The American Legion Magazine [Volume 35, No. 6 (December 1943)]

''FUiL'fSH WASre BURNS US UP/'' SAY THE 5 CROWNS

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DECEMBER, 1945 When Purchasing Products Plfase Mention The American Legion Magazine DECEMBER, 1943 Vol. 35, No. 6 THE AMERICAN LEGION MAGAZINE

Published monthly by The American Legion, 455 West 22d St., Chicago, 111. Acceptance for mailing at special rate of postage provided for in Section 1103, Act of Oct. 3, 1917, authorized Jan. 5, 1925. Price, single copy, 15 cents, yearly subscription, $1.25

EXECUTIVR AND ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES: Indianapolis, Indiana EDITORIAL AND ADVERTISING OFFICES: One Park Avenue, New York City 16

Postmaster: Please send notices on form 3578 and copies returned under labels form 3579 to 777 N. Meridian St., Indianapolis, Ind.

The Message Center CONTENTS ILLUSTRIOUS COVER DESIGN TS AN 1EGIONNAIRE T. H. Irwin, a mem- By Frank Bensing this bour- amily— iber of Lorenzo-Burrows, Jr., Post ON TO VICTORY! 7 Atherton, bon family — with of Buffalo, New York, writes us tliat By Warren H. National Commander distinguished "Legion members, having served in many AIR CONDITIONED AIR FORCES 9 the First World War, and being members. But Old Grand- By VVallgren privileged to wear the emblem of that THEY'RE BETTER THAN WE WERE 10 . . . heads Dad heads it fact—the Legion button—should deem By Karl Detzer Illustrated by Herbert M. Stoops it unmistakably. it a privilege and an honor to display HE BROUGHT US HOME 12 it. The American Legion button on By )ohn S. Young the lajiel of a man's coat should come Uluslrated by Hamilton Greene recognized all, particularly to be by COME ON, YOU G. I.'S AND MAC'S 14 ONE TASTE WILL the younger Americans, as a mark of Conducted by John J. Noll TELL WU WUr oiustanding loyalty." To which we say LONDONDERRY AIR: ITS NAVAL 17 Barton amen. By Fred B. Please be pa» Illustrated b\ Carl Pfeufer TOPPING THE ROPE TRICK 18 fient. We're do- By Leo A. McCi atchy is a letter from a ig-year-old HERE Illustrated by George Shanks ing our best to naval aviation cadet to his father, THEY'RE AMONG FRIENDS 20 spread our pre- an officer in the Army who is in charge By )osei'h W'echsberg war stocks of of a gunnery school for the Army Air Illustrated by Bettina Steinke Forces. It talks the language of Legion- SMITH OF THE WAKE 22 OldGrand-Dad By Hal P. Mills naires : fairly—as we're Illustrated by Fred Williams "Dear Mother and Dad: Today I A WAY WITH CUPCAKES 23 now engaged in saw the picture of my life, and if you By Allan R. Boswortii Patrick Nelson war production saw 'Bataan' you'll know what I mean. Illustrated by FIGHTING WITH CONFETTI 24 I swear right now that if I ever run of alcohol By Frederick C. Painton across a draft dodger or joker who won't Illustrated by George Giguere fight for his country or give up his life, UNCLE SA>rS "HOUSE OF I'll tear him limb from limb. Any INDEPENDENCE" 27 By George B. Schuyler woman who thinks her son or daughter HE TAKES OBIECTIVES 28 is too good for this fight will get a piece By Walter Naughton of my mind. Right now I feel about A CHANCE TO MAKE GOOD 30 Stutler as low as a snake, having it so soft By Boyd B. SEVEN A PRISONER 34 here in this country when thousands are HOURS By |oun F. Rauth over there fighting. Before today, I Illustrated by Wallace Morgan {Continued on page 4) EDITORIAL 60

A form for your convenience if you wish to have the maga- IMPORTANT: zine sent to another address will be found on page 49.

Legion and is THE AMERICAN LEGION MAGAZINE is the official publication of The American owned exclusively by The American Legion, Copyright 1943 by The American Legion. Entered os second class Atherton, matter Sept. 26, 1931, at the Post Office at Chicago, III., under act of March 3, 1879. Warren H. Vilos Indianapolis Irid., Notional Commonder, Chairman of the Legion Publications Commission; H. Wholey Racine Wis. Vice Chairman. Members of Commission: Phil Conley, Charleston, W. Va.; Jerry Owen, Salem Ore.; Theodore Cogswell, Washington, D. C; Robert W. Colflesh, Des Moijnes, la.; Dr. William F. Murphy Palestine, Tex.; Lawrence Hoger, Owensboro, Ky.; Frank C. Love, Syracuse, N. Y.; Elmer Nelson, Milford' Mass William E. Fischelis, Philadelphia, Pa.; Claude S. Ramsey, Raleigh, N. C; Glenn H. Campbell, Cleveland, O.; Earl L. Meyer, Alliance, Neb.; George BUY Bideaux, Tucson, Ariz.; Le Roy D. Downs, South Norwalk, Conn. UNITED STATES Director of Publications, James F. Barton, Indianapolis, Ind.; Editor, Alexander WAR Cordiner; Director of Advertising, Thomos O. Woolf; Managing Editor, Boyd B. Stutler; BONDS Art Director, Frank Lisiecki; Associate Editor, John J. Noll. STAMPS return is THIS WHISKEY IS 4 YEARS OLD • BOTTLED IN BOND, 100 PROOF T/ie Editors cannot be responsible for unsolicited manuscripts unless postage enclosed. Names of characfers in our fiction and semi-fiction articles that deal with National Distillers Products Corporation, N. Y. types are fictitious. Use of the name of any person living or dead is pure coincidence. The AMERICAN LEGION Mas-zine Whhn Purchasing Products Please Mention The American Legion Magazine Ihe work

Fortunately, we do not have to depend upon the whims of an Apollo for safeguards for our health. Science has demonstrated over and over again that sensible living and proper nutrition are the first steps toward a robust body and an alert mind.

The entire nation looks eagerly for news about Science's con« dnuous studies of vitamins. One fact that has been determined is that the B Complex vitamins are the least plentiful in the foods that come to your table. Physicians say that your body is quick to feel a B Vitamins deficiency, but unharmed if you get more than enough:

The home of Budweiser is one of the world's biggest sources of B Complex vitamins. They are contained in brewer's yeast, which In addition to supplying the armed forces with we supply to leading pharmaceutical manufacturers. From them, glider parts, gun turret parts and foodstuffs, our armed forces and our civilian population obtain millions of Anheuser-Busch produces materials which go into B Complex vitamin units to supplement the daily diet when nec« the manufacture of: Rubber • Aluminum • Muni- tions • Medicines • Hospital Diets • Baby Foods essary. The perfection of this vitamin-rich yeast is one more Bread and other Bakery products • Vitamin-forti- result of laboratory and research work that has helped to pro- fied cattle feeds • Batteries • Paper • Soap and duce the world's most popular beer. textiles — to name a few.

DECEMBER. 1943 3 When Purchasing Products Please Mention The American Legion Magazine — . THE MESSAGE CENTER {Contimied from page 2) thought medals were given away like candy on Christmas; now I know they are well deserved.

' Personally, I don't see how any person can resist a chance to kill those Japs and Germans. You rarely think what the reasons—the real reasons—for fighting this war are, but in the show, just sitting there alone, all the good times I've had (being good and being bad) flashed before me and I got plenty stirred up, first at those cowards who want a soft life now, and then at myself for leading a comparatively soft life right here despite myself. I just hope I'm in a position someday to praise those who deserve praise and beat the Hell out of those who don't. A person should just boil at the strikers, slacking defense worker, and people who buzz around with a complacent attitude

toward this war and their part in it. You realize that war bonds are essential, that every person must do his or her part. You thought I drove around a lot, and I did, when in Georgia, but I was somewhat justified. However, millions of others don't have any reason whatsoever is it is in posi- My last night in the old room . . . ton thankful that a and a great many servicemen deserve it Wonder if Army cots are com- tion to heip send them well armed. more than a hundred Congressmen or fortable Full details astonishing war of an Washington 'big shots.' production story cannot yet be told. Glad Dad and I had that week of "I don't know just what to do when But these facts may interest you . . this war is over, but I'd like to go to hunting . . . Good old Dad the way I feel now, and un- Boy, they'll be eating duck for a 1. Since Pearl Harbor, Remington Annapolis, week! And Marge. Every wolf has produced three times as much doubtedly a stronger feeling will prevail when I see actual combat. I wouldn't in this burg will come howUng military small arms ammunition want to live with men and women who around, darn it Good way as the entire country produced more or less slept thru these years. I to get to know Dads: going hunt- during all four years of World want you to know I'll be trying my best I. ing with 'em War to be the best fighter in the world. I first time today that Wonder where I'll be next himt- 2. Every working day. Remington realized for the there's little glory in war, and I'd just as ing season Bet it's some place produces more than enough mili- soon be a Marine fighting in the thick I'll be glad I'm not such a lousy tary rifles to equip an entire in- of it as some high officer in the rear. I shot Wonder if Marge fantry regiment at full fighting see how you. Dad, and others like you strength. will reaUy write me every day . . . want to fight overseas, but for my own That "emergency" box of shells When fathers and sons can once sake, I'm glad we young squirts get the mustn't forget to give it to Dad. more go hunting together in a peace- breaks. Gosh knows I've his shells bummed ful world — we will again be serving "Everything is going fine up here and often enough. them with Remington shotgims and these officers aren't bad at all when you get to know them." The Editors Mom— claiming she had some- rifles, Nitro Express sheUs, Klean- thing in her eye when she kissed me bore Hi-Speed .22's, and Core-Lokt good night. And not foohng any- big-game bullets. Remington Arms Millions of troops body Lump in my throat Company, Inc., Bridgeport, Conn. was as big £is a grapefruit "Nitro Express," "Kleanbore," "Hi-Speed," "Sportsman," Heg. U.S. Pat. Off.; "Core-Lokt" What a swell bvmch of people to is a trademark of Hemingtoo Arms Co., Inc. come back to! * * id Remin gton. Since war has called so many millions of Americans away from their homes and their homeland, Reming-

4 The AMERICAN LEGION Magazine When Purchasing Products Please Mention The American Legion Magazine —

YES, Jim is at the front today—just as you ished or diminish the common opportunity to American Legionnaires were twenty -five work and achieve to the full power of their years ago, in Belleau Woods and on steel-swept ability. While they are fighting to make us secure Argonne slopes! Jim is mighty proud of his against aggression, we at home can do no less "wings" and the Thunderbolt he pilots. than safeguard those rights for them until they return. Like thousands of other stalwart Americans with the tanks and the artillery, the PT boats "Until it's over, over there," everyone at Ford and landing barges—Jim is doing his job and has only one job—to help win the war. And we doing it well. can pay no more grateful tribute to the American Legion and the fighting men at the You who have stood by the "fire- front than by concentrating on jull step" at zero-hour know what these production Victory to end the boys think, dream and fight for. for — They think of home. Mostly they war quickly and bring home our hope, while they're away, no hand sons, brothers, fathers and com- will change the things they loved or rades to the better America toward pare down the liberties they cher- which we are all working.

DECEMBER, 1943 When Purchasing Products Please Mention The American Legion Magazine Full Color Reprints of this illustration by E. F. Ward will he sent free on request HELLO SWEETHEART!

Remember me? making a decent living— but I don't want any dictator's political theories . . . I've to be ordered around too much. I've seen seen what's happened to the people who I'm the kid waved good-bye to you who all I want of slaves. fell for them. a couple of years ago. What I've been through, since then, wasn't pretty. But it I want to marry that blue-eyed girl who's From what I've seen, the American way made me think ... of you. waiting for me—and raise a family. I want can't be beat. It's made this country the a little home with green shutters and a greatest in the world. It made it possible take the fox Lady, you helped me muddy brass knocker on the door. I want that for the folks at home to produce the stuff holes, fields, the dive bombers the mine knocker to announce friends—and never we needed to defeat the Axis. Best of all, and the cold steel of bayonets in my stride. the agents of a gestapo. it's made us free and happy beyond all other nations. And the fellows who won't come back I want to worship as I please. I want to —well, they died to keep you standing say what I think, and not what some- Lady, if you've kept America American, there with that crown on your head and one else makes me say. I'm not sorry I went to war. And ten the torch of liberty in your hand. million of my buddies feel just about I want to come back to a country where the same way I do. I know I'm speaking for them, too, when there is competition and fair play and I ask "How are things at home?" opportunity. If I ever start my own business, I want to run it my way, without I don't expect much, now that I'm back. Some day the war will be over. Some having someone else do my planning and But what I do ask for I really want. I day our boys will come home. And when bossing for me. want an honest job with an honest wage. that great day comes, we shall owe them I want a job where I can work myself to I guess what I want all adds up to the more than parades and speeches. We shall the top with my own hands and my own right to live my own life in my own way owe them opportunities for jobs — and head. I'm willing to take my chances on —like an American. I'll have no part of an America worthy of their sacrifices.

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6 Tlu AMERICAN LEGION Masa-Jnt Whfn Purchasing Products Please Mention The American Legion Magazine ON TO IC TORT!

by WARREN H. ATHERTON

National Commander, The Atnerican Legion

TWENTY-FIVE YEARS ago we Legionnaires took the pledge to serve God and country.

Now is the time to deHver on that pledge as never before.

Somebody has to convince the American pubHc that war is not a picnic, a "get-rich-quick" racket, a birthday binge. Somebody has to replace the thousands who are being killed and maimed and repay the billions that are being shot away. We at home should not wax fat while our sons do the dying today and the paying tomorrow. Human beings are selfish enough to take for themselves and

let others do the putting.

It is our job to make people realize that everyone who is not putting lead into the enemy with a gun has to put his whole stack into the pot for backing the attack.

It isn't going to be pleasant to make people play less and put

more. They will resent having to work more and get less. They

will cry when they have to pay more taxes and do with less luxuries, comforts and necessities.

We know this tough task has to be done. It is our job to

get it done. We must begin by setting the example. In our daily jobs, you must be a better carpenter, farmer, engineer, doctor, ship-

builder or plane builder, and I must be a better Commander than any of us has ever been before. As the Legion, we will have to do the best job that we have ever done. That means more rehabilitation and fewer smokers.

That means more Child Welfare and less banquets. That means more Americanism and not so many parades. That means more bonds bought, more blood given, more scrap collected, more civilian defense duty, and fewer medals.

During the year I will issue a few special calls to participate

in national war campaigns. I expect, and I think the nation expects, that you will keep that pledge of a quarter century ago by tremendous response. Work, not wind, will win the war.

DECEMBER, 1943 7 RAINBOW IN THE SKY

There is good news in the work of American prospects for good use of the opportunities

laboratories. It is a reason for confidence in victory will bring. the war and a promise for the future. The Bell Telephone Laboratories, with

Little is said about our scientists because some seven thousand workers, are among the they labor behind locked doors and their work many researcli groups that are devoted to win-

is secret. But the topside of the German and ning the war.

Japanese armies and navies know about them. When that is done, Bell System scientists Things they do turn up at the front and make will be back on their old job of making your

life harder for our enemies. telephone service, and your human contacts After the war, from these same scientists and over the distances, easier and better than ever. their laboratories, will come the things that make jobs, comforts, conveniences and lux- BELL TELEPHONE SYSTEM uries for the American people. They hold out

• HELP THE WAR BY MAKING ONLY VITAL CALLS TO WAR-BI CENTERS. THAT'S MORE AND MORE ESSENTIAL EVERY DAY.

The AMERICAN LEGION Magazine 8 ^HEN Purchasing Products Please Mention The American Legion Magazine ,

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AIR FORCES packaqes on HEPE&y OErC AN AlRINC - V/rTH HOHORA6LE MEriTtONS, AMP SPECIAL ATTEN-TJONS

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DECEMBER, 1943 They're Better Than We Were By KARL DETZER

A Retread Officer Pays His Tribute to the Quality of the 1943 American Fighting Men, Following A Trip That Took in Most of the Fronts on Which They Are Operating

THEY call us "retreads," these labor under a blistering sun. kids of ours, out on the fighting And what kind of soldiers do they fronts. They treat us with re- make? spect, we old-timers who have Unbutton your vest, old-timer. Pre- come limping back to war after twenty- pare to expand. They make the most five fattening years ... a little too magnificent, unbeatable fighting men the much respect. They look on us almost world has ever seen, the best soldiers as we looked on the GAR, in the other who ever stepped off at one-twenty to war. The Argonne is nearly as long ago the minute. For soldierly qualities I to them as Shiloh seemed to us. know only one outfit that can match

I saw these kids of ours . . . out there our fighting men overseas. That outfit at APO something-or-other, care Post- I saw in Africa, too. It's our own bat- master, New York. I'm just back, and talion of American WAC's. here's my report, a father's report to These kids of ours are so much bet- the fathers of our fighting men. I saw ter than we ever were that we don't the kids in Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, belong in the same history books. They Lybia. I listened to their talk in the have more brain, more brawn, more in- strange, far places that make the world's ventiveness, more know-how, better dis- headlines, places like Basra, Algiers, cipline than we ever thought of having. that includes a thing they call "hard-

Casablanca, Biskra, Karachi, Tel-Aviv, These dogfaces—there aren't any tack," but bless their young souls, it Cairo, New Delhi, Heliopolis, "an Amer- doughboys in this war, they're dogfaces isn't the jaw-breaking stuff we used to ican it dish Base in Africa," "A Flying Field or GI's—can take and they can call by that name . . . it's a sweet in India," or "An English Coast Town." it out. Their minds are better trained biscuit, easily chewed and full of flavor. I heard them singing in neat brick and so are their hands. They learn to And the tins have three or four pieces barracks beside the Nile, heard them handle new weapons faster than we did. of hard candy, coffee they can mix with cussing out the flies on the docks at They take better care of themselves. hot water in their canteen cups and get Suez, watched them pounding through They have the same old rowdy sense a real cup of java, and cigarettes put a sandstorm on the long, hot, lonely of humor we had . . . the old songs up in the same can. road to Syria, stood with them on the have changed in geography only. The Back of the lines I've seen them holy hills of Jerusalem. I sweated out Mademoiselle from Armentieres has eating apple pie on the desert, sitting a week with them in the steaming mud- given way to Dirty Gertie from Bizerte out under the sun, and I saw them flats where the Tigris meets the Euph- and Stella the Belle o' Fedela, "whose come back for seconds on ice cream rates and the two flow together into father would squat by a wall in Rabat," near Karachi, in India. Yes, pals, I said

the hot, copper waters of the Persian where we had better leave him without ice cream. And it wasn't Christmas or Gulf. I chowed with them in India, further description. They sing in Persia Thanksgiving, either. In fact, it was a saw them laboring mightily in Iraq and about the things "old Omar neglected Wednesday noon in late July. Iran, flew with them across the Sahara, to note," which are plenty, and run to The MP's all must take lessons in got wet with them in a London drizzle, morals and plumbing. tact. They are big, tough babies, these heard them stamping their feet in the From the British in India and Africa MP'S. But polite. The MP's have a lonely chill of an Iceland night. they've picked up the song about bless- motto. They say, "We're the soldier's I crossed the Atlantic with them on ing "the sergeants and W. 0. Ones, Oh best friend," and they go out of their

a jam-packed transport, the Indian bless all the corp'rals and bless all their way to prove it.

Ocean with them on a tired old plane. sons" . . . only they don't exactly say Of course, they run into some dif- I was with them when the air roared "bless." They sing that "there'll be no ficult jobs, these MP's. For example, and trembled with the stuff Jerry was promotion this side of the ocean, so there is an order, rigidly obeyed, never tossing at them and with the stuff cheer up my lads, bless them all." to lay a hand on a Moslem woman for they tossed back, at compound interest. They grumble about their mess, as any reason. The Moslem women wrap I was thirsty with them when the water all good soldiers do and in the next themselves in what look like flowing ran short; scratched with them when breath boast that it's far and away bedsheets from head to foot and cover we were dirty. I saw them swaggering the best mess any army has in the their faces with the Moslem version of in triumph, as all good soldiers swagger, field today. Of course, when they're in a pocket handkerchief. In Oran, Cas- and I saw them do immense jobs of the lines, they have field rations and ablanca, Algiers and other cities there

10 Thf AMERICAN LEGION Magazine )

Illustrated by HERB STOOPS

And the kids think this is a rugged war! Then there's the matter of hikes. In case you've forgotten, you used to do a lot of needless pickin' 'em up and puttin' 'em down. That's history. This

war is on wheels. Of course, there still are times when the soldier has to get

out and hike it. But he doesn't do it any more simply for the good of his soul. The Army has found that a soldier who rides up to a battle has a lot more fight in him than one who hikes twenty miles into the lines, a truth any doughboy could have proved in 191 8. So now the lads ride. One out of three vehicles is radio equipped. And between fights and back of the lines when there's not much else to do the kids can turn on these radios. By shifting a gadget here and there they can pick up Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra and Fibber Magee and Molly and a symphony now and then. Everywhere the troops go, American radio follows. They have their own stations that put out just what the GI wants. Soldiers are urged to write in, and do write in, asking for their favorite programs. These are transcrip- tions, with all commercial announce- ments deleted. They are flown to the farthest points on earth in a matter (/ of hours or days. Last Sunday night's network programs will be on the air for our kids next Sunday night, no matter where they are. They get daily papers, too. The Stars

( Continued on page 38

"Do you know where you are?" the lieutenant demanded. "Know where our front lines are?"

are off-limits sections . , . remember them? Same thing. The MP's stand outside the gates and keep soldiers out. But a GI bedsheet wrapped around a GI, a handkerchief carefully drawn across the face just below the eyes, a shuffling gait . . . and how's an MP to know whether it's an American soldier or a Moslem woman? He can't tear away the bedsheet for fear, just this once, he might be mistaken. So the MP hollers, "Hey, soldier!" and if the sheeted figure doesn't turn around, he's in. The MP's still have a tough job. These kids of ours get a break on uniforms, too. For one

thing, the old choker collar is gone. The new uniform is comfortable. In Africa last summer it was shirt and pants and leggings. Not wrapped leggings, praise the Lord, but a new short leggings that are easy on the calves of the legs and easy to put on and take off. No more wrapping it around the tent pole. The new pack is easier, too. Seventy pounds still is seventy pounds but the pack is rolled long and the straps that used to twist and cut into our shoulders are replaced by broader straps

that lie flat. It's the same old canteen and cup, but a new messpan with sections in it and sections in the lid, too, to keep the soup out of the other food. And in thirty-four thousand miles I never saw a condiment can, either on a soldier or thrown away beside the road. Nobody tries to handpick his shirt, either. There's a new paper bag. When a uniform starts to crawl, get out of your clothes, bathe, put everything into the bag, draw yells, soldier!" if the it tightly shut, crush a little lump on the side of the bag and He "Hey, And twenty minutes later take 'em out and there isn't a cootie alive. sheeted figure doesn't turn around, he's in

DECEMBER. 1943 II ^1

The Baron

day we bombed Ploesti, The THEBaron was the only member of our Liberator crew who looked quite normal to me. My stomach was a barrel of butterflies as we pre- tended to eat breakfast in the mess tent. But The Baron, he put away a real meal. He's a thin, gangling youngster of 21, weighs in at about 140, and his voice must still be changing. Over the plane's interphone he sounds like Henry Aldrich. The Baron's real name is Lieutenant Norman M. Whalen. He comes from Perth Amboy, New Jersey, and he's the best damn navigator in the Army Air Forces. I know, because it was The Baron who brought us home. The reason we call him The Baron is because of his hobby. It is studying the life histories of German generals. This story of our Ploesti mission is really the story of The Baron. But first I'll have to tell about the raid itself. Takeoff hour, and daylight was just beginning on the desert. The revving of the big Liberator motors sounded like a storm churning across the sands. One by one they lifted into the air, circling over our base, taking position in the giant ing mission in history and we'd cut into mander, sitting there next to me—and formation. the roots of the Nazi fuel supply. with The Baron down below in the nose. There were four groups. Ours got up- We went out over the water into Eu- Thirty-five minutes from target. We stairs. We headed off. My job was to ropean territory. The armada skimmed flew so low we had to pull up, to avoid pilot the lead plane. For weeks we had mountain ranges. Everything was peace- hitting a man on a horse. I might add he

practiced constantly. This was it. If we ful. I felt strangely comfortable, with dismounted. On our right, a railroad succeeded, we'd make the longest bomb- Colonel Killer Kane, our Group Com- junction loomed. A long freight train.

12 The AMERICAN LF.GION Magazine A fighting pilot's account of the devastating Ploesti air raid. Thanks to The Baron the sorely battered Hail Columbia nnade Cyprus and safety

But I stole one side glance. Fires were of Rumania were 7,500 feet high but he spreading below, an inferno of wreck, assured Colonel Kane that he could ruin and flames. Brother, it was a sight! guide us through the canyons and valleys Then came the pea-shooters, enemy instead of flying over the top! fighter planes. The sky filled with a Monotonously The Baron kept giving locust plague of Messerschmitt no's and then changing courses. We didn't and 109's. ask questions. We slipped through can- We dropped our last egg on a big yons, all of us unconsciously looking con- cracking plant and our tail gunner said stantly for a place to set down the plane.

it went up in a puff. Our plane began No chance of bailing out in that rugged to sag at the seams. Our No. 4 motor country. It was just The Baron, a sorely had been hit. It was sort of hanging wounded plane—and God. down off the wing. I feathered it and The passes we floated through looked we got the hell out of there. But pea- mighty narrow to us. I could have sworn shooters still swarmed around us. We once or twice we were scraping the walls caught their fire from every angle. I saw of those canyons. other planes stall, noses up, then crash Colonel Kane called down to The into that meadow of fire. Baron. I dropped old Hail Columbia smack "Sure of this course, are you?" down, almost to the ground, and gave it "Killer, The Baron is the best navi-

everything. Three feet of our No. i prop gator in the world," I spoke up. "He'll had been mashed away. The Killer was get us there if this thing holds together." tensely observing results and giving me "I think this is right, sir, the course some very solid advice. One of the flight we are on," The Baron said calmly. ofiicers walked forward, waving a corn- "Think, hell!" said Colonel Kane. stalk. We were so low we had scraped it "You should know." up in the bomb bay. Our Liberator was The Baron purred back: groggy, but she kept flying. A gash in the "I'm pretty busy now, sir. If you fel- left aileron didn't help. Colonel Kane lows will leave me alone ..." said to head south, for an alternate land- Behind us trailed three more planes, ing base. two of them badly crippled and clinging It was then that The Baron, serenely to The Baron's touch to get them home. squatting in the nose, started one of the A few minutes later The Baron quietly "The ack-ack was deafening. Our sweetest jobs of navigating on record. called up an Estimated Time of Arrival No. 4 motor had been hit and the He called up that the mountains south (Continued on page 48) plane began to sag at the seams. We got the hell out of there"

40 or 50 tank cars. Our waist gunner opened' up. Gunners in other planes followed. We could see the train coming apart, in a series of great puffs of black and red. Three miles now from our target, the big Astro Romano refinery. We flew 10 feet off the ground. A 50-caliber poked from every crack of our Liberator. The gunners started pouring hell into storage tanks. Great clouds of black smoke snaked into the sky. Fires burst everywhere below. Ahead, I could see only billows of smoke, tinged with flame. I wondered how we ever could make it. Nobody spoke. I pulled her up to 250 feet, to skim the tops of the 210-foot smokestacks. We headed in for our run. The dreaded screen of fire took only a split second to pass through, after all. Our radio man later told us flames came dancing through the bomb bay doors. The ack-ack was deafening. Black puffs dotted the air all around us. The commotion was something. On target now. The bombardier let a bellyful of No chance of bailing out in that rough, rugged country. It was just bombs go. I was very busy just then. The Baron, a badly battered, sorely wounded airplane—and God

DECEMBER, 1943 13 ——

Ccnmy orb , ^-fovu

This is a new corner in the magazine for you men

and women in Uncle Sam's uniform. It's up to you

to give it a title. The guy or gal who sends the

best name, that includes all branches of the service, to John J. Noll, Company Clerk, American Legion Magazine, One Park Avenue, New York City 16, will collect fifty dollars. Include your

service serial number in your postcard or letter

V-mail or otherwise. Contest closes Feb. I, 1944

Just now, after trying to get the Orderly Room of this new department in working shape, we are marking time until the flood of title suggestions—see contest announcement above and service pictures and stories swamp us. There must be bales

of good material, if only you youngsters will send it along as well as did the old vets of igiy-'ig for Then and Now. Occasionally we had to call quits or use the time-worn editorial The Christmas spirit got an early start in service hos- line that "your contribution will appear as soon as space pitals, when soldiers invalided home prepared gift permits." We trust we'll be forced to use it again. their buddies still the fighting fronts. packages for on In the meantime, we have managed to corral some material Above, Private Thomas J. Delia Rossa addresses a package, while Private Joseph D. Helmstetter looks on. Right, Mrs. E. W. Garblsch, Nurse's Aide, prepares a package for Private Elwood Saul, whose hands are temporarily out of commission

SINCE this particular new department of the Legion Maga- zine, which made its bow in the November issue, is a special meeting ground for men and women of all of the branches of service in this Second World War, the title of "Company Clerk" which we use is unmistakably a misnomer. That was equally true in the late lamented "Then and Now," although after a protest from an ex-Red Leg, Tom Parry of Salina, Kansas, we signed off the department with "The Battery Clerk" in the December, 1936, issue. And then for a number of months we lived a sort of chameleon existence, becoming in successive issues "The Troop Clerk," "Ship's Writer," "The Squadron Clerk"—recognizing in turn most of the branches. Eventually, however, we slipped back to the old "Company of the general type we're hoping will be submitted to use. Take Clerk" title and felt more comfortable, having been in the a gander at it. You can, we're sure, improve upon it. So come infantry ourselves. across!

But to keep up with all of the new organizations, grades, titles and so on in our present Armed Forces, we'll have to CHRISTMAS time rolls around and an old vet can't help 8 become a Protean artist. Who's the guy in your outfit who but think back to that Christmas of 191 —when the keeps the service records and personnel cards up-to-date? fighting had finally stopped and he could look forward to that — famous 9x4x3 package, three pounds in total weight, permitted to be sent to men in the A. E. F. under a special General Order issued by G. H. Q. And that meant just one package to a man and only to every man who had sent the special Christmas Package Coupon back home to the person from whom a Christ- mas gift might be expected. Quite different this time, as to size, weight and number of packages that one man may receive—provided they were mailed before October 15th. We're not envious, and we're hoping that our young comrades in far-off places will be loaded down with packages full of good things and, more important than all, full of love from the home folks. Many years ago we showed in Then and Now a swell Signal Corps official Veterans of the First World War, told this photograph showing mountains of sacks reproduce them. She us about the pictures: of letters and packages at the Port of and some veterans of North Africa, "Wounded heroes in the great General Embarkation in Hoboken, New Jersey, need no introduction to the 40 and 8 Hospitals of the and gave awaiting shipment to the A. E. F. for French boxcars used to transport Army Navy a Christmas thought to their buddies Christmas of 191 7. Then there were foot soldiers, while below who are still overseas in the thick of the fighting, and at Halloran General Hospital of the Army on Staten Island, New York, I found Private Joseph D. Helmstetter perched on the bed of

Private Thomas J. Delia Rossa, as Tom addressed a parcel to his brother over there. Both of these boys were wounded near El Guettar, Tunisia, during the North African campaign. Delia Rossa got a mess of shrapnel in his leg. "Helmstetter explained his injury in

this way: 'I was in action, running and bingo! —something hit me. I don't know exactly what did hit me. I felt a sharp pain in my leg, and the next thing I knew I woke up in the hospital.' "Private Helmstetter reported he had three brothers in the Navy and one in the Army. According to last reports, Delia Rossa's brother was in Sicily, but he may now be with the American We see the present-day 40 and 8—an Antiaircraft Artillery auto- forces in Italy. matic weapons battery with its 40 mm. gun and its crew of 8 men "The other picture shows a Red Cross Nurse's Aide addressing an overseas only 200,000 American soldiers overseas. packages which have been speeding to parcel for Private Elwood Saul, both of Not expecting the end' of the fighting all corners of the earth was not made whose hands were injured after a bout so early, the restrictions on Christmas available, but we think the two pictures with enemy hand grenades in Sicily. The packages for 1918 were necessary, as we show have even more interest. They aide, incidentally, is Mrs. E. W. Gar- the order was issued the month before illustrate, as nothing else could do, the bisch, daughter of the late Walter P. the war went West. At that time there spirit of comradeship which develops Chrysler and wife of an army officer were 2,000,000 troops on the other side, among fellow fighters. We thank the who was twice chosen All-America and shipping space for vital supplies was New York Jotirnal- American, and par- center on West Point teams in the at a premium. ticularly Miss Florence Wessels of that twenties. A photograph of the shiploads of 1943 publication's staff, for permitting us to "Private Saul, who received his

O^qot \otsa a bdli'olii/es, Qndis(paq^e^

•for

XMAS.-

DECEMBER, 1943 IS —• —

"The 40 mm. weapon weighs 5,549 pounds, carriage and all. It can fire an approximate two-pound shell in rapid U.S. NAVY COMTEST bursts FOR — ~ at a rate of 120 rounds per minute. That's a big figure in lead production on any adding machine and _ OMl - ACT PLAyS commands plenty in the respect de- MAJL yoUR SCRIPT TOPAV partment from hostile aircraft. The weapon is an American model of the Bofors gun, originally designed in Sweden. It differs from the British model in minor respects but for the most part the important sections are

interchangeable. This gun is manufactured in our country by famous com- Sailors, Marines and Coastguardsmen can win fame and panies and is produced with the finest prizes in the Navy Play Contest announced above by precision of the machinist's art. The carriage is connic artist Paul Webb. The rules are given on page 50 mounted on four wheels . . . with a sort of knee action that is common on our automobiles. Terrain there- wounds near Gela, Sicily, is known to rambling around the North Carolina fore offers few obstacles to the weapon. his buddies in Halloran Hospital as countryside. . . . The carriage is so constructed that the 'ball player.' It seems he was We explained that the fun and honor emplacement can be executed almost any wounded trying to throw back all of subsidiary organization of the Legion place except by suspending it from a the enemy hand grenades (potato officially "La Societe des Quarante cloud. mashers) that came his way. He threw "To provide protection on the march Hommes et Huit Chevaux"—gained its back two of them, saving the lives name from the aforesaid French box- and as an auxiliary piece to the parent of a lot of gU3's around him, and then cars which, used in trains to transport weapon, a complementary piece, the he gave the Nazis two of his own. An men or horses in France during the caliber 50 machine gun travels with enemy grenade exploded above his hel- the 40. The machine gun is a beehive met, but the next one sneaked in be- of activity when in operation. . . . This tween his right arm and the wall of nifty fifty can fire over 600 rounds per his slit trench and as he reached for minute, and is a deserving mascot ' to it to throw it back, it exploded—and the primary weapon. Both guns, plus that's why he is a patient in Halloran a director and power plant, make up Hospital. the complete fire unit. All are trans-

"That name of 'ball player' fits Saul ported by two heavy-duty trucks which in more ways than one. Before entering can travel almost anywhere. service, Private Saul was a machinist "The main purpose of the 40 mm. and played third base on his shop ball Antiaircraft Artillery automatic v/eapons team. No wonder he was so handy at battery is to destroy low-flying air- heaving back those grendades! Our na- craft, both level and diving. It is also tional game has its points!" very effective against high-speed land Lt. Richard L Brooks, U. S. N. R., and water targets on any mission re- pictures an after-the-contest re- nice thing about this Orderly (Contmued on page 50) ONE hearsal of a winning Navy play Room job of ours is that we're making new friends among the men who are serving in this present war. 1st A. E. F., bore the painted legend Some, we'll admit, are oldtime friends— "40 men or 8 horses" to show their "retreads"—who have again donned the capacity. We don't know about the uniform and have been places and seen horses, but we do know, from personal things. But the visitors we're particu'arly experience, that they couldn't hold forty glad to welcome are the young guys men, either comfortably or uncomfor- none of the gals have shown up yet, tably. Take a look at several overloaded but we're hoping! —who drop in for in- boxcars in the World War I Signal formation or advice or just to learn Corps picture on page 15. And the other something about the old World War picture beneath it? We'll let Corporal and about this Legion of ours. Butler tell us about it. All right, Cor- The latter part of August, we found poral, front and center! one such new friend in Corporal John "A new counterpart of that grand A. Butler of the Office of the Public honorable fun organization of The

Relations Officer, Division of Training American Legion, the 40 & 8, is boom- Publications, Camp Davis, North Caro- ing. It's the bang-bang rhythm of the lina, who dropped in to see us. Jack Antiaircraft Artillery automatic weapons said he had heard about the 40 & 8 batteries. Back in 1918 the doughboy Society and surprised us by stating traveled to battle in a French boxcar that there is a "40 & 8" that has a reputed to carry 40 men or 8 horses. special meaning in the present Army. Today, it's the deadly 40 mm. gun and Somehow we couldn't imagine that it's 8-man gun section on the same American rolling stock had collapsed warbound journey, but instead of box- PFC James Wergeles, Marine Corps, to such a sad state that old French cars they are now speeding to the front announced his arrival back in the 40 & 8 boxcars had been imported and in trucks. In World War I they were States in a surprise long-distance pressed into service. They'd look strange steamlined—today they're streamlined. phone call to his Dad

16 The AMERICAN LEGION Maia-Jnr The U. S. Base in Nor+hern Ireland Illustrated by CARL PFEUFER Sends the Shipping Back to Fight Again hull, but that shattered the prftp pretty badly. The two ships kissed, and that Canadian corvette tied up Operating Base at Londonderry, Nor- punched a hole in our side. Also it THEto the dock, every pound of its thern Ireland. dislocated our electrical system, includ- 1000 tons feeling pride at its "It was a ruddy encounter," he said ing our steering. We turned around by successful voyage. The port pro- in the terse language of the sea. "We means of full propeller on the star- peller dangled awkwardly with two of sighted an enemy sub at 9,000 yards off board and slow propeller on the port and its three blades knocked out. The water- our starboard—four and one-half miles. came over the spot again, and dropped line hole at the port beam looked harm- We could see the smoke of her diesels. a pattern of depth-charges, and pulled less now; the ship's engineering officer At first she didn't see us." away. It was a beautiful fountain of gave it hardly a glance as he straddled "Did you sink her?" asked the Amer- water we stirred up when those charges the wire rail and walked with wide ican officer encouragingly. "That makes went off, and we think we got the sub; steps toward the low black building two for your corvette." but unfortunately we lost sound con- that looked like a flat sewer-pipe with "I think so," replied the Canadian tact with the blighter while we were doors and windows. Inside were desks slowly. "You have to bring back the maneuvering. And we didn't bring back and a telephone but no lavish filing- U-boat captain's fly-buttons before the any survivors for questioning, and for cabinets, no luscious blonde secretaries; Admiralty will give you credit for a proof. just a blackboard with names of ships sinking. Of course we are entering our "But now we need a bit of repairing." 'and dates of promised completion, just claim, but we can't be sure." Lieutenant-Commander David H. stiff-whiskered Navy yeomen and clear- He went on: "We closed that distance Conklin, USNR, nodded his head eyed Navy officers, and an atmosphere in no time at all and thought to ram kindly. "You got her here. We'll do the tense with activity. the sub amidships. But those subs can rest. Let's see your defect list." He

The Canadian sat down opposite the turn on a sixpence. It swung over scanned the sheet appraisingly ; replace repair officer of the United States Naval sharply. Our port propeller knifed her {Continued on page 44)

DECEMBER, 1943 17 ;

Topping the Rope Triik

By LEO A. McCLATCHY

The gobs thought they were getting away with

something when they were given unlimited credit

at a port in India, but when the reckoning came they found they'd been taken for a sleighride

HAVE seen some of the instructions of corns. This he accomplished by suck- our Government has issued to ing the com out of I your toe through a American soldiers and sailors on small metal cornucopia. When one end "How To Behave In England," and of this device was placed over the "What Not To Do When You Meet growth on the toe, and the other end A Veiled Woman In Africa." I have not, in the native's mouth, a vacuum was however, heard of any official guide created, and through that vac- being printed for the benefit of our boys uum the corn was pulled from who serve in India. I don't think it its moorings by suction. would be necessary for such a booklet I didn't have a corn but I to tr>' to explain the famous Indian Rope watched as the operation was trick, but there are a few things I performed on a shipmate, and he de- Without delay the tape-wielder learned the hard way when I helped scribed the experience as having been went to work on the two sailors shepherd more than a thousand mules "easy as hell." He put the corn into to Ghandiland in World War One, and his pocket, as a souvenir, but it served I'd like to pass them on to men serv- a more useful purpose in distracting "Perhaps you would like to come see ing today, for whatever they may be cooties from nibbling at places to which my store," he suggested. "I have a very worth. they had become thoroughly accustomed. nice English store. You don't have to After forty-eight days of dodging There were merchants with trays slung buy anything, but I would like you to submarines and other enemy warcraft, from their necks—trays in which there see it. I have my private gharry here we anchored in the harbor of Karachi, were cigarettes, candies, souvenir postal and I will take you." a city of several hundred thousand cards. We explained that we had no We agreed that would be very nice, so people, the Indus River. were on As we money. That made no difference, the Mr. Yusuff guided us to his private being winched veritable into the dock, a natives countered. "We trust you," gharry, which proved to be a vehicle horde of native "bumboat" merchants they would say, in the fairly good such as in the United States we call a came out in their little skiffs and boarded English they had learned from contact "hack." It was drawn by a runted horse our ship. Some of these men were with the large colony of British soldiers who, we soon learned, could develop barbers. Others made known that with and civilians in Karachi. horsepower of considerable speed, for their long, thin, blunt-pointed needles, One of the merchants inquired whether a nag of his apparent years. There was they were prepared to clean the wax I would like to buy a suit of clothes. a bit of a breeze, which accentuated the out of our ears. He displayed small samples of what ap- strong mule-odors from our clothes and Another's specialty the extraction was peared to be extremely good cloth, of bodies, but Mr. Yusuff gave no intima- the texture and light colors suitable tion of annoyance. to the climate. Eventually we pulled up in front of "I have my man here to measure our destination. Mr. Yusuff jumped out, you." he assured me, "and the suit and whooped. More whoops followed, will be ready for you tomorrow. You all in native lingo, and immediately there can take the suit and then come around were flunkies appearing from all direc- and pay me when you get paid. That tions. They assisted us from the carriage, will be very nice, and my name is salaamed, and fanned us with large Mr. Yusuff." palm-leaf fans. We were escorted into The price of the material I selected, the store. More flunkies appeared. One when made into a suit, would be about carried a tray, bearing whiskey and soda seven dollars. So I was measured. another, a tray with tea and fruits and I explained the system to two of cookies; a third, a tray with cigars and the boys, and the tape-wielder was soon cigarettes. Would we have some? Would working on them. By that time we had we! A table and chairs were convenient, been winched into the dock, and our and we settled down for a period of re- responsibility for the mules was at an laxation. We shooed away the bearded end. It was up to the local officials to man with the tea tray, and motioned* provide natives to land the animals. the whiskey and cigarette boys to hang Mr. Yusuff, who knew a good thing around. when he had it—or, in this particular When Mr. Yusuff had us pretty well Tea was passed up in favor case, three good things—had by no saturated with his hospitality, he sug- of whiskey and cigarettes means run out of suggestions. gested we might enjoy looking around

18 The AMERICAN LEGION Masa-Jne — —

the store. "You don't have to buy any- This prompted me to contribute an lllustrafed by GEORGE SHANKS thing," he assured us, "but anything you idea: see that you want to buy, just buy it "Where's the best hotel in town?" ing to the valets, with the understand- and pay when you get paid." I inquired. ing the garments were not to be worn This was quite a store in which to "I will have my gharry take you during valet hours, or at any time in look around. It was, in fact, something there," Mr. Yusuff obliged. our presence. And then we rented a of a department store, and many of the We gathered our purchases and, weav- gharry. articles were packaged under American ing a bit from such unaccustomed hos- The six barefooted valets, wearing trade names. We didn't bother to in- pitality, were escorted outside by Mr. only their turbans and white nightgowns, quire into the intricacies of the Indian Yusuff. He instructed the driver, and and each carrying a large fan, trotted credit system, and soon each of us had waved us farewell. along behind, like a pack of hounds. purchased a razor, wicker suitcase, toilet At the hotel, we learned that for the Whenever we stopped to alight from articles, white canvas shoes, and a big equivalent of $i.6o per day, each of us the carriage, they drew up alongside, white helmet, such as the street-cleaners could have a room and bath, five meals salaamed in unison, and started fannmg wear in some of our American cities. and two valets. Additional valets could us. When we walked, they walked along Each of us also bought a ready-made be had for one anna per day each. behind, fanning us. white-duck suit of clothes. "An anna," the clerk explained, "is The change from our one-pound Mr. Yusuff made out separate bills two cents American." pieces soon began overflowing in our in pounds, rupees and annas. And then We signed the register, lined up our pockets. The annas, or two-cent pieces, he had an extremely bright idea. six valets, and followed them upstairs looked like little seashells, and it seemed "Perhaps it will be some days be- for an inspection of our quarters. The that a barley sack full would be required fore you gentlemen are paid," he sug- rooms were much better than accom- to buy anything of consequence. We gested. "Perhaps you would like to modations we had aboard ship. There decided to go down to the ship, to have a little cash in advance; maybe was matting on the floor, a bed over spread the "pay-me-when-you-get-paid" each of you a pound, eh?" which netting was suspended to ward gospel. The shipmate we knew as Jack nudged off insects, and a stall in which there A goodly crowd of nightgown wearers me and whispered: was a portable tin bathtub. had gathered at our carriage, and the "This guy must be Santa Claus, ain't The valets busied themselves immedi- driver was attempting to beat them off he? I hope to hell I ain't never going ately, carrying from the hallway large with his whip. As we approached, they to leave India, Maybe there's more like containers of warm water to fill the charged us—men, women, and children him around here." tubs. We soaped as much mule-odor out all with their hands extended. They Mr. Yusuff didn't wait for us to reply. of our bodies as it was possible to do were beggars. Our own sudden opulence He handed each of us a gold one-pound in one soaping; shaved, donned pur impelled us to toss a handful of "sea- piece, and added to our bills: "One store clothes, and were ready to go shells'' to these unfortunates, and during pound cash." sightseeing. We gave our castoff cloth- (Continued on page 37) start smiling at you and take you to a hut. They bring you food; barley and vegetables and dried fish. They feed

you for days, until your ship is fixed,

though it means more starvation to They're them. They are the kindest, most hospitable people on earth." You're told many such stories in the mess halls of the United States Army Fourteenth Air Force in China. Among The hungry Chinese don't sharing mind with their American Allies what little

food there is left. Typical is the story of a wounded P-40 pilot who had to Friends bail out behind the Jap lines. He was rescued by Chinese guerrillas. They were By JOSEPH WECHSBERG indescribably poor, living on straw roots and leaves but they managed to get the American a dinner that might well American service men and be called sumptuous under the circumstances: boiled rice and canned fish women get a warm welcome (which they had stolen from the Japs). and, to the extent of facilities Then they brought him safely back to available, opportunities for en- his base. Time and again you read letters from tertainment and recreation in American airmen in China telling of whatever section of the United the welcome which they found in small, Nations they find themselves out-of-the-way villages. They are being taken to the house of the most substantial citizen and everybody turns 'OURE forced down with out to greet them. They get more spon- engine trouble near an un- taneous cheers than party leaders at mapped village in China's conventions. The fact that they don't Honan Province, and you speak each other's language doesn't keep wonder a little if you'll get that ship them all from having a wonderful time. of yours up in the air again before you've American flyers who have the most starved to death. Famine is raging in dangerous assignment in the world, fly- Honan. There are hungry, apathetic ing overloaded cargo-ships across the children staring at you. They sit on Himalayan "hump" from "somewhere the floor of their loamy huts, too weak in India" to Chungking, have often been to get up, their shriveled little bodies rescued from certain death by illiterate trembling with fever. Young girls of Chinese farmers. They give them food seventeen with the shrunk, dry faces and primitive medicine, mobilize ex- of old women, pert Chinese mechanics there's always "You say the only Chinese words — an expert around in China and call you've learned, 'Wo Sliih Mei Guo — hundreds of men and women who Run,' (I am an American), and they smooth runv ays with their bare hands didn't feel like eating—until we found and fill bomb craters. "Without them, out that those considerate fellows served many of us wouldn't be back," a pilot us strictly vegetarian dishes. The King just back from China told us. was a swell guy. Before the end of the From Alaska's icy waters to the ceremony he asked us to leave. Some steaming jungle of New Guinea, all guests were getting drunk on rice beer over the Allied world, it's the same and His Majesty was afraid they might touching story. Americans in New chop off one another's heads." Guinea who haven't lost their sense of When our Marine Corps fighter-pilots, humor while fighting lice, malaria, heat formerly stationed on Guadalcanal, had and Jap snipers, tell of soft-spoken to make a forced landing on a pin-point Papuans who bring them food, gifts, island in the Solomons, they were wel- sometimes even offer them their wives. comed by primitive, hospitable natives. "It takes a lot of diplomacy to refuse "I didn't even know the name of the in a tactful way," a sergeant said. island." Major R. E. Galer, commander "They're treating us as glamor boys. of the 224th Fighter Squadron, said. Ask me why." "I had to shake hands with everybody In the wild Naga Hills district on in the village. I felt like the President. the border of Northern Burma, where They were kind-hearted people and I head-hunting is still a favorite pastime saw a V for victory made out of thatch of the native gentry. Sergeant Leon over each hut." F. Meyer, a sober-minded Californian About the same time, at the other from Fresno, and his buddies were guests end of the globe, friendly Moroccans of honor at the wedding of the head- treated our doughboys with fruits and The tribesnnen couldn't read the hunters' King. told them to step right into their houses documents, but they gave the "They played and danced for us and even while the shooting was going on. pilots a two-day celebration served us plenty of food. Some of us American patrols wandering through a

20 The AMERICAN LEGION Magazine lllustrofed by BETTINA STEIN KE

spot of tea turned out to be a wonderful meal. The sailors wrote home to their families how wonderful those people were "down under," and now a couple of New Zealand flying cadets spend their leaves with hospitable Amer- icans in Texas. Allied hospitality is by no means one-sided. When the American veterans from Java and the Philippines arrived in Australia, the Diggers gave up their comfortable barracks and moved into provisional tents to make space for the weary, wounded doughboys. In mixed training camps, Americans and Aus- tralians were fast making friends. With good will and a little adjustment on both sides, old misconceptions were cleared up in no time. Army switch- boards were humming with calls from Australian famihes: "Please, send- us some boys for dinner." There are dances, tennis matches, picnics, beach parties. American officers automatically become members of local clubs. Australian girls think that the Americans are "much nicer than their reputation," and the American boys write home that Aus- tralian hostesses are serving hamburgers, waffles and even that supreme horror of all—ice water! Australian newspapers publish Home News for the U. S. Forces, complete with production figures, baseball scores, the doings of Holly- wood glamor girls. "If the war stops tomorrow," a husky corporal said, "I'm going to stay right here. Boy, what a country! And we thought that Texas was big! What I

like best about the people here is the interest they take in America. They keep asking questions about our folks and our ball games and our history and Chinese civilians snnoo+h the shattered how we live." This is the important thing about runways with their bare hands and feet the new "global" hospitality: people are seriously trying to understand each Beau Geste landscape were pleasantly two empty gasoline cans from the plane. other. They are eager to overcome their surprised by the appearance of a French- While you read this, your son, hus- trivial peculiarities and quaint customs Algerian who brought them three bottles band, boy friend or brother overseas {Continued on page 52) of sweet wine. "I serve it only to my may be entertained by an Arabian sheik

friends," he said. "And that is the rea- or an Australian sheep rancher, taste son why I brought it to you. Vive a kangaroo-steak somewhere in the !" I'Ameriqiie southwest Pacific or a curry dinner in Somewhere in the Sudan, in darkest the house of a Hindu, play tennis with Africa, two pilots of the United States a young lady in Kashmir, in the shadow Army Air Transport Command got lost of the Himalayas, swap jokes with a and had to come down. They pulled trapper along the Alaskan Highway or out their "document," with the solemn admire the equipment of a pearl-diver great seal of the United States, which in the Gulf of Aden. Or perhaps he's says in many exotic languages that the just washing the dishes in a kitchen Americans have come as friends and the somewhere in New Zealand. New Zea- natives will be handsomely rewarded landers are great favorites with our for giving them food and shelter and sailors. Two lonely Texas gobs, wander- leading them to the nearest town. The ing forlornly through a small New primitive tribesmen couldn't read the Zealand port, found themselves invited "document" but they gave the ferry by every other person they met on the pilots a cordial welcome, organized a street and wound up in the house of a two-day celebration with such delicacies kind elderly lady whose son was taking For every country he vis- as salted dates and camel's milk served. air-training in—Texas. its the service nnan gets a They were overjoyed when the Amer- "You must have a spot of tea and which Tells All icans in return presented them with tell me about Texas," she said. The booklet 21 DECEMBER, 1943 "If you say that again I'll hit you!" the Commander yelled

Illustrated by FRED WILLIAMS

Even As Their Prisoner This Two- the feeble yellow rays of a deck light, is the true story of the Fisfed American Naval Officer but before he could finish reading it and HEREcapture by the Japs of the make a reply, a second and larger Jap fhe Japs Respect Him U.S.S. Wake, and of her heroic Made boat came alongside on the Pootung skipper, Lieutenant Command- side of the Wake. Dozens of armed er C. S. Smith—now a prisoner of the landing barge, laden with armed sailors Japs scrambled aboard, seized and over- Japanese in Occupied China. and marines, drew alongside unchal- powered the chief petty officer and took While it is true that the little Wake lenged. A Jap naval officer and eight complete possession of the ship before was taken by the Nips without a strug- armed men boarded the Wake. They the handful of startled members of the gle, while the British Peterel, another were confronted by an unarmed Amer- crew could realize what was happening. river gunboat, which was anchored not ican sailor on duty on the deck. The hands of the crew were bound and far from her, went down fighting, the The Jap officer, speaking in English, all were forced to board a Jap launch, circumstances so far as the Wake is demanded to see the commanding of- to be taken to a Jap prison camp near concerned were most extenuating. This ficer. He was told that Commander Woosung, 14 miles from Shanghai. The is no apology for the fate of the Wake Smith was ashore. The Jap then called Jap shore patrol was ordered to search or for those brave Americans who for the next in command. A chief petty for and arrest Captain Smith. The search manned her, but simply a statement officer, sleepy and in pajamas, responded. in Shanghai continued all through the of facts. The Jap officer handed him a sealed night but Captain Smith was not found. The Wake was anchored in the letter and demanded that it be read at Even if Skipper Smith had been Whangpoo River off Shanghai early on once and an answer be given forthwith. aboard and on the alert the Wake could the morning of December 8, 1942. The letter contained a demand for the not possibly have put up a fight, for the Thick, black clouds scudded across the immediate surrender of the Wake and vessel had long since been stripped of sky and there was no moon. Taking full was in English. The chief petty officer all of its armament save one three-inch advantage of the inky blackness a Jap was in the act of reading the letter by (Continued on page 46) 22 The AMERICAN LEGION Magazine Illustrated by PATRICK NELSON

out sandwiches and jamoke. It was a church party. Boy! There was a Httle redheaded cupcake that "' The action started just then. When the fight was over, the Gaffney had sunk two Jap light cruisers, but she and his job. ... It was all he knew. herself was barely afloat. And Guns "But the Old Navy wasn't like this, O'Shea had nobody left to talk to in

see?" he told them while the Gaffney his turret. . . . felt her way through the darkness. They picked considerable shrapnel "You got around a lot, but not too out of him, and brought the Gaffney fast. And even out on the China Station back to a West Coast yard for repairs. lUNS" O SHEA knew what he your ship made a liberty port now and Guns came out of the hospital in time was fighting for, that dark then." to see new anti-aircraft batteries being night when the destroyer That's how it was. In the Old Navy installed and to start training the re- G Gaffney tangled with the there was always a port ahead to dream placements—including Willie Simmons. Japs in the Kula Gulf. He was, in fact, about, and one astern to remember. This left no time for a speed run expounding his philosophy to the other They used to say the turn of the screws liberty, like he used to make in the members of the gun crew when the wiped out all debts, which wasn't really Old Navy. There wasn't time for any- action started. You might sum it up true. But they might have said it thing, when they handed you a bunch facetiously in a catch-phrase, like: about love affairs. . . . of boots like Willie. Seaman Second "Life, shore liberty, and the pursuit "I hear the States are full of USO's Simmons was red haired, pink and of redheads," but there is more to it and hospitality houses and hostesses," gangling, and if he was a day over six- than that. Guns lamented. "In the Old Navy you teen his mother had been frightened Basically, the O'Shea ideals were no were on your own. Some ports you by a calendar. Guns looked at him, and different than those of millions of other didn't rate with anybody but seagulls, remembered what it was like out yonder, American fighting men. He wanted other ports you had to pack a baseball and worried. Being out there on a tin things to stay like they were. The others bat to fight off the dames." can was a man's job. Going ashore in want to come back to the homes they He shook his head sadly, and fire strange ports was a man's job—the knew and the jobs they had. Guns control passed the word to stand by. Navy had a reputation to uphold. O'Shea had been in the Regular Navy Guns said, "I never made out but once But there was one thing in Willie's for nine years; the Navy was his home at one of those places where they dish (Continued on page 40) A IVay wffb CupcoHres LIEUTENANT COMMANDER ALLAN R. BOSWORTH, U.S.N.R. By J DECEMBER, 1943 23 Each of the advancing Ital- ians held up a white leaflet

Iliusfra+ed by GEORGE GIGUERRE

THE chill of an autumn night The Americans welcomed them to a INin Sicily, an irritated American barbed-wire hoosegow and a can of gunner threw a shell into the C ration. breech of his field gun aimed at This was our Psychological Warfare a well-garrisoned enemy strongpoint. If fighting Branch in action. It is part of the the defenders made a fight of it, many Information and Censorship Section of young Americans would pay with their Allied Force Headquarters. Less than lives in the dawn attack. a year ago it was scorned by profes- Came the command. "Fire." The with sional soldiers. Shortly after the battle cannon blasted white flame, the shell of El Alamein, Sir Bernard L. Mont- screeched into the night. Presentl}' came gomery of the famed Eighth Army said, the distant echo of a sickly explosion. "I won't have a propaganda van on The gunner muttered, "It's a hell my battlefield." But by the time the of a war when you fight with con- Confetti Allies were in Sicily, Monty himself fetti." was ordering a barrage of leaflet shells That shell was stuffed with leaflets. as he would order an infantry attack. By FREDERICK C. PAINTON Written in Italian, they told the enemy It all started when General Dwight that they were pawns of the Nazis who Eisenhower planned his North African would make their beloved Italy a battle- invasion. At that time we had a half leaflets enenny field; that their position was hopeless; Dropping among dozen organizations, civilian and mil- that these leaflets were "surrender troops and civilians is an art the itary, that wanted to fight the enemy tickets" entitling them to good food British and American forces on the brain front; and they all had and safety behind the Allied lines. have thoroughly mastered their own ideas. Words flowed from Up where American doughboys the Ofiice of War Information, from crouched in their foxholes, men who the Office of Strategic Services, from spoke perfect Italian repeated the same But they took off and made a snow- the British Political Warfare Executive, message through loud-speakers that storm of falling leaflets over hundreds from the British Ministry of Informa- made the words echo in the hills. of square miles of war-torn Sicily. tion. Both British and American army Just before dawn, American medium That same morning our infantrv' out- and navy intelligence added their bit bombers loaded up with packages of posts saw scores of Italians advancing to the Niagara of words. The result "surrender tickets" to be dropped be- from the enemy position. Each held was chaotic. hind the enemy lines. Annoyed pilots up a white leaflet. In October 1942, General Eisenhower said that blockbusters would do a lot 'Ticket to surrender?" yelled one sent for Colonel Charles B. Hazeltine, more good, that words never won wars. anxiously. {Continued on page 40)

24 The AMERICAN LEGION Afagazine No wonder they ca

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26 The AMERICAN LEGION Magaunt When Purchasing Products Plhase Mention The American Legion Magazink Uncle Sam's

House of

By CAPTAIN GEORGE B. SCHUYLER

As of early October four million soldiers' "folks at home" were getting monthly allowances and allotments from Uncle Sam through the Army's Office of Dependency Benefits, and the The building that houses the O.D.B. number was increasing daily. Here's its story 213 Washington Street, Newark, N.J.

CLERKS in the mail room the young soldier had to be supported I supervise the tremendous volume of THEof the War Department Of- by a copy of the baby's birth certificate, work incident to paying these de- fice of Dependency Benefits in which his wife later sent in. this letter pendency benefits. are ac- lirought Newark, New Jersey, home to us who work here The most familiar benefit is the fam- customed to a certain amount of un- that to this particular soldier, and per- ily allowance authorized under the Ser- usual mail among the flood of letters haps to millions more like him, the \'icemen's Dependents Allowance Act of pouring into this great war agency, War Department Office of Dependency 1942. This family allowance is provided but one letter recently gave them pause Benefits is really a "House of Indepen- for enlisted men of all grades, including for serious thought. dence," providing an independence from aviation cadets and members of the It was addressed simply to "House want for their families, and an in- Woman's Army Corps. It consists of the of Independence, Newark, New Jersey." dependence from anxiety for themselves soldier's contribution, deducted each It was from a proud new soldier while they are away from home. month from his pay, and added con- father, reading: "I have a little girl Indeed, the modern oftice building in tribution from the Government. More who was born on October the eighth at Newark housing the ODB and its thou- than ninety percent of the Army's total

1 2 o'clock noon. Would like very much sand of employees, is the outward sym- strength is in the eligible grades for to have her connected with the family bol of "Uncle Sam Almighty" to many the family allowance. allowance that I have for my wife. wives, mothers, and other dependents The second benefit administered in The baby's name is Floretta. The family of our soldiers. this building is the Class E allotment- allowance is made to Please In this building are administered the of-pay, which any soldier, from a pri- enter for her name me." three major benefits to soldiers' fam- vate to a general, may authorize. It Although the informal request from ilies. And many veterans of World War is a voluntary assignment which the soldier makes for payment to his dependents or to a bank for their credit, for payment of his civilian life insurance, or for deposit to his own bank account. These Class E allotments-of-pay are especially valuable to our soldiers when they go overseas.

The third benefit is the dependency

allotment-of-pay, which is an involun- tary allotment-of-pay authorized by the Director of the ODB under authority of the Secretary of War for the depen-

dents of a soldier when he is missing, missing in action, captured, interned, m besieged, or otherwise out of touch and unable to act for himself. The ODB is at present doing business with more than four million soldiers, administering monthly family allowances and allotments-of-pay on be- half of more than eight million depen- 6rig. Gen. H. N. Gilbert and other Legionnaires who are assisting him in the dents. And the number is still increasing, War Department Office of Dependency Benefits in Newark, N. J. Left to for since September ist members of right, Major Milford Bendlner, Major George G. Chandler, Captain Schuy- the Woman's Army Corps have been ler, Major Ennanuel Franklin, Lt. Col. W. K. Bonnell, Lt. Col. Percy E. Lowery, eligible under the law for family al- Capt. Charles L. MacEliven, Capt. H. A. Lake, Gen. Gilbert, Capt. Horace lowance benefits. Young, Maj. Robert J. McNeil, Capt. Herbert M. Livingston, Maj. J. A. The Director of this great war agency Guest, Lt. Col. Raymond Hlldebrand, Lt. Col. Dell King Steuart, Capt. known as the ODB is Brig. Gen. H. Herbert Collins. The article gives the name of each man's Post (Continued on page 57) 27 DECEMBER, 1943 r

The A+her+ons. From the left, Holt, young Warren, the Na- tional Commander, Dwight, Mrs. Atherton, and Nancy Anne He Takes Objectives By WALTER NAUGHTON

National Commander A+her+on Warren Atherton. He emerged a captain. So, with this background Has Always Made Hard Jobs of progressive climbing, strictly on his own for Look Easy no one ever gave Warren Atherton anything and he would not seek or want it—it is perhaps not difiicult to see COMING up through the ranks has been a Ufe-long habit with why his fellow Legionnaires elected him Warren H. Atherton. their National Commander, by acclama- tion, last September in He did it first when he was Omaha. a youngster in his native San Francisco, For Warren Atherton is a man who long ago. He attained class leadership just gets there—that's all. and other school distinctions. And when he took over the reins of Then, just 17 but vigorous. Atherton, office and made his acceptance speech working as a railway clerk and switch- of leadership of the nation's 1.200.000 man, started a climb which saw him Legionnaires, his words came from the admitted to practice law at the Cali- depth of the honest, American heart, fornia bar. which beats in his solid, active body. In 1917, as a hair\- chested, two fisted Said Commander Atherton: private, he entered the service of his "I accept the office of National Com- country. But he wasn't a private long mander, mindful of the heavy respon- for. when his outfit reached the front Private Warren H. Atherton in sibihty you have placed upon me. God lines in France, he was First Lieutenant 1917. He came out a captain willing, and with your help, I will dis-

28 Th^ AMERICAN LEGION Maga-.inf —

charge that responsibility." During the last five Le- At his side, with pride gion years in which he has and perhaps the trace of a held the all-important posi- tear in her eye, was the tion of National Defense handsome woman who has Chairman, his travel miles been Mrs. Warren H. Ath- have been at least 100,000 crton since 1917, the mother a year. Last year the usual of their four children. She, heavy average included an too, was proud for she had extra air trip of 25,000 seen her husband and pal at- miles on which he accom- ' tain the highest ambition panied Commander Roane of his colorful career. He Waring to the North Afri- was Head Man of that can battlefields and on a which, next to his family, nation-wide tour of army

is closest to his heart installations. The American Legion. Waring and Atherton In just one part of those made the journey at the first official words of Ath- request of Chief of Staff erton's is an insight into General George Marshall one of his main qualities and in the latter's personal modesty. plane. The concise, valu-

That is where he asked able and deeply prophetic the help of his fellow Le- reports which they made gionnaires in attaining his have now become a matter goal. He has always been of history. that way. Warren never Commander Atherton be- feels that he has done a lieves in the old adage that

great deal himself. It is all work and no play is not always his friends, in his so good. So, when the occasion is mind, who are doing it with at hand, he relaxes and for him. and knows how to. Back in his home town Whipping a trout stream of Stockton. California, in the Sierras, hard by his where he has been one of home town, a session with the leading lawyers for old friends and cronies, many years, he recently mostly of the Legion, family attended the traditional A Texas picture taken on the day last summer when outings and trips and, most home - coming party ac- Sandy, second from left, got his wings in Uncle Sam's Air of all, an airplane ride, are corded National Com- Forces. Formally, Dwight Atherton, cadet sergeant at his ideas of a good time manders by their fellow Valley Forge Military Academy, Lieutenant Warren and he takes them all on citizens. A large part of Atherton, Captain Holt Atherton, with their father when he can. his talk was given to his No one could get a close- expressions of thanks to up of those soft, gray eyes the members of his Post- Karl Ross, by air (his favorite), train, automobile, of Commander Atherton's, beneath the California's largest—for starting him on bus—on foot, if nothing else is at hand. slightly bushy brows, without knowing his Legion career and allow- that a sense of humor

ing him to become National lurked there. It is there, Commander. and nighly developed. That, of course, was He likes a laugh and, a partly true and the praise "rib." And the "rib" can was well deserved. But this be on him and he enjoys man Atherton had a good it as much as when it's

deal to do with it, too. on the other fellow and he Those of us who have one of the perpetrators. been privileged to know him A few years back there since his Legion career was a press conference on started in 191 9, and even National Defense in a large before then, know that he city at which Atherton was is a dynamo of energy and to be interviewed. Among hard to keep up with. Fif- those gathered was a young teen, eighteen and even and serious newspaperman twenty-four-hour days are who, fidgety and nervous, nothing in the life of Com- perhaps due to an early mander Atherton when the deadline, was anxious for occasion requires. the interrogation to start.

Work and lots of it when Atherton, then serving his work is the order of the third year as National De- day, or night, is just what fense Chairman, was rec- the doctor ordered as far ognized as one of the as Warren is concerned. nation's foremost author- Traveling is second na- ities on the subject. His ture with him and his mile- views had been printed and age is up in the millions, A family step ladder of a good many years ago (^Continued on page 37)

DECEMBER, 194J 29 of high community standing who may be depended upon to study each individual case and handle it in the most » Chance sympathetic and just manner. The plan has been in operation only a few months,

but already its beneficial effect is evident.

to If the Oklahoma plan is not the solu- tion to a problem almost as old as the

penal laws, it is a step in the right direction. Make Good Robert S. Kerr, a Past Department Commander of Oklahoma, had some to the Governor for his guidance. The

very definite ideas on the subject of Pardon and Parole Board idea is nothing REHABILITATION of men and rehabilitating men and women who new; many States have set up such women who come back into have done time in the various prisons boards. But Governor Kerr wanted to civil life from penal institutions, ,md reformatories, and of handling the go a step further. He wanted to take '"and the care and guidance of increasing problem of juvenile delin- the problem of aid, assistance and gen- juvenile offenders is a problem faced quency. He believed that much more eral oversight of parolees right down by every state and county govern- could be accomplished toward setting to the community in which the man mental unit. Recognizing it is not a these people back on the right road if or woman lives—and that's where he problem that is the concern of peace the several communities that go to make called on the Legion of Oklahoma to officers alone, the State of Oklahoma, up the State assumed their fair share lend a helping hand. with Legion aid and assistance, is try- of the burden. Four Past Department Commanders ing out a new approach toward a solu- When he was elected Governor of of Oklahoma were named to form the tion. Oklahoma in the 1942 elections, Legion- Pardon and Parole Board; James F. The Oklahoma plan is nothing more naire Kerr decided to put some of his Hatcher, Chickasha, 1925 Commander: or less than a recognition by each com- ideas into active practice. As the first Thomas P. (Putty) Gilmer, Okmulgee, munity that it is a local problem, and step he asked the State Legislature for 1932; W. G. Stigler of Stigler, 1934, and an effort to remedy matters by means authority to create a State Pardon and Elmer Fraker, Mangum, 1936. Then to of an organized system of Parolee Parole Board. The function of this complete the organization, Dr. A. B. Supervisory and Welfare Councils in group would be to make a careful re- Rivers, Oklahoma City, Past Depart- each section of the State. These councils view of all applications for pardon, ment Commander and present National draw their membership from representa- parole or other forms of executive Executive Committeeman, was ap- tive groups of citizens, men and women clemency, and to report its findings pointed to serve as State Pardon and

Governor Robert S. Kerr, (center, seated) with his all-Legion Pardon and Parole Coun- cil. Left to right, W. G. Stigler, James F. Hatcher, Department Commander W. F. Rogers, Jr., Henry Tyler, Dr. A. B. Rivers, Thomas P. (Putty) Gilmer and Elmer Fraker

30 The AMERICAN LEGION Magazine -

"^/ulelpc}, tne e<^e!l Parole Officer, and and the Ameri- Henry Tyler, Elk can Legion Aux- City, Past Com- iliary will each mander of the become a mem- TklsMotW^WaSon 7th Legion Dis- ber organization trict, was chosen of the Council, to serve as State but will not be NillYou^////YourDoHar| Probation Officer. further respon- Thus the Board sible so long as

and its adminis- the Council trative officers functions. It is form an all-Le- The American gion group. But Legion's respon- that was only the sibility to call beginning — the together and Oklahoma Legion organize the and Auxiliary Council." were drafted by Governor Kerr to form Then D e the spearhead in the movement to partment Com- organize the community councils. mander Rogers Department Commander W. F. outlined some

Rogers, Jr., was called in for a con- of the things ference. Then Governor Kerr went each Council before the Department Executive Com- would be ex- mittee of the Legion and outlined his pected to do, plan of action. He asked the Legion to and also sug- accept responsibility for organizing local gested that the councils as part of the plan to render work be divided General Gorgas Post of Birmingham, Alabama, sold paroled persons a new direct into sections. and more its Third War Loan Bonds at a booth manned by Gold type of assistance. The Legion accepted The method of Star Mothers—and the response was very generous enthusiastically, and a committee was handling an organized, co-chairmaned by Max Fife, adult case might Tyler, of the Legion, and Mrs. E. B. not be proper for that of juveniles, or To assist parolees in obtaining con- Benton, Department President of the of women parolees. But first of all, into tacts with the church of their member- Auxiliary, to complete the detailed whatever sub-divisions the Councils ship or preference. plans. might elect to divide themselves, the To assist with counsel and advice in In his first communication to the big objective must be: personal affairs to the end that they Posts, Department Commander Rogers To assist parolees in obtaining em- make good citizens. said: "The American Legion has pledged ployment in order that they might fit Thus, each Council was asked to pre- the Governor of Oklahoma that each themselves into society. pare itself to meet any and all situa- Post Commander will call a representa- To assist parolees in regaining or tions, but to care for each case in terms tive group from fraternal, civic, church establishing a place in the civic or social of the individual, and not as a mass. and other organizations together and life of their community. "The time has come," said Dr. Rivers, organize a Parolee Supervisory and Wel- To assist eligible parolees to induction "when Oklahoma needs to improve its fare Council in each city in Oklahoma. into the armed forces through their present parole system. Other States have After organization The American Legion local draft boards. found the value of parole, both to society and to the individual, and a good parole system is no longer an experiment. It

is a definite plan in the rehabilitation of the prisoner." And so, with Legion help, the State of Oklahoma is working over its entire parole system on a plan set up to meet the needs of each local community, broadened in its scope to assist all persons on leave of absence or parole, both adult and juvenile. It has also made each community responsible for a share in the work of making it possible for men, women and youngsters coming out of prisons and reformatories to have a better than even chance to make good as respected citizens of a great com- monwealth. The plan is worthy of gen- Post Commanders of Highland Park Post, Des Moines, Iowa, hold eral Legion con- an incendiary party to destroy the mortgage on the clubhouse sideration. 31 DECEMBER, 1943 —

Commanders, with Mayor John Mac- Vicar, members of the Post and Aux- iliary as witnesses. Back in early 1938 the Post had $3,000 in cash money and a desire to own a home. The cash was paid in on a desirable piece of property and a plaster of $3,500 was put on the old homestead to secure the balance due. It was not until almost time for the 1943 early frosts to be on the "punkin" that Highland Park Post shoved the last dollar across the line and retrieved the I. 0. U. Funds raised through an annual festival at Riverview Park helped to pay the mortgage painlessly and ahead of schedule. Pictured on page 31 are Jack Trotter, seated in a wheel chair, holding the mortgage, surrounded by a bunch of firebugs with ready matches—left to right, Brad Sterling, H. M. Larson, Bill

\io\k-\^ew\m& Gold Star Certificates are given by Capital Transit Post, Washington, ^e\\ i/a'WcIosW.I mailed \iXk 1 seAt mJi \xn/ Im\ Vwas qiffs D. C, to the families of fellow employes who have fallen in service Overseas, So eairly I caAi- YrAasK Vemembe** wot 1 sei^V Gold Stars and Bonds of which Commander Solomon claimed •I few after it went over with a bang—to staff A MOST effective answer was given the booth with Gold Star Mothers, as- by General Gorgas Post of Bir- sisted by members of the Auxiliar\\ mingham, Alabama, to the request for Members of both the Post and Unit help in the Third War Loan drive. Com- solicited trade for the booth, but after mander David R. Solomon wanted to the first publicity broke in the city know what assistance was expected. newspapers they did not have to work 'You think of something—the Legion hard. Housh, C. B. Ritz. Eldon L. Booth, always can,"' replied the War Bond The appeal of a mother who had Ralph Gillbride, Val Wells, Art Day, Chairman as he waved him aside in given her son struck a responsive chord and Alfred Morris—all Past Com- order to make room for the next visitor. and nearly every day Bond buyers were manders. Sounds like an "Officers Only" General Gorgas Post set up a booth waiting at the booth when it opened. incineration party, but the entire Post under the direction of Chairman Ernest "I want to give my subscription to the membership joined in rejoicing. F. Samuels and Mrs. E. A. Dodson, Gold Star Mothers," was the explana- President of the Auxiliary Unit, pre- tion. Each day of the sale the news- Gold Star Certificates pared for an extensive sales campaign. papers featured the booth on the front It was a happy thought—the originality pages, and gave a progressive report of CAPITAL TRANSIT POST of Wash- sales. General ington. D. C. is one of the many Gorgas Post's Legion units that pay honor to the men Gold Star Moth- who fall in the current war by presenting er booth helped The American Legion Gold Star Cer- materially in tificate to the next of kin. The mem-

making Ala- bership of the Post is made up of bama's quota in employes of the Capital Transit Com- the Third War pany; more than 700 of their fellow- Loan. workers are serving actively with the colors. ]S[ ortqa()c Three have already given their lives Burners Corporal Earl Ryan, Field Artillery, killed in action in North Africa; Pilot MEMBERS Officer Allen Theodore Lewis Rossignol, of High- R. A. F., lost in an airplane accident, land Park Post and Boatswain Mate Ralph Eugene of Des Moines, Johnson, killed at sea. In an impressive Iowa, can relax ceremony, witnessed by ofificials of the in their club- parent company, Commander George rooms without E. Warder presented Gold Star Cer- a worry about tificates to the mother of Corporal Ryan the old mort- and the widows of Pilot Officer Rossignol gage. It went and Boatswain Mate Johnson. Speakers up in a hot fire on the occasion were Department Com-

on a hot Sun- mander Francis J. McCarthy, and E. D. Cambridge (Massachusetts) Post, a top-rater day afternoon, Merrill and J. E. Heberle, president in community service work, gave its home kindled by a and vice president of the Transit Com- city dental clinic equipment valued at $3,000 croup of Past pany.

32 Tlir AMF.RICAN LEGION Magazine ; —

Service Minded

WINNING the highest Department citation for community service in the Post membership bracket of five hundred and over, Cambridge (Mas- sachusetts) Post completed a long list of constructive community activities in 1943, according to a report filed by Commander Abraham Cohen. In addition to maintaining a balanced Legion program, Cambridge Post gave its home city complete dental clinic equipment, costing approximately ?3,ooo; gave the John Adams Soldiers Hospital at Chelsea an electric thermos food table which cost $500; bought a wheelchair for a legless comrade; fi- nanced the conversion of two police prowl cars and one Board of Health A group of Legionnaires, members of the Post at Port of car into emergency first aid ambulances Spain, British West Indies, gathered to receive nnembership maintains an efficient first-aid and rescue trophy. Center, Samuel Parrlsh, Jr., Post's only S.A.L. member squad—this group, with other Post members, responded for service at the Cocoa- Trophy for 1943—a silver loving cup port a harvest of 14,600 old records nut Grove night club disaster; maintains which was presented to Commander and more coming in. The Legion en- a room at police headquarters equipped Tom F. Alderson by Department Vice listed the aid of the Auxiliary Police with beds and bedding for use of Commander Samuel J. Parrish, a member and Civilian Defense workers, and had transient service men; housed the Cam- of the Post. The trophy was then given splendid support by the newspapers and bridge Elks Lodge and club after their into the keeping of the Post's only mem- radio. quarters burned: presented flags to sev- ber of the Sons of the Legion. Samuel Hewlett Sullivan took over as Com- eral groups; gave a dinner for the four J. Parrish, Jr. The outfit maintains a mander before the job was completed. draft boards, and participated in many well furnished club house. With the goal so nearly reached Depart- war activities such as recruiting. Bond ment Commander Bill Scarborough has sales, blood giving, parties and gifts for Records and Records already sent the Post his official com- men called into service. Many other mendation. items could be enumerated, but this is DURING the first drive for Records for Our Fighting Men in 1942, Outstanding Citizen 'ieak- Lovely the Department of South Carolina V)oV\eiA -Hie peace- at- aAij turned in something like 18,000 old rec- REAR ADMIRAL William R. Fur- pcieers" sloqun was - ords. Came the 1943 drive and Greenville • long, USN, Commandant of the ouf of +V\em Post set out to do a one-unit job to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, Navy Yard and eclipse the all-Department record of former chief of the bureau of Ordnance the previous year. Commander George at Washington, has been named the out- G. Willis set up his committee composed standing citizen of the Territory of of Herman Lang, Chairman, Paul Broady Hawaii by the Pearl Harbor Legion and Cecil Morris, and told them to get Post. The medal that goes with the busy. They did. At the end of the tirst designation was formally presented to period, the committee w'as able to re- (Continued on page j6)

enough to prove that Cambridge Post had a very busy year, and a useful one.

In the Caribbean

DOWN Port of Spain way, on Trini- dad in the British West Indies, there's an active unit of The American Legion—an all-Navy outfit—affiliated with the Department of Puerto Rico. The Post was organized a couple of years ago by the civilian employes of a construction company engaged in building the local base. Of course there was an infiltration of active service men while the civilian workers were on the job, but last June, when the civilians completed their work and headed back for the good old U. S. A., the Navy boys took over. When they did take Out to beat the all-Department old record collection of 1942, Greenville over, it was with a bang. First off the bat, this Port of Spain (South Carolina) Post Is In sight of goal. Left to right, Kenneth Cass, Claude Post won the Department Membership Her, J. D. Williams, Herman Lang and George Willis

DECEMBER. 194 i 33 By FLIGHT OFFICER JOHN F. RAUTH Seven Hours AS TOLD TO LIEUTENANT HENRY H. DUNN 0 Prisoner

The Italian fisher boy had tried to protect Rauth,

but when it appeared he might get killed the American stepped forward and gave himself up

A flyer from York, Nebraska, tells how the Italians on Sicily treated him during the short period between his capture and his rescue by Yank paratroopers. The guys from the skies had just taken Trapani

TOOK off at 0600 hours on Friday. July 23d, on a WE (juitc distance. Finally, Illustrated by fighter escort mission over board for some WALLACE MORGAN a small island off the coast I was able to spill the 'chute and in doing of Sicily. After the fighters we were so I became entangled in the shroud was firing in front of a fishing boat. I escorting had dropped their bombs, our lines. However. I was able to remain did not know whether I wanted him to top cover flight went down to strafe afloat with my Mae West and got my fire or not, but was helpless to do any- radio installations and targets of oppor- pocket knife out and cut myself free of thing. He tried to keep the boat from tunity along the coast. We hit radio in- the parachute. Then I inflated my picking me up because he knew that the stallations, a small boat and a light- dinghy. The dinghy upset once when I Air Sea Rescue was on its way. When house, and as we left those we sighted tried to climb onto it, and I was in the his gas got low, he had to leave and the two speed boats about five miles off- water about 15 minutes before I finally fishermen in the boat picked me up. shore. My section leader and his wing got into the dinghy. It was now about There were about six fishermen in the man went down on the two boats first, 0720 hours. boat. It was about 0900 hours then. and then my wing man and I went down I thought of everything down there, The fishermen seemed very glad to see and strafed. and I decided that at first I would that I was alive and not hurt, and Just as I passed the boat, I got a paddle to a lighthouse, which I saw about hugged me and kissed me like a long smell of coolant and immediately my three miles away; and then I changed lost brother. They had some dry trousers, engine temperature started to go up. I my mind and decided to stay adrift at and some melon for me. Then we started climbed up to about 800 feet and sea until dark so that I could come to back to shore, rowing against the wind. throttled back to see if I could cool the shore and hide myself until the Ameri- As we neared the shore, I could see my engine off, but it seemed impossible to cans took the island. The wind was drift- friends coming back in P-40's to search do this. So I bailed out some place below ing me parallel to shore at about the for me. By then it was 1130 hours. The 700 feet. I went over the right side and rate of fifteen miles an hour. Flight Of- Italian soldiers on the coast made us under the horizontal stabilizer. As soon ficer Bill Slattery of 1201 S. loth Ave- bring the boat into a little quay, where as I was clear of the airplane, I opened nue. Birmingham. Alabama, my room- they wanted me to surrender. They had the chute and before I could completely mate in flying school, was circling above seen me bail out of the plane. get out of the parachute, I hit the water. me and it made me feel very comfortable Then this one boy in the boat was My airplane had hit the water before to have him around. He then came down going to surrender himself as the Ameri- my parachute opened. The wind carried on the water low and started to fire his can pilot. But the Italian soldiers de- my parachute and dragged me like a surf- guns. I turned around and saw that he ( Continued on page 55)

34 Thf AMERICAN I.F.GION Magaane !

In co-operation with Army Ordnance, Oldsmobile is helping to provide the Fire-Power that protects our manpower. Whenever an American soldier lands on an enemy coast, he is protected by a screen of fighter planes, many of them firing Oldsmobile- built automatic aircraft cannon. The tanks that rumble on ahead, blazing the way for his advance, may also carry cannon from Oldsmobile, and fire Oldsmobile shell. The artillery that backs him up, the naval weapons that cover his landing, the anti-air-

WAR BONDS craft guns that protect him from enemy planes . . . many of Protect Our Manpower Too these, too, are fed with Oldsmobile-built ammunition. It's our conviction that the surest way of bringing our boys home victo- Every dollar you put into War Bonds does its part to help save the life of some American boy. Per- riously and safely tomorrow ... is to Keep 'Em Firing— today! haps a boy you know. Realizing this, can you hesi- tate? Buy another Bond—ao extra Bond—today! FIRE'POWER IS OUR BUSINESS OLDSMOBILE '"Sr" GENERAL MOTORS K x; n r *JB AT i- X R I N G ^1

DECEMBER, 1943 3B When Purchasing Products Please Mention The American Legion Magazine 86.8 Pruof » 65% Grail, Nnitral Spirits

The spirit of the season — TODAY AS IN 1892 — is Kinsey

SINCE, n892 NOW THE MAN IN THE BACKGROUND SPEAKS: f f HOST: Join me in a tall Kinsey and let's drink to an idea I have for making this a great MR. GAY 90'S: Thai's a fine deal, gentlemen. holiday season. Fve seen a lot of Christmases but you'll make KINSEY GUEST: If your idea is half as good as this this one count for something. And choosing Kinsey it'll be heard around the world. Let's Kinsey for your holiday toasts is a good idea, have it. tlEHDED t1 too. Its better taste is assured with America's ANO BOTTIEO KINSEY DISTILLING CORP. HOST: Just this. I'm buying an extra war oldest living distiller, Mr. J. G. Kinsey, still bond for every boy I know who's away this supervising the blending. year. It'll mean extra weapons to fight with.

GUEST: Great. I'll join you in that if you So let your holiday greeting be join me in giving blood to the Red Cross. "ENJOY THIS DISTINGUISHED WHISKEY, SIR" i : ; TOPPING THE ROPE TRICK

(Continued from page ig) exactly like the rest of us crewmen. At the same time, two men stepped out the ensuing melee we were able to get "Have you been over to Mr. Yu- from the line of natives. They smiled into our gharry and be off. suff's?" I asked. at the crewman, who recognized them We were headed toward the docks "No," said the Swede, "we ain't been as the storekeepers who had outfitted when, what ho! Ahead we saw a gharry to Mr. Yusuff's, whoever he is, but we him and advanced him a pound. They in which there were half a dozen of got a guy of our own lined up. This presented a copy of their bill to the our Negro muleteers, dressed exactly as guy even give us some money, after paymaster. They were paid first, and we—white suits, street cleaners' helmets. outfitting us with these clothes. This is the crewman received the balance of And running along behind them was a the craziest place I ever been. There's his wages. pack of valets that far outnumbered nobody left down at the ship. Every- And so it went, even to the smile our own. We stopped to make inquiry body's out riding in these hacks. I guess and the bow that we received from Mr. concerning such carryings on. Could it they're expecting the Germans in here Yusuff, as he advanced to the table possibly be that these blacks had also soon, so they're giving everything away." when we stepped forward in response been befriended by Mr. Yusuff? Next morning we hurried through to the calling of our names.

No, that wasn't it. They had been breakfast and reported aboard ship, for So that was the system, and these taken in tow by three native merchants the grand awakening. The rest of our native people weren't as crazy as they "who got stores down one of these boys, including the muleteers, were al- appeared. They were working in co- streets somewhere, and they done give ready there, and in line. Opposite was operation with the paymaster. They us all these new clothes and give us another line, this one entirely of natives. knew in advance how much each one some money, too." The paymaster was seated at a table, of us would be paid, and so they knew Came then a seemingly endless parade from where the two lines started. The how much credit to extend.. They were of gharr>-s, each jammed with Negro ship's articles were before him, and he certain to be paid because the paymaster muleteers; each with its coterie of valets. started immediately with the business would receive his commission from them. Our portly Swede carpenter and his as- at hand. When the name of the first As summarized by the Swede car- sistant pulled alongside in their own man on the articles was read, that man penter: "They ain't nothing to this gharry. Oddly enough, they were dressed stepped up to the table to get his pay. trust game, is they?"

HE TAKES OBJECTIVES

{Continued from page 2q) college but abandoned them both, the of his sons—three boys and all in broadcast far and wide and many of first temporarily, to go to work for service, with two of them commissioned our fellow citizens were realizing that, the Southern Pacific Railroad as a car officers and the youngster, Dwight, if the nation had listened to the Legion clerk and switchman. This took up his in military school and with ambitions and men of Atherton's type, Hitler and time from his seventeenth to his nine- along the same lines. Hirohito never would have marched. teenth year but, in the evenings and And, like their father, the Atherton Anxious to start the queries and to whenever else he could find time, he youngsters have a sense of humor. When be the first interrogator, the youthful studied law. Law books and a corre- he was a third-grade grammar school scribe waved the others to silence and spondence course provided him with his student. Warren "Sandy" Atherton was said preliminary legal education. informed by his teacher that his father, "Now, Mr. Atherton, I want to know At 19 years of age, Atherton was a as the Legion's National Defense Chair- just how you stand on National De- law clerk in the office of Attorney H. man, would be there that day to address fense?" R. Noble in Stockton. By cramming, the four top classes. She wanted to know With a gleam in his eye and not working hard, and attending court if "Sandy" would not like the special unkindly, Atherton replied: sessions where he watched the lawyers privilege of attending. 'Well, I'm for it." in action, he had picked up sufficient "Naw, I hear him enough at home," And that gave all present, including law to allow him to try the bar ex- was the reply.

the youngster, a necessary chuckle, eased aminations. On January 8, 1913, he re- Private Warren Atherton joined Com- the strain that could have been present ceived notice, after many anxious trips pany D, 363d Infantry, 91st ("Pine

for a bang-up in- Division, 7. and paved the way to the mailbox, that he had not only Tree") on October 7^, 191 He terview on National Defense that the passed but was high on the list. remained a private until January 8th.

editors of the newspapers thought worthy On July 7, 1 91 7, Warren Atherton Warren had made Top Kick by January

of several columns in their next editions. married Anne Holt. Their four children 8, 191 8, when he was commissioned a Warren Atherton was born in San are Captain Holt Atherton, who not first lieutenant of Ordnance. He was in Francisco, December 28, 1891. His par- so long ago made a grandfather out the A. E. F. from April 15, 191 8, until ents were old timers in the city of the of the present National Commander August 15, 191 9. He served in equipj Golden Gate. He attended grammar with the arrival of Holt Atherton Jr. ping artillery outfits with tractors until

school in San Francisco and later in fas this was written Capt. Holt Ather- discharged as a captain on September 3,

adjoining suburbs when the family re- ton was at Spence Field, Moultrie, 1 919. He was a captain in the Infantry sided there, and later came back to Georgia); Lieutenant Warren Atherton, Reserve Corps from 1923 until 1939. his native city. He was there when the at Randolph F' .a, San Antonio, Texas; The practice of law has occupied earthquake and fire struck in April, 1906. Dwight Atherton, attending the Valley Warren Atherton's time since 191 3, ex- After attending Columbia Grammar Forge Military Academy at Wayne, cept for his absence on military service and Lowell High School in San Fran- Pennsylvania, where he's a cadet ser- in 1917-1919. His law offices in the cisco young Atherton kept up with geant, and Nancy Anne Atherton, a California Building in Stockton, the another family move and graduated student at the Madeira School, Green- family's residence for many years, are from the nearby Mount Diablo Union way, Virginia. busy with the general practice of law. High School at Concord. The National Commander's own ca- When Atherton is absent, partners take He had ideas of a law career and reer is reflected in the military records care of the tasks at hand.

DECEMBER, 1943 37 Atherton was President of the San ton one afternoon back in 1935 when he shelter. Desks, tables or anything else Joaquin Bar Association in 192 1. He was a state prison board executive. came in handy. Finally subdued, the con- was a Police Judge in Stockton from The board was in session in the ward- victs were rounded up and the break was 1920 to 1925, inclusive, and he made en's quarters in San Quentin, the famed over. Board members told- their experi- an enviable reputation for administer- California prison which juts out over ences to newspapermen. Atherton's ac- ing justice with mercy and good sense. an arm of San Francisco Bay. count was detailed and accurate but, with He was Chairman of the California Suddenly there was the sound of run- the Atherton smile, he insisted that his Building Code Board of Examiners and ning feet, shouts, cursing men and then 91st Division experiences came in most

Appeals in 1933 and a member of the . . . shots. A prison break was on with handy. State Prison Board of Terms and Pa- desperate convicts long stamped as "I always said I could hug the ground roles in 1934 and 1935. In 1933, '34 killers as the leaders. better than any other 91st Divisioner and '35 he was President of the Stock- The convicts rushed the prison-board and that day I proved it," he declared. ton Chamber of Commerce. In 1938 meeting, leveled guns at the board mem- From 193s until the present day, he was President of the Stockton Com- bers and started shooting. One man Commander Atherton has been the at- munity Chest. was killed, another badly wounded. torney and legal advisor of the Cali- His experience under shell fire in Atherton joined his fellow board fornia Veterans' Welfare Board. He France came in handy to Warren Ather- members in seeking the first available (Continued on page 50)

THEY'RE BETTER THAN WE WERE

(Continued from page 11) accusing finger and yelled: "QUIET, The night before we took Bizerte an and Stripes is a neat, four-page daily, YOU!" The GI's ate it up. Infantry patrol was sent forward to ^ published in Casablanca, Oran, Algiers, They don't need manufactured enter- feel out enemy resistance. . was rugged

Cairo, London. The New York Times tainment, however, any more than the country and the lines were broken ; there in tabloid form, printed from mats flown doughboy did in the other war. The aren't the .solid entrenched fronts we over in three days, is distributed through- American still is the world's greatest knew in the other war. The patrol crept out Iran and Iraq. In India a lively souvenir hunter. German Lugers are forward, one mile, two, five. They knew weekly called The Roundup gives all as popular today as they used to be. they were getting deep into enemy ter- the local news as well as the news But this is a more expansive age. In ritory. from home. And everywhere the soldiers' Cairo I saw a dogface, flushed with Suddenly the lieutenant halted. He own Yank, complete with "pin-up girl," payday and a poker game, buy a two- could hear men working up ahead. He comes out every week. horse gherrie ... an old-fashioned hack ordered his platoon to take cover, him-

ill, When our soldiers are when they . . . from an astonished Egyptian, pay- self crawled forward. Then he heard have been wounded or injured, the most ing cash money and driving away. voices. American voices. modern hospitals in the world, in the Another young American turned up Then someone challenged him in good world's farthest corners, are ready to at camp one night in Africa, proud American English. take care of them. Complete units of owner of a rather mangy camel. Now It was a telephone detachment from doctors and nurses from some of the there's nothing in Army Regulations the Signal Corps. most famous institutions in America . . . against a soldier buying a camel if "Do you know where you are?" the Massachusetts General, Philadelphia he's so inclined. The company com- lieutenant demanded in a whisper. General, many others with whole staffs mander sputtered. What in the name "Know where our front lines are?"

• inducted into the Army . . . are there of this-and'-that could he do? The native "Yes, sir," the Signal Corps sergeant to help the boys. They are housed in who had sold the camel solved the replied. "About seven miles back." new, absolutely modern buildings. problem. He slipped into camp the sec- "What are you doing out here?" Special Services Division of Army ond night and stole the beast and took "Stringing wire, sir. You're going to

Service Forces sends "live entertain- it back to the desert. But for the tem- take Bizerte in the morning and you ment" to the kids, wherever they are, porary owner it had been fun while can't do that without telephone com- except in the very front lines. Bob Hope, it lasted. munication. So we're putting in the the Yacht Club Boys, many a radio Don't get the idea, though, that it's wire tonight." warbler and Hollywood cutie have made a playful war. These kids are the fight- In the morning, thanks in part to the grand tour of the deserts and jungles ingest soldiers who ever went into the the sergeant's wire-stringing detail, we and mountains and have learned to hit lines. Even the men in the "non-combat" did take Bizerte. the dirt when Jerry starts lobbing stuff units have proved that. There's the That's my report to the Legion. As over. story of Messerschmidt Alley, for ex- the father of a soldier son I want all Heroine of the war so far is Martha ample. This was a twenty-mile stretch the other fathers of all other soldier Raye. She's the Elsie Janis of the of road back of Tunis where day and sons to know that the kids are bettering African campaign. Eighty-five thousand night the Nazis strafed the Quarter- our record. It is estimated that 600,000 dogfaces saw her show, usually in groups master trucks that carried rations up members of The American Legion have of 300 to 500, somewhere off in ' the to the front. They knocked out dozens sons in service. I want you to be proud back lot of hell. She toured the world's of trucks. But these are fighting Quarter- as I was proud when I was out there toughest circuit and kept on touring masters in this war. They didn't take with them. I want you to know that even when suffering from tropical dys- it lying down. Back at their dump they they're not only better than we were, entery. She wore GI uniforms, ate GI got hold of some ack-ack guns and they're better cared for. chow, got GI cooties. mounted them on top of the groceries. One more thing. The chaplains are Everywhere she went she kept a sharp Whenever a Jerry swooped low after everywhere. I saw hundreds of them. eye on the officers in the audience. As that to machine gun the trucks, the They have courage, they are popular, soon as she saw one of them start to drivers let him have it. After enough they are doing a superb job. whisper to another ... she usually German planes "failed to return" to It's only a step, but a forward step, waited for a colonel or a general to their airports, Jerry gave up his round- from the Argonne to Rome—and be- be the object lesson . . . she stopped the-clock attacks on Messerschmidt yond. . . . The kids are doing it better her act, walked forward, pointed an Alley. than we did.

38 The AMERICAN LEGION Magazine aOfficers and men of the U. S. Army call these the "fighting trucks." They move with the troops. They were built for battle. They are The Battle Vehicle of Mercy cross-country carriers for arms and men. They are the Doctors, nurses and patients know these military team-mates of your friends, the Dodge trucks vehicles of mercy. They serve on the battle fronts. Night and day, they perform their errands of speed that haul milk and steel and coal in the U. S. A. and risk bringing rescue and comfort with them They are now in battle action on many fronts. They wherever they go. are the result of years of close co-operation between the U. S. Army and Chrysler Corporation.

' For Command and Reconnaissance

Through its two-way A Fighting Carrier radio equipment, Army officers of Men and Weapons can locate and report enemy positions; can link up its cargo and side seats, the fighting units of our own forces. This Command With body this fighter truck can also mount guns for attack and Car is low to the ground and hard to see in action. defense as it moves with men and munitions into battle. Its big Dodge engine will serve efficiently in every climate from tropics to arctic. Like its fighter companions, it will ford most streams and take the average swamp or mud bed in its stride.

Shot"

among the fighting trucks carries larger loads of men and weapons. It is an essential mover of heavy guns as well as troop detachments with their personal weapons and supplies. These big fighters are also capable of fast stump-bumping travel across rough and treacherous country. They, too, have demonstrated Dodge dependability as they work day and night, for victory in "^^'Osr^'^J^ by actual battle abroad. — PlYMOUTH DO DC E

B /% C ATTACK - BUY W /\ R B O l\l D S

DECEMBER, 1943 39 When Purchasing Products Please Mention The American Legion Magazine " — A WAY WITH CUPCAKES

(Continued from page 23) Willie's enthusiasm fell. "Well," he "Out you go. And don't blame me for favor. He had enlisted in the Regular said lamely, "we rate a free ride and what happens—this wasn't my idea!"

Navy—for six years. He wasn't a Re- free chow . . . and maybe there'll be serve, and he hadn't waited for the some good-looking girls around. You BUT half an hour later he was coming draft. Might take the kid in hand know." to the conclusion that he could "O'Shea, gunner's mate first!" growled "Yeah, I know! You got a lot to have been wrong. There was nothing like the public address system. "Lay up to learn, kid. You don't find good-looking this in the Old Navy. People really the bridge and report to the executive babes at church parties. I been to a appreciated a sailor, now; they wanted officer!" lot of 'em, and I only saw one good- to show him a good time. The com- Guns went, wondering what he'd done looking dame in my life. A redhead." munity hall had a victrola at one end, now. The exec handed him a typewritten "I like redheads, myself," Willie said. with bunting hung all over the place, list. "What happened?" and chairs pushed back for dancing. "Everybody wants to entertain us!" Guns frowned, considering a warning Mrs. Pettengill reminded him of his the exec complained. "Well, they mean —-just in case. But then Willie was Aunt Sarah, a fussy little woman who all right. O'Shea, get into your dress hardly competition, and he was Regular worried about people getting enough to blues and take charge of this detail. Navy. . . . eat. A half-dozen girls were on hand, Catch the bus for La Costa—Smith "Oh, I made out, all right," Guns and Mrs. Pettengill said more were com- will give you fare out of the welfare chuckled. "Everybody in the joint was ing. fund. Report to—let me see—Mrs. making a play for her. Including a The only thing. Guns thought, as he Pettengill, at the community church gyrene." balanced messgear on both knees, was social hall. And," he added with a faint "A marine?" the lack of a place to put such things. smile, "see to it that you have a good "Yeah—a gyrene. You know, that They ought to have chairs like they time." gyrene uniform used to get 'em. But do in cafeterias. They ought "If it's an order, Mr. Johnson," Guns I pulled a fast one on him. You know Then he drew a deep breath of ap- said truculently, "I'll go. But I won't how it always is at these things—you preciation, and held it, and carefully have a good time, sir. Even if I didn't never have a place to put anything. I deposited the messgear on an adjoining — '" have a bunch of boots in tow mean they hand you a plate of cake chair. The other girls had arrived, and "That'll do, O'Shea," said Mr. John- and they hand you a cup and saucer, the first one in the door was redheaded son. "Somebody's got to go." and it's worse than holding on to a and beautiful. "Aye, aye, sir," Guns answered. stanchion and trying to eat in rough Guns stood up as she barged his He watched the eight men file into weather. You'll find out." way, smiling. "Boy!" he said explosively, the bus. Peters, Janowski, Simmons, "But what about the redhead?" Willie "where have you been all my life? Brown, Hansen, Scagliotti, Murphy and pursued. Boy, oh— Andrews—all of them obviously excited "Oh—her. Well, the gyrene had just Then it happened. Don't ask Guns at the prospects of Mrs. Pettengill's got rid of his messgear when she barged how, but Willie Simmons appeared out pink tea. They were trying hard to up, and he stood up to ask her to of nowhere, cutting right across the be salty. In the Navy you can't get dance. She would have, too. But I up bow of the cute little redheaded cup- salty by trying. It takes a number of and shoved my plate and cup and saucer cake. He had a plate in one hand and years and a lot of ships, and until at him quick-like. It was a natural. a cup and saucer in the other; he you've got them behind you, that's What does anybody do when he gets thrust these out suddenly, as if they nothing but dandruff on your collar. . . . crockery suddenly shoved at him that were about to fall. But Willie Simmons would have them, way?" "Dance?" he asked, and he wasn't some day. A man didn't throw away "What?" asked Willie. talking to Guns O'Shea. six years' service. Willie would ship "He grabs it so it won't fall and "I don't mind," the cupcake said. over, and by then the Navy would be bust!" Guns said scornfully. "It's like Guns O'Shea did, but his hands were like it used to be before it was diluted. passing ammunition. It's—it's instinct. full of messgear. It works that way. Guns sat down beside Willie Sim- You—" Instinct, Guns says. mons. "Say!" the boy exclaimed, "this "La Costa!" called the bus driver. Willie Simmons was learning fast. ought to be a swell layout!" "That's the social hall over yonder, / guess, Guns sighed as he sat down "What's swell about it?" Guns sailors!" again, / won't have to worry about grunted. "All right, you guys!" Guns ordered. Willie any more. . , ,

FIGHTING WITH CONFETTI

{Continued from page 24) the Navy, either British or American. was organized (i) combat propaganda a tough-minded cavalry officer for 33 They all melted into the Psychological units that advanced with the very front- years and more recently commander of Warfare Branch of the Allied Forces. line troops; (2) occupation propaganda a mechanized infantry regiment. Ike Hazeltine called together his military units that followed up and worked in told Hazeltine to take this confusion and civilian assistants. "I don't know newly captured territory; (3) base prop- and make it work. Sadly Hazeltine anything about writing or propaganda," aganda units that coordinated the passed up his hope of combat action he said bluntly, "but I believe in its propaganda effort of Allied Force Head- and tackled a new job. power and I know the Army and I quarters with that of London and Wash- The various brain-war sections lost understand organization. We're on trial ington. their individualities. Men and women until we produce the goods. So you Here is a typical example of how ceased to belong to the OWI, or the write the word's and I'll sell the Army this setup worked: John Whitaker, OSS, or the PWE, or the MOI. Officers on their value." formerly a nationally known foreign and enlisted men and women ceased Out of the mob of specialists, many correspondent, led a combat propa- to be under command of the Army and with brilliant peacetime records, there ganda unit into Palermo in Sicily. He

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DF.CFMBF.R, 1943 41 When Purchasing Products Please Mention The American Legion Magazine immediately seized the radio station and be dropped, warning Rome citizens to and his direct appeal to the Italian newspaper plants. Within a few days prepare. people. When it became apparent that the radio was broadcasting to the Another startling development, after the Germans intended to fight in Italy, Italian people, and the newspaper Sicilia PWB swung into action, was the change the PWB's broadcasts to the Italians Libertata was giving Sicilians the first in the German prisoners' outlook. In carried specific instructions how to truths they had read in more than 20 Tunisia we captured 40,000, but they sabotage German supply lines and com- years. were full of Dr. Goebbels's fantasies. munications. Until that classic moment, the PWB Several Nazis, officers and enlisted men, One such broadcast said: "Listen and had traversed a tough road. Hazeltine's said, "You've driven us out of Bizerte reflect attentively, Italians! organization was completed just when and Tunis but you'll never capture "Tonight and tomorrow night at this the Tunisian campaign looked critical, Algiers, Oran or Casablanca." One said, same hour we will give you some precise but nobody paid him much attention. "Now that Japan has invaded Siberia suggestions that will help you regain He got funds and equipment where it's all up with the Russians this year, your liberty and obtain an honorable he could, to print pamphlets. Pilots and we'll beat you and England next peace with the expulsion of the Ger- didn't want to carry them. Infantry year." Still another said, "I hope I'm mans. Much has been done, Italians, patrols disliked going out behind enemy shipped to America. I want to see what There is still much to do. lines to plant them. A British captain New York looks like, now that the "Cut off the retreat of the Germans named O'Neil had rediscovered how Japanese have bombed it flat." They in south Italy. were cocky and confident. "Prevent the Germans from sending to fill a cannon shell with leaflets and into Italy, put in sufficient charge to break the In Sicily ail this was changed. Many new troops casing without burning the paper; but German soldiers were sullen and dis- "To continue the war in Italy the of- need the Italian railroads, the artillery didn't want to shoot what couraged. They knew Germany's Germans failed. particularly the electrified seaboard they called duds. fensive in Russia had They knew two lost, thought Italy was lines. these lines the Germans take Patiently PWB officers called on gen- Sicily was and On also. officers admitted that Ger- away your food and your workers. Stop erals, selling the idea of leaflets. They Some could not hope to win the war. the traffic on these lines and you will got a few million a week dropped, but many These Germans had come mostly from stop the war. everybody was still thinking of killing reserves in southern France, which had "Trains cannot run without rails, a German's body and not his will to been bombarded daily for 14 hours by without electricity, without personnel. resist. Then the break came. medium-wave and short-wave Blow up the tracks, cut the electric Italians began to surrender by scores PWB programs. So many German war vehicles lines, do little or no work. The nerve and hundreds, each holding up the are equipped with radio that it was center of electric railroads is trans- leaflet as a safe-conduct. Telling about impossible for the high command to formers. Cut this nerve and the rail- it, Hazeltine grinned. "Two Eyeties prevent broadcasts being received. road is paralyzed. A bullet in the coils walked in one day with leaflets," he These PWB stations became siege puts the transformer out of action. said, "and told us there were 60 more guns broadcasting in Italian, German "There remains much to do. Do it." waiting out there but afraid to come and French. The only rule in preparing C. D. Jackson, civilian deputy, PWB, in because they didn't have tickets. We newscasts was blunt: "Make it simple said, "We started from scratch in a sent out men to round them up. and tell only the truth. Our value is game we knew nothing about. But "Another time an Italian surrendered, gone if the Germans ever can point enough evidence is now in to show that asked to have an extra leaflet and ran to one lie," honest propaganda is as deadly as a back to bring in his brother. The radio pounded incessantly at thousand-bomber raid. And we are sav- "I've been told that in the last days Italy, When Mussolini resigned, the ing the lives of our splendid young of the Tunisian scrap the Arabs actually proof was found that our broadcasts American soldiers, for every enemy who ran a black market in leaflets, selling were reaching the Italian people. When surrenders with one of our pamphlets them as tickets of surrender to Ger- Badoglio hesitated, it was on PWB's in his hand is one less to shoot at our mans as well as Italians." United Nations radio that Eisenhower lads as they push along the liberation A captured German captain is re- made his announcement of the armistice march in Europe." ported to have told intelligence officers: "In my sector of the front your propaganda was disastrous. Even the little Flugbldtter (leaflets) —after you read them you imagined you read the truth, CASUALTY LIST that our government was lying to us. BROWN, PVT. WALTER A. (It was his mother who'd remarked I felt like blowing out my brains. I never let one of my men read them, in a beauty parlor, "He's a paratrooper—stationed in England just but that was difficult because they were opposite Calais.") everywhere." Now, indeed, the combat generals ELLIS, PFC RALPH O. (His proud father told a friend, "Ralph took notice. The shell that could fire runs a landing barge. He's in Bristol noio.") propaganda was particularly fascinating and was used on tough positions. It MYERS, CPL. SID L. (It was his girl who bragged, "He says he'll was a great day in Hazeltine's life when be very busy soon—and not iti London!") Lieutenant General George Patton, then commanding the Second Corps, ordered DOHERTY, CAPT. JOHN N. (It was his wife who remarked, pamphlets dropped in front of his lines. "John's with the Rangers practising near Dover.") The PWB began to distribute millions of pamphlets a week. When the And it was the German Espionage which said—"Paratroopers . . .

North African Air Forces decided to barges . . . Rangers . . . looks like a Com?nando raid . . . near Calais." bomb military objectives in Rome, It was. And the casualty list . . , was very long. Lieutenant General Carl A. Spaatz sent for O. H. P. Garrett, head of an ad- —Jack Finney vanced unit of the PWB in Tunis, and ordered several million pamphlets to 42 The AMERICAN LEGION Magazine Roneering Since 1849

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DECEMBER, 1913 43 When Purchasing Products Please Mention The American Legion Magazine —

LONDONDERRY AIR: IT'S NAVAL

(Continued from page 27) tioned here, awaiting possible dispatch a deck-full of four-inch guns and twelve propeller blades; repair electric wiring; to some new spot close to our new torpedo tubes. That meant a crew of test compass; some boiler room repairs; fighting fronts. Marines stand guard sailors and a corps of gunners. We patch leak in hull near the waterline. over the priceless supplies of oil and cut that down, and we install many "It looks like about a five-day job," gasoline and steel. ("Why not be friendly new pieces of detecting equipment. Our said Conklin, "though we'll know better to the Marines?" asked a sailor in- ships now carry a dozen new ratings when we get into it. Can you give us dulgently. "After all, they are our men trained to handle these anti-sub till 17.00 on Saturday?" This was Mon- allies.") and anti-aircraft detecting devices. That day. But the Navy Yard is the big story. means double the number of the crew, That's the way our Navy does in It is doing an expert job, under field but less space in which to put them." this war—behind the scenes—fighting in conditions. Our Navy men use U.S. Newer ships are being built with an sweaters and dungarees, fighting with machine tools but insofar as possible eye to accommodating the larger crews, electric welding and blowtorches instead rather than building the ship first and of guns; crawling into tight compart- then fitting the men into it, he goes ments and installing new detecting de- on. That makes a big difference. vices in old ships; putting better cook- This war has taught shipbuilders of stoves in ships to handle larger crews. the U.S. and Canada and Britain some The job adds up to helping keep vital things about ships for war. Every the British and Canadian navies in the ship built is a compromise; if you North Atlantic active, as well as our want more speed you must take less own ships. It is no exaggeration to say armor-plate; if you want long distances that we could not have transported our you must carry larger supplies of fuel very large armies to Britain and North and those probably must accept less

Africa and Italy without the services make use of British steel and other fighting ajnmunition; if you install of this navy yard in Ireland; could not supplies, purchased under reverse lend- sound-detecting gear and anti-magnetic keep our fighting men supplied without lease. The equipment they install is mine equipment above decks and in- its daily ministrations to the ships that straight United States—and our Navy crease the weight of the ship you may fight the Nazi subs. In 18 months 175 workmen know by actual comparison have to widen the beam and decrease allied ships have been serviced here; that it is the best in the world, and the speed' all over again. No one ship some of them six or eight times. often the neatest and the most compact. can do every fighting job. So far as They get the story of war at second- They give credit to the British, these possible new U.S. and Canadian ships hand. The stories of Atlantic convoys working sailors of ours, for some in- are spotted for some specific task. carrying heavy cargoes in all kinds of genious sea devices too. They give credit The Canadians took their Grimsby weather. The achievements of R.A.F, to the Canadians for a new navy which trawler and armored it, making it a and U.S. Navy seaplane pilots—the co- started with six ships and 3,000 officers corvette—a semi-destroyer. It has its ordination that has bridged the Atlantic and men in 1939, and now numbers points: chiefly lightness, speed and and closed that gap in our supply line. 500 ships and 65,000 officers and men; maneuverability, and quickness of pro- They get heroic stories. "We put a huge job and a creditable one. They duction. over a boat to pick up survivors, but give credit too to the captains and The new U.S. destroyer-escort is our all we got was the stomachs of some crews and average sailors who built up own answer to the need of the mo- Nazi sailors, and we had to fight the the Admiralty's record of 90 subs sunk ment. It too is lighter and faster to sea-gulls to salvage these. Our ship's in three months' time early this summer make. A trifle slower in action than doctor pickled a German U-boat sailor's —one sub a day. ("If you ask me," a destroyer, yet beautiful and lovable. heart in alcohol so we could show the said the captain of the Canadian cor- A ship any sailing man can be proud Admiralty proof that we sank a sub." vette, who felt in his heart his ship of. And spotlessly clean, from the black And from the tropics: "That's where had sunk a sub but who couldn't con- painted rail of the captain's bridge they're really fighting. Every officer and vince the Admiralty, "they could make to the aluminum trays on which the man in that outfit had dysentery, but it 120 subs sunk, and still not tell a crew stack their hearty and delicious- nobody got time off unless he was lie.") looking meals. actually flat on his back. Some men They will tell you privately at London- Occasionally you find U.S. lads serving had actually cut the seat out of their derry that U.S. fighting ships are the in the Canadian navy. Eager young trousers." best in the world ; best because cleanest. men they are, who could not wait for But they're in the backwash of war "You can go down into them without our own cautious entry into the war. themselves. These men of the U.S. Navy getting sick from the smells," said a This fight is bringing the U.S. and fire no guns. The sound they hear is Yankee workman expressively. U.S. ships Canada closer together in every way. the healing sting of the welding-rod too have cooler engine-rooms, and such The outstanding surprise in any brawl as it presses a steel patch over an ugly sea-going luxuries as running ice-water. anywhere in Britain is that when any hole in a ship's bow. Theirs is a servicing "Here's the story," says the Canadian fighting starts, the Canadians line up job, repairing and modernizing U.S. captain of one of those 50 over-age with the Yanks. Both belong to na- ships and those of our allies. destroyers—remember ? —which were tions of the New World, and both are They operate on the simple Dave traded' by the U.S. to Britain in return proud of it. Conklin formula: Do the job quickly for bases in the Bahamas and New- You find some Canadian workmen and get some fun out of it; and don't foundland, and some of which were serving in overalls in the U.S. Naval complicate matters by making an easy then given by Britain to Canada. Operating Base at Londonderry. Some job seem difficult. "Fighting this war calls for a very dif- are experts, placed there for the dura- Londonderry is quite a U.S. base. ferent type of ship from those that tion—whatever that is. Some are lads There is a naval hospital, built by the did the fighting in the last war. Those put there for training in how to operate Seabees, for seamen of our own and old ships were built ior short trips; the new detecting equipment being put all allied navies. A detachment of Sea- now they are doing convoy duty over on their ships, how to service it at bees—Navy construction experts—is sta- and back. The old destroyers carried sea, how to take care of it. The talent 44 Th AMERICAN LEGION Magazine .

New Horizons in the

Think Kow far you might have No two cities anywhere in the TIME-TABLE FOR THE AGE OF FLIGHT traveled in the past . . . the places you United States will be more than a

Air Today ( or To- might have visited . . . the people you few hours apart. Frequent, regular From To Allies pre-war) morrow might have met — if ortly you could' airline service will take you to New York San Francisco 2478 193/4 hrs. 10 hrs. have spared the time. Your viewrpoint South America in a day, or across Chicago Singapore 9345 4'/2 days 48 hrs. Washington Moscow 4883 51 hrs. 2! hrs. of the world you live in would have the Atlantic overnight. New York London 3440 20 hrs. 14 hrs. Chicago New York 747 41/2 hrs. 3 hrs. been broadened immeasurably. Along with this greatly expanded Los Angeles Seattle 1019 71/2 hrs. 4 hrs. Before air transport was developed, air travel, all forms of transportation Portland Philadelphia 2408 I8I/4 hrs. 10 hrs.

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DECEMBER, 1943 45 When Purchasing PRoniirxs Please Mention The Aw^rican Lerion Magazine these sea-going mechanics thus acquire can wmd a starter for an AC motor. trical work for Wheeling Steel Corpora- will be needed to help sink a $250,000 So can Fred Coker, 21, from Whitesburg, tion—he came to Ireland as a civilian enemy sub and save their own ship and Kentucky. Ditto 19-year-old Roy M. electrician and joined the U.S. Navy perhaps other ships in a much-needed Wilkinson of Wheeling, West Virginia, over there. convoy. though it is a long step from his job Other young men, equally keen, Spotted throughout the Londonderry as shipping clerk with the Kanawha equally conscientious and eager to finish Navy Yard are some husky chief petty & Hocking Coal & Coke Company of every repair job handed them and do officers, many of them with hashmarks his home town. Men like these are it brilliantly and soon, work in the indicating a score of years of fighting busy changing over a ship's electrical Na\y foundry, the various machine service. They are the backbone of the system from 220 to 110 volts when shops, the engine shop, the torpedo Navy's organization, and fortunate the that change is desirable; or rewinding shop, and so on. country is to have their training and motors so as to operate on AC instead These men work nights when rush skill. of DC, which permits of more simple jobs are handed them. Sometimes they But nobody in a democracy knows armatures with no contacts. work Sundays, although actual Navy much about this war game when a Lads like 23-year-old' John A. Kara- tests show a man works better through war actually comes. You are not too haus of Peabody, Massachusetts don't the week if he takes Sunday off. Never- much surprised therefore to find a lad permit themselves to be frightened by theless, almost any Sunday you will like 2 1 -year-old Dale Diamond of any electrical problem on any ship. find men workiog on the seventh day, Topeka, Kansas, repairing ship's watches Working under the seasoned leadership on their own, to hurry along some job and doing it well, even though he of electrical officer Lieutenant James that will put a ship back into the fight learned the trade within this past year E. Teague, USN, and men like him, more promptly. under the tutelage of Joe S. Little of these lads help knock the imp out of To keep pace with the growing minds Daytona Beach, Florida. The Navy's the impossible. And there are dozens of these American young men the Navy secret for training men is to catch them of others: 19-year-old James A. Wag- operates a "university" at Londonderry young before they have very much goner of Detroit, Michigan, who started under curly-headed Ensign Arthur Kane, wrong to unlearn. Then give them the a career in business college but traded the "dean." Here you find lads and straight dope, and make it clear and it for a term in the Navy; 21-year-old men studying shorthand and' typing; concise and make it everlastingly prac- George H. Slates of Cleveland, Ohio, studying English grammar and algebra; tical. You'll be surprised what these who worked in the office of the Cleve- studying the courses they were unable boys can learn, both from the bench land Twist Drill Company; two broth- to complete in high school and, it is and from books, in no time at all. ers, James and Walter Odell of Kansas hoped, obtaining full credit from their Take for instance 19-year-old Thomas City, Missouri; Walter M. Warner of schools back home for this schooling. S. Riddle of Frankfort, Kentucky. Tom Steubenville, Ohio, who used to do elec- {Continued on page 50)

SMITH OF THE WAKE

(Continued from page 22) residents their first intimation of war. At the prison camp, conditions were gun and three rounds of ammunition. Hundreds of persons watched the un- not too bad, the skipper told me later, The Jap coup therefore was a hollow equal battle between the Japs and the and he was assigned to barracks hous- one. Peterel from the Customs Jetty and ing other American officers, marines.

Furthermore, if the Wake had been other vantage points on the river front. The food, he said, was far from being well armed and with plenty of ammuni- I was one of them. At the time firing good or plentiful or even nourishing, tion, a fight would have been futile in commenced I was asleep in my room but he managed, with the help of candy view of the fact that several Jap gun- at the Palace Hotel, which is on The and certain foodstuffs purchased at the boats and destroyers had their guns Bund, facing the 'Whangpoo River. I commissary at exorbitant prices to keep directly trained on the Wake, and at hurriedly dressed and repaired to the himself fed. extremely dgse range. In addition, she Customs Jetty. The camp, covering several acres, was was in range of the heavy guns of the The red and orange flashes from the on low, swampy land and was entirely Jap cruiser Idzunio, lying downriver. guns stabbed the darkness lighting up surrounded by electrically charged Apparently the skipper and crew of the scene of battle. The Peterel was barbed wire fences. the British gunboat Peterel, lying up- badly hit early and soon was in a sink- Numerous sentries were constantly on stream about 150 yards from the Wake, ing condition. I could see British sailors duty, a duty somewhat hazardous by had an inkling or a strong suspicion bobbing in the treacherous waters of night because of the Chinese guerrillas, of the plans of the Nips. At any rate the Whangpoo, striving to reach a place .who would crawl up close to the camp when the Jap sailors and marines of safety. Suddenly Jap machine gun- and unerringly pick off the guards. boarded the Peterel and demanded the ners mercilessly opened fire on the help- Commander Smith and Commander presence of the skipper, that worthy less men in the river. I saw several go R. H. Woolley, the latter senior British at once came forward and accepted a down. The Peterel sank as the Japs navy officer in the Shanghai area, and letter from the Jap officer in charge. cheered and shouted "Banzai." who had been arrested in Shanghai, be- The letter, as in the case of the Wake, That day the Japs instituted a fev- gan plotting escape. They took into demanded that the Peterel be forwith erish, intensive hunt for the missing their confidence two American civilians surrendered. The reply of the coura- Commander Smith. Eventually they captured at Wake Island, who were anx- geous British officer was an emphatic found and arrested him. He then was ious to make a break for liberty. "No." taken, under heavy guard, to the Jap Eventually plans for the escape were The Japs then withdrew, the Jap of- prison camp at Woosung, where Amer- completed and on a night in March, ficer in charge acknowledging the brav- ican marines and' civilians captured at 1942, the four stole from their bunks, ery of the British officer with a bow. Wake Island were held. "borrowed" shovels from a tool shed, Minutes later Jap gunboats and other Intensive questioning followed, but dug a shallow hole under the charged war vessels opened fire on the Peterel, the Nips failed to exact a promise from barbed wire, and escaped from the camp. which immediately replied. The salvos Commander Smith that he would not They were well equipped with warm awakened sleeping Shanghai and gave try to escape. clothing, some food and about $1000

46 The AMERICAN LEGION Masazint in American currency. A big advantage, too, was the fact that Commander Smith, who has lived in China many years, speaks the Chinese language flu- ently. Commander Woolley also has some knowledge of that language. The goal of the four was Chungking, capital of Free China, more than i.ooo ROM miles overland, which meant that their

journey, if successful, would require several months" travel, part of it through MAINE Occupied China. The quartet headed in the general direction of Shanghai, planning, however, to bypass that city and head for TO the nearest portion of Free China, where, they were confident, they would meet with the full cooperation of Chinese CALIFORNIA irregulars.

The four walked all night, but just at dawn a thick fog descended and they lost their bearings. In the hea\y fog they blundered into a Jap fort and were seen by the Jap sentries. A large unit of Jap soldiers quickly surrounded and captured the four. Being unarmed they could put up no resistance.

The escape of the quartet, it was later learned, created an uproar at the Jap prison camp, all prisoners there being confined to barracks and otherwise punished because of the escapes, I had known Commander Smith for several years, during which he was a pilot operating between Shanghai on the Whangpoo River and the Yangtze Estu-

ar>-. He was regarded as a very skillful pilot and his services were much in demand. At the time of the escape from the prison camp, I was a prisoner of the Japs at the notorious Bridge House prison and therefore had at that time no intimation of the escape and capture. My first knowledge of it came when the door of my cell was abruptly thrown open about midnight of a bitterly cold night in late March, and a new prisoner was shoved in. The newcomer's face looked rather familiar even in the feeble yellow rays 100 PROOF of the single cell light, but it was not until daylight that I recognized the KENTUCKY prisoner as Commander Smith. Com- mander Woolley and the other two men STRAI G HT had been brought to the same prison, I BOURBON later learned, but all four were in dif- WHISKY ferent cells. I shook hands with Commander Smith and at the first opportunity we sat on the floor, constantly on the alert for the guards, while he whispered to me the stor>' of his escape. He was naturally bitterly disappointed over his recapture.

Commander Smith is a veteran of the First World War, during which he com-

manded a destroyer. He is short, stocky and powerful, young in appearance and has a ready, engaging smile. He has plenty of guts, too, a thing the Japs in charge of the prison realized, and for which they respected him. Early even.- morning he was taken from the cage BROWN-FORMAN DISTILLERY CO., INC. • LOUISVILLE \n KENTUCKY

DECEMBER, 1943 47 When Purchasing Products Please Mention The American Legion Magazine up to an apartment of the Jap officers, The Japs gave Smith a drawer in a On the night of April 15th, Com- where he and Commander Woolley were cabinet just outside our cell for his mander Smith had been brought to his given the freedom of the apartment, toilet articles and other small belong- cell and had retired, when a guard came permitted to shave and bathe when they ings. Smith kept that drawer well stocked to the cell door and called his name. so desired, and might send out for food with cigarettes, and all prisoners in my He was removed from the cell and we and prepare it to suit themselves. All cage were free to help themselves to a never saw him again, although it was day long Jap gendarmerie officers came smoke when out of the cell for exercise reliably reported that he had been taken and went, many of them pausing to con- or for other reasons. Cigarettes at that to Nanking, tried and sentenced to ten verse in English with Smith and Woolley. time, particularly American ones, were years in prison for escaping from the Apparently the Japs liked the coura- mighty expensive and it was a generous prison camp. I later heard that he and geous Commander Smith, because they gesture on the part of the officer. Commander Woolley were returned to allowed him many liberties, such as Commander Smith was questioned of- Shanghai from Nanking and lodged in making telephone calls for his fellow ficially many times by the Japs, who the Ward Road Jail, which was a fairly prisoners, ordering shirts, underwear and wanted to know the minutest details of comfortable jail. I am inclined to be- other articles of wear from an English- his escape and of his plans. To give lieve the report. owned department store, and taking to readers an idea of the courage of the At any rate we lost a kind, generous his cell at night little luxuries for his man I will tell the following. friend, one we shall never forget. He less fortunate fellow prisoners. At 9 One day Commander Smith was being never complained despite the cold, the o'clock each night, however. Smith and examined by a severe Jap officer. The lice, rats and unfeeling guards. Woolley were returned to their respec- officer declared he didn't believe a cer- Commander Smith had the distinction tive cells, under the guard of a Jap tain statement made by Smith. Smith of being the only prisoner in the Bridge officer. No Jap other than an officer was furious. House who boasted a bed sack and a ever escorted them to their cells. From "If you say that again I'll hit you," pillow in his cell—gifts of admiring Jap 9 p. M. until the following morning the commander said. officers. I know, because he gave me they were forced to sleep in the vermin- The Jap not only did not repeat it, the pillow the night he was taken away. infested cells and were treated the same but later in the day apologized to the He took the bed sack with him, but as other prisoners. American officer. gave a young Chinese prisoner his tube The officers of the apartment also Many of the Jap officers with whom of toothpaste. would permit Commander Smith to buy Smith came in contact had lived in During our many whispered conver- and bring to his cell little cans of sliced America and it pleased many of them sations in the cell. Commander Smith oranges, which Smith the following to discuss American motion pictures and did not mention his life in America, morning would equally divide with other stars, boxing champions, baseball and other than to state that he is from Cali- prisoners. They were a great treat. life in America. fornia.

HE BROUGHT US HOME

(Continued from page 13) sured us, with his infallible Estimated the Estimated Time of Arrival which he at Adrianople, the little neutral city used Time of Arrival report, that we could had phoned up hours ahead. Could he do by Jewish and other refugees for em- make it if the airplane continued to it again—was he really a miracle man? barkation. The Baron knew where we behave. Some navigators, you know, are born, were. The chief topic of conversation as we others are just made. I'm inclined to be- We discussed landing at Adrianople felt our way through those vast ranges, lieve The Baron made himself. He had for internment, rather than crash land dipping far below peaks and groping no previous experience before his Army in Bulgaria or Rumania and be held through canyon holes, was a place to Air Force training. prisoners of war. Our plane was stagger- land. It just didn't add up that The He had been in our outfit in the Middle ing along full tilt at 130 miles per hour, Baron could wiggle us through. East only a month when he was re- and four-motored airplanes stall out "Nice place over there—dry lake bed. garded as one of the best navigators who very easily at 125 miles per hour. Awfully nice," mused Colonel Kane. But ever squinted into the sun. As time went We decided we had a chance to make we kept going. by, he was regarded as the best in the it to Cyprus, tiny British island base. I kept thinking about The Baron and business. It wasn't an accident, however. But The Baron gave us a glimpse of what telling myself the reasons why he wouldn't I've seen him at night out at the was ahead—-8,500-foot ranges that had fail us. I thought of that first time The desert base when others were playing to be cleared or negotiated in some way. Baron had sat down there in the nose poker or partying, out there by himself The Colonel ordered the crew to tear out of our Liberator and fingered' the lives shooting stars. I used to watch him, everything that would come loose and of our crew in his bony, delicate hands. silhouetted out there against his heaven. throw it over. We had to have more Naples had been our target that time, Wacky guys, those navigators, I thought. altitude, at least up to 6,000 feet. and eight enemy fighters had jumped us. He'd stand there with his octant, the Guns, ammunition, oxygen bottles, The Baron had been pretty busy, figur- instrument they use in celestial naviga- even four-ounce oxygen masks—every- ing our course with one hand and firing tion for measuring before a lot of trig thing that could be pried loose—was hell out of a flexible machine gun with work with pencil and paper. Now the chucked out the door. the other. ordinary navigator shoots three stars Over to the left of us, still trailing us, Over the interphone, I remembered, I with the octant and figures out his fix, Lt. Royden Lebrecht of Denison, Texas, had heard a whoop and a holler like a or point. radioed over to chirp: Texas cowboy yell. It made me home- But not The Baron. He was the eager "Are the seams breaking? Never saw sick. The Baron had strafed a Focke- type. To hell with just three stars, he'd so many gadgets fly out of an airplane! Wulf I go into a ball of fire. It went shoot a five-star fix. Brother, he could What the hell are you doin', remodel- singing down—the funeral march. Then, lay a dot down when he got through. If ing?" after 25 minutes of hell in the clouds. he was in the middle of the Mediter- We had to get through those mountain The Baron had done the impossible. He ranean or the Atlantic, he knew where ranges by dark or set down in some had navigated us safe to Malta, crippled he was. awfully rugged territory. The Baron as- and badly disabled, within one minute of In the daytime he could have just

48 The AMERICAN LEGION Ma^a-Jm — — !

plotted his course with dead reckoning but he would combine sun lines, wind drifts from the bombsight and other 4y iH^smM things to make damn certain. The average navigator would figure out his course in advance and then read a detec- tive magazine for the next couple of hours. Not The Baron. He worked constantly. He never overlooked anything. He

did it for the fun and love of navigation —and to get us there and back. He never overlooked the possibility that something could happen to the plane and /^'^ -W"' over enemy territory he always had the nearest alternative base plotted even Or buy $1,500.00 or more of this Safe, while the ack-ack was pluming all Old Line, Legal around us. Reserve Protection for These navigators are pretty wonder- 98c per $1,000! Men or women, all ages HAIF THE PERMANENT RATE IN EFFECT lEGINNING FIFTH YEAR ful guys. up to 55 at proportionately Low Rates! It will sound impossible, especially to pilots who read this, but I give you my Twice as Much Protection for the Next 4 Years word The Baron never was off more than This policy provides about twice the year the rate will be less than you three minutes on Estimated Times of Policy Provides: Full Payment in protection now you'd expect your would pay if you applied to us for Arrival case of death money to buy and beginning in combat. Cash and Loan the 5th an Ordinary Whole Life Policy then! It is very comforting to Values know when Paid-up and Buy Old Line, Legal Reserve Life Insurance DIRECT! a guy tells you home base will be reached Extended Insurance Life Income from For nearly 40 years, this Old Line tial Americans hove applied for mil- at a certain time, that you will get there Proceeds Current Dividends Company, unique among leading lions of dollars of Postal Insurance. —unless the plane falls apart or you Old Established Life Insurance Com- We have paid out more than break a leg, or something. I tried to re- panies, has offered Standard Life In- $55,000,000.00 to policy-holders and of annual surance direct to the policy-holder by their beneficiaries! More and more member all this as we waited, waited premium mail and over the counter. Substan- people are buying insurance direct! just hoping The Baron was right and CLIP that he'd come through with his Esti- SAFE Life Insurance at LOW COST AND MAIL COUPON NOW! Postal operates under the rigid New York State In- mated Time of Arrival into Cyprus. The surance Laws. It owns and occupies its own 17-story Postal Life Insurance Company was building on New York's famous Fifth Avenue. It is Baron's voice over the interphone 511 Fifth Ave., Dept. M, 241 the oldest Company in America devoted exclusively calm this time. to insuring the lives of substantial men and women New York 17, N. Y. at low cost, by mail. We issue all Standard Policies "Over Cyprus at 9 p. m., over the for men and women from ages I to 60. Mail me without obligation com- airport at 9:10 p. m." plete information about your low-cost Modified Act as Your Own Agent! "4" Policy at my age. On our left wing Lieutenant Hadley, Mail the coupon for full information and rotes at Date of Birth a nice kid from Oklahoma, radioed that your age. Find out how simple and practical it is to Occupation buy Life Insurance direct! there is no obligation to he had feathered his second engine as we Name buy but insurance is vital! Moil the coupon—find out got out of the mountains and passed the why we say: Street... coastline. He asked us to slow down. City State Better Buy from POSTAL Include P. O. District Number, if any But we couldn't—slower speed would have been suicide. We called back to hang on, give it every trick—we were nearing a base. But he couldn't make it. We saw him turn inland. Then we lost him. We were getting good contact with HAVE YOU CHANGED YOUR ADDRESS? the ground station at Cyprus. They were If your address has been changed since paying your 1943 dues, getting the field ready. Lights would be notice of such change should be sent at once to the Circulation De- on. The Baron guided us on. Finally we partment, The American Legion Magazine, P. O. Box 1055, In- saw flares—the prettiest sight of my dianapolis, Indiana. mailing list covers both The American life. The one Legion Magazine National Legionnaire. It meant the end of a 14 hour and 40 and The minute date with hell for us. The Baron BE SURE TO GIVE ALL INFORMATION LISTED BELOW had delivered. We came in, saw the runway and made NEW ADDRESS just one turn smack into it. We hit the Name ground with a grind, spun dizzily around (Please Prim) for a couple of hundred feet and stopped Street Address etc dead. Somebody hollered, "Lefs get the City State hell out of here," and we gathered up 1944 Membership Card No our three slightly wounded men and did just that. Post No State Dept We ran a short distance from the plane, knelt down and kissed the ground. OLD ADDRESS I grabbed The Baron and kissed him. Street Address etc "Son," bellowed Colonel Kane, "I'm going to get you the biggest and prettiest City State medal this Army will let you have!"

DECF.MBER, 1943 49 When Purchasing Products Please Mention The American Legion Magazine 8

HE TAKES OBJECTIVES

{Continued from page 38) Atherton actively entered the national completed when he joins those other still finds time to give his valuable Legion picture in 1933 as a member of solid Americans who have led the Legion, legal advice to that body. the National Americanism Commission, next September when his term ends.

Warren Atherton's climb through Le- serving on it until 1936. He was National That his record will be an outstand- gion ranks started when he became a Executive Committeeman from Cali- ing one is certain, for Warren Atherton member of his home Post, Karl Ross, fornia in 1937-38 and became National does everything he has to do, ably, of Stockton, in 1919. He has held prac- Defense Chairman in 1939, completing conscientiously and courageously. tically every office in the Post, which five full years in that position when Out in his native town of San Fran- for years has led the Department of elected National Commander last Sep- cisco they have a rather famous slogan California in membership. He was Post tember. —"San Francisco Knows How." Commander in 1926, District Com- And that September meeting in Omaha Perhaps the city fathers will not mander the following year. Department saw Warren Atherton complete another mind a Native Son borrowing it for it Americanism Chairman in 1931 and successful climb through the ranks. could be well said, "Warren Atherton Department Commander in 1932-33. This particular climbing tour will be Knows How."

LONDONDERRY AIR: IT'S NAVAL

(Continued from page 46) its transports over to the Army and thus robs him of a fair target. These Most of the instructors are Navy officers, does the unglamorous but necessary job Navy sons of yours learn many a secret proud to contribute their services. of servicing our own ships and the ships of the art of war; more credit to them It is an informal school, this "uni- of our allies. Working in strange cli- that they do not whisper their secrets versity," but businesslike. In the course mates, dodging unexpected rains, work- in letters home. in conversational French your old friend ing with hand tools and at night under Their praise is written in the feats Monsieur Perrichon no longer makes blackout conditions, our fighting lads of the ships they fix up for better fight- his interminable and laughable voyages. in blue dungarees are showing the world ing. To the Navy lads at Londonderry Instead, the talk is of military matters: that Americans know how to work. —just one of the country's Navy bases Did your ship sink? Where is your They'd love to be manning these ships but a good one—goes credit for success- regiment stationed? We want accom- too, but their job is ashore. They itch fully swinging the battle of the Atlantic modations for 50 officers and men. with restlessness when they see a fight- toward victory for our side. And when Where is the hot water, where are the ing ship changing its camouflage to the victory is won, no doubt the skill toilets? operate in a different zone. Camouflage developed by these young lads will help A versatile and adaptable outfit, this doesn't make a ship invisible, you under- to rebuild a tired world. The Navy Navy of ours. It fights a shooting war stand; but it helps fool the enemy as builds builders. Builders is what this in the Pacific; in the Atlantic it turns to the direction you are going, and world needs.

COME ON, YOU G. I.'S AND MAC'S

(Continued from page 16) section. Each soldier must know his searchlights, airborne, and barrage bal- quiring a high-velocity gun with a rapid and every other detail of the weapons. loons. Yet only the members of the '40' rate of fire. This is attained by the blending of the units have a good reason to perpetuate "The '8' of this story represents the personalities and characters of the men the name made famous by the 191 team of eight men which makes these to formulate a gun combination in basic doughboy—the 40 & 8." weapons operate smoothly. Antiaircraft training by the battery officers. These Artillery soldiers must have a vast executives are trained in all phases of THERE is talent galore scattered amount of knowledge, aptitude and prac- leadership and cooperation at the Anti- throughout our Armed Forces- tice, and their training program is rigid aircraft Artillery School in Camp writers, artists, musicians, photographers and exacting. The AA soldier is a 'know- Davis. . . . and . . . playwrights. And we old bucks how and can-do' soldier. He's an all- "The 40 and the machine gun are can point modestly to one of our earlier purpose soldier. He knows how to use emplaced and ready for action in less generation in uniform who has served his rifle and bayonet as well as the 40 than a minute, using the forward area in both World Wars—one Irving Berlin and the machine gun. Because of his sights, while the total time for all equip- by name, who thrilled our First World training he is especially prepared to repel ment, including the director and power War forces with his "Yip, Yip, Yap- enemy parachute attacks or sudden raids plant, to be ready and manned, is hank," in which was introduced the on his positions. . . . less than five minutes. . . . classic soldier song, "Oh, How I Hate "Each soldier has a designated posi- "In every campaign of the war to- to Get Up in the Morning," and his tion and duty—namely, the gunner, who day the AA soldier is carr>'ing out his present sell-out hit of both stage and captains the section, two machine gun- assigned tasks. Few activities on the screen, "This Is The Army," which most ners, who double up as antiaircraft look- fighting front lack an AA unit. Often everyone has seen. outs and must be educated to recognize it's an AA unit in a remote spot many Undoubtedly many of you, of both planes and tanks with split-second ac- miles away from support of the main wars, have seen the production "Army curacy; the loader and firer; the lateral base of operations. Play by Play," consisting of five one- gun pointer; the vertical gun pointer, "The automatic weapons batteries are act plays that won top honors in a and the two men who pass the ammuni- but a single group of the AA organiza- contest conducted by the Army in which

tion. This is an eight-in-one job. . . . tion. Among the other are the self- only active Army men could participate. Team coordination and all its principles propelled (half-tracks) batteries, the Now the Navy, Marines and Coast reach their Utopia in a well-trained gun heavy guns in the 90 mm. and 4.7 inch. Guard are being given a similar op-

SO The AMERICAN LEGION Maga-Jne !

"One oi those ingenious Yankee soldiers of the Engineer Corps

hooked it up!"

portunity to show their wares in the way of men who can write plays. A contest is now under way—closing at noon, February 15, 1944—under the sponsorship of the Third Naval District The non-stop record for pipe en- and the eminent producer, John Golden, joyment i.s held by the lucky men in which $1,000 in prize money will be who've found Briggs tobacco. They distributed. First prize is $500, with all know its enticingly delicious aroma $250, $125, $75 and $50 as the reward is an understatement of the flavor. for the second, third, fourth and fifth For Briggs' soft blue smoke is a mel- pIpe mixture The Smoke best plays, respectively. low blessing on the tongue, rich and with Only plays running between fifteen gentle and joyous in every tender minutes and a half-hour will be con- wisp. (Briggs, you know, is cask- a Smile sidered. A board of producers and play- mellowed for years— longer than wrights will judge the manuscripts, which many costly blends.) So have a record should be submitted to the Welfare smoke for yourself— try a package of and Recreation Office, Third Naval Dis- Briggs today. trict, Room 1303, 90 Church Street,

New York 7, New York. Here's an opportunity for of the sea-going men PRODUCT OF P. lORILLARD COMPANY, branches of service to win fame and a bit of fortune—as the plays will be produced on Broadway. To stimulate interest in the contest, NOSE and THROAT six of the country's foremost comic PSORIASIS CONGESTION Don't "lose your head" when It feels artists have contributed posters which PIXACOL has brought relief to psoriasis sufferers "stuffed up"—act wisely as thousands for 68 years have done . . . use HALL'S when everything else failed. A liquid, it is applied will appear on hundreds of bulletin TWO-METHOD TREATMPNT! This famous externally, dries quickly, is non-greasy, convenient Pitlnicnt loosens thick, sticky secretion, helps cle:ir ihront and con- to use. Caution: Use only as directed. Try a reg- up phlegm-filled nasal boards at Naval Stations at home and •jcstion or money l>;ick! Use the Exnectorant ular $1 bottle of PIXACOL without investing a aii'l the soothing Nasal Ointment. Ask your abroad, and on ships of the Fleet. James cent. Write for FREE details. druKtJist. Send for FREE Vitamin and Health Chart today. F. J. Cheney & Co , Dept. 412, Thurber, Walt Disney, Rube Goldberg, PIXACOL CO., Dept. AL-4 Box 1298, Cleveland, Ohio Toledo, Ohio. Syd Hoff, Paul Webb and Lieutenant Richard L. Brooks, USNR, are the artists, but space permits us to show All If P> WITH MY UNUSUAL only the drawings of the last two. SHAVEbello 35 MM Film Developed fia" One of Paul Webb's bearded moun- jrrindinK abrasive strop, sharpi SOplus. CONSTANT COMFORT, haves per double edse blade. HE-MAN'S^ 36 ^nlmMs taineers lies in customary, restful pose GIFT, SERVICEMAN'S GODSEND. Col.J1^Q\ is jj^ StNO $4.95 Jou Indesli yeum tn my Bello;^^^Q o L'tfi under a billboard announcing the con- 0« WRITE one 1917 patnt scraper gave perft>' f( shaves." ^-tJ IS. E. Frisfiell, 2222 B«llo Building. Gardner Single or Double Frame test, while in the other sketch we re- (take this a.lvt) at yourstore.PX or NavyS. At alIGi7n6#'i//ai<' KCahf). Hnrt. LtgQttt. Mutr, bigSfarBAWhetaniSy^Zi>.^yi t -J • Hook. Sun. J; 18 exp. 75c 16 exp. Split 55c stores; also (partial list) Akron. MO'NeU; Atlanta. Df'ajvn ^- ^ produce, Lieutenant Brooks depicts a Balto. -Sfeu arf, BmnKbam. LJLofb; Boeton. Uohnson; Bdgpt E*l£"-£^T.O - 12exp.Split45c- 8exp.Roll35c Howland: Bflo. AMettfrumA: Chicago, Cf'irScolt. Walgreen ix**U.a-t^ young sailor directing a cast of Cine. Pnuue. Clev. A/oy; Ctmbua, Moby. Uayton, AChilda £ oBjaS o 5 WAVES Den, Joslyn; Det. JHudaon; Htfd, c;.^^; LA.Buiiocfc;Lavllet/,ClS

DECEMBER, 1943 SI When Purchasing Products Please Mention The American Legion Magazine Madison Square Garden in New York volves around Jim, whose picture you Jimmy, it developed, hadn't been able City, some months back and at the will find on page 16, and this is the way to get word home to his Dad for many end of the bout with Tippy Larkin, we got it from Chick's office: months. He had been at Pearl Harbor found himself the lightweight champion. A couple of months ago, while work- when the Japs pulled the sneak attack That title was later lost to Bob Mont- ing late in his office, Chick's telephone on December 7, 1941, he was in action gomery, but Beau is gamely fighting his rang and when he picked up the re- at Midway, and then landed in the way back to it. Now we don't want ceiver, the operator asked him if he Solomons for most of the fighting there. to talk about Beau Jack, but about would accept a collect call. Knowing In the latter fighting, he suffered a the son of the man who manages him plenty of practical jokesters among his chipped spine, was put into a cast, —Charles (Chick) Wergeles, a former friends, he promptly asked, "From shipped home, and so was reporting neighbor of The Company Clerk when where?" The operator's response, "It's to his Dad from Naval Hospital in the Orderly Room was located in Radio a war secret!" increased Chick's suspi- Oakland, California. City. Among his other activities, Chick cion, but he took a chance and asked Was the two hundred bucks dis- does publicity for the New York Giants to have the call put through. patched promptly? We'll leave that to pro football team and also the series The voice at the other end of the you. after considering the fact that of basketball games which have become wire said, "Hello, Chick, this is Jimmy. Chick Wergeles had given up his son one of the principal sport attractions Send two hundred bucks to me at Oak- for lost. But the train fare hasn't been in the Garden during the past several land, California, at once." Thoroughly spent yet—Gyrene Jimmy Wergeles is winters. convinced now that his leg was being still marking time in the Oakland hos- Beau Jack isn't Chick Wergeles's only pulled. Chick asked again who was call- pital, expecting a transfer soon to the fighter—he has two sons in uniform in ing, and again the reply, "Jimmy." Naval Hospital in St. Albans, Long this war. Master Sergeant Ed Wergeles, "Jimmy who?" asked Chick—and then Island, New York, where he will be a photographer with the U. S. Signal came the surprise: "Your long-lost son nearer to his Dad and family and his Corps; and PFC James Wergeles, 21- in the Marine Corps," said the. Gyrene old hometown. year-old fighting Marine. The story re- who calls his Dad bv his nickname. The Company Clerk

THEY'RE AMONG FRIENDS

{Continued from page 21) the Irish long to correct their first im- England has his own version of true —the "little things" that make an un- pressions. During harvest time, boys British hospitality to tell. "I was driving derstanding more difficult than the great from Iowa and Kansas helped the Irish my army truck through the quaint Eng- political issues. All over the Allied farmers in the neighborhood of their lish countryside and got lost between world, people are revising their Holly- camps. In the pubs Irishmen and Amer- all those quaint hedges," a husky New wood-styled ideas of America. They take icans got together and discovered mutual York ex-cab driver recalled. "So I drove a tremendous interest in American in- friends back home in the States. Amer- to the nearest pub and went in to institutions and the American way of ican armored troops were ordered never quire. Boy, you should have seen the life. There is no propaganda machine to park their tanks near a farmhouse. welcome! I might as well have been behind that, mind you; it so happens Not that the farmers objected; but the Little Flower. They fought for the that our soldiers have become their every time a tank stopped, the farmer's privilege to buy me drinks. First it country's ambassadors-at-large. With wife would rush out to offer the Amer- was three cheers for the U. S. A., and good will and common-sense they have icans her own meager rations of tea, then three cheers for Mr. Roosevelt, learned to avoid the mistakes of the milk, buns, Irish meat-pies. Belfast busi- and three cheers for Mr. Churchill. doughboys of the last war, whose cheer- nessmen built wooden dance-halls where When they started their way through

ful self-confidence and somewhat bois- the doughboys met Irish girls. Forgotten all the United Nations, I told them I'd terous sense of humor wasn't always are the years of the last war, when better leave to bring my truck safely appreciated overseas. small-town girls were not allowed to home. Three guys jumped in so I'd go out with the Americans. be sure not to get lost again." THE guide-books published by the Our men in England often wonder The war has already done away with Special Service Division, Services of who created that silly phrase of the a lot of outworn prejudices. At Royal Supply, have proved a valuable help. English being "unfriendly." "They may Air Force stations American bomber The Yanks in North Africa well know be reserved in the beginning, but their crews are making friends with Cana-

that you don't whistle at a young Arab hospitality is great," is a frequent com- dians, South Africans, Czechs, Poles, woman even if she looks more enticing ment. The Americans remember how a French, Norwegians, Belgians. An Eng- than Hedy Lamarr. You don't ask for single appeal by the London Daily Ex- lish duke and a lumberman from the "good, strong coffee" in New Zealand, press, "Take an American Soldier Home Pacific Northwest are discussing post- because they can't make it. You won't to Tea on July 4th," brought invitations war forestry. United Nations soldiers start a fight in India if you yell "Jad from six thousand British families; how from Central Europe marry Scotch girls Jao!" (beat it) at the Indian street people lined up for hours at camps and —a thing considered almost impossible peddlers who follow you like your service clubs. An old miner from North before the war. Common hardship and shadow. The Chinese don't like back- England wanted "to share his home with common aims break down national and slapping, and the Irish resent your med- a Pennsylvania miner." On Thanksgiving social barriers. Perhaps Wendell Will- dling with their political affairs—and Day in 1942, for the first time in its kie's "One World" is not so far away that's that. 900-year history, Westminster Abbey as some skeptics believe.

The first American soldiers in North- was turned over to another nation and In a small town on the Russian- ern Ireland were apt to be slightly a non-sectarian service was held for Iranian border, four American Army irritated when they were asked where the American troops. The Stars and sergeants and three Russian officers are the "cowboys and gangsters" were. Then Stripes flew from the Abbey Tower supervising maintenance of U. S. trucks the Yanks understood. The Irish natives' and Ambassador John G. Winant read en route to Russia. "When we came out ideas about America were emanating the President's Thanksgiving Proclama- here," said one of the Americans, a from Hollywood "quickies." The Amer- tion. former New England garage mechanic,

icans went to work and it didn't take Almost every American soldier in "we didn't know a thing about Russia

52 The AMERICAN LEGION Magazine —

For God and Countvy, we associate oursehes together for the following purposes: To uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States of America; to maintain law and order; to foster and perpetuate a one hundred percent Americanism; to pre- seri>e the memories and incidejilt of our associations in the Great Wars; to inculcate a sense of in- dix'idual obligation to the community, state and nation; to combat the autocracy of both the classes arid the masses; to o palace too great, make right tJie master of might; to promote peace and good ivill No cottage too small on earth; to safeguard and trans- mit to posterity the principles of For ^ooJ ckeer at YuletiJe, justice, freedom and democracy; to consecrate and sanctify our And GOOD TASTE for all! cojnradesliip by our dex'otion to m utual helpfulness. — Preamble Ill.ATZ BREWING CO. TO THE Constitution of The MILWAUKEE. WIS.

American Legion. In Our 92nd Year

Hity Will- Bonds and those fellows didn't know a thing about America. But we were interested in each other's country and so we started by learning the language. They taught us Russian ; we gave them English lessons. Now we converse in a funny mixture of Russian and English but there's nothing funny about our friendship. The are Russians a swell bunch. Colon Troubles Explained We spend all our time together. They get permission to take us around every- Relation to Chronic Ailments where. 40-page FREE BOOK—tells facts about Colon Troubles, Constipation, Stomach All the people we meet want to know Conditions, Piles, Fistula and other related ailments. Corrective treatments explained RADIO what America is like—what we eat and Thornton & Minor Clinic, Suite H-1287 FOR ADS LIKE THIS ... L what sort of music we like and what 926 McGee, Kansas City, Mo. people say about Stalin. If all the people in America could know the The American Legion Russians as we do, things would be National Headquarters easier for the men in Washington and Moscow. Some day the Russian officers Indianapolis, Indiana are coming with us to New England Financial Statement or we are going with them to look at September 30, 1943 those Siberian steel mills. It doesn't make any difference. It will work out Assets either way." Cash on hand and on deposit | 584,540.61 "Global" hospitality is one of the few Accounts receivable 134,536.83 Inventories 156,73 5 promising things that have already Invested funds 2,926,496.25 Permanent Investment; come out of the war. It is strong because O'. erseas Graves Decoration Trust Fund 222,,866.23 it is spontaneous; it wasn't promoted Oirice Building, Washington, D. C, less depreciation 122 342.01 by brass hats and stuffed shirts, but Furniture, fixtures and equipment, less all its old sprang up quite naturally. Among fam- depreciation ,473.72 To Deferred charges 376.88 friends and customers . . . ilies and neighbors, hospitality is SEND often FOR and to the rising new 14,218.367.61 the first step to permanent friendship. generation, too. Midwest Corporation makes Why couldn't it be the same between FREE Radio Liabilities, Deferred Revenue Victory nations? this pledge: Once and Net Worth CALENDAR has been won . . . once the To our fighting men overseas, Allied Current Liabilities § 89,631.66 Send us lOi in needs of our Armed Forces hospitality has brought help, fun, friend- Funds restricted as to use 74.952,44 stamps or coin for radio and electronic Deferred revenue 348.212.21 fora War Savings instruments has been met liness. To the people remaining behind Permanent trust: Stamp and re- Overseas Graves Decoration Trust Fund 222,866.23 ceive in addition and production for civilian it's good to know that their men in Net Worth: an attractive 4- demands is approved. ..Midwest faraway corners of the earth are well Restricted Capital. . .$2,898,607.03 color calendar will again be back with its Unrestricted Capital. 584,097.14 13.482,705.07 with I ntemation- world-famous Factory -To-You liked, making new friends. Friendships al Time Calcu- plan for buying highest quality 14,218.367.61 radio and electronic equipment instances will lator absolutely which in many outlast FREE. — at savings up to 50%. the war. It's a good thing for America Donald G. Glascoff, IVIIDW EST RA DIO CORPORATION world. —and for the post-war National Adjutant 'DEPT. , M!|^H>"«?,V,"'" CINCINNATI. OHIO

DECEMBER, 1943 53 ^HEN Purchasing Products Please Mention The American Legion Magazine —

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54 The AMERICAN LEGION Magazine When Purchasing Products Please Mention The American Legion Magazine SEVEN HOURS A PRISONER

(Continued from page j^) architecture and music. He stressed Mar- tected that he was a native, so they be- coni and said we could not fight the war came very rough with him and as far as without the inventions of Marconi. He I could tell were going to kill the boy. was also emphatic about our not fighting I had been hiding in the boat while this against the Russians. It seems that all was going on. When I saw the bayonets the Italians fear Communism. and saw them getting tough with him, During this period, I neither approved I decided to give myself up. I had on what they said, nor answered any of their these civilian trousers, and I rolled up questions, and more or less ignored what my wet clothes and crawled up on the they said or did. rocks at the point of the Italian guns. They brought me in some food for That was rough—all those Italian guns lunch before the real interrogation began, pointed at me. I came out with my and while I was eating, they carried on a hands up. It was the first time in my life conversation about me. The food was I had looked down the barrel of a loaded chicken broth with rice, Italian bread, gun. wine, a little bit of cheese and some kind of jam. I believe that the food that I THERE was a first-aid corporal there, had was for Italian officers only, because who swabbed my scratches and bruises I know the rest of the army doesn't eat with some kind of soothing medicant. that well. Then, they took me to an Italian farm- After dinner, they asked me my name, house and gave me some water to drink, rank and serial number, and a host of and took away all my personal belong- other questions which I was not at liberty ings except my jewelry. We then got on to answer. I had my pilot's identification a motorcycle and they took me to a com- and my AGO card. From this, they were mand post, about eight miles north of quite confused because my pilot's card

Trapani. The place was a CP for the rated me as a S/Sgt. Pilot as of Sept. 6, pillbo.xes they had along the shore. Here, 1942, and my AGO card rated me as a they gave me some grapes and Italian Flight Officer as of Dec. 5, 1942. Finally, hardtack, so hard that I couldn't chew I convinced them that my rank was it. After waiting there for about ten min- Flight Officer by the dates on the card. utes, we got on a motorcycle again and I also had my dogtags and from this they went to a civilian home in the outskirts got my home address. They found out of Trapani. Why I was taken there I my age from my AGO card. They asked do not know. The owner of the place, a many pertinent questions about where man about 80 years old, had spent 20 my outfit was, what kind of plane I was years of his life in Omaha, Nebraska, flying, if I liked it, the number of my '7 120 miles from my home. His wife gave outfit, and how many crew members Smoke me some bread and grapes and a glass of were on my plane. But I ignored their wine. I refused to drink the wine because questions or told them that I could not o fCaywoocf/e" I thought that perhaps the}- wanted me answer them. to get intoxicated so that I would talk Wherever you go, you hear them saying freely. After spending about 15 minutes asked me if I was married and THEY "I smoke a Kaywoodie!' Ail over the world. here, I was taken to Italian headquarters how brothers many I had and if any of There are good reasons for this inter- in them the city. were in the Army ; what my civilian national opinion. I went to the commandant's office and occupation was; how long I had been It is because of the briar-wood which the interrogation was begun. The inter- overseas; if I was tired of fighting the Kaywoodie is made of, the way this briar- rogator was a lieutenant colonel, Cos- war, and if I was hurt and was I being wood is prepared, and the way it smokes. the Mediterranean. tantino Bruno, who spoke through an treated all right. They were definitely It comes from There aren't many pipes made of it any interpreter. Captain DiGiovanni Salva- sure that I was going to be treated right. more. It is seasoned and cured with tem- tore. The captain had attended Public It was apparent to me that they ex- pering agents that permeate the wood. School 17 in Brooklyn, N. Y., for seven pected to be prisoners very soon. They Look for "Kaywoodie" cut unobtrusively years. asked There also were two lieutenants how we treated Italian prisoners, on the stem of each Kaywoodie Pipe. and a major in the room, and an armed if they had to work, and also if it was Always good-tempered, mild. guard stood outside the door. true that we were letting the Sicilians go Kaywoodie Co., New "Vbrk and London (Everywhere we had gone, soldiers and back to civilian life. Of course I couldn't In New York, 630 Fifth Avenue, New York 20, N. Y. civilians gathered around with a gazing answer any of those questions, except curiosity at probably the first American that they would be treated well. pilot they had seen. Some thought I was They all became very friendly and of Italian descent, because I have a were inquisitive as to how the pris- pretty good North African sun tan.) oners would be treated by Americans. At the interrogation, the captain told They told me they thought they would me that my name was German and that be prisoners in a few days and the com- my ancestors came from western Ger- mandant said that perhaps he would many, which is almost true, because my release me shortly. About that time, a great grandparents all came from Lux- messenger corporal came running into the emburg. He gave me quite a lecture headquarters babbling away in Italian, about coming to fight against my ances- something about an "alarme." I took it tors and to destroy the mother of civil- that the Americans were going to shell ization, which gave us art, literature, the city.

DECEMBER, 1943 55 *Vhen Purch.i-sing Prodlxts Please Mention The American Legion Magazins So the colonel, the major and a cap- When they came within a short dis- airmen in the Fascist military hospital tain took me in an Italian jeep with a tance of me, they were surprised and on the side of the mountain. I was driver outside the city and up on the astonished to find that I was an Amer- inquisitive and thought some of our side of a mountain between Erice and ican flying officer, because I had no men were up there, because we had San Marco, north of Milo airdrome. On insignia whatsoever, and I had Italian lost some, so I got transportation to the drive up there, I could see the Field weapons and field glasses. Then I the hospital immediately. There I found Artillery plane flying around spotting tar- thought I would like to have some one of our two lieutenants who were shot gets for fire. Before we got to the Com- souvenirs, so I asked for one pair of down on "D" day. He seemed very mand Post of the pill boxes on the binoculars and a gun. The sergeant then happy to be alive. There were other mountains, our paratroopers and airborne told me to stay with them and they Americans and they all were really infantry began to shell gun positions. I would take me to their command post. thankful for the treatment they had probably could have escaped, but I was We started down the road, prisoners received and happy because the Amer- afraid that I might be right between the with us, and then the paratroopers de- icans had finally come. fire, so I figured that the best thing for cided that since they would be going Just before lunch, who should walk me to do was to stay in this quarry where all over town routing out prisoners, they into division headquarters but my squad- the CP was located. better let me go by myself to their ron commander, Captain Reed (Capt. At 18.15 hours the shelling ceased: the command post. They gave me directions William R. Reed, Marion, Iowa), who admiral had surrendered the city. The and told me to take an Italian motor- had been shot down on "D" day. What enlisted men chucked their rifles and ma- cycle. I took the motorcycle and started a reunion! He told me his story, about chine guns down in the quarry and the out and was stopped about every block living in a lighthouse for eight days officers destroyed maps and portfolios, by the Americans for identification. I without water, and being a prisoner for gave me their weapons and field glasses finally reached division headquarters. six days. and said they were my prisoners. Mean- I wanted to send a message to my The next morning, Capt. Reed and while, I was watching for American outfit and was told the message center I started hitch-hiking our way back to troops to come into the city. It seemed would be set up in an hour. The speed an air base. On the road to Sciacca, ages before I saw the first American with which the airborne infantry and we drove through very rough mountains. coming around the mountain road from paratroopers operate really astonished We saw where strategic bridges had been the east. I had never seen a paratrooper me. They had marched on foot with destroyed and found the road full of in his jump outfit before, but recognized full equipment from their jump point tank traps. It was a perilous trip. the American flag on their sleeves by which was approximately 175 miles away Further on, toward Licata, we found looking through the binoculars. I could by road, fighting all the way, and they strategic bridges had been blown up see them routing out prisoners from gun looked as if they could walk another and there also saw tank traps. At one emplacements, homes and bivouac areas. 175. They had set up a command post place, a little railroad town, the place The captain asked that I call an and division headquarters an hour and had been completely destroyed by American officer and a sergeant to take a half after the city surrendered. We bombs. There were several sidings and over the prisoners. He also asked that I even had a mess where officers could two trains, one of gasoline had been tell them I had been treated well, and eat out of plates. hit and burned. The railroad tracks that they expected like treatment. In That night we slept under blankets were sticking up in the air like spaghetti. fact, he even wanted to know if he could on the ground. There were no flies or The trip back to North Africa was put on civilian clothes and go back home. mosquitoes, but the ants were a nuisance. uneventful. At our first stop in we met That I refused. The next morning, I tried to arrange a member of our outfit. He told us that I called to the American troops and for transportation back east on the our group had celebrated their looth said, "Hey, soldier, I got some prisoners island to some air transport base. How- day in combat, had flown 100 missions down here for you." ever, there was none available. A colonel and shot down 100 enemy planes. Be- He called back and said, "Hold them, in charge of the medical section had lieve me we were sure glad to be home I will be down there in a minute." found some American and South African —even if it was only Africa! A CHANCE TO MAKE GOOD

(Continued from pa^a 35) oil barrel at Ploesti, Rumania, a few General Ent with a gold life member- the Admiral by Acting Commander months ago. The mission was one of ship card'. The proceedings were aired George F. Royal, formerly of Washing- the most important ever undertaken by through radio WKOK, ton, D. C, but now an electrician on a long-rangt bomber group, exactly 175 a gun wiring crew at Pearl Harbor. bombers took part in the raid and 53 Christmas Cheer On December 7, 1941, Rear Admiral were lost. But the mission was success- Furlong was aboard the USS Oglala, ful; the oil producing center was, in FEDERAL POST and its Auxiliary which was strafed, torpedoed and finally a very great measure, rendered useless of Portland, Oregon, sent a Christ- sunk. He was made Commandant at to Hitler and the Axis satellites. King mas package to each of the forty sons Pearl Harbor on December 12, 1941, George congratulated President Roose- and daughters of members now serving and has been in charge of the salvage velt, and the President congratulated with the armed forces. Other Posts by of the battle-damaged ships. General Ent. the thousands did the same thing, but Then the blond, reticent, soft-spoken the Auxiliaries of Federal Post had' an Hit Hitler's Oil Barrel one-star General came back to the home- idea about a useful item to include in land to make his report and, of course, the package—a magnifying glass. That's BRIGADIER GENERAL Uzal G. his itinerary included a visit to his home going to be a big help in reading the Ent, a five-star member of North- town. A Legion escort of honor met V-mail letters, and also to locate the umberland (Pennsylvania) Post of the him ten miles out of town, took him seam-squirrels, 1943 model. An original Legion, commanded the Ninth Bomber to a park for a public reception, then verse suggesting use of the glasses, Command working out of North Africa gave a dinner in the evening limited in written by Mrs. Ruby P. Daniels, Presi- that made the first attack* on Hitler's attendance only by the hall and facilities. dent of the Unit, was attached to each

* For a first-hand account of the attack It was at the dinner meeting that piece with a red, white and blue bow. see He Brought Us Home, page 12. Post Commander David Price presented Boyd B. Stutler.

S6 The AMERICAN LEGION Mugazinf . UNCLE SAM'S "HOUSE OF INDEPENDENCE"

(Continued from page 27) proved, authorized for payment. Right X. Gilbert, U. S. A., a hero of World War from the start General Gilbert foresaw

I, who was awarded the Distinguished the inevitable expansion that would fol- Service Cross for extraordinary heroism low, and the ODB is prepared and has in action in France in igi8. He also set up ample machinery to take care wears the Distinguished Service Medal, of any changes that will occur in the awarded for exceptionally meritorious event that amendments to the present and distinguished service in a position law are passed by Congress. REEVES FABRICS of great responsibility, and the Order It"s a far cry indeed from Public of the Purple Heart for wounds re- Law 193, enacted by the 63rd Congress make strong, sturdy ceived in action. He wears service rib- of the United States on October 6, UNIFORMS. ..WORK AND SPORT CLOTHES bons for service in World War I, Army 191 7, to Public Law 625, passed by the of Occupation in Germany, and Amer- 77th Congress and signed by the Presi- ican Defense Service. dent on Yet the June 23, 1942. ODB Specify Reeves Army An experienced organizer and admin- received a letter not long ago from a Twill of which the U. S. istrator, General Gilbert reorganized the veteran of World War I requesting re- Army has already million Army recruiting service in 1938 and imbursement of $285 covering the Gov- \ bought sixty yards. Also demand directed the recruiting of the largest ernment's contribution to a family al- See your Glengarrie Poplin for in the dealer for ""Horms, work peacetime Army and Air Force lowance he says he made in favor of ^^f^hing shirts. Both or sport clothes mode from ' ^ , . ^ r • J* history of the United States—an ac- his mother in 191 7, but which she Reeves Fabrics, orwriteto: fabrics are Santoriied complishment which gave us a running never received. To complicate matters Fabric siirinliage not more than 1'"., (U. S. Gouernment test CCC-T-19I-a' start when the present war broke upon further, the veteran had computed the REEVES BROS., INC. :f^t us. All Legionnaires are familiar with contribution he feels is due his parent 54 Worth Street, New York City '.A the slogan, "Keep 'Em Flying." General on the basis of the old law rather than

Gilbert is the man who created it. the present one. The ODB could not In World War I, General Gilbert was handle this case, anyway, since Public among some twenty experienced combat Law 193 was administered by the Bu- ^ Nausea, dizziness, stomach prevented officers in France who answered a call reau of War Risk Insurance in the distress may be and relieved with the aid of for volunteers and were accepted for Treasury. duty as aerial observers in the final Legionnaires on a visit to the ODB weeks of the war. Since that time he Mo^hefsills would find many World War veterans SEASICK REMtOv has been an aviation enthusiast, and from States all over the nation working for many years has been an advocate on 22 floors. It is the only natural that SHAVES FROM 1 BLADE of commercial avi- 730 of the development these veterans have a sympathetic un- AMAZING NEW ation on a large scale. derstanding of the soldier's problems. BLADE SHARPENER

7 shariJcncr for all makes of With his first hand knowledge of Let's look in at our Mail Branch, \ double-edge razor blades ifi'l soldiers" problems, and background of 'performs miracles! '*Not\ where the Officer in Charge is Major necessary to change blades," writes one user. Another says. administrative ability, it was a happy ^' J. A. Guest, a charter member of the • 'Have used 1 bladoover730 times KAZOROLL ' really sharpens blades because it strops on leath- choice when General Gilbert was as- Idlett-Click Post of Marlow, Oklahoma, er. Gives keen, smooth shaving edges. NofTuess- „ work. Blade held at correct angle and proper pressure—automatically. Justturncrank tosharpen signed the tremendous responsibility of , and a Past Commander of Walters L blade.No gears. Well made. Handsome compact, sturdy. I Weighs few ounces. Will last years. Makes ideal gift. planning the organization to handle sol- (Oklahoma) Post. SEND NO MONEY! l1^^^>f^-J:iV'oTS^.'-& diers" benefits, a task he assumed even RAZOROLL for 6 days and if you're not delighted with During the last war Major Guest smooth, yelvet shaves you get. return RAZOROLL and we'll return before the President signed the Service- your dollar. Hurry-order today. RAZOROLL COMPANY served his country in the U. S. Navy. 620 North Michigan Avenue, Dept. 6312 Chicago, Illinois men's Dependents Allowance Act on Afterwards he was in the U. S. postal June 23, 1942. service for many years. Now the Army WE When we were plunged into global is benefiting by his postal experience. war, the 77th Congress realized that ToAnySuit! The Mail Branch follows the lines Double the life of your something had to be done quickly to of a real post office as nearly as pos- coat and vest with correctly matched pants. 100,000 patterns." care for the families of men called sible. It has to handle the more than Every pair hand tailored to your measure. Our match sent FREE for your O, K. before into service. With the old War Risk 60,000 incoming letters a day letters pants are made. Fit gruaranteed. Sand pitoa — Of Cloth or vest today. Insurance Act as a base upon which to containing evidence covering every SUPERIOR MATCH PANTS COMPANY 209 S. State St. Dept. 453 Chicago build and improve, it passed Public Law conceivable domestic or marital en- 625, called the Servicemen"s Depen- tanglement to support inclosed family dents Allowance Act of 1942. Because allowance applications. Letters which FALSE TEETH two-thirds of all the money disbursed sometimes require a bit of interpreting, in benefit payments under this Act such as the one which said, "My mar- TIGHT comes out of the soldier's own pay, the riage certificate and my child was for- m m administration of soldiers' benefits was warded to your office. I will gladly with Dentate considered a War Department function, appreciate if you will return them." Soften DENTYTE by warming and General Gilbert was selected to This Branch has its own cancelling — spread it on your plate- put mouth and bite to administration of the in /( plan and direct machines and its own dispatch clerks make a perfect impression. Act for the Army. who speed out the than Remove plate — and allow more 70,000 few minutes to "set". You To keep pace with swiftly moving pieces of mail every day—exclusive of get an absolutely perfect fit. Sore gums vanish—no more events of today, General Gilbert modeled checks. In addition to the huge volume slipping or loose teeth. DENTYTE is firm but resili- the ODB on the lines of a modern of mail handled, radiograms are re- ent. Each lining lasts for Send doriar months. Immediately remov- bill at our factory. The applications for family al- ceived from overseas troops making al- risk. Easy to able with f ingers.Full size jar 1 order. Easy lowances and allotments-of-pay go down lotment-of-pay to their families, many -(a'year's undreamed of com- to use. fort per plate), postpaid only Agenfs wanted a human production line where they of them supplementing the family al- Positively Guaranteed everywhere are examined, adjudicated, and if ap- lowances already in effect. Dental Products Corp., Dept. AL-14:, Manheim, Pa.

DECEMBER, 1943 57 When Purchasing Products Please Mention The American Legion Magazine The Officer in Charge of Determina- just isn't safe to try to cheat the ODB.

tions Branch is Lt. Col. W. K. Bonnell. In Field Investigations Branch there charter member of the first American are five other Legionnaires—Capt. Omer Legion Post organized in the United E. Hawk, a long-standing member States, George Washington Post at of Roanoke (Virginia) Post; Major Washington, D. C. He is now a member George T. Hunter of Cissell-Saxon Post of Henry H. Houston, 2d, Post at Ger- of Silver Springs, Maryland; Major

mantown, Philadelphia, Pa. Robert J. McNeil, a member of Lyons Bean's Cold-Proof Post #225, Lyons, New York; Capt. Arched Innersole is the Branch James W. Smith, a member of Dewey Takes away tliat flat-footed feeling so as to make your DETERMINATIONS Leather Top Kubbers and Moccasins feel the same as in where relationship, de- Guy Post, Middlesboro, Kentucky; and your everyday shoes. Made of high-grade lambskin and ODB pigskin with adjustable steel arch. (Send for New Catalog). pendency, and other factors of eligibility ist Lt. Harold B. Atkinson, a member L. L. Bean, Inc. Freeport 1. Maine Mfrs. Hunting and Camping Specialties for family allowance are adjudicated. of Robert T. McColley Post, Hunting- Another prominent Legionnaire in the ton Park, California.

Determinations Branch is Major Milford In the Correspondence Branch, where Get More Bendiner, a charter member and Past family allowance applications are sent Commander of Tioga Post of Phila- when further information is required, delphia. Major Bendiner was Historian or some piece of evidence is lacking, is Comfort For of the Department of Pennsylvania from Capt. H. A. Lake, another charter mem- 1923 to 1932, and has been an active ber of George Washington Post of Standing Feet Service Officer from 191 9 to date. Washington, D. C, now a member of With A Daily Ice-Mint Treat Also in Determinations Branch is Cheverly Post of Cheverly, Maryland. Don't let tired, burning sensitive feet steal Major Charles J. Curtiss, who holds Capt. Lake was in the Army Air energy and make the hours seem longer. Just 25-year membership card in National Forces in I, and his out- massage frosty white Ice-Mint on your feet and a World War ankles before work to help keep them cool and Cathedral Post of Washington, D. C. standing services won for him the Dis- comfortable . . . and after work to help perk them up for an evening of fun. No greasy feeling — With every conceivable type of do- tinguished Service Cross, the French Grand, too, to help won't stain socks or stockings. mestic and marital entanglement pres- Croix-de-Guerre with two palms and one soften corns and callouses. Get Ice-Mint from your druggist today and get foot happy this easy way. ented in family allowance applications, star, the Fourragere, Croix de Guerre,

it is often necessary to request an and the Victory Medal with nine battle opinion of the Legal Branch. clasps. Asthma Agony The Officer in Charge of the Legal Another Legionnaire in Correspond- Branch is Lt. Col. Dell King Steuart, ence Branch is Lt. Col. Percy E. Lowery, a member of Lawrence Wenell Post, a member of Omaha (Nebraska) Post. Curbed First Day Minneapolis, Minnesota. In the Authorizations Branch, where For Thousandsof Sufferers Other Legionnaires in Legal Branch the family allowance is authorized to the Choking, gasping, wheezing Bronchial Asthma are Capt. Herbert M. Livingston, Past Disbursing Branch for payment, we find attacks poison your system, ruin your health and put a load on your heart. Thousands quickly and Commander of Louis E. Davis Post of Capt. Herbert Collins, Past Commander easily palliate recurring choking, gasping Bron- chial Asthma symptoms with a doctor's prescrip- Bloomington, Illinois; Capt. Horace of Island Park Post, Long Island, N. Y. tion called Mendaoo to help nature remove thick strangling excess mucus and promote freer breath- Young, charter member of Theodore Capt. ColHns enlisted as a private, on sleep. Mendaco is not smoke, dope ing and restful a Post of Conway, Arkansas, and April and had more than his or injection. Just pleasant tasteless tablets. Iron Smith 16, 1917, clad guarantee—money back unless satisfactory. Major George G. Chandler of Phila- share of danger and excitement, as a Mendaco is only 60c at druggists. delphia. machine gunner of the 27th Division, in Whenever a family allowance ap- World War I while participating in the plication indicates even the suspicion battles and engagements of the Hinden- Three of fraud, the case is sent to our Field burg Line, Guillemont Farm, Quenne- Investigations Branch. The Officer in mont Farm, East Pop-Ringe Line, Charge is Lt. Col. Raymond Hildebrand, Dickebuch Sector, Somme Offensive and liittle words.: a member of Dawson Post of Glendive, Ypres-Lys. He was wounded on Sep- Montana. tember 27, 1918, and received the Purple or five words ... or even The Field Investigations Branch pro- Heart. the soldiers and their dependents been authorized two . . . can bring $50 to tects When the case has someone you know! from racketeers who may attempt to and set up as an active account between cash in on the Army's family allowance. soldiers' dependents and Uncle Sam, the has For "something new Around ports of embarkation there have Disbursing Branch, with the help of its been added" to The Amer- been cases of women who married any- many unusual machines, starts the ican Legion Magazine, too! where from two to six soldiers without checks flowing to homes all over this See pages 14, 15 and 16 of any intervening divorce, and then tried land of ours, and even to other coun- this issue for the NEW DE- to shake them and the Government tries to which we are permitted to send PARTMENT for men and down for the family allowance. There them. where sol- large percentage of all Government women in uniform that behave been cases, regrettably, A diers have made false statements in checks is disbursed from this "House of gan last month. The one order to obtain family allowance checks Independence." In fact, the volume is who submits the winning for their "girl friends" and other per- so great that the Federal Reserve Bank- name for this department sons not eligible under the law. ing System reorganized part of its set-up wins $50! Violators of the law can't get very to take care of the flood of ODB checks So — clip these pages from far, however. The power of the United each month. your copy of the magazine, States Government is behind the ODB In the Disbursing Branch, Capt. in tracking down and prosecuting them. Charles W. MacEllven, member of send it to son, daughter, Linked with the Federal Bureau of In- Hamburg Post, Hamburg, N. Y., is help- nephew, or friend and let vestigation, the Secret Service, Postal ing to "Get 'Em Paid." As a 2d lieu- him or her in on the chance Inspectors, Military Intelligence and tenant in the Field Artillery, Capt. Mac- to get $50 so easily from us! other Federal agencies, are state, county, Ellven was overseas for nineteen months and city law enforcement groups. It in World War I, and participated in the

58 The AMERICAN LEGION Magazint When Purchasing Products Please Mention The American Legion Magazine ! — -

major engagements of Chateau-Thierry, The Branch of which I am Officer in Soissons and St. Mihiel, and in a De- Charge has nothing to do with processing OFFICIAL fensive Sector. or payment of family allowances and The Class E Allotment Branch is allotments-of-pay, but a great deal to SERVICE FLAGS concerned with authorizations for vol- do with maintaining the morale of mili- untary allotments-of-pay. The officers' tary personnel and dependents. This is Honor YOUR Sorvicc Man with Ql1 thl.s beautiful Service Flag in youf section handles authorizations of com- the Information and Public Relations J window or home. Salln. wllh yal. it low fringe —blue star in Held' Of '™ red for each man In service. missioned officers, flight officers, WAC Branch. We are constantly in face to ORDER FROM THIS AD officers and Army nurses. An enlisted face contact with the public, and are No, 21 — 7x11". each t .SO Ko. 23— lOj:!.'.", each 7» men's section handles all others of the daily reminded of the human quality of No. 24 — each l.OO No. 25 — 1.-\::4". each t.so million and a half allotment-of-pay ac- the law we administer, and the human Includes 1 10 S Slavs—gold Kan also Order today. Satisfaaion or money back. counts now in effect. beings behind each family allowance and Special Ifiet lor Cfiurcliei, Lodjei. euilneii Houiei. In Class E Allotment Branch is Major allotment-of-pay. ROLL OF HONOR A permanent tribute — beautiful walnut Emanuel Franklin, another charter mem- Past National Commander Roane plinpie with eatrle and Victory torches. Gold bordvreii name i)Iates. with names ber of George Washington Post of Waring of the Legion, reported on his In .silver. Send for illustrated price list. ij. S. Flags, Christian and Papal Flogs Washington, D. C, and now a member return from the 25,000-mile trip he took for Churches. Send for price lltt. of Rockville Centre (New York) Post. through the military camps in this coun- REGALIA MFG. CO. Back in 191 7 Major Franklin was a tr\' and in North Africa, that the Amer- Dept. A, Rock Island, Illinois ist lieutenant and Officer in Charge of ican Army of today is "the best we have the mail and file section of the Office of ever had." the Director of Military Aeronautics in We here in the ODB feel that we have Washington, D. C. He recalls a certain a definite part in helping produce this Keep Lt. Col. "Hap" Arnold, better known superb Army by relieving the minds of now as Gen. H. H. Arnold, Command- our fighting men of worry over the folks ing General of the Army Air Forces, who back home. A young soldier returned Perspiring Feet often came into his office. Another in- from Africa reported that our men are teresting personality he remembers from naturally better fighters when they Dry and Sweet the first World War is Brig. Gen. Frank know their families are receiving fam- Excessive perspiration often makes your feet uncomfortable — socks or stockings damp, as well P. Lahm, Ret., the first airplane and ily allowances and allotments-of-pay as causing disagreeable foot odors. Try dusting balloon pilot of the U.S.A. regularly. your feet and shoes with Allen's Foot-Ease, Easy — quick — convenient. It acts to absorb excess per- Many people think of Class E allot- With more than eight million de- spiration and prevent odors. If you are breaking in a new pair of shoes or if you are wearing an ments-of-pay as applying only to officers. pendents of men looking to the Army ill-fitting tight pair, there's nothing like Allen's As a matter of fact, three-fourths of "House of Independence" for checks to Foot-Ease to relieve the friction that makes feet feel so uncomfortable. For real foot comfort, be the accounts in this Branch are for en- buy clothing, food, or to pay the rent, sure to ask for Allen's Foot-Ease today! listed men. Many supplement their fam- all of us assigned to the ODB feel a ily allowances by allotments-of-pay, great responsibility to do our utmost to especially when they go overseas. live up to our slogan. This slogan, coined We have gone down our human pro- by our Director, General Gilbert, is don't WORRY duction line and met some of the Le- GET 'EM PAID Why put up with years of gionnaires who are supervising the pro- needless discomfort and cessing of family allowance applications, Captain Schuyler, author of the fore^ worry? Try a Brooks Automatic Air Cushion. Class E allotments-of-pay and applica- going article, is a member of Frederick This marvelous appli- tions for dependency allotments-of-pay 0. Blankenship Post of the Legion at ance permits theopening to close, yet holds reduc- in this "House of Butler, Pennsylvania. Independence." ible rupture securely, comfortably—day and night. Thousands report amazing results. Light, neat-fitting. No hard pads or stiff springs to cbafo OUTFIT NOTICES or gouge. Made for men, women and children. Durable, cheap. Sent on trial to prove it. Never 89th Div. Soc, the outfit reunions of the Southern Calif.—Regular sold in stores. Beware of imitations. Write for WITH meetings, third Monday of each month, at Free Book on Rupture, no-risk trial order plan Patriotic Hall, 1816 Armistice Day period in Novem- S. Figueroa, Los Angeles, Bnd prpof of results.Correspondence confidential. Calif. Joe T. Woods, secy., 5601 Harcourt, ber now in the past, there are but few Los Angeles. BROOKS COMPANY 105-F, State St. Marshall. Mich. scheduled for the winter months. While 18th Co., 2d O.T.C., Ft. Sheridan, 1917— 25th annual reunion. Chicago, 111., spring of most reunions will be suspended for the 1944. For details, write T. J. Leary, 7141 Jeffery Av., Chicago 49. duration of the war, there will be an avalanche of them as soon as fighting interim, Can't Keep 'ceases. During the as much

space as is available will be given to organizations that are keeping them- Grandma In selves in condition for the glorious Vic- tory Reunions. Her Chair Soc. OP 1st Div., AEF—25th anniversary reunion and banquet, San Francisco, Calif. For She's as Lively as a Youngster— date and details, write Watson Howden, secy.- her Backache is better treas., 561 Kenmore Av., Oaliland. Calif. Now Natl. 4th Div. Assoc.—Copies of History of Many sufferers relieve nagsing backache quickly, ith Dir. available at two dollars. Write Carlton once they discover that the real cause of their trouble E. Dunn, treas., 8514 leoth St., Jamaica, may be tired kidneysi L. I.. N. Y. The kidneys are Nature's chief way of taking the Soc. OF 28th Div.. AEF—All vets invited to excess acids and waste out of the blood. They help join. Si nd name, address and outfit designation most people pass about 3 pints a day. to James T. Spence, Natl. V. C.-at-Large, When disorder of kidney function permits poison- 1919 Bellevue Rd., Harrisburg. Pa. ous matter to remain in your blood, it may cause nag- 32d Div. Vet. Assoc.— It is requested that the ging backache, rheumatic pains, leg pains, loss of pep names and addresses of all Red Arrow Club and energy, getting up nights, swelling, puffines3 secretaries be sent to Byron Beveridge, natl. under the eyes, headaches and dizziness. Ftequent or secy., Capitol, Madison, Wise. scanty passages with smarting and burning som 33d Div. War Vets. Assoc.—To receive copy times snows there is something v^ong with your of official publication, write to George D. Rad- kidneys or bladder. eliffe, secy.. Hotel Morrison, Chicago 2, 111. Don't wait! Ask your druggist for Doan's Pills, 82d Diy. Assoc. — For membership and copies used successfully by millions for over 40 years. They of divisional publication. The All-American, give happy relief and will help the 15 miles of kidney blood. write 82d Div. Assoc., 28 E. 39th St., New York tubes flusli out poisonous waste from your Get City. Doan's Pills.

DECEMBER, 1943 59 When Purchasing Products Please Mention Tnn American Legion Magazine NOT ous portions of loaves and fishes, bricks and mortar, seed, fertilizer, steel and what-have-you we're not going to be Uncle Sap, though we certainly won't UNCLE SAP be Uncle Shylock. The Indianapolis News, an independent newspaper

which is as sound in its Americanism as the dollar

was in 1910, carried in its issue of October 15th

the following editorial touching on these matters. •»? •?» )» •»? »? »? ») •»>•»)»<«• «fr ^ «€- «fr 4«- «fr «€• «^ » We quote it with complete approval. The News titled

THE EDITORIAL VIEWPOINT the editorial Perennial Suckers? and here it is:

The time has come for the people of the United States to

ask whether their Government intends to keep on play- WE HAVE BEEN THINKING about Christmas for quite ing Santa Claus to the world. American foreign policy a long time now. The Army and Navy got us that is becoming a joke all over the world. The war aim of way, by telling us that to get yule packages to our every one of the Allies, except the United States, has been men overseas we'd have to put them in the mails made clear. Britain is fighting for its empire. during September and October. Christmas means \^nston Churchill has made no bones about that. And even though many Amer- giving. Even Old Scrooge found that out. icans disagree with his insistence on empire, they have

^ -ij -C^ applauded his forthrightness and candor. Russia is fight-

ing not only for her national independence, but for buffer THE CURRENT AMERICAN CRAZE is post-war plan- states. China is out to do away with extraterritorial rights ning. \^e of the Legion are doing some of it our- for all time. The Netherlands is looking toward the restora- selves, believing that George \^ashington's formula tion of empire. The Giraud-De Gaulle Free French move- of preparing for war in time of peace is equally true ment is pinned to the re-establishing of the French colonial when you switch it around. In all of the talk about empire. Every one of America's allies Icnows what it wants what we Americans would like to see happen after and what it is fighting for. yet the United States keeps on insisting on paying Victory the Legion doesn't forget that a long, tough, And the major share of the bills, on providing the food and the costly fight against resourceful, cunning, and un- equipment and the manpower for some vague "freedoms" scrupulous foes faces our armed forces and those of which even to stanch liberals seem empty in view of the our allies before the day when the bells will ring Administration s actions in certain diplomatic situations. and people will dance in the streets as they did on Is it true that the United States is fighting for the em-

November 11, 1918. We remember that famous pires of its allies? Is this nation's manpower to die for the recipe for rabbit stew which begins, "First catch conquering of some other power's colonial territory? Are American taxpayers to pay for the establishing of some your rabbit!' other nation's trade routes? The newspapers, the magazines, books and the air- What, then, is the United States foreign policy? Is it to ways are filled with words detailing what the Ameri- establish freedoms all over the world that this nation has can people are going to for this little do old world, not yet obtained for itself? come peace. Complete irresponsibles are promising The United States is in this war for national preserva- in the name of our country, forty acres and a mule, tion. Everv libertv and every freedom was periled by the sulfa drugs and penicillin, spam and chocolate greed and cruelty of totalitarianism. This country went to war to protect and defend those national freedoms. It is malteds, and front row seats to Othello to every son anxious and eager to become a full-fledged partner in the of a gun and his brother everywhere on this reeling world of nations for the preservation of the peace. planet. Qur responsible officials have rather encour- But partnership is a two-way matter. The United States aged that sort of thing. So it's time somebody pointed should do its share, without self-consciousness and without out that w ith the best will in the world, plus a dem- quibbling. But it cannot finance the whole world, empires onstrated ability to implement that will with gener- and all. Does not charity begin at home?

6o Th^ .AMERICAN LEGION Magazine

PRINTED IN THE U. S. A. BY THE CUNEO PRESS, IMC. !

W/io might, come Christmas, have this good/ortune

A SURPRISE GIFT OF FOR HOSPITALITY - SOME FOR YOUR OWN GIFTS- SCHENLEY ROYAL RESERVE SCHENLEY ROYAL RESERVE SCHENLEY ROYAL RESERVE

"^jp* Someone thinks the world of you War may ha\ e limited your "tT" Finest gift i:i all the world is a

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is precious stuff, indeed— for the rare enjoy sharing such fine things with of them! If. in addition, vou want to

whiskey in it conies from pre-war holiday guests. Our distilleries are say "Merry Christmas'" to those spe-

reserves. So—thank your lucky stars lOO'/c in war production, but we're cial names on your list in the time-hon-

for a real friend — enjoy Schenley doing our best to make ScHENLEY ored Schenley way, there is enough Royal Reserve with moderation. available from pre-war leserves. Schenley to give— m moderation!

Th eres still enough/^ to ^^oy in moderation /

Wm IS NO FINER GIFT THAN A U. S. WAR BOND

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sure fop/ease.

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rile

message. ^;%o s'>"*^V

^'ar/y

smoU.«^^^\ extra

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. tbe in tV^e

M^-^^

easv/^^^.ed tree,

//"Aesmokes a c/fa/e//e, /i^/rfe/nAerC7/;fe/s

VI itli men in the Army, Navy, Marines, Send that man an camp a gift of Prince and Coast Guard, tlie favorite cigarette is Albert — he'll welcome that extra measure Camel. (Based on actual sales records.) of mellow, cool-sinuking pipe enjoyment!