Army Is the Limited Value of the Dollar Forces Reached the Saar River in in Francs

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Man Spricht Deutsch lei On Parle Francais Wet ist Ihr Fuehrer? TRIPES Comment va-t-on a l'Etoile? Vere 1st Eer Fewrer? Come-on vat own al aytWAHL? Who is your leader? the turt>pe$h>1}itoW&Gtm&m How does one gv to the Etoile? Saturday, Dec. 2, 1944 Vol. 1—No. 130 lFr. New York—PARIS—London lFr. 3d Lunges to Saar River Franc Rate Flag Day for the Nazis on Western Front Castles 'Breaks'GI, ProbersSay Yield To

By Joseph B. Fleming Stars and Stripes Staff Writer British Exchange value of the dollar was called "a crime" yes- Northern Allied armies yesterday by two members of the terday battled on the west House Military Affairs Com- banks of three rivers which mittee which is in France to bar the roads to the Rhine- listen to the gripes of the land cities of Dusseldorf and average soldier. Cologne. Southward across First and foremost gripe the Rhine, in Baden, enemy heard already, according to guns began shelling the new- Congressmen J. Parnell Tho- ly-liberated Alsatian city of mas (R.-N.J.) and Ivor D. Fenton Strasbourg. (R.-Pa.), both World War I veterans, In Germany, U.S. Third Army Is the limited value of the dollar forces reached the Saar River in in francs. This group of Nazi soldiers just three places and closed up to its Going Broke Themselves hoisted a sign of surrender, western bank along an eight-mile Hinting that the rate of exchange near Geilengirchen, when the front between Merzig and Saar^ would be investigated by the com- photographer came along to lautern. U.S. Ninth Army forces mittee, which arrived in Paris yes- film the event. The Yanks are expanded their Roer River front terday. Rep. Thomas said that the U.S. Ninth Army troops. to eight miles. In Holland, British American public had received no troops smashed three enemy hint of the soldiers' monetary pro- pockets on the Maas River, north lem in France. of Venlo. A combat soldier in Paris on pass, Enlarged Staff Castles FaU to British he said, apparently is broke shortly British Second Army troops after he arrives. He added that chased Hitler Youth forces out of "the Congressmen would "be broke Speeds Xmas Castle Wannsum, after the young soon, too." fanatics had pledged their lives in Thomas and Fenton indicated battle for the fuehrer. This strong- that cigarette and ammunition Mail Forward point and Castle Broekhuisen on shortages also were high on the list the Maas fell to the British after of things to be looked into. ETO Army postal chiefs yester- artillery and bombers smashed an- Cites Ammo Shortage day supplied a progress report on other stubborn pocket at Geistern U.S. Army Signal Oorps Fhotos. the campaign to get Christmas mail "At home they told us we couldn't Castle Somewhat different than the usual plain white flag and pole, this to soldiers on the Continent. CoL get cigarettes because they were Ninth Army troops cleared Welz, Red Cross flag on a shovel served the same purpose for two German Edgar E. Schroeder, chief postal Stars and Stripes Correspondent going overseas," Thomas said, "and soldiers who surrendered near Metz to Third Army troops. They officer, revealed that last month over here we find there's a short- Morrow Davis reported from that were among the more than 9,000 PWs captured during the first 10 more than 74,000,000 letters, 10,000,- sector, and fought to swing its left age, too." days of the assault* on the ancient fortress city, which began Nov. 8. 000 V-mail letters and 10,000,000 Thomas attributed the ammuni- flank along the Roer. packages arrived here. Northwest of Duren, in the tion shortage, which he said would Outgoing mail was 46,000,000 let- infuriate the American people, to Aachen sector, U.S. First Army ters, 10,000,000 V-mail letters and men fought in Inden, one of the home front production problems. 1,000,000 parcels—15 percent of the Matthew J. Merritt (D.-N.Y.), Pershing's Ex-Maid Opens villages the Nazis are using to de- letters going to the United King- (Continued on Page 4) acting chairman of the committee, dom. emphasized that the committee was WineTapsfor Be I fort Victors in the ETO to hear "what the fel- Placed in Marked Bags lows say and learn what they He said that for the Christmas want." By Wade Jones rush hundreds of soldiers, civilians Paris Gestapo Stars and Stripes Staff Writer and German prisoners now are working at base post offices and Trial Is Begun BELFORT, Nov. 26 (delayed).—This once mighty Ger- other dispatching centers, in addi- Crerar's Men man-held fortress today fell to the guns of the French First tion to the 6,000 regular APO men. Army and the boundless hospitality of Gen. John J. Persh- Emphasizing that every possible One of the most sensational trials means of speeding mail is being in French legal history opened in Meet Gen. Ike ing's former chambermaid. used, Schroeder said that except Paris yesterday with the prosecu- The First Army took care of the Germans, chasing the for V-mail, which needs special tion of a dozen alleged members of By John E. Carlova last of them from the city after a handling on both sides of the At- the notorious Paris Gestapo, which Maple Leaf Staff Reporter week of street fighting. Mme. Ma- Russians Cross Danube lantic, mail is sorted according to was known to have taken its orders HQ. FIRST CANADIAN ARMY. deleine Riottot, the ex-chamber- units and placed in marked bags from Himmler. The 12 men, including ex-Police —Canadian soldiers got a good look maid, took care of visiting Ameri- 90 Miles from Austria (Continued on Page 4) at Gen. Ike when the Supreme can firemen at a free-for-all wine- Commissioner Pierre Bony, are Commander called on Gen. H D. fest in her cafe. MOSCOW, Dec. 1 (AP).—Com- charged with intelligence with -r. enemy power, which carries the G. Crerar, First Canadian Army Mme. Riottot, rotund, 43, and a bined Russo-Jugoslav assault forces AFL Re-elects Green, commander. death penalty. Frenchwoman from the word go, punched a deep salient across the Resumption of the treason trials Gen. Eisenhower's day with the west bank of the Danube River Promises 'No Strikes' was proud to tell the Americans was expected to bring the most Canadians included inspection of that she was the American Com- about 90 miles from southern Aus- a guard of honor, and demonstra- NEW ORLEANS, La., Dec. L— gruesome testimony of torture and mander-in-Chief's f emmede chambre tria today as a fierce battle was mutilation given since trials open- tions of bridge building and arm- at his headquarters in Chaumont The AFL closed its annual conven- renewed by other Soviet troops in ed six weeks ago. ored teams and visits to a hospital, in the last war. northeastern Hungary. tion yesterday after re-electing Pre- an airfield and Polish headquarters. "He was a beautiful general," she Strongly armored columns aimed sident Wiliiam Green and all other Capt. K. E. Perrin, of Medicine declared, in rough translation. to converge on Baros, center of a officers and renewing its "no- Life-Saving Medic Hat, Alberta, was in charge of the strike" pledge. guard of honor. Gen. Eisenhower (Continued on Page 4) . vital rail network. Hoped to Be M.D. asked Trooper D. T. Lackie, of Alberta, how long he had been in WALLA WALLA Wash., Dec. 1. the service, and of Trooper, H L. —Pvt. Duane Kinman, the 19- Thornbourn, also Alberta, he asked Foe Cowed, Nazis Take It on Lam year-old medic who performed a his civilian occupation. By Jimmy Cannon giant dowager. Tanks cautiously 'They're stealing Hannibal's stuft successful major operation with a knife and fountain pen while Stars and Stripes Staft Writer followed the cow on its probed pil- He used cows years ago," said an 9th AF Bombers Attack officer. a battle raged, was forced to WITH THE THIRD U.S. ARMY, abandon his childhood hope of Dec. L—The guys of this Recon "The next thing you know they'll In Support of Infantry be using kangaroos for hand-to- studying medicine because of Cavalry unit didn't know whether hand fighting," said a doughfoot the death of his father, the Walla Walla Union Bulletin said Ninth Air Force fighter-bombers to shoot or milk the enemy that who will bet you that Hannibal is yesterday supported First and ambled toward them through the a little town in Missouri where today. By repairing and selling used Ninth Army infantry with dive- mine fields last night. cows "sleep in barns and give you cars, Kinman supported himself bombing attacks in the Duren- It was a cow walking slowly stuff you put in coffee." while attending high school. A Julich-Euskirchen areas, while 125 through the midnight fog shoved "I wish they'd start using chic- Marauders bombed machine-gun Seventh Day Adventist, Kinman along by a cursing German soldier grimage through the mine fields. kens and pigs for cavalry and we'd was assigned to non-combatant positions, dug-in tanks and anti- Infantry followed the tanks. have ham and eggs every time we tank traps in front of the Third who prodded it with a long pole. service in the meiical corps in The guys repulsed the attack run a counter-attack," a rifleman Army advancing toward Saarlau- A lantern swung from the cow's September, 1943. neck like the titanic lavalier of a and had steak for breakfast. said ruefully. tern. Page 2 THE STARS AND STRIPES Saturday, Dec. 2, 1944

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Afterthought. If all .e jokes in Reader's Digest were laid end to end—they'd make ten columns of, Mail Question return to their own nomes tor a Hashmarks. long-dreamed-of civilian life of Is it feasible for the APO to in- • * • stitute the folloving system? peace as far as great numbers are Two Joes, bouncing along in a concerned As the years go by, their Distribute to each company 30 jeep, were trying f figure out what international understanding will be' the road signs in French meant. priority envelopes per man per come less and less and finally van month. The men can then send At one spot th; jeep skidded, went ish in future generations. these envelopes home to the people into a spin. As the driver pulled or person from whom they are most A world organization, with its dis the jeep back on the road, he mut- interested in rapidly receiving mail. trict, state, national and interna- tered. "That sign over there must The envelopes can be printed in a tional conventions held in different mean, 'Road Slippery When Wet'." manner similar to those used for parts of the district, state, nation, • * • - and followed by" an international Cpl. Murry Woldman tells us ballots! this one. A GI on KP all day Air transport would then be de- convention held each year in a different country, would do much stopped by the Red Cross that voted to the transportation of V- evening and gave blood to the blood Mail, these priority airmail letters for mutual understanding and the and what other airmail there Is building of a better world bank. The nex. day it was returned ih your hands is a message cen- with a note, "We wanted blood—not room for. All other mail would be perspiration.'' transported by boat....Lt. M. Edel- ter to the majority of the members stein, Med. Co. of the armed forces Yours is the opportunity. What about it?—Capt, The infraction was a minor one, * * J. M. Gantt. Inf. but the sentence was severe. "I'm going to give you the maximum * * * Service COUHTY COURT The other day en route to Paris, I stopped at the QM. Resubmit There were 16 guys with me For the information of Sgt. fresh out of the foxholes. S. A. Givens and other tankers Those QM boys really helped who have wondered, a special us — beds, chow, their meSs insignia for tank crew mem- . equipment. They just couldn't bers was designed, approved Allied armies on the Western Front' reached Rhineland defenses in do enough. and forwarded to Washington the north and consolidated their corridor to the Rhine River in the For you guys who worry by Headquarters, Armored Com- south during the past week. On the Eastern Front, the Red Army about the rear echelon boys: mand, nearly a year ago. opened a new offensive toward Austria, south of Budapest. those fellows are on the ball.— It was disapproved by Army Officer, Inf. Ground Forces. In light of — * * * developments since D-Day, per- SOMEWHERE "J haps AGF might, today, take punishment," proclaimed the judge. Coffin Nails a different view if the badge "I'm not going to put you in our IN Cigarettes are hard to get and were resubmitted....Capt W. C. nice jail. I'm going to let you go once you get some you should not Needham, Inf. free and worry about taxes, short- EUROPS complain. What do you think of ft ft ages, rationing, unemployment, this, however? The cigarettes politics, war, post-war and every- house, threw a hand grenade, thing—just like the rest of us." How to Win a Promotion Red Tape & Barbed Wire Relaying messages under a heavy worked over the place with his • « • tommy gun and forced the Ger- We are located on the boundary A GI who stepped into a Belgian artillery barrage was'too tame for Joseph R. Peril, 28th Inf. Div. ra- man to jump out of an upstairs line of an area divided into two shop to buy couvenirs was quite window. Nelson potted him in districts. Our headquarters is 100 dioman-messenger from Erie, Pa., surprised when the kind old lady mid-air. miles away, our neighbors 35. behind the counter smiled sweetly so he organized a platoon of 25 Recently we were notified to ex- and said, "TS, TS" He later dis- stragglers, set up defense positions \ * .* '* -. .. pect 200 PWs and to have a stock- covered that tr i first Yanks in the and held a front-line sector for five Too Anxious ade built and ready to receive them town had purchased most of the days. He was promoted, from Pfc to within a few days. We had no goods in the shop and had told the staff sergeant. A German was so enthusiastic telephone or direct courier service old lady that "TS" was the proper A wisecrack got Bernard (Bob) with his "Kamerad" that he knocked with our headquarters. Our good way to tell American, that she was Raices, New Yorker in the Second a rifle right out of the hands of neighbors had a huge supply of out of the goods they wanted to Armored Div., his promotion. Pfc Joseph Roddy, of Cardiff, Ala. captured barbed wire stored within buy. They told her "TS" meant "I gave a special showing of a Roddy was skirting some buildings a few miles of our installation. "terribly sorry." movie before an audience which included the colonel." Raices said. passed out to us in this hospital When we hit them up, we were told • • • bear this message: to go to our own headquarters, 100 Then there was the bashful bur- "I had visions of it running smooth- "Hi Buddie, good luck! Compli- miles away, and get it Who said glar who, upon finding the lady of ly and the colonel rewarding me there is a gas shortage? by making me a Pfc. But the ments of the Arkansas Coffin Co., the house in the shower, covered We recovered from that one. To- her - :th i revolver. machine broke down, the show was South Fort Smith, Ark. 1/Lt. Jack • ■ • Robinson, Jr. and eight thers. night, one of our sergeants was a flop and here I am just a dis- strolling down the road when he Two mosquitoes were sitting at a appointed private." * * * was greeted by two unhappy Nazis. beach watching the bathing beau- On hearing the story, CoL Sidney They hadn't eaten for five days and ties.. Said the old cne to the young R. Hinds, of Nashville, Tenn., pro- Epicurean were looking for a nice quiet stock- one, "You're lucky. In. rr.y day I mpted Raices. Some of us fellows really like ada. We informed them our stock- could only bite girls on the hands ft * ft spam! We have been over here ade had been abandoned, but would and face." for quite a while now but we've try and oblige them by sending • « • Their Master's Voice never even seen the stuff. them over to our neighbors' stock- Observation. A sergeant is a S/Sgt. Chester Murawsky, of We've seen pictures of targe ade, a few miles away. Sou guessed large forceful person of a few Windber, Pa., a squad leader words—but often. piles of that delicious substance; it. Bud The same old story. "Hell • * • in the Fifth Inf. Div.'s Second we've heard fellows bitch be- no! Take them to your qwn head- Bgt., hasn't found out who was in a Siegfried Line town when a cause they get it all the time, A wolf we know is too broke to quarters," which I repeat is 100 buy etchings—so he asks his girl the mysterious German-speak- Nazi soldier in a doorway flung his but do we even smell the stuff miles away.—Capt. G. W. M. ing machine gunner who stopped arms skyward so violently that he . . . hell, no!—Lt. A. G.M, T.C. friends up to see the handwriting on the wall. the last of three counter-attacks disarmed the 30th Dr*. infantry- Gp. * * * • • « designed to push Co. B off its man. Smiling apologetically, the ft ft ft Just Help End It And then there was the absent- Seille River bridgehead. Jerry picked up the rifle and handed minded censor who glanced at some Co. B had been assigned a it back to the Yank. What About It? Any time you fellows think machine gunner from Co. D, outgoing ■ mail designated for the ft With the European war progress- you have it rough, think of us States and said, "Humm, guess I'll but the B men didn't expect ft ft ing in our favor and the probability poor guys up here. One day have to put this aside for awhile. the gunner to be a linguist so So Harry Moved of its end not so many months up here would do all of you a It says 'Do Not Open Until Christ- proficient in German that he world of good. You'd all go back mas'." caused 16 Nazis to detour bis Pfc Harry R. Boehm, 84th away, I would like to see the service Inf. Div. MP from Ausable man begin to think in terms of his to your jobs more determined to • • « way with a Prussian-like "Come Forks, N.Y., was sitting in' a collective power In helping to keep get this damned mess over and Incidental Information. On a here." They obeyed and it was the peace forget who deserves the credit. certain highway in France are the the last counter-attack of the jeep in a newly-captured Ger- You can have all the credit, towns of Foreffe and ETO-ville. day. man town, when an 88 shell With the armed torces of all hit a. building a few feet away countries touching directly or in- just help end it.—1/Sgt. Inf. J. C. W. ft ft ft and bounced into his jeep. It directly practically every family in Scared Stiff didn't explode. the world, there exists a great opportunity for a post-war organiza- "Aussie" His heart stuck in his throat when he climbed to the top of the n • . | Folks at Home Send tion designed to foster international ilirt Im Xhese GIs Swift News embankment because there was a 1,1,3 of Sir Stork's Arrival: fellowship and drive for national German soldier sitting in a slit and international legislation for trench only a few yards in front of T. L L. Nigliazzo, Duncan, Okla.—Luke keeping the peace. This organiza- him, his eyes shaded by dark glasses tion might well be called The Legion L Leon Jr., Nov. 21; Cpl. Ralph Ferran- and his rifle pointing rigidly at the dina, Bronx—Elvira, Nov. 14; Capt. Alex of the United Nations. Yank's heart. Weiss, Brooklyn—Donald Stewart, Nov. 23; The past few years have seen the Pfc Wilbur Bullock. New York—twins, For a few tense seconds, Lt. Walker Alan and Robert Craig. Nov. 14; tocial intermingling of soldiers of Laurence W. Cappel, of Cincinnati, Pvt. E. J. Martinson, Livingstone, N.Y.— many countries. This has caused Ohio, just stood there. But the Nazi girl, Sept. 20;' Agent James L. Ward, Brooklyn—boy. Nov. 23; Cpl. Arthur Blu- a better understanding of the dif- didn't move, the rifle didn't fire, ferent problems faced by peoples of menthal, Brunswick. O.—Robert Arthur. nothing -happened. Then it dawned Nov. 23; Pvt. Jesse Barrett, FalsomvUle, countries other than their own. In on him that the German was un- Ind.—Jesse Paul, Nov. 21; Sgt. Vincent P. Sampson—girl, Nov. 23 Pfc James most cases pre-war distrust, one of naturally stiff. Investigation re- greatest foundations of war, has Rhodes, Homestead, Pla.—James Delma been practically banished. vealed that he had been shot Jr., Nov. 25; Pvt. Nathan Weiss, Brook- through the back of the head, lyn—boy, Oct. 5; Sgt. Harvey Gottfried, The armies of each country will Brooklyn—Marsha ft ft ft OT. Norman L. Bowne, Cobleskill, N.Y. S —boy; Luilli J. Doherty, Rockaway THE STABS AND STRIPES They Weren't Playing Park, N.Y.—boy. Nov. 9; Cpl. Eldo L. Printed at the New York Herald Playing hard to get a Ger- Knoke, Garner, la.—girl, Sept. 6; Lt. Pat- Tribune plant. 21 rue de Berrl. Paris, rick J. Burdex. Cincinnati—Ross Patrick. for the D.S armed forces under aus- man trapped in a courtyard by Sept. 8; Pfe John P. Fijalkowski—Pamela pices of the Special Service Division two 35th Inf. Div. soldiers, Lt Gall, Nov. 12; Lt. Gordon S. Fletcher, ETOUSA. Tel.: ELYsees 86-00. Roselle, N.J.—Dtanna Joan, Nov. 17; A. W. Oon'«nts passed Dy the OJ3. Army Harold Yaple, Atchison, Kan., Hawkins, Belfast—Julie Patricia. Oct. 18; and Navy censors. Entered as second and Sgt. Darryl Nelson, of Min- Cpl. James F. Hayward, Baltimore, Md.— class matter. Mar. 15. 1943. at the neapolis, dashed into a building Evelyn Janice, Nov. 15; Pvt. Richard J. post office. New York. NY. under McCabe, Bronx—boy. Nov. 20; Pvt. Walter the act of Mar. 3. 1878. and slammed the door- Nelson O. Mallett—Jane Carol, Nov. 20; W/O Vol. 1, No. 130 blew the door off with a rifle Bernard Miller, Chicago—boy. Nov. J8; "Is this what you call mopping up pockets of resistance?" T/6 Henry 7'ramazzio, New York—boy, Oct. grenade. Yaple entered the 31; Pvt. Ed. J. Zakozeski—boy, Oct. 20. Saturday, Dec. 2, 1944 THE STARS AND STRIPES SPORTS Page 3 Once Over Lightly Unbeaten Army Duels Navy Today By Andy Rooney ALTIMORE, Dec. 1.—Municipal B Stadium will be. the scene of 69,000 Fans that proverbial battle, between an irresistible force and immovable Expected for object tomorrow when Army's scin- tillating . backfield matches brawn ... -. and wits with Service Clash Navy's airtight line. By Andy Rooney. Lt. Cmdr. Rip Stars and Stripes U;S Bureau Miller, Navy BALTIMORE. Dec. 1.—If Navy's line coach, says fearsome, line lives up to expecta- his collection of tions, financial conditions at West forward wall Point will hit a new low tomorrow nuskies is bet- after the Kaydets and Middies ter than Notre match touchdowns at Baltimore's Dames famous Municipal Stadium in their annual "Seven Mules.' football extravaganza More than Miller is an au- 69,000 customers—at $4.80 a tiead— Don Whitmire thority on the are anticipated subject Decause Gamblers nave established Army he was one of the unneralded line- as 11-5 or two-touchdown favorite men in front of Knute Rockne's "Pour Horsemen." Miller has a Although the backroom boys know glowing phrase to describe each their business, it's hard to under- member of his line, out he uses all the adjectives in the book when 1944 Records someone mentions Don Whitmire, ARMY NAVY 215-pound All-America tackle. 46 No Carolina. U lt N Car. Pre-F 21 "He played two years at Alabama 5'J Brown 7 55 Penn State... 14 before coming to Annapolis." Mil- Oil Pitt 7 7 Duke • ler explained, "and right .now he 76 Coast Guard. 0 15 Ga. Tech 17 27 Dulse 7 26" Penn 0 could play on any team in the 8:1 Villanova .... 0 32 Notre Dame.. 13 country. And that includes the 59 Notre Dame.. 0 46 Cornell 0 pro clubs, too.'' Probable Starting Lineups 6-J Penn 1 i'. Purdue .0 ORE-GAME SHORT SHOTS: Ted 481 28 227 65 ~\ Husing will handle the "ring- ARMY Pos. NAVY side" broadcast. Husing has worked Dick Pitzer (195) LE Leon Bramlett (185) stand why they are going over- ten games this season and the home Arch Arnold (195) .....LT.. '. Don Whitmire (215) board for the unbeaten squad from team has won every time. Navy is John Green (190) LG .....Jim Carrington (185) the Point, especially to such an the home team tomorrow Boxes Bob St. Onge (180). C Jack Martin (205) extent have been reserved for President Joe Stanowicz (215) R3 Ben Chase (195) There is no lack of Navy money, Roosevelt, General Marshall, Ad- Al Nemetz (195) RT Gail Gilliam (200) which explains why there will be miral'King, Henry Morgenthau and Ed Rafalko (185)....„ RE Ben Martin "(190) no joy at West Point tomorrow Henry Stimson. . ; Pvt. Gas Lom- Doug Kenna (180) QB Dick Duden (190) night if the Middies can surge, bardo, a Marine wounded on Guam, Dale Hall (185) : ...LH..... Bobby Jenkins (200) through to win for the sixth will be present Max. Minor (180) RH Bill Barron (160) straight year. In the entire series. to watch the Felix Blanchard (210) .F3 ...... Clyde Scott (175) Oscar Hagberg Army has won 22 times, lost 19 and game. He's a Navy Coach three games enaed m ties. brother of Tom Navy stock climbed slightly to- Lombardo, Ar- day when it was announced that my's captain Rangers Upset Air Army-Navy Tilt Walker of Yale Bobby Jenkins, triple-threat All- and quarter- America nalfoack. would be :n the back . . . The For Troops in Paris starting lineup Jenkins was Hos- Kaydcts will Canadiens, 7-5 Gets Lowe Cup pitalized Tuesday but doctors said Servicemen in the Paris area wear white jer- MONTREAL, Dec. 1.—Ten . thou- he was suffering from athlete's toot seys, the Middies will be able to listen to a direct BOSTON. Dec. 1 —Paul Walker, and would be ready to so tomor- sand fans brayed Canada's first big shortwave broadcast of the will wear light olizzard of the year and saw New of Oak Park, 111., Vale's potential row blue Army's Army-Navy game tonight, start- All-America end, was named to re- With Jenkins leading operations, York's fifth-place National Hockey ing at 6:30 PM in the Empire Joe Stanowicz League club produce a 7-5 upset ceive the George Bulger Lowe Me- the Middies will present a formid- vlas Theater, 41 Avenue Wagram. is intercollegiate Minor over the championship Montreal morial Trophy as New England's able line and threatening oacks. heavyweight wrestling champion. Signal Corps equipment will outstanding football player. In addition to Jenkins, Coach Canadiens here last night. pick up the broadcast from Bal- His substitute, Bob Land, was run- The first penalty shot of the sea- Previous winners were Endicott Oscar Hagberg will rely on Clyde ner-up in the 175-pound class. timore and amplify it through- Peabody. Harvard; George Connor. Scott. Hal Hamberg, Ralph Ells- son proved the turning point, jut the theater. No tickets are There's no lack of speed in this Charley Scherza of the Rangers Holy Cross: Charley O'Rourke, worth, Bill Barron and Dick Duden necessary but attendance is res- Mike Holovak and' Gene Good- to conduct offensive operations. game.' Navy's Jim Pettit ran the I whipping the puck past Goalie Bill tricted to military personnel. "100" in :096 and Clyde Scott, a Durnan to break a 3-3 tie in the reault, Boston College Army will -etaliate with the teammate, won the interscholastic third period. greatest collection of backfield low hurdles crown in :09.9. Other Ranger goals were scored Wings, Bruins Swap Men artists any collegiate eleven has Sports writers claim Glenn Davis, oy Phil Watson. Ab DeMarco, Kilby Texas Nips Ags DETROIT, Dec. 1. — Manager had in years and a first team ane Army's ace halfback, is as fast in MacDonald, Walt Atanas and Hank Jack Adams of the' Detroit Red just as rugged as Navy's, but in- football clothes as Illinois' Buddy ' Goldup. Watson netting two. Wings disclosed yesterday that Bill experienced line reserves. Glenn Young, the fleet Negro sprinter. As Layne Stars Jennings had been traded to the Davis. Felix "Doc' Blancnaid, Bu Coach Earl "Red" Blaik says Boston Bruins for Pete Leswick Doug Kenna. Max Minor. Dale Hall. Bruins Trip Hawks. 7-2 and an undisclosed amount of cash. Bobby Dobbs and Capt. Tom Lom- Max Minor is his fastest runner. f CHICAGO, Dec. 1.—The Boston AUSTIN, Texas, Dec. 1.—Boboy Both are right wingers. bardo will see backfield action. Blaik was boosted to colonel this Bruins scored their third straight Layne passed and ran the Texas week, but End Coach Stu Holcomb! victory over the Chicago Black Longhorns to a 6-0 triumph iver is still a buck private. Maybe if Hawks last night. 7-2, Ken Smith the Texas Aggies in a Texas Army wins and the President and anc Art Jackson each scoring Thanksgiving Day football thriller An Army Vote—One for Navy! brass like the game, they'll make twice Bill Cowley, Boston center, here yesterday. Holcomb a Pfc. added to his league scoring lead Layne scored from nine yards out By Gene Graff By Charlie Kiley with one goal. less than two minutes after che Stars and Stripes Sports Editor Stars and Stripes Staff Writer Maryland Nips VMI, 8-6 opening whistle, after his 27-yard Army's unbeaten squad should Army has a better team than ROANOKE, Va., Dec. 1.—A safety Hockey Standings pass to Watson set up the scoring scuttle the Middies today. Navy, everything considered. Earl In the second period was the NATIONAL LEAGUE play. North Carolina Pre-Plight and Blaik has two sets of backs that W L T Pts G OG margin of victory by which Mary It was a vicious encounter JI rank second to none, including ser- Montreal 9 4 1 19 53 36 Georgia Tech proved earlier in the land defeated Virginia Military In- goal-line stands that thrilled 43,000 vice and professional elevens But, Toronto 9 4 0 18 52 42 season that a strong backfield can stitute, 8-6, here yesterday. Mary- Detroit 7 4 8 16 62 42 spectators. the Midshipmen have the best de- land held an 8-0 lead until the last Boston S 7 1 11 53 58 penetrate Navy's "invulnerable" fensive line in the country. More- New York 2 6 3 7 39 58 line. And the Middies haven't r yet over, their forwards are as adept, period when VMI scored once and Chicago « 9 1 5 48 72 W & M Tops Richmond threatened repeatedly. been called on to face an unlimited offensively, as any in sight. AMERICAN LEAGUE RICHMOND, Va., Dec. 1.—With supply of brilliant backfielders They figure .to hold Army's Last Night's Scores Halfbacks Stanley Magdziak and such as Army has. Even the best brilliant breakaway runner s— Help Wanted Hershey 1. Cleveland 1 (tie) Jack Bruce each scoring three Indianapolis 2, St. Louis 0. line can stand up under only so Davis, Hall,.Minor and Blanchard —AND GIVEN touchdowns, William and Mary Col- much battering. —as they haven't been held all sea- lege swamped Richmond University. The gamblers usually know what son, probably to two touchdowns. Write your question 01 problem to CAGE "RESULTS 40-0, yesterday. The victors' line they're doing and they've establish- Notre Dame, walloped by Navy Help Wanted. The Stars and Stripes. outcharged the Richmond forwards Paris. France. AP0 De Paul 62, Illinois Tech 45. ed the Cadets as two-touchdown and slaughtered by Army, says the Drake 72, Central 39. and made it easy for the ball favorites. That's good enough for sailors have the better club .We CAMERA EXCHANGE Indiana 43, Wabash 39. carriers. us. agree. ANTED: 35mm camera with 3.5 or W better lens Prefer Retina Leica or Li'l Abner By Courtesy at United Features. Contax with built-in binder. Capt. O. By \l Capp Castellano. ANTED: Kodak using 620 jr 616 Him. W Cpl. Kenneth W. Schmidt ANTED: Rolleiflex Automatic Camera W Maj. M. Hoard. ANTED: Carl Zeiss Contax camera or W Leica. with exposure meter and lens Sonnar 1:15 f—5cm. T/5 Jerome Korn- reich. ILL SWAP new Stekotype with carv- W ing case and instruction material for 35mm. camera O. C Clark, CWO. APOs WANTED T John Moors, Hamden, Conn.; Pfc L John Murphy, N.C.: Sgt Joao Mocedo, 11116074; Cpl. William McNeill, N.Y.C.; Sgt George H. Pope. East Boston. Mass., Sgt. Andrew O. Putch, Pittsburgh: Maj. Paul Quencau ; Pfc Francis A Rogers, 33315552; Pvt Charles H. Sternberg. 420- 51012; Pvt. Leroy Shapp. Chicago; Pfc George W. Shaffer, 33680152; U. H. S.. Thompson. Page 4 THE STARS AND STRIPES Saturday, Dec. 2, 1944 5 DSCs Reveal Wvn't Run Again Argonne Battle Warner sWinTough Tiff Heroic Work WasPicnic,Say With Hays on Sweaters By Pattern Men VetsofHurtgen HOLLYWOOD, Dec. 1 (ANS)—Warner Bros, studio an- By Earl Mazo By Russell Jones nounced today it had withdrawn from its voluntary member- Stars and Stripes Staff Writer Stars and Stripes Staff Writer WITH THE THIRD ARMY, Dec. HURTGEN FOREST, GER- ship in the Hays office, filmland's censor, and henceforth 1. — Indication of how Lt. Gen. MANY.—The Battle of the Hurtgen would put a sweater on any actress it thought would look Patton's tankmen fight was given Forest is just about over. GIs who have struggled for days In the good in one. In the citations which accompanied A studio spokesman said its exe- five DSCs recently ■'varded by the darkness of the impenetrable thicket of trees and undergrowth cutives and representatives of the Third Army general. Hays office, known officially as the 1/Sgt. John R. Morton, of Boone- are emerging at last into the open. One unit cleared the edge of the Motion Picture Producers and Dis- ville, Mo., an artillery man in the tributors of America, had been tiff- Sixth rumored Div., went after the forest near Hofhardt, southeast of Derichweiler Wednesday, and on ing for several months. 88 that knocked out his half-track. "We've disagreed on countless In doing so, he kiJlr-i 2^ Germans the south other units swung below, above and into Grossau. matters ranging from what is good with his carbine, k-ockin ■ out a taste and what isnt to how we 20mm. flak gun and at least two Virginia-born Lady Nancy Astor, Behind these outfits there are more than 50 square miles of land should handle our wage negotia- machine-guns. Britain's first woman Member tions," he said. Lt. Wm. J. Marshall, of Newark, of Parliament, announced in solidly covered with pine and fir. It is in these woods that the most "We won't put anything into our NJ, got the leading tanks of his London today that she was end- pictures that wouldn't pass the Fourth Armored Div. unit over the ing her 25-year parliamentary direct route to the Roer River lies; and it was here that the Germans censorship board of every state and Moselle River by blasting sharp career and would not run at the we will continue to co-operate with shoulders on the bank of the river next general election. Two built some of their defenses and committed some of their best the League of Decency." with his 75s, laying timbers and women, ?'-S. Lucy Middleton, But from now on, the spokesman troops. debris across the bottom of the Laborite, and Mrs. Isabel explained, Warner's itself will canal and river to keep his vehicles Brown, Communist, already had Claimed as Winter Line decide what is good taste and what from bogging down. been chosen by their parties to The Nazis' confidence in their isn't. Established Bridgehead run for the Plymouth seat held ability to hold here was such that Marshall repeated the perform- by Lady Astor, Conservative. prisoners said this sector was their Who Said 'Man's' Army? ance on the Saar River, getting winter line. FORT WAYNE, Ind., Dec. 1 (UP). tanks across in time to do a lot of The Americans fought under con- —Who relieves whom for active damage to the Germans. ditions which World War I veterans duty in this "man's" army? Lt. Col. John L. Hines, Jr., who leads 3rd Men Rush said made the Argonne Forest seem John Templeton took the place of an AAA command in the Sixth a picnic. The mines and almost Capt. Katharyn Nannos as recruit- Armored Div. vas decorated for nonexistent roads made the battle ing officer for the Fort Wayne leading infantry personally across To Saar River an exclusively infantry affair. area. the swollen Han-sur-Nied River to Shelter was what the men cap- establish a bridgehead. (Continued from Page 1) tured or had time to build—and Bond Drive Passes Billion Lt. Col. Creighton W. Abrams, of fend Duren and its iron foundries. they didn't have much time. WASHINGTON, Dec. 1 (ANS).— St. Petersburg, Fla., commander of Southeast of Aachen, infantry Director Ted R. Gamble reported the 37th Tank Bn., Fourth Armored fought for the village of Schmidt, tonight that the Sixth War Loan Div., wa? in the lead of his unit in the spruce forest of Hurtgen, Film star Jane Russell, whose drive was slightly ahead of sched- during one of the fiercest armored where the mud was so soupy that Wine Taps... "Outlaw" picture was banned by ule as individual purchases mounted battles of the war near Arracourt. carts carried supplies where trucks (Continued from Page 1) Hays office jurists, points out to $1,074,000,000. The goal is $5,- Capt. William L. Spencer, of could not go, horses took up the the Hollywood tiff about well- 000,000,000. Marcy, N.Y., despite wounds re- burden from there and where "Once he gave me a tip. Ten francs. filled sweaters over which ceived when his tani was knocked horses could not walk, men did t'.e The general did not waste the mo- Warner Brothers resigned mem- Albert Fall Dies at 83 out, mounV-I another and led a job. ney of his government." bership in the censor's office. EL PASO, Tex., Dec. 1 (ANS).— unit which destroyed 37 German Stars and Stripes Correspondent If the civilian assemblage in Albert B. Fall, 83, Secretary of the tanks. Jimmy Cannon with the U.S. Third Mme. Riottot's was representative Interior in the Harding administra- Army forces said that elements of of Belfort as a whole—and there's tion who was convicted of accept- the Tenth Armored and 90th In- no reason to think it wasn't;—Bel- 5,000Japanese ing a $100,000 bribe in the Teapot Enlarged Staff fantry Divisions reached the west fortians a. 3 like this: They're real- Dome oil case, died yesterday. bank of the flood-swollen Saar op- istic and they're French to the Lost in Convoy posite the Merzig. This industrial core. They didn't like the Germans Bucknell Prexy Resigns LEWISBURG, Pa., Dec. 1 (ANS). Speeds Mail city, he said, was heavily-defended in their town but there was nothing Destruction of another Japanese by Siegfried Line guns which were they could do about it. There were —Dr. Arnaud C. Marts, president convoy trying to take troops and fContinued trom Page It reported to pack more fire power too many Germans. The local un- of Bucknell University for the past than Metz. derground had to take to the hills supplies to Ormoc, the second with- nine years, today announced his before leaving the U.S. On arrival so strong was the German's hold. resignation effective at the end of here unit bags are sent directly to Blow Up Saar Bridge in a week, was announced yesterday Belfort had never before been by Gen. MacArthur"s headquarters. the current academic term. th° postal regulating section and West of Merzig, Germans blew a captured, its citizens proudly point then to the APO serving the unit. main Saar bridge yesterday as re- out. A 9,000-ton transport and three The bags are not opened until they connaissance units reached the Citadel Last to Fall small freighters were sunk and a reach the unit mail clerk. 5,000-ton freighter and a destroyer MarshallLauds river north of the city and 10th Ar^ One reason is the great ring of Only mail for replacements, hos- mored Division elements took Hil- set afire. pitalized personnel and other casuals 16 Belfort system forts, chief of More than 5,000 Japanese troops bringer, Fitten and Battern to the which Is the Citadel. In that Captors of Metz now is sent in "mixed bags" to base west. were lost, bringing to more than post offices where detailed sorting muitiple-walled stronghold the Ger- Infantry of the 90th Division 26,000 the number of casualties suf- and searches are made, and Schroe- mans continued their resistance fered by the enemy in seven un- WITH THE THIRD ARMY, Dec. reached the river south of Merzig against French tanks and artillery 1—Gen. George C. Marshall, U.S. der said that every effort is made and entered Fremersdorf and Buren. successful attempts to run the U.S. to keep it moving quickly. until yesterday morning. Be- blockade on the western side of Chief of Staff, wired a commenda- Cannon reported that the 378th He said the 30,000,000 V-mail let- fore pulling out, they had given Leyte Island in the Philippines. tion to Lt. Gen. Patton, Third Army Regiment of the 95th Division ad- ters sent from the ETO up to the the city below six days of machine- Ground activities on Leyte con- commander, for the capture of vanced a mile and one-half on a present represented only 31 tons of gun and mortar fire. Our air force tinued to be hampered by tor- Metz, and for the "splendid ad- three-mile front to within two miles cargo, in contrast to the 2,700 tons had never bombed Belfort or the rential rains but the. Americans vance" Patton's troops are making of Saarlautern. they would weigh if sent as ordi- citadel, Palfortians said, and our maintained a 24-hour artillery "in spite of floods, mud and bitter nary letters. V-mail is sorted ac- East of Saarlautern, roads were artillery merely nicked its massive bombardment. enemy resistance," Third Army cording to Army units before pho- clogged with fleeing civilians, re- walls as a jumpy razor nicks a In Washington, meanwhile, Vice headquarters announced today. tographing in the U.S. and only 20 ports of 19th Tactical Air Force chin. The Germans simply pulled Adm. Mitscher, commander of the Marshall also sent his personal percent arrives in the "mixed rolls" pilots said, according to Cannon. out. Third Fleet's Task Force 58, re- congratulations to Maj. Gen. Man- and requires base post-office hand- East of the river, Siegfried artillery ported that the Navy has shot down ton Eddy, XII Corps commander, ling. poured shells into American lines. 1 Killed, 10 Hurt inParis more than 4,000 Japanese naval and Maj. Gen. Walton Walker, planes in the last year and a-half commanding the XX Corps, on the As B2 6 Loses Bomb Load and has "practically eliminated" •'grand show" their troops are Japanese naval aviation. putting on toward bringing the war Railsplitters, in First Battle One French civilian was killed tc a triumphant conclusion. and ten injured yesterday when Patton in turn added his own one of eight quarter-ton bombs, ac- P51 Top Speed Clocked commendation to that of the Chief Chalk Lp'Perfect Operation cidentally jettisoned by a Ninth Air of Staff in a telegram to Eddy. Force Marauder, exploded in a paint At 450 Miles an Hour "With such troops the conclusion On the following morning an- factory in a southwestern Paris of the war is inevitably near," he By Wes Gallagher suburb, it was officially disclosed. INGLEWOOD, Calif., Dec. 1 said. Associated Press Stall Writer. other regimental combat team of (ANS).—The P51 Mustang fighter, Railsplitters struck north along the The bombs fell in the Issy-les- WITH NINTH ARMY, GER- Moulineaux section of Paris. Three officially rated the world's fastest Kirk Named Italy Envoy Wurm River. propeller-driven airplane, is capable MANY, Dec. L—-It was revealed One lieutenant colonel pushed his landed on a building of the Ripolin WASHINGTON, Dec. 1 (ANS).— today that the "Railsplitting" 84th force through to Suggerath, two paint factory, three more did small of 450 miles an hour in level flight, —President Roosevelt today nomi- North American Aviation revealed Div. was the American unit which miles north of Geilenkirchen. Rea- damage to the annex of the Citroen nated Alexander C. Kirk of Illinois today with Army permission. to be Ambassador to Italy. Kirk teamed with the British to capture lizing that his unit was in a bad automobile plant and two struck strategic position, he led a six-man railroad tracks leading to Versailles. The plane, holder of the trans- now holds the personal rank of the German stronghold of Geilen- ambassador and is American repre- patrol to high ground. The B26 was part of a formation continental speed record, has an kirch^n in a "perfect operation." sentative on the Advisory Council The patrol ran into ambush and en route to bomb enemy positions altitude ceiling of more than 40,000 It was the first time the 84th four were killed and one wounded. in the Saarlautern area of Germany. feet and range of 2,000 miles. for Italy. j£has been in action during the war. e"he division is commanded by By Oourtesy of News Syndicate. By Milton Caniff rru';-. Gen. Alexander R. Boiling, Terry And The Pirates ™l, 1 vas wounded and won the DSC greatest World War , He was com. The *t in 1917 from OCS and is armi(e fgw brigadier generals "ican Army to command THE STARS a Trf■Tribunh^el plant\, 21 rue'"ar^ t of the Ninth tor the U.s armed (o»° the British for pices of the Special generation. BTOUSA Tel.: ELYsees of the attack Contents passed oy the \ „ e u and Navy censors. Entered fea m 0n1 tlnea class matter. Mar. 15. I943i<;h ground post office. New York. N Yiominating the act of Mar. 3, 1878. .° Vol. 1, No. 130 Very th Mud—the Foe No Bullet Will Stop Toy Cannons Halt Jerry in Holland Warweek Nazi Supertanks—a Smashing Battle

Saturday, Dec 2, 1944 This Enemy Never Fires A Shot:

He Slows Down Our Armor At Critical Battle Moments By Joe Weston Warweek Staff Writer

GI's bitter complaint that "everybody in the whole damned Army A talks about mud. but nobody does anything about it," started the whole business. Warweek editors did a little private snooping, asked for help— and got a desktui of letters proving that GI's from generals to privates are doing something about mud besides sleeping in it. , The Mttrs ranged from a dainty packaged sample of Dutch mud "Duck Bills" on tracks help tankmen pu II out of the goo when going gets rough. contributed by a Signal Corps The contest, which ended re- fluid up to the dashboard. On the humorist to the much more prac- He suggests mounting dual wheels cently, was publicized via bulletin dash he rigged up cut-off valves in front. Robinson insists that tical "Beat the Mud" program of 5. Keep vehicles clean at all boards, company poop sheets, an- HQ Advance Section, Com Z, com- allowing the driver to stop the fluid dual wheels in front of a 6x6 can times. nouncements at formations, posters going to the wheel he wants to and will pull other trucks of the manded by Brig. Gen. Ewart G. 6. Drainage of stagnant water. and by other means. GIs were Plank. General Plank, like every revolve. Then he puts the brake same size out of the mud. He 7. Pill in soft spots. given time and material to prepare on—and out of the mud he goes. claims that the 25 percent more other soldier, know's that the best 8. Mark bad, impassable spots. articles and sketches on ways and way to lick mud is to prevent as To critics who claim the opera- traction created by this idea is sure- 9. Use four-wheel drive. means to beat mud. tion raises hell with the differen- fire. Could be? much of it as possible in the first 10. Don't dig yourself deeper by place. So, under the supervision More Mud-Beating Tips tial, Swanson says, "It ain't true"— A SeeBee echoes the same senti- spinning. and is willing to bet on it. of Col. C. R. Broshous. his chief of Other contest winners who sent ment. Says he: "We gained extra Prom General Plank to Pfc- Swansea's second idea has to do staff, he got a crackerjack anti- in similar ideas were : Cpl. Merle Anders Swanson isn't such a long power and traction by installing mud campaign under way, which E. Weygandt, Cpl. Claude A. Creain, with a wheeling device that goes in dual wheels in frorit and licked jump where mud is concerned. between and above the bogey wheels General Mud at Omaha Beach." included a trip to Pans as a prize Sgt. Donald A. Applen, 1/Sgt. Julian Swanson, with a Chemical Base for the best preventive measures. W. Chamberlin, Pvt. William E. of a 6x6. It succeeds in getting T/5 Herman Topel writes from a Depot, comes up with a couple of all the wheels in the back assembly Smith, Pfc Harold Mattke, Pvt. ideas which he claims he is using hospital bed that shredded rags, Mud Commandments going at one time. knotted and wrapped around wheels Carleton C. Wite, Sgt. Robert J. with good results. Swanson recommends this method Twenty-five GI's, sending in an Glines, Sgt. Robert J. Kurtz, Cpl. helped out in a hurry. Knotted Swanson diverts the power to the for use where trucks all get stuck strands of rope were also highly assortment of suggestions, won the Herbert O. Crane, Pfc Miguel J. wheel of any vehicle — self-pro- "Big City" jaunt starting Dec. 7. Briseno, M/Sgt. J. C. Valentine, in a particularly bad place. He recommended by Topel—if you pelled, fast-moving armored or suggests that a man be detailed have rope. Pfc Raymond Michael submitted T/Sgt. James A. Williams, Sgt Ro- supply truck which is not doing to said place with his device—or the typical winning ten mud com- bert M. Pleischman, Cpl. Carey P. any spinning or revolving. any variation of it—because it is Cpl. Edward R. Oglin, who claims mandments : Cronin, Pfc Frederick Keifer, Cpl. For example, Swanson uses a usually too clumsy to be carried the enviable distinction of having 1. Stay on hard surfaces if pos- George A. Abbott, S/Sgt. Hilbert truck which has both front and by each truck. put together a still on one of the sible. O. Bell, Sgt. Solomon A. Tesh, rear wheels on the right-hand side Normandy beachheads, passes on 2. Stay off soft shoulders. S/Sgt. John R. Melton, Sgt Alton spinning. No Rules for Mud some good, old-fashioned New 3. Dont take short cuts. Allen, Sgt. William Newell, T/Sgt. If the wheels on the left side are The above stuff, and much to England mud tips. 4. Don't track mud onto high- John Davis and S/Sgt. Ramon on solid ground, he says, put brakes follow, is all off-the-cuff emergency Oglin's number one tip is to use ways. Meyer. on the spinning side. The dif- business and probably won't be the highest gear possible and the ferential will then turn or divert found in the TMs. But mud can't lowest motor speed that will keep power over to the left-hand side read directives so "you pays your the vehicle going in the mud. and the truck pulls out. money and takes your choice." He also advises dual front wheels Swanson claims the braking is a T/4 Hudson Robinson of an AAA and lower tire pressure when going cinch by just piping the brake-shoe AW Bn. says: "Mud! That's easy." through soft stuff.

"Plowing through the muck and mire." Ordnance men effect field repairs to mud-damaged vehicle. WARWEEK Saturday, Dec. 2, 1944

■ H 1*1 Mortarmen Kept Nijmegen Bridge Open

In Maneuvers These Men Were Laughed at—That Was Before By John Christie Warweek Staff Writer They Started Shelling Jerry

OEMEMBER the first time you ever saw a mortar? its position was constantly under Back in basic or on those never-to-be-forgotten torture sessions intense artillery fire that splintered they call "maneuvers," lots of guys got a big bang out of razzing the tombstones and churned up bodies, mortarmen-about their "Fourth of July Cannon." It was a great joke the platoon firing in battery laid to the doughies, the pick-an'-shovel soldiers and the armored outfits. down a total of 1,650 rounds. It was a great joke—but that was before Sicily and Salerno. It Battery Fire Effective was before Anzio and Omaha. It was long before the hedgerows and the road-blocks and the little "We always fire in battery when- fortified heaps of rubble which ever possible," says Lt. Cooper. were French or Belgian, Dutch or They carried out that mission "We find it more effective to put German towns. successfully. They did more than four guns on the same target rather It was before the Siegfried. It that. than to fire one gun four times. was before the battle of the Nijme- They did tricks with their four It's easier to control your fire this gen Bridge. But all that fighting 81mm "Fourth of July Cannon" way and, if it's surprise fire, you with mortars had paved the way that had never been seen before. give the enemy a much greater for an action at the bridge which These tricks worked. They worked wallop because he is robbed of the made mortar history. so well that the biggest brass in chance to better his position during Only one platoon fought there, the business was impressed. Now, the interval between bursts." but the work of every American the battle tricks of that bunch of When the infantry assault was morrarman in Europe had contri- mortarmen are being made a part made on the bridge, the platoon buted something to the tactics they of the regular training in the mor- really showed its stuff by laying used and the success they achieved. tar section of the Infantry School, down a barrage only 50 yards ahead To be precise about it, the guys back at Fort Benning, Ga. of the advancing paratroopers. It to sew up this mortar business The platoon, under command of takes experts to do that. Accord- consisted of one platoon of the 82nd 1/Lt, John L. Cooper, of North ing to the book, 100 yards is con- Their job was to keep the bridge open—no Kraut could stop Airborne. For a full day and night Hollywood, Calif., went into posi- sidered the minimum distance for them. Panorama (above) shows the intact bridge and town. they were artillery, machine gun- tion in the cemetery at 4 o'clock close mortar support. But when ners, infantry and armor—at least on the afternoon of September 19. you haven't got the artillery or are every ammo carrier is a trained to cover a vital target and there as far as the results they obtained The enemy had strong positions in in a situation where you can't make gunner. was no artillery available to do it. were concerned. Their position was a parkway which formed the use of artillery, mortar support like "It's best to use heavy wire, even Here's the way they worked it. a badly-mauled cemetery, 1,000 approach to the bridge. The 2nd this can save lives. • One of the though it's harder to lay," explains They used four heavy increments yards from the strategically-vital battalion's front line was a row of companies in the assault didn't Section Sgt. Joseph Gilhooly of and two light increments with HE bridge. Their assignment was to houses facing the park and in one lose a single man killed or wound- New York City. "We generally lay light ammo. That gave the added cover the bridge with mortar fire of the houses the mortar platoon ed. alternate lines right at the begin- range without increasing the re- to hold it open for the relief of had its OP. "When you're firing close support ning and whenever possible we try coil beyond the safety limits pre- British paratroop units In trouble The battle for the bridge lasted like this, it's a good idea to level to string them overhead so that scribed by Ordnance. Or, in other on the German side of the Waal 24 hours with the mortar platoon the bubbles on the sight at all they wont get damaged by tanks words, the recoil was no greater River in Holland. playing the decisive role. Although times," warns Section Sgt. Harold and artillery fire." than the normal recoil when four W. Woltz, of Dearbon, Mich. "It's The platoon's work at Nijmegen heavy increments are used with hard to do I know, but if you're Bridge earned a decoration for each heavy ammo. "Remember this -ex- firing fast and don't do it, there Is member of the outfit. Once again pedient only applies to light aramo," danger that youll get some disper- the success of an important opera- Lt. Cooper emphasizes. "You can't sion that will cause casualties tion pivoted on the ability of this afford to allow the recoil to among your own guys. We had to platoon. It had been the same increase beyond the prescibed Hmit be careful to do this when we were story back in Italy during a vital because you would not only wreck laying down that barrage at 50 yards delaying action on the Volturno the gun but endanger the crews." because our four guns poured out River. That time the platoon 200 rounds in five minutes." earned a unit decoration. Added Range—Normal Recoil Guns Well Dug In But the Nijmegen Bridge action One day in Holland the platoon had an unusual opportunity to The mortar platoon's 24-hour fire prove its ability to handle mortars from the graveyard was devastat- in the form of a demonstration for ing. When tanks came up to ex- a visiting general. The demonstra- ploit the breakthrough across the tion, however, did have a useful bridge, the parkway was Uttered purpose. It was to cover a patrol with more than 200 German bodies going out for prisoners and pri- and several knocked-out anti-tank soners were needed badly at the guns. Flames from nearby burning time. buildings lit up the scene long after The patrol's objective was an darkness fell to further emphasize enemy machine-gun position, which what the mortars had done. was covered by a platoon dug in The cemetery had been a hot about 100 yards away. The instruc- spot during the 24-hour engagement, tions were for the patrol to move but the mortar platoon lost only in on the machine-gun position, one man wounded. That's because following a mortar concentration, these veterans are always well dug and get back with prisoners while in. the fire was being shifted to the "In a situation like that have platoon. your guns dug in as well as pos- was only one of the platoon's out- The mortarmen laid down a four- sible," says Corporal John F. Lee standing accomplishments in the minute concentration of 200 rounds of Worcester, Mass. "When we're Holland campaign. The platoon on the machine-gun position. As in a defensive position, we like to fired more than 16,000 rounds in soon as the fire was lifted and have our gun in a hole about five the seven weeks of combat. Still directed on the enemy platoon, the feet deep and about six by Six in more important were some of the patrol rushed out, took three pri-< area. It gives two men plenty of battle expedients, like the barrage soners out of their holes and were room and the gun plenty of tra- at 50 yards. back in seven minutes. They had verse." One of their neatest maneuvers found .the machine gun smashed The loss of only one man in this was increasing the range of the up and resting against the side of action is also remarkable in view mortar 1,300 yards beyond the a house. of the fact that telephone lines prescribed limit This wasn't done Such proficiency requires plenty had to be repaired 12 times under for the hell of it either. It was of practice and good teamwork. fire. But every man in the platoon strictly an invention bom of battle This platoon is strong on botti. Now can make wire repairs just like necessity, "Extra-range was needed (Continued on Page 4) Saturday, Dec. 2, 1944 WARWEEK 3

Tanks Spearheaded the Ninth Army When the Roer River Drive Was Started. A Battle of Armor Developed and German Tigers Met Their Master

By Ed Wilcox Warweek Staff Writer

GEREONSWEILER, Germany, 76s, whose job is to knock out Dec. 1.—The huge Ger— ~n tank you enemy panzers. can see alongside the road about a They hadn't gone far along the kilometer from this little village is road before they were momentarily one of 67 wrecked Tigers and Tiger halted by fire from German 88s, Royals, twisted and scarred, scat- mounted on small tanks and dug tered along the roadways and in into the soupy fields and roadsides. the muddy open fields in this area. Systematically, they were elimin- the huge German tank ... is one of 67 wrecked Tigers, scattered along the road. This Nazi armor represents the ated by our armor and artillery. • pattern of defeat which came when Major R. E. De Horn, Antigo, grenadiers, who took it on the chin equal or greater number of our the desperate Krauts, going all-out Then the -'->ow really got under way. The Krauts, tossing caution Wis., a staff officer of the crack coming and going from our armor, tanks. It's a case of 16 German to stem the 9th Army advance into armored Combat Command B, our artillery, and at times, when tanks south of this town, another Germany, ele:ted to pit Essen steel to the winds, counter-attacked near the small hamlet of Setterich. The which took part in the clash, de- the battle was at it's peak, their engagement north of Setterich in against Pittsburgh steel, German scribed it this way: own tanks. which our TDs and tanks clash guts against American guts. Germans were playing their parts according to the script mapped on "It had been raining for three "You never saw a sadder bunch with a dozen or two other tanks. The remainder of the record 100 than those panzer grenadiers we During the four days they lost Nazi tanks which tangled with our the sand table in headquarters. days without let up and the ground When a score of assorted German was very soggy, making maneuver- took prisoner," another officer said. plenty of armor—about two-thirds army in a four-day pitched battle "There they were stuck out there of all they used. Part of it was in knee-deep mud and a cold, steady to stop our attack with only rifles, knocked out by our tanks and' TDs. rain, managed to escape and fall a few grenades and machine pis- When we were advancing, the artil- back along the Roer River. They EVERAL important things were learned in this armored tols. They were over-run. And lery laid down some of the most were soundly beaten in their largest S engagement. the Jerries who were quartered in beautiful rolling barrages I have tank fight since D-Day. First, it helped convince Nazi commanders they are no match Setterich, Puffendorf, and Immen- ever seen. Other German tracks This bitter defeat dealt the for our armor. Ninth Army tankmen, who know their business, dorf, were so sure their armor and tanks were knocked out that Krauts by crack tank, tank de- say that in the future German panzer units will be used even more would throw us out again, that way. The P47s were up there stroyer and artillery units of the cautiously and sparingly than in the past. they just went to Gereonsweiler whenever the weather allowed and will-o'-the-wisp 9th, was no hit-or- The second observation is that, despite our superiority of fire- and settled down to sweat it out they poured it on the Kraut armor miss proposition. The unit com- power, weight of equipment and better planning, the German army until the towns were in their hands and grenadiers. And you can't say manders of the 9th planned this is not defeated. Not yet. Officers of the 9th say the German army again. They were awfully surpris- too mush for the job our infantry victory as thoroughly and matter- still has fight and that interrogation of prisoners shows a tough- ed when we walked in and took did. Although this was mainly a of-factly as they had planned ening of morale, rather' than a weakening. The Wehrmacht is them prisoner," problem of armor against armor, similar operations in maneuvers still a force to be reckoned with. "Yes," the major added, "Those the infantry boys were in there and training back in the States. Finally, the premier performance of the new super-tank—the Krauts were all set to spend the pitching too with bazookas and har- Two days before the battle, head- German's highly-touted Tiger Royal—turned out to be no more winter there—they didn't think assing fire which helped account quarters spent long hours studying pote.it than the ordinary Tigers. Except for the longer and more we'd get very far. They'll learn. for a few more of their tanks. reconnaissance reports gathered by frightening barrel on the 88, they are the same, most of the men "This was the first time since Our Tanks Faster armored cavalry, infantry and air- claim. D-Day," the major said, "That we force men who had carefully plot- "Don't sell their armor short," "We call the Tiger Royal the 'King Size* Tiger," one American have had the time to really plan the major warned. "They have ted Jerry's positions. said. "That barrel sticks out there like a little fat man smoking anything like this action. We could A large table, sixteen feet square, damned good tanks when they a Pall Mall." see this fight looming for several want to bring them out to fight. was built and filled with sand. On days and so we got busy and really this a scale model of the entire They are well armed with their went into detail on the thing." 88s and machine guns and the area, topographically perfect, was Record Tank Concentration constructed. The sand table model Mark IV, V, and Vis, along with Ing with armor almost impossible. frontal armor is plenty thick—they showed where the seldom-seen Ger- several of the new Tiger Royals, We couldn't get full support of the Terme'. by one colonel" "the can take a hell of a beating. But man armor was hiding. It gave the came onto the scene, the reception air force either—the weather was largest commitment of enemy tanks we can give a hell of a beating. tankers a preview of the sort of was very warm. too murky." since D-Day," this battle marked "Our tanks are faster and much terrain they would be fighting over. Two of the Tiger Royals, which The major grinned and said another few miles along the road more maneuverable—that really For two nights every tanker down boast a 22-foot barrel on the 88 "Well, it wasn't exactly what you to Berlin and victory because it counted in this case where man- to the rank of sergeant fought the mounted on the front of the tank, would call an ideal time for this was an excellent example of co- euvering was more difficult because sand-table battle, maneuvering were knocked silly. Other lesser 6ort of an operation. We put ordination of several arms—air, of the soggy terrain. And our fire- power outclassed theirs all the their armor against the German German tanks burned out as Bri- paddlefeet on the tank tracks and artillery, infantry and tanks, all tish "Crocodiles," supplementing that made it a little easier to move focusing their terrific fire power way." tanks like Gullivers in LilUput. Later that afternoon outside the On the first bleak morning of our armored attack, slogged ahead around without getting bogged on a single objective. CP you could see the heavy tanks the four-day battle, heavy Sher- with their flame throwers spitting down in the soup." Pointing out the scene of action rolling along, throwing bits of mud mans rumbled and roared along fire in front of them. Panzer Gren- Krauts' Winter Plans Spoiled on a small-scale map on the wall, adiers, thrown in against our at- Major De Horn said, "You have to from their tracks as they moved the muddy country roads toward through the slop and deeper into Puffendorf and Immendorf, two tack, fought from their foxholes The major said that the Ger- remember that in an operation of Germany. They were moving to small German villages south ol with small arms but threw in the mans had thrown in three pajizer this sort it isn't a case of the Ger- new positions for new attacks made Gereonsweiler. With them went sponge when they realized their battalions and elements of another. mans running up 100 tanks all in a the hard-hitting crews manning the predicament. They were supported by panzer bunch and banging up against an (Continued on Page 4) Salurday, Dec. 2, 1944 4 WARWEEK by Lt. Dave Breger GI JERRY

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manages to Keep the tubes in good firing condition by swabbing them with a gas-and-oil mix. "It's a Coughing Mortars Wrote damn good field expedient," says Lt. Cooper. Nijmegen Bridge Saga Improvise Bore Cleaners This platoon has proved conclu- (Continued from Page 2) sively that toe mortar in toe hands of expert gunners is an accurate that they've proved themselves, They use the Heinie tube and base weapon and can be used as artil- these Joes are frank to admit that plate in order to make use of lery. It frequently fires from a months of dry runs are paying off. captured ammo and attack their map, especially in night actions. In other words, they did master own bipods and sights. "Be careful Often the outfit has operated what was in the book before they of that Kraut mortar ammo that against 35 or 40 targets in a de- :ried their own variations. has no caps though," cautions Sgt. fensive position and- generally it Gilhooly. has a stake for each target. The The outfit is fortunate that its This platoon has learned oy present first and second gunners stakes are tagged with the target long battle experience that effective number and marked with luminous have been together a fairly long firing depends a lot on the way time. "It should be so you can't you use and take care of your tape for night firing. get along without each other," says ammo. Cpl. Charles E. Johnson of Sometimes the targets are merely S/Sgt. John P. Jojola of Isleta, Belmar, N.J., a top-notcher in pre- likely enemy strongholds taken New Mexico, a veteran of all four cision firing, calls attention to the from a map. Each spot picked of the 82nd's missions. importance of putting the shell in out on toe map is given a target The platoon has strengthened the tube carefully. "Instead of just number and represented with a itself by a policy of giving its throwing the shell in, you should firing stake. ammo carriers a chance to serve as let it slide down easily and center "When attacking," says Lt. Coo- gunners as often as possible. per, "our policy is to carry two "After all, they are the ones who mortars and keep two in reserve. rivulets ran along the roads and a (Continued from Page 3) have to serve as gunners when we We give each ammo carrier three small stream rushed along the get casualties," says Lt. Edward rounds of HE light and one smoke." possible by the thumping given the ditches. In the fields you could Soltanoff of Newark, N.J., assistant Adds Cpl Rex M. Welch, of Mem- German armor near Gereonsweiler. see large ponds—growing larger. platoon leader. "Sor when in a de- phis, Tenn., "When it's possible we Generals and colonels hesitate to And the skies were still black and fensive position, ammo carriers are like to have a jeep loaded with a commit themselves as to the shape toe forecast wasn't for improved given a chance to get some practice. reserve supply that includes 150 HE ol things to come. The only word weather. It means that every man in each light, 25 smoke and 25 heavy. And from the commanders of the "This is toe pay-off," one tanker squad can fire, and when the going it's always wise to carry an extra armored division, said in terse, yelled. "We train for months for is tough the platoon can work in sight with each mortar." straight-to-the-point language, is desert tank fighting and what do shifts." "The German armor has withdrawn we get? A damned place where In Holland, the platoon in several Ample Reserve Supplies to an area along the Roer River." toe weather is like toe last reel in instances proved itself adept in For clearing out enemy-held 'Hurricane'." using the . 81mm mortar without If you stopped just before coming "Happy bird bath!" another buildings toe platoon uses both to the crossroads where the huge base plate or bipod. That means smoke ammo to start fires and Shermans had pulled over onto the tanker yelled. firing without use of a sight and heavy delayed-action shells for shoulder and toe men were sitting Tankers Own Gag the gunner has got to be able to demolitions. "When you need atop the tanks and eating C- And as you get into the jeep to see his target. "My men have smoke and HE light simultane- rations, you could get some pretty leave, being careful not to slide off gotten on the target in two rounds ously, it's best to have one gun s interesting views from the mud- toe shoulder as you turn at the at 200 yards," reports Lt. Cooper. fire toe smoke because you need covered tankers whO' fought toe A gunner carrying a tube and a different range table for tt," crossroads, you can hear the tank- two ammo carriers frequently went itself," explains toe corporal. "Put ■^tttle. They made predictions, too. ers yelling to each other as they says CpL Carlyle C. Ruddock, of out with patrols and often the it in wobbly and it's apt to come Homer City, Pa. "That means you "tone sergeant, when asked how eat their chow in toe rain. mortar was fired in this manner in out that way." fight had gone, said, "Hell— "Plowing through toe muck and "We generally manage to get a don't lose time in toe changeover socked them King-Size Tigers close support of a company. "It's that you would if firing both from mire—," one man yelled dugout made for ammo storage one gun." The platoon also has just as easy as any other A chorus answered, "H'ya Muck!" advisable to fire with no added when we're in a defensive position," Tiger. That long barrel on increments when not using a base found that it's best to take toe ||||f The tanker shouted, "H'ya plate and bipod because, if the says Lt. Soltanoff. "It's really not sights off toe guns when firing ^iylpnt make that tank any Meyer!" safe to fire ammo that's wet.. too smoke ammo because it tends to You can't stop a rough and charge is too great, your tube might much risk df getting short rounds." sink in the ground," cautions Sgt. split toe bubbles. ert Fighting tumble, screwball bunch like those Cautions Cpl. Johnson, "You've got boys—not when they're looking for Woltz. to be careful of this new ammo While this outfit has dished out ;n this time and plenty of death and destruction in , him a return Jerry, not when they have their Enemy Equipment Used because the increments come in cel- battles planned to the nth degree. lophane wrappers and easily slide its four campaigns, it also has ' ,i.ie wants it," Extensive use of captured enemy acquired a healthy respect for < j£ City said, And not when they realize that equipment is SOP with airborne off." enemy counter-action. It takes has always they're on toe road to Berlin. It units because of toe great difficulty These mortarmen are just as fussy about the care of the weapon every precaution possible to defend lauts—once may be a muddy, rainy, shell- of re-supplying them and the mor- and conceal its positions besides pocked road, but they can read the itself. The platoon often finds it- how to tar platoon has had considerable always getting well dug in. signs and they're plenty anxious experience with the Heinie mortar. self without bore cleaners but I. Little to get there. I