STARK BEAUTY Despite the grimness of their mission, Trailblazers compose a gripping picture as they move out in the earliest of dawn's light in the Oregon hills. This was one of the final exercises in basic training in Oc­tober of 1944. The picture was made by Chester Garstki who then, as now, was chief photographer for the " Trail blazer." The scene is near Airlie, .northwest of Camp Adair.

70th Infantry Division Association Vol. 42, No. 1 January, 1985

1945 That January 40 years ago as we wrote history

''The only history worth reading is that wrillen at the time of which it treats, the history of what was done and seen, heard out of the mouths of the men who did and saw it." J. H. Newman , 1852.

T * ~he official history of the 70th Division and

Task Force Herren, the name under which Trailblazers first went into battle , is recited in the dry tones of official reports. This is a condensation of "The Narrative Report of the 276th Infantry" for its first month in combat. But the truer history was written in letters to anxious families back home , into diaries which soldiers were not supposed to keep. And much history was never written; it was spoken , often cryptically, sometimes bitterly, usually nos­talgically.

While reports of the other regiments will be printed later in this journal, the experiences of the 276th arc typical and were shared by most Trailblazers.

* After two weeks at Camp Myles Standish, in final preparation for overseas service , the regiment, on Dec. 5, 1944 , began moving to Boston and onto the USS West Point. It sailed on the 6th and arrived at Marseilles on Dec. 15. The weather there was cold and rainy and the bivouac area-at Delta Base CP No. 2- was in deep mud. Pup tents were pitched in formal rows.

At Delta Base , a cook in 276th HQ Co. was lighting a field sto1•e when he was suddenly

Volume 42, Number 1, January 1985

2

Ed itor Edmund C. Arnold 3208 Hawthorne A ve. Richmond. Virginia 23222

A ssociate Editor Chester F. Garstki 2946 No. Hard ing Chicago. Illinois 60618

wrapped in a burst ofjlame. T/5 Nathan Coop­er was standing nearby. He ran over, grabbed a blanket and wrapped it around the victim , at the same time using his own body to smother thejlames and beating them ow with his hands. For his heroism Cooper was the first Trail­blazer awarded the Soldier' s Medal.

Two troop trains took the line compan ies north, departing at noon on Dec. 23. The troops unloaded at Brumath, France , marched to Bischwcilcr and were billeted in abandoned factories and public buildings.

" / was the youngest of 10 children so I had brothers in World War I go through the same thing. They had told me about 40&8s but thev hadn 't said anything about the bodies , tanks and other equipment scattered around, not 1110\'ing.

' '/don' t recall how long the trip on the 40 & 8' s was , bur it was cold and dark when we got off. They said we were not far from enemy lines. We walked rhrough the villages very quietly, and took a short break every hour. Lor of rumors were jlying about what our living conditions would be at our nexr stop. I kno11• most of us would have sellled for a chicken coop, but we lucked out. The group / was with was billeted in a school house in Bischwiller. It was just like the Biltmore to us. The next da_l' was Christmas and when we got our rations we got a can of bacon. After preparing rhe bacon , along with the other rations , we felt we were eating well and staying at the Biltmore Hotel. ' ' Pfc Harry Kinsler, Co. K. (The cars were marked with their capaciry of 40 men or eight horses. Blll wry soldier humor-and the inevi­table overcrowding-quickly changed that to 40 and 8.)

Motor clements of the regiment left early on Dec. 24 and , 176 miles later, spent Christmas in St. Rambert. France. Another 167 miles and

40th Anniversary Celebrations Belgium 1984

it was Christmas night in Dijon. ' 'We camped in a park in the center of town

and right in the middle was a long. long out­door !curine. It was a two-row job , men sat back to back and it stretched out at least a hundred Jeer . It was painted whire and it glistened in the moonlight. After riding all day in a kidney-bane ring jeep with mighry few rest slops , 11•e were so ready to use this gleaming facility rhat we didn' 1 even miss rhe shelter of a tent around it. But as we sank gratefully to the seat , we sprang up in acute discomfort. That 'white paint' was frost'' '

The motor column reached Bischwcilcr on Dec. 27, bringing regimental strength to 2 ,805 enlisted men and 157 officers after 2 19 men were transferred to the 80th Divi~ion as re­placements.

The other regiments that made up Task Force Herren were already in combat and on Dec. 29. the 276th moved on foot and on wheels to Soufflcnhcim to relieve the 275th in defensive positions along the west bank of the Rhine from Sclts to Roschwoog.

S-2 Estimate: " The enemy lacks sufficient strength to prevent accomplishment of our mis­sion. But he would be able to maintain active patrolling along the banks of the Rhine. He is also able to strafe and bomb our lines and to drop saboteurs by parachute. ''

' 'We H'ere just starting to get used to France

is published four times a year by the 70th Infantry Division A ssoci at ion , for ils members and fr iends. Subscription : $7 . annually.

President Delyle Omholt Box 335

Vice President-West Gregory Hosford 1780 Princeton Ave.

Asst. Sec.-T reos. Norman Johnson 3344 Bryant Ave. Anoka, Minnesota 55303

lola, Wisconsin 54945

Vice President-East Edward Cloonan 100 Harland Road Waltham, Massochussetts 02154

Salt Lake City, Utah 84108

Secretary-Treasurer Alvin Thomas 203 So. Major St. Eureka, Illinois 61530

Chaplains Alex C. Johnson 955 Olive St. Hoffman Estates, Illinois 60194

Rev. Don Docken 920 Third St. Hudson, Wisconsin 54016

70th Division Assn TRAILBLAZER

and its people while moving up to where the fighting was taking place, when one night some very excited Frenchmen told us about the Ger­mans parachuting German soldiers behind the American lines which were some miles ahead of us. The Germans were supposed to be dressed in American uniforms.

''I drew the detail to take a squad and go find the Germans. We didn't know what a German looked like, let alone one in an American uni­form. Everybody was in season.

''We started out in the dark of the night first looking this way, thenthataway, we looked and looked and looked, finding nothing until it was just breaking dawn and we came upon a small town of Sells. France on the Rhine River which separated France and Germany. Looking across the ri1•er we could see the German pillboxes and large concrete bunkers with just a German or two mo1•ing about. Being as we didn 't find any Germans during the night, we decided to dig in along the ril•erbank and watch them.

''The German side of the river got pretty busy around 8 or 9 in the moming with them getting breakfast , doing their wash at the riv­erside , resting in the sun, playing their guitar.

"This was too much for us; we decided to open fire. Big mistake. The Germans fired back with the biggest guns I have e1•er seen. Luckily on the edge of town there was a brick factory with a large and very thick brick kiln. It wasn' 1

being used, so we retreated to the inside of the kiln. The Germans continued to pound the riwr bank the rest of the day. They even sent jet airplanes after us, the first jets I e1•er did see. We snuk out that night and made our way back to our outfit." S!Sgt Bill Coleman, Co. K.

Jan. I, 1945. The regiment began moving by motor to Zittersheim. France, occupying an 11-mile defense line from Yolksbcrg to Ing­willcr and was attached to the 45th Division.

Jan. 3. The 2nd Bn at 0730 reported the loss of one regimental anti-tank gun and part of Company E. A column of French tanks ap­peared at Yolkberg at midmorning and reported to the 276th CP for coordination. Weather continued cold with occasional snow flurries and a light mantle of snow on the ground.

Jan. 4. The enemy attacked at the south about 0530 and took Wingcn.

First Lt Harold Bunstine, Co. E, ll'as the first Trailbla:er to be awarded the Silver Star. Sad footnote: Posthumously.

Anticipating attack. the I st Bn moved to Winnemau where Co. B, moving into position, was ambushed near Wingen and attacked from the rear by a large enemy patrol. Casualties were high-first estimates were 50o/o--and Co. A was sent to the rescue. The 45th Division refused to put artillery fire onto Wingen.

At 1330 the 3rd Bn attack jumped off and moved toward Wingcn, supported by I 0 tanks. Among German forces opposing our advance was the 6th SS Mountain Division and several other units, clements of about 200 strong with ''excessive amounts of automatic weapons and the morale of the mountain division troops said to be very high."

The attack failed.

January, 1985

Jan. 5. Co. C, attacking from the north with the 3rd Bn moving from the west and the rest of I st Bn from the south, was first held up by intense automatic fire and bazookas but by late afternoon penetrated deep into Wingen.

Co. G of the 274th was attached to the 276th to support the attack from the southwest and the I 60th Field Artillery of the 45th concentrated fire from hills to the northwest.

Before mopping-up operations were well under way, darkness descended and. except for active patrolling, all troops were ordered to withdraw from the town.

"During the two days of attack, the enemy had taken some 150 of our men prisoner, in­cluding 15 wounded, all these were held in the Wingen school house. They were not fed and were used as litter-bearer details for the han­dling of enemy wounded." Enemy casualties were heavy from our artillery, machinegun and tank fire.,.

Jan. 6. First and 3rd Bns were mopping up. The 2nd Bn, meanwhile, had been attached to the 313th Infantry and ordered to attack the town of Lichtenberg. It was successful with Co. E spearheading.

Our POWSs were freed and restored to their units and by Jan. 7 the area was cleared of enemy and the defensive line was restored by the 276th.

' 'The tide of battle put routes of com­munication in the hands of the enemy on sev­eral occasiom. Messages had to be carried. One mounted messenger counted 10 bullet holes in his '1"- T 1•ehicle following one dispatch trip."

Jan. 8. The regiment listed the need for replacements of 281 enlisted men and six offi­cers. The troops moved to the vicinity of Mul­hausen.

Jan. 9. "Take four hills southwest of Baren­thal." came the order. For three hours there was no opposition as the three battalions ad­vanced. Then fire from the town of Ober­muhlthal slowed the 2nd Bn which was moving in rugged terrain. At 1410. Co. C was hit by a

counterattack and Co. B came under heavy artillery fire. The battle continued, ding­donging, until 1700 when the town was re­ported cleared.

Jan. I 0. At dawn the attack resumed and the front lines were straightened despite increased enemy artillery fire.

Jan. II. The I st Bn attacked and captured Hill403 but was stopped by heavy artillery fire from reaching the crest of Hill 358. ''Later this hill was taken at heavy cost to the battalion."

The 3rd Bn attack was halted at 1845 but the 2nd Bn continued and, right after midnight, captured Hill 415, dug in and sent out active patrols.

"Bill Nance had come to our company at Fort Leonard Wood. He was a T-3 but he painted the Tout of his stripes. As we came out of the mountains we came upon the bodies of several of a squad that had been ambushed. As soon as I saw the sergeant's stripes with the T blacked out, I knew it was Nance's body that lay in the mountain stream from which we had had our first drink of water in weeks that wasn' 1

melted snow." Pfc Ray Mienheartt, Co. E. (That hated Tis no/mentioned on the roster of KIAs of the 276th. There he is listed as S!Sgt.)

Jan. 12. The fourth day of the attack. Now the 2nd Bn was pinned down by heavy small­arms fire and the 3rd Bn had to send in its reserve Co. L to aid the 2nd. The regiment as a whole made only slight progress this day.

The regimental CP, which had moved to Offwiller on the I Oth, three days later moved to Wocrth, as the 276th relieved units of the I 57th Infantry and 36th Engineers from Jaegerthal at the left to Lcmbach.

''We moved so much we didn't have any idea where we were. Line soldiers had no maps. We never saw the sun. They had double daylight­savings time and by 3:30 in the afternoon it was night. So we didn't even know which way was north, which was day or which was night.'' Cpl Harry Krotoszynski, Co. L.

Jan. 14. "Relieve units of the 103rd by Jan. Continued on next page

3

Continued 17,'' were orders from TF Herren. An advance party moves to Farebersviller with most movement by night.

"We rode wherever we could hang on to a vehicle. Some men were 'way atop huge piles of equipment . I was high on a truck loaded with barracks bags. The only light was the faint blue blackout headlights; there was no moon. And there was often a mist that made it even harder to see anything, as if there was anything to see. The roads were icy and twisted through the mountains. And it was cold as hell.'' Pfc Rich­ard Lally, Co. B.

Jan. 16. The mission of the 276th was to defend an area from Emmerswe iler on the left to Buschbach. Enemy strength in the area was estimated at three companies, 300 to 400 men. Our replacement needs were 327 men and eight officers. Capt. Anthony Eger, Co. L, was the highest-rank officer killed in action; I st Lt. Howard Amest, Co. A, was the only officer taken prisoner.

In the last two weeks of January the 276th strengthened defenses and was ac ti ve in patrol­ling . Meanwhile TF Herren was moved from command of XXI Corps to that of XV Corps. The weather continued extremely cold, snow was deep and roads icy.

So the 276th 's first month wound down in relative calm , broken only by harrassing ac-

tions and active patrolling by the enemy. The other two regiments were still in bitter

action. Phillipsbourg and Wingen had become bloody chapters in the 70th's record. And those actions were part of the great Battle of the Bulge and the companion piece of the German double-pincers movement: The Colmar Pocket.

The Allied armies were mourning their dead, accepting replacements and gathering strength for the next giant offensive which cou ld come any day.

The 276th had played only a small role in its first taste of guns fired at them in anger. But in these few days of combat they had quickly become veterans. The price they had paid was the lives of young men who would never marry, would never have chi ldren or, certainly grandchi ldren. Dreams of careers and voca­tions were buried with those twisted bodies, frozen in the grotesque postures of violent death.

" He can't be dead," wept a private at a company CP near Zittersheim, as a truck brought in the firs t bodies, piled as awkwardly as a log jam. ''! was best man at his wedding.'' Even in battle, it took time for the civilian­turned-soldier to acknowledge the fa llacy of " It can't happen to me."

The price was a long li st of "Ki lled in

Action": Pfc Leonard Baker. Co. I; Pfc Wil­liam Barusis, Co. C.: Pfc Thomas Bast, Co. L .. . and continuing for 108 more times, 108 telegrams to homes from Minnesota to Loui­siana: '"The War Department regrets to inform you. . . "

Cpl Fred Abraham, Co. L through Sgt Rud­olph Swetz, Jr., also Item Co. were first and last on the list of I 0 who died of wounds received in January. From Pvt Paul Adams, Co. A, through Pfc Archie Whitsett, the list of missing in action numbers 38.

Names on the report of wounded in action reads like a United Nations: Pfc Alfredo An­aya, Co. L; Sgt. Max Cameron. Co. F; Joseph Czajkowski, Co. I; Pvt. Vernon Huepen­becker, Co. C.; Pfc Hidemaru Yatsutaki. Co. A. Three hundred seventeen Purple Hearts, a meager symbol for torn bodies and tortured minds. Thirty-eight were injured in action .

''Sgt Alva Hal/was regular Army and a real good Joe. When Arnold Jones was killed, Sgt Hall took his wristwatch to mail to Arnold's family. The best way to keep it was to wear it . But before he could get off the line in order to send it home, the sergeant was wounded by shrapnel that went through his wrist and de­stroyed the watch.'' Pfc Ray Mienheartt.

·'Returned to Duty'" is such a short list in comparison. From S/Sgt John Ballog, Co. D. through Pfc Roland Steinman, also of Dog Co., only 22 names.

Thus was our 'band of brothers' reduced in numbers but enriched by memories of com­rades to whom patriotism was more than just a word in Fourth of July speeches .

*************************************** Feaster:

Thomas: The treasury is sound Sent to Alvin Thomas, Sec.-Treas.

The 70th Division Association is in excellent financial health. As the money bags were transfered from former secretary-treasurer Elbert Feaster to newly-elected Alvin Thomas, there was a reserve of $20,000.

This is a far (and pleasant) cry from a decade ago when officers had to dig into their own pockets to pay Association postage. Here are the two financial reports: 7/1/ 84 Cash on Hand $19,025.36

4

INCOME 245 Memberships (<i. $7 Life Memberships Donations Reunion receipts Interest

EXPENSES Postage Roster Reunion Trailblazer Editor Outstanding TB Award

1,715.00 2,316.00

4.00 26,396.00

378.09

198.02 1,492.92

27,526.39 200.00

44.44

30,809.09

$49,834.45

29,461 .77

$20,372.68

Check from 1st Federal Savings $11,840.69 Check from Oxford Bank 8,531 .99

Elbert Feaster Past Sec.-T reas.

20,372.68

REPORT OF OPERA liONS 9/1/ 84

9/30/ 84

Received from Feaster and deposited in 1st Bank of Eureka RECEIPTS Interest Mug Sale Dues

DISBURSEMENTS Postage (Roster) Supplies

1st Bank of Eureka

Alvin Thomas Sec.-T reas.

5.33 2.50

21.00

776.85 23.89

11,840.69

28.83

$11,869.52

800.74

$11,068.78

70th Division Assn TRAILBLAZER

r•b,llf~_.~,

~-~IIIII~-£ •'' 'Blazers unite in rebutting critics

A story in the ··Philadelphia Inquirer" ' dur­ing the 70th Reunion there told how members of the 6th Mountain Troop--with whom the Trailblazers had fought several bitter en­gagements in 1945-were in attendance. old enmities forgotten among men-at-arms.

This prompted several caustic letters to the newspaper, condemning the Association for hosting men accused of atrocities (totally un­founded) against Jews in Europe. The editor of "The Trailblazer" responded to, and rejected, such criticisms as unwarranted and unworthy.

The editor stressed that he was not an official spokesman for the Association. But all re­sponses from members indicate complete agreement.

Any member who has any different opinion is urged to make his views known; they will be printed in the magazine. A few members, in the past, voiced discomfort at attendance of Ger­man veterans at our Reunions. Scars of combat have not completely disappeared. But none has voiced the hatred to our former enemies that was evidenced in the Philadelphia letters.

Kerry Cutter, Co. K , 275, an attorney in Sacramento, California, writes:

'· t completely agree with you that the subject criticism was unwarranted ; I also believe that it was unreasonable and totally without merit. Furthermore, I also resent the implications made against the 70th Infantry Division.

"The criticizers are apparently from that small , influential and vociferous group of peo­ple, who, for monetary and current political reasons. will not allow the 'Nazis Era' to die of natural death. Their knee-jerk response to such situations is invariably similar to the attack made upon the 70th Infantry Division, which anyone, with a little knowledge of history or a little independent thought can detect it for what it is-invidious. hateful, offensive, and un­justifiable.

.. Unfortunately, I have not attended the par­ticular reunions wherein members of the 6th SS Waffen Division were in attendance. If I had attended, as a student of history, both military and political , I would have enjoyed discussing with them that period of time in the Vosges Mountains when we were fierce enemies.

'" In my opinion, your reply, although somewhat mild , was excellent.''

Karl Landstrom, 3rd Bn HQ, 274, also an attorney, in Arlington, Virginia, writes, as a letter " To the Association and Its German Friends'·:

"Our Association's welcome to our German friends at Philadelphia, as in past Reunions, has come under sharp attack in three letters to the editor of the ' Philadelphia Inquirer,' letters

January, 1985

based on a misunderstanding of the facts. '·one letter perceived that our welcome

went. not to individual German citizens who happened to have served in an infantry unit of the former Sixth Mountain Division, but rather to the Waffen SS itself. Another letter refers to the German guests as ·former members of the SS, one of whose tasks was the wholesale murder of Jews.' A third letter accused our members of erasing the memory of millions of European dead and thousands who died from within our own ranks.

"It is unfortunate that the writers of these letters could not have been present during the Reunion itself to witness the reverence with which our members regarded the deaths, not only of our own comrades-at-arms, but also of the German dead. and, by extension, the deaths of all others which resulted from the fanaticism of Hitler and his colleagues; and the coming together of our German guests in this attitude. Our members in no sense demonstrated any lack of abhorrence for the unjustified and wholesale murders referred to in the letters.

"This is another case of accusatory guilt by mere association. There is nothing to show that our German guests-individual soldiers pressed into service-had any influence what­ever upon the atrocities ordered to be com­mitted by the Hitler regime.

"Nevertheless, our Association's leaders need to use care and discretion. particularly in future news conferences, to explain the actual relationship of our members with our German friends, perhaps at the same time expressly disavowing any intention to embrace the brutal and unlawful acts committed by other Germans during the World War ll period.,.

John Marr, Bn A, 883rd FA, takes a con­ciliatory tone . " I can, with some effort, under­stand the bitter hatred of the Jews to all Ger­mans , especially servants of the Nazi govern­ment. l say 'with some effort' because l do not hate and find it difficult to relate to hatred . Your letter to the ' Inquirer ' reflects my feel­ings. Thank you for an eloquent reply. "

A bit less delicate is Tom Higley's response. Tom , Co. C, 275, writes: "Just a note to thank you for your reply to those unmitigated jerks . I can think , but Lutie (his wife) docsn ' tallow me to use them, some very good World War II Gl terms for such people. l do admit that when I read those letters in the ' Inquirer ' I let out a string of those forbidden Gl terms and Lutie came rushing in to see why. She read the letters and forgave me.''

George Spires, Co. M, 275, writes: " Your reply states the thoughts of many members of the 70th, I'm sure. We all lost friends to the Germans but I cannot continue to hate those

who were doing their duty as we were doing ours."

Frank Ellis, M.D., 1st Bn Surgeon , 274, wonders if the " Inquirer" printed the letter of response. (It did). And whether the reply prompted rebuttal. (Apparently not). Dr. Ellis believes that only' ' tolerance is the key that will unlock the problems of all of us. "

Dwight Denno, Co. E, 274, says: " Having fought the SS Troopers in our first engagement at Wingen. where our unit received the Presi­dential Citation, I concur wholeheartedly with you.

" The SS Troops, as far as I'm concerned, were worthy opponents and were motivated, as we were , by love of our country. The war has been over a long time and the only way the world can live in peace is to stop dredging up the past and living in the present. Feeding on hatred and perpetuating it is no way to a peace­ful world environment."

Sgt/1 st class Ed Lane, a member of the 70th Training Division in Michigan , had received a letter from Willy Gottenstroetcr who had read of the original criticisms in the Philadelphia newspaper. " I told him that this was a good example of our freedom of speech; people are free to make idiots of themselves . I told him I associate with whom l please and that first­class soldiers are always a pleasure to associate with.

'· I know that German veterans associations are having trouble with their 'Greens' when they have reunions over there. I feel that you fellows (of the original 70th) were the ones who were shooting at each other. If you want to be friends, that's great!

·'I truly loved the way you bracketed , then fired for effect. Great job; all rounds on tar­get."

Gottenstroeter, who has been our guest at several Reunions and who has been a gracious

Continued on page IS

5

Axe-head Archives

"At the age of 3 1 and having been married just three days , I found myself boarding a train on November 23, 1942 for Fort Hayes. Ohio. Prior to Pearl Harbor I had tried to enlist in the Army, Navy, Marines and Air Force and was turned down. How did I wind up in the 70th MP Platoon?

''At Hayes we were issued summer clothing and put on a train again. At the end of a long journey, we wound up somewhere in the Northwest with snow and icc on the ground . There, in our short uniforms , we did cal­isthenics in the great frozen outdoors. But our final destination was San Antonio. Texas. We sure didn ' t take the direct route'

So started out the military career of Donald Walters, Sr., of Youngstown. Ohio.

" I attended the Automotive School at Nor­moyle Ordnance Dept. After getting my T/4 rating, I supervised a pool of 30 MP vehicles. Work consisted mainly of replacing worn or damaged parts. Many times those parts weren' t available and we had to make ' modifications. ' But somehow we kept them rolling.

" I returned to the States on the SS. Wm. Avery and I was discharged at Indian town Gap in January of '46 . My wife and son had kept the Christmas tree and that was my most mem­orable holiday.

" Kenneth Mack and I have been cor­responding and I was pleasantly surprised when he sent me the insignia from the truck I was assigned to in France. Thanks to him I learned about the 70th Association and joined immediately. After a triple by-pass, I am still very active. I do the electrical and plumbing work and odd jobs around the house and occa­sionally do body work on cars."

* Magazine expands "Go to 16 P-ages." That was the order

given to the 'Trail blazer" editor- infor­mally on the floor of the Reunion, for­mally by the new board of officers. So the 16-page format will continue as long as members keep sending in their Ar­chives material and other remi­niscences.

Members are asked not to send in small photogrcphs from the war years. That subtle orownish tinge that the pic­tures have acquired in the intervening 40 years makes it impossible for the platemaker to give us adequate repro­duction in print.

Photographs that are being used from that era are brand fresh ones made by Chester Garstki, associate edi­tor, from original negatives.

6

"When I arrived home (after France and Ger­many) in July of '46. I was st ill too young to buy a beer. " So Joseph Kelly , Co. A, 276th reminisces. " I was the youngest-look ing sol­dier in the U.S. army, a peach-fuzz kid. I was proud of my outfit , especially when the 70th had the memorial services at the amphi theater atop Lorelei on Infantry Day in 1945 . I still have the program. ··

Kelly returned to Kirkwood, Missouri. at­tended St. Louis University and took a master's in soc ial work. He ·s been a social worker for 28 years for the Omaha Archdiocese. He was a bachelor of 37 when he married Marlene Rog­ers of Omaha and they have six chi ldren , aged II to 20. He's an active outdoorsman.

" I joined the 70th at Folklingcn as a rinc­man. Although I had been trained to fight the Japanese , I was detoured by the Battle of the Bulge. I was on the front line for 40 days until we crossed the Saar and received a letter of commendation from Gen . Herren for helping a wounded man in Forbach ."

The battle of Forbach was his most mem­orable experience and he dreams of returning to that city " to shed some tears and pull together some threads from those peach-fuzz days.·'

* That Memorial Day service above the Lor­elei Rock is the most memorable experie nce of Marion B. Parkey, a Medic with Co. A who later was with the 3rd Division. He joined the 70th before acti vation at Adair. He is a clergy­man and is chaplain of the Tennessee American Legion.

He was honored as the Young Man of the Year ('63) in Humbo ldt. Tennessee and now lives in London in that state. He and his wife Wilma have two sons and five grandch ildren. He's a Rotarian and a Lion.

* Trailblazers suffered relatively few casu-alties from Nazi artillery. But John Naumc­zik , Co. K, 276th, counts as his unhappiest military experience seeing people s hot or maimed by artillery.

On February 6, 1945, while attacking Oetin­gen Hill ncar Forbach, three of our second squad. I st Platoon, crawled through the snow cutting through barbed wire. I waited until the other two pulled out after cutting through, then I made my move.

We were detected and the Germans opened up on us. Calvin U. Behr was killed before my eyes and I was wounded in the left thigh. Ted Herman our BAR man just did make it. (Inci­dentally , Ted remained in the military and is now Brig. Gen. Retired.) I put my belt above my wound and released it every 15 minutes. In the meantime. PFC Widman sat beside me wi th a BAR coveri ng me.

"T/Sgt" Kappetanovich of the 3rd Platoon tried getti ng to me and took a slug in his helmet. I told them to leave as I wou ld crawl out. Soon , came Pvt. Andrew H. Linderman with four prisoners , a stretcher, and our medic, C hat-

upa. As I was carried out we tripped two fuses. but no explosion.

"Upon our approach there were many trip mines. (Bouncing Betty 's) and the hill was strewn with shoe mines. A nightmare . not so easy to forget .

John came into service a month before Pearl Harbor. joined the 70th after serving with a radar unit in the 20th Coast Artillery and as an Army Air Force cadet. He served in the 3rd Division after hostilities ended. He lives in Beaumont, Texas, with his wife Ruth.

* It 's bad enough when they're shooting at you from one direction. But when bullets come from front and back . .

William Plcnge, Co . D. 276th. can tell you it ain't fun. " At Wingen I was on night patrol and got caught between Co. A and a German counterattack. They came at us screaming and hollering and we fought them to within I 00 yards. Then we took off to the nank where we were rescued by a tank. Three days later . I was wounded in my left arm by rine fire.

" I was wounded a second time up by the Rhine. Shrapnel from an 88 hit me in the stomach and I lost a kidney. That gave me an oak leaf cluster on my Purple Heart and a Bronze Star and a trip home." Bill lives in Fairmont, Minnesota.

* A yellowed clipping from the old " New York Sun,'· dated October 7. 1945, was found by Bob Koehler, Co. M, 275th. It notes the arrival of troop ships in New York. Boston and Newport News. A whole column of listings include:

DUE TOMORROW Texarkana Victory, Southhampton. 1,962

troops including the following unirs of the 70th Infantry Division: 70th QM. 570th Signal Corps, 770th Ordnance Co ..

DUE TUESDAY Queen Eli:abeth, Sou thlwmpton. 14 ,861

troops including the 70th Infantry Di1•ision's following units: 274th, 275th. 276th lnfanll~r Regiments , 725th. 882nd, 884th Field Artillen· Bns. , 370th Medics , HQ Btl)· 16th AAA Group. Dil• HQ.

Also on the ship (although invisible to us enlisted men) were more than 600 WACS , special Canadian troops. OSS and Red Cross personnel , war correspondents (some of whom became staff members of the ''Trailblazer '· en route) a Congressional committee and Brig . Gen. Thomas He rren .

Bob. too, came home on the Queen . but seven months earlier. That was in March. '45. after being wounded at Phillipsbourg on Janu­ary 2. He now lives in Paramus. New Jersey.

* The trip the other way is well remembered by Arthur J. Smith, Div . HQ . " I also went over on the SS Marine Devil. Division HQ went over in three shipments: I was in the second group . Task Force He rre n, first sh ipment. was

70th Division Assn TRAILBLAZER

MISTRAL ON THE MEDITERRANEAN-It was in the staging area above Marseilles. The bitter cold mistral winds came roaring down the Rhone valley, threatening Gl tents as Trailblazers waited to go up to the Alsace by motor convoy. The ground was frozen too hard to drive tent pegs. So ingenious dogfaces laid down a stone foundation. Does anyone recognize the standing sergeant and the two men peering out of the tent? If so, let the editor know.

in combat when we arrived in Northern France with Gen. Barnett in charge.

· ·[f you were in the second group. you should remember Capt. Large . Div . HQ Co. CO. who tried to give us calisthenics on the boat when it was rough. He almost fell over­board and a man by the name of Brcmser from Kansas caught him as he was sliding under a cable. Everyone hollered , ·Let him go'· That was the end of calisthenics.

··when we went past Gibraltar I went up on the deck at night. When I returned below I told the boys, ·Be careful. there 's some icc on the deck.· One man said, 'It never freezes in south­ern France: I've been over there cvcral times.· He implied that I was bending the truth. But from the camp at Marseilles we drove all the way to Bischwcilcr in the snow.

Then Art corrects your editor who placed the Deschutes River in Camp White. ncar Bend. Oregon. It" s the Rogue River. says Art. that goes through there on its way to the ocean. 120 miles southwc't. The Deschutes run' north into the Columbia.

Karl Landstrom reiterates the geography lesson. ·'I was among the cadre members of the 91 st (Pine Tree) Division who swam the Rogue River with full field pack. holding our rifles in the air. This was part of an early field exercise in 1942 at Camp White." he says. He later came to the 70th and became the commanding officer of the 3rd Bn. 274th.

* Drafted for just one year in January '4 1. Donald Bowles had just about worked out his time when the Japs hit Pearl Harbor. That added four full years to his hitch. He became

January, 1985

Division Quartermaster Officer for the 70th after coming from the 91 st in the cadre.

His most memorable experience was '"being named acting G-4 with the--1st Combat Team to leave Boston in December. '44. I was in charge of all vehicles and equipment distribution at Marseilles, France. "

Postwar. he married LaVerne Fairfield in Huron. South Dakota and they have two daugh­ters and two grandkids. Don is a dealer for Ford-Lincoln-Mercury in Aberdeen. South Dakota and is most active in civic affairs. He served on the city Council. as president of Kiwanis , chairman of the doctor/recruitment group for Day County. is on the Ford Dealer Advertising Board. He has received many awards including one for I 0 years service on the hospital board, and the Kiwanis Legion of Honor for 30 years service. He also won the Bronze Star in Europe.

* One of the most pleasant ad lib programs at Trailblazer affairs is the slide show that Byron McNeely of Lexington, Kentucky. puts on. The sight-and-sound presentations show scenes of France and Germany where the Divi­sion fought.

Byron is a native of West Virginia as is his wife Gwendolyn. With Co. I, 274th, he was platoon sergeant when seriously wounded at Forbach. After coming home he earned his B.S. at Morris Harvey College where he was listed in " Who's Who Among Students of American Universities and Colleges" in the '47-'48 edition . (Do you know other 'Blazers who are in any edition of "Who's Who?" Let the editor know.)

He was a professional staffer with the Boy Scouts of America for 34 years and occupied every leadership position in Ohio, Kentucky and West Virginia. Since retiring he has de­voted much time to his hobby of photography and woodworking . He and wife Gwen travel a lot and he still serves on the board of the national Scouts.

* Staying in a house that had no electricity, no plumbing, no inside toilets and with a roomful of chickens that cackled him awake at dawn might not seem like the happiest of experi­ences. But to John Bednar, 1st Bn HQ , 274th, it remains a warm memory of World War 2.

"I had been transferred to the 3rd Division and so had Warrant Officer Leo Torzon. He arranged a month's furlough for me to go to Czechoslovakia and look for relatives there. My mother and father had left 50 years earlier for America.

"After about a week of travelling I found kinfolk. In the village before my destination, I stopped outside a church where Sunday Mass was being held. Someone in the church spotted me and, lo and behold' , the entire congregation came out to see who I was. They told me 1 was the first American soldier they had ever seen. I found my mother's parents. who were 87 and 85 years old and an uncle from my father 's side. I was the only member of my family who ever met any relatives from Europe.''

John and his wife Emma live in West Mif-flin. Pennsylvania.

* Walter Bogart , Jr. started his military ca­reer by being drafted . He ended it 32 years later as a colonel and administrative assistant to Gen. Lewis B. Hershey, head enchi lada of the whole Selective Service Operation.

He entered service on Armistice Day of ' 41 and came to the 70th shortly before activation . In Europe he was CO of the ' 'Trailblazer'' staff in Oranienstein. As a civilian, he was news editor of the '' Nashville (Tenn.) Banner," then went back into active service in '64, retiring in ' 73.

As a Trailblazer he was with the 276th, in Baker and Service Companies, and then at Division headquarters with Special Services and as public relations officer. before going to the 3rd Division and then HQ of USFET in Frankfurt.

He and his wife Freda have a son Walter Ill - Rusty- who is guitarist in Tom Cunningham's " Band of Elegance" in Alexandria. Virginia.

Walt is in the Infantry Officer Hall of Fame at Fort Benning . is an officer of the U of Alabama Alumni Association and is in the Longtimers Club of ROA.

* Only 230 men have earned the Combat In-fantryman 's Badge in three wars. The Trail­blazers ' Theodore Mataxis is one of them. His first, of course, was in the 70th's European campaigns. Ted then served in the Korean "police action"-another CIB. Finally, he won his third in Viet Nam. He was among about a hundred such three-timers who were honored in ceremonies at Fort Benning, Geor­gia.

7

New Members HUGHES, Merrill (Gladys) 80 Chapel Hill Road Media, Pennsylvania 19063 Co. A, 274

ROBINSON, Delbert L. HC 7, Box 47E Doniphan, MO 63935 HQ Btry, 883d FA Bn

CLAY, Robert E. (Sarah) 12231 Nathaline Detroit, Michigan 48239 AT Co., 275

MARLATI, Hugh F. (Jean) 3664 Venanbo Avenue Munhall, Pennsylvania 15120 Co.C, 275

ROETS, Francis A. (Martha) 3126 Palisades Wichita, Kansas 67217 SV Btty, 883d FA Bn

Dl MARZIO, John Star Rt 2, Box 2866 Branson, Missouri 65616 Co. G, 274

MC CASLIN, Jr., Gus (Laura) PO Box 161

STAHL, C. Alex (Charlotte) 750 Dalrymple Road, Apt H-4 Atlanta, Georgia 30328 570th Signal Co.

Inola, Oklahoma 7 4036 Co. B, 274

BAUSTIAN, Edward H. (Phyllis) 116 Meadow

DUERSCHNER, Arthur (Charlotte) 3417 S. 31st Street

REASH, Raymond L. (Omega) 2159 Ulen Lane

SWANSON, Glenn 0. (Karen) 1104 3rd Avenue E, PO Box 269 Ashland, Wisconsin 54806 Walla Walla, Wash. 99362

70th Recon

BISGAARD, George 2033 W. Coffman Casper, Wyoming 82604 Co. G, 274

Lincoln, Nebraska 68502 Co. G, 276

HAZELWOOD, Paul R. Rt 2 Kingman, Illinois 47952 Co.C, 274

LaFayette, Indiana 47904 Co.C, 276

REICH, Morris 7265 Arcadia Court Boca Raton, Florida 33433 HQ Co.

Co. B, 274

SCHUETZ, Lawrence F. 7220 N. Barnett Lane Fox Point, Wisconsin 53217 Cannon Co., 276

************************ Who's What

Eugene Peterson, Sv C~. 275; Donald Pence, Co. B. 275. and Mataxis. 2nd Bn. 276. have been reappointed official historians of the 70th Association by President DcLyle Omholt. The first two arc co-authors of ·'Ordeal in the Vosges'' and have given their royalties to the Association.

• C. Robert Burt, Co. H. 276. has just ac­

quired a hedge trimmer and a pair of grass shears. They are retirement gifts from col­leagues at the Farm Credit System in St. Louis. Now. they opined. he could more efficiently perform the loooong list of chores his wife Gertrude has prepared for his loafing years.

Bob went into service in '43 and served with Co. H. 276. then stayed on with military government in Vienna and Berlin 'til '48. He met Gertrude in Vienna and married her in '48 in Berlin.

Back in the States. he graduated from Har­vard Law School in '51 and. after private practice. became general counsel for Farm Credit Banks in 1964. He still serves in an advisory capacity. Starting as a private. he won a battlefield commission and was a major in the Reserves.

• Wilbert (Wib) Hahn joined the Association

at the Milwaukee Reunion and attended each one since. He couldn't make Philly. though. because of his wife's health. Ironically. just two weeks later, Wib himself died. as his close buddy Jim Dunbar reports. They were Co. G. 274, men.

A lifelong resident of Lake Mills. Wis­consin, Wib died at 60. He was a sheet-metal

8

worker and plumber. He tended a large garden and did extensive remodeling of this home, Jim reports. He leaves his wife Phyllis. four sons and two grandsons.

• It's just an ordinary field today. planted in

corn. ncar Wingcn. Germany. When Bryan Ledoux visited last Fall. he was struck by the fact that "it looked like nothing had ever hap­pened there.··

But something had happened. ·'I was in a fox hole with John Shooter in that little field at the west edge of the village and didn't go into Wingen itself. John was killed by a sniper who I feel was firing from the church steeple. It could just as easily have been me.

"Word carne from the ravine at our left to pull out. Two men in a fox hole between us and that ravine did leave their shelter but were immediately cut down by rnachinegun fire. Two other men. at our right. were killed by sniper fire. probably the same German who had shot John. Later in the same battle I was with M/Sgt. Neal Waite when he was killed.

"I never missed a moment at the front and was one of the very few in our outfit (2nd Platoon. Co. A. 276) who didn't get wounded or killed ...

Bryan. who runs a tractor company in Opc­lousa. Louisiana. spent I 0 days as guest of a supplier in Savernc. Alsacc. He stayed at the Hotel Des Vosges in La Petite Pierre. just 9 kilometers from Wingen. (La Petite Pierre was the first combat headquarters of Task Force Herren). Bryan mentioned to the hotel pro­prietor that he had been in the Wingen en­gagement and would like to see it. The pro­prietor personally took him over to the scene.

In June of '45. the men of Co. C. 274. ··adopted" a German lad of 12 at Schmitten. Germany. Contact was lost after the 70th came horne but the mascot, Gunther Muller, was located just before the Minneapolis Reunion in '82. Gunther. by then general traffic manager for Pan American Airways in Frankfurt. at­tended that one and the Philadelphia Reunion last August. Now comes the sad word that he died very unexpectedly on Sept. 9.

• I get mail addressed to Arnold Edmund all

the time. And the u in my fir't name too often becomes an o. So I can sympathize with our president who has an unusual front name that gets spelled several different ways. The correct way-! got it right from the horse's mouth-is "DeLylc"--capital Land one word.

• It is with unusual sadness that I note here the

death of Vernon Uffelman who had been mess sergeant for Co. I. 276. After a sorry illness of two years. Vern died Sept. 13 in Chester. Illinois. He and his wife Ethel had been regu­lars at Reunions and had made the back-to­Europe trip in ·77.

Owner with his brother of a supermarket for 31 years. Vern had also served as sheriff of Randolph County and as superintendent of the Chester Mental Health Center. He was very active in civic and veterans associations.

It's a pleasure to repeat this: The widow or family of an Association member who has died can receive a complimentary subscription to "The Trailblazer ... All they need to do is to drop a note to the editor.

70th Division Assn TRAILBLAZER

CHANGES OF ADDRESS

BRADY, Kenneth Rt 1, Box 21 Pollock, LA 71467

CHEEK, Lightle 6316 Wilson Road Bakersfield, CA 93309

CLIFFORD, Joseph 770 James Street, # 1404 Syracuse, N .Y. 13203

COPE, Charles Rt 2, Box 326-2 Lehighton, PA 18235

DALTON, Kendall 42-D Calle Aragon Laguna Hills, CA 92653

DOPERALSKI, Davis PO Box 148 Wamego, KS 66547

EVANS, Andrew 4131 Merrywood Drive Columbus, GA 31907

GRIFFIN, John 307 Cherry Valley Dr. # P-17 Inkster, Ml 48141

JURADO, David 721 S. Cunningham Dr. Whittier, CA 90601

KOREEL, Loren 113 Cinnamon Alva, OK 73717

LAWRENCE, Van 1225 LaSalle, # 307 Minneapolis, MN 55403

LEVINSON, Herman 18 Greenview Drive Carlsbad, CA 92008

********** The President's Report

Delyle Omholt

First message from the " ew kid on the Block. " For me personall y, and on behalf o f Greg Hosford , Ed

Cloonan. AI Tho mas and Norm Johnson, thank you for the vote of confidence in putting the affairs of the Assoc iation in our hands for the next two years. We have large shoes to fill and a tough record to equal. Our salute goes the outgoing officers fo r the exce llent condition of the assoc iation .

Look ing bac k we find a solid organi zation that has he ld true to the meaning of our Constitution . Our increasing membership indicates that our comrades trul y enjoy getting together, and bringing their wives into the close and personal assoc iati on with other fri ends and fe llow me mbers. The Reunion in Philade lphia was in my opinion, outstanding. I hope each one of you went home resolved to make greater effort to search out the forgotten or hidden 70th Di vision members and get them into the Association . Surprising as it may seem we had at least one wa lk-in from Phil ade lphia who knew noth ing about the Assoc iation unt il he read the loca l paper. Put out some news loca ll y!

Looking ahead we find a chall eng ing two years for us . We must maintain the momentum of increas ing membership . As Orville stated. and as each of you could eas il y te ll from the roll call of the deceased members read at the Memorial Service , we are at the mercy o f Father Time . Keep up the recruiting.

In the midst of our concern about new members, we must not lose sight of our o ld and fa ithful members, and the ir wives. Keep us informed about them so that we may properl y proclaim their successes, mourn the ir passing, and ho nor thei r loved ones remaining.

I spent much of my time at the Reunion talking with you, gett ing your views . and asking your opinions. Greg and Ed did the same. and we have rece ived an input from you that will help us shape up some new ideas, programs, activities, and hopefull y produce an Assoc iation you will be proud to

January, 1985

PASKVAN, Charles 2524 Poplar Street Waukegan, IL 60087

PATRICK, Orrell 1611 Oak Hollow Waco, TX 76710

PETERSEN, Eugene 2166 Norma Westland, Ml 48185

PRICE, Neal 11727 Matville Rd. Orient, OH 43146

SHAKE, Harold HC 35, Box 284-D Rolla, MO 65401

WEIGEL, Alvin 1004 Fifth Street Box 305 Victoria, KS 67671

WONDERS, Glenn PO Box 1031 Poulsbo, WA 98370

*** ******* BYERLY, Francis R. 1542 S. Wichita Wichita, Kansas 67213 AT Co., 275

HAHN, Wilbert W. 143 E. Grant Street Mills, Wisconsin 53551 Co. G, 274

Died September 23, 1984 Died August 26, 1984

MEKSHES, John 1539 Mississippi Blvd. Bettendorf, Iowa 52722 1st Bn. Hq. Co., 27 4 Died July 4, 1984

Taps SARANT, Arthur 450 East 81st Street New York, New York 10028 Co. H, 274 Died October 2, 1984

GOODWIN, Dallas L. ZOMBRO, C. H. 1429 Montclair Road # 6 Birmingham, Alabama 35210 1st Bn. Hq. Co., 27 4

U.S. Soldiers Home Washington, DC 20317 Cannon Co., 275

Died August 2, 1984 No date.

belo ng to, and a Reunion you will be anxious and happy to attend . We invite your letters and comments concerning all matters affecting the Assoc iation . If you want to take part in any of the committees, write me-we need participation.

So, to the past , a job we ll done . To the future, a challe nge and an opportunity. The new officers invite each of you to be a part of it.

ON TO OREGON in 1986!

Can you

help?

Thomas Kirk, Co. A, 27 6, was wounded in action at Forbach. But he can't get his Purple Heart because the Army lost his records. Can you help him?

"I'd like to know the name of the medic who treated my right leg for shrapnel when we were pinned down behind the hospital," Tom writes.

"''d like to hear what happened to Lt. Jenkins from Ohio, Sgts Bauer and Darcy and the two Hawaiians, Kalihiki and Kiemi, who were with me when we opened a door in Forbach-and captured 26 Germans who were about to eat breakfast."

If you have any information at all, please rush it to Tom at PO Box 515, New Port Ritchey, Florida 33552.

9

Seems Like Old Times By Edmund C. A rnold

The Original Otto has substantiated Mal­cohn Muszynski's hilarious story about a Ger­man interloper at "HQ'' of the 4th Platoon , Co. K. 276th which was recounted in the July '·Trailblazer."

"I remember.·· writes Otto Stern of Mun­ster. Indiana. He tells us that in June he and his son Arnold flew to Luxemburg, rented a car and drove to Mctz and Nancy . to the American cemetery at Epinal where 70th men lie buried.

"lt was a very emotional experience. Next morning we went to Forbach where l had fought with Co. K and expla ined the action to my son from the vantage point of Castle Hill. The surroundi ng area where my company had dug in late in February. '45, is now a Lovers' Lane; l found that pleasant. A superhighway was built through the approaches to the Hill and I told my son. 'They've ruined our battlefield.'

.. l looked for other familiar sights in For­bach but 39 years change a lot of things. But I think l found the building where the German Otto surrendered and the underpass we went through to capture the rest of Forbach. l could not, however. find the cemetery where I was wounded. It was all very emotional. ..

We ' ve already noted Louise Burch 's re­cru iti ng activities in Wichita. Now husband John (whom she married in Eureka. Kansas,) recalls that: "In January, 1945, near Forbach . at night and under fire, I fell into a German foxhole, in which were a lot of water and a dead German. It was very cold and I was in heavy clothes . So. when I fell. I tore my shoulder loose. I was in a mili tary hospital in Epinal. France. for about three months.

"Even unhappier. though, was when I got pneumonia at Adair and was hospitalized in February. '44 when I was schedu led to go home on my fi rst furlough."

John is superintendent of building mainte­nance for the Board of Park Commissioners in Wichita.

* Sound the last retreat for Joseph Feeley who

died in October of '81. (Please note that we want to record the deaths of all of our comrades whether or not they were members of the Association-Joe was-and no matter how much later we hear about it.) Joe was a stafT sergeant in 1st B. HQ. 274th. then was given a battlefield commission.

* If your entry into France was at Marseilles .

you remember that bitter trip up the Rhone Valley into Alsace and combat. So docs Sal­vatori Nicosia. Sv. Co .. 275th. In fact. he lists it his most memorable military experience. Sal. who now lives in Hayward. California. went into service in '42 and was in the 91 st cadre that started the Trailblazers. It's unusual that a service company soldier gets the Combat In fan -

10

tryman·s Badge but Joe (and M/Sgt. John Di­mas) did just that.

He's a <>upcrvi<;nr of salesmen for a French bread company in Oak land . Cal ifornia. and he and his wife Oralcc have three children and four grandchildren.

Another much belated but equally regretted obituary. Dr. Thomas Lee Mosby who re­ceived the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star with the 70th. died in 1952 at the early age of 37. His last practice was in Chincoteague. Virginia We have no dctaib of his military affiliations or of his family. Do you?

* The flag comes to ha lf-mast again. This time

for Arthur McGarrity who died unexpectedly in October. He was an originalmcmbcrofthc 2nd Platoon. Co. C. 275th. His widow Mary lives in Rochester. New York .

* Everywhere I travelled last winter it was

cold. Even here in Virginia . But I always felt a little warmer by remembering Abacc in '45 1

Sidney Iverson. CO of 3rd Bn. 276th. remem­bers it. too. But he later had a good chance to thaw out in the Philippines where he served five years with I st Filipino Regiment. II Corps HQ.

Sid first wore the uniform in 193-+ with ROTC and resumed civvies in "6-+. retiring as colonel. AUS. He joined the 70th at Leonard Wood and with our outfit won the Silver and

MY ROOF'S GOT A HOLE IN IT­Singing " Don't Let the Rain Fall Down" sure describes this bunch of build ings; almost every roof has a hole in it. This is St. Jean Rohrbach which was Division headquarters just before the last big push in the spring of '45. It was origi-

Bronze Stars and the Commendation Ribbon . He was with the Veteran Administration. per­sonnel officer at Hines Hospital in Chicago and at VA centers in Boise. Idaho and Moorhead. Minnesota. He now li ves in Boise . as do his two children and four grandchildren. He mar­ried Dorothy Mac Thompson in Moorhead in 1941 . He's a life Elk and a member of the Retired Officers Assn. and Reserve Officers Assn.

It becomes such a familiar lament : If onl y I had known earlier about the 70th Association' I wish I had joined much carl icr 1

Latest one to tell us this is Fram:is W. Dhein. Co. C. 882nd FA. living in Sheboygan. Wis­consin.

" I was visiting my sister in Falls Church. Virg inia. and. at the suggestion of Charlie Pence I visited Paul Gartcnmann at his book­store there. Since then I have had many inter­esting experiences. mm,tly by mail since learn­ing of and then joining the As>ociation.

" I am proud to say that I am responsible . directly and indirectly . for a half dozen people joining the Association. Some of them. like I. didn't even know the Association ex isted. I personally learned of it when the notice of the Minneapolis Reunion appeared in my VFW magazi nc.

"Had I on ly know n sooner. especially now that I sec a Reun ion was held only 55 miles from me in Milwaukee in 1972. The As­sociation brings new friendships like Paul and mine . He . too.jw.t learned about the group and joined about the same time I did. · ·

MORAL: Tell your friends. They. too. can enjoy the good fellowship of the TrailblaLcrs .

nally the home of French officers who were stationed on the Maginot Line, about three miles to the east (toward the top of th is picture by Chet Garstki). The " Tra ilblazer" -then a weekly news­paper- was published from the building at the far right.

70th Division Assn TRAILBLAZER

1

[

''Here's my picture ... taken in France''

They were all smiles as they posed on the makcbclieve deck of the Normandie. these men of the I st platoon of Easy Co., 274th. But the smiles didn't last long:

Gordon Murphy of Kentucky. Larry Richards of Louisiana and Harold Koontz of Michigan were killed and Don Donofrio was wounded. "Some batting average'" says Don, who sent this photo to the "Trailblazer."

' ' A few days later, on January 4 or 5. we spent the most miserable night in the snow between Puberg and Wingcn,'' Don remembers. " Wearing only field jackets , it was tough to keep warm. Johnny Doyle of New York, Danny Contcsti of Maryland and I (then from

ew York, now from Spring Hill. Florida) tried having two of us huddle in the snow with the third spreading his body over us.

"We rotated all night and had little sleep. This was made worse by Doyle's loud snoring when he did doze off. Contesti and I swore he'd wake every German in Wingcn.

' Tve been trying to locate Doyle for years but no luck. I did catch up with Contcsti through the Association."

NOT SO EASY COMPANY, 27 4th­These men were in 1st Platoon, Co. E, 27 4th, as they posed for this simulated shipboard shot in a studio in Marseilles shortly after landing there late in '44. Note the other optional backgrounds at the left. From the left are: Sgt. Gordon Murphy, Pfc Danny Contesti, Pfc Larry Richards, Pfc Johnny Doyle, S/Sgt Don Donofrio, Pfc Harold Bennett and S/Sgt Harold Koontz.

Axe-head AuchWes Andy Borem, Co. I. 275th. knows how a

duck feels in a shooting gallery. For he was a target. a real sitting duck. not only for a ma­chine gun but also an 88.

·'We were dug in along a cemetery at Styr­ing-Wendell in March. '45. In front of us stood a steel water tower about 30 feet high with a ladder on its exposed side. Lt. H.K. Bell gave me a pair of binoculars and told me to go up in the tower and try to spot a German machine gun that obviously was not far away.

' 'I climbed the ladder. went through a hole in the top into the empty tank. About this time I could hear 88s on my left. each round coming closer. Then the machine gun opened up. I couldn ·t ee it but I could hear the bullets hitting the steel and saw the dimples they were making in the tank.

"Now they had this hillbilly between the rock and the hard place. All my buddies could do was sit and watch: they were helpless to aid me. The lieutenant kept yelling for me to come down.

"I had counted the shells. six of them and the last was right on line and real close. Suddenly the machine gun stopped. probably to reload. I came out of that hole in a hurry. climbed about halfway down the ladder and dropped the rest of the way. I ran back to my foxhole and just got in when the last 88 came in and hit the base of the tower.

''The Germans stopped firing then and I knew that they had only one thing in mind. That

January, 1985

was , to kill me and in a few more seconds they would have done it."

Andy, who now lives in Metropolis, Illinois (home of Superman), had just joined the 70th in February ncar Spicheren. He won the Bronze Star at Rcmagen Bridge and served with the 4th Infantry Division. He's a mechanic and welder. a member of the VFW and with his wife. Ruth Ann. has four children and II grandchildren.

* Frank Kloiber of HQ 2nd Bn, 275th, was a schoolteacher for two years, then sold school supplies and equipment for 35 years in Wis­consin. That academic background is evident in the way he meticulously lists his most mem­orable military experiences. There are an even dozen (we 'II condense the list a wee bit): Being S-3 of the 2nd Bn under Lt. Col. Richardson (now Lt. Gen.) and later for Col. Barten; watching the Division-which had just reached full strength-lose all its fillers as Pacific re­placements; watching the rebuilding to full strength again;

The trip to Europe and the one up the Rhone, spending Christmas Eve outside Dijon; wounded by German 88 as battalion is ready to attack toward Saarbrucken and six weeks spent in 5th General Hospital.

After the war he joined the 32nd National Guard Di v. and served for 20 years. He was a company commander, Regimental S-3 and bat­talion commander. His wife is the former Viola

Stockfish of Lake Mills, Wisconsin. They have three sons and I 0 grandchildren.

''Seven of us held out for three hours in a house at the very corner at Wingen. Tanks finally came and helped us out. I was also on Castle Hill above Forbach where, on the first day, I was hit." So recalls Gerald Holtz , Co. I, 276th. He was awarded the Purple Heart and Bronze Star for his actions.

He joined the TBs in August, '43 and was discharged in early '46 after three months in hospitals and then with three Quartermaster outfits. He's owned and operated his general store in Kerrville, Texas, for 35 years and is very active in civic affairs. He's chairman of the Chamber of Commerce and holds the same post with the Louisiana Development Corp. He's a Rotarian and Elk and belongs to the Free Wheelers of the Airstreamers. He's filled all the chairs and is installing officer of the DeMo­lays. He has one son.

Are you a 70-and-8? The 78th Infantry Division. Does that ring any bells with you? It does for

Casey Cassidy and Roland Finley. When low­pointers were trainsferred out of the 70th for occupation duty, these two-"and a whole parcel of Trailblazers", says Casey-went to the 78th. Rolly wasn't aware of the 70th As­sociation and stayed in touch with 78-ers until just-recent membership here.

Other low-pointers went to the famous 3rd Division. If any of you have contacts with these two outfits, it might be a fertile recruiting ground .

11

More TB's

Paul Walls, Co. B. 274th. came in contact with the enemy long before he set foot on Europe. " I crossed on the Isle de France with 15.000 other servicemen. leaving Staten Island on February 3, 1945. On a cold and stormy crossing of the North Atlantic, our ship- which was travelling all alone - was attacked by a Nazi U-boat but a Coast Guard cutter sank the sub.

They landed in England. crossed the Chan­nel to Le Havre and rode a 40-and-8 for two days to join the 70th as a replacement. He got there just in time to go into combat at Saar­guemincs and continued through all the Rhine­land action.

··As a low-poi nter. I was assigned to the 29th Regiment but I sure hated leaving the 70th. A great bunch of guys: I never knew a finer outfit. I stayed in Frankfurt with SHAEF until finally coming home June 17. 1946.

·· 1 worked for Singer Sewing Machine Co. for 29 years before my retirement at the start of ' 81. My hobby is fishing and my best trophy was a 9'/2-pound bass.·· Paul li ves in Belten , South Carolina with his wife . They have a daughter and two granddaughters. - - * -

It' s never too late. And Kerry E. Cutter, Co. K. 275th. proved that by starting law school at night at the age of 45 and passing the bar at 50.

He had returned to the States in '46 and graduated from San Jose (California) State

Treasure

A MOMENT WITH MONTY-Field Marshall Bernard Law Montgom­ery of African desert fame showed the appreciation of his country for Ameri­can fighting men by awarding British decorations to a hundred Gls in cer­emonies at Wiesbaden, Germany in July, 1945. After the formal event, he asked the soldiers to gather 'round him. Wearing his famous black beret, he made a short man-to-man talk express­ing the great gratitude that Britain holds for the help Americans gave during the early days of World War II and then after this country had joined in actual combat. Capt. Joseph Donohue, Co. I, 275th, represented the 70th Division.

College three years later. Then, for 20 years. he was managi ng partner of the family sand , gravel and ready-mixed concrete company. He practices law in Sacramento. is married and has two daughters.

He was drafted right out of high school. spent a year with ASTP and was an Air Corps student. He came to the 70th in the first group of replacements after the Division had finished its basic training. He was in K 's weapons platoon. He recollects:

··we received our baptism of fire on the outskirts of Phillipsbourg o n New Year's Eve. 1944. Our company was cut off and fought our way back to Phillipsbourg. The operation was a

70th involved in Nazi trove One of the colorful episodes of World War II

was the discovery and recovery of a treasure hoard of art work that the Nazis had stolen from the European countries they had invaded. The 70th Division was involved. as Col. George Barten . Ret .. recalls for the " Bulletin" of Co. c. 275th.

"The famo us or infamous treasure was dis­covered in the salt mines of Northern Germany in the spring of '45. Orders came to the 275 th (of which he was then exec officer) to sequester and sec ure the Frankfurter Stadt Bank and

12

prepare for the reception of the art. It was escorted to Frankfurt under air cover.

"Engineers tes ted the floors of the bank for ho lding capac ity . Barbed w ire was strung around the building and a Patton tank regiment helped guard the entrance. Troops secured the perimeter. Twelve hours had been est imated to move the treasure into the bank but after 36 hours it was still being unloaded . Lights were set up to work around the clock. "

Just what made up the treasure was not known at that time. But " two years later I

rea l hairy situation, and I think that anyone who is acquainted with the 275th history knows the general story. I hasten to add, however. and I am proud to say that " Katy " Company was a real figh ting outfit. The Company was faced with an exceedingly difficult situation and, in my opinion, its conduct was admirable.

"Singling any one person is indeed difficult, but I believe that the leadership of Platoon Sergeant and later Platoon Lieutenant Edward Fischer was a material factor in the Company's performance. The man was a natural leader.

" In Phillipsbourg I was wounded in the face from shrapnel from a German 88, but we were so busy at the time, and it was not all that important, and I was not evacuated. Wounded a second time in both legs by a German ma­chine gunner as we advanced on Spicheren, France. Sent to the hospital in Aix, France, for a month or two. Was returned to duty with the 70th , stayed in Germany wi th the Occupation Force as a corporal in the 7th Army Military Police , and returned to the States and dis­charged in April, '46."

* Another war collector is our own Walter Winebrenner, Co . K, 276th . He collects Nazi material. If you have any, or know where any are on sale, please let him know: Phone (30 I) 256-3068 or write 3 Fox Hill Ct., Perry Hill , MD 2 11 28.

* Who would have thought , when we were enjoying the services of the USO during the Big War. that one of our Trailblazers would be heading that organization' Well , it 's true. New president of the United Services Organization is Gen. GeorgeS. Blanchard, Ret. who started out as a platoon leader with Co. C, 274th. As USO's chief executive. he oversees an $ 18-million budget. He is also president of the National Ret ired Officers Association and hi s service record was reported in the last · 'TB '' on page II.

* Ray Brubaker. Co. G , 276th. is writing a book on the history of his outfit. If you have any materials to cont ribute, send 'em to him at 7593 Partridge Meadow , Hudso n , Ohio , 44236.

visited the bank on an inspection tour. The treasure, then being inventoried, consisted of mo netary gold stolen from various govern­ments. c rown jewelry, paintings and altar pieces. There were loose precious stones, Gl can full of U.S. $20 gold notes , stocks and bonds , melted-down gold, watches and even alarm clocks and baby dolls .

" Several years later, while ass igned to Fort Meyer, Virginia, the experie nce came to a full c ircle: Masterpiece pai ntings and altar pieces were part of a display at the National Art Gallery in Washington and the 3rd Infan try, the famous Old Guard (which George then com­manded), was assigned to guard the display."

The colone l has written a set of "footnotes to the official narrative report of the 275th and upcoming " Trailblazers" will publish some of them.

70th Division Assn TRAILBLAZER

You will probably be as surprised as your editor was to learn that officially we served in two distinct and separate combat organizations. the task force and the Division . Task Force Herren was not an extension of the 70th but an independent combat force of VI Corps. Gen. Herren took his orders from the commanding general of the Corps, not from the 70th Division. which was still back in the States.

The task force consisted of the three infantry regiments, the Headquarters contingent and HQ Co. The Division was not reconstituted until the other troops such as the Artillery came over in February of 1945.

Veterans of the 70th Infantry Division are entitled to only two battle stars: Central Europe and Rhineland.

Jim Lassiter, with the Army at Fort Belvoir , did the research. He points out: "Saarbrucken and Moselle River were not campaigns. They were a battle and a battle area of the Rhineland campaign.

But ... as members of Task Force Herren, most Trai l­blazers have earned another: Ardennes/ Alsace.

Roll Call ... On the eve of the Reunion. the official mem­

bership list of the Association stood at 1.343. exclusive of honorary and associate member­ships. That's almost three times as many as were reported for the 1976 Reunion.

The 274th Regiment has 381 members: 275th has 345 and the 276th. 299. All other units account for 318. California leads state enrollment with Ill. That's followed by Penn­sylvania. 108: Missouri. 85: Illinois. 75: Min­nesota. 74: Texas. 68: Ohio. 66: Michigan and New York. 50. and Kansas . 48 . Every state is represented as is the District of Columbia . We also have members in Canada. Germany and in Kwajalcin. And now we have one in Japan. Paul Newman. Co. D. 276th. is working in Tokyo. Gets his mail via San Francisco APO.

... and Mail Call My Fellow Trailblazers.

The recent Reunion was a great time and a lot of fun for me. I was especially proud to have been selected to take part in the skit on Friday night. In answer to a question that was asked me very many times: I was on ordinary leave and at my own expense during the Reunion. The Army did not send me and did not pay any of my expenses. I was there on my vacation time because I wanted to attend. Believe me it was well worth it. Once again thanks so much. Looking forward to 1986.

Sincerely, EDWARD J. LANE SFC USAR

Trailblazer patches are available from at least two sources says Sgt. Edward Lane. Until recently a member of the 70th Training Divi­sion in Michigan , he is an associate member and attended the Philly Reunion. There many members asked him where patches can be ob­tained. He suggests:

January, 1985

''The Ardennes/ Alsace campaign was really a large double battle known in mili­tary history as the Battle of the Bulge, in the Ardennes, (from December 16. 1944 to the end of January '45) and the German offensive ' Norwind' in the south, in Al­sace . This is known as the Little Bulge, Moder River campaign, or Eastern Al­sace. January I through February. 1945." The Colmar pocket was in this southern sector.

So here is the official lineup: Task Force Herren members can wear

the European-African-Middle Eastern campaign medal with one battle star; 70th Division members can wear two stars. For most Trailblazers, this means three stars on their ribbon.

Both groups can wear the American Campaign Medal, the Army of Occu­pation Medal with the "Germany" de­vice, and the Victory medal.

The 2nd Bn of 274th wears the blue badge of the Distinguished Unit Citation. commonly known as the Presidential Unit Citation. for its heroics at Wingen.

Several years ago the Department of the Army awarded the Bronze Star Medal to all World War II holders of the Combat Infantry Badge and Combat Medic Badge. Other medals such as the Good Conduct

US Cavalry Store. Inc. 1375 N. Wilson Road Radcliff. Kentucky 40 160 and Quartermaster Uniform Co. 750 Long Beach Blvd. Long Beach. California 90813 "Be sure to specify a ·full-color patch' and

be prepared to pay $1.75 to $2.50 apiece."

* Kevin Corrigan. Co. I. 274th. has also writ-ten a history book. His buddies can reach him at 1172 Park Ave .. Apartment 4B. New York City 10128.

Medal and the Purple Heart as well as others for heroism are, of course, a per­sonal. case-by-case award .

(The highest decoration awarded to Trailblazers in combat was the Dis­tinguished Service Cross received by then­Capt. Donald Pence of the 275th, and Lt. Claude Haefner of the 276th. Pvt. Samson Stephens of the 274th was honored posthumously.)

Members who do not have all the med-als they are entitled to should write to:

Commander ARPERCEN Attention: DARC-PSE-A W 9700 Page B I vd. St. Louis. Missouri 63132

Send as much offical documentation as possible such as orders and discharge papers. Statements will not do. If you have never received a medal, it is a gift from the nation. Replacements cost a small fee.

Since many World War II records were destroyed by fire several years ago, allow nine months to a year for processing.

Although Jim has been "keeping track of and researching 70th history for 40 years,'· this current activity came as a result of an inquiry from John Marr. Btty A. 883rd. of ew Berlin. Illinois. a Life Member of the Association. He was con­fused because this magazine had men­tioned in the January '84 issue that mem­bers were eligible for three battle stars. Yet the Defense Department as well as the Veterans of Foreign Wars gave him con­tradictory information. He asked that the above information (authenticated) be printed in the "TB ... Which is hereby done.

Let the editor comment that e1•en ifruu aren't sali1•ating 01 ·er medals you are en­titled to. rou owe it to .''O!Ir children and grandchildren to obtain them. This is part of your heritage that rou should not deny rour heirs .

13

Seems Like Old Times

Mark Twain , reading his own cbituary, ob­served that the report of his death was "greatly exaggerated." So with Grey Hastings, AT Co., 274, who reports that " I was just a little surprised to find my name in the 'Taps ' section of the last 'Trailblazer.' Please correct this in the next issue."

We are absolutely delighted to restore Grey's name to proper classification and hope his current status as '"Living" continues for a long, long time at 513 Grove St. , Morgantown , West Virginia. Drop him a line of con­gratulations, hey?

• Please make this correction in the 1984 Ros­

ter which you should have received several weeks ago: Perry Woodward, served with Co. A, 275 (two seven five) not the 274th. The typo was spotted by 01 ' Eagle-Eye Tom Hig­ley, who says: " I was familiar with the lieuten­ant because on Jan . 12, 1945. he was the only officer left with Able Company when they had only 12 men left on the so-called position as we (2nd Platoon , Co. C, 275), all 16 of us left, made my last attack against German bunkers on Hill 364 in Alsace."

Another correction Tom urges is to change Walter McCee to Meece. Walt , too , is a Co. C, 275 man.

• Raymond Yadon, Co. B, 274th, learned the

first time about our Association in July . He joined immediately. At that time he also learned of Col. Bob Cheves' book "Snow Ridges and Pillboxes. " He is most anxious to get a copy. If you have one to sell or know where Ray might get one, please drop him a line at 3158 Redbud Lane , Springfield , Mis­souri 65804.

• Ed Kraus, Co. F, 274, sure knows how to

make an editor's day. He writes: "The Trail­blazer' makes a person feel closer to the As­soc iation even though he hasn ' t been able to attend a Reunion. Numerous friends of mine who arc members of military organizations have said they wished their group had a pub­lication on the level of 'The Trailblazer. ' If there were a contest among such magazines I' m positive our magazine would be No. I. "

Incidentally, Ed's Company is omitted in the Roster. Plz add it , will you?

• We have completely exhausted our supply of

the July '84 issue of " The Trailblazer." But we have extra copies of the other past six issues. If you need a spare copy or if you'd like to send one to a buddy who isn ' t an Association mem­ber, just let me know and I 'II send it off with a note that it comes with your compliments .

• 14

The good old Postal "Service" gets worse all the time. The last issue of the " TB" was mailed on Sept. 26. One copy addressed to Syracuse, New York wasn't received until Nov. 2. No wonder my blood pressure goes up when I read about the hefty pay raise that these "servants of the public" are getting!!

And speaking of the mails ... Please let us know in advance when your address is about to change. Here 's what happens most of the time. It costs 5.2¢ to mail the original. If there 's a change of address we have to pay two bits for the information. Then it costs 37¢ to send the magazine out first class. What 's worse: In many instances the postal idiots just tear off the back page of the magazine and return it to us. So we have to send a brand-fresh copy making us buy two copies to satisfy one subscription.

Furthermore, the postics are getting awfully persnickety. Addresses that have the most nit­pickin ' changes are coming back. So look­quicklikc-at the label on the back page . If there is any "correction," no matter how slight, let me know soonest.

• "Each winter as the wind blows and the

snow falls, my mind turns back to those days and nights we spent in the cold fox holes of

Critics Continued from page 5

host to Trailblazers visiting in Europe, either individually or as part of an Association group, expresses his view in a letter:

"Hearty thanks for your expressions on the association of your men and ours as it appeared in the Philadelphia newspaper. It was in the true spirit of old soldiers.

" When Hitler took over the government of Germany, most of us (who were to serve in the 6th Nord Division) were about II or 12 years old. Nobody knew then that Hitler , Himmler and others were criminal people. All we knew , as boys , was that the Waffcn-SS was the elite of the German Wehrmacht and who, as a young boy. does not have the ambition to be in the best unit?

"When, years later, we were called to ser­vice, we were only soldiers and did our duty . We , like you of the 70th, wanted then and still want only the best for our country."

1945. Somewhere in Germany during that ter­rible winter a battalion aid station was overrun by the Germans and it was reported to me that a Sgt. Roberts from Idaho was shot while trying to escape the attack. Does anyone know any­thing about this? (Edi tor's Note: The Trail­blazers' " Book of Honor' ' shows that Sgt. Nathan Roberts of the Medics was killed in action in January , 1945.) Also that Sgt. David Lungsford transferred from the Medics to a rifle company and knocked out a machinegun nest. Can anyone help me on this?

"I enjoyed Henry Norton's article 'Down the Rhine in Memory Lane .' I spent a few weeks with our outfit in the town of Goars­hausen on the Rhine. The front was moving so. rapidly that it seems we couldn't keep up with it in the last days of the war. The Lorelei Rock was just up the river from here and Hitler had had a youth training camp there . It had a large amphitheater where, in late 1945 , we had a memorial service for our dead. The French moved in for occupation duty in this area after we left.

" It is noteworthy that after 40 years, so much news comes to 'The Trailblazer' from so many. I wonder why we don't hear from more 276th men . I was with the Medical Detachment of Co. A in that regiment. I know we were held in reserve some of the time but I also know we did some fighting." (Two hundred eighteen KIAs are listed for the 276th.)

Gene Volz, Co. A, 276th, who lives in Holland , Pennsylvania. just outside Philly. says: ''I thought your reply (to those critical letters) was excellent. I apologize to all mem­bers of the Association on behalf of the greater majority of Philadelphians who do not share what I consider these bigoted , prejudiced and intolerant views.·'

Gregory Hosford, 2nd Bn Hq Co., 276th, is Association vice-president/West. He takes a bit more philosophical view:

" I have read the criticism of our hav ing members of the German 6th Mountain Division attending the reunion with us. I am sure the criticism that has been leveled could not be changed no matter how convincing we might be. Your remarks concerning the treatment the Jews gave their Arab cousins in the Old Tes­tament is true. However, when the Savior came on earth, that concluded the Mosaic Law. I believe. when the Savior was questioned by Pontius Pilate, by Herod and was scourged by members of the Roman Legion, He didn ' t utter a word in his defense. Basically, it has been my policy in life to ignore these unjust words of persecution. We need make no excuses for what we have done for our country and cer­tainly Mataxis has been down this road before-particularly in 1977 when Jack An­derson vilified him. Mataxis is not new to hot water and having it dumped on him .

" I am no way critical of your article or the position you have taken. I just feel it generally falls on deaf ears. You are doing a great job. and I appreciate it very much. "

70th Division Assn TRAILBLAZER

HOME GOES THE SOLDIER! At least one of these passengers on a famous 40-and-8 car is aT rail blazer. His patch shows that. It was in April, 1946, and he was homeward bound from the Frankfurt area to the "cigarette camps" on the French coast. These cars got their not-exactly-

complimentary names during the first World War. They were designated to carry 40 men or eight horses. But 1918 doughboys, as cynical as their 1940 successors, insisted that the military actually loaded 40 and eight into the vehicles.

Hero without a Gun Comrade extolls courage of 274th Medic KIA

Heroism in battle,-we too often assume-is displayed by the man with the gun, charging in attack, responding cooly to enemy fire, dramatizing the violence, the excitement, the drama of combat.

But heroi sm can be quiet- the man need not even carry a firearm.

Such a hero was TeeS James 0. Fouts , a Medic with Co. G, 274th. And Jim Dun­bar, another George Company man , pays him tribute as he reminisces about the bloody days of February, 1945.

"When we pushed off toward Saar­brucken. Jim Fouts was with us , a cheery and bright fellow who always gave a boost to the weary. cold and wet dog faces. He had joined the company shortly before but I can't remember when. In four days we had experienced the hell of 'Cassidy Hill ' and had advanced to a wooded area next to a secondary road just over from the high­way to Metz .

"Fierce artillery and mortar fire halted our advance. Our company was sent down

January, 1985

a hill to the left to attack the Nazi de­fenders. We had just started when our two scouts-Carl Shields and Virgil Elder from the 3rd squad of the I st Platoon - were killed immediately by machinegun fire . Then came tree bursts from the mortars and Robert Harrington of the 2nd squad had most of one hip and buttock blown away.

"Jim Fouts was there quickly. He smothered the wound in sulfa, gave Bob a shot of morphine and helped prepare a litter with rifles and field jackets. Several of us carried Harrington back up the hill for evacuation. lf anyone knows where Bob is- l 'm ass uming he survived­please let me know.''

Although the company moved around to the right , it was held up for a couple of hours until a tank could be brought up. They found out later that a masterfully camouflaged concrete bunker--originally part of the Maginot Line- had them at their mercy. Finally the tank came and made the Germans button up and the

Americans then took the emplacement with rifle and grenades. Many were killed or captured and the rest of the Germans fled.

By now it was dusk. George Company holed up for the night. But just across the secondary road a Gl from another com­pany had been wounded and was moaning and crying for help.

''We all knew that the Krauts were just a few yards in front of us," Dunbar recalls. "B ut Jim Fouts didn't hesitate. He crawled across the road and administered first aid . The wounded man was now ab le to make it back, across the road to our lines .

"We heard a single shot. Medic Fouts lay dead with a bullet hole exactly in the middle of the red cross on his helmet! "

It wasn't until morning that the com­pany could recover their medic. Later they overran the Nazi position and captured a sniper who had been left behind for a delaying action. Under questioning he admitted-boastfully, it seemed-that he had shot the medic the night before . The Gl consensus was that the German be shot on the spot. Cooler heads prevailed though and " he was shunted back to enjoy the pampered li fe of aU .S. prisoner of war," says Jim disgustedly.

"Greater love hath no man . This is my way of tipping my helmet to Jim Fouts , a true hero."

15

IT HAPPENED TO US EVERY DAY EVENTS AT CAMP ADAIR MAKE A PERSONAL HISTORY OF WAR

In some bright future day, over a convivial bottle of beer and the smoke of a good cigar we'll do a lot of reminiscing about this past year at Camp Adair.

Remember when our train first pulled into Adair?

In the official history of World War II, a bivouac behind Poison Oak Hill can't compare to El Ale­mein; a battalion problem on Prune Ridge isn't in the same class as Attu; a night compass course wouldn't be a footnote to Cassino.

And the morning that basic training started? Re­member the first "About Face" and almost falling upon said face in execut ing the command ?

But to the men of the 70th, most of them whose military life is no longer than that of the Division itself, these elemental activities of Trailblazer train­ing are etched in their memories as vividly as the more important events of the war that took place

Sure we remember: the first time they waved Maggie's Drawers at us; the first time we asked the top kick for a pass to Portland; the night we met that cute gal at the Field House dance.

Remember that 14-mile forced march; ciust in October-rain in November; poison oak and those luscious apples we picked out by Suvcr; inspections - barracks, dental, POR, arms (T /E and others),

overseas. ./-..... show-downs . ... sure we remember!

----~~-----J --------------~-~ ~~

This clipping is from the "Trailblazer" magazine of July, 1944. It was sent to us by Judy Juntunen of Philomath, Oregon. Judy is manuscript librarian far the Benton County Historical Museum.

The County Historical Society is currently work­ing on the Camp Adair Oral History and Research

Project. They are looking for servicemen and women who were stationed at Adair and would be willing to fill out a questionnaire. If you want to make another contribution to America's history, please drop a note to Miss Juntunen, PO Box 47, Philomath, Oregon 97370. Or you might want to use the phone: (503) 929-6230.

Who's News

Edmund C. Arnold

For40 years Lawrence Porter, Co. B, 274, has been trying to find James T. Colley (or Colly), who was supply sergeant.

"I joined the 70th at Leonard Wood and went overseas on the Mariposa. I got hit just after Saarbrucken and later learned that Colley was hit in a later engagement.

" Is hi s name in the 'Book of Honor' as one of the Division ·s 85 1 PI As? Any information wou ld be greatly appreciated.'· (Editor's Note: There is no Colley or Colly on the list of our combat dead. Let's hope he's still alive and wai ting to hear from us.)

Lawrence lives at 38 Grove St.. Hollister, Massachusetts 0 1746. Write him if you know anything about this. will you?

• On December 3 Floyd Freeman, Co. I. 275.

and his son Philip went from Los Angeles (where Floyd has a travel agency) to Germany to make arrangements fo r an autumnal trip to Germany. The group will leave the States Sat­urday. Sept. 21. flying to Frankfurt. and return 16 days later. They'll join the German 6th

3208 Hawthorne Ave . Richmond , Virginia 23222

ADDRESS CORRECTION REQUESTED

16

Mountain Divisions at its reunion at Bad Windheim.

• Sorry this comes too late to put on a Christ­

mas list , but go out and buy yourself a present. "A Time for Trumpets: The Untold Story of the Battle of the Bulge.,. by Charles Mac­Donald , is 7 12 pages of fascinating material. The author is a former Army historian and a veteran of the big battle. Published by Morrow. the book is well worth its $ 19.95 price.

New tew Twa new Life Members have been

enrolled into the Association bringing the number of Lifers to 104. Newest ones are:

Theodore Fleck of Tucson, Arizona and Lester Edwards of Cincinnati.

Life membership dues are $100. An­nual memberships are $7 and are due on or before July 1, 1985. Please send your remittance to Sec-T rez AI Thomas (whose address is at the foot of page 2).

NON -PROFIT ORGANIZATION

U.S. POSTAGE THIRD CLASS PERMIT -1310

RICHMOND . VA .