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Zeigen Sie znir dos Haus Je voudrais manger Taaygen Zee meet class Howse Juh voo-dray main-jay Show me the house Daily Newspaper of U.S. Armed Forces in the European Theater of Operations I want to eat VOL 5 No. 45—Id. SATURDAY, Dec. 23, 1944 Attack Slows Germans From the S & S to You Who Make Us, We Say Nazis Say Patton Hits On Left An indication of Gen. Eisenhower's strategy to smash Field Marshal Gerd von Rundstedt's great winter offensive into Belgium and Luxem- burg came last night from German News Agency, which interrupted its pro- gram with a "flash" that Lt. Gen. George S. Patton's Third Army had struck on the Nazis' left flank and succeeded in slowing down the drive into the First Army's lines. There was no confirmation at SHAEF of this enemy report, only hinted at in previous German broadcasts, which claimed that the Americans were hitting at both flanks of the Nazi penetration along a 60-mile front stretching from Belgium to southern Luxemburg. Telling of the fighting, German News Agency said: "A particularly grim struggle is being waged on the southern flank, where the German spearheads, heading southwest, had to defend them- selves against increasingly furious counter-attacks by several divisions of the U.S. 3rd Army." Dispatches from the 21st Army Group HQ had disclosed earlier that the Ger- mans' deepest penetration of the lines was 40 miles, but did not mention a specific area. Thursday's reports, however, had told of a drive to Habiemont, south- east of the Allies' communications center of Liege. Last night's dispatches said the There ure no festive sentiments st German push had been appreciably Christmas among Allied troops fighting stowed in fighting on Thursday and grimly on the Western Front. But on yesterday. two continents behind the front token Rundstedt has already cut the chief homage is paid to the Yule season for lateral supply road in eastern Belgium, the children of Allied nations. Upper and military commentators speculated left, in England, Pat, a war orphan that the purpose of his counter-offensive adopted by the U.S. Army PX London was to set up a winter line along the branch, is fed chocolate pudding by Sgt. six Meuse, northwest of the salient which Harrison Fillingen, orPensacola, Fla., at reached Habiemont by noon Tuesday. a Christmas party for British war orphans. Lower center, in America. Weather Boon to Foe John (Putty) Powell, his classmates and Weather conditions have served kids like them all over the U.S. mall A New Shining Sou for Flatbush Rundstedt's ,purposes„ The front has their letters to Santa Claus. Lower been shrouded for days in swirling fog, right, on the Continent, St. Nick greets Reds Open New which harried Allied fighter-bombers •a tiny at a Christmas party given the from carrying out destructive forays. children of Luxemburg by U.S. soldiers. Nazi in GI Attire Foxes Yesterday, with the weather clearing Upper right, through the pen of artist Drives-Berlin somewhat, Allied tactical fliers made more Milt Caniff, creator "Terry" and "Miss Two new Russian offensives, which ap- than 100 sorties on the northern sector, Lace," The Stars and Stripes extends its peared to be the opening of Marshal All but Brooklyn Medic following up British heavy bomber blows greetings to all its readers in the U.K. Stalin's winter drive on the eastern front, By Hal Boyle against Cologne and Bonn on Thursday were launched yesterday, Berlin disclosed, night. one aimed at the Nazi stronghold in Associated Press Correspondent German broadcasts said Rundstedt's Vignette of War Latvia and the other pointed toward NEAR STAVELOT, Belgium, Dec. 21 (delayed) (AP)—Like all other troops in the northern area were 35 miles Austria between Lake Balaton and the soldiers, Capt. Fordyce Gorham, of Coudersport, Pa., had been warned to from Namur, which, like Liege, is on Danube. watch for enemy troops or spies in American garb, but, busy with battlefield the Meuse, and about 60 miles from ne Found Brussels. The German commentator, Col. von problems, he noted only that the jeep which stopped near him had four Hammer, admitted some Russian pene- With the most northern prong of their occupants, all in U.S. uniforms, one dressed as a captain, the other three His Lost trations in the Latvian sector after Soviet drive blunted by veteran U.S. units, the forces, 27 divisions strong, supported by as privates, wearing sweaters and carrying main enemy effort appeared now to be r21st BOMBER COMMAND HQ, heavy artillery and air action, struck rifles and carbines. in the St. Vith area, south of Malmedy. Saipan, Dec. 22 (AP)—When one of his against the German Northern Army "I am from Corps," said the St. Vith itself was said to be ,still in Superforts failed to return from a recent Corps, estimated at 30 divisions, trapped strange officer, whose bars were on a 100 B29s Bomb American hands. night strike against Nagoya (Japan), Lt. in the Baltic. Von Hammer also claimed mackinaw. "I am looking for my tanks. Battles in this general area were said Col. Robert Haynes, unit commander, the attack was halted by German guns. How are things going?" to have cost ►he Germans 55 tanks, received permission to conduct a search Jap Home Isle smashed by U.S. armor and tank- On the Hungarian front the Russians "All fouled up," muttered Gorham. for it. After a half-hour's talk, during which destroyers. Basing his course largely on luck and a were said to have thrown ten divisions Up to 100 Saipan Superforts, carry- Some reports told of German tanks into the battle to close the backdoor to he grubbed a cigarette and cheered Gor- good hunch Haynes found the survivors ham with "news" that Lt. Gen. George S. ing greater individual loads than pre- having been stranded when the enemy aboard rafts half an hour after he started Budapest. Berlin reported powerful Red viously, hit industrial targets yesterday failed to capture needed oil supplies, the thrusts along the railway line from Buda- Patton had broken through with four searching. There were ten members of divisions, the stronger drove away. on Honshu, main Jap island, the War Yanks having moved back these supplies the lost bomber aboard the rafts, all un- pest to Szekesfehervar, 17 miles south- Department announced at Washington. before the enemy reached them. west of the Hungarian capital. Later, Pvt. Theodore Watson, a medic, injured. Two others of the crew had standing in a farmhouse as U.S. tank- Tokyo radio, identifying the areas struck An American staff officer said casual- drowned. Von Hammer said the Latvian drive as Nagoya and Osaka, war-production ties were considered light in view of the indicated "a large-scale counter-offensive destroyers moved up to engage an enemy Haynes circled over the rafts for three tank, spotted two jeeps on the move. centers, said ack-ack guns and "body- vast scale of the battle. German claims hours until the men were rescued by a in the near future," coinciding with an crashing tactics of interceptors" brought were that 25,000 Allied troops had been AP report from Washington that Russia When they halted, the quartet which destroyer. Gorham had seen alighted from one and down ten B29s out of the several forma- made prisoners and that figures for killed had promised the Allies a powerful blow tions which flew over. and wounded were greater. at the heart of Germany from the East. four others, also in U.S. uniforms, got Bagnacavallo Falls An Associated Press dispatch from High Washington officials, however, said out of the second, Chungking quoted Chinese sources as e- Canadian troops, in a two-day battle, that any announcement of a full offensive Watson, a wary Brooklynite, heard one have captured Bagnacavallo, one of the must come from Stalin. of the men call to another in a German porting that the laps recently conscripted British Are Faced key points in the German defense of the Moscow followed accent. His suspicions confirmed, Wat- laborers in northern China to help rrowe its usual practice of factories from Japan to Manchuria to Po Valley, Allied HQ in Italy announced remaining silent on new offensives until son jumped out of his position and called With New Call-Up yesterday. several days after they had started. to doughboys in nearby foxholes: protect her factories from U.S. raids. "They're Germans!" Britain's first special call-up of the war The strangers began running for the Fighters Fly from Mindoro and a shift of certain personnel from the Mars Won—but He Lost, Too German lines. "Shoot them—they're Allied fighter planes are now operat- Royal Air Force, the Navy and Army Germans," cried Watson. ing from bases on Mindoro, Gen. service units into line duty, bolstering But because the fleeing men wore MacArthur announced yesterday, one British ground forces with 250,000 re- Death Got 1 of 2 GI Buddies, American uniforms, the doughboys hesi- week after the island was invaded. placements, were announced last night at tated. They fired just as the eight men Although there was no ground activity 10, Downing St., Prime Minister reached the woods, wounding one of the on Mindoro, Jap air strikes against the Churchill's official residence. But the Bond Couldn't Be Killed Germans and two American soldiers Allies increased, 29 enemy planes raiding The steps were taken, the announce- nearby. All the Germans escaped. ground installations. Eleven were ment said, "in order to sustain and nourish A FRONT EVACUATION HOS- Answering an urgent call for help, the knocked down, our Army in the line." PITAL, Inside Germany, Dec. 22 (UP) medic sergeant and half a dozen stretcher- —They were buddies, these 23-year-old bearers went up through heavy and un- sergeants, one a medic and the other a relenting mortar fire and brought back S & S Goes Into Limbo doughboy, and both had served with the 15 wounded and six dead. For a Two-Day Holiday same armored infantry regiment for three Learning his friend was among those Turn It Into Victory—Ike I No editions of The Stars and Stripes years, seeing action from Africa to in the building, ►he medic sergeant got SHAEF, Dec. 22 (UP)—Gen. Eisenhower issued today an order of the day Germany. his CO's permission to go back and will 'be published on Christmas Day pr to all Allied troops. The text follows: This is the story of their friendship, search for him. Boxing Day (Dec, 26), because civilian "The enemy is making his supreme effort to break out of the desperate plight told by a medical captain, who asked He found his friend, dead, under a mechanical and pressroom staffs at The into which you forced him by your brilliant victories of the summer and the that the names be withheld. pile of nibble 20 yards from the building. Times, London, which publishes this fall. He is fighting savagely to take back all that you have won and is using In combat each had always looked out With the aid of another soldier he brought paper, will not be working. Publica- every treacherous trick to deceive and kill you. for the other. The medic inquired from the body to, an empty room in the shell- tion of The Stars and Stripes will be "He is gambling everything, but already in this battle your gallantry has done the other doughboys where his friend's torn house that served as an aid station. resumed with the edition of Wednes- much to foil his plans. In the face of your proven bravery and fortitude, he outfit was in action ; his buddy advised He wiped away the clotted blood, set the day, Dec. 27. will completely fail. the medic the best-covered routes to reach broken hones and dressed the dead ser- The American Forces Network and "But we cannot be content with his mere repulse. the wounded. geant in one of his own clean uniforms. Allied Expeditionary Forces station "By rushing out from his fixed defenses, the enemy may give us the chance to Mopping up in Merzenhauscn, Ger- He picked up the phone. will be on the air continuously from turn his great gamble into his worst defeat. many, the doughboy sergeant's squad "There's a dead soldier at the dis- 8 AM to 11 PM on Christmas and "I call upon every man of all the Allies to rise now to new heights of courage, sought shelter in a brick building from pensary," he told the captain. "He Boxing Days. Hourly news broadcasts of' resolution and of effort, Let everyone hold before him a single thought—to mortar fire. The house was booby- always lived clean. I always want to have been scheduled by both to assure destroy the enemy on the ground, in the air, everywhere—destroy him. trapped and a terrific explosion blew out remember him peaceful and quietly at coverage of world, home and sports "United in this determination, and with unshakeable faith in the cause for one wall. rest." news over the holiday. which we fight, we will, with God's help, go forward to our greatest victory."

Page 2 THE STARS AND STRIPES Saturday, Dec. 23, 1944

THE STARS AND STRIPES ?).Printed at The Times Publishing Company. Ltd.. or U.S. Armed forces. under auspices of The /ash Mcilvivs To Every Mom, From Every 0 a Xmas Wish aformation and Education Division. Special and I information Services, ETOUSA. Contents passed by the U.S. Arms and Navy censors; subscription 26 shillings per year p1,,., We understand that Hitler's famed = ostage. ETO edition. Entered as second class matter Mar. 15. 1943. at the post office, New "Festung Europa" has been renamed LuAlltoyil York. N.Y.. under tke Act of Mar. 3. 1879. All "Festering Europa." material appearing In this publication has been Larit.b. tro.. written and edited by uniformed members at the ;4 Army and Navy except where stated that a civilian or other outside source is bestir quoted. Who said that? What has a corporal C lutaeCrs-APLA, 14‘,1-3A (tau allat gatorial office—The Times. Printing Home Sa., to be so proud about? He's just a non- London. EC3 (Tel. Can. 2000). Business and com with two stripes on him. wud -to zuvit that 1.0t cuttt a circulation offices-17 Upper Brook St.. London, WI (Tel. ETOUSA 54,6). District Offitea: * * * mintaa 11.14 11. Wadi t Bedford 2184; Swindon 3424; Sutton Cabinet!) The scene is a court martial conducted —Four Oaks 268. by the Nazis. "You, the accused, have GI Mit laYrYt2tai (a.tritik U.41, 14C1-01 • Vol. 5, No. 45, December 23, 1944 called our Fuehrer an idiot. You are to .`u Aga/. 3cstat.keau?", 4015

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Gott t 41 Ott. Cirrtai5 11443 NOTE: Lack of space forces us to limit fiertil.1.4Watt Alt C k.tatimo..e,nwl all letters published to not more than 200 words.—Ed. e_ ka,aStnc..a.4 Hospital Visits G (10( Dec. 1, 1944 T' the B-Bag: I would like to visit a hospital. thereby guilty of three crimes. You have especially during the holiday season, but indulged in enemy propaganda; you have 1 am at a loss as how to go about it. Can libelled the head of the Reich ; and you you help me out? have betrayed a military secret." (Your APO will locate the nearest hos- * * pital,•where Red Cross personnel will help Overheard in a bistro. "I was really to arrange a visit.—Ed.] ashamed when I heard that our ack-ack outfits were getting their ammunition in "We Never See Our Casualties" the flak market." * * * Dec. 5, 1944 Front-line humor. Pvt. Bernard To the B-Bag: Lansky sez his buddy rolls cigarettes that Not so long ago you printed an article are just like a popular brand—Camels. written by gentlemen who had returned His even have the humps. to the States and discovered things a bit * * * awkward from the servicemen's point of Signs of the times. Sgt. Milbourne view. inasmuch as I had been overseas Christopher, magician in the GI show for almost years, I thought I should "Broadway in Khaki," sez it has become like to know my wife's reaction to this so difficult to get paper -for his torn-paper article and sent it to her. In her reply trick in the show that he is currently I circled in ink three paragraphs which using old German marks, I believe important: * * * "We never see our casualties, our tanks Bob Hope's definition of an Army smouldering, our dead lying unburied, our captain: "A uniform with two chips on ships sinking, our sailors floundering in each shoulder." burning petrol, our planes going down in flame. Shed a tear in your beer for Pfc Joseph "We only see the enemy. We arc taught T. Joseph. In the first four Christmas There are four gold stars on Mrs. Albert to ridicule the enemy. We arc told that packages he received the contents were Borgstrom's service flag today, but it he is weak, we see how weak he is by the in order: A can of Spam, a can of beans, will be a proud and happy Christmas one-sided pictures of the war. We are a jar of honey and almond cream, a first- OCTS for her nevertheless. Because with her told that such and such an engagement aid kit (and he's a medic). this Christmas, at her home in Tremon- was fought with little casualties .. . how * * * ton, Utah, will be her fifth son—the can we tell what little means. Accord- After several seconds of concentration one blue star on her flag—who has just ing to how many men took part it may in the realm of serious drama a Pfc been given an honorable discharge from mean hundreds, it may mean thousands. whose initials are CKC has evolved a the Marines after his four brothers had "Look at Leyte, we're told 'the Jap dialogue in two languages that captures Doughboy been killed in action. The letter (upper Navy is crushed,' and 'an invasion at the essence of romance, of exhilaration, We value life who know uncertainty, left), we're sure, expresses to Mrs. the Japs lose Borgstrom, as well as to every American Leyte,' no resistance,' of life itself: Who see the greedy winds of death their whole garrison,' they're being He: "We?" mother, GI Joe's sentiments at this time. starved out' . . . and we have to wait She: "Oui." sweep by, until some annoyed Navy official He: "Whee!" We see our friends embrace eternity belches forth anger at the Americans * * * And know there but for grace of God because of their optimism . . . he tells Advice to parents of fond offspring. F I Holiday Programs us the Japs are everywhere on the island, A pat on the back develops character— am I. , it will take months to clear them out, re- inforcements were landed . . . we have We clutch the ground as fragments lash American Forces Network—With the AEF 0925—Music from America. to wait until the Army or Navy 1000—Headlines—Christmas Stocking. about us ; on the Road to Berlin 1030—Strike up the Band. gets ready to actually tell us what's going 1100—Headlines—Home News from the U.S.A. On Your Dial on, and then it's only given out to slap Then all is silent save the fading cries 1105—Duffle Bag. 1375 kc. 1402 kc. 1411 kc. 1420 kc. 1447 kc. Of those who go to rendezvous without 1200—World News. optimism down. 218.1m. 213.9m. 212.6m. 211.3m. 201.3m. 1205—Du01e Bag. "It seems to me that it's just as much us, 1300—Headlines--Sports News. up to the servicemen to understand how Saturday, Dec, 23 1305—Christmas Command Performance. But still we coax our palsied limbs to rise. 1515—Headlines—Music. little we are told, and know, and under- .1200—World News, 1530—On the Record. stand . . . as it is for us to understand 1205—Duffle Bag. 1630—Juggler of Notre Dame. And pass the boy who used to play— i300—.Headlines—Sports News. 1700—Headlines—Showtime with Marilyn Max- how to treat returning vets. There has 1305—Grand Old Opry. wen. to be a half-way measure somewhere. remember? 1330—Yanks Radio Edition. 1715—Village Store with loan Davis and Jack ."—T 14 Thomas V. Owen, Port Hq. 1400—Headlines—Downbeat with Sonny Dunham. Haley. . . The blues of Basin Street with loving 1430—Kollege of Musical Knowledge with Phil 1740—Novelty Time. hands, 1750—Mark up the Map. 1500-14acaudiffnes—American Dance Band (Sgt. 1755—American Sports Ncws. 'We Were There' But now as shortening days admit Ray McKinley). 1800—World News, Dec. 12, 1944 1530—On the Record. 1805—Canadian Band of the AEP. December 1630--Strike up the Band. 1830—British Band of the AEF. To the-B-Bag: He lies forever far from native lands. 1700—Headlines—Concert Hell. 1900—Headlines—American Band of the AEF. The other day we read where the Army 1715—Miss Parade. 1930—Three Band Roundup. Is going to send 19-year-old youths into 1745—Hawaiian Serenade. 2000—Headlines—Combat Diary. And there are others weathered. chaste, 1755—American Sports News. 2015—Fred Waring Christmas Show. the front lines. if administered often enough, young 1800—World News. 2030--Christmas Show. The two of us are 19, and not much profane, 1805—Mark up the Map. 2100—World News. enough and low enough. 1810—Your State. 2105—Top Ten with the RAF Orchestra and Beryl over it, and we'd like to know who thinks * * * Who left, for better realms, this vale of 1815—Glenn Miller Sextette. Davis. that there are none of us up there? Comment by Lt. N. S. Rosengarten: sorrow; 1830—Chamber Music Society of Lower Basin 2135—Duffy's Tavern. We don't mind too much being up Street. 2200—Headlines—Home News from the U.S.A. "I see by your paper that the army is 194Z—Headlines—Top of the Evening, 2205—Listen Characters. there, but we want people to know that But still we huddle 'neath the snow and testing a plane that may dwarf the 1915—Music from the Movies, 2300—Final Edition. we have been there all along.—Two rain 2000—Headlines—Combat Diary. 2305—Sign off until 0755 hours Tueaday. Dec. 26. Superfort. What will the new plane be 2015—At Ease. Armored Infantry Pvts. called—super-duper fort, perhaps?" And pray to God to let us see tomorrow. 2030—Frank Morgan. .1. C. W. Pfc Loren L. Mork. 2100—World News. Tuesday, Dec. 26 2105—SaturdaY Niaht Serenade. 0755—Sign On—Program Resume; Headache 2130—All Time Hit Parade. 08110—Headlines—Combat Diary. Dec. 13, 1944 2200—Headlines—Home News from the U.S.A. 0815—Personal Album. PRIVATE BREGER 221)5—Xavier Cugat. 083(i—Dance Music. To the B-Bag, 2230—Jubilee. 0900—World News. I think your paper is swell but it has 2300—Final Edition, 0965—Music in the Modern Manner. caused the perSonnel of this Post 2305—Sign off until 0755 hours, Sun., Dee. 24. 0925—Music America Loses Best. 1630—Headlines—Morning After (Duffy'a Tavern). Exchange plenty of headaches, and I 1030—Strike up the Band. suppose that we aren't the only PX either. Sunday, Dec. 24 1100—Headlines—Home News from the U.S.A. 1105—Duffle Bag. Here is the gripe. Cigarettes arc now 0755—Sign On—Program Resume. 1200—News. to be sold. In your paper you had this 0800—Headlines—Music for Sunday. 1205—Duffle Bag. 0830—USAAF Band. printed fully a week before we got official 0900—World News. 1300—Headlines—Sports News. I305—NBC Symphony. order to sell cigarettes. O.K., right away 0905—Music by Charlie Barnett. 1400--Headlines—Visiting Hour. aren't we getting 0925—Family Hour. 1500—Headlines--German Lesson. we start hearing, "Why. 1000—.Headlines—Radio Chapel. 1505—Strike up the Band. seven packages of cigarettes?" Our 1030—AEF Radio Weekly. ansWer is, "We must have orders to sell." 1100--Headlines—Horne News from the U.S.A. 1530—On the Record. 1105—Morning After (Jubilee). 16a5--Saludos Amigos. Their reply, "Why it is in The Stars and 1700—Headfines--Melody 1135—Combined Orchestraticms. Roundup. Stripes, so it must be true." Well, the 1200—News. 1715--Canada Guest Show. 1210—WAC's Works. 1755—Amencan Sports News. funny -part is that we can't let them have 1800—World News. don't 1225—Sports. them until we are notified to, and 1 1230—Canadian Navy Show. 1805—Mark up the Map. mean by your paper. 1300—Headliner—Atlantic Spotlight. 1810—G1 Supper Club. Another thing: We have a certain day 1330—Sammy Kayc's Sunday Serenade. 1900—Headlines—GI Journal. 1400—Headlines—Music from the Pacific. 1930—Here's to Romance. 10110-11.eadlines—Combat Diary. out of every two weeks to draw supplies, 1425—Anne Shelton. thus we can hardly give unless we have 1455—Basketball Scores. 2015—All Sad Sack and 40 Q.Ms. 2100—World News. them to sell. But on top of that comes 1500—Headlines—Nationel Barn Dance. 1530—Carnival of Music. 2105—Charlie McCarthy. our little headache. The men think that 1600—Headlines—New York Philharmonic 2135—Dinah Shore Show. it is our fault that they don't get cigarettes. Orchestra. 2200—Headlines—Home News from the U.S.A. 2205—Listen Characters. So we have words with the men and we 1700—Headlines—Christmas Carols. 1715—AEF 2300—Final Edition. have a hell of a time trying to explain 1750—American Sports Roundup. 2305—Sign off until 0755 hours, Wed., Dec. 27. that it isn't our fault. . . . 1800—World News. Hell, fellows, have a heart, i haven't 1805—Mark up the Map. Wednesday, Dec. 27 a friend in the outfit. Also, why don't 1815—Andre Koslelanetr. 1845—Raymond Scott. 0755—Sign On—Program Resume. you put in a few dark things that might 1900—.Headlines—Jack Benny Show. 0800—Headlines—Combat Diary. help us out, such as no back rations will 1930—Hit Parade with Mark Warnow's Orchestra 0815—Personal Album. and Frank Sinatra. 083(5—Music in the Modem Manner. be drawn on tobacco, cigarettes or cigars. 2000—Headlines—Christmas Command Perform- 0900—World News, As I type this, I can hear a customer ance. 0905—Song Time. giving one of the clerks hell because she 2215—Headlines—Horne News front the U.S.A. 0925—Music from Canada. 2220—Music by Percy Faith. 1000—Headlines—Morning After (Major Glenn couldn't get cigarettes when sbe was 2230—Suspense. Miller). supposed to. 2300—Final Edition. 1030—Strike up the Band. ) have been in the PX for nearly a 2305—Sign off until 0755 hours, Monday, Dec. 25. 1100—Headlines--Home News from the U.S.A. 1105—Duffic Bag. year and this isn't the first time this has Monday, Dec. 25 On the Continent listen to your favorite AFN happened. If this letter was printed maybe programs over the it would help some of the men of the 0755—Sign On—Program Resume. v,vc FE.%7V111:5811.:1•11.• It. , 1114.1IT. REM:RVK. Allied Expeditionary Forces Program: 0800—Headlines—Combat Diary. 514m. detachment and the patients to realize 0815—Dinati Shore Christmas Card. 583 kc. that it isn't our fault all the time.—A 0830—Music in the Modern Manner. Also shortwave: 6.195mg. (49m. band) between friendless PX clerk, Sta. Hosp. " Si-i-i-i-iient night. . ." 0900—Headlines—Song Time. 0800 and 1900 hours.

Counter-Offensive: The Big Gamble Germany, Back to the Wall, Digs in Warweek Russian Girl Tells Tale of Tyranny Saturday, Dee. 23, 1944 in An All-Out Effort To Stop ;Yank Drive, Germans Turn To COMMUNITY DIGGING

By Jack Caldwell Warweek Staff Writer

OMEWHERE IN GERMANY—Germany has reverted to a country of S fortified villages as Schickelgruber throws in his all in a desperate bid to slow down the Allied sweep across the Reich. Allied armor and doughs blasting deeper into the Krauts' tottering hinter- land report villages in their path are ringed with •fortifications thrown up by civilians armed with shovels, spades, axes and wire cutters. The Nazis call it "community digging" ,---our tankers and foot sloggers say in when they went in for community dig- most cases it has nuisance value, and not ging." He said: "In France, Jerry got much more. As one tankman remarked: the pants licked off him and was kept THE LAST DITCH "It's just like trying to stop a charging on the run because he didn't have any bear by tossing a soap box in its path." place to dig in. But now he's in his own get through the barrier," he warned. "A all hell •breaks loose from sneakin' .terries have gone to the trouble of fortifying stamping grounds—each time he falls guy's best bet is to outflank the blockade." hiding in the houses." every village." The civilian-built defenses are fresh The village defense lines have been evidence of the plight of the Nazis— back he has a hole already made for him Forced-Labor Project "If Hitler wants every village, town and to hop into." city in Germany to be another Aachen, taking a helluva shellacking from both they're not leaving one stone unturned in our air force and artillery. During "Yeh," interposed Reizer, "the barriers Hicks said he and four other men were we'll gladly oblige," he grinned. their feverish attempt to prolong the October alone, Ninth fighter-bombers built by the civilians help us, too. Soon told by a civilian woman in Sarre-Union Sgt. Wencis, anti-tank squad leader, Reich's final collapse. blasted over 100 of the fortified towns as we knock Jerry back, we also have a that the Nazis used forced labor—both said civilians in the village of Molring re- The village defenses consist of winding on the First and Ninth Armies fronts. ready-made hole to jump into for cover- native and foreign—to build the village ported being paid one mark and three trenches—shoulder width and three to defenses. "The targets," declared one Ninth age. Very considerate of. them." cigarettes a day for community digging. seven feet in depth—incorporating cellars "We had ducked into a linen shop near fighter-bomber pilot, "are extensive and of houses; yawning tank traps, road Three 3rd Army Joes—T/ Sgt. Warren "Most of the laborers, it seems," he closely knit, making day-by-day air Hicks, 25, of Attleboro, Mass.; S/Sgt. the square in the center of Sarre-Union asserted, "were old men—but a lot of blocks of heaped logs wired securely to- after a Tiger tank blocked our path," attacks necessary. Some villages—Berg- gether, mounds Of sandbags and heaps of Duke J. Wends, 25, of Brighton, Mass., women and kids had to pitch in, too. The stein was one of them—have been bombed and Cpl. William J. Adair, 24, of Lan- Hicks recounted. "A woman of about 40 way they tell it they were treated not gag, and improvised earthworks. who spoke pretty good English greeted and strafed as many as three times caster, Pa.—reported the Germans have much better than slaves—were fed a cup Well Dug In us inside the shop, She said she was glad between dawn and dusk, thrown up every conceivable obstacle in of coffee and bread for breakfast, and "Close tactical support between fighter- Every German man, woman and child the path of our forces. to see Americans—but we took that with soup and bread for their evening meals. the usual grain of salt because every bombers and artillery," he added, "is unable to shoulder a gun but still able to "One of their pet tricks," declared Sgt. German civilian will give you the same necessary to rout the Germans from bend a back over a shovel has been Hicks, weapons platoon sergeant, is to cellars, sand-bagged trenches and other drafted for the job of building the vil- put up a blockade of logs at gaps through line. "While we were waiting for the Tiger Hitler's Double Dig improvised fortifications. We've been jage fortifications. And they don't have, woods and orchards leading to their pounding these community fortifications much chance to gold brick—their Nazi villages. The logs are piled lengthwise to move on, the woman told us that she On June 6. 1944, the Reich Holding Company experienced a stock crash with fragmentation and incendiary bombs, straw bosses see to that, about six feet deep and five or six feet and her maid had been brought from their home across the Saar River to help that made the Wall Street eruption of as well as 500-pounders." Pfc Eddy Reizer, 25, of Chicago, ill.. '29 look like a prosperity boom. Another pilot said village defenses ex- dig trenches around the village. She said Flustered Hitler and his directors dug CO bodyguard and runner of the 115th they had no choice in the matter—were tending roughly in a southwestward deep into their reserves, but the Allied direction from Erkelenz to Duren in the Infantry Regiment, said village fortifica- just given shovels by a German officer— tidal wave roared on like an enraged tions in the 9th Army sector were first Roer Valley, have constituted the most guess you'd call him the straw boss—and bull, blasting the Nazis back into their severe obstacles to U.S. First and Ninth encountered around Geilenkirchen. told to start digging." hinterland. The Fuhrer dug still deeper Army elements fighting toward the "From that point on," he declared, and in sheer desperation came up with Hicks said he and his companions a mitful of shovels and spades—it was Cologne Plain. "just about every village we've taken has barely escaped capture when a German then the tottering Reich dug in for dear "Air results are not as spectacular as in northern France when we were bomb- been well dug in. Hell, Jerry didn't put lieutenant and five soldiers entered the life itself. up these obstacles in a hit-and-miss way. ing and strafing enemy transport and shop in search for Americans. armor," he declared. Now our task Every trench and tank trap was neatly forces hammer away day after day in a dug. "The woman quickly shoved us into a rear storeroom," the sergeant went on, And they were confined to community systematic pulverization of the Siegfried "The fortifications seem to be built at lodgings while the job was in progress. Line villages." various echelons. For example, at Kirch- "and then went to the door to greet the "To top off the whole stinking deal," He said the fortified villages range from berg we first had to battle our way ferries. She invited them in and poured a cluster of houses to small towns like through minefields. Then there was a high—reinforced with stakes and wire them some schnapps. Cripe, they were he added, "they were charged the mark Julich, Randerath and Brachelen. line of barbed-wire entanglements, and binding—with an opening in the center. so close to me I could have touched the they made for a glass of cheap, watery "If Hitler wants every village, town finally trenches deep enough to conceal a "The opening is blocked by a wagon lieutenant's shoulder. They searched just cognac each day." and city in Germany to be another standing Jerry. The trench zig-zagged its loaded with more logs which can be two rooms and finally took the woman's Cpl. Adair, anti-tank gunner, said Aachen, we'll gladly oblige," he grinned. word that there were no Americans there. grass growing on some of the earthworks But before that collapse comes it is way around the outer fringes of the rolled aside to allow their own troops evident that the fight across Germany village, running through the cellars of and armor to pass through. The A few minutes later we sneaked back to built by the community diggers indicated will be a bitter one. Every hill, stone homes. Yeh, they had even moved beds, approaches to these blockades are further our platoon. some of the barriers were put up long and dale ; every village, town and city chairs and tables into• these cellars—those barred by fallen trees." "That was one of those very rare in- before the Allies had reached German may well be turned into a fortress seeth- guys really believe in doing things in The platoon leader described as stances where a German civilian really soil. ing with desperate Germans, fanatically "suicide" an attempt by infantry to fighting until the very end. Under these comfort." came to our aid," he added. "I still don't "Hitler used to boast that foreign conditions, Hitler's soldiers and civilians Pfc John H. Pheniclie, 21, of Sylvan, smash through these blockades. trust any of them. Often they'll tell you troops would never set foot on German will make every square foot a battlefield Pa., 9th Army anti-tankman, said the "You'll be mowed down by mortar, their town is cleared of Nazis, and just as soil," Adair grinned. "Guess he didn't until the Americans join hands with the Germans "really bad an eye to the future machine-gun and rifle fire if you try to soon as you show your face on the street quite convince himself or he wouldn't Russians.

Aids for Doughboys For the foot-slogging infantryman who can't put dual front wheels on his aching back, Cpl. Sigmund Julle suggests that modified snowshoes be worn with openings along the edges only and with a one-inch keel through the center. Jaffe says this makes mud- mobility easier. A few other ideas, well meant but not too practical, wind up the deal. Cpl. Gerald Varley suggests powdered cement be sprayed by piane on muddy areas. T/5 Elmer Seaburg diagrams a sort of locomotive piston attached to a wheel and paddling the mud away. Sgt. Austin Schuck and Cpl. Gerald Wolf collaborate on an idea to have steel mesh lard out in front of advancing armor by.means of special wire-laying trucks. And Pvt. William G. Weber goes all out for plaster of paris dropped in mud bags, the theory being that this stuff has the property of adding water to itself to form hard gypsum. This would WEST OF WURSELIN Hitler's women and children dug these and-tank ditches THIRD U.S. ARMY doughboys examine battered defenses of German fortress help harden the mud says Weber. in bulge of Siegfried Line before they fled in front of American armor that crashed of Koenigsmacher, 20 miles north of Metz. Community diggers helped prepare Here's no mud in your eye. through. strongpoints like this. 11 WARWEEK Saturday, Dec. 23, 1944

Out of Gutted Towns, a Crowded Freight Car and Sweaty Slave Pens Comes Her Story of the Gang

By Nina Tverdohlib as told to John Christie Warweek Staff Writer

When American troops captured Aachen, first of Hitler's cities to fall, they were faced with a two-part civilian problem. One group comprised the enemy—the German population. The other was formed of United Nations nationals—French, Dutch, Belgian, Russian, Polish and Czech. These people were the impressed workers, the labor slaves of the Nazi war machine. They formed the first of what will probably be millions of "displaced persons "—the tragic flotsam of this war. Sorted out from among the enemy civilians, these bitterly anti-Nazi victims of the German plan for war are returned to their homes if possible or put into refugee centers if their homes are on the other side of Germany. It was in one of these centers that Warweek Reporter John Christie en- countered Nina Tverdohlib, blonde, I9-year-old fugitive from the slave pens of the Reich. This is her story, as she told it through an interpreter, only a few miles from the squalid brickyards where the Nazis had marred her beauty—but had never been able to conquer her indomitable spirit.

kitchen, far away in our borne in the no sentries on the river bank under the "Take her, too," I heard the lieutenant The morning work was from 6.30 to N the summer of 1942 I was living 12, Then we had a half-hour period for Ukraine. with my mother at our home near bridge, however. .say. "She's young and she looks strong. They'll be able to use her." dinner, usually soup and some more They beat me, cursed at me and threw I I told my mother that it would be pos- me to the floor. Rostov-on-Don in the Russian sible for us to climb into the steel trestle- They pulled me to my feet and pushed bread. Ukraine. My brother was a soldier me out of the door, rocking it behind My job was to carry bags of coal from I. wouldn't tell them anything, except work, from beneath the bridge, and to to say that we were unable to work in the Red Army. My father is dead. cross the river that way, without the them. I could see the fire burning brightly the coal-supply dump to the kilns where through the window and I could hear my the bricks were baked. This work was because we had no food which was fit I was a student nurse in the People's Fascists seeing us, Later they learned to to eat. At last, when they saw that they always post sentries under the bridges, grandmother still sobbing in the locked very hard and not interesting in my way. Hospital and my mother kept house for Besides, it gave no opportunities what- would gain 'toiling that way, they left me me and for my grandmother—who was, but in the early days they very often did room. I tried to pull away and they hit me ever to sabotage the enemy. A mechanic, alone. Three other girls and myself were at that time, 73 years of age. not, so that the partisans were able to later transferred to another brickyard. use them in spite of the guards, again, from behind, so that 1 fell down a for instance, working on motors in it fac- Early in the summer the German second time. Then they pulled me up to tory, has many chances for sabotage. AU The work was the same and the conditions Fascists started their drive on our land. Through the Girders my feet, twisted my arm behind my back we could do was to work as slowly as were even harder. The Red Army men fought doggedly but It was not easy to climb through the and forced me into the road and down possible so that, at the end of the day, Impressed Workers they were forced back. The Germans we had carried a few less bags of coal girders with the packs, and my mother it to where other persons were being At this new place there were a number came nearer and nearer. had trouble. About a third of the way collected in a group. than normal. In July they took Rostov. Almost in The day's work ended, for us, at 6.30 of men whose status was the same as ours. across I told her to take off her pack They were impressed workers from the same week their first patrols moved with the food in it and give it to me. She Baby Was Asleep in the evening. Our last meal of the day into our city. We had warning that they was more soup, sometimes with small Poland, Russia and Czechoslovakia. It was forced to hold on with one hand while Her baby was asleep in her house, was harder for them to slow down their were coming and we knew what to do. she slipped her other aim out of the alone, and no one would know about bits of meat in it, and more black bread. Everywhere in the Soviet Union the that because the woman's husband was a After carrying coal for 12 hours we were work than it was for us, but they invented straps, then change her hold to the free a way of doing it. people knew what to do when the enemy arm. It was dark. We were standing Red Army man and she lived alone with too tired to do anything but fall asleep came near. as quickly as possible. What they did was this: on a narrow steel beam. Somehow the the baby. With a safety-razor blade they would Those who were able, and who had been strap slipped from her hand and nearly At last, about midnight, the Fascists Once, when our midday meal of spinach made us walk to the railway, where they soup was absolutely unfit to eat,. I told make a fairly deep cut on one hand, from trained in military things by Red Army al] our food fell into the river, the base of the thumb to the base of the men, went into the country to form The sentries did not hear the splash, had a car waiting for us. It was the kind the girls who worked with me that we of car which was used, before the war, should remain away during the afternoon. forefinger. Into this cut they would rub guerrilla bands. As a nurse, my place however, and after a moment we made dirt and all manner of refuse so that it was with one of those bands. our way across the rest of the bridge. to transport goods. It had sliding doors We slipped out of the work place and on the sides which could be locked from took the afternoon off. As soon as we looked as if it was very sore and infected. But we had almost no food left. This would be enough to convince the Join the Guerrillas The rest of the night we spent in a the outside with an iron hasp. When the were missed the Gestapo was called and doors are closed, there is no light in a hunt was begun for us. They decided Germans that the man couldn't do a day's When l told my mother I was going to wood, a few kilometers the other side of work and gave him an opportunity to join the guerrillas, she insisted that she the river. In the morning we ate some such a car and very little air. that 1 had been the organizer of the plan, although none of the girls told them any- slow down. The Hitlerites were always should come too. of our food and then started on again. One old man, he was the shoemaker, trying to find out what kind of work it By afternoon we had reached the place couldn't climb into the car and the thing. "I can cook for the fighters," she said. I was called into the office of the com- was that resulted in so many cut hands. "I can help you care for the wounded. where we should have met the partisan Hitlerites made great sport of this, prod- ding him with their bayonets and laugh- mandant. The Gestapo men were there. When the doctor asked the men how See, I am strong . ." band. They were not there and a boy they hurt their hands he would get many told us they had gone to another camp. ing when he fell back to the tracks. Some They questioned me. It was like the night I argued with her, saying she should He did not know where it was hut he did boys helped him in. When we were all that they came into my grandmother's Continued on page iv stay at home to take care of the grand- tell us which road the guerrillas had in the car the soldiers locked the doors. mother and that the Germans would not followed, We tried to get food at a farm- harm her, but she would not listen. house but there was nothing which could Fifty-two Persons "It is useless for you to talk," she told be spared for us. There was no food and no water in me. "I too, go to join the guerrillas, We ate the rest of the food for supper the car and, of course, no provision for Nina douchka." that night—all but three pieces of black either men or women to answer the calls She was a Russian woman. bread. of nature in privacy. I do not know what has become of her. A few hours after daylight the train I do not know if she still lives. I do The Fascists Come started. There were fifty-two persons not even know if she even found the I was in the kitchen, talking with my in the car, including myself. , For four guerrilla headquarters." grandmother when the Fascist patrol days the train traveled across Russia and knocked the door open and came into the Poland. During those four days, al- We had agreed to leave in the night. and room. though the train stopped many times, we all that day I was busy with preparations. The sergeant pushed my gtandmother were given no water and no food of any I made two packs, with blankets and into a corner, took me by the arm and kind. food and with my nurse's costume. It led me to the lieutenant who was in The shoemaker was the first to die. was very necessary that I take my hospital charge. Next was another of the old men, an uniform because, without it, the officer The officer asked me my name, my agricultural worker who had been in the might not know I was a nurse, or he age and what kind of work I had done. town when the Germans came. might not believe that 1 would be of I replied to his questions because I knew Their bodies lay in the car all that day value to the guerrillas. he could get the corretik answers from because there was no way to get rid of Our Own. Men the records at the. Municipal Bureau. them and the Germans never came to the "Where have you been for two days?" car when the train stopped, Most of the food in the house we left lie asked. Finally two of the men discovered they for my grandmother and I talked with our k did not answer. could prise open one of the doors far neighbors, asking them to see that nothing The sergeant shook me by the arm. enough so that the bodies of the shoe- happened to her. Then I talked with a "Answer, you communist bitch," he maker and the farmer could be pushed man in the town who knew about such shouted. through the opening onto the tracks. things, and I got his advice as to where Still I said nothing. I was frightened, I, myself, was sent to a labor clearance we would be most likely to find a band I thought they might kill me then, but pool at Cologne. of our own men. one says nothing about the partisans to Front there, with 18 -other girls, I was When it was dark we left the house the Fascists in any part of the Soviet assigned to work in the brickyards at and started out of the town. Union. Aachen. We lived in part of an old brick In spite of the sentries it was not The officer nodded to the sergeant, who barracks building, no longer suitable for hard to get into the country. They were hit me in the face. troops. There were big holes in the roof, on all the main roads hut there were many and when it rained it was very difficult narrow passages between the houses Blood in My Eyes to find a dry place in the straw to sleep. which they did not know about and could "Now, will you answer?" said the not see in the dark. officer. Daily Routine I shook my head. That is where I lived for two years, Serious Matter The sergeant hit me again, not once until I escaped when the city was captured By midnight we were well into the but many times. by American troops. country, but we had had an accident. I was thrown against the wall and I This was our daily routine: which, later, was a very serious' matter. hit my head against the edge of the door, We got up at 6 o'clock in the morning, In order to reach the spot to which we cutting it. The blood ran into my eyes drank some black coffee and ate a piece had been directed it was necessary to so I could riot see to dodge the blows they of bread and then went to the brickyard cross a river. There were no boats and were showering on me. 1 fainted. • for work. We had to start work at 6.30, the railroad bridge had German sentries - When I recovered I was lying on the so you can see we didn't have much time on the tracks at each end. There were floor, near the wall. to wash, dress and have breakfast. Saturday, Dec. 23, 1944 WARWEEK iii

When the Showdown is Near, iWehrmacht Bets the Pot on a Counter Offensive! Ludendorff Gambled in I 9 I 8 And Lost the War; Rundstedt Tried It Last Week and ? ? ? By France Herron Warweek Staff Writer

OLLOW-EYED Field Marshal Gerd von Rundstedt, once given the boot by Hitler because of "inefficiency," turned loose his legions a H week ago in the Luxemburg-Belgium sector in a sky-high bid to crash the Allied forward line and stretch what appeared to be Germany's last mile into a long, bitter fight. His surprise, phantom-like dash Army survived several offensives, includ- through the shadowy Ardennes—the very ing the Aisne, Arras, Messines, Ypres and same path over which the Wehrmacht Cambrai. Better than merely surviving, struck in 1940—brought down a veil of Germany even gained superiority of censorship in Axis and Allied press alike, numbers on the Western Front after the and with it some feverish speculation as Russian Armistice of Brest-Litovsk. to the plight of Hitler's weakening fortress. Now was his chance, thought Luden- dorff. Now he would rout the Allied Some viewed Rundstedt's counter-drive armies. There was still a smell of victory with aewide eye and a cocIeU ear, and in the air. whispered: "This is Ludendorff's 1918 scrap all over again." Out came the The Date: March 21, 1918 history books and the World War 1 summaries. Bar-room strategists and The Germans launched their great genuine field quarterbacks delved into Somme offensive on March 21, 1918. Next maps and figures to see if this might came the Lys drive in April and the Aisne possibly be a repeat of the last time, in May. They struck out again on the when Kaiser Wilhclm's Germany made a Metz offensive on June 9, and all proved final fling to win all before collapsing like a deflated lung. to be terrific blows to the Allies. Ludendorff was going great guns. FINAL GERMAN OFFENSIVE of World War I was launched March 21, 1918. It was a showdown bet and Gen. Erich The first battle of the Somme in 1916 von Ludendorff lost. tore great gaps in the German ranks and The Paris-Chalons railway—main east weakened the enemy considerably. and west artery—was cut at Chateau- the objective. Thirteen days later the In the early hours of Nov. 7 a message even before hostilities ceased. The High Falkenhayn, German high chief who had Thierry ; the Amiens-Paris railway was British opened an attack around Bapaume, came through from Germany stating that Command prodded the Army to keep fought more for a draw than actual brought under artillery fire, and the while the French struck south of the Oise her envoys would like to pass through fighting, and the Army insisted that the victory, was replaced by ambitious Gen. and gained valuable ground near Soissons. the lines and sue for an Armistice. war was already lost. northern system about Hazebrouck was Erich von Ludendorff, who was a Prussian The Germans were falling back. This time-1944—there has been some nut on efficiency and military tradition. dislocated. This left the Allied armies The Enemy Camp: 1918 under a heavy strain—their supply lines On Sept. 2, the British cracked the evidence that dissension again has sprung were practically shattered. Drocourt-Queant line which forced Ger- It was learned soon after the war that up between the German high command The Big Gamble all was not rosy in the German camp But this was where the Germans erred. many to make more withdrawals, aban- and army. When von Brauchitsch loused When Ludendorff arrived at the front doning gains which had been made in the during the final few months. Ludendorff, up the Russian campaign he was canned. Ludendorff—"infallable" Ludendorff— on Aug. 12, had told Col. von Haefton, Gen. Werner von Fritsch, who mapped as Falkenhayn's successor, he took one had undertaken the Aisne offensive to Lys offensive in Flanders. This freed the look at the remnants of the Kaiser's once Hazebrouck railway system, captured representative of the high command, that the downfall of Poland, was later an- defeat the French reserves, which had "there is no more hope for the offensive ; husky army and said: "The future looks 130,000 enemy prisoners and 1,800 enemy nounced as "dead" by the Nazis—and been coming to the aid of the British. guns in seven weeks' time. the generals have lost their foothold." von Fritsch was admittedly in the Nazi dark. The army has been fought to a With these French reserves out of the way, black book. it was his plan to transfer his Aisne Before Ludendorff could catch his The Crown Prince Rupprecht of standstill and is utterly worn out." breath the Americans hit hard at Saint Bavaria, a field marshal, wrote a letter Then Rundstedt was fired, but he came But Ludendorff was a gambler—with strength to the north for a savage assault on the British in Flanders. Mihiel on Sept. 12, where they smashed on August 15, which said, "1 no longer back again. Other army leaders were a little of the bluffer's blood in him. a German salient, took 16,000 prisoners believe that we can hold out over the erased by Himmler, who said it was army He got chummy with Adm. von Holt- Bu this plan ran afoul. and 450 guns. This freed the Paris-Avri- winter ; it is even possible that a men who tried to bomb Hitler last July. zendorff, chief of the naval staff, who The Germans hit a snag when Marshal court railway, and was quickly unravelling catastrophe will occur even earlier. . . ." Other than those few incidents, the guaranteed that if he could get his U- Foch struck hard with a punch that threw all of Ludendorff's spring offensive gains. And Hindenburg himself wrote a letter news from Germany has been stifled. No boats into unrestricted warfare by Feb. 1, the enemy back to the Aisne and the The Allied drives gained momentum. to the Kaiser on Oct. 3, saying, Ger- one knows just what German army leaders 1917, "Britain will sue for peace by Vesie, leaving 30,000 prisoners and 800 many's cause was lost, and that "It is are thinking today—just as no one knew Aug. 1." guns behind. This counter-stroke by Foch imperative to stop fighting in order to in 1918 what Ludendorff and Hinden- Then Ludendorff prepared his famous —in mid-July—was the first Allied victory spare the German people and its allies burg were thinking. of 1918. it took the initiative away from rear line of defense, the Hindenburg Line further useless sacrifices. Every day lost This week the experts held the history or Siegfried-Stellung. Next, lie instituted Ludendorff. costs thousands of brave soldiers' lives. .1. books and the summaries. They watched a new system of defense in depth, which The Allies Hit Back Rundstedt's dash across the Ardennes saved Germany from getting knocked out That was how things stood in 1918— with interest. And they wondered. in 1917. The Allies followed up with a drive Aided by Ludendorff's tactical genius launched south of Albert on Aug. 8, with and a few Allied blunders, the German the freeing of the Amiens-Paris railway

" - Here are four shots of two German generals whose military gambles may have been similar. The world awaits the answer as America's doughty Doughboys slug it out with the Wehrmacht. Top, Erich von Ludendorff, the World War I character. (Below) Gerd von Rundstedt, present field marshal of German forces on the Western Front. (Right) Ludendorff is pictured with Prince Heinrich of Prussia, brother of the ex-Kaiser. (Left) Rundstedt plans his offensive.

iv WAR WEEK Saturday, Dec. 23, 1944

GI JERRY by Lt. Dave Breger

HERE, YOUR EXcELLVdCY -- STOLEN SECRET MICROSCOPIC STUDY OF JEWISI4 BLOOD coRP"sci-Es, MAGNIFIED 35000 TIMES!

40w, I ASK You, DEAR READER, w1-AT _BET-rER PROOF Do YOU WEED or THE EVIL -10,A/%514 INFLUENCE ON Ti-ICM?

WE Knlow VoU LOOK SILLY AS But' IN THESE CRITICAL TIMES we t4Ave To KEEP UP THE PEOPLE'S FAITH

fl EGFRAED p. IN COMMEMORATION oF • HIS HEROIC AND SUCCESS-'. 0 FUL EFFORTS To PAOLO THE CANINE BREEDS TO , THE 6ERMANic. IDEAC - it Hitler • •

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to give myself up to the Americans. But We did not know what that meant and were going to get the water. More About it is dangerous here. You must find we decided that we might be able to get We tiptoed along, in the grey early- another place. Go to the woods, you to a well on the other side of the brick- morning light, and we were very much will be safer there." yard. We were all very thirsty, not having afraid. We thought of turning back, but Nazi Labor Gang "I . . . I am sorry for you. I can do had anything to drink for nearly two days. we were so thirsty we had to continue. nothing. But it is not safe here. You We found an old, rusty iron can, like It was very quiet. The firing had ended, must go." a small barrel, which had been thrown except for shells which were bursting on Continued from page ii For several days things were uncertain into the cellar after it had been emptied He turned and ran up the steps. some high ground on the other side of and the Germans grew more and more of paint. the city, several kilometers away. different answers. Some said the rough difficult. A word called for a blow and He did not understand that he and all edges of the bricks had cut them. Others This, we thought, would do very well When we got to the corner we waited there was much punishment given out. the other little Germans, carrying their to carry the water in. blamed the tools, saying the handles were machine pistols and wearing their steel a moment, getting up our courage to cross rough and full of splinters. One man Then, suddenly, we knew that their big It was a distance of about 500 meters the open. I started across first. One of counter-attack had failed and for the battle helmets, are the people who per- from the cellar where we had taken even told the doctor, with a perfectly mitted this war. He probably knows now. the other girls, carrying the can, was a straight face, that. he had cut his hand first time in more than two years I really shelter to the well. The path ran along few meters behind me. The others waited began to believe that we should be freed. After the German had gone we waited the side of our building and then across to see that we got across safely. on a spoon while eating his noon-day for perhaps an hour. There was a lull soup. 1 made up my mind to escape to the an open space, around the end of another I had almost reached the end of the American lines if the opportunity ever in the bombing then and we agreed that building, and then between some stacks open space when I heard a voice. A man Other Women came. it would be safe to leave the cellar. of materials to an angle in the fence sur- was calling to me, softly, from the piles Through the latter part of the summer Nevertheless we hurried when we rounding the place. There were a number of other women of timber and other materials in the yard. things grew much worse. There was reached the open, running across the Here there was a small cottage, where I could not understand what he was in addition to the three girls who had much bombing from the American and ground where there was -no protection an old watchman lived. He had a small saying, but when I saw him I realized he been transferred to this place with me. British planes and the brickyard some- and then walking close to walls where garden and a well. This was where we was an American soldier. The Hitlerites were very cruel toward times had to shut down because of the they offered protection. So we got out I have seen many soldiers, our own of the city. There was much movement them. lack of coal or other materials. The Red Army, the Germans, the Poles, even character of the German troops was in the larger streets. German vehicles Women who were pregnant were forced some Italians. I have seen French changing, too. were driving toward the rear and foot- prisoners. This man was unlike them all to work right up to the last day before soldiers were moving into their defense but he looked more like our own soldiers their babies were born and then, after March to Dusseldorf positions. They were expecting an attack in Russia than he did any of the others. only a few days, had to return to their Toward the end of October it became at any moment. It did. not come for I remember thinking: several days and during that period the clear, even to us, that Aachen was the "He looks like one of ours.... He looks labors. They were given only a very Hitlerites became more and more des- short time each day to be with their principal object of an attack. Then, one perate. like one of our men," as I walked toward day, we were ordered to pack up what him. babies and to care for them. The rest After we got out of the city itself, we He motioned me into a dark corner, belongings we had and to be ready to of the time these very young children went in the direction of some woods where with his rifle. I stood quietly and then, start a march to Dusseldorf. The Ameri- were left alone and unattended in the we would be out of range when the when the other girl had joined me, I tried cans were close and all civilians were bombers came again. Inside the woods barracks. Many became ill but the being taken to the rear. We foreign to tell him there were three more of us, Fascists seemed to have no pity, even for the trees gave a feeling of security. We behind the building. He did not under- workers were known to be hostile to Ger- knew they would offer little protection the sick little children. many and they did not want us in the stand. Then I made signs with my hands against bombs or artillery fire, but it and he finally nodded. There were some of the women city if there was to be a battle there. - was a good feeling to be out of sight. workers who could not stand it and who Ever since I had been taken, so many More soldiers were coming into the Most of the people saw nothing else brickyard all the time so that at last sought by any means to make their lot to do but to obey. 1, however, had months before. I had always been where they were behind every building and every better. The factory superintendent real- made up my mind to escape. 1 spoke someone could see me. At work, in the ized this and any attractive young girl barracks—one was never alone. There, pile of timber and brick. There was no with several of my comrades who I shooting, it was quite light by now. who was willing to sell herself for better thought could be trusted, and we agreed under the wet trees, it was almost like Then a sergeant came and then an officer rations, easier work or a few extra articles to try to get through the German lines being a little child again. I could of clothing had the opportunity of together. imagine I was drawing the trees over and we were told to go with one of the arranging such transactions. There were men. We waited for our opportunity, first me, like the hood of a cloak, and that not many—but there were some. they would protect me from the eyes of That is all I know. That is my story. arranging that our names would be That is how I came to be in the German All through this summer there was a answered when the roll was called. Then the enemy as a hood protects from the mounting sense of excitement among the rain. It was a very nice feeling. brick factory at Aachen, and that is how we hid, in the same place as that which it is that I am now here, in this Belgian impressed workers in the brickyard. We we had used after the affair of the learned of the American landings from Firing Was Heavy convent, where there is food and water spinach soup. It really was not necessary for washing. I want only two things the conversation of the soldiers and of for us to have made the arrangements Bullets came through the forest, the officials of the place where we worked . clipping small branches from the trees and now that I am away from the Hitlerites: aoout the roll call because, when it was I would like to be a nurse again At first they were very contemptuous time for the people to go, there was an sending down brown, dried leaves which had not already fallen... and I want to go back to my village in about the American troops who had American air raid on the railroad yards the Ukraine. landed in Normandy. near the brickyard and the Germans just We found a hollow in the ground, where "Wait until we counter-attack," they hurried the workers into ranks and the stray bullets could not hit us, and said. "Then we will drive the Americans marched them off as fast as they could. stayed there all day. We were very and British back into the sea. Days went They didn't even bother to call out the hungry. In the late afternoon we decided by and sometimes when we asked about names of the persons who were going that the firing was getting too heavy and the counter-attack and how it was going to Dusseldorf. that it would be safer to return to the the 'Hitlerites would become very angry. cellar during the next lull. They would curse us, saying : A German Soldier This was a very dangerous move, but "Silence, communist dogs. When the We were hiding in the cellar of a dis- fortunately no one was bit. We all reached the cellar safely and prepared, to spend Fuehrer is ready to attack, then we will used budding when a German soldier attack. The Fuehrer knows. . . . came down the steps and saw us. our second night of freedom there. All through the first part of the night there But we could see that they were be- "Well, here we are:" I said. "What was a great deal of firing going on. We arc you going to do?" ginning to get worried. could hear heavy explosions in the direc- Then in August the whole atmosphere All he did was stand -there a moment, tion of the center of the city. One of changed. That was when the Germans his eyes blinking in the half light. Then the girls said the Germans were blowing finally started their attack and, in the he said: tip buildings. Another said the explosions brickyard, they were excited and anxious, "You're escaping, aren't you? So am I, were caused by aerial bombs. A third boastful and nervous at the same time. I have had enough of this. I am going insisted they came from shells.

Printed In England by The Times Publishing Company, Limited. Printing House &mare, London. E.CA. and Published by the United Slates Armed Forces-23-12-44. Saturday, Dec. 23, 1944 SPORTS THE STARS AND STRIPES SPORTS Page 3 The Ball's the Object T Is for Tucker, Army's '45 Quarterj NEW YORK, Dec. 22 (AP)—Y. Arnold threw the pass and Bruce and Arnold Tucker, the last man to handle the ball were 1942 teammates at Miami High, in the historic Army-Navy classic., will be Army's sleight-of-hand expert on the Smith captaining the eleven in his final gridiron next fall. He'll do the signal year when Tucker ran up 122 points in calling from the deceptive T formation nine games. quarterback spot so ably filled in 1944 Both chose military life, but Smith got by Doug Kenna and Tom Lombardo. to Annapolis a year before Tucker's The No. 1 football game of the year, entrance to West Point, Tucker mean- or the decade, if you prefer, was hardly while putting in a year of studying and over when some of the press box. pundits a season of football as a Navy V-I2— began shouting praises of the Army teams yes Navy!—at Miami University in 1943. to come. Tucker still is a comparative unknown "But," said someone with half a mind in connection with Army football, though on the future, "Kenna and •Lombardo will in 47 high school and college contests be graduated next June_ That leaves Army without a first-class football field general. only twice has he been on the losing side. Who will replace them"? He knows how to handle the pigskin, It didn't take us long to remind them as witness a few of his feats: that Army's national champions also had Aerialed 12 yards to Barney Poole on a third signal caller, a plebe named Tucker the goal line and passed 42 to Bob Cha- from Miami, Fla., who was good enough bot on the nine against Penn. to break in with a couple of seniors Y. Arnold Tucker Passed 37 to John Sauer, who ran 14 almost every game. for a score: interception and 34-yard Ls. Col. Andy Gustafson. the backfield Tuckel was one of the most jubilant run for touchdown against Villanova. coach who had just been promoted from Army players on the spacious Municipal Passed 22 to Tom Hayes in end zone a mayor, was hunted down. He reiterated Stadium turf when he ended the game against Pitt. something he had said months before: by intercepting a pass intended for Navy So you see, he can throw 'em or catch "Tucker is one of the finest T prospects end, Ben Martin, on Army's 30. 'em. And down around Miami they con- we have." You see, Bruce Smith, Navy back, sider him the ultimate in runners. Red Wings Rout 'FFFs' Carry TCU Hopes Rangers, 11-3 Amoeainst Amogies in Cotton Bowl DETROIT, Dec. 22—The Detroit Red -S pecial to The Stars and Stripes Wings defeated the New York Rangers, FORT WORTH, Tex.,Dec. 22—The "FFF" or Fifteen Fighting Frogs will 11-3, here last night before a slim carry the hopes of Texas Christian for an upset victory over Oklahoma A and M in the Cotton Bowl at Dallas on New Year's Day. Hockey League Standings They are the boys who carried the load for Texas Christian's lightly-manned WET P WLTP team through most of the season and were dubbed the "FFF" by campus Montreal 13 4 2 28 Boston .. 8 II I 17 Detroit .. It 5 3 25 New York 3 11 4 10 cohorts who think they may be good for one more surprise victory. Seven Toronto JO 6 2 22 Chicago .. 3 11 2 8 are 17-year-olds, six are military service men with medical discharges, one is 4-F Bill Rosenblatt of Brooklyn College (left), and Don Groggel of Western Michigan gathering of 7,000. Flash Hollett turned and one is a Navy V-12. both feel they have claim on the ball—if possession means ownership. Action the hat trick as his mates rolled up the Four starters were named on all-con- took place at Madison Square Garden with Michigan edging the Kingsrnen, 58-52. biggest victory margin of the current ference teams, and Captain Clyde National Hockey League campaign. Flowers, a tackle, received All-America Mud Bruneteau scored twice for the mention. Other all-conference players Wings in the first period, Hollett and picked on various teams were Center Don Grosso once while Grant Warwick Jimmy Cooper, who has discharges from Behind the Sports Headlines tallied for the Rangers, and in the second both the Army and Navy ; End Merle stanza the Wings busted the nightmare Gibson, second leading scorer in the loose by banging home five goals. LOS ANGELES—Connie Mack is cele- the Sun Bowl game at El Paso against conference, and Fullback Norman Cox, Fred Thu rier and Ab Demarco pro- the team's most dependable first-down brating his 82nd birthday quietly Southeastern of Texas. The Mexicans' vided the final goals for the Rangers, here today with his first string averages 165 pounds with man. the line averaging 169. Hoban said, Cox operates with three 17-year-olds thoughts, unlike "When we make substitutions the Height in the starting backfield—Halfbacks those of so many his of the team drops sharply." . . . LUF- All Work, Little Play Bobby Huff and Randy Rogers, and age, concentrated on KIN. Tex.—Coach Dutch Meyer of Quarterback Jim Busby. Typically rangy the future. Regard- Texas Christian, watching Lufkin's ForTennesseeEleven Texans, all are over six feet. less of war-time re- Harmon Carswell in action today, called PASADENA, Cal., Dec. 22—John Herman Smith, an old-fashioned "watch strictions. m a n - the 18-year-old "the greatest young Barnhill, coach of the Tennessee football charm" guard who weighs only 170 and power shortages and passer I ever saw." Carswell com- team which meets Southern California is five-feet-eight, and John Cooke, 186- everything else, Mr. pleted 130 of 231 passes for 1,700 yards here in the Rose Bowl New Year's Day, pounder from Dallas, flank Cooper at Mack thinks there this year. has cancelled all sight-seeing and movie center. Flowers' running mate at tackle will be some im- studio trips for his athletes until a couple is Harry Baxter, from Ashland, Ohio, LEXINGTON,• Ky.—• Adolph Rupp has while Floyd Chroister, a Kansan from provement in t'►e another fine basketball team at Ken- of days before the game. CONNIE MACK fortunes of his Ath- tucky. Rupp is calling 18-year-old Alex Barnhill looked over his 38-man squad Coffeyville, is the other starting end. letics and that "the splendid fans of Phi- ..... • • ... • Groza the greatest today and announced that all hands are Coach Dutch Meyer thinks it was sheer ladelphia will be surprised. Connie's pivot man to play in good shape except End Roy Cross, fight that kept the Christians going to health? "My health has been pretty in the Southeastern whose early season arm fracture is still seven victories, two defeats and one tie good all my life," the old man smiled. Conference in years. knitting. this season and says the boys "may have "Right now I'm happy to report that it's . . . ST. PAUL, The Trojans worked out both physi- one more good upset left in them." teal good." Minn. — War-time cally and mentally today. After a skull eligibility rules session stressing defense, the Southern NASHVILLE, Ten• n.—Gov. Prentice alone could be re- Cal. squad bad a one-hour workout with Sewellmen Staged Cooper will be Tennessee's official re- sponsible for this. George Murphy, second-string quarter- presentative when the Vols play Southern When Hemline Uni- back, tossing passes just for insurance No.1Comeback of'44 Cal in the Rose Bowl. The state's chief versity takes on against any mishap to Jim Hardy. NEW YORK, Dec. 22—Polls con- executive is travelling with the team.... City College in ducted by the Associated Press and Jim Cooper SAN FRANCISCO—Alfred Masters, Madison Square East's Squad Starts released day by day have become a virtual Horned Frogs' Hustling Center general manager of athletics at Stanford, Garden Dec. 28 its rout for the St. Louis Browns. They've killed two rumors yesterday. One was center will be Shrine Game Workouts just been voted 1944's number one come- that Stanford would have a football Howard "Stretch" HOWIE SCHULTZ back team after having been selected as team next year and two was that Buck Schultz, Brooklyn SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 22—Bernie sportdom's number one surprise, both Illness Causes Luisetti Shaw, former Santa Clara coach, would Dodger first-baseman. Schultz, signed by Bierman and George Hauser of Mihnesota honors resulting from their winning the To Quit Sports for Good be hired. Said Masters, "We won't the Dodgers while still in school, returns and Andy Kerr of American League pennant for the first have the first so we won't need the Colgate sent their NORFOLK, Va., Dec. 22—Angelo every winter to complete a degree, and it time in history. "Hank" Luisetti, one of the greatest second." will take him six years. 23 - man Eastern They previously had placed high in the * * * Football squad basketball players in history while at poll for the year's number one flop Stanford seven years ago, has shot his STILLWATER, Okla.—Mack Creagcr, BUFFALO—Gus Lesnevich, light through a workout because of their futility in the World who boots the extra points for the heavyweight champ on furlough here today almost last goal. Series against the St. Louis Cardinals. Luisetti, now a Navy lieutenant, was Cotton Bowl-bound Oklahoma Aggics, after overseas duty with the Coast immediately after Sammy Snead's successful return to big was advised two years ago to give up foot- Guard, will make his first professional the team got off the stricken recently with spinal meningitis money golf was voted the second most and the medication necessary has so ball because of a heart murmur. When ring appearance in three years against train, and the startling comeback and Charlie Grimm's Phil Muscat() in Buffalo Dec. 27, but coaches said they affected him that physicians have an Oklahoma scribe asked him for the job of managing the Chicago Cubs was ordered him to leave athletics alone. story recently Creager, who is also sprts his title won't be at stake. Lesnevich would keep the men ranked third. editor of the school paper, supplied othe fought last in Mar., 1942, deeisioning busy until two days details only on the condition that the Jimmy Bivins. . . CHICAGO— before their Shrine No Time Limit Match Bowlers who get more of a bang out of gaine with the West Milwaukee Brewers Sign paper use the head thought up by RENO, Nev., Dec. 22—Wladyslow Creager, "Kicker's Ticker Starts to making a seven-ten split than a strike on New Year's Day. need not feel bad when they miss. The 24th member Talun, gigantic Polish wrestler, can get Cullop to Succeed Stengel Flicker." . BOSTON Johnny Kelley. LES HORVATH in his training without even leaving the winner of the Berwick marathon and According to ABC figures, of nearly of the squad, Ohio MILWAUKEE, Wis., Dec. 22—The 150,000 teams bowling, only 15 such State's All-American Les Horvath, stayed old fireside from now on. Today he Milwaukee Brewers have announced that second-place finisher in the Boston AA married Edith Thomas, a woman wrestler grind, was yesterday presented the New splits were made last year compared back in Columbus to catch up on his Nick Cullop, who resigned as manager of England AAU award as the outstanding to 25 perfect games. studies and will leave for the west Sunday. from Buffalo, N.Y. the Columbus Redbirds, had been signed athlete of the year. to succeed Manager Casey Stengel, who Dick Tracy By Courtesy o Chicago Tribune By Chester Gould resigned at the end of the past season. MEXICO CITY• — Coach George Cullop, who played with the Yankees, Hoban of Mexico University has named LISTEN, VITAMIN, OLD FRIEND DO YOU I CERTAINLY DO'11 IF ONLY YOU I FEEL THAT Reds and Senators in the majors, brought the 35-man squad which will embark for RETURN TO THE THEATRE, MEAN SWALLOW YOUR PRIDE KNEW HER AS I QQ KNOW Columbus in third in the American Asso- IT WON'T DO US ANY YOUR PUBLIC NEEDS YOU. SEEK THAT, AND AFTER YOU'RE I DO YOU'D HER —AND IN ciation in '43 and they defeated GOOD TO HOLD HIM ' OUT THAT GIRL, SNOWFLAKE, SENATOR? WED, BRING HER TO BE MAD .MAD. TOO - Milwaukee in the playoffs before winning Help Wanted WE WANT SNOWFLAKE .-,.... AND MARRY HER IN SPITE i r7.' mg! mt. GIVE YOU ABOUT HER ' I ..- st. the Little World Series against Syracuse. —I'VE COT A P.I...01 OF 11-1E T ITOR IND./ I/ TWO THE BIGGEST .i .— .;,.. -. —AND GIVEN ';../. The Redbirds didn't make the playoffs last ...'", ..' (U 1)1 - - WEDDING DINNER A "1111111.'1 ' lull -1)) Write your question or problem ro Rein '''' '' "7-- ' NOU EV SAW. Wanted. The Stars and Stripes, 37. Uppit EN • '--- \vee- -47.- season, finishing fifth while the Brewers 413, U.S. 11 41 h., • e.s,, • ^ \\I . I • kb were winning the pennant. Brook St.. London, WI, or APO P 4 '41\ak(i 1 1 -1 ''. i --LI Army. Telephone U.K. Base 11Q, Ext. 2131. \ ''C,'` t.' ."... .4 . I . ' Ilk / lite.‘ ,:- ! ..- ) i / • III jt t APOs Wanted -.. i t 41%11 - "'. - 1 Joe Tinker Hospitalized. pVT. Elsie ALLEN. Hi:Instead, L.I. ; Cpl. Car 14, 14 ) tL. o ‘ s Alvin BULLOCK ; Sat. W. C. BISHOP, Kg Spartanburg. S.C.: Myron BROCKMAN, With High Blood Pressure 36296440, Madison, Wisc.: Lt. Marian CLARK, 1 ORLANDO, Fla.. Dec. 22 — Joe Chicago: Pic Francis DAYTON, Thomaston. : 1 -• 1104 . , th, A ,.V.,...... Yr:-:...k 1A,, ' Conn. ; Major Joc G. FELLOWS, Ames. Iowa Tinker, former shortstop of. the Carl FETTER; It. William C. FLAHERTY, 8th Chicago Cubs' famous Tinker to Ever to Alr Force; Sam GUERRERA, Brooklyn; Alvin Li'l Abner By Courtesy of United Features By Al Capp Chance double play combination who, was HOFIENDORF. Detroit. Mich.: M/Sgt. Charles K. HOPKINS, Cal.: Frank IKEND. Indianapolis ; admitted to the Orange General Hospital Lt. Mitchell JULIUSSEN. Chicago; Cpl, Robert ON THIS PIECE Or PAPER IT WOULD SE CHEAP " YOU WOULDN'T here Tuesday night, was reported today A. JAMES. Toledo. Ohio; WAC S/Sat. Anna IS WRITTEN THE FORMULA AT THE PRICE— BUT; WOULON.T I 7— THE PAPER!! THAT CAN DESTROY THE SOMEHOW -I CAN'T "resting comfortably." KANSAS. Colliers, W. Va.: Pvt. Maurice KERR. WORLD'S GASOLINE TRUST YOU FADFESSq KILL. ME — IT5 FALLING Tinker, who was seriously ill winter Cleveland Hts., Ohio ; Li. Max H. LANE, Hamil- INDUSTRY BY isiAKI MACHIAVELLI: YOU WOULDN'T! OUTr." ton. III.; Pvt. Laura LYONS. Frostburg, Md.: GASOLINE. CHEAPER THAN with pneumonia but pulled through after 'ris Walter F. McMANUS. East Lynn. Mass.: WATER T! THAT PAPER a sige in an oxygen tent, is suffering from 3c Joseph MATURO. New Haven. Conn.. LI. MUST NEVER BE SEEN— i enneth A. MORRELL ; Lt. Thomas 3. MING EY, high blood pressure. Yeadon. Pa. ; Lt. Harry MURPHY. New Jersey NEVER!! Personal All-America Loop Signs McNally VUPPENHEIMER—Will the officer t,t that name 17.. who Inadvertently exchanged trousers with me PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 22—Vince at Washington or Lincoln House, London, Dec. McNally, assistant football coach at Holy 15. please contact me through this department?— Lt. Hoyle E. Brewer. Cross, has signed with the San Francisco West Point Reunion dub of the All-America professional foot- WEST Point Class of Jan.. '43, wilt hold a re ball conference to serve as eastern repre- v' union Jan. 18 in London. All who can make it to be at the bar of the Grosvenor House sentative and scout. He declined an offer Officers' Mess at 6 PM.—Major Bonham. to return to Holy Cross.

Page 4 THE STARS AND STRIPES Saturday, Dec. 23, 1944 ETO Christmas Never So Rough That Some GIs Haven't Known Rougher

Pfc WAYNE SAMPLES (left), of Plc SHELDON B. WRIGHT, of T/Sgt. FRANCIS L. SMITH, of T/5 CECIL FARRIS, of St. Louis, Cpl. WILLIAM C. COX, Freeman, Van Buren, Ark.: "My buddy, Wright, Houston, Tex.: "On Christmas, 1943, Kansas City, Kan.: "I was a medic for Mo.; "I spent Christmas of '41, '42, W.Va.: "At Christmas, '43, I was at and I spent the last two Christmases I was stranded in a snowstorm near the last three Christmases in Hawaii, and '43 as a medic in Alaska Galapagos Island, Panama Canal together in the Aleutians as riflemen Dutch Harbor and ate a dinner of canned and in that warm climate Christmas brrr. I got married to an Army nurse Defense Zone, with an infantry outfit. in an infantry division, and, brother. sardines. Believe me, I'm going to put never seemed quite real. This year it there. I'm hoping she'll be here by I unloaded myself and supplies there it was cold. I had the regular Army on the feed bag to make up for it. Plan will be more like a real Christmas with Christmas as she was at a POE in the before Christmas, 1942. I'm looking Christmas menu, and I'm hoping to to spend most of my spare time dining this cold weather, and best of all, I'll States when I last heard from her. And forward to the holiday here, which I better it here in England." out, too." be able to get a drink." we'll have a real feed to celebrate." plan to celebrate with English children." Life in Those United States Eleanor's Column FDIC Salutes the Forces Is `Differene—FDR • • May Have to Re-Equip WASHINGTON, Dec. 22 (AP)— For Restoring 'Spirit of Xmas' President Roosevelt today described newspaper columnists as an unnecessary WASHINGTON, Dec. 22—Christmas messages of hope and gratitude, 1st Army, Krug Warns excrescence on civilization—but quickly including two from President Roosevelt, have been sent by the nation's added that Mrs. Roosevelt's column leaders to the men and women of the U.S. armed forces throughout the "My Day," is different. WASHINGTON, Dec. 22 (ANS)—Chairman Julius A. Krug of the War world. Production Board told a press conference today that it might be necessary The question arose during a discus- To "our ill and 'wounded fighters," the President declared : "With a deep sion at the President's press conference to re-equip the 1st Army, then added : "The Allies must be prepared to of joint chiefs of staff to handle political personal sense of obligation, I welcome fight the kind of war we have been fighting for the last months for the next and economic matters for the Allies, the privilege of who stand in the forefront of the struggle year—or as long as it takes." and he was asked if that was contem- sending to you . . . to bring back to a suffering world the Pointing out that it was "inevitable" that the German spear- plated. a message of ad- way of life symbolized by the spirit of head would destroy large quantities of Allied supplies, Krug miration and affec- Christmas." Answering, he said he believed column- tion. You have said that "these must be promptly made up." He further ists suggested it—adding that his wife's Stimson Expresses Gratitude declared that the "Army needs will be greatly increased as a given of your blood Secretary of War Henry L. Stimson column is a bit different because mostly and health to restore result of the German counter-offensive." it is a diary. expressed the "admiration of a grateful Meantime, Samuel W. Anderson, vice-chairman of WPB, to Christmas its nation for your courage and fortitude." said the "present military situation in Europe will come back meaning and to Gen. George C. Marshall, chief of make the spirit of staff, sent the and hit us between the eyes in various ways—at present un- Christmas genuinely known." The further prolonging of already-imposed restric- nation's thanks "for USAAF Band Opens prevail throughout victories of recent tions on civil production was seen by Anderson. the world.. . . CAPITAL SIDESHOW: Gov. Thomas E. Dewey, of New months and for the Concert Tour Today "We would not magnificent work York, the defeated Republican Presidential candidate, probably cheapen your hours will get to the White House after all. . . . Dewey has been and sacrifice of the The U.S. Army Air Forces band, re- of heroism by wish-.. men in the field." invited with the chief executive of each state to attend the in- cently arrived in the U.K., will open a PRES. ROOSEVELT ing you a 'Melo, auguration of President Roosevelt, Jan. 20. GOV. DEWEY Secretary of Navy 60-day concert tour of 17 cities and 45 Christmas,' but we wish you to know that James V. Forrestal The infantry now is getting, not only the most, but the best of the Army's man- air bases in England with a concert open we are with you in spirit, in comradeship power, Lt. Gen. Ben Lear. head of the Ground Forces, said. . . . More adequate said : to the public at the Royal Albert Hall, and in faith." "Your efforts staffing of committees by experts in subjects which come under their jurisdictions London, at 2.30 PM today. To all members of the armed forces is a featured item in the proposed plan to "streamline" Congress. have brought us all Receipts from public concerts will go the President said: nearer to the day of to the RAF Benevolent Fund. "With solemn pride .. . I salute those victory—to the day They'll Pare Up Cupid Darts—With Dough when we shall again HELENA, Mont.. Dec. 22 (ANS)— CHICAGO, Dec. 22 (ANS)—Mrs. know 'peace on There's a, safety pin shortage here and Mary Phelps was granted a divorce today FORRESTAL earth.' " the WPB has suggested that "babies will after testifying how, after a whirlwind Adm. Chester W. Nimitz, Pacific naval have to stop swallowing safety pins and courtship and honeymoon in New York She Who Danced as Benito commander-in-chief, expressed hope, mothers will have to be more careful if in 1939, her husband left her in Grand saying: they hope to get through the critical Central Terminal while "he made hotel "We may look forward to this new period without embarrassment." reservations." She said she hadn't seen Fiddled Jugged for 30 years year assured it will see new and more him since, nor the $15,000 she gave him. Cornelia Tanzi, poetess who wrote she was not in Il Duce's graces in 1943, powerful blows dealt the enemy and that the Associated Press reported. "Clarette it will bring us closer to victory and peace. Harry Langdon Dead Col. McCormick Married ecstatic lines about Benito Mussolini's That is the priceless gift you are earning fiddling in the days when she danced while Petacci had been enjoying his favors," HOLLYWOOD, Dec. 22 (UP)— CHICAGO, Dec. 22 (ANS)—Co1. she said, in an attempt to show she had for your loved ones and all future Stage and film comedian, Harry Lang- Robert R. McCormick, 64, publisher of he played, was sentenced in Rome yes- had no connection with the Nazis after generations." don, died of a cerebral haemorrhage the Chicago Tribune, was married to Mrs. terday to 30 years in prison on charges the armistice. today. He was 60. Maryland Mathison Hooper yesterday. of haying collaborated with the Germans At the same time, Gen. Pentimalli and laps Give U.S. PWs Parcels by giving away information on the loca- Gen. Del Tetto, charged with failure to Parcels for American prisoners of war Most Papers 'Hit' Readers Between Eyes tion of Italian divisions which Lid out carry out military orders and with having in Japan are now being distributed among allowed the Germans to capture Naples U.S. prisoners in Korea and other pro- NEW YORK, Dec. 22 (ANS)—Black headlines—most of them two inches high after Italy had asked for an armistice. —startled the American people yesterday as the German offensive rolled on. after the armistice, were sentenced to 20 vinces, a Japanese spokesman declared Some editors appeared to be trying to put the best face on things, but more The 36-year-old blonde told the court years' imprisonment each. yesterday over Tokyo Radio. seemed to have adopted the policy of giving it to their readers right between the eyes. Many papers approached the story the way The New York World Telegram headlined it: "Yank Rally Slows Nazis." The majority, however, went along with All in All, a Good Dinner Home and Here The New York Post's "Greatest Battle of 'War," and The New York Sun's "Nazis Still Gain." In Chicago, The Sun screamed in its biggest type: "Nazis Gaining in Luxemburg; Uncle Sam's Yule Feed Will Be Bigger, but John Bull Won't Do Badly U.S. Losses Worst Since Bataan." The Detroit News said: "Nazi Push Slakens"; NEW YORK, Dec. 22—There will be John Bull—after more than five hard The Cleveland Plain Dealer—"Nazi Offensive Grows in Fury"; The Wyoming. a big brown roast turkey together with years of bitter war—looks forward to his State Tribune—"Eisenhower Timetable Wrecked as Nazis Plunge Deeper into mashed potatoes, squash, green peas, In the Reich,No Drinks, most lavish war-time Christmas. Arrange- First Army Lines." cranberry sauce and such festive fixins ments have been completed, the Food as salted nuts, hard candy and fruit on No Butts, No Nuthin' Ministry announced, for trimmings to go Output on Schedule Still Privacy. but New Locale the table when most people in the U.S. ZURICH, Dec. 22 (Reuter)—It's with 1,500,000 turkeys released to civilians PAWTUCKET, R.1., Dec. 22 (ANS)— CAMP MYLES STANDISI4, Dec. 22 sit down to that great American meal— not going to be a very merry Christ- lucky enough to get them. Keeping abreast with their lifelong habit (ANS)—Pvt. Alphonse Bingle will spend Christmas dinner. mas for the Herrenvolk this year. The Hotel parties this year will be more of doing things on the same days, Mrs. Christmas in the guardhouse here. MPs You have to "know" the butcher this SWiss newspaper Neue Zuericher popular than ever. No extra trains will John J. Weeks and Mrs. Charles Perry. seized Bingle at the Brockton (Massa year to get turkey for Christmas. There Nachrichten, describing the food situa- he put on for the four-day holiday. twin sisters, gave birth to daughters on apartment of his sister, Mrs. Malvina is no shortage whatsoever in staples which tion in Germany, said it was worse Despite the fact liquor is short, Britons the same day. Both mothers are married Strolo, where he had hidden—without go with the big bird, and even delicacies than ever. will do their best at celebrating. to Navy men serving overseas. le,aving—for 18 months. like figs, dates and avocado pears are Potatoes—usually plentiful in the Every family will receive one pound of plentiful for salads. Vaterland—are "a rarity," the paper almonds and shelled peanuts, according There seems to be no shortage of color- said. Bread and vegetables are "un- to the Food Ministry. Children under 18 At Front, No Qualms ful striped Christmas candy which sits obtainable." Cabbages are rationed will be allowed nearly double the usual ARC Features around many American homes in bowls at one a •week to a person. candy ration. for after-dinner munching, either, No alcohol, no cigarettes, no Only one family in ten probably will ,foes Demand although well-known brands of candy nuthin' in Germany, according to the get turkeys for Christmas. For families Yule Programs bars for Christmas stockings are not paper. without ovens, food columns in British always available. newspapers have been carrying advice en U.S. Use V1' Red Cross clubs throughout London For the traditional Christmas breakfast how to cook a Christmas dinner on a gas will serve a free turkey dinner to troops there are plenty of country pork sausages on the market. ring with one saucepan. WITH U.S. FORCES, Germany, on Christmas Day, either at noon or in For pancakes. there is real Vermont maple syrup in Eastern The Food Ministry also promised a slightly increased ration Dec. 22 (AP)—Allied troops being the evening, while other Yule activities, stores and honey and sugar syrup in the rest of the country. of pork veal for both adults and children, and "more puddings pounded by German V-weapons want to There's plenty of coffee and tea. Despite chatter of a whisky than last year." know when they are going to start sending ranging from children's parties to dances and shows, will be featured in most of the shortage, many liquor stores are stocked_ Needless to say, it There appears such an abundance of Christmas trees that a few flying bombs back. sells well. Scotch, while not plentiful, is available some places many shops fear getting stuck. Toys and tree-trimming clubs over the holiday week-end. Full at $5 a bottle. "If we build a better flying bomb, why schet:ules of entertainment and religious materials, however, are lacking in shops. the hell aren't we using it?" asked one services can be obtained at all clubs. GI after reading a story in The Stars Terry and the Pirates By Courtesy of News Syndicate By Milton Caniff and Stripes to the effect that the American Highlighting the day's attractions, a buzz-bomb was better than the German 50-voice carol group of American soldiers will sing before the King and rr CONSISTED OF JUST olt, WILLOW BELINDA,IOU -.1b TELL THOSE JAP SPIES THAT WHAT THEY model. ABOUT ALL A COLONELS NAVE DONE AN AWFUL THOUGHT' WAS AMERICAN 'OPERATION SI Fighting men know German secret Prime Minister at Buckingham Palace EXCELLENCY, WE YES. o;, SEcRETARY WOULD THIN61.-EvEN TD ESCAPE REALLY KNOWN AS NUMBER SIX ...NUMBERt weapons cannot be dismissed with a and 10. Downing Street during their all- HAVE LOCKED THE CcuR5E- BUr KNOW OF A LARGE Jt, ToRTORE AND CAN TIME SIX LS THE BOOKOF JOSHUA IN THE elate ' shrug. Arguments that these weapons are day carolling tour. The group will also AMERICAN WOMAN ,;omEn4iNc. OPERATION - Bar roE THE PoLICE TO FIND -AND THE OPERATION I DESCRIBED WAS carol at St. Paul's Cathedral at 3 o'clock SERGEANT IN NCR TROUBLES ME *MERE IS A FAINTLY ME, IT MIAS SINFUL- CONGWESTOFJERICH0,1DLD AS indiscriminate do not impress the man CELL-. BUT CID You ABOUT NEC FAMILJAM NOTE TO IF IT WERE ABOUT TO HAPPEN TODAY( in a foxhole. on Boxing Day, Dec. 26. A performance NOT INTEND Tb KILL RECJTAL OF Hee STORY-. In recent weeks, British and American of the "Messiah" will be given at the I/ER AFTER SHE TUE AMERICAN troops in the rear areas have been Royal Albert Hall at 2.30 PM on Dec. TOLD US OF THE BATTLE ORDERS attacked with Via and V2s and the latest 26, tickets for which are obtainable at YANKEE PLANS V-weapon, which has been likened to Red Cross clubs. heavy artillery. Men who hear these Christmas pantomimes, highly revered droning over the lines to the rear would in England and played by popular British very much like to hear them going the actors, will be offered at the Palace, Stoll, other way. Winter Garden and Coliseum theaters.

Printed in England by The Times Publishing Company, Limited, Printing House Square, London, E.C.4. end Published by the United States Forces-23-12-44.