I have heard the ghostly cadence of those marchers in the sky-

WINTER, 1990 No bus rides in Vegas All Reunion activities will be within fabulous hotel

First of all, welcome back to our travelling Editor Ed Committee chairpersons have been appointed and are Arnold and his wife, Vi who have recently returned from an working enthusiastically to make our Reunion rewarding and extensive trip "down under" to Australia. We'll be looking successful-Registration, Neal Gibbs; Time and Place, Ray forward to hearing about their adventures. Yadon; Nominating, Cliff Brown; Hospitality, Gene Burt­ The pace is fast and the push is ner; Raffle, Dick Lykke; Sales, Archie Smith; Trailblazer on for finalizing 1990 Reunion plans in Las Vegas, September 16-20th, 1990. Both telephone The President's Report calls and letters received by me Norman Johnson have been enthusiastic, so from all appearances we should look Awards, Greg Hosford; Publicity, Walt Bogart, Sales, Ar­ forward to another great reunion. The Riviera Hotel is chie and Evelyn Smith. adequate and helpful. We expect to be housed in the Monaco Good news is that the Hospitality Room is large and will Tower which is next to our registration, meeting and social be kept open longer hours. functions. It is a reduced rate of $59 per room and 600 rooms Watch the Spring Issue of the Trailblazer for updated have been blocked off for us; however, I must stress there is a information. deadline of August 17th for reservations which will be Members are invited and urged to bring items for the strictly adhered to and for that reason a room reservation popular Raffle. The new system for drawings worked out form is printed in this issue. May I urge you to reserve your very well at the last Reunion and will be continued and room with the Hotel at the earliest possible date. The mailing improved. address is Riviera Hotel, 2901 Las Vegas Blvd. South, Las Be smart: Send in your hotel reservations today. You can Vegas, Nevada 89109, Attention Room Reservation Desk. always cancel them if circumstances demand that later. Please note sales tax is not included in the $59 rate. Remember the people who delayed making reservations and All functions in connection with the Reunion are being were disappointed at Portland and Nashville. held in the hotel and the Pre-Registration form for the On behalf of your Association officers, myself, and our Reunion itself will be printed in the spring issue of the wives and family, we take this opportunity to extend to all Trailblazer, together with additional information on some of members, wives and families warm Holiday Greetings and the opportunities for optional tours and sight-seeing avail­ Best Wishes for 1990. able in the area. See you in Las Vegas in September, 1990.

Aloha, Las Vegas festivities. Floyd Freeman, 1/275, is and one night in Vegas before the tour holding space for 60 people. The tour starts. The price, as yet undetermined, A pre-Reunion tour to Honolulu is will include round-trip air travel from and more details will be announced in being planned to kick off the Las Vegas Vegas, six nights in a Hawaiian hotel the next issue.

T~Ail$ BLAIE~ Volume 48 Number 1 Winter '90 President Secretary-Treosurer Chaplains Norman Johnson louis Hoger Alex Johnson is published four times o year by the 70th Infantry Division 3344 Bryant Ave. 5825 Horton St. 833 N. Carlyle St. Association for its members and friends. Subscription: $10 Anoka, Minn. 55303 Mission, Kans. 66202 Arlington Heights, annually. II. 60004 Vice President-East* President-elect * Editor Historians William Kiefriter Neal Gibbs Rev. Don Docken* Edmund C. Arnold Donald C. Pence 50 Woodhill Dr. 11910 Moonlight Rd. 920 Third St. 3208 Hawthorne Ave. Carolina Trace Willow Grove, Po. 19090 Olathe, Kans. 66061 Hudson, Wis. 54016 Richmond, Virginia 23222 285 Fairway lone Sanford, North Carolina 21730 Vice President-West* Asst. Sec.-Treos *. Associate Editor Paul Thirion Calvin Jones Chester F. Gorstki Dr. Eugene Petersen 6669 Nicolet! Ave. 227 NE 105th Ave. 2946 No. Harding Star Rt. 2, Box 143 Riverside, Cal. 92504 Portland, Ore. 97220 Chicago, Illinois 60618 Coble, Wisconsin 54821

2 70th Division Assn TRAILBLAZER An editorial The ''deficit'' shrinks

There is no $22,000 deficit for the Nashville Reunion! experience. For those of us who cannot, it is still nice to An incomplete fmancial report in the last issue of this enjoy vicariously, through "Trailblazer" reports and com­ magazine showed that much difference between expenses munications with our buddies who were there. and receipts for the biennial meeting. It naturally raised some The Reunion is necessary to keep the Association alive serious concerns. and it is certainly a wise investment of treasury funds to The facts are these: assure its vitality. Receipts at the Reunion were $96,434.79 Mini-reunions are also adding to the membership services. Expenses for the Reunion were $100,336.74 They are self-supporting-as the big Reunion has been on an But the deficit was not $4,334.19 overall basis. For there is $2,200 worth of souvenir merchandise on A problem of all national organizations such as ours is to hand. That means that the Association treasury actually maintain current communications. When this magazine subsidized the Reunion with only $2, 100. See page 17. comes out only three times as in 1989, there are regretable It seems to me that a modest subsidy like that is entirely lapses. It would be great if the ' 'Trailblazer'' could come out appropriate. For the Reunion is an essential service to monthly. But that would be an impossible strain on the editor members. and our mailing budget. (It costs about $225 to mail each The major service is, of course, this magazine. Recogniz­ issue.) ing this, the board increased the budget. First the magazine, If communications problems cause confusion at times, the which had appeared at irregular intervals, was put on a thing to do is ask the officers. As was properly done in the regular, quarterly basis. Then, in 1983, it was increased from case of the supposed deficit. Explanations will be given as 8 to 12 pages and again, in the following year, to 16. soon as possible. This is the first regular issue which carries 24 pages. (The The important fact in this situation is that the Association last two issues each had 24 pages but this is because only is alive and well, the treasury is in excellent condition, the three issues were published because of my long absence from "deficit" was actually a legitimate organizational expense. the country.) Vive le 70th!! The Reunion is the other major service. And a true service Edmund C. Arnold it is. For those of us who can attend, it is a heart-warming editor

Send this form as soon as pos­ You may make a photocopy of sible to: this form if you don't want to clip Riviera Hotel your magazine. You may cancel ATTENTION: Room Reservation reservations without penalty if Desk that is necessary at a later date. 2901 Las Vegas Boulevard South Las Vegas, Nevada 89109

~/------~ ROOM RESERVATION CARD 70TH DIVISION ASSOCIATION REUNION (One Room Per Card Please) SEPTEMBER 16-20, 1990

RIVIERA HOTEL & CASINO ROOM TYPE RATES

NAME: ------Single Occupancy $59.00 Double Occupancy $59.00 ORGANIZATION: ------Room Preference 0 King 0 Double-Double STREET ADDRESS: SUITES: All suites subject to confirmation. CITY: ______STATE: ______ZIP: _____ 0 Petite: $125.00 Penthouse: 0 One-Bedroom : $175.00 $375- PH1 ARRIVAL DATE: ______HOUR ______M 0 Two-Bedroom : $225.00 $450 - PH2 DEPARTURE DATE: HOUR M 0 Please send information for a hospitality suite. (Check-out time noon/Check-in time 3 p.m.) All reservations subject to local room tax.

ALL reservations must be received by 8/17 and accompanied by a one-night room deposit. Call (800) 634-6753 for additional information or changes. Please charge my American Express card with a deposit. A personal check is accepted for a deposit as well as American Express.

Card#:. ______Exp. Date: ______Signature,______

Winter, 1990 3 After a struggle of 11 months against Association recruiters could not flnd cancer, Roy Linsten, C/884, died August Robert Drackert, M/275, in time. When The last Retreat 4. The latest Roster lists his home as Ven­ they did fmd his residence, his wife, Isa­ A charter member of this Association, ice, Florida, but his widow, Bernice, now belle, said: ''I'm sorry to say that Robert Ernest 0. Miller, HQ 2nd Bn/276, suc­ lives at 12112 113th Avenue, Court E-6, passed away Dec. 23, 1988. I'm sure he cumbed to a heart attack July 1. He was the Puyallup, Washington 98373. would have been interested in the Associ­ flrst assistant secretary-treasurer of the ation. After 30 years in the military, he Association and in the late 60s served as John P. Kaufman,* HQ/882, died on missed association with the service when editor of the ''Trailblazer''. He was serv­ Sept. 10, 1989. His daughter, Linda he retired. His widow's address is PO Box ing on the Western mini-reunion commit­ Bredeson, sends us the sad news. 501, Derby, Kansas 67037. tee at his death at 83. Cal Jones, who is on that committee, After receiving a* battlefield commis- Plagued with emphysema* and heart has forwarded this report. sion in the Vosges, Albert Olson, unit trouble, Kenneth Lokker, AT/274, unknown, stayed in the service for 23 hadn't done much travelling from his Slay­ Ernie Richards,* B/884, reports the years, retiring as a major. He also spent 14 ton, Minnesota home. But he and his wife passing of two of our comrades: Windom years in civil service with military units. Lillian, did go to Arizona for the winter. Hebert, who died in November of '88, He died August 22 in San Antonio, Texas, There, on March 17, '89 he died at the age and Paul Sanford, for whom no date is where he had retired with his wife Sue. He of 74. He leaves his widow, two sons and available. Both were in Baker Battery. had a daughter, two sons and three two granddaughters. grandchildren. * * GAIL, Forest A LINSTEN, Roy E. STOKES, Haldane "Bob" 711 Gibbs 12112-113th Ave. Ct. E6 23300 W. Aratha Rd., SP-1 Navasota, TX 77868 Puyallup, WA 98373 Troutdale, OR 97060 70th Recon C/884 FA U276 Taps Died March 28, 1989 Died August 4, 1989 Died May 3, 1989

BAILEY, John L HERBERT, Windom J. Jr. LOKKER, Kenneth V. STRAZZINI, Armida "Mido" 111 Stoney Camp Lane 37236 Hwy. 7 4 3146 Linden Avenue 445 Brazilian Ave. Pittsburgh, PA 15238 Geismar, LA 70734 Slayton, MN 56172 Palm Beach, FL 33480 270 Eng. B/884 FA AT Co/274 U276 Died June 5, 1989 Died in 1988 Died March 17, 1989 Died Aprill, 1989

DRACKERT, Robert INGRAM, William MILLER, Ernest Q. WELLS, J. William P.O. Box 501 Aurora, Colorado Taps 7620 E. Evergreen Hwy. Rt. 1, Trumpet Branch Rd. Derby, KS 67037 Died August 1972 Vancouver, WA 98664 Olin, NC 28660 M/275 HQ/2nd Bn/276 D/275 Died December 23, 1988 KAUFMAN, John P. Died June 25, 1989 Died August 29, 1989 733 Peach Street DUFFIE, John M. Lincoln, NE 68502 RYSSON, Robert B. WILLHAM, Kenneth T. 703 W. 15th HQ/882 FA Phoenix, AZ. 35 Helen Lane #1 Hope, AK 71801 Died September 10, 1989 B/274 Ft. Meyers Beach, FL 33901 HQ/1 Bn/275 Died November 18, 1985 C/275 Died July 17, 1989 Died October, 1989 Western mini-reunion planned for April

Camp Adair oldtimers will get a chance dining room. Oregon coast-and tip your hat to the to see old stamping grounds when the Deadline for registration is April 1. ghost of Camp Adair as you sail down Western States Mini-Reunion is held in Please send your check for $27.50 per Route 99. Vancouver, Washington, April 27-29. person. This includes dinner Saturday There are a couple deadlines that you night. Address it to Dale Bowlin, 6712 H/274 eats in messha/1 again should note (you, being any 'Blazer, east, Montana Lane, Vancouver, WA 98661. Just like old times ... west or directly up from the Mississippi). His phone is (206) 696-0871. Seventeen men of Company H, Hotel reservations must be made by April Dale, C/883 FA, is chairman and com­ 274-and 13 wives-had lunch in the 13. Special rates are $60 per night, single mittee members are Cal Jones, Sv/883; enlisted men's mess after they toured Fort or double. Send your reservations to Red Don Lindgren, L/274; Bill Bergren, Leonard Wood in October. The trip was Lion Inn at the Quay, 100 Columbia St. B/276, and Dale Behrens, U274. Ernie part of a most successful mini-reunion in Vancouver, WA 98660. Miller, HQ 2nd Bn/276, was working on Springfield, Missouri. This is one of the most beautifully lo­ the committee before his death in June. "We were thrilled to eat with the new cated hotels in the country and all who If you can work your vacation around Army and the food was delicious," writes attended the Portland Reunion know how this Friday-Sunday soiree, you IPi.ght in­ Alex Johnson (Was gourmet food really hospitable the Red Lion staff is. The hotel, clude Mount St. Helens, the Columbia just like old times?) The Mini-R included a incidentally, offers a 10% discount to all River Gorge, Old Town in Portland, Fort banquet Saturday evening and a Memorial AARP members for meals served in their Vancouver, Mount Hood and the gorgeous Service Sunday morning. 4 70th Division Assn TRAILBLAZER He drops us a note affmning that the Seems Like Old Times 70th History Book is not only All­ American, it's All-World, he says. By Edmund C. Arnold He also notes that the best-selling book, So here we are, slaving over a hot com­ take retirement," he writes. So he moved "About Face" by Col. David Hackworth puter again, after a 2-month, 21 ,000-mile from Yakima, Washington, to LaPorte, mentions two Trailblazers: Capt. Reginal trip to Australia. Fifty-two of those days Texas, and "am back to work fulltime." "Dusty" Desiderio and Brig. Gen. Ted were spent sailing on a freighter and Mataxis. The author, who labels his book watching the ocean go by. There was a lot * "The Odyssey of an American Warrior" Comes now from Gene Burtner, knew Dusty in Korea-where he won the of ocean, too; from Los Angeles to Auck­ U276, an interesting bunch of snapshots land, New Zealand, we saw only one Medal of Honor-and Ted in Viet Narn. that unfortunately our printer can't repro­ Walt says the book is well worth reading. island on the far horizon and two fishing duce. They are souvenirs of Nazi activities boats. in Germany. They were sent to Gene by We had an unexpected 12 hours in Hon­ Arnold Dolby, "my L Company buddy A German 88 put* William James olulu and visited the USS Arizona Monu­ who stayed with the outfit after I was Piper, A/276, through a long, long series ment at Pearl Harbor. It is a stark and 'winged' at Wingen." of military hospitals and major operations moving place. I was reminded again that "My only Army outfit was Love Com­ before he became ambulatory again. every year we get treated to a candle-light pany. I was assigned to it in August, 1943 ''These things change totally your aspect procession bleeding all over the pavement and was discharged as a member of this on life," he observes. He joined the 70th for the poor Japanese who were bombed at unit in September 22, 1945 at Fitzsimmon at Adair in the Fall of '43 and was dis­ Hiroshima. Yet I never see any ceremony General Hospital. Less than a month later charged at Billings General Hospital in for the victims of Pearl Harbor. the 70th was deactivated. What do you Indianapolis late in '45. A manufacturing And as I pay my taxes to give hefty think; "is this a rarity?" engineer, now retired, he lives in Bosque fmancial balm to the offspring of those What about you, Gentle Reader? How Farms, New Mexico with his wife poor Japanese-Americans who had to many were Trailblazers from start to LaVerne. spend all those months in internment finish? camps (most of said offspring hadn't even been born at the time) I wonder why all us Walter Bogart, *Sv/276, was Public Like Saint Paul *combined tentmaking poor dogfaces haven't been reimbursed for Information Officer for the 70th for a pe­ with his preaching of the Gospel, Marion the years of our lives that were taken from riod right after combat. (He didn't actually E. Randolph, AT/275, has combined his us by that lap perfidy on Hawaii. Our have that title because such a position in a ministry with framing and operattng an accommodations made internment camps Division wasn't established until some upholstery shop in Abilene, Texas. look luxurious. years later.) He had been an honest sports Marion was married in 1940 while he was editor in Nashville but I guess Chet Garst­ in service and two daughters were born During our absence* the mail accu- ki, Roby Wentz and I, who were (equally before he went overseas. mulated-two big baskets of it. Much was unofficial) the staff of the ''Trailblazer'' He joined the Army in June, 1939 and Trailblazer stuff. One letter was from a newspaper, made him see the light and he was discharged in October, '45. He was member who had sent me a big bunch of switched jobs. He eventually became the with the 8th Cavalry, then the 91st Divi­ material, too late for the History Book, right-hand man for Gen. Hershey and the sion from which he carne as Trailblazer and was disturbed that it hadn't appeared Selective Service outfit. cadre. in the magazine yet. I had to tell him that I have a big reserve of material and that I am running it as soon as possible. If that applies to you-that your contribution to Where there's a will • • • the "Trailblazer" hasn't appeared yet­ camp in 1959. We owe thanks to Ralph please be patient. Your material is By Lee Miller Larsen, 11274, of that city for his assis­ welcome-and invited!-and will cer­ D/275 tance in finding Frank. tainly see the light of print . . . someday. Responding to my urgent request to James T. St. Clair who rose through look for old forgotten papers, some of our the ranks to command D/275, retired from It is sad to report *that Charlie Pence's recently discovered D/275 men have come the Army Reserves as a lieutenant colonel, wife Mary Sue has succumbed to cancer. up with results. Taps have sounded for him, too. She was a gallant lady and fought a brave Anthony Van De W ege found his old The third witness was my platoon fight against the killer. All the while that will, the happy document we were all leader. Sgt. Roy A. Benda, has been he was helping her in her battle, Charlie called upon to make in November, 1944. found alive and well in Cedar Falls, Iowa. was helping me reading drafts of the His­ Three witnesses signed their full names Roy went out from Philippsbourg to the tory Book to assure its historical accuracy. and home towns. This find was a gem and Neuenhoffen road along with his platoon My gratitude is as great as my sympathy set off a concentrated effort to locate these leader Lt. Dale Burleigh, a section of for the Pence Family. three missing segments. D/275 heavy machine guns under Sgt. Unfortunately, two of those men are John F. Long and what appears to have Let the record* show that Edwin now deceased. John "Frank" Long, a been a hastily assembled squad of rifle­ Grother, HQ/275, is not married, as the former school teacher from Topeka, Kan­ men. Their story is recounted in ''The Roster erroneously indicates. "Couldn't sas, succumbed to the effects of a POW Trailblazers". Winter, 1990 5 Gunners see front-line action, too "On April 21, French troops liberated the town of Donauschingen in southern The myth that artillerymen are far be­ guarding us disappeared down a steep Germany. A week later I and two other hind the lines is just a myth. Ask Dale bank. As I started to get up from a shallow wounded Gis were taken by ambulance to Bowlin, C/883. ditch, I discovered my left pant leg was a French hospital in Strasbourg. He was in a forward observation party ftlled with blood. A piece of shrapnel had ''After the war I graduated from Kansas just south of Spicheren on Feb. 2, 1945. severed an artery. State University as a mechanical Before they could get their lOSs zeroed in, "After crawling about 75 yards toward engineer. " they were caught in a German trap while a bunker, I lost consciousness as two Ger­ He served in many management posi­ three Trailblazer companies were attempt­ man soldiers looked down on me. I awoke tions in Kansas, New York City, Wyom­ ing to cut off the enemy retreat. several hours later among wounded Ger­ ing, Michigan, California and Vancouver, He was captured with three other 70th man soldiers in a field hospital near Saar­ Washington. There he retired in '84. He men. brucken. Two or three days later a German and his wife, Phyllis, keep busy with ''As I was being taken to the rear, a 105 surgeon amputated my leg just above the church and civic activities, travel, wood­ shell exploded behind me. The other three knee. We were evacuated in box cars that working and photography. They have two Trailblazers and the German soldier very night. sons, a daughter and four grandchildren.

Thanks again for letting us have our His­ tory Book at a great price-$00. Mail Call Edward Sands jerry-can, put the nozzle on it and lifted the F/274 cover on the rear of the jeep where the Jeeps better than ammo * trailer hitch went in. I was told-to my LaBar is true oldtimer great embarrassment-that the gas didn't I sure thank the persistence of Ray go there. I have been a member of the Association Bennett in locating me and telling me It was great having a trailer to carry my since it became a national organization. I about the Association. I just wish he would gear and a case of vodka that Duke Krafft have been able to attend only two Re­ have found me 20 years ago. I lost a lot by had found. Thanks again to Ray Bennett. unions, Toledo and Philadelphia and, be­ missing Reunions and not getting the Sylvan Bittner ing one of the "older" members-in my magazine. I joined M/275 in France as a M/275 83rd year-I'm afraid my long-distance replacement after my basic training at Fort travelling days are over. My wife and I McClellan, Alabama. I was trained in the * celebrated our 61st wedding anniversary 81 mm mortar and 30 caliber water-cooled Book goes to Pentagon last Spring. machine gun. I hoped to be put in the ''The Trailblazers'' . . . a valuable ad­ I joined the 70th at its inception at Camp mortar platoon of Mike Company but as dition to our historical research materials. Adair and carne home from the ETO and luck would have it I ended up being an We appreciate your interest in the preser­ was discharged in 1945. I was assigned to ammo bearer. vation of historical works so they will be the 276th Regimental Post Office and After many uncomfortable nights and available for use by future researchers. ended up, as a T/4, in charge of the days living in wet foxholes and using my Clayton Newell, Lt. Col. operation. steel helmet for a seat, wash basin or Chief, Historical Services Division, In 1967 I went west to inspect what was whatever, I was asked if I could drive a Center of Military History, The left of Adair. At that time the base hospital jeep. The answer was YES, anything not Pentagon was all that remained. to have to carry that ammo pack board! F. Bernie LaBar I was told to gas up. So I took a 5-gallon Sv/276 Widow orders* History Errata I enclose a check for the 70th History Book. My husband Bill served with the Me-too ta-too 70th Division; he passed away in August, The following corrections 1972. I learned of this publication through A macho young infantryman, Armand should be made in "The Trail­ Clyde Wooley, M/275. Bill's family will Boucher, H/274, had to get a tattoo, of blazers". Please mark them in your be most interested in what life was like course, after basic training. He chose a history book immediately to pre­ when he served with the Trailblazers. spectacular American-eagle-Stars-and­ vent the perpetuation of erro­ Sadie Ingram Stripes-red-white-and-blue design all neous information. 3124 S. Wheeling Way, Apt. 212 wrapped around his name. In capital let­ Page 44, paragraph 3, line 2: Aurora, Colorado 80014. ters! It looked good. Change date to 1944. "I'll have one just like it," said Ar­ Page 12: The marginal mem­ I'm just getting *over two great Re- mand's buddy. He got one just like it. . . ories about combat problems was unions: the 70th's and the 30th's. It was including Armand's name. written by Don Docken, C/275. great meeting old friends. Company F/274, 70th, had five members there. 6 70th Division Assn TRAILBLAZER HEll, HEIDELBERG ... Wingen puts out The 70th Back-to-Europe group poses in the picturesque setting of the operetta ''The Student Prince". The famous red carpet Schloss of the old Gennan city was a favorite stop. It is always a thrill for the 70th members to return to There was a parade to the monument at the center of the Wingen-sur-Moderon the biennial Back-to-Europe tour. But town where 'Blazers took part in wreath-laying ceremonies. the 1989 visit was truly a super-production. Then back to the school where Linda Bergman and her group With the high school band playing "0 Susanna", between had set up a museum of pictures about the 1945 campaign. 400 and 500 people awaited the 70th bus and the 58 Trail­ French television covered the event extensively and many blazers received a rousing welcome. tour members were interviewed. The mayor and all the city council members made wel­ Hospitality was as warm at Forbach where the group had come speeches. (The French words were immediately trans­ dinner. lated by an expert interpreter.) Past-president DeLyle Om­ They spent three nights in Saarbrucken and rental cars .. holt conveyed the response of President Norman Johnson were used so members could visit places of unusual interest and the group. to themselves. Good French wine flowed at a pre-lunch reception and Fifty-three members and wives made the bus tour which · then the group enjoyed "a fabulous lunch" at the school began at Trier and included the impressive American mili­ auditorium. tary cemetery in St. Avoid. Five others joined for parts of the tour. THE OLD STAMPING GROUNDS ...... brought back many memories for 70th Quarter­ blazer history and Ross McConnel of Redmond, Wash­ masters as they gathered for a reunion in Salem, Oregon ington checked in as the oldest veteran, at 82. in August. The 56 people visited the rifle range at Camp The Quartennaster Company was the first unit orga­ Adair, looked over the historical museum at Philomath nized in the new 70th Division in 1943. and had many opportunities for reminiscing. Paul Thirion, Large copies of this photograph may be ordered for Vice President/West, represented the Association; Don $10 from Les Dunton, who organized the reunion, at 675 Bowles, who was colonel of the outfit, spoke on Traii- West Hills Way NW, Salem, Oregon 97304. L ·1u

\

Winter, 1990 7 longs to the Legion and the Tennessee Law Axe-head Archives Enforcement Officers Assn. ' 'A wounded German* tried to kill me After 33 V2 years with Brown & Wil­ had five daughters and two sons and 13 and I was saved from almost certain death liamson Tobacco Co., Harold Fisher, grandchildren. Another child died earlier. when a buddy saw what was happening G/274, has retired and with his wife and fmished him off.'' Norma, lives in Corydon, Indiana. They Phillipsbourg cost* the lives of so many So John Felicione, A/276, recalls as his have two sons and two grandchildren. friends, recalls James "Jimmy" hairiest experience. But he thinks of join­ "After surviving combat, the ship I Broome, C/275. He was with the 91st at ing the 70th at Wood as his happiest mili­ came home on came very close to sink­ Camp White, Oregon, but when the Fir tary experience. Then he had the exciting ing," Harold recalls. But he doesn't give Tree men were sent overseas, he was in the duty with the 1st Allied Airborne in Berlin any details of this intriguing tale and we hospital. So he joined the 70th when he in 1945 and then came home from the hope he sends along a more complete yam. recovered. He served through the Euro­ 348th Combat Engineers. pean war, then was transferred to the 3rd Now retired in Warwick, New York, he Another resident* of Corydon-and Division. was a public utility engineer for 41 years. another A/276 man-is Arville Wise­ For 32 years Jimmy worked for Pullman With his wife Roseanne, he has twin man. He recalls: Trailmobile Co. as a mechanic and parts daughters. "I'll see you later!" said a comrade clerk, until he retired in 1981 when the named Wheland as he took giant strides company closed its plant in Charlotte, Miscellaneous memories* of Edward getting out of the place where a German North Carolina. Like so many-too many Kraus, F/274 potato-masher grenade had landed. He -Trailblazers, Jimmy says, ''I wish I had Spam- Very tasty. I could eat it often picked it up and hurled it back and took known about the 70th Association. I just for I was brought up to eat what was put on off. I never saw him since." (Ed. Note: found out about it in the American Legion my plate and be glad to have it. Still do Does anyone know Wheland or remember magazine." today. M-1 rifle- It was great. The first this incident?) He and his wife Mary Elizabeth have shot I fired was a boll's eye at 500 yards. I Arville survived to become a farmer and two daughters and three grandkids. went on to qualify as Expert with it and I rural mail carrier in his native Indiana had never fired a rifle before in my life. So where he married Jean Harbaugh. They After 37 years as* a research chemist, it had to be an excellent rifle. have a daughter, Virginia. William Yates, 1st BN HQ/274, has re­ Combat boots - Trying to get a shine tired and moved from Oregon to Camp on them was like trying to get a date with Verde, Arizona. He joined the 70th in One in a million* is the way Walter Betty Grable. C-rations - Tolerable as Schlicht, B/370 Medics, describes a meet­ 1944, served with it during combat, then long as there was enough of them . . . went to the 3rd and 100th Divisions. which there never was! Oregon rain - ing with a neighbor from back home while He and his wife Estelle have two sons, on R&R in England. A leave in Switzer­ Better than ice and snow and certainly land is a happy memory but just the op­ two daughters and nine grandchildren. better than the rain in Europe. posite is the "act of a hard-nosed first Flu - My bunk was actually shaking sergeant who wouldn't tack an overnight * from my poor body suffering at Leonard pass to my 3-day pass for our honeymoon After volunteering for the Army, Percy Wood. Anti-fraternization Rule- A nec­ essary evil . . . until the frauleins smiled. in St. Louis." Phillips, G/276, joined the 'Blazers at Esther Lund, whom he married in Adair in the summer of '44. His 70th Career- Have been most happy being Rolla, Missouri in '44, died in 1978. In career was short. "I was seriously wound­ a husband, father and grandfather. Being 1981 he married Catherine McDuffie. He ed on January 2, '45, by a German 88. in the architectural profession for over 39 has two sons and two grandkids. Jack Dingman from the 276th was with years has been most rewarding. He came to the 70th from ASTP at the me in the foxhole at the time. I've never U. of Montana. After the war he graduated seen him, either, and if anyone knows One Pearl Harbor* Day was a happy one from Wisconsin, was in the dairy business where he is, I'd sure like to hear from for Joseph Pargusa, M/276. For it was on for 11 years and then switched to life them. For he was then pulled from the 70th December 7, 1945 , that his ship sailed into New York harbor. On the original Pearl insurance. and sent as a replacement to the Third Army, so badly mangled in the Battle of Harbor Day, Joe had been with the 1st Harry Prusinski, F/275, can't cele- the Bulge. Cavalry Division at Fort Bliss, Texas. * Then he was with the 91st Infantry and brate New Year's Eve without thinking of ''I had to leave my 70th friends behind that January 1 when the Germans attacked me and I have never seen them since.'' came to the 70th at Adair in '43. In civilian life Joe was a school bus moments after midnight at P-bourg. And He had 28 months with the Coast Artil­ Grand Rapids, Michigan winters aren't in lery in Panama and served at Fort Ben­ driver and retired in '83. With his wife Lucille, he has a daughter and two the class of Baerenthal and the Vosges ning, Georgia, before his Trailblazer days. grandkids. Mountains but they are reminders. Then he was with the 80th Division. Harry came to the 70th at Wood, and As a civilian he was a bank security brought home two Bronze Stars and the officer for 8 years. While at Leonard The most hush-hush* unit in the 70th was Purple Heart. Postwar he worked in the Wood he married Agnes Snyder and they the Counter Intelligence Corps. Henry post office and as a truck driver and at a have a daughter and three grandchildren. Hoebel was assigned to it shortly after he bowling center. With his wife Muriel, he He's a life member of the DAY and be- came to the 70th at Adair. He had been 8 70th Division Assn TRAILBLAZER with the ASTP at Oregon State in Corvallis He joined the 70th at Adair in 1943 and and was taken from his home in Eureka, and was originally in E/275 until shoulder­ went to the 3rd Division postwar. Here­ Illinois to Peoria. Monday an angiogram tapped for CIC. members falling into a water-filled shell showed one artery completely blocked and He also served with CIC during the hole and almost freezing to death. But he another partially. On Wednesday he had Korean War. The Corps' job was to thwart also remembers a wonderful leave in two by-passes. On Thursday they took him all enemy attempts at gathering informa­ Switzerland. off the respirator and removed tubes to his tion about American strengths, plans and Owner of a grocery store, he and his stomach. He walked on Friday and came activities. Its men were on detached ser­ wife Florence have two daughters and a home the next Tuesday. All these were in vice to the 70th; they lived with Division son and four grandchildren. He's president the fastest time ever recorded at St. Francis Headquarters men but because their work of the volunteer fire department of St. Hospital. was so hush-hush, they couldn't get into Albans, West Virginia, is on the board of He recovered so rapidly that he and lying contests with their barracks-mates. his church and is a commissioner of the Ruth went to St. Louis in June to inspect Henry and his wife Lorraine have two Green Valley Public Service District. their first grandchild. sons, two daughters and six grand­ children. * Implanting a pacemaker* has helped A hospital is a lousy place to break Kenneth Brady, C/275, a great deal, says The first Trailblazer* wedding in Europe records but Alvin Thomas, HQ/883 FA, his wife Everly. He's feeling stronger by was Stephen Guter's, HQ/276, where he our immediate past seck-trez, did just that. the day and looking forward to the Nevada was first sergeant. Steve married Galena He had a heart attack on a March Saturday Reunion already. Krugel, a Russian refugee, in Luxemburg. He joined the 'Blazers at Camp Adair, served through all its ETO campaigns, then went to the 30th Infantry. Now retired from Bendix Corp., he and Gal ina live in Clearwater, Florida. They have two sons and one grandchild.

After service with* the 91st Division at Camp White, Oregon, Richard Grafton, 70 QM , came to the 70th at Adair. But soon he was shipped to the Pacific where he did his combat duty. "My most memorable experience was being blown 20 feet into the air during a Japanese rocket barrage on Mount Mataba in the Philippines. I landed sitting on my butt without a scratch, but terrified out of my skull. I shook for a week. "In Ordaneta, Luzon, on January 15, 1945, we were duking it out with a Japa­ nese tank company. Three American tanks were knocked out across the road from us. Our lieutenant stood up to give covering fire to the surviving tankers who were leaving their tanks. A Jap 44mm shell hit him in the stomach and blew him away. He was probably no more than three feet from me at the time. I liked him; he was really a nice person and we functioned well together in New Guinea and Luzon. A merchant seaman, wood pattern­ NOT QUITE Gl ... maker and ceramic mold maker, Dick Lined up for formal inspection, everything displayed by married Sandra Jean Pike in Vancouver, these men from Service Battery, 883 FA, is strictly Washington, in 1948. They have seven government issue .. .. until you get to that character children and 11 grandchildren. Two sons seated at the left. His opinion of such inspections is served in Vietnam with the Marines and undoubtedly the same as that of his elders who can't one of them retired because of wounds express themselves quite as vehemently. suffered there. Identified in this picture (from left) are Warrant Officer George Wisdom, Sgt. Edwin Brown, Sgt (?)Frazee, T/5 Two days after he* had surgery in Ger- Arthur Chappoe and an unidentified master sergeant. many, Michael Cassis, HQ/884, was Any further identification - especially of that vocal flown to Nancy, France. It was his first minority under the age of three - would be welcomed flight. by the editor. Winter, 1990 9 group of about 10 who were sent to Adair ing around the campus speaking French or when the advanced engineering program German with their female tutors. But when Archives was shut down. The other 50 in our class the temperature started dropping to well were sent to an Air Corps meteorological below zero in December, a transfer to school in Wisconsin.'' So reports Horace warmer Oregon was good news. Umberger, B/882 FA. ''The other members of our gang were "I was in basic engineering class with "Wyoming had a prominent program in Rosenburg, Russell, Ruud, Schenk, the ASTP at the University of Wyoming in languages and we engineers had to envy Skoniecky, Sunstad, Schildkraut, Laramie for the last half of '43 and in the the lucky stiffs who used to be seen walk- White and Yerkes. (You can see we were selected alphabetically.) Yerkes went on to Oregon State for more ASTP training, and didn't come back to the 70th. Schild­ kraut went to the radio section ofHQ/883. After we got off the bus that took us from Portland to Corvallis, I never saw any of the other six again. ''The last time I saw Schildkraut, who had been my college roommate, was in the hills north of Marseilles where we col­ lected our equipment before moving up the Rhone Valley. ''The last wave of ASTPers came from Oregon State and joined the 70th toward the end of our field training in Yakima in April, '44. Three of them were put in the Survey Section of HQ Battery, 882, which had become my permanent home. "

An organizer and* then president of the Huguenot Society of Colorado, Will Vor­ pagel, A/274, has been active in associ­ ations of families of that background: Bel­ veal, Hintz, Hoch, Radtke, Stout and Vorpagel. ''I've been editor and publisher of our family paper for the past 30 years during which we published over 200 pages. I've conducted research in Belgium, the Neth­ erlands, Germany and Switzerland and traced the family history back to 1320. " A basic engineering student in ASTP at the University of Illinois, he joined the 70th at Adair. He was wounded in Janu­ ary , 1945 , while with the heavy weapons platoon of Able Company. He rejoined the unit in February, in time for Forbach, Spicheren Heights and Habsterick. After combat he finished his college work and was a teacher in Cortez and Pueblo, Colorado and then, in 28 years PRONE POSITION, with the D&RGW Railroad, conducted PRONE COACHES ... training courses. He collects " old armor, On the firing range at Camp Adair, Trailblazers are firing old books and old friends. " He is active in their qualifying rounds from the prone position, the one Masonry and the Christian Church. He and that affords the most accurate shooting. Each rifleman his wife Betty have two children, three had his own coach who, lying beside him, gave advice on grandchildren and four great grandkids. the whole technique of shooting, from adjusting the leather sling, to finding the picture of the target in the A retired high school* and college chem- rifle's sights, to squeezing the trigger. istry teacher is Anthony Navarrette, The firing range, about three miles west of the en­ F/275. He and his wife Belle live in Tuc­ campment, has been reduced to about a third its original son, Arizona. size and is still used today by the Oregon National Guard. (Photo by Garstki) 10 70th Division Assn TRAILBLAZER Marseilles, France boots, along with an order from Division 1944 Headquarters that we were to maintain After debarking off our ship we loaded Army three spare pair in stock at all times for on trucks and were hauled to a barren and Tom. windy hill top about six miles outside of Tom was a hell of a good soldier and one Marseilles. Here we set up a pup tent camp Daze of the few men in the Army who could fire to await our next orders. a Browning automatic rifle free hand while After doing mostly nothing all after­ By Bill Coleman standing up. noon, a number of us sergeants and cor­ K/275 porals decided to go into Marseilles and Jefferson Barracks see the town. The trucks hauling our sup­ jeep on the street in front of company Basic Training headquarters. We went to the kitchen for a plies from the ship were running back and 1940 forth and it was easy for us to hop one back bite to eat and then settled down with a few Three weeks in basic and I was begin­ to town. After doing the town, and pretty beers before bedtime. ning to fmd my way around. It was Friday much full of cognac, we started back to The next morning I was out with the afternoon I was on work detail loading camp. It was easy to catch a ride in, but at platoon, when about 9 o'clock, Capt. fresh produce at Produce Row, a whole­ the ship's side the trucks were going in Thompson sends a runner out, wanting to sale market about 6 miles from my home in know where the payroll is. Payroll- Oh every direction, and all that the drivers St. Louis. knew was that they were hauling supplies boy - Payroll! Where's the jeep? The Knowing that on Friday most officers to different dump numbers and we didn't jeep's back at regimental motor pool being left at noon and that they held a 3 o'clock know what dump we camped in. After serviced. Arriving at the motor pool, there retreat so the N.C.O.s could leave early about 2 hours we found out what our set the jeep waiting in line for its tum. and knowing we were going to be late and number was and by riding on top of the There set the little black bag in between the miss retreat, I decided they wouldn't miss supplies we all made it back to camp to bed seats. Not a penny missing. one man of the detail. I ducked around the down for what little time was left before How lucky can you get? comer, hopped a streetcar for North St. dawn. At reveille Capt. Thompson lined us all up and proceeded to give us an ace high royal flush chewing out. While we were in town, the Germans had bombed the hill .I , • top. The captain had called the company to C; / .: alert and more than half his noncom's were "Chow nothing. I'm defro_sting A.W.O.L. We were lucky; there could my socks!" have been a lot of new privates in the company that morning or probably worse, had the captain told Battalion Head­ quarters about this. o.s. Idastine, Germany 1945 The war was over, our company was in limbo, awaiting new orders. It was sum­ mer, we were billeted in private homes in the German town of Idastine. The beer, wine and champagne was in good supply. We were getting a well deserved rest. Neiderbrau, France Louis and home for the weekend. The end of the month, I got the detail to 1945 Sunday evening, not knowing that the pick up the cash payroll at regimental While engaged in a fire fight with the guards at the gate checked the passes in as headquarters, about $20,000. Taking a Germans in the Neiderbrau Forest, Tom well as out I was caught coming in without small black bag for the cash, the jeep Wewer our Browning automatic gunner a pass and dressed in civilian clothes, driver and I take off for a nice summer who stood about 6 foot, 4 inches, weighed which we weren't allowed in basic train­ afternoon drive of about 80 miles. around 240 pounds took a bullet through ing. This brought Company punishment, After signing for the payroll, I put the the upper leg which required a trip to the which turned out to be, I was to scrub the bag in between the two front seats and we hospital. J.B. messhall with a toothbrush and a bar start back. About midway back a large After two weeks or so we got word Tom of G.I. soap. A messhall that would seat army truck ahead of us with soldiers was ready to rejoin the company. I went 1 ,200 men at one time. I finished basic and aboard, runs off the road and turns over. back to the hospital to pick Tom up, only was shipped out before getting done. It We put our jeep in service carrying the to fmd they had lost Tom's boots, size 14 took up the rest of my week-ends, all of my injured to a hospital in a nearby German or so. Tom couldn't come back bare­ free evenings and a lot of toothbrushes. I town. After a couple of trips, the army footed, so he had to remain in the hospital had very clean hands and a Sergeant for medics arrive and we resume our trip back. two more weeks while we had boots flown company (with a pocket full of tooth­ It was turning dark when we parked the over from the States. We got four pair of brushes) at all times. Winter, 1990 11 THE SHOOTER SHOT ... 276th. (His name would be welcomed by the editor.) As Chester Garstki, HQ/70, the "official" 70th photogra­ The resulting portrait was used as the cover of a pher for 40 years, focuses on his subject, Richard Foote, pocket-sized souvenir issue of the ''Trailblazer'' printed in another ''Trailblazer'' cameraman snaps the scene. In a Germany. A picture of this same soldier, taken during typical German village, agricultural tools, primitive by combat, was rejected by some late-coming officers who American farming standards, stand at either side of the had missed the Vosges campaign but insisted that the Gl enclosed farmyard. Posing is an unidentified man of the didn't look "military" enough. The French fries of France the gasthaus and the dance floor became no-man's-land. By Wilbur Vorpagel During a lull in the firing, I went to clear the kitchen. There a A/274 fire was burning in the cook stove and there were a frying pan On Christmas Eve of 1776, George Washington's men and a bin of potatoes nearby. By some unexplained good made the historic crossing of the Delaware with the help of fortune, I had a slab of bacon in my pack. I cut the meat into ferries operated by ancestors of Pfc Boyd McConaghy. strips and started frying them. Meanwhile Boyd peeled a Almost 200 years later, Boyd was doing his bit in another batch of spuds and added them to the fry. American war. The tantalizing aroma of the "French fries" elicited Stiring-Wendel was still barring the way to Saarbrucken demands from the other Gis to share the meal. "Come and and GI patrols occupied listening posts in the eastern side of get it as soon as you've cleared the building,'' I yelled. With the town. A block-long series of buildings on one of the main the .30 caliber light machine gun as the base of fire, and entry roads was to be taken as a toe-hold by a combat patrol throwing a few grenades, the patrol plunged across the dance from our company, N274. The first two floors were quickly floor as the Krauts ran out of the other end. In a matter of taken but the Germans held the third, which housed a seconds the building was cleared. The entire war stopped for gasthaus, a dance floor and a kitchen. The Americans took a few minutes as the patrol sampled the gourmet's delight.

12 70th Division Assn TRAILBLAZER couple days for a super market to keep out of mischief. He's an active member of the Axe-head Archives Legion, VFW and DA V. His wife is Bessie. Three years of varsity football at Au­ He entered service in May, 1944, and in Most 70th ASTP men* came from North- bum University kept Larry Waldrop, September joined the Trailblazers at Leo­ . western universities. But Maurice Jones U275, busy when he was discharged in nard Wood. As a civilian he was a car­ did his academic service at Syracuse Uni­ July, 1946. He had joined the 70th in penter, a mechanic and an auto salesman. versity. Then he was with the 725th Rail­ February, 1945. He had entered service With his wife Lois he has four children and way Operating Battalion of the Transpo.r­ the year before and was with the 7 40th 10 grandchildren. In Canaan, New Hamp­ tation Corps before joining the 'Blazers m Field Artillery and Special Services. He shire he has been especially active in the the Saarland in February, '45. was an administrator of pipeline safety PTA and Dollars for Scholars, both of As a civilian he served with the Social before his recent retirement. With his which he served as president, and in Ma­ Security Administration, the Department wife, Helen, he has three sons, three sonic and Grange organizations. of Defense, Army and Air Force, as a daughters and 15 grandchildren. management analyst. He's now retired. He served 16 years as Director of Pipe­ The mini-reunion* planned by Company He cites as his happiest military experi­ line Safety Divisions of the Alabama Pub­ B of the 370th Medical Battalion for May, ence: "Being assigned as cadre in En­ lic Service Commission, was a Civil engi­ was announced in the VFW magazine last gland, the land of my birth." He and his neer, and spent eight years as a state Fall. There it was spotted by Jack Zim­ wife Mary Ann have one son; they live in trooper in the Department of Public bro. He wrote to Freeman Bishop, the Falls Church, Virginia. Safety. Medic who had placed the notice, and in He has held national and state offices in tum was connected with Lou Hoger, our professional societies as well as in his Seck-trez. As a result, Jack is a new mem­ ''My platoon leader* was killed our first Baptist church and the Masonic lodge. ber of the Association. day of combat," recalls Alfred Schultz, He was with U275 as a platoon mes­ U275. That was his unhappiest military After 28 years *as a teacher, Early senger. Living in South Bend, Indiana, experience. The most memorable one was Haynes, M/275, retired in 1983. But it Jack is retired but in the winter works a receiving a battlefield commission. He wasn't old rocking chair for him; since had joined the 70th at Adair and also then he has been a salesman for the served with the 26th and 42nd Divisions. World's Finest Chocolates. He was one of Now retired he is active in senior citizen the men who joined the 70th during the organizations. He and his wife live on Vosges campaign. He has four childen­ Staten Island, New York. They have three two of each model-and five grandkids. children and six grandkids. As if five months* in a prison camp wasn't enough hardship, Philip Robert BOMBS AWAY ... Allen, M/275, and his group were bombed Hand-grenade practice was always an awkward time for by Russian aircraft as they made their way new soldiers. They tried to throw the explosives like a toward American lines. baseball while a shot-putt action was required. Do you see yourself in this picture taken at Adair? That high lob would be unpopular in combat because the grenade would fall far too close to the thrower.

Winter, 1990 13

• in February, '45, and was moved to the 29th in July. He still mourns the loss of his best friend, Pfc George Syrnnes on Spic­ Axe-head Archives heren Heights, while retaking lost ground As Roy Shirrell, C/276, sends in his Pennsylvania in August, '43, and sent south and southwest of Chateau Thiery. dues, he observes that his name was never right to Adair. I was assigned to C/275, "I just escaped court-martial for dis­ listed in any "Babies of the Battalions" where I trained with James St. Clair, obeying the company commander's orders features that have run in the magazine. He John Long, Joe Kelley, Sgts. Ashworth, to write court-martial charges against 18 was born February 5, 1926, a birthday he Farmer, Benda, Gooch and Murphy. 'guards' from the 70th who were caught shares with William Griff'm, H/275. They After we moved to Leonard Wood, 17 of off-duty or napping with the 29th." rate 31st on the list of the youngest us were sent to Fort Benning where I was Cal and his wife Ramona have ftve 'Blazers. commissioned in May, 1945." children and 15 grandchildren. They live in Fresno, California. "When I was stationed* at Aberdeen Talk about a one-man* Army-Gust Proving Grounds in Maryland in March, Thompson comes near to that. He has Fresh out of high *school, Carl Mathes 1943 the cadre had a visitor. It was Gen. served with the Transportation Corps, ftnished basic training at Camp Fanning, Dahlquist.'' So recalls Peter Pasco, 770th Quartermasters, Signal Corps, con­ Texas and was sent to the ETO. His trans­ Ordnance. "He met us in the dayroom and stabulary and construction Engineers, plus port, the USS Mt. Vernon, had to anchor told us we were the ftrst men he had met in B Battery, 884th, and with the Blazers out beyond the scuttled French fleet in his new Division and now he knew he had where he was in the cadre. Marseilles and the men rode in on barges, seen the beginning of the 70th. He wished "My orders for Korea were changed two days before his 19th birthday. us luck, shook hands all around and left. while I was aboard ship to Okinawa as a The snow was so deep his train took ftve So you see, I was with the Trailblazers foreman in a vehicle rebuilding and main­ days to get up to Epinal. Three men of the since Day One." tenance shop," he recalls. "And then the contingent- S/Sgt Leslie Nelson, who Army lost my record of promotions!'' got a battlefteld commission, a Pvt Mc­ A commendation *from Gen. Herren is a Gust, who is a civilian carpenter, mar­ Daniel and Cal-were assigned to 1st Bn cherished memento of Jerome Levy, 70 ried Liselotte Hafner in Karlsruhe, Ger­ HQ/275. He had his ftrst taste of close-in QM. He was with the advance unit of the many. They have two sons, a daughter and combat at Spicheren Heights and a close Quatermasters, 19 men and officers, who nine grandchildren. friend was killed there. After combat he did such a ftne job of keeping the supply went to the 3rd Division. He's been a member of the Rock of the Marne Associ­ line open during the Vosges and Saarland. Add another name to the distinguished * ation many years but was unaware that the A new member, Jerry lives in Metairie, jurists whom the 70th has sent to the Trailblazers had a similar group. As soon Louisiana with his wife Billie. bench. as he heard, he signed up. John Godbold, who was a communica­ Back home in June, '46, he went to He served in two 276th units, did our tions officer of the 887th FA Battalion, * college and became a metalurgical engi­ new member Harry Keith Goreham: in retired as chief judge of the Federal 11th neer. He has been active in a variety of H Company and in the regimental Service Circuit Court of Appeals. He now lives in athletics. He and his wife Mildred have Company. He joined the 91st Division in Montgomery, Alabama. This we learn two daughters, a son and two grand­ November and was cadre for the 'Blazers. from Arno Denecke, HQ/Divarty, him­ children. Their oldest daughter, Carla, He earned two Bronze Stars. His worst self on Oregon's highest court. memories are of the deep, deep snow in the "was most persistent in seeking informa­ tion about the 70th," he reports. French Black Forest. Wow! "Best Uniformed* and Soldiers in A carpenter in the construction trade, he Ranks" was the accolade won by HQ lives in Springfteld, Oregon, with his wife Joining the Army* in January, 1943, Co./29th Infantry Regiment in a "Dress James McKenzie, F/275, was ftrst sta­ Lucille. They have three daughters and Parade Inspection'' after the war. Clerk! three grandchildren. He's been very active tioned at the Presidio in San Francisco as a typist in that smart outftt was Calvin So­ truck driver with a QM outftt. He joined with the VFW, serving as post commander rensen who had transferred from F/275 of and state offtcer. the 'Blazers in July, '44, just before the the 70th. Division moved to Leonard Wood and Cal joined the Trailblazers near Lixing Martin Eberhardt,* HQ/884 FA, fought with it through the war. points out that the name of our eminent After combat he was assigned to an secretary-tresurer, Louis Hoger, was Engineer unit until his discharge in Feb­ spelled three different ways in the last Last Call ruary, 1946. He stayed in the reserves and issue. One of them, thank hevvins, was retired in '69 as a ftrst sergeant with 27 correct. Naturally it was the fault of the Nominations for the Outstanding years service. He was a farmer in Cull­ computer and we have spoken sternly to it. Trailblazer Awards will close March man, Alabama. 31. Details were given on page 20 of He and his wife are retired; they have It took Robert Culbertson* a couple of the Fall, 1989 "Trailblazer". two children and four grandchildren. years to decide to join the Association. Nominations should be sent to Drill instructor, air cadet and ftnally 1st Now he has and he-and we-are happy Mickey Callegory, committee sec­ * retary; 2381 Delia Drive, Salt Lake gunner with an 81 mm. mortar platoon at about it. H/276. That's the record of Merle Far­ "I was inducted at Indiantown Gap, City, Utah 84109. rington. He came to the 70th at Adair

14 70th Division Assn TRAILBLAZER from the cadets, served through the war '45. Tasted first meal of steak, real milk and was then transferred to the 3rd. and ice cream at Camp Patrick Henry.'' He studied at four colleges over a 6-year period and is a piano and organ teacher. In * the D.A.V. magazine he saw the name of a The frrst day Norman Dale McKeehan How Company buddy, DeLyle Omholt, manned his aid station, he didn't eat. The then Association president. He joined at sight of maimed and dying bodies was just once. "The Association, with its excellent too much. But he was all alone on the job 'Trailblazer' magazine, fills a void that and he did it. Now he recalls his service to was in my life since WW2," he says. the wounded and sick as a most gratifying "It is astounding, remarkable and fas­ period. He and his wife Lydia are fo_ster cinating that the green 70th, against high parents to six children and have eight military odds, facing German units that grandchildren. He has been a baker and a had years of experience and knew every lather. He was in B/370 Medics. inch of their select defensive positions, was so effective in a key area and time." * Bookinakers As an artillery replacement at Ford Ord, I saw all those Trailblazer patches on the ''Every man in his lifetime should do men corning into camp. I soon realized three things: Beget a son, plant a tree and that we artillery replacements would take SPIT AND POliSH ... write a book.'' the place of those 70th men who were Getting 'em glossy for inspection, Cal Sorensen, F/275 has just com­ going to the Pacific as tillers. We soon pfc George Elser, K/27 4, gets his pleted Item No. 3. "Shades and Shadows replaced our red braid with the blue of the shoes immaculate before going of Combat", his story of the battle of Infantry. on guard duty. (The workday Spicheren Heights, has just been In my case the difference wasn't too shoes he's wearing look pretty published. great. I was assigned to the AT Company good, too.) This picture was taken "I worked on it all summer, in between of the 274th, where we rode in trucks just at Camp Adair before 'Blazers a little vacationing, and it took almost a like the howitizer crewmen did. were issued the infamous combat year to write. I enjoyed it; I learned much; I recall the drabness of Camp Adair with boot whose leather was inside-out I now have a finer appreciation of what its OD colored buildings and absence of and fiercely resisted all attempts to you fellows (of the ''Trailblazer'' maga­ paved streets. But there was consolation in polish it. (Photo by Chester zine), go through to do such a fine job .. . knowing that we were no longer replace­ Garstki) especially on the History Book." ments but now were with a regular outfit. The book is in the same page size as this And of all the different groups of men I magazine and has 174 pages. It is well Joseph Kahn, 570 Signal, gives his was associated with in the Army, these illustrated with Trailblazer documents and military history telegraphically. Appropri­ 70th infantrymen were some of the finest photographs that Cal took in the ETO. and friendliest. ate for a Signalman, we presume. I felt fortunate when I was transferred to "Inducted Feb. 24, '42. Basic at Camp the Artillery, the 882nd, at Leonard Wood Crowder, Mo., with training as teletype * just before going to Europe. For I had had operator. Later, as rifle replacement, was A day-by-day account of the activities basic training in that branch and figured it sent on USS New Amsterdam to Scotland. of the Medical Detachment of the 2nd was safer in combat. Down to Southhampton, then ferry to Le­ Battalion/274, was kept by Ray Water­ At Camp Miles Standish I drew all­ Havre. Heard of Pres. Roosevelt's death at house. He is so meticulous that he noted night KP and spent all the time breaking sea; whole boat shocked. the precise time when the unit set foot on eggs into a huge container to be scrambled ''From repple depple at Mainz, sent to French soil: "Exactly 9:25 p.m., De­ for breakfast. 70th, then temporary duty with 49th Ack cember 10, 1944." The trip on the USS Mariposa was Ack Brigade. Returned to States July 23, Ray brought his original copy to the memorable ... close quarters, rope Nashville Reunion. There Vern Staley hammocks, mess hall far down in the ship. offered to make copies which he dis­ Marseilles was no better. We were in pup tributed to unit members. The 44-year-old tents in bitter cold and we hiked a long, For Sale record was typed in whatever paper Ray long way to the Red Cross for coffee and Tom Axelrod, editor of a lively could find and reproduction shows it. doughnuts and letter-writing. newsletter for K/274, has some Among the many anecdotes is the one of Francis Dhein dandy lapel pins of the Trailblazer the frrst casualty the Wyoming Medics C/882 patch. It's brilliant enamel on brass, treated in the ETO. It was hardly heroic handsome and sturdy. He'll sell 'em drama: A private from Company H, dodg­ at $3.50 each, postage paid. Tom ing enemy artillery frre, jumped into his * lives at 4151 No. Hazel, White Bear foxhole. He landed on his fixed bayonet Lake, Minnesota 55110. J./;;./1 0 and suffered deep laceration in his buttock. Winter, 1990 15 Two Treasurer's Report Fiscal Fiscal Fiscal Year Year Years Louis Hoger (7-1-86 (7-1-87 (7-1-86 through through through 6-30-87) 6-30-88) 6-30-88) BALANCE June 30, 1989: RECEIPTS Mission Bank, Mission Kans. (Checking) ...... $ 2,782 Reunion Receipts ...... $ 80,030 $22,552 $102,582 Mission Bank, Money Mkt. Account ...... 20,336 Dues-Regular ...... 10,363 16,852 27,215 Mission Bank, Cert. of Deposit ...... 10,000 -Life ...... 7,433 7,796 15,229 Citizens S&L, Eureka, Ill ...... 3,562 Interest ...... 4,091 3,292 7,383 Total Balance ...... 36,681 Miscellaneous Sales & 658 45 703 Donations ...... 586 275 861 RECEIPTS: Total Receipts ...... $103,161 $50,812 $153,973 Dues-Regular ...... $4,492 Dues-Life ...... 3,550 DISBURSEMENTS: Dues-Associate ...... 230 $ 8,272 Reunion Expenses ...... $68,451 $ 3,075 $71,526 History Book Sales ...... 1,575 Trailblazer Expense ...... 10,704 6,195 16,899 Other Book & Souvenir Decals ...... 1,184 1,184 Sales...... 68 Reunion Refunds ...... 973 973 Interest on Deposits ...... 592 Postage & Shipping ...... 807 543 1,350 Total Receipts ...... 10,507 Roster Expense ...... 775 775 T/B Editor & Sec.-Treas. DISBURSEMENTS: Expense ...... 400 400 800 Dues Refunds (Overpayments) ...... 50 Photographic Expense . ... . 375 375 Postage & Shipping Expense ...... 355 Official Stationery ...... 218 218 2nd Printing of History Book...... 6,744 Membership Cards ...... 164 164 Trailblazer Printing ...... 3,166 History Book Expense . . . . . 30 605 635 Office Supplies ...... 33 Flowers and Wreaths ...... 26 216 242 Total Disbursements ...... 10,348 Bonding Expense (Sec.-Treas.) ...... 125 125 BALANCE September 30, 1989: Supplies ...... 40 42 82 Mission Bank-Checking Acd...... $ 1,412 Miscellaneous ...... 47 6 53 Mission Bank-Money Market Acd...... 11,640 Total Disbursements .. . .. $84,030 $11,759 $95,789 Mission Bank-C/O 9.0% Mat. 6/26/90. . 10,224 Mission Bank-C/O 8.75% Mat. 9118/89. 10,000 EXCESS OF RECEIPTS OVER Eureka S&L-C/0 7.2% Mat. l/6/92.. ... 3,564 DISBURSEMENTS ...... $19,131 $39,053 $58,184 Total Balance ...... $36,840 Calvin Jones, Assistant Secretary-Treasurer New chief of the 70th

When the next Association Roster comes out, it will list a battalion, then brigade, commander and finally , assistant new name: James Hidenfumi Mukoyama, Jr., under the division commander. He was assigned to the 70th in '89. heading "Life Member; Associate Member" . His list of medals is almost a catalog of decorations: Silver But that name is already on another Trailblazer roster, that Star; Bronze Star with two oak-leaf clusters; Purple Heart; of the 70th Division (Training). And there the designation is Air Medal and Army Commendation Medal, both with two "Commanding General". clusters and the Republic of VietNam Gallantry Cross with Brig. Gen. Mukoyama has recently been made com­ silver star and unit commendation palm. (And he has a brown mander of the Division which headquarters in Livonia, belt in tae kwon do, the Korean martial art. Michigan. A citizen-soldier, he is vice-president and sec­ The general's wife is Korean-born as are their two adopted retary of Heartland Securities, Inc. in Chicago and lives in children. A deeply religous Christian, he seriously con­ Glenview, a near suburb. sidered a career in the ministry before opting for the military. He came into the Army via ROTC, serving four years in He sees no conflict. "I contribute to the defense of my high school and four at the University of lllinois where he country in defense of my religious beliefs," he says. earned his bachelor's and master's degrees. He is as proud of the "new" Trailblazers as Association He served as a combat patrol leader in Korea and then members are of the "old" Division. "The 70th is one of the volunteered for VietNam. His military progress was steady. fmest, if not the best, training divisions in the Army today. He attended several Army officers schools for training in You would be most pleased," he told President Norm Airborne, Armor, Chemical, Intelligence, Artificial Intelli­ Johnson, "to see the outstanding service rendered to our gence and NATO specialties. He had been commissioned in nation by these proud soldiers who wear the Trailblazer 1965 and by '73 was assigned to the 85th Training Division. patch." There he served as company commander, assistant G-3 , 16 70th Division Assn TRAILBLAZER • Consolidated LIFERS: Numbers near 400 Nashville One of the largest sign-ups in Asso­ James Michael, Columbia, SC ciation history has brought the num­ James Morrow, Soddy Daisy, TN report ber of life Members to 389. The fol­ Norman McKeehan, Keno, OR lowing 36 have enrolled since July: Richard Nelson, St. Paul, MN Quinten Avery, Greenville, NC 70th DIVISION ASSOCIATION REUNION Richard Bagley, Machias, ME Carl Obermann, Ottumwa, lA Nashville, TN Sept. 29-0ct. 2, 1988 Sylvan Bittner, Parker, PA John Oswald, Kansas City, KS Dale Bowlin, Vancouver, WA Irving Patch, West Allis, WI RECEIPTS EXPENSES Albert Bristel, Wheeling, WV Charles Reinhardt, louisville, KY THOMAS REPORT Jan. 1-March 31, 1988 John Corso, Gaylord, Ml William Schmidt, Salem, OR David Davis, Dublin, OH James Schrimshire, Kemp, TX Sales Table Items 800.00 Curtis Eakins, Duncan, OK Edward Skalitzky, Shepherd, Ml THOMAS REPORT Robert Wood, Dallas TX Aprii1-June 30, 1988 Charles Eldridge, Warrensburg, MO Registrations 22,551.50 refunds (196.00} Charles Eucher, Muscatine, lA When Chester Benton* transferred from Expenses (excl. refunds} 2,079.45 Clifford Fries, Vero Beach, Fl the 70th to the 3rd Division, he didn't Frank Frohlich, lake Geneva, Fl THOMAS REPORT change companies. In each outfit he was Robert Gornik, Brookfield, WI with Co. Eye. July 1-Sept. 30, 1988 Harry Gee, Sacramento, CA Registrations 71,726.50 Edwin Gorsky, Salina, KS He joined the 'Blazers at Forbach and refunds (4,258.50} went to the 3rd after combat. A farmer and Expenses 6,629.27 Alton Grams, N. Prairie, WI Ray Hudgens, East Ridge, TN truck driver, Chet and his wife Mary Jane THOMAS REPORT Coy Hutton, lawton, OK have two daughters and two grandchilden. Oct. 1-Dec. 2, 1988 Receipts 6,999.29 No; this is not a typographical error. Refunds (308.00} Philip Jemison, Drummond, MT * Expenses 90,828.02 Noah Kennedy, Corpus Christi, TX John Tompson, U276, says " the un­ happiest (yes, UN-happiest!) military ex­ Total THOMAS $96,514.79 $100,336.7 4 Thomas Kirkpatrick, Claymont, DE Steve Liptak, Warren, OH perience was when I was discharged. I Transactions by Hoger Wesley lucas, Chinook, WA loved the service. " John is an auto me­ Registration Refunds (80.00} Elmer Martin, Hampshire, TN chanic in Benson, Arizona. Expense refunds (27.10} Reunion Photos 459.34 TOTAL $96,434.79 $100,768.98 less expenses ($100,768.98} net difference ($4,334.19} with partial offset of same $2,200 sale items remaining after reunion

louis Hoger 11/5/89

Richard Foster, 70 QM, has been a plumber for 40 years around Bend, Ore­ gon. He worked for seven businesses in that time. He still wonders a bit about a memorable experience when " I was a platoon sergeant in charge of a motorized patrol past Saarbrucken to make contact with the retreating German army. We had no officers, no infantry ... just 10 trucks and 10 good truck drivers and one me­ chanic. We patrolled until dark and re­ turned to our lines in the early morning." HOW GOES THE BATILE? . .. In a military wedding, he took Elna June While the 70th was engaging in war games in Oregon, as his bride in Silverton, Oregon in 1944. the real war came to a great crescendo with the invasion They had four children, one of whom died of Normandy in June of 1944. Troops of the 25th, out of at the age of 18 . Theotherthreehave given bivouac, eagerly scan Portland dailies for news from them an even dozen grandchildren. France. Bulletin boards like this led the reading list that fateful summer. A month later the Trail blazers would leave for Fort Leonard Wood.

Winter, 1990 17 aid. But my first movement draws a sniper bullet in my left foot. (Later, in the States, it will have to be amputated .) I War tell them to get out before they, too, are hit. (Somewhere along the line Herb will take a battlefield commission and at the railroad embankment at Forbach, Story he will be killed by a sniper.) By Howard Sylvester When it gets dark I decide to try to get back to our lines. C/276 First I try to fashion a crutch from a broken tree limb. But with a broken right leg and wounded left one, that doesn't work out. So I start crawling. I thought the Germans had * only a small spearhead and that I could go around Wingen to the road where we had jumped off. But I am taken prisoner. It's the morning of January 4, 1945. Charlie Company, The Germans were pretty lax. I was within 10 feet of 276, is in a wooded area about 400 yards south of several of them before they knew I was there. They Wingen. A surprise German attack has inflicted heavy carried me down to the basement of a house and cut my losses on Baker Company and Charlie has pulled back clothes off and wrapped my wounds in paper bandages. about a quarter mile west to set up defenses in case the There were about 1 0 to 15 wounded Germans down enemy broke through the village. there and I was the only American. But as we start digging, orders come to return to our They treated me well, considering what they had to original positions. That night we send a squad to test the work with. There was a big keg in the basement and when strength of the Krauts; it suffers two wounded casualties. I asked for a drink the Medic would draw me a stein of On the morning of the 5th we go around the village to beer from it. get behind the Germans. Our objective: Bottle up the Days later the German Medic who saved me told me enemy and retake the town. they were pulling back and would I speak for his German We make contact and I take cover behind a large tree. comrades. He shook my hand and said , " God bless you!" Bullets are flying over my head and hitting the ground all At daybreak-! had to guess, there were no windows­ around me. As I turn to ask my machine gunner, Herb the artillery started. One over, one under. I decided my Kadoo, to try to pick out the source of fire on my left, I am luck had run out. But the third round, which would have hit seven times by enemy MG fire. landed right on us, never came in. As I fall back, away from the tree, another bu rst hits There came small arms fire for about 10 minutes. Then about a foot from my head, kicking frozen snow and dirt there was dead quiet. A short time later men from C into my face.l know my only chance for survival is to play Company came and took me out. dead . And here starts the longest day of my life. The next two years were spent in hospitals in various About the middle of the afternoon, the company pulls states until I was discharged February 11 , 1947. For 38 back. A couple of hours later, Herb and a Medic come up years I checked reunion notices in my DAV magazine but and want to pull me to a shallow washout to give me first never saw the 70th till 1985.

After 42 years • • • " Soon we arrived in Spicheren, close enough to hear the artillery. War had ar­ rived; a few jerry shells hit the small vil­ After a separation of 42 years, Henry about the middle of February. lage. I was assigned to Co. A, and he to C, Prescott, C/275, and Charles Paskvan, Says Charlie: "My most memorable 275. March 15 , while on patrol attempting N275, met in Bangor, Maine, for a grand event while being convoyed was having a to get through the Siegfried Line, three reunion at Henry's surnrner camp. bowel movement while sitting on the truck machine bullets stopped me. Henry in­ Separation was in February, 1945 , tail-gate being held by Henry and another formed me that during his occupation while being processed at Epinal, France GI. I promptly made a fast deposit as we duty, he went searching for me , but the for assignment to the front lines. Accord­ passed through a village with residents Division roster had no record. Correspon­ ing to Paskvan, they had first met in Janu­ waving on both sides of the road. Since our dence started between us after Henry ary after being assigned, along with 11 truck was in the middle of the convoy, joined the Association about five years other Gis, to a cabin on the Queen Eliza­ later I took much ribbing from the men ago ." beth. It was rumored that 20,000 Gis were traveling in the following trucks. aboard. A close friendship developed dur­ After a short stay at the Epinal depple, " I have some photographs* taken by and ing their free trip across the Atlantic. back on the trucks. Destination: big secret. of a deceased former member of the 70th " Eights days later we arrived in North­ Later, we had a break-stop in a small Division and the 48lst CID. I thought ern Scotland, by train southward to South­ village. As we lay resting on the road-side, perhaps some wartime buddy would like to ampton, convoyed across the channel to two trucks traveling the opposite direc­ have those pictures taken by Sgt. Hurford Le Havre, France, railroaded to a repple tion, loaded high with dead bodies passed (Butch) Rowe 1945/46." depple in Givet, Belgium. slowly thru. The instant smell of death was So writes Alfred McLaughlin, 579 Val­ ''A short stay, then south by truck to detected, and at the same time this clued us ley Road, Roseburg, Oregon 97470. He'll Luxemburg, eventually to Epinal, arriving in that the front lines were not far away.'' be happy to send 'em to you; so write him. 18 70th Division Assn TRAILBLAZER three wars Ted Mataxis three Combat Infantry Badges

From the bitter cold of the Vosges, to the equally cruel winters of Korea, to the sweltering jungles of Vietnam, Theodore Mataxis is a combat veteran of three wars. Starting as an enlisted man in the Na­ tional Guard of his native Washington State, he retired as a Brigadier General. He joined the 70th at Adair and commanded the 2nd Battalion, 276th, in Alsace and the Saarland. In Occupation he commanded a battalion in the famed 3rd Division. When it was demobilized in 1946, Ted was as­ signed to the Historical Detachment in Garmisch, Germany and headed a project in which German generals, as POWs, wrote of their experiences fighting the Russians. Back in the States he served with the lst Army and later attended the Parachute School of the Indian Army in Agra, India. During a month's leave there he studied French operations in Indo-China and for a SAME FACES, DIFFERENT PATCHES ... year-'51-'52 in the Kashmir-he was a Two wars earlier, Brig. Gen. Ted Mat­ conflict. The general wears the patch of military observer with the United Nations axis (left) and Command Sgt/Major the 1st Airborne, the sergeant, that of the Cease-Fire Team as conflict between India Tom Kirkpatrick wore the insignia of the American Division. It was at Chu Lai, and Pakistan ended. 70th Division in the European theater. Vietnam, that the old 'Blazers had a In spring of '52 he volunteered for Ko­ Now, with the Korean War intervening, happy reunion 25 years later, in 1970. rea and was exec officer for G-2 of the 8th they meet on a new battlefield in a new (US Army photo by PFC Guy Winkler) Army. He was commander of the 17th Infantry Regiment, the Buffaloes, during ence tapped him for service in Teheran as Clusters, his Bronze Star added another the bitter campaigns for The Triangle, head of several advisory teams to the Ira­ Cluster, three Clusters to the Army Com­ T-Bone and Pork Chop Hill. nian Army, in '68, for 25 months. mendation Medal and the Air Medal At the Infantry School at Fort Benning, In June, '70 he went back to 'Nam to with--count 'em--17 Clusters and five Georgia, he was a teacher and academic command the American Division. Next major Vietnamese medals. administrator. He was involved in the test­ year he was named Chief of Military In each of the wars he won the Combat ing of new theories and techniques for the Equipment Delivery for Cambodia before Infantryman's Badge, a distinction shared atomic battlefield and in writing field he retired in April, 1972. with only a handful of soldiers. manuals on the subject. That "retirement" has been just a tech­ He wears a Presidential Unit Citation After graduation from Army War Col­ nicality. He has been a consultant to the from Korea along with several American lege in 1957 he was back in Europe as Singapore Minister of Defense and orga­ and several United Nations decorations. chief of staff, then deputy commander of nized its Logistics School. From '75 to '83 With his wife Helma, also a native of the Airborne Brigade of the 8th Infantry he was Commandant of Cadets at Valley Seattle, he has two daughters and a son, Division. He then commanded the 1st Air­ Forge Military School and after that he Theodore, Jr. who is following his father borne Battle Group at Mainz, Germany. In reorganized AZED Company, a con­ with an Army career. the States again, his responsibilities grew sulting firm, and moved to Southern He's enjoying hunting and writing and with several commands and in September, Pines, North Carolina. collects guns and books. He has written 1964, he left again for Vietnam where he He is active in the Committee for a Free extensively for military magazines and is served for 22 months. He was present at Afghanistan and a similar committee for co-author of "Nuclear Tactics," a basic the attack on Pleiku as the fighting Cambodia. He was a personal friend of the guide to tactical nuclear weapons which heightened in intensity. late Gen. Aga Zia, president of Pakistan has been translated into Russian, Spanish, During that time he became a Master and knows many of the leaders in that Yugoslav and Portuguese. He lectures at Parachutist and jumped with the Viet­ troubled comer of the world. defense colleges in India, Canada, and namese and Iranian armies and attended In WW2 he earned the Purple Heart and Vietnam as well as in American military 'chute schools of the armies of India and Bronze and Silver Stars. In Korea he add­ and civilian schools. Germany-and U.S.A., of course. ed two Oak Leaf Clusters to the Bronze And after all that career variety, he is After desk duty at the Pentagon, he Star, a Cluster to the Purple Heart and was still a Trailblazer, active in the Association became assistant division commander of awarded the Legion of Merit. and a regular at every Reunion. the 82nd Airborne. His Far East experi- In Vietnam the Legion got two Oak Leaf Winter, 1990 19 Long journey

to home Arthur J. Zoebelein to health L/274

I remember advancing out of Saarbrucken highway to St. Avoid started my journey, Aix-en­ Stiring-Wendel, over the railroad where the 10th Field Hospital was set Provence, near Delta Base C.P. #2, tracks, in the darkness before dawn up in a school house. home of the 3rd General Hospital. that morning. The machine gun was When the litter bearers Again, just before I was to ship out on quite close to me, to my right rear, so brought me into the ground floor, the U.S.S. West Point (our cruise ship I must have passed by before the they hailed the chaplain by shouting for the outward journey) I was Germans realized something was up. "One of yours, Padre" before leaving crossed off the manifest- this time When I heard the first burst, I instinc­ to return to the front. The priest, not as I broke out with German measles, tively headed for the defilade on the saying a word, took one look at me no less. right side, nearest the enemy (con­ and proceeded with the Last Rites Thus it was early May before I trary to my training, of course) in a immediately. Once that was finished, was placed on the U.S.S. Mariposa semi-crouched position. That posi­ I was carried up the stairs to the op­ for a two week crossing back to (you tion saved my life as I did a somer­ erating room. The last I remember is guessed it) Fishermans Pier, Boston sault when my right foot hit the mine the anesthetic cone being placed -my circuitous journey completed. and I landed on my back in the hole over my nose and mouth and being Whilst on the high seas, we were the mine excavated. (That was impor­ instructed to breathe deeply. informed of the declaration of V-E tant, for when it became daylight I I awoke three days later in a Day but as we all discovered WW2 looked to my right and saw a few corner of the makeshift ward on an never has ended for us. On the pier yellow boxes containing the mines, army cot with both arms in splints so we were carried to our awaiting hos­ no more than a foot from my head.) that I could be fed with glucose and pital train for delivery to the South­ When the mine went off, im­ casts on both legs. When the nurse for me that was Walter Reed General mediately after the machine gun noticed me she said, "Back with us, I Hospital in Washington, D.C. burst, all hell broke loose, as you see" in a tone that implied a certain There were about 400 patients remember, with mortars and bullets amount of surprise as well as relief. on the ship and the remainder were speeding through the air. I remained I then spent another week at "high pointers" or trans-shippers conscious and cautiously lifted my the 10th Field until being transported bound for the Pacific theater. I might right leg to discover only a short by rail to the 92nd Evacuation Hospi­ add that as the boys marched off the piece of white heel bone sticking out tal. After a week there, I was told I gangway a band played a Ia Holly­ of the stump. When I lifted my left was eligible for air evacuation from wood. I observed the festivities from foot, which also was hurting, I dis­ Paris but was too fragile for the jour­ my bunk in the train since the pa­ covered a large hole in the instep. ney, so it was off to Strasbourg in tients had disembarked first. (Later examination would reveal a Alsace for trans-shipment to Mir­ I spent 15 months at Walter completely shattered navicular bone acourt, France (near Nancy) and the Reed during which time seven of -the "keystone" of the arch of the 21st General Hospital. eight operations were performed to foot.) After three weeks there, I was reconstruct my remaining foot. The I lay there (it seemed for ages, told I was now too well to be air final one was cosmetic surgery to but about four hours actually) until I evacuated (typical of the Army) and trim scar tissue off the end of the was picked up by the medics at would be shipped back to where I stump in anticipation of my artificial around 10 a.m. I was swiftly carried leg. Walter Reed.-vas an interesting by litter to the advance Battalion aid place and I was very well cared for station in Stiring-Wendel where my even though the bulk of my con­ pants were cut off to accommodate finement was after V.E. Day. bandages and both arms of my jacket My stay was not uneventful as ripped up the seam so that plasma it was at Walter Reed that I met my and intravenous pain killer could be future wife- a D.C. native who was applied. I was then swiftly placed on visiting one of my buddies at the the back of a jeep (litter and all) for a hospital. I was discharged on the hair-raising ride down the Metz- 23rd of july 1946 from the Army from 20 70th Division Assn TRAILBLAZER Walter Reed. Magazine manager New cemetery The first week in September I went 35 miles up U.S. Rte. 1 to Bal­ timore to attend johns Hopkins U. You've no doubt seen that perfectly The new national cemetery at Battle until I graduated in 1949 after three gorgeous magazine called ' 'Arizona Creek, Michigan is only seven years old . lt arduous years. I was married the Highways". Well, one of our boys­ is the only such cemetery in the state and is penultimate summer of my college Patrick Standage, 70 QM-handles at Fort Custer where many Trailblazers years so they were eventfu I as well as promotion for the publication. He came entered military service. tough. aboard the 70th when it was organized, Any veteran, no matter where he lives, After a year at graduate school later served in Occupation in Berlin with is eligible for free burial in the cemetery. at the University of Rochester, I re­ the 3rd Division and was with Service Co. Entrance to the burial plot is spectacular turned to the Washington area to of the 78th. He and his wife Elizabeth have with hundreds on hundreds of Stars and seek a career in the health-related two daughters, two sons and six grand­ Stripes waving proudly in the breeze. field in the Federal Government, but children. it was war again that changed my path. This time it was the Korean conflict. The start of the war shifted "mega-bucks" from the domestic sector of the federal budget to the Defense Department and a number of agencies were expanded swiftly. Amongst these was a very secret agency that specialized in communi­ cations intelligence and which needed an infusion of college gradu­ ates ASAP. They cast their net out and ensnared me. That began a 30 year career with the National Security Agency from which I retired in '82 as a professional cryptologist. During the 60's, I spent seven years in Europe, the first four in England as part of the American Embassy as a liaison officer at the British counterpart of NSA and then three years as the cryptologic advisor to the Director of Intelli­ gence of the U.S. European Com­ mand, headquartered at Patch Bar­ racks near Stuttgart, W. Germany. It was during this tour of duty that my family and I were able to tour the battlefield areas of the 70th Division including Stiring-Wendel, St. Avoid cemetery (I was very moved when I saw the gravestones of Bissinger, Coyle, etc.) the little town of Berens from which we started the final push, etc. Since the association didn't start going to Europe until 1977, I guess I was one of the first of the Trailblazers to return (during 1969-1970). We now live in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia on High Knob Mountain, near the northern en­ trance to Skyline Drive in the Shen­ andoah National Park. I remain busy as I teach chemistry at a private school located in the foothills of the NO TOOLS REQUIRED ... Blue Ridge (you can see Skyline Drive Although these 'Blazers carry entrenching tools, they from the school windows) some 12 certainly don't need them for the trench they are travers­ miles south of my mountain home. ing here. It is believed that this photo was taken in the Saarland as the thaw of Spring, 1945, turned the battle­ fields into seas of mud. Winter, 1990 21 TETLEY, Robert K. P.O. Box 3653 Nashua, NH 03061 New Members V276 THOMAS, C. E. (Bud) 412 Spruce St. Mt. Vernon, WA 98237 BENTON, Chester H. GOREHAM, Harry K. MURPHY, Dallas D. 70 QM-Pat Rt. 1, Box 67 1227 "L" St. 1020 Bayshore Dr. Hartville, MO 65667 Springfield, OR 97477 Wichita, KS 67212 THOMPSON, Gust 1/276-Mary Jane H/276-Lucile M/276-Marilyn 2030 Peralta Ave. Seaside, CA 93955 BISHOP, Freeman L HAMLIN, James C. MUSCH, Heinz P. B/884 FA-Liselottee 312 S. 3rd 1509 Hardwood Dr. 545 E. 3785 So. . Aricansas City, KS 67005 Blacksburg, VA 24060 Salt Lake City, UT 84106 THOMPSON, John M. B/370 Medics A/276-Phoebe G/276- Thelma 234 County Rd. Benson, AZ. 85602 BITTNER, Sylvan F. HARTLEY, Wendell J. Mac DONALD, Kenneth 70QM Rt. 2, Box 216 300 Lakeshore Dr. 9603 S.W. 54th St. Paricer, PA 16049 Conroe, TX 77304 Portland, OR 97219 WISEMAN, Arville M/275 M/274-Jacqueline 3832 Union Chapel Rd. McKEEHAN, Norman D. Corydon, IN 47112 BONACKER, Russell L HIRT, Glenn F. P.O . Box 193 A/276-Jean 10 Warrington Dr. 619 S. Bayshore Rd. Keno, OR 97627 Bella Vista, AR 72714 Elk Rapids, Ml 49629 B/370 Medics-Lydia WOOD, Robert I. B/370 Medics-V. Louise E/275-Mary Jane 617 W. Saner O'BANION, Herbert Dallas, TX 75224 BOWER, Fred L. HUNT, Don L 6839 Savannah Ave. A/276-Aima Rt. 3, Box 118 P.O. Box 561 Cincinnati, OH 45329 Floyd, VA 24091 Mossyrock, WA 98564 A/276-Aiice ZIMBRO, Jack A 70 QM-Jackie 19637 Pasadena St. BURKE, Donald E. SANSONE, Dominic South Bend, IN 46614 666 Bonhill Rd. HUTSON, Albert L 5721 So. Mobile 1/275-Bessie Los Angeles, CA 90049 Box 486 Chicago, IL 60638 M/276-Dorothy Hardy, AR 72542 A/276-Ethel

CAUSEY, Russell JONES, Maurice SCHLIE, Ed. Changes For Roster 713 Russell St. 3215 Dye Drive 3622 Jack Pine Dr. Sanford, NC 27330 Falls Church, VA 22042 Bremerton, WA 98310 ADAMIETZ, Gerald A/276-Barbara F/274-Mary 70 QM-Leona E. 11814-26th Pl. Box 14099 CULBERTSON, Robert D. JUNG, Charles E. SCHOEN, Jr. Harry P. Spokane, WA 99214 6201 Bayou Grande Blvd., N.E. 9317-46th Ave., S.W. 3128 E. Lester St. Petersburg, FL 33702 Seattle, WA 98136 Tucson, AZ. 85716 ALVARA, William D/275 70 QM-Kacey G/276-Mary 137 Liberty St. Hackensack, NJ 07601 CUNNINGHAM, Lemuel E. LANDRY, LeRoy SCHULTZ, Alfred E. 7000 W. Seven Rivers Dr. 14214 Eastridge Ave. 97 Cedarview Ave. ARENDS, Herman Crystal River, FL 32629 Baton Rouge, LA 70817 Staten Island, NY 10306 43 N. Lake Shore Drive HQ/Divarty-Naomi U274-Jody U275-Edna Rockaway, NJ 07866

DONOFRIO, William LARSEN, George W . SCHURGER, Paul L BOYLE, Francis J. 11060 Gifford Dr. P.O. Box 587 5660 Headgates Rd. Rt. 1, Box 240-A Spring Hill, FL 34608 Bullhead City, AZ. 86430 Hamilton, OH 45011 Rome, PA 18837 E/274-Jean HQ/276 G/274-Anne BRANHAM, Frederick W . EZZELL, Thomas J. LEVY, Jerome SHIPSTEAD, Leonard 896 Sundberg Rd. 988 Gloria Rd. 2521 Metairie Lwn. 12-304 Box 804 Mahtowa, MN 55762 Memphis, TN 38116 Metairie, LA 70002 West Point, MT 59201 C/276-Dorothy M/276 70QM-Billie HQ/70 BUDNIK, Robert J. FISHER, Harold S. LOCHEN, Stanley STACHEL., William H. 6308 S. 20th St. 189 Oliver St. 8 High St. 18 Thackeray Dr. Milwaukee, Wl 53221 Corydon, IN 47112 Nicholson, PA 18446 Short Hills, NY 07078 G/274-Norma HQ/725 FA-Chattie 1/276 CARLE, Robt. (Hinerdinger) 3145 N.E. 16th FISHER, Robert F. Margiotta, Canio J. STANDAGE, Patrick Portland, OR 97212 131 N.E. "B" St. 202K Covered Bridge Blvd. 2224 E. 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Winter, 1990 23 The Marchers " Pick up the beat! They need us now at in the Wingen's battle point! Sky "They wait for us at Baerenthal and P-bourg's bloody streets!''

AU through Forbach's battkd roadways and in Oeting' s lethal lanes I have heard the ghostly cadence of those I hear pulsing meter of war's eternals tides. marchers in the sky­ As Saarland mud and rubbled roads sub­ The regiments of Herren and of Barnett's merge the boots' refrain. echelons­ Till the marchers reach the treadway of Saar­ ¥ oung soldiers now in distant graves where brucken 's ancient span old age cannot pry. Where triumphant measures of their march­ ing rise to the conquerors' tread As I waken in the dark of night as yet un­ That breaches the implacable Siegfried Line. touched by dawn I feel my heart beat undertones to treads of I still hear the boots wiJhin the drone of 'Blazer men Summer afternoons. Whose boots beat out percussion to battks I still hear iJ when the Autumn winds foretell now long gone. the Winter woes to come.

I hear the stuttering footfalls of a squad's I can hear iJ in the village parades ofGlorious uncerlain beats July; Ofrookie ranks on Willamette and over Ozark In Presidential pageantry of circumstance hiUs and pomp; Turn into prideful rhythm of lean and tem­ When a grieving bugle whispers Taps across pered men another comrade's tomb. As they march to Boston's hist'ried port along the Pilgrim streets. As I hear the beat I raise a silent but insistent cry: Now the drowning January snows on cruel "Hey, buddies! Leave a gap wiJhin your ser­ Vosges trails ried ranks and files Mute down the drumbeat of the shuffling combat boots. Where I can slip to join the lines of your Though I can't hear I yet can feel their pulse platoons below Alsatian gales. And /forever shall be young again wiJh you!'' ' ECA

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