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November-December 2002 Newsletter
For all veterans, relatives and friends of the
89th INFANTRY DIVISION
WORLD WAR II
Christmas 1944 Message to the troops from Franklin D Roosevelt
Table of Contents: Click on the Link Below to Go To That Section:
Announcements and Editor's Notes
Website Developments
Email List Update
Taps
Letters and Exchanges
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Announcements, Editor's Notes and Website Developments
Editor's Notes
Well, the glow of the reunion is wearing off and it's back to normal.
For me that means maintaining our monthly newsletter and exchanges with
our expanding outreach, continued cooperation with The Editor of the TRW and
the Society's elected coordinator, and processing material received from
you and others for Mark to translate into html, or something magic like that, for placement on our website. The recent expansion of our membership categories to include relatives and friends of the Division will undoubtedly contribute to the usefulness and interest in these electronic tools. NOTE: This will be our last Newsletter of the year due to the holidays and that my publisher (Mark) will be in Europe most of the time. Letters, etc, received during December will be included in the January 2003 issue. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from us both.
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Website Developments
All emails concerning the content of the website and newsletter, as
well as requests for assistance on substance, should be addressed
to my father at rkitch2000@earthlink.net.
Technical questions, e.g., requests for linksto other sites, errors on the 89th sute,
and non-content items, should be addressed to me at markkitchell@yahoo.com.
When in doubt, copy to both addresses.
I am pleased to annouced that my father's complete WWII memoirs are (finally) online at
Memoirs of a Private First Class
In the spirit of Christmas, I thought you may find this small article on the German
Army celebrating Christmas to be of interest. Go to Weihnachten
Mark
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Email List Updates
It would greatly simplify our tasks if I were notified promptly of
address changes, errors or when one is no longer using the Internet
so we can make the necessary adjustments effectively and in a
timely basis. The task of maintaining a current and growing
up-to-date list is becoming increasingly complicated. We're not
complaining, in fact we are overjoyed, but please remember
that we are volunteers and, in my case, not as sharp as I
used to be. If you are sending a message or follow-up, please
identify yourself and your (or relative's) unit, as I may
no longer have your original. Thank you.
BASO, Elido-C Co, 314th Eng (c/o daughter)
Kevint118@comcast.net
BOWSER, John Ray-B Btry, 563rd FA Inf c/o spouse, Mary Ann
Bowser.MaryAnn@tatravelcenters.com
CLEARY, Robert O-89th RCN
marcleary@aol.com
CONRAD, Frederick-F Co, 354th Inf
fconrad@att.net
COUGHLIN, Charles -355th 3BN HQ (deceased) c/o son
Coughlin@wi.rr.com
DUNLAP, Laurel (Larry)-F Co, 353rd Inf
dunflap@atlantic.net
GESIN, Jack - Cn Co, 353rd Inf
jackges@att.net
INGRAM, Arlen-Co M, 354th (deceased) c/o daughter, Linda Schuster
jerryschuster@sbcgloabal.net
JACKSON, Charles - K Co, 355th Inf (deceased)c /o Elizabeth- widow
lizjack@icehouse.net
JOHNSON, Frank E-Hq Co, 2nd Bn, 353rd Inf c/o son, David
dej@ipa.net
LITTLE, George S-Camp Philip Morris (deceased) Unit unknown c/o son Douglas
dlittle@gatewayprt.com
NORTHCRAFT, Milton L-B Co, 353rd Inf (Deceased) c/o Margaret (daughter)
loveslight@socket.net
PETERS Jr, Orban W-B Btry, 914th FA Bn
ampetejr@aol.com
PETERSON, Carl - F Co, 353rd Inf
cclpeter@aol.com
PETERSON, Harvey D-Co I, 3rd Bn, 353rd Inf
hpete46043@aol.com
PITCOCK, J. Duff-Signal Co.
jdpbrp@digitalpassage.com
POPE. Wm H-A Btry c/o grandson (David)
finis3@earthlink.net
REED, Denver Lloyd-Btry C, 341tst FA Bn (deceased) c/o son Raymond C. Reed
raymondcreed@aol.com
ROSENBAUM, Gerald-Med, 354th Inf
geraldruth@msn.com
SMITH, Scot M-Hq Btry, 340th FA Bn
smbmsmith@aol.com
SPINSBY, Harry Jr-A Co, 355th Inf (deceased) c/o son Kim Spinsby
Kim.Spinsby@sea.siemens.com
SPOMER, John-Med3, 3rd Bn, 355th Inf
j_spomer@msn.com
STAUFFER, Robert-K Co, 353rd Inf
stabos@aol.com
TAYLOR, Harold V-G Co, 353rd Inf
Hv1taylor@aol.com
WELLS, Richard N-Co F, 2nd Bn, 353the Inf
Lucybell8@juno.com
WIGSTONE, James E-K Co, 354th Inf
jwig@netins.net
YENTES, Wallace H-B Co, 354th Inf
wallaceyents@cs.com
YOUNG ZELLE, Lester-Cn Co, 355th Inf
lzelle@forbin.net
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Taps
Emile J. Boutin-B Co, 353rd Inf
I attended the reunion of the 89th Division in Indianapolis this year and
was very disappointed in one thing that I think you should be made aware.
When they read the list of recently deceased comrades one of them was not
mentioned.
Emile Boutin passed away on April 1, 2002. I contacted the Rolling W of this
information and have yet to see it in the magazine and Emile was not on the
list of deceased comrades at the reunion. Please correct this and make sure this information is printed. His wife, family and friends would greatly appreciate it.
Walter P. Goodpaster 89th Division tdc20@bright.net "[A similar notice will appear in the next TRW]
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Letters and Exchanges
These communications are repeated here roughly in order of receipt.
[In order to prevent confusion on my part, when communicating with me please include your name, unit as well as email address. I will help me a lot. Thank you]
Invitation to the 89th to the Reimahg Camp Memorial from PatrickBrion@hotmail.com, Sgt. Patrick Brion
Dear Raymond,
Dear Marc,
Almost once a week, I go on this fantastic site about the 89th. As promised, I wanted to keep the veterans of the 89th informed about
the latest news of the REIMAHG. First of all, very important, I finally managed to have contact
with the 89th Regional Support Command. The date of the Memorial Day 2003 is now also fixed:
10th May 2003 in Kahla.
One of the items I discussed with the 89th RSC was
to invite a delegation of the 89th together with veterans whom actually liberated the camps around the REIMAHG.
Next week, I am off again to Kahla to continue the research.
The Belgian national television is also joining, since they are
preparing a major documentary about the REIMAHG.
So, the first contact has been made with the 89th RSC. Next
week, the secretary of the Belgian Veterans who were there as forced
laborers and I will discuss the final program of the memorial
day together with the local German authorities.
Hence, I would like to launch already the appeal on the website
of the 89th. It would be fantastic to have also veterans of the 89th
present at the Memorial Day.
So, dear Raymond and Marc, I hope to count on your support to
spread the idea of veterans joining us next year.
I can already give some information. On Friday the 09th May, we will
be visiting Buchenwald KZ and in the afternoon, a visit inside
the mountain where once the REIMAHG was together with an exposition will
be organized. This is something a lot of people have been asking
me and I finally managed to convince higher German authorities to help
us, since the mountain is off-limits.
Furthermore, I would like to ask you, if I could also join the
89th Association. I do need some explanation about how to
deposit the 20 $ for joining.
Hope to hear from both of you very soon,
Take care,
Sincerely,
Patrick
[Anyone interested in attending the Memorial please contact Sgt. Brion. Please also
keep us informed.
Here are some interesting pictures supplied by Patrick.]
Reimahg Today
Reimahg in 1945
Inside Reimahg #1
Inside Reimahg #2
Reimahg Ventilation System
Inquiry on 550th AAA Bn, Btry C from LPPaulJr@webtv.net, Larry Paul, Jr
Specifically looking for Battery C, 550 AAA BN of the 89th Infantry
Division. This unit landed in Swansen, South Wales on November 1, 1943.
My son-in-law's father who has passed away several years ago belonged to
the unit and I'm just trying to help him get a little history of the unit.
Can you give me any information on how to specifically get to this unit?
I do have the general web site of the 89th but can't find more detail.
Would be grateful for any help you can give.
Thanks, Larry Paul former pilot of a B17 in the 8th Army Air Force
1944-1945.
[I requested the help of Chick Cecchini who replied]
Unfortunately our history does not devote any space to attached units.
The 550th does show up on page 201 (ops Orders for Rhine Crossing
of the History Book) in paragraphs 2a, 3c (1) and d. While I
cannot give you the name or names of members of our Society who
were in the 550th Anti-Aircraft Artillery (Automatic Weapons)
Battalion, I do know that there are still several 550th AAA Bn.
guys listed among our Society members. You might
look through the Society membership listing. One of
more of the 550 AAA in our Society just might be a
lucky contact for Larry Paul. Chick
Editor--I did just that and located three 550 AAA vets as follows:
CALRCO, Vincent R - A Btry
15 Brewer Place
Westfield, NY 14787
716 326-2320
SLATTERY, Walther N - D Btry
68 Webster St. - Apt #1
No. Tonawanda, NY 14120
716 694-9856
ZAMITO, Russell J - C Btry
258 Lowell Road
Kenmore, NY 14217
716 874-5544
Only Zamito was in C Btry but all three live in the
same area and may be able to help. [Anyone, please respond if you can, Editor]
Info requested on Albert Griffith--by Rob Ziegler RZieg47831@aol.com
I am the son-in-law of Albert Griffith, who passed away on July 18, 1998.
While he was alive, he never talked about his war experiences, as I am sure
many of the veterans of combat have done. Since his death his widow has
uncovered his discharge papers and found out that he served with the 89th
Div, 353rd Infantry, Co. M. , also that he received two Bronze Stars. His
family is very interested in finding out more about his time in Europe.
In doing some research I came across your web site and thought maybe you
could help. We are trying to contact anyone who might have known "Griff" or
at least someplace to get more information about Co. M.
I would appreciate any help that you can give us. Thank you
[If anyone can help, please contact Albert. Also, Albert, please check our email list to
see members of M Company, at
Band Reunion, by Bob Samuels, B Co., 354th Infantry -Sambo77@att.net
One of the high points of the Indy Reunion was the reunion within the
Reunion of the 354th Regimental Band. Billed as the Dixie Hotshots they
performed Friday evening and Saturday evening for the dancing after
the banquet. They managed to play a large variety of tunes just as
they had rehearsed them. Of course the rehearsals were in Camp
Butner and Linz, Austria more than 50 years ago.
The local ringleader was Harry Bertram of HQ Co., 354th who lives in
Indianapolis and made the arrangements for space, the renting of
drums for M. P. Wilson to play and recruited two local
reinforcements for the band.
Harry, having gotten beyond first bass
in his musical career also played clarinet. No not first base,
first bass. He
formerly played large violin aka "doghouse" or bass.
Note that in the photo of Gerry and Ruth Rosenbaum dancing after
the banquet on Saturday night Harry seems to be scratching the
back of his old R & I platoon combat buddy, Gerry.
M. P. Wilson, of L Co. , 354th, besides drumming also did
several vocals.
M. P. wrote a comprehensive "Story of the 354th Band" that was published
in the August 1994 issue of The Rolling W. Ed Burnes, of B Co., 354th, played
soprano saxophone and admitted to delivering some fabulous number of babies (actually
800) in his career as a physician.
Phil Plumby, of A Co., 354th, played trumpet forcefully and
emceed the Friday night performance. Unfortunately he had to return
to Ohio and wasn't present for the Saturday night gig.
The reinforcements
were Mark Kurowsky on banjo and John Skaggs on piano/
keyboard. John also did some vocalizing.
The music, selected by Harry Bertram, was great and consisted
of many "bread and butter" tunes from the good old days like
"Sweet Georgia Brown", "Stardust" and "It Had to Be You" and
some with more jam on them like "C-Jam Blues", "Muskrat Ramble" and "Saints Go
Marching In". They inspired some spirited dancing. M. P. Wilson
contributed vocals on "Sunny Side of the Street", "Makin' Whoopee",
"Blue Skies" and a special version of "Indiana". Phil Plumby and John
Skaggs sang different versions of "I Want A Girl" (just like the
girl that married dear old dad). Phil Plumby also lead the
audience in singing some tunes and performed a special trumpet tribute to
his A Company and Regimental Band buddies, "My Buddy". He also
sang the "354th Infantry March" written by the late Ray Woods.
354th Regimental Band (reinforced)
The 354th Infantry March by Ray Woods
Now you can have your navy, and your air corps too, But as for me,
give me a guy whose cap is trimmed with blue They're called the
"Queen of Battle" a name in combat won And all the world
will sing their praise before this job is done. Wherever
the sun is shining and men fight for victory Over hill and dale along the darkened trail you'll find the Fighting Infantry They're out front and smiling as they go to meet the foe. They'll never turn about instead you'll hear them shout The enemy's ahead so lets go get 'im. We're the infantry and we'll never let you down
We gotta walk but we'll be there in the
fight we'll square the score.
So drink a Toast to the 89th and the Fighting 354.
Request for info on Dad Maureen Durdin Tucker lena369@bellsouth.net
Hello, My father was in the 89th Infantry Division, Patton's 3rd Army
354 Canon Co. LoLt. Can you tell me how I can find out more info? Thank you very much!
Info on D.M. Durdin- From GERALD & DOROTHY STEARNS gedost@email.msn.co
Hi. If we're talking about D.M. Durdin, he was indeed in Cannon Company, 354th
Infantry Regiment, 89th Infantry Division. I know this because
I looked it up in the "89th Infantry Division, 1942-1945", a
history of our outfit, which lists the soldiers active during that time
period.
Yes, we were in Patton's Third Army during that last hectic drive
to end the war. We spearheaded for a time with the Fourth
Armored Division, but also worked closely with the 11th Armored,
and in two other Armies. D.M. is listed as a Private
First Class (Pfc), the journeyman level of soldier, and as having
been awarded the Combat Infantry Badge (CIB), about which those of
us who hold it feel pretty proud. Many of us 89ers are
members of the 89th Infantry Division Society, WW II, and have
been meeting regularly throughout the country for a number of
years. We met most recently in August 2002 in Indianapolis; in
2004 it'll be in Washington, D.C. We publish The Rolling W
magazine three times a year with personal stories, and just about
what you'd expect of a fraternal organization's publication.
We also have enjoyed a website for the last two years at www.89thinfdivww2.org,
which has many features to provide backgroun
d on your Dad's war years. It also provides a way of
inquiring about ex-89ers: our Webmaster, Raymond Kitchell, (an
old-timey artilleryman) asks you to join other family members
who have written in at rkitch2000@earthlink.net.
Ray and his son Mark also provide a monthly newsletter,
which includes inquiries like yours.
You can also
e-mail The Rolling W editor Mary Brunner (an 89er widow) at
mlbrunnerl@juno.com to see if you can reach in the December (or later
issue) a Cannon Co. member who doesn't use a computer.
Now, about me. I could not figure out what "LoLt" stood for and
I'd sure be pleased to know. It looked like
some kind of Lieutenant ( but doesn't seem likely). I was in
H Company of your father's regiment.
[Editor: Thanks Gerry for your help.]
Elido Baso's loss c/o Kevint118@comcast.net
Dear Kevin:
Please express my condolences and that of my Son to Elido for the loss of his wife whom we had the great pleasure of meeting on our "Tour of Remembrance" to Europe several years ago. We share you grievances as I am sure his comrades will also.
It has not been our practice to list the deaths of family
members on our electronic tools or in the TRW, only the vets
themselves under TAPS, as I hope you will understand.
However, if you wish, we will be pleased to include your
letter in our December issue along with this reply
I will change Elido's email address right away.
I hope that when he visits you next you accord him the
opportunity of seeing our continually updated website and
reading our newsletters, as I am sure that would please him.
Sincerely, Ray and Mark Kitchell
[I am sorry we lost the original email. I remember Mr. Baso and his wife very fondly
from the Tour of Rememberance. She was a lovely French woman he met while in Reims, right after
the war--Mark]
Information requested on Al Gilbert by Rob Ziegler RZieg47831@aol.com
I am the son-in-law of Albert Griffith, who passed away on July 18, 1998.
While he was alive, he never talked about his war experiences, as I am sure
many of the veterans of combat have done. Since his death his widow has
uncovered his discharge papers and found out that he served with the 89th
Div, 353rd Infantry, Co. M, also that he received two Bronze Stars His
family is very interested in finding out more about his time in Europe.
In doing some research I came across your web site and thought maybe you
could help. We are trying to contact anyone who might have known "Griff" or
at least someplace to get more information about Co. M.
I would appreciate any help that you can give us. Thank you
[Anyone, pleaes respond if you can help--Mark]
Inquiry about George Stanley Little Douglas Little St. Louis, MO
dlittle@gatewayprt.com
I'm trying to find out more information about the time that my father
spent in the Cigarette Camps. Since they were run by the 89th Division,
at least the one where Dad stayed, there may be someone who knew of him
in the ranks of your membership.
He did handle the mail and sell stamps so I would assume that most of
the men that wrote letters and purchased stamps would have had some
contact with dad. Apparently he was made an acting Sgt. over 80 or 90
men. I'm not sure exactly what that means but it sounds like he may
have directed the activities of a significant number of soldiers. Some
may remember him that way.
His full name was George Stanley Little. Most probably they called him
Stanley or just Stan. Unit records of the 941st list no nickname
for him. However mom said that they sometimes called him
"Stache" presumably short for mustache (he grew one
during the war). Dad had a prominent nose and while
he was Scotch-English many thought him to be a Pole
and/or Jewish.
I would appreciate it if you would put an item about my search for him
on your web site and that way maybe we can find someone that may have
met him at the Cigarette Camp.
[See story next]
George S Little-941st FA and Occupation Duty with 89th Div dlittle@gatewayprt.com
I have re-visited your website and find that it has been nicely re-done.
I am sure that it will be very popular.
I would like to correct and extend my past emails to you. They were made as
I began my research and I now know quite a bit more than I did last year.
My father was George S. (Stanley) Little and he was trained if FA at
Fort Bragg from Sept 43 to Feb 44. He shipped out in March arriving in
England on March 21. He was then placed with the 941st FA Bn, an outfit
filled primarily with men from New Hampshire (as it was a reconstituted
N.H Nat Guard unit). Many were of French-Canadian hyphen American
descent and most could speak French - a definite plus
during the 73 days they spent in France.
The 941st was attached 95 percent of the war directly to V Corps
and therefore Dad didn't have a division patch until he
got his 89th patch during occupation duty. The 941st
landed at Normandy on D+7 and fired their first rounds the
next day. Their last shots they fired were in March 1945 at
the Rhine River crossing. This unit was in all the
toughest battles, including supporting the infantry in the Hurtgen
Forest.
The 941st pulled back from the Hurtgen Forest and over to
Monschau, Germany. They had a few days of peace during
December and then on Dec 16 they took a beating from the
opening German artillery barrage at Monschau as the BOB
campaign began.
The German spies had carefully plotted all the OB Posts
and HQ/FDC positions and accurately fired upon all
the places the 941st were living.
The German 6th Panzer Division desired the road net at Eupen and
had to go through Monschau to get there. Since artillery units are
supposed to be further back behind the lines, the 941st hastily packed
their equipment and began to withdraw to the west only to
run into elements of the German paratroop division dropped
the night of the 16th.
Pfc. Raymond Yeatts, of "A" battery made a report to the company HQ
the night of the 16th to report that he had heard many planes coming
from the east and then returning to the east, without dropping any
bombs, but his report was apparently given little credence by
the unit G3 officers. Big mistake!
The 941st could only go two directions -east or west. To the east the
6th Panzer division was advancing. To the west were the elements
of the southern edge of the paratroop division. Fighting in two
directions has to be really rough. The 941st temporarily unable to
move continued to fire at the advancing Germans with only the barest
minimum cavalry and infantry support to their front. (There was one
other FA unit included in this fight but I haven't been
able to identify them yet.) The ferocity and accuracy of fire
in this engagement was duly noted by V Corp. HQ and other higher
echelon officers.
The commanders of the 941st really wanted to go west but they had no
infantry screen and only a few heavy machine guns plus everyone's personal
small arms. Fortunately, before too long, a small US reinforcing unit
came down the road from the west and provided the firepower to hold
the German paratroops while the most of the artillery pieces, ammunition
trucks and the rest slipped away. Several artillery pieces were
abandoned in place because they were frozen in the ground with no
time to get them moving.
By the time the last of the 941st was leaving the area the German paratroops
had begun to arrive in force and the firefight became real hot. This was
the escape that Dad must have been referring to that I got wrong in
my previous email to you. I have learned that my father was on
the FDC "night shift" so he was asleep (incredible to think about) as
the "evac" began in earnest. This is the time that Dad told me about
his Lieutenant came by frantically yelling and kicking
him awake and telling him to run to a truck right
away. Dad said as they careened down the road in their truck
rounds from small arms fire were whizzing by.
The help screen the "evac" the 941st left 15 men and machine guns
in Monschau on detached service with the 38th Cavalry Recon Squadron
and a couple of other units that I can't recall. This group held
up the German 6th Panzer Army and other German units for 24 hours
(plus or minus). These units eventually withdrew under the
force of the advancing divisions but only a mile or two at most.
These units were part of the defense of the "BOB northern Shoulder"
of the Allied armies and yielded precious little additional ground to
the Germans.
Happily this was much to the frustration of the German Task Force
Pieper, the "spearhead" of the advancing German units. The
task force was infamous for the atrocities perpetrated near
Malmedy and other spots.
The actions of that small force at Monschau December 16-18 of
1944 were rewarded with a Distinguished Unit Badge. I
have included the "official citation" below.
Below is the article in the 941st battalion's official "field newspaper"
of June 18, 1945.
MACHINE GUNNERS RECEIVE AWARDS FOR WORK AT MONSCHAU.
Fifteen members of this unit [941st FA Bn] have been awarded the Distinguished
Unit Badge for their work in assisting the 38th Cavalry Recon Squadron (CRS),
to repel the German counterattack in the Monschau area last December [1944].
These men were on detached service with the 38th [CRS] at the time and
remained in support of that mechanized unit for about 10 days. The
citation is directed at the 38th Cavalry Recon Squadron (Mecz) and attached
units and read as follows:
The 38th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron (Mechanized), with attached units, is cited
for outstanding performance of duty in action against the enemy during the
period 16-18 December 1944, in Germany.
During the major counter-offensive staged by the 6th German Panzer Army,
the squadron and attached units displayed extraordinary heroism
and outstanding combat proficiency in repelling for three
successive days the desperate [attempts] by the 326th Volks Grenadier
Division to open the Monschau sector for exploitation by the
2nd Panzer Division.
Defending a front of 9,000 yards and standing alone between the
full-scale German attack and vital road nets leading to Eupen and
Liege, this thinly spread force held its ground in the face of
five attacks ranging in strength from a reinforced battalion to the
combined elements of two infantry regiments. Three of these
assaults were supported by direct self-propelled artillery and
rocket fire, which preceded the attacking infantry.
The battalion of German paratroopers, which had been, dropped behind
the lines on the first night of the engagement seriously harassed
front line elements as well as the forces rear areas.
Despite the fact that the numerically superior enemy made several
penetrations, one of which was in battalion strength, isolated outposts
and platoons held their lines with grim determination. Although
artillery [941st FA Bn] observation posts were overrun, the personnel
fought with small arms to maintain their positions and adjusted
devastating fire upon waves of German infantry.
All enemy infiltrations were thwarted by determined fighting
and close hand-to-hand combat. When the battle was most intense
every available man, including personnel of rear echelon maintenance and
supply sections and soldiers being treated in the squadron infirmary,
were employed to drive back the advancing forces.
The gallantry and combined skill of this force resulted in 300 enemy
killed, thirty-one prisoners taken, and countless casualties inflicted
upon the enemy ranks.
The strength, courage and determination exhibited by the personnel
of the 38th Cavalry and attached units in denying the Germans
access to the vital road net contributed largely to the ultimate
defeat of the German offensive in the Ardennes.
Men of the 941st Field Artillery Battalion Receiving this Award:
NAME, BATTERY, HOMETOWN
Cpl. Alexander, Ethan D.,Service, Danville, Ill
Cpl. Methot. Harold L., C, Wetmore, Mich
Cpl. Potter, Orland P., C, Detroit, Mich
Pfc. Daly, Edward P., HQ, Philadelphia, PA
Pfc. Evans, Ben, A, Chicago, Ill
Pfc. Figueroa, Unk, Unk
Pfc. Hewitt, Homer E., Service, Manchester N.H.
Pfc. Landry, George E., Service, Manchester N.H.
Pfc. Rooth, Calvin S., C, Chicago, Ill
Pvt. Coonradt, Clarence L., A, Osage, Iowa
Pvt. Griffith, Charles B., C, Quitman, Miss
Pvt. Morris, John L., Service, Struthers, Ohio
Pvt. Murph, Walter, C, Charlotte, N.C.
Pvt. Oliver, Kenneth E., HQ, Harrisburg, Ill
Pvt. Spagna, Charles A., HQ, Bronx, N.Y.
A Medley of Sounds, Sights and Smells By Gerry Stearns H Co 354th
gedost@msn.com
Real estate people say
Prospective buyers for your house
Will be charmed by the smell
Of fresh-baked bread.
In the mess hall the same perfume
Made you ready to fight the world,
Or, at least, to face another day of training
How many newsreels had we seen
Showing the Lady of Liberty
Torching It Up
In New York Harbor?
But, if you'd never seen her face-to-face before,
Like me, entering the Harbor for the first time,
She speaks directly to you.
She says, "Welcome Home" like nothing else can,
Even if home is many miles and hours away.
There is no grander sound than a bugler
Playing "To The Colors",
To introduce the raising or lowering
Of The Flag.
It fills you with the kind of pride
You hope you deserve.
"Taps" at night, in an encampment
Is like a mother's loving touch.
"Taps" by an open grave
Is a chill wind on the back of your neck.
An artillery round on its way--
Where did it start, where will it end?--
Makes a fluttering sound overhead
Not quite like anything else.
It seems almost benign.
I learned early on to respond to the command
"Rye-eet, Dress!"
But then some poetic colonel,
In a back corridor of the Pentagon,
Decreed we'd align our ranks
To "Dress Right, Dress!"
Three crisp syllables. Much better.
In Luxembourg, in the dark night,
Passing overhead,
Something going "putt, putt, putt",
Like a motor scooter; and trailing sparks?
At any rate, trailing light in the sky.
As the sound moves higher and further away
Someone says, "A V-2 rocket".
Bound for London? From close by? This late in the War?
A terrorist weapon, certainly.
In ranks, in full class A uniform, at Camp Butner,
A review for Wendell Wilkie, Republican candidate for president.
I see nothing but the backs of OD-clad troops. (Suntans?)
And a long way ahead somebody commands
What may have been "Bring your units to attention".
Then, progressively, "Battalion," "Company," "Plat-oo-oon,"
"Ten-hut!"
Was there band music? Were we ordered to present arms?
It probably would have been the last time
For the sound of so many Division hands
Slapping taut leather slings against M-1 stocks
(They issued us web slings for overseas).
There was a sense you'd been involved
In something important, but without sight,
There was no conviction.
In the cold, white winter of 1945-46
In Linz, Austria
I saw the forerunner of today's SUV:
One of the U.S. jeeps enclosed in half inch,
three-quarter inch, armor plate,
Courtesy of the Hermann Goering Autowerke of Linz.
I no longer had "my own" jeep
Which I figure was just as well
Because the vehicle was top-heavy
And in a skid and roll-over I'd carom around inside
Like a ball in a pin-ball machine
And be well-nigh frozen, to boot.
Contributed by Darrel Carnell dcarnell@att.net
This came to me from a young female lawyer who was born long after I was
graduated from law school. It's comforting to know that some of the "younger
generation" appreciate our efforts of so long ago.
What is a Veteran?
He is the cop on the beat who spent six months in Saudi Arabia sweating
two gallons a day making sure the armored personnel carriers didn't
run out of fuel.
He is the barroom loudmouth, dumber than five wooden planks, whose overgrown frat-boy behavior is outweighed a hundred times in the
cosmic scales by four hours of exquisite bravery near the 38th parallel.
She (or he) is the nurse who fought against futility and went to sleep
sobbing every night for two solid years in Da Nang.
He is the POW who went away one person and came back another - or didn't come back AT ALL.
He is the Parris Island drill instructor who has never seen combat -but has saved countless lives by turning slouchy, no-account rednecks and gang members into Marines, and teaching them to watch each other's backs.
He is the parade-riding Legionnaire who pins on his ribbons and medals with a prosthetic hand.
He is the career quartermaster who watches the ribbons and medals pass him by.
He is the three anonymous heroes in The Tomb Of The Unknowns, whose
presence at the Arlington National Cemetery must forever preserve the
memory of all anonymous heroes whose valor dies unrecognized with them
on the battlefield or in the ocean's sunless deep.
He is the old guy bagging groceries at the supermarket - palsied now and aggravatingly slow - who helped liberate a Nazi death camp and who
wishes all day long that his wife were still alive to hold him when the nightmares come.
He is an ordinary and yet an extraordinary human being - a person who offered some of his life's most vital years in the service of his country, and who sacrificed his ambitions so others would not have to sacrifice theirs.
He is a soldier and a savior and a sword against the darkness, and he is nothing more than the finest, greatest testimony on behalf of the finest, greatest nation ever known.
So remember, each time you see someone who has served our country,
just lean over and say Thank You. That's all most people need, and in most
cases it will mean more than any medals they could have been awarded
or were awarded.
Two little words that mean a lot, "THANK YOU."
It's the soldier, not the reporter, Who gave us our freedom of the press.
It's the soldier, not the poet, Who gave us our freedom of speech.
It's the soldier, not the campus organizer, Who gave us our freedom
to demonstrate.
It's the soldier, Who salutes the flag, Who serves others with respect for the flag, And whose coffin is draped by the flag, Who allows the protester to burn the flag.
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