Vol. 1 i No 14 Somewhere in Luxemburg November, 29, 1944

O's Pound Beat While GIs Eat 83rd OPENS NEW REST CENTER Holiday Meat COMPLETE WITH SHOWERS, GIs of the 783rd Ornance Com• pany sat down to Thanksgiving dinner last week throroughly unper• COTS, BEER, BAND, AND WOMEN turbed about the fact that not a single one of them was at his pro• per place of duty, not even walking GILBERT bY CPL.N.S.FIRFIRES Movies, Dances, post or standing by their 50 calibre machine guns on air alert. The Red Cross Gills sergeant pulling CQ that day bliss• fully gnawed away at a turkey leg Also Featured with nary a thought in his head except, perhaps, another turkey leg. The reason for all this lack of Last week's opening of the concern wa:s due to just one thing, 83rd Division's own rest center, the officers of the 783rd had taken complete with plenty of beer, women over the company lock, stock and and song, offered heartening news barrel. The officers had decided, as to the combat GIs of this Division. a mark of appreciation and tribute Ticket of admission is the Com• to their men, that every man in bat Infantry Badge and 83rd patch the company should sit down with and other features of the Rest his buddies and enjoy the best Center are rooms with cots, 50 hot turkey dinner possible. This could showers, a day room and excellent be done only if the officers them• food prepared by civilian chefs. selves relieved the GIs walking post Located in a little town in Lu• and manning the AA guns. And this xemburg, the Rest Center handles they did much to the surprise and 200 men for a 48 hour stay and pleasure of all the men in the already men from all three Infan• company. try Regiments have spent their two day pass at the Rest Center, some resting, some having the time of Disclose 774th their Luxemburg lives. Chow is served in the "Balinese Tankers Fighting Room" or dining room, and plates, Along With 83rd silverware and twenty pretty wai• tresses help make eating enjoyable. Disclosure that the 774th Tank Beer is always available at the bar, Battalion is now fighting along known as "Charley'& Pump Room", with the 83rd Infantry Division- and for ordinary writing, reading "somewhere in Luxemburg" was and listening to the radio, the made this week. "Flame Room", or day-room, is The tankers of the 774th have available. The mail censors report, assisted the 83rd in the capture* of incidentally, a terrific volume of Grevenmacher, Echternach, Wormel- THE WAR IN BRIEF letters. dange and other towns in Luxem• Three attractive Red Cross girls, burg, especially along the Hazel "Pete" Goff and Mildred Cox River sector. This same tank batta• Hitler's legions were shaking in Further north, the men of General of Vicksburg, Miss., and Gertrude Patton's Third Army had liberated lion, commanded by Lt Col N. K. their ersatz pants this week as the Bunce of Berlin, Conn., are in con- the almost impregnable fortress of tinouous presence during the eve• Markle, Jr., has assisted the 83rd's inevitable doom of Germany came Metz and had pushed on even nings and give out coffee, doughnuts Field Artillery by furnishing indirect closer with the spectacular drive of fire on targets of opportunity, pill• farther to the upper reaches of the and "stardust" to the men. A four the French First Army and elements boxes, enemy observation posts, Saar River in Germany. Patton's piece band, consisting of Pfc Ro• railroads and other similar targets. of the American Seventh Army men were now battling on the Sieg• bert Holmes of Detroit, Mich., pianist, Pfc Cianne Kastur of The outfit was attached to fhe which.joined with the French. fried Line and the approaches to Houston, Texas, on the clarinet, 83rd in August and joined the This drive, despite very bad the industrially important Saar Pvt Anthony Lardino, of Chicago, infantry in patrolling the Loire weather, steam-rollered through the Basin. 111., who handles an accordion, and Riven During this operation, tire Gap, reached the banks of On the extreme Northern sector S Sgt Charles Stutz, of New York tankers assisted the 83rd in the the River in Southern Ger• of the Western Front, the British City, a guitarist, provide continuous capture of Brigadier General Botho- many and the Yanks and French Second Army and the American music during meal hours and for Hemming Elster and 20,000 Nazis liberated many important towns and First and Ninth Armies continued afternoon and evening dances. Two at Beaugency, France. communication centers, including to grind out slow gains in Holland (Cont. on page 3) (Cont. on page 2) Belfort, and Strasbourg. (Cont. on page 2) Wednesday. Nov. 29, 1944 83rd SPEARHEAD Page 2

A New Partner... 774th Fights Along With 83rd KNOW YOUR

There he goes — the most im• LEADERS portant guy in the Army. Who is he? Eisenhower? Bradley? A silver The commanding officer of the chicken? A second looey? a ser• 324th Field Artillery Battalion is geant maybe? Lt Col George W. Irvine who has No. He's a replacement. He's a been with the 83rd since its acti• guy maybe just off the boat. A.GI vation at Camp Atterbury, Ind. they trained for the quartermas• Born in 1912 in Washington, D. ters and overnight turned into a C, Col Irvine received his early dough. An orphan who's never had education in San Francisco and later a home in the Army — who's ta• Bremerton, Washington. In 1933 he ken more chicken spit from more graduated from Stanford University brass and stripes than any Joe we with an A. B. degree and a reserve know. officer's commission in the field He's swallowed it. He's stuck it artillery. out day after day — never kno• wing the score for tomorrow. He's Leads 324th . . done what he's been told to do — without friends, without favors — with nothing but his own pride and sense of duty to stop him. And finally, like every doggie, he's having his day. He's on his way to join his out• fit. He's marching toward Ger• many. There isn't much you say to guys like him, We'll leave that to the ad writers. Instead, we'd like to throw out a word or two to the veterans whose ranks they've come to fill. Take care of these new boys, Joe. Tell them your name and of• fer them a buft and give them 'jsiMmmmmmmmm mi • • everything you know. . Remember (Cont. from page 1) since its activation. After intensive what some sergeant said about a The 774th Tank Battalion was training in the States, including Signal Corps Photo replacement: Lt Col Irvine organized from personnel of the participation in maneuvers in Loui• ,,He's an extra round in your 7th Armored Division in September, siana, the California Desert and Col Irvine served as a first lieute• clip. He's plasma in your blood 1943, at Fort Benning, Ga, and has Tennessee, the outfit came overseas nant with the New York National stream. He's an earlier dating on been commanded by Lt. Col. Markle in July, 1944. Guard in 1940 and in 1941 entered your ticket home." active duty with the 186th Field (Reprinted From Germany's oil ..reserves continued Artillery. He served as firing bat• Stars And Stripes.) The war in biiei with night and day bomber attacks tery executive, firing battery com• by both the RAF and the AAF. mander and battalion S-2 before being transferred to the 83rd Divi• (Cont. from page 1) And SHAEF announced that over 40,000 prisoners had been taken sion as a cadre member. Prior to 83rd Spearhead and Germany. In fighting reminis• The SPEARHEAD is published by and since the beginning of the November being appointed commander of the cent of the Normandy hedgerows, for the personnel of the 83rd infantry offensive. 324th, Col Irvine was Divarty S-3. Division under supervision of the Public these Armies made steady gains The Russians continued their dri• In 1941, he completed a Battery Relations Office. Ail news reviewed by through the forests toward Cologne G-2, 83rd Division. The SPEARHEAD is ves on Budapest and also broke Officer's Course at Ft. Sill, Okla• supported without cost to U.S. govern• and the banks of the Rhine. As on through the German defenses in homa. ment. Member of CNS. Republication of all sectors of the front, the weather credited matter prohibited without per• eastern Czechoslovakia. The Reds His father is a Captain in the mission of CNS, 205 East 42nd St., was miserable and the drives were announced that all of Estonia was U. S. Navy, his mother, wife and NYC-17, USA. Address inquiries to PRO, often bogged down by mud and 83rd Inf. Div., APO 83, 'U.S. Army now liberated and that the cam• child reside in San Francisco. The (cjo Postmaster. New-York, N.Y.) swollen streams and rivers. paigns in Yugoslavia and Albania Colonel was recently awarded the The great aerial offensive against were meeting with great success. Bronze Star.

Hale Call by Milton Caniff, Creator of "Terry and the Pirates" How Vargan One Go With These Things? Wednesday. Nov. 29. 1944 83rd SPEARHEAD Page 3

83 rd Opens New Rest Center The Sump Hole' FOXHOLE POETS BY Pvt. MAURICE RENEK. (Cont. from page 1) make appearances at the Center. movies are shown to the GIs each Commandant of the Center is Cap• Out of the great migrating mass "HERE GOES" • that is swallowed into the Aimy day, one at 1400 hours and one at tain James R Garaghan, Special machine to be transformed into a 2000 hours. Thus, four different Services Officer for the Division. As I sit here in my foxhole movies are shown to the men during walking advertisement for manual Comments by men of the 331st On a battlefield in France, their two day rest period. who where visiting the Center last labor there is a certain select clique Waiting for the order that somehow are never really pro- Meals are served at 0800, 1300 week are indicative of the men's and 1800 and attendance is not appreciation of the place. "Best Which means we must advance. - cessed. Like the cheese of the same compulsory since no formations are deal I've seen in the Army", said name they are gobbled up and compulsory at the rest center. The Pfc James Dunkin of Clarksburg, My thoughts go back to the good digested but nothing really comes men are allowed to visit the nearby W. Va., a rifleman in I Co, while [old days out of them. I first realized in the town and in the evening, girls from Pvt Milton Friedman of Los Angeles, And people I have known Reception Center that this Army neighboring towns are permitted to Calif., a company aid man in the Today I wish that I were back wasn't meant for me when they visit the center for the evening's same outfit added, "It's swell to handed me a towel and some soap. movies and dancing. But officers in get back here for a change." At Johnson's Bayonne. Then after being in a few muddy charge of the center maintain that Army camps for awhile I found they are running a Rest Center, not The roar of guns is all around that the towel and soap was just the Folies Bergeres. They jingle in your ear a front. With the theory that "it Jerries Like GI A PX is maintained on the Se• The airplanes are above you don't pay to be clean" firmly im• cond Floor and a barber shop is They fill the atmosphere.. bedded in my mind I lived a happy planned for the center. As GI shows Chow Or Mail ' isolated life. Then, one day a Lieute• and USO entertainers become avai• We met the foe at St. Malo nant I know decided it would be lable to the Division, they will The mail clerks and the mess for the best if we took a prome- sergeant of Co K, 330th Inf are The battle has begun still arguing whether the Jerry mail \e through town. A strange new And many a foe lay dying there system is worse than Jerry food. sensation hypnotized me and I Sugar Report^ Before the setting sun. cleaned my shoes', put on OD's Tec 5 Walter J Hughes of Chi• with two fine creases and even From Jennifer cago, 111 and Tec 5 Paul K Warner We fought the fight with all our combed my hair. I thought I'd sur• of Reading, Pa., the mail clerks [might, in K Company, were casually sor• prise him (the ulterior motive, of Dear Charlie: And beat the Jerries down course, was that I heard the M/Sgt ting mail the other day when they Here it is December and you realized that they were being The 83rd Advanced again was going to leave. I was so happy still aren't home for Christmas. I didn't know whether to cry or watched. Without looking up, To take another town. The newspapers say the war Hughes muttered the stock mail- celebrate.) After knocking the of• should be over by then. The By Sgt. Henry Lynog ficer dead with my spiffy attire I clerk phrase: "Look, bud, the mail Co. G — 330th. radio commentators say Ger• hasn't come in yet." was seeing those "three up and many is defeated now except three down" stripes hovering over for a little fighting to be done. Just then, however, both clerks my head. No sooner did I walk out What are you doing in Luxerh- looked up and saw that their visi• Secret Weapons? the door when the shine on my burg that's holding you up so tors were Jerries and not GIs. shoe must have scared the sun into long? What's the matter, ha• Hughes grabbed for the reliable France (CNS) "What's the the clouds. A few minutes later the ven't you put in your request M-l and with Warner's assistance latest German secret weapon?" the usual rains came which gave way to go home? Tommy asked his the Jerries were marched off to PW interrogator asked a 45-year- to hail and theg the first real snow chaplain for a leave during the CP. But the mess sergeant main• old German prisoner. of the season. There I was standing Xmas and he is coming in from tains that the surrendering Germans in the middle of the street, my Louisiana. Can't you ask your had merely thought that the mail "That's us," the prisoner re• shoes as dull as a Bette Davis chaplain? tent was the chow line. plied, 'All men over 40." picture, the zooty crease in my Your bosom friend, Willie, trousers gone forever and the Lieu• had the time of his life buving tenant haunting me with his "even all the war bonds he could to The Wolf by Sansone the good Lord don't want to see help you boys across the sea. Coptnjhr 1944 b» Lionifd Sansone, distributed by Cimp Newspaper Service you dressed up". Last week in Times Square all 1 the pretty chorus girls, movie A nice lady invited me to her stars and oh, there were so i - V home for Thanksgiving. Everything many shapely and beautiful ones h HP was swell, the meal was excellent, you'd get sick' looking trying 3 K j 1 I liked eating off a tablecloth and to look at them all, gave f.way 1^32 \L from a plate for a change, but a kiss for each bond. He spent every once in a while my GI table all his extra money and then manners would want to get the asked me if I would make it a best of me. Half way through the Dutch treat that night so that he could buy another bond. He soup I was ready to belch into gave me such a nice speech I someone's ear and say, "Take couldn't refuse him. He said that". For a long time I've teen that, with you over there sacri• using my spoon for everything ficing everything the least that from stirring the battleship grey I could do was give up a few coffee I get, to cutting meat that I things so hp could buy more rarely get. It was quite a thrill ammunition for you. You should using a knife and fork again and have seen Willie after it was all my gut took quite a beating holding over. It looked as if he was bleeding all over his face. in all those burps, not to mention I read in a magazine a great the gum I had lodged against my big advertisement saying that cheek for the entire meal. I didn't a shoe company converted all mind the gum with the soup but its leather to make combat when it got mixed up with the shoes for you boys at the front. meat. . . When I washed the few The shoes look so nice in the dishes she had after the meal she magazine. You never told me thought I was the creme de creme you had them given to you. of garcons not knowing that I've Charlie, dear, what's an EM? washed more p'ots and pans in one Alice says that it means Every- bodies' Maid. Is she right? "How do you know she's not your type?'' week than the Waldorf kitchen does in a month. Love, Jennifer. Wednesday. Nov. 29. 1944 83rd SPEARHEAD Page 4

CLASSYCHASSIS jferry Shell Zips THE GRAND STAND Thru Clothing Of Combat Sgt.

The old Phrase, "He'd give you Ohio State Wins HERE... the shirt off his back", did not Big Ten down; apply to T/Sgt. William Rice of AND THERE Indiana. While on a patrol with Aimy, Navy Idle "E" Company, 329, he was forced (Camp Newspaper Service) to crawl along a stone wall to cover his advance from enemy fire The rumor persists that medical and observation. While in the pro• Irish Whip Ga. Tech; discharges loom for both S/Sgt Joe DiMaggio and Pvt Spud Chandler, gress of advancing, he felt a slight Indiana Tops Purdue of the New York Yankees. Joking tug at his back. He looked about, Joseph is drydocked in San Fran• saw nothing, and discounted it cisco with stomach ulcers and entirely. Later, when the patrol re• While the Army and Navy foot• Chandler is on limited duty. . . turned to the Company Area, he ball teams remained idle over the Pistol > Pete Reiser, Brooklyn Dod• week-end in preparation for their decided to wash and try to get some ger star, also is reported awaiting sleep. Removing his pack, he noti• tilt next Satur• a CDD. He suffers from migraine ced, that it was neatly cut across day, Ohio State headaches incurred when he ran climaxed an un•into the centerfield wall at St the inside. This must have been the defeated season Louis several seasons ago . . . GIs tug he felt, so heaving a sigh of by coming from at home and overseas will get a cut relief, he began to undress further. behind in the in the St Louis Cardinal* World Next, he removed his combat jacket last three minu• Series winners' stakes. The entire and saw that it too, was cleanly tes of play to receipts of the 6th series game, cut in the same manner. Now full defeat Michigan along with $100,000 paid for the 18 to 14, an,d of curiosity and doubt, he peeled radio broadcasts and a portion of off and examined his shirt and annex the Big the profits from the 3rd and 4th undershirt and found them to be Ten title, games were turned over to the War g The Buckeyes Relief and Service Fund . .. The cut as was the pack and combat "scored early in Washington Redskins have trained 2 jacket.' One of his buddies then the second quarter to earn a 6 to 0 men to replace Slinging Sammy noticed a red mark across Rice's lead but, with 22 seconds of play Baugh when Sammy ain't plaving back, resembling a lash mark. Rice remaining in the first half, the for them. Frank Filchok, an ex-GI, just pulled out his old rabbit's foot Wolverines capitalized on an inter• does the passing, and Bob Seymour, and caressed it very gently, for as cepted pass and three off tackle tailback, the kicking. Neither can he said, that damned thing, whatever thrusts to tie the- score and mo• match Baugh on the defense,, howe• it was, was too" blasted close for ments later take the lead when the ver .. . When Ty Cobb fell into a •comfort, and not quite close enough conversion attempt sailed right batting slump, he used to start bun• between the goal posts. ting with a fungo bat and work his Shown above is the face and for the Purple Heart, "Which I sure as hell don't want." In other top .games of the day way up to where he was swinging form of Jean Parker, Universal Star. Notre Dame defeated a favored with all his old drive . .. Lt Frank Georgia Tech team 21 to 0, and Leahy, the Notre Dame coach, is Indiana scored a 14 to 6 decision stationed in the Pacifie where he over Purdue. supervises recreational activities at The scores for Saturday, Novem• a bunch of submarine bases . . .- ber 25 were as follows: They have a whale of a football team at Camp Peary.^Va, this year, East coached by L/Cdr Red Strader, for• Dartmouth 18, Columbia 0. merly of St Mary's. Among Stra- Swarthmore 13, Ursinus 0. der's victims were the Washington Pittsburgh 14, Penn State 0. Redskins, who fell, 33 to 27, to Rutgers 15, Lehigh 6. the Camp Peary 11 in an exhibition Bucknell 6, Franklin and Mar• game. shall 0. Brown 32, Colg'ate 20. \\\\\bl!\4ift/ih Penn 20, Cornell 0. When Wilbert Robinson was ma-' nager of the Brooklyn Dodgers, the Mid West bewildering Bums were the funniest Ohio State 18, Michigan 14. team in the circuit—not the saddest • Illinois 25, Northwestern 6. as is the case today. Indiana 14, Purdue 6. It was during the colorful Rob• Minnesota 28, Wisconsin 26. bie's regime that the Dodgers first Nebraska 35, Kansas State 0. earned their reputation for egre• Iowa Pre Flight 30, Iowa 6. gious bonehead plays. Indeed, their South play became so grotesque that Rob• bie finally put his foot down. Notre Dame 21, Georgia Tech 0. Duke 33, N. Car. 0. "The next guy who pulls a Virginia 6, Yale 6. boner," he announced one day, Tennessee 21, Kentucky 7. "will be fined ten bucks. In fact Oklahoma A & M 28, Oklahoma 6. we'll form a Boners Club with a $10 membership fee and at the end South West of the season we'll split up the Tulsa 35, Arkansas 2. dough." S. M. U. 7, Texas Tech 6. He glared around the clubhouse. T. C. U. 9, Rice 6. The players were straight-faced, serious, subdued. Then the portly Far West Robbie stalked majestically from ' USC 30, UCLA 13. the dugout and handed the umpire St. Mary's Pre Flight 37, Cali• his laundry slip—instead of the fornia 6. linkup.