Fall2001 Friends

Support and sympathy from our friends •1n France FALL2001 FRIENDS By Ed Lane, Editor on our WebSite (this is from a was not a great day for freedom translation): and peace." n these terrifying circum "My dear American friends, I stances, the French people Almost at the same time Army was very shocked by the terrorist in their entirety stand be Leggett, G/ 274 passed on the fol I acts of which you were victims. I side the American people. They lowing to us. It comes from Jean express m y support for the fami express their friendship and Pierre and Claudie Cremailh, AM lies and friends who were their solidarity in this tragedy. of Pulligny: touched. It is necessary to con - Jacques Chirac, demn terrorism and this coward "We have h eard and saw the President of France. ice. I wish that the President of news today . It's terrible. We are the United States will be able to shocked. It's impossible to call So reported various media af find the culprits and to punish you by phone, all the lines are oc ter the suicide bomber attacks of them as it is necessary. With my cupied. I will try later. We hope September 11, 2001. you are all in good health." In the immediate hours Thierry Becker, a native of after those attacks, many Bousbach (who now resides Americans started thinking in nearby Woustviller), wrote who their enemies were. to Army: But, from France, almost On the cover immediately there came 'Tm so d isgusted about messages of support and The cover shows the memorial what happened in your condolences that left no service held in Forbach to show country. Since yesterday, doubt in any of our minds solidarity with the United States TVs only show on all chan as to who our true friends and honor the victims of the at nels the terrific events that are. There are many mes tacks of September 11 , 2001 _ the American people have to sages from many countries These photos, taken on September suffer. Everybody compares corning to the United States; 14, are provided by Alain it with Pearl Harbor with a but for Trailblazers, there Heurtaux, AM, a French citizen. bigger count of victims. You are none felt more person This is the first time that color may know that my heart, ally and deeply than those photos have been printed in like the h eart of all French we have been receiving from "Trailblazer". people, is t urned to the our French ami I amie USA. Our President, (friends, both male and fe Jacques Chirac, made a male in this translation). comment on TV yesterday only a few hours after the Condolences started coming friendship for the Americans and drama and said that all the via Email during the early after the US soldiers who delivered French nation is suffering with the noon of the 11th. The first to France." Americans and specially with the reach me was from my good friend families of the victims. I hope he Alain Heurtaux, AM of Forbach: More on the 12th - Clement will have the same reaction when Keller, a citizen of Stiring-Wendel, our help will be needed to find and "Dear friends, We are morally sent: punish the authors of this 'Barba with you! Alain and family." "Dear American friends. We rous' (the President said) act." Then of course the full impact have all been shocked by the re On the 13th the following from of the kamikaze attacks started to cent cowardly acts of terrorism Dorothee Kirsch who wrote on hit and the messages rolled in. A against your country and I would behalf of her husband Thomas French citizen named Roland Mag like to extend here in m y name left the following in the guest book and in the name of all our friends, (continued inside back cover) our sympathy and compassion to all American citizens. This day 2 70th Infantry Division Association TRAILBLAZER The President's"----------- Report ~ John T. Nothnagle I write this I find myself customary activities, classy enter Blunders and Bulges," gives an still recovering from our tainment and interesting optional opening hint of the content and A long motor trip to Spo excursions. As much as possible style. I would hope that it could kane. We took the scenic route - we hope to include participation be made available to anyone inter Badlands, Yellowstone Park, by the 70th RSC from Lawton_ ested. Mount Rushmore, Little Big Horn And I want to issue a special invi Battlefield, etc. - some 3,800 tation to the surviving charter ur mid-summer* doldrums miles in all. Spokane is an attrac members who founded the 70th have been enlivened by the tive city, but its main attraction at Infantry Division Association for a O visit of Celine Heurtaux, daughter the moment is as the site of our special honor at what will be its of Alain Heurtaux, AM of 2002 Reunion. I met with Floyd 40th anniversary. When you Forbach, who has chosen Iowa for Freeman, 1/275 Site Chairman of break out your 2002 calendars in her first acquaintance with the the Association, and with person January, I will remind you of the US. And why not, with the Missis nel from the hotel and from the date, September 4-8. sippi, the Amish, fields of corn Convention and Visitors Bureau to and cattle, a great university cam work on details for the reunion. peaking of Floyd,* he told me pus and a picture postcard small We plan to have, in addition to the Sthat he has received a number college campus, and - of course of requests from people who have - delays at O'Hare? read or heard about our Pilgrim age Tour in May, who regret hav he Association* is a non-profit ing missed it, and who want him The organization, as you know. to plan another one. Floyd, who is T This means among other things Trailblazer (ha! ha!) retired, and who has now that contributions to the treasury led three "last" tours to Europe, is is published four times a year are tax deductible. Many of you willing to do it again, but only if by the 70th Infantry Division h ave made cash contributions he gets a sufficient show of inter Association and friends. Sub over the years and last year, for est. It would probably be in May scription: $16 annually. the first time, I think, we received and it might be coordinated with a gift of stock. Don Lindgren and I Editor Emeritus the dedication of a welcome sign decided to open a brokerage ac Edmund C. Arnold to Forbach inspired by a sign count with the thought that others 3804 Brandon Ave. SW #415 painted by one our men back in might consider gifting with stock Roanoke, VA 24018 1945. If interested give Floyd a as well, particularly stock which (540) 776-2415 call or write him a note. has appreciated to the point where Editor its sale would incur a substantial Ed Lane ne of the *continuing plea- tax liability. Anyone interested in P.O. Box 1282 O sures of the Pilgrimage Tour making such a gift should contact Radcliff, KY 40159 for me is the text of fellow pilgrim Don who will be glad to hear from (270) 352-0753 Charles Cox's study of the role of you. [email protected] the 70th in the war. Charley, as we called him, is a youthful retiree Staff Artist hen you *r ead this our re- Peter Bennet and a friend of Henry Clarke, AT I gional reunions in New Or 274. To prepare for the trip he W 3031 Sir Phillips Dr. leans and Omaha will be things of read an impressive number of his San Antonio, TX 78209 the past, but as I write I look for tories dealing with WWII in gen (210) 828-5477 ward to them. I hope that I will eral and with the fighting in Eu see you at one or the other, or Graphic Designer rope in December 1944 and Janu both. Martin E. Biemer ary - February 1945 in particu Louisville, KY lar_ He gath ered the fruit of his Volume 59 Number 4 research in a 23-page small font text written with clarity, honesty, FALL 2001 and wit. His title alone, "Battles, ~ll~ Fall 2001 3 A memorable artilleryman By Ted Heck way to an open field near the top and the target." K/275 of a hill, maybe eight or nine hun We trudged back through deep dred yards from Kerbach. We lay snow. A hearty handshake was y favorite forward ob in the snow studying the village his only r eward. I never saw him server was Lt. Dick and his map. He started calling again. M Penniman of 275's Can back to his guns to lob rounds non Company. We were together into places that might need some As it turned out, we didn't need in college, basic training and artillery help during the raid. We ~the concentrations. Our OCS. And he did good work at marked four or five concentra raid the next night was a combi Philippsbourg. tions, with Ferguson saying, "I nation flop and success. The ex Nevertheless, the most memo hope you remember them. Any change of fire was minimal. Our rable artilleryman was a guy I met thing else?" casualties were limited to one sol only once and I am not even sure dier from the regimental I&R pla of his name, something like "Fer - pointed to a house at the en toon who tripped a mine and was guson." He was probably not a I trance to the main street and bruised from stones inside the member of the 70th's DivArty, but told him our POW had said there makeshift explosive device.

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