, I know what I'm up against. The job I'm coming back to wasn't easy to get . because it was the sweUest job any guy ever had. I know what the odds are. after is so big I know what they mean by "lost at sea." The future Vm nobody's ever going to hand it to me on a silver platter! But Vm going to make it . nothing can stop me! That's why I want a fighting chance ... a chance Sure, when this war's over there'll be crowds and to move MP ... an opportunity to go ahead. That's cheers and ticker tape and confetti. Sure, there'll why I want to plan a future of my own in a land be handshakes and pats on the back and good and a world where every man is free to make the wishes. Siu-e, but what's bringing me back is bigger most of his ability . where there'll be plenty of than that . work days and plenty of pay days . with no I want what I've been fighting for ... a fighting Umits on how high you can rise . how far you chance! can go. That's the America I left behind me. Maybe some folks would say I was crazy, if they That's the America I'm fighting for. could hear me talking out loud this way . Maybe they'd laugh and say, "Listen, buddy, get That's the America I want when I get back. wise . the trouble with guys like you is —you keep trying to do it the hard way ..." Here at Nash-Kelvinalor we're building Pratt & engines the WeU . Whitney for Navy's Vought Corsairs and Grumman Hellcats . Hamilton Standard pro- It wasn't easy learning how to swim, but I did . pellers for United Nations bombers . governors, and now I won't drown. It wasn't easy to stick it binoculars, parts for ships, jeeps, tanks and trucks . readying production lines for Sikorsky helicopters. out when the going got tough, but I did . and All of us devoted 100% to winning this war . to now nobody can make me quit. It wasn't easy find- speeding the peace when our men will come back to Navy ing out how to steer a course by the stars and the their jobs and homes and even better futures than they ••e'- Jv^rded to had before . , . to the day when together we'll build sun, but I did . and now, even from out here, '^^'',''^pri''^iSr an even finer Kelvinator, an even greater Nash! cvSon/"'"' I'm going to find my way home! -KELVINATOR CORPORATION The girl I'm going to marry wasn't easy to win . NASH because she's the finest girl in the world. Kenosha • Milwaukee • DETROIT • Grand Rapids • Lansing AUTOMOBILES /iCFiy/Afr^roR let s Get It Over With Quick! Buy More War Bonds Now! REFRIGERATORS • ELECTRIC RANGES ta Tell Tojo for me • • • I'm the guy who proved we could make synthetic tires'' miles. I'm glad I made that // you need tires, and can qualify, you may be able to buy a B. F. "I did it long before test. Gives me a feeling of con- Goodrich synthetic Silvertown. But remember, please, the Army and Pearl Harbor, too—in that fidence when I see B. F. Navy still need all the rubber they can get. Do everything you can to B. F. Goodrich 80,000,000- Goodrich synthetic tires com- save your tires—and don't drive a single needless mile. The B. F. ing Goodrich Company, Akron, Ohio. mile rood test" through on these buggies!" Today's B. F. Goodrich pas- senger car tires are not the "Nope," said the Private on tires we tested before the war. post number 4, "the tires I Today's tires are made with tested weren't the tires you're Government synthetic — driving today. They were pas- "GR-S." And more than 99% senger car tires —and they had of the natural rubber has been synthetic in 'em all right. They replaced by it. were the first such tires ever But the big thing gained in sold and put out on actual the 80,000,000-mile road test road test in America. was "know-how." This three- "B. F. Goodrich made 'em. year head stsurt has already Over half the natural rubber enabled us to produce a syn- was replaced by their synthet- thetic passenger car tire almost ic —Ameripol. I bought a set. as good as a pre-war Silver- So did hundreds of others. To- town . and it's the best syn- gether we rolled up 80,000,000 thetic tire you can buy today. FEBRUARY, 1944 I When Purchasing Products Please Mention The American Legion Magazine THE AMERICAN LEGION FEBRUARY. 1944 VOLUME 36 • NO. 2 MAGAZINE Postmaster: Please send notices on form 3578 and copies returned under labels form 3579 to 777 N. Meridian St., Indianapolis, Ind. EDITORIAL AND ADVERTISING OFFICES • One Park Avenue, New York 16, N. Y. EXECUTIVE AND ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES • Indianapolis 6, Indiana 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 October 3, 1917, authorized January S, 1925. Price, single copy, IS cents, yearly subscription, $1.25 The Message Center CONTENTS COVER DESIGN THE cover of this issue, by the dis- Bv N. C. Wyeth tinguished American painter N. C. Wyeth, depicts Abraham Lincoln writing GOOD NEIGHBORS By Warren H. Atherton, the famous Bixby letter, which bears the National Commander date of November 21, 1864. This is the THE GENERAL STILL SERVES epistle which conveyed the sympathy of 15^ Gix)Rc;e \V. Ei.i.is the President of the United States to a widow who was believed to have lost all BERLIN S 1918 "VICTORY" PARADES 10 By Edward M. Thierry Illustrated by John Cassel AN UNACCEPTABLE PEACE 11 By Booth Tarkincton THE GUARD HGHTS BACK 12 By Clary Thompson Illustrated by John F. Gould VOLUNTEER 14 By CIharles Teitei, Illustrated by L. R. Gustavson AXIS LIES A YEAR AGO 15 THESE ARE THE WOMEN MARINES 16 By Lt. Col. Ruth Cheney Streeter LEATHERNECK LOU 19 A RARE TREAT By Don Wharton Illustrated by Herb Sloops MR. LINCOLN'S LANDLADY 20 By Boyd B. Stutllr WALLGREN S PAGE 21 of her five sons on the battlefield. Re- SONS OF THE EAGLES 22 searches by the late Dr. William E. By Sedley Peck Barton, noted Lincoln authority, estab- JUNIOR BASEBALL CARRIES ON 24 lished years that the informa- some ago By Louis F. Grill PLEASE BE PATIENT tion given the President was incorrect. Two of the Bixby boys were killed in WHArS MY NAME? 26 Conducted by John J. Noll We're doing our best action, one was honorably discharged, to have deserted from FOR THE LONG HITCH 29 to spread our prewar one appears the (Continued on page 4) EDITORIAL 52 stocks of Old Grand- Dad fairly — as we're IMPORTANT: A form for your convenience if you wish to have the magazine sent to another address will be found on page now engaged in war 50. production of alcohol. The American Legion Magazine is the official publication of The American Legion and is owned ex- clusively by The American Legion. Copyright 1944 by The American Legion. Entered as second class matter Sept. 26, 1931, at the Post Office at Chicago, 111., under the Act of March 3, 1879. Warren H. Atherton, Indianapolis, Ind., National Commander, Chairman of the Legion Publications Commission; Vilas H. Whaley, Racine, Wis., Vice Chairman. Members of Commission: Phil Conley, Charleston, W. OLD GRAND-DAD is Kentucky straight Va.; Jerry Owen, Salem, Ore.; Theodore Cogswell, Washington, D. C; Robert W. Colflesh, Des Moines, bourbon tvhiskey, bottled in bond, 100 Proof. Iowa; Dr. William F. Murphy, Palestine, Texas; Lawrence Hager, Owensboro, Ky.; Frank C. Love, This Whiskey is 4 Years Old. Syracuse, N. Y.; Claude S. Ramsey, Raleigh, N. C; Glenn H. Campbell, Cleveland, Ohio; Earl L. Meyer, Alliance, Neb.; George Bideaux, TUcson, Ariz.; Le Roy D. Downs, South Norwalk, Conn.; Harry Allen, Brockton, Mass.; Paul B. Dague, Downingtown, Pa. Director of Publications, James F. Barton, Indianapolis, Ind.; Editor, Alexander Gardiner; Director of Advertising, Thomas O. Woolf; Managing Editor, Boyd B. Stutler; Art Director, Frank Lisiecki; As- sociate Editor, Noll. Products Corporation, N. John J. The Editors cannot be responsible for unsolicited manuscripts unless return postage is enclosed. Names of characters in our fiction and semi-fiction articles that deal with types are fictitious. Use of the name of any person living or dead is pure coincidence. Tht AMERICAN LEGION Masazinr When Purchasing Products Please Mention The American Legion Magazine Old Joe said to Young Joe... ". when you get over there in the thick keeping our freedom—of sticking to the provements that have made you more of it, son, you won't have time to think things that have made America great. efficient and more comfortable, have about the fancy ideals you're supposed to happened in my lifetime. "I've often thought that our own family be fighting for. You'll be interested mostly was a pretty good example of what can "But that's the very thing I'm talking in shooting straight, and shooting first. happen in this country— and nowhere about. That's the power of America. We've "But some night when you're lying out else. I started doing odd jobs in this very got push in this country—and ingenuity under the stars, you'll probably figure the hardware store, when I was ten years old.