for a 10- Last night I got a phone call from Charlie Leader in Co. L. 274 in the Vosgtes Moun­ day orientation on the duties of officers Pence. He was looking for men who had tains, and my runner at Company Head­ after which I was assigned to Co. B/275, taken the OCS course at Fort Benning. I quarters came to me and said, "You are to and was with them until February 17, 1945, told him, "No, I was not a 90-day wonder report to Battalion Headquarters in 15 min­ when I was wounded outside of Lixing, from Benning; I was a 10-day wonder from utes to get a battlefield commission." 1 France. Epinal." He got a kick out of that. didn't believe him, and I didn 't pack to go. After getting out of 2nd General Hospital Charlie, Gen. Patch's son and I shared Then, Sgt. Paul Thirion came to me and in Nancy, France, I was assigned to Co. Dl a room at 2nd General Hospital at Nancy, said, "We are both to go to the Battalion 275 until I was sent back to the States and France. I got to meet the general while I Headquarters to get battlefield commis­ relieved from active duty. was there. But Charlie didn 't because he sions." By then, I believe it was true. Leonard Berry was always gone when Patch came. So at Morhange, France, on Jan. 20, L/274 and D/275

English as is spoke 'Blazers come home Attached Ack-acks The 70th ran continuous "shake-down What goes 'round, comes ' round. tours" in their territory of Occupation. They Men who came to Europe with Task lowered its guns looked for war criminals and former Nazi Force Herren were pulled out to become officials. fillers for other units who had been there in 274th support One of the 'Blazers, Cpl. Chuck earlier and had sustained high casualties An important teammate in the Saar­ Thompson, M/275, ran into an older Ger­ during the Bulge. brucken crossing was the veteran, battle­ man who said he could speak English. Came the end of the war. The 1Oth Com­ tested 443rd Anti-Aircraft Battalion. Yet Chuck's report on the conversation: bat Engineers C Battalion which was as­ few Trailblazers are aware of that. "Last night the other day while I was signed to the 70th during Occupation had The battalion had fired support in many avake in mein sleep mit something wrong many original 'Blazers in their ranks. mit mein barn. I out jump from the bed different situations in Africa, Sicily, Casino T/5 Edward Hincken of the Engineers and Anzio beachheads. It had taken part in OUT and run from the house out. I find wrote to the "Trailblazer" asking that cop­ mein horse tied loose from the stake and the D-Day assault in Southern France. But ies of the souvenir issue (the first one that runs from the stable out." at the Saar was the first time it had lowered soldiers could send back home) be made Thompson's reply was simply: available for these Trailblazers once re­ its guns for direct, close-up fire. ''Mmmmmm.'' moved. They fired 50 caliber "quads", four guns mounted together on a turret on a tracked It never rains when it pours ... vehicle. That could lay an almost solid blan­ ket oflead. About 200 yards from the river, the quads and also 40 mm guns "buttoned First liquor for EMs up" enemy pillboxes across the stream. They were so effective that elements of the 274th crossed without small-arms fire to The oh-so-good people of Washington it wound up that distribution was almost impede it. Under protection of a rolling who were determined to carry out their sol­ by the thimble-ful. barrage, the entire 3rd Battalion crossed emn obligation to keep our boys-in-service Lt. Charles Thomas, Division PX Of­ pure and wholesome, finally decided that ficer, announced that the total ration for without a single casualty. The AA men old enough to win a war might possi­ officers and men consisted of I, 100 fifths battalion's S-3 and the CO of their B Bat­ bly be capable of taking a drink of hard li­ of Scotch and 550 fifths of French gin. The tery were both wounded while scouting for quor without falling into perdition. shipment came from Brussels. Pvt. Charles positions under intense small-arms fire. So in August of 1945, the first legal ra­ Webber of the 70th Special Services helped tion of liquor for enlisted men came to the break down the batch. * ETO. Even then, privates and Pfcs were still The last previous shipment of liquor­ excluded. officers only- had three cases filled with The irrepressible "Wyoming Home just plain bricks. News and Kitchen Police Gazette", the Stateside, such liquor was selling for daily newspaper of the 274th, proclaimed $1.82 a fifth. that the rations were so small that "medi­ (Editor's note: At the time of that ship­ Straighten the record cine droppers would come in especially ment, rumors were rampant that the "Home Francis Beaton, 1/274 (Summer, handy throughout the regiment." News" staff was disciplined for criticizing 1998, page 6) was national com­ The ranks of the 70th were swollen with the liquor distribution. If any former Avant­ mander of the Disabled American Vet­ eligible non-coms. (That was because so garde man has information about this, he erans at the time he was retroactively many transferred in from other outfits to is invited to share his recollections with the commissioned and promoted to First come home with the Division.) But rations rest of us.) Lieutenant. were determined by the regular T /0 and so * 38 70th Division Assn. TRAILBLAZER Axe-head

Archives ammunition and no food. We had many Although both lived in Florida, the two taken as prisoners and had quite a few ca­ men hadn't seen each other since. Then 52 sualties. Our first stop was Saarbrucken years after, the two met at the dedication Waste not a sec where we had our first encounter with bugs. of the Fort Benning monument. Can you I was a BAR-man. imagine the emotion of that moment? I Make each count can' t. But I know it was a highlight of life T/5 Herman Brandest and Pfc. Tony * that both Trailblazers will always cherish. Pusateri of the 275th's Wire Section were Bottom of Barrel ECA caught in an artillery barrage. They dived ... sightless in site * into the ditch. There they noticed a severed The desperation of the falling Nazi re­ cable. Rather than hunker down and wait gime was illustrated by a German prisoner Wasn't easy out the firing, they repaired the cable. That captured by Company C of the 274th. They job was finished just as the barrage was. overran fortifications after crossing the but he made POW Saar. One of the machine gunners there was It wasn't easy to become a prisoner-of­ * so nearly blind that he couldn't see far be­ war during the Saarbrucken breakthrough. Fount of knowledge yond the end of his gun. He simply pointed At least for one German soldier. But with the weapon in the general direction of the Teutonic doggedness he finally made it. dispenses beer Americans and pressed the trigger every It was in a little unnamed hamlet, north Colleges and beer have a strong affinity. time he heard "Fire!" of Saarbrucken that suddenly seemed to But the 370th Medics I&E School in (Editor 's note: This was not a member have become the crossroads of military Oberbrechen, Germany had an unusually of the 6th SS Mountain Division which the might. A single bedraggled German soldier, strong bond. Trailblazers fought in the Vosges and in the left behind by the retreating main body, Two former bierstube there were part of Saarland. That was a crack unit of top­ wanted to surrender. the school's "campus". One-its taps long notch soldiers. It was "back in Germany" For three days GI convoys hustled dry - housed the library. Here were not where Hitler was conscripting boys, old through the village. On the curb he waved only the textbooks for the subjects taught men and physically disabled.) his arms frantically to surrender. But he was at the school but a full supply of recreational totally ignored. reading. * Finally the 1st Bn/274 set up its CP there. In the other barroom the taps still flowed (Who knows the name of the place?) To with good Franconian beer. And here was Ice- ugh! make sure he wasn't overlooked this time, a mess hall with white tablecloths and genu­ the soldier got the town mayor to walk with ine chinaware. In the evening it became a Ice cream - umm! him into the command post and finally music hall and was the entertainment cen­ Even in the darkest times of Army made it. He became a happy camper in a ter for the unit. life, there is always a lighter side. POW camp. One is described by Pfc Portner: We also learned how to make ice * cream. Here is the menu: Take a * Straighten record canteen cup full of clean snow, add Filling Station Dr. Edward Schiller, 570 Signal, sets plenty of sugar, then add some syn­ It was truly a "filling station", the mess the record straight in this letter: "My first thetic lemon or orange juice pow­ hall of L/274, in a German village. The wife of 4 7 years, Roselle, died in 1991. I der that comes in K-rations, mix all building they chose for their kitchen turned found a childhood friend, Evvie and we that with a can of evaporated milk, out to be a German automotive depot. So were married about five years ago. We have stir well and put in the snow to cool the cooks not only filled hungry GI stom­ moved from Santa Barbara, California, and off. You would be surprised how achs, they filled orders for tires, patches, now live at 8144 Nice Way, Sarasota, good it tastes when you feel like eat­ pumps and assorted spare parts. Florida 34238. (941) 924-984." ing ice cream. * * More enemy behind than in front of us 52 years later Have a smoke ... By CHRIS LINK, JR. It was on the cruel ridge of Falkenberg It seemed like every man in the 274th's B/275 that Sam Higgins, B/275, got a quick Company K was smoking a nice fat seegar. I was captured on the road to glimpse of his buddy, Dick Murphy. After New baby for one ofthe guys? No. One of Saarbrucken when we were cut off by the hours of torment of horrid weather, no food the men had discovered a cache of cigars 6th Mountain Division of the German and a dwindling supply of ammo, the com­ left behind by fleeing German officers. The Army. We had more Germans in back of pany was now surrounded by Germans. Its loot was quickly divvied up- and lighted us than we had in front of us . We lasted last resistance had been broken and its men up. three days in the mountains with very little marched off as prisoners-of-war. * FALL 1998 39 HEADQUARTERS Out of the wilderness ARMY GROUND FORCES Office of the Commanding General • • • Washington, D.C. D1varty JOins 21 September 1945 smaller zone SUBJECT: Letter of Appreciation Artillery units of the 70th rejoined the TO: Commanding General, outfit in mid-August, 1945, as they and 70th Infantry Division other Trailblazer units took new or smaller Occupation areas. It was part of the gen­ Strong devotion to duty permits the fighting eral reduction of the Division's territory. men of the 70th Infantry Division to stand Divarty Battalions had been in remote proudly with other courageous American areas north and east of Frankfurt since the soldiers who swept across Western Europe to end of hostilities. Now Divarty headquar­ crush Nazism and the tyranny which threat­ ters moved to Idstein and the other units ened our civilization. To these men and to went into the area south of Limburg. their gallant comrades who fell in battle, a Elsewhere the 274th relinquished the grateful Nation pays deep homage. Wiesbaden "kreis" where now much higher The Trailblazer Division is deserving of units were headquartering. The "lost terri­ praise and recognition for an impressive tory" included the plush and popular EM's combat record, highlighted by its reduction of club at Biebrich where Gis had been get­ the Bitche salient, crossing of the Saar River, ting free haircuts, tailoring and manicures capture of Saarbrucken and reduction of the and bought War Bonds by the gross. prize Saar Basin. The story of our great vic­ They didn' t do too bad in the move, tory would not be complete without the chap­ though. Regimental headquarters were in ter written by the 70th Division as it breached Bad Schawabach in the picturesque Taunus the formidable Siegfried Line defenses to Mountains. permit a junction with the Third Army. The 276th continued its headquarters in Best known for its skill and tenacity during Wetzlar and the 275th in Camberg after the bitter fighting in northeastern France moving out of the Usingen district. after von Rundstedt had launched his ill-fated The 70th and its attached units now oc­ winter drive, the 70th Division was committed cupied only five kreises compared with the to defensive positions in the line less than 13 it had previously occupied. three weeks after its arrival in France in December, 1944. Activated at Camp Adair, Oregon, on 15 June 1943, the Division moved * to Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, in July, 1943 The band played on to complete its training. ... till critics check in Although the 70th Infantry Division is now The drummer in the re-cycled "orches­ being inactivated, the heroism and self-sacri­ tra" of Headquarters Company, 3rd Bn/274 will fice of its officers and men never be (page 15, Winter '98 issue) Kenneth Grif­ forgotten. Thus, it is my privilege to join your fin adds a footnote. fellow countrymen in commending you for "It was an exceptionally quiet dark night your splendid accomplishments. in that village of Schnecken, Germany jaj JACOB L. DEVERS, when we started to play and the music got jtj JACOB L. DEVERS, louder and louder. All of a sudden, around General, USA, 11 p.m., German heavy artillery came over Commanding. and five or six rounds bounced off the, A CERTIFIED TRUE COPY: houses across the street. We all hit the floor. A. J. BARNETT Brig. Gen. GSC. It seems the Germans didn' t like our mu­ sic." no place to put new ones. Ken would like to hear from any 'Blaz­ Fate gives finger So we were put into "packets" of 500 ers who remembered the impromptu con­ twice to 'Blazer officers and men and sent back to the con­ cert. His address is 1909 Jefferson St., Por­ tinent, regardless of points, etc. I was one tage, IN 46368. By EM RAL KEMPF of those unfortunate ones and sent to L/274 Vienna, Austria and assigned to the 42nd * When the Division was de-activated in Division. Europe, I was on my way home, going to I was also called back in the Korean con­ Antwerp, Belgium for a shipment home. A flict as a Captain and served 21 months troop build-up occurred there and there was from December, 1950 to August, 1952. • 40 70th Division Assn. TRAILBLAZER LIGHT-HEARTED LIBERATOR ... The happy smile on the face of Harley Rush, 570 Signal, probably reflects a successful foray when they "liberated" needed replacement parts from an abandoned radio electronics store. Harley was jeep driver for Lt. Alex Stahl, who took this picture in February, 1945, near Grossbliederstroff. Harley recalls "The lieutenant and I thought the area had been cleared of enemy. But as we moved along, the Gis were yelling at us, 'Get down, this place is under enemy fire!'" Duck­ ing and dodging, Rush and Stahl completed their mission safely and fruitfully. Harley uncovered this photo when he was going through his WW2 "stuff' recently. * Mess hall becomes 4-star restaurant No room in the inn "Best in the ETO." for ravenous Germans That was the official rating of the enlisted men's mess of the HQ Co/276. It was made "The Wayside Inn", complete with a gramaphone that continuously played in 1945 by an inspecting officer of the 3rd S-4 inspector for the Third Army enjoyed Rock of the Man Division. waltzes and polkas, was the mess hall run a day's three meals there. He checked a 2- by Sgt. Ralph Taylor of 276th HQ Com­ The mess hall resembled a high-class page legal-sized checklist that covered ev­ European tea room. Tables for four or six pany. erything from cleanliness of the kitchen to As the line was forming for supper one were covered with dazzling white linen the ambiance of the dining room to the qual­ tablecloths. Unlike the typical combat mess evening, three Germans-two officers and ity and tastiness of the food. Then the guest an EM-came out of the woods to surren­ hall, here cream was served in actual cream handed a carbon copy to the surprised Tay­ pitchers, sugar came in real sugarbowls, der. They couldn't resist the odors of a lor. The last section was "Remarks". Said sweet-smelling menu. They may have bread on authentic bread plates. All of remarks were simply, "Best in the ETO." cream-colored ceramic. Large Chinese lan­ hoped to enjoy the fried steak of the day. It terns cast a ritzy glow over the scene. * was no-thanks, though. They were hustled Pretty maids dressed in colorfu I off to a prison encampment before the Franconian costumes brought in the first Bread and butter steaks were done. course which had been prepared by Sgt. Ralph Taylor, the mess sergeant, and his ... and bullets capable-very capable staff. Another maid As Joseph Kielar, G/274, sits down at fills your coffee cup - and keeps it filled the dinner table he has visions - not of BABIES to the brim. After the entree, yet another drumsticks or T-bones but of bullets. of the Battalions takes your dishes off for washing. Which He tells us: "During basic training at Fort you do not do yourself as in the good old Warren, Wyoming, we were fed family 1925 days. style, of course. We had to stand at the table Jack Nickerson, F/276, Feb. 19 The project came from a Taylor dream. until the mess sergeant gave the signal to Ed Kraus, F/27 4 March 14 But there was a lot of input from Cpl. sit. John Roesch, 1/274 March 30 Nathan Cooper, who spoke fluent Ger­ "One day I was awfully hungry after a man. It was he who conjured up all the 20-mile hike. At the sergeant's signal, I sat 1926 linen, china, silver and accouterments from down, grabbed the meat platter and took a William Lysak, G/274 Jan. 19 Ralph Basel, B/276 Jan. 23 the Wetzlar countryside. He also beguiled generous portion. Too generous, I guess. Ralph Sabatino, A/275 Feb. 14 all the waitresses and an orchestra to fur­ The mess sergeant yelled at me to pass my Rodney Maas, C/275 Feb. 21 nish dinner music. plate around the table instead of the plat­ Alan Hayden, C/275 Feb. 22 All expenses were paid from the pro­ ter. I felt very low and ashamed. For pun­ Woodford Hatfield, G/274 Feb. 25 ceedings of "Foam, Sweet Foam", the HQ ishment I had to clip bullets in the supply David Traum, B/274 March 7 Company's bierstube. room for two weeks after regular duty Bill Harbold, B/274 April9 The fust Gis to walk in were absolutely hours. I dream of bullets to this day, every Kenneth Cann, 1/274 April29 awed, reported Tony Yarbrough. Some time I sit down for a meal. Joe Priest, G/274 May28 were so taken that they couldn't eat. Unbe­ "I still love that mess sergeant. God says, Jack Apostoli, F/27 4 June 26 knownst to the mess sergeant, an incognito 'Love your enemies"'

FALL 1998 41 New Members

AHLCRONA, RICHARD A GRAYBILL, GEORGE D ORTMAN, DONALD L New Associate BLACKMAR, Charles B. 640 North J&O Dr 1934 NE 9th St 818 N Western Hill s Dr Members 612 Hobbs Rd Baxter, MN 56425 Ocala, FL 35570-6114 Kankakee, IL 60901-4746 Jefferson City, MO 65109-1075 C/270 Eng-Margery Lou C/274-Lorraine K/275-Rita Marie CLARY, Sharon G/274-Jeanne Phone: 218-825-3904 Phone: 352-629-1675 Phone: 12010 SE Regal Ct Phone: Clackamas, OR 97015 AHLCRONA, ROBERT E HANSON , ERICK RATLIFF, EARL G (daughter of Myron Meehan CAMFIELD, joe B. 9233 West 22nd Ln 4730 N. Hamblin 6509 W. Franklin Med 2ndBn 274) 111 Garner Adell Rd St. Louis Park, MN 55426- Flagstaff, AZ 86004 Richmond, VA 23228 Weatherford, TX 76088-7189 2305 HQ/275- -?-Jewell FISHER, Carl E 1/275- C/2 70 Eng-Betty Phone: Phone: 6710Sl2lstWAve Phone: 817-325-3521 Phone: 612-545-5048 Safu lpa, OK 74066 HOVERSTEN , STANLEY T SCHILLER, EDWARD H (nephew of John Anderson CASSIDY, Fred). BENDER, SHELDON L 21 062 George Brown Ave 8144 Nice Way D/276) 1368 Colonial Dr 295 Heron Dr Riverside, CA 92518 Sarasota, FL 34238 Roseville, MN 55113-4242 Melbourne Shores, FL 32951 N275 570 Signal-Evelyn GIER, Daniel J G/274-Vivian E/274-Ruth Phone: Phone: 941-924-8984 1005 State Phone: 612-636-4750 Phone: 407-676-2911 Charleston, MO 63834 IANNACONE, AL SMITH, LOUIS B (son of Lawrence Gier COMUNTZIS, C. "Gus" BONACCORSI , ALFRED F 5 Locust Ln St. Rose Loretto Rd N275 FA) 125 Sherman Ave. 118 Summer St Westport, CT 06880 Springfield, KY 40069 Morgantown, WV 26501 Bedford, MA 02155-4460 C/275- G/274-Josephine MEEHAN, Randy SV/275-Dorothy B/275-Libera Phone: 203-227-1389 Phone: 606-336-7401 22022 Ganager Phone: 304-292-2714 Phone: Grand Terrace, CA 92313 JENSEN , NORMAN G STEWART, ROBERT (son of Myron Meehan CRAWFORD. Ralph). BRANCHIERI, GERALD 101 Ocean Vista 8 Abernathy Ct. Med 2ndB n 274) 5220 Brittany DrS #802 2798 Teakwood Dr Newport Beach, CA 92660 Highlands Ranch, CO 80126 St. Petersburg, FL 33715 No. Ft. Meyers, FL 33917 HQ/70- E276-Mary VASQUEZ, David C/275-Leonie -Harriet Phone: 949-759-1388 3401 Craigview Ave Phone: 813-866-7866 Phone: 941-997-7304 THOMAS, LEWIS D Los Angelese, CA 90066 KELLY, THOMAS R 22395 E US 136 (son of Angel Vasquez DEMSICH, Marcus A. CAMPINI , ELWOOD 1335 Oakdale #1 08 Bethany, MO 64424 Hq/275 7 Parkview St (WOODY) West St. Paul, MN 55118 F/276-Adda Frankenmuth, M l 48734-1221 1440 Main St F/276- Phone: 660-425-6031 WYKA, Eugene D G/275-Eieanor Livingston, CA 95334 Phone: 651-453-1701 4 DeMarchis Dr Phone: 517-652-4919 HQ/276-IIIa VASQUEZ, ANGEL Shelton, CT 06489 Phone: 209-394-2451 KOHN , JOSEPH 1 0900 Arleta Ave (son of Eugene Wyka FOULSTON, Sidney, L. Jr. #9 Sumac Ln Mission Hills, CA 91345 D/275 KIA) 625 S Armour St CROFT, E.F., Ladue, MO 63124 HQ/275-Susie Wichita, KS 6720 316 W. Inverness Blvd Medid3 Bn/274- Phone: 818-365-7293 B/274- Inverness, FL 34452 Phone: 314-997-5764 Roster Changes Phone: 31 6-686-9231 1/2 74-E ifr iede VERRONE, LOUIS Phone: 352-637-3 153 KOWALCHUK, CHARLES 1 Oceans W Blvd #11 A 1 ARCHER, George T FRANKEL, William E. RR 2, Box 294A3 Datna Bc h Sr, FL 32 11 8 1200 W. Pine St Apt 62 6700 Appleton Ave #214 DONAHUE, FRANCIS J Thompson, PA 18465 HQ/1 Bn/276- Benton, AR 72015-4060 Milwaukee, W I 53216 177 Summer St K/275-Mary Phone: 904-761-0855 C/274-Lois H/274-Grace Framingham, M 01701 Phone: 717-727-2135 Phone: 501-794-4828 Phone: 414-442-8222 70 Recon-Ciaire Phone: LANGSTON , VERL AUSTIN, Cecil A GREEN, Ruben) . 440 North 500 West 616 Aza lea Cr 26 Langdon Rd GONZALES, ERNEST C Richfield, UT 84701-2048 Forney, TX 75126 Burl ington J 08016-2922 400 S. Broadway PL /Ill 02 AT/275- HQ/882 FA-Rosa N276-llsedora Tucson, AZ 85710 Phone: 801-896-5525 Phone: 972-564-4390 Phone: 690-877-3061 B/884 FA- Phone:

c 0 ·c;; :~ c 0 0.2 c.: ;;....~ < ... ·- 0 -c v0 =w ~ i= c< ~ u ..r::: w X 0 w -"' 42 70th Division Assn. TRAILBLAZER HOLSBERRY, W illiam M. ROGERS, George W. VARGO, Alexander Associate Member GIBBS, Mrs. Neal 2633 Oakland lndn Dr #8 9505 Baird Rd, 21680 Quail Ridge Dr N Changes 14751 112th Ave NE Walnut Creek, Shreveport, LA 71118-3913 Wyandotte, M l 48192-8450 Kirkland, WA 98034 CA 94595-3019 N2 7 4-Patricia H/274-Faye BEAVER, Mrs. john D H/2 7 4-Barbara Phone: 318-631-8561 Phone; 1527 First St #209 OFTEDHAL, Mrs. Lawrence Phone: 510-837-3759 Coronado, CA 9211 8 1735 - 320th Ave SELZER, jack H. WOOD, Robert L janesville, MN 56048 JONES, William H. 111 S 16th Ave # 513 PO Box 423 CRAWFORD, Ralph C 5350 Mary Fellows Ave Longport, Nj 08403-1 050 Cason, TX 75636 1016 SWayne TABLER, Mrs. Marget La Mesa, CA 92159-1327 G/274-Eieanor N276- Arlington, VA 22204-443 2911 SE Village Loop #16 G/275- Phone: 609-822-0528 Phone: 903-645-3628 Vancouver, WA 89683 Phone: SMYERS, Delbert J. McKEOWN, Harry l. 45-090 Namoku St. #1306 800 Thomas Ct. Apt 3 Kaneoh~ H I 96744-5316 Winchester, VA 22601 N274-Eieanor HQ/275-Virginia Phone: 808-236-0240 Phone: 540-662-8703

BALLARD, BRYCE S. YOUKERS, ALBERT C. 1019 Highland Dr GIRTON1520 N 300, ROBERT W 141 Victor Rd. Elko, NV 89801 T:APS Butler, PA 16001 ~~~~hester, IN 47394 HQ/70 * * E/274 Died: 11 /03/97 Died: 12/ 15/97 Died: 1996

BEALOR, HARRY J. HENSLEY, JOSEPH M . ZANOLLI, STEL VIO W. 185 Chapman Ave 8213 Old Oaks Dr. MORRILL, KEITH S. SCHILLER, CLAU DE E. 247 orth Ave. P.O. Bx "8" Landsdowne, PA 19050 Springfield, VA 22152 7400 Crestway #1401 4213 Gingerwood Dr. Washington, PA 14301 K/274 1/275 San Antonio, TX 78239 Louisville, KY 40220 D/276 Died: 07/08/96 Died: 06/26/97 270 Eng C/276 •• •• Died: 05/3 1/98 BRADY, KENNETH P. KIRKPATRICK, THOMAS E. 84950 Echol Rd #36 611 Silverside Rd. NEWTON RUSSELL A. SCHOENEMAN, RICHARD C. LIFE MEMBERS Thermal, CA 92274 Wilmington, DE 19809 735 Peach St. 21401 jean Ave. F/275 B/884 FA Peckvil le, PA 18452 Matteson, IL 60443 AHLCRONA, Richard A. Died: 06/03/98 Died: 12/05/97 Medic/275 HQ/276 C/270 Eng Died: 08/06/97 Died: 03/11 /98 BROOME, JAMES M. JR. LAYCOCK, JAMES G. AHLCRONA, Robert E. 208 Lamplighter Ln 3400 W. Washington #40 OUTLAND, HOMER SEROKA, LEO A. C/270 Eng Mt. Holly, NC 28120 Springfield, IL 62707 Rt. 5, Box 1160 2841 Van Dyke Rd. B/274 HQ/883 FA Murray, KY 42071 Decker, Ml 48426 BROWN, Paul A. Died: 04/23/98 Died: 07/18/95 C/275 G/274 HQ/2 Bn/275 •• Died: 04/16/98 CHILDERS, THOMAS R. LUCKIE, WILLIAM l. CAMPINI, El wood (Woody) 847 S Kansas Ave 89 Middle Rdg PELTON, FRANK B. WISDOM, GEORGE HQ/276 Hastings, E 68901 ew Canaan, CT 06849 1261 Falling Brook SE Box 546 C/276 HQ/274 Kentwood, Ml 49508 Poplar Bluff, MO 63901 HOVERSTEN, Stanley T. Died: 02/01/98 Died: OS/ /97 SV/275 SV/883 FA N725 Died: 06/17/98 Died: 5/21/98 GALLAHAN, HERBERT A. LOWTHER, HOMER B. 202 Opequon Dr. Virginia MUM, Howard W . SCHAEFFER, WILLIAM F. WATSON, WINFORD E. M/275 Kearneysville, WV 25430 G/275 Lea Rd. Malvern, AR U275 Died: 1986 orth Branford, CT 06471 Died: 11 /65 SZMANSKY, Ed ward Died: 05/15/98 H/275 HQ/3 Bn/274 Died: 06/18/98

FALL 1998 43 ********ALL FOR AOC 55538 S13 PB KYCEK. LEONARD W HQ/38N/2759898 NON-PROFIT 41 5 E Ht~t.JTHORNE ST ORGANIZATION ALBERT LEA NN 56007- 2277 U.S. POSTAGE 70th Division Assn. PERMIT- 1310 Louis Hoger RICHMOND, VA. 5825 Horton Street Mission, KS 66202 Forwarding and Return Postage Guaranteed and Address Correction requested

IN THE ARMY PHOTO ALBUM ... The 70th Infantry Division is given a prominent spot on a center spread of "Soldiers" magazine that marked the 223rd birthday of the United States Army. One of the eight pictures shows a Trailblazer break­ ing into a house in search of German troops who had been sniping on the advancing 70th men. The picture is a Signal Corps photo and, unfortunately, is not in the "Trailblazer" files. The layout has a photo from the Civil War, World Wars I and II and Vietnam.