ORDER OF BATTLE UNITED STATES ARM WORLD WAR II

European Theater of Operations

70th Infantry Division CHRONOLOGY Activated June 15, 1943 Arrived ETO

First elements (as Task Force Herren}

Entire Dec. 10, 1944

Division Feb. 3, 1945

!D+ 171 . D-Day: -.-

Southern France Aug. 15, 1944

Entered combat First elements Dec. 26, 1944 Entire Division Feb. 3, 1945

Entered reserves March 22, 1945

Days in combat 86

CAMPAIGNS Ardennes-Aisace (Task Force

Herren) Rhineland Central Europe

INDIVIDUAL AWARDS Distinguished Service

Cross 10 Legion of Merit 7 Silver Star 185 Soldiers Medal 9 Bronze Stars 886* Air Medal 18

Since the end of the war, the Bronze Star has been awarded to all holders of the Combat Infantryman 's Badge.

COMPOSITION 27 4th Infantry 275th Infantry 27 6th Infantry 70th Reconnaissance Troop

(Mechanized} 270th Engineers Combat

Battalion 370th Medical Battalion 70th Division Artillery

882nd Field Artillery CASUALTIES Battalion (7 05 howitzer)

Total casualties 8,201 883rd Field Artillery Percent ofT /0 strength 58 .2 Battalion Total battle casualt~ es 3, 966 884th Field Artillery Non-battle casualties 4,235 B tt /" Killed in action 755 a a '?n . Wounded and iniured ~S'~nd ~1eld Artillery . ..

in action 2 713 Battal1on ~)owlfzer} Died of wounds and ' Special Troops /

iniuries 79 770th Ordnance Light Missing in action 666 Maintenance Company Captured • 70th Quartermaster Evacuated to USA and Company

returned to duty or 570th Signal Company discharged 1,056

Returned to duty in Military Police Platoon ETO 1,578 Headquarters Detachment

Prisoners of War Headquarters Company captured 8,694 Band

SPRING,

......... ,nu.1 UNITS 160th FA Bn . 105 howitzer ANTI-AIRCRAFT

ARTILLERY (45th Div.}

158th FA Bn. 499th FA Bn . 433/rd Anti-Aircraft

Battalion (mobile} ARMORED

17th Field Artillery Observer Battalion

Co. C, 753rd Tank Battalion

CHEMICAL

501 st FA Bn. (14th Armored Div.}

Co. C, 83rd Chemical Mortar Battalion

99th Chemical Mortar Battalion (Minus Co. A)

ENGINEER

93rd Armored FA Bn. 69th Armored FA Bn. 494th FA Bn. (12th Ar­mored Div.}

2755th Engineers Combat Battalion

495th FA Bn. (12th Armored} 493rd FA Bn. (12th Ar­mored) TANK DESTROYER

FIELD ARTILLERY 69th Armored Field Artillery

Battalion

Co. C, 882nd Tank Destroyer Battalion (SF)

:Z.t'f"" Gi~ c. ... lt-..f- "'"". DETACHED TO:

648th Tank Destroyer Bn . (T)

27 4th Infantry 79th Division 2nd Battalion, 27 6th 79th 275th Infantry 45th Division 2nd Bn. 27 6th 79th 2nd Bn. 27 6th 45th 27 4th 1 03rd Division 274th 45th 274th 100th

ASSIGNMENT AND ATTACHMENT TO HIGHER UNITS Date Corps Army Army Group Dec. 4, '44 ETOUSA

6th Dec. 28, '44 VI Seventh Feb. 3, '45 XV Seventh 6th Feb. 25, '45 XXI Seventh 6th March 22, ' 45 Seventh 6th March 31 , '45 12th April 8, '45 Third 12th

• Indicates relieved from assignment

COMMAND POST Date Town Region Country 1944 Dec. 15 Delta Base CP #2

Marseille Bouches-du-Rhone France 1945 Jan. 6

Jan. 10 Feb. 19 Mar. 12 Mar. 28 April2 April23

La Petite Pierre Lutzelstein Reichshoffen St-Jean-Rohrbach Merlebach Otterberg Bad Kreuznach

Bas Rhin Bas Rhin Moselle Moselle Pfalz Rhineland

Oraniensten Weilberg-am-Lahn Hessen

•

France France France France Germany Germany

Germany

19971

UNFURLED IN PRIDE- THE COLORS STILL CASED-The familiar Trailblazer axe head is displayed on red (top) and black panels in the new flag of the "new 70th". Maj. Gen. Thomas Plewes (left), deputy commanding general, U.S. Army Reserve, and Command Sergeant Major Leroy Trujillo, unfurl the new flag of the new 70th. At the center is Brig. Gen. Craig Bambrough, CG of the new 70th.

The flag of the 70th Division came from Michigan to Seattle in the black sleeve at the center of this photo. The 70th Regional Support Command honor guard pre­pares to present it at the Feb. 9 ceremony at Fort Lawton in Seattle, Washington.

From left the guard is: Sgt. lst Class Olivia Lacorbiere; with the American Flag, Sgt. lst Class Michael Dunn; with the flag of the Department of the Army, S/Sgt. Kim Hickenbottom; with the colors of the former l24th Regional Support Command, S/Sgt. Dor­othy Hurt; carrying the cased colors, S/Sgt. Marie Hol­land, and Sgt. Traci Williams.

The 70th still lives Axe-head flag passed in colorful Seattle ceremony

THE AXE-HEAD flag flies again in pride! Against a backdrop of Pa­

cific Coast firs and mountains- the same as those that looked over the original presentation of that flag 54 years ago - the flag was uncased and presented to a new generation of Trailblazers on Feb. 9, 1997, at Fort Lawton in Seattle, Washington.

"With pomp and dignity," is the way Dale Bowlin, Immediate Past President of the 70th Infantry Divi­sion Association, describes the cer­emony in which he participated.

"Nearly a dozen of us 'old Trail­blazers' were on hand. Several spouses were in the group includ­ing Beverly Gibbs", (widow of Neal Gibbs , the only Association presi­dent who died in office.)

"The sky was overcast (nothing new to the original ' Blazers of Camp Adair, Or­egon) and the breeze was brisk. But it was with warm hearts and a burning sense of pride that we watched the colors be uncased with their battle ribbons ."

The colors had been retired last Fall in Livonia, Michigan. They had been inher­ited from the 70th Infantry Division by the 70th Training Division . The latter was de-

activated as part of the general retrench­ment of American military might that be­gan with the end of the Cold War.

Cased in a black sleeve, the 'Blazer flag was carried alongside the Stars and Stripes, the War Department' s flag and the old col­ors of the !24th Regional Support Com­mand, the new Trailblazers. The honor guard was a reminder- if one were needed' -to the old ' Blazers that this was an Army far different from the one they served in World War II. Gone were the olive drab uniforms , replaced by what they had called "jungle camouflage". And - this took a bit of getting used to - five of the guard were women!

But the same atmosphere that electrified the parade grounds of Camp Adair on a sunny June day of 1943, stirred the audi­ence and snapped the troops to an alert 'Ten-SHUN! (The stern reality of military

2 70th Division Assn. TRAILBLAZER

AND THERE IT FLIES -Sgt. Trujillo presents the new flag to Sgt. Holland of the honor guard who accepted it on be­half of all the troops. (All pho­tos by M/Sgt. Nestor Tamayao, Public Affairs Office.)

service was emphasized the next morning when one of the new Trailblazer units was activated as part of the program of rotating people in support of the troops in Bosnia.)

THE TROOPS were reviewed by Maj. Gen. Thomas Plewes, deputy commanding general of the U.S.

Army Reserve Command in Atlanta; Brig. Gen. Craig Bambrough, commander of the new 70th, and Bowlin, representing the original Axe Head.

A puff of wind whipped the !24th flag into a neat swirl that deftly knocked the cap off Gen. Plewes. (He observed in his later speech, "Your old flag doesn't go down without a fight.") The two generals and Bowlin made brief remarks and then, to the martial tempo of the 104th Timberwolf Division, the colors were retired . (The 'Wolves fought with the Trailblazers in the Battle of the Bulge.)

Spring 1997

A festive reception was held in the Leisy Center of the U.S. Army Reserve. In its main foyer is a floor of commemorative tiles . Two tiles - one bearing the !24th patch, the other the axe head - were emplaced there. Bowlin did the honors for the ' Blazers, and Sam Jones, the true "old man" of the I 24th, who joined the Army in 1942 and just stayed on, placed the I 24th seal.

The delegation of "Old ' Blazers" in­cluded: Bowlin, C/883; William Bergren, B/276; Richard Beyer, A/274; Robert Crothers , Association Vice-President/West, B/275; Robert Delaney, HQ lst Bn/276; Eric Denton, G/275 ; Dr. Frank Ellis, Medic/

I.Jl'rl~ II IJJ .. I..Jrl,IN From President George Marshall comes this request:

"Many of our units have some­one who keeps track of its mem­bers. I would ask that anyone who keeps such a roster send me his name, address and unit designa­tion.

"With the spread of e-mail and Internet users in the Association, many members are busy track­ing down 'lost comrades'. Often there are several veterans listed under the same name and there can be a costly duplicate effort to contact him.

"If we can verify a name from some unit roster it will be added to that unit's roster. The roster will be sent to him so the familiar names will encourage him to be­come a member. A friendly phone call from a unit member will also be a major factor. He will also re­ceive an Axe-Head Archives and application forms."

* After the banquet at the Orlando Reunion, a handsome bracelet was retrieved from the floor and given to President George. If the right­ful owner will identify it, he will be most happy to return it.

* Please note that Treasurer Don Lindgren's address is: 9001 Bea­con Ave., Vancouver, WA 98664.

* Wingen-sur-Moder has fallen on

hard times. From Associate Mem­ber Eric Frank of Zittersheim, France, via Wayne Shook, Medics/

274; Robert Gray, L/274 and Don Lindgren, Association Treasurer, L/274.

Ellis showed up wearing his 1940 uni­form. Bowlin quipped that he was the only one in the whole Association who could still get into his clothes of that vintage.

A souvenir of the occasion was a special edition of "Three Star Final", the monthly magazine of the new 70th. Chester Garstki 's striking photo of the Tower of Forbach was the cover shot. Other of his pictures and drawings by Peter "Tex" Bennet, "Trailblazer" magazine staff art­ist , graced inside pages. Bowlin and Edmund Arnold, editor of the "Trailblazer", contributed articles.

274, comes word that the Hotel Wenk and the local pub have closed. "You can't even buy a beer in town." Unemployment has soared to 12% and illiteracy is 8%. No causes were identified.

The hotel was a focal point in the battle for the town in 1945 and since then has played host to many Trailblazers on their return to the ETO.

* In the country-music mecca of Branson, Missouri, the 76 Mall has a "Veteran's Patch Wall" which displays the insignia of U.S. military units. The axe-head em­blem of the 70th is now on dis­play, thanks to Edward Kraus, F/ 274, who contributed one of his patches.

* The 70th home page on the Internet is attracting attention, a lot of it. More than l ,800 "hits" have been made upon it and Steven Dixon, who maintains the page, says we are swiftly ap­proaching l , 900.

There was a misprint of his cyber addresses and here are the correct. ones:

Home page: http:/ /www.surfsouth.com/

-the70th/page l.htm E-mail: skdixon@surfsouth.com

* Steve's grandfather served inC/ 270 Eng.

* (continued on page 7) •

3

l.[ ~ ~ 'l .~ " ... 1 1. r r -'

Proud·. day for ~Blazers

Benning mini -reunion blossoms into major event

One of the proudest days in the history of the 70th In­fantry Division Association was the dedication of the Trail­blazer monument on Spicheren Heights in the Spring of 1995.

Unfortunately attendance required a trans-Atlantic trip that many members found not feasible .

A day possibly even more momentous will be the dedi­cation of an identical monument at Fort Benning, Georgia on October 6. Its easy accessibility from almost any point in the United States should draw many more 'Blazers than the 70 who were at Spicheren.

What started out to be a mini-reunion of the Southern Region is developing into a full-blown national affair. James Hanson, L/274, Vice-president/South, has projected a 3-day program that combines the dedication, a memorial service and tourist attractions of the area. Early bird regis­tration and an informal buffet dinner will be available Fri­day, Oct. 3. Next day wi ll have an informal First Timers' session and optional tours in the afternoon. On Sunday Chaplain Don Docken will officiate at a traditional Me­morial Service and Edmund Arnold will deliver the hom­ily. The Trailblazer Banquet will be Saturday evening at the Non-Commissioned Officers Club at the Fort,

The dedication will be Monday afternoon after luncheon at the NCO Club. Transportation will be furnished , as part of the registration fee , for all trips to the fort.

Maj . Gen. Carl Ernst, commanding general of the Fort, and Togo West, Secretary of the Army, have been invited to partici­pate in the ceremony at the National Infantry Museum.

The mini-reunion has reserved I 00 rooms at the Airport Sheraton. An excellent rate of $52 per night- single or double - has been arranged for Trailblazers and they should identify themselves as such when making reservations . Reservations should be made by phone: (706) 327-6868.

If and when the Sheraton is filled , the Hampton Inn has 75 rooms at a $54 rate. The reservation number is (800) HAMP­TON and the Trailblazer reservation number is 866-54-882.

Transportation costs vary sharply. If you fly to Atlanta, a Groome Transportation shuttle costs $40 per person for the round trip. Air fare from Atlanta to Columbus is an incredible $300.

If you ' re driving, take I-185 into Columbus. At Exit 6 (Air­port Freeway) go west and the Sheraton will be on your left. The Hampton Inn is just two blocks away on your right.

Three optional bus tours will be available on Saturday after­noon. The Little White House at Warm Springs, where Franklin Roosevelt went to relax and where he died in 1945; Callaway Gardens , a world famous floral delight, and Andersonville, site of the infamous Civil War prison which has been the basis for history books, novels and Broadway, movie and television plays, are the options.

You may eat on your own ; there are good restaurants in the city and surrounding area. Or you may choose any or all of these options :

4

A Friday evening buffet at the Sheraton at $21 per person ; Satur­day lunch at the Sheraton at $13; Sunday brunch at the same hotel (and you pay the cashier); Trailblazer banquet Sunday at the Non­Commissioned Officers Club at the Fort at $14.50 for roast round of beef or chicken cordon bleu.

Monday, a lunch at the club will be served for $7 .50 with a choice of turkey breast or beef ribs .

Events at the Columbus Mini

All events at Airport Sheraton unless otherwise indicated

Friday, Oct. 3 12 to 5 p.m.: Registration 12 noon: Hospitality Room opens 6 p.m.: Informal buffet dinner

Saturday, Oct. 4 8 to 9 a.m. and 2 to 5 p.m.: Registration 9 to 11 a.m.: Personal War Remembrances of

First Timers, Hospitality Room 12 to 2 p.m.: Luncheon. Speaker: Gen. Ted

Mataxis, HQ 2nd Bn/276 2 p.m.: Hospitality Room re-opens 2 p.m.: Buses leave for three optional tours

Sunday, Oct. 5 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.: Registration 9 a.m. to 10 a.m.: Memorial Service, Chaplain

Don Docken officiating 10 a.m.: Hospitality Room opens 11 a.m.: Brunch available 5:30p.m.: Buses depart for Non-Com Club 6 to 7 p.m.: Cash bar open at NCO Club 7 p.m.: Trailblazer Banquet After dinner: Buses depart for Sheraton

Monday, Oct. 6 9 to 10 a.m.: Registration 10 a .m.: Buses depart for Fort Benning 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Luncheon at NCO Club 1:10 p.m.: Buses depart for National Infantry

Museum 1:30 to 2:30p.m.: DEDICATION CEREMONY 2:30 to 4 p.m.: Visiting and tour of monument

grounds 4 p.m.: Buses depart for hotel

•

70th Division Assn. TRAILBLAZER

BULLETIN Ceremonies dedicating the GI tank

at the Spicheren Heights monument will be May 8, Mayor Leon Dietsch of Spicheren has announced. He in­vites all Trailblazers to attend. For more deta il s co ntact Ge n . Ted Mataxis, PO Box 1643, Southern Pines , North Carolina 28358 or phone (9 19) 692-91 68.

70th tour-meisters plan two trips for Trailblazers

If Floyd Freeman adheres to plan, he will stage his grand finale Back-to-Eu­rope tour in the Fall of '96.

As so many of us have said too often, Floyd says "I'm getting too old for this."

(And honchoing a gang of old Trail­blazers ain't no vacation!!}

So Floyd has whipped up a 14-day tour which includes a 3-day Rhine River cruise. Things start Sept. 9 with a flight to Amsterdam. The tour goes through Holland, on to the Saarbrucken-St. Avoid area all too familiar to us in '45, the

river ride and a final dinner in Frank­furt-am-Main.

Get more dope from Floyd at 8959 California Ave., South Gate, CA 90280 or call him collect at (213) 567-0561.

Our other tour-meister, Don Docken, also offers an appetizing trip, this a tour along the Norway coast in one of those delightful steamers that the Scandina­vians like to tempt us with. Dates: May 19-30.

The trip starts in Oslo, Norway, where the 'Blazers will view a 1,000-year-old Viking boat. {It has not yet been deter­mined whether this was the ship that units of Task Force Herren crossed the Atlantic in '44.)

The ship that the group will travel in is a "today" coastal steamer, very mod­ern, very comfortable. It will stop at pic­turesque villages, delivering light freight and mail - as well as passengers. The 70th group will cross the Russian bor­der for a short visit and will enjoy a typi­cal Sami meal in a turf hut in Lappland and will see the herding of the storied Lapp reindeer.

Find out more of this voyage by writ­ing to Don at 2445 Londin Lane, Maplewood, MN 55119. (That's a new address; be sure to use it, not the old one in St. Paul.}

g 7 0 t h

D i v i 5 i

0 n

THE LAST HURRAH -The de-activated 70th Training Division made sure that its part of the Trailblazer saga would not be lost to history. As one of its final projects, it published a handsome book that recounts its activities, including its part in the Arabian Gulf War.

COLUMBUS MINI REGISTRATION Oct. 3-6, 1997

Event Registration Optional Tours

Little Wh ite House Callaway Gardens** Andersonville

Optional Meals Friday Buffet Saturday Lunch Sunday Banquet

Roast beef Ch icken cordon bleu

Monday Lunch Turkey Beef ribs

Cost Number per of person $35 X

$26* X

$17 X

$20 X

$21 X

$13 X

$14.50 X

X

X

$7.50 X

X

X

persons

TOTAL *Includes entrance fee of $9 **No entrance fees A ll prices are. per person and include gratu ities To attend any function, member must register

Spring 1997

TOTAL

NAME 70th Unit __ Preferred first name for badge ___ _

Street ______________ _ City State ___ _ Phone Spouse's name ___ _

Have you ever attended a national or mini Reun ion? YES _ NO _

Make checks payable to: 70th Infantry Division Association/South

Mail to: James Hanson 2595 Landview Circle Virginia Beach, VA 23454

DEADLINE: August 19, 1997

5

11. 1 :_ T l t •• T f ~

'

Like! Didn't like! About Orlando Reunion Fifty-nine " Interest Forms were returned following the

Reunion in Orlando. Frankly, I had hoped for many more. To save space and to be as brief as possible, this report is given in an outline format.

National Reunion: what you liked most: Camaraderie, fe llowship, seeing old friends, the variety of programs from Reunion to Reunion. There were many who liked the infor­mality of the Fun Night.

What you liked least: Amount of food or too expensive in restaurant. Regimental meetings: too much rehashing same stories. Too much travel. Business meetings boring and confusing. Keep Hospital-

historical speakers. Plan, announce, and schedule more Company and Battalion meetings. Add audience participa­tion.

Mini or smaller unit reunions (I've lumped them together). "What you liked best parallels the National results": Ca­maraderie. The smaller group is better for visiting with less confusion. You liked them being closer to home, and the variety of meeting in different places with different programs. You would add or change: Pre-planned Company break­fasts. More daytime tours.

ity Room open for ladies dur­ing business meeting. Music was too loud at Fun Night, many left earl y. Want less talk, shorter speeches. Sound was poor. Too much crowding at

The President's Report George Marshall

wine and cheese table. Re-unions are getting too big. Don't like negative comments. Appoint roving assistants to solve seating problems. Do post registration list near Registration booth. Too much free time. European dinner could be more than sales pitch. Add spe­cial event unique to host city. Add chorus or si ng along.

On the positive side . What you would add or change: Sorry Reunion is not longer, hate to go home. Keep it like it is. First Timers meeting should be first. Add some tours and

6

The Trailblazer

is published four times a year by the 70th Infantry Division Asso­ciation and friends. Subscription: $12 annually.

Editor Edmund C. Arnold 3804 Brandon Ave., S.W. #415 Roanoke, VA 24018 (540) 776-2415

* Chester F. Garstki Lexington Square, Apt. 256 400 W. Butterfield Road Elmhurst, IL 60126 (708) 617-2589

* Staff Artist Peter Bennet 3031 Sir Phillips Dr. San Antonio, TX 78209 ~) 828-5477

Volume 55 Number 2 SPRING, 1997

TRAILBLAZER - What would you like less of?: Don't change a thing. Pleased. Excellent. O.K. as is. Read it cover to cover. Like it all. Wonderful. Without peer. Outstanding. How can you beat that? What do you want more of?: What vets have done since service days. Stories of service people in the international scene. More Artil lery news. Editor's Bar­racks Bag. Reunion pictures. Methods for finding new mem­bers. Combat stories and experiences. Pictures. Pictures. Pictures. Your favorite sections: Entire magazine. Personal stories. Archives/New member stories. Combat actions . Pic­tures. Eight of you wanted to know How and When to sub­mit items fo r the "Trai lblazer." I think Ed Arnold can be per­suaded to li st his deadline dates for the four issues of our magazine as a permanent part of his Editorial Staff block inside the front cover of the magazine. Ed's rules are simple. Write clearly or print your story or announcement. Ed will correct for spelling or grammar. just be sure to double space everything so that he can insert his corrections between the lines. Ed's address is inside the front cover.

You also wanted to know the criteria and where to present a recommendation for the Outstanding Trailblazer Award. Past President Dale Bowlin is working along with others to produce a revised manual of Duties and Procedures for all officers. It is expected that a similar code will also be forth­coming outlining the qualities or services rendered needed for nomination to receive the OTA.

There were 1 7 responses out of the 59 who offered• to help in the various committees. We will need even more. Among the talents and experiences listed were crafts, mili­tary historians, fund raisers, past committee work, and one who plays the spoons. (That last is no joke). There must be a lot of musical talent that could make for a great chance for some of our members to show off their talent. How about it gang, this could make for a different Fun Night feature to involve guys and gals. I know we have at least two former 70th Band members. Don't be bashful, let us hear from you. Tell us what you can do to entertain us. This could be a lot of fun.

(continued on next page)

70th Division Assn. TRAILBLAZER

Axe-head Archives Story brings back powerful memories

Sure enjoy The Trailblazer ... you con­tinue to produce an excellent, and informa­tive bulletin.

I especially enjoyed the Fall '95 issue. "The Silent Strike" is a gripping story and demonstrates for those of us who were for­tunate to not have to face the enemy head­on, just how lucky we were.

This story also brought back many memories; the names of some of the towns where our outfit spent a little time; Petite Roselle, for example, and another nearby village called Grand Roselle.

We had air strips near both these places, maybe between them, and we slept in houses along with cows, chickens and other farm animals. The barns were part of the living quarters, so we could smell the ma­nure and hay. The owners slept in their basement due to periodic incoming rounds.

The Germans had everything zeroed in , so an occasional 88mm would tear up the farm. We learned they were random shells and didn't pay much attention, but the ci­vilians were afraid that the Germans would return. Chuck Feree HQ/884

* Rogers looking for same thing

I noticed on page 15 , of the Fall 1996 "Trail Blazer," that Eugene Clyde Hill has a book named "History of Co. A 274th." I have not been able to locate his address or phone number.

(continued)

I was a member of Co. N274th until February 25, 1945 - wounded at Spicheren Heights.

Would like to get a copy of this book, and would appreciate receiving Hill 's ad­dress or phone number. I do enjoy reading the Trail Blazer magazine and look forward to each copy. I was with the 70th Division from the start at Camp Adair, Oregon. George W. Rogers P. 0. Box 3996 Shreveport, La. 71133 318 686-0726- Home

* Bright 'Blazer T-shirt helps medal-pinning

A. Gordon "AI" Smith, G/276 sent an "Original Trailblazers" T-shirt to John D. Beaver, Jr. for his father, John Sr., 70 Re­con. He is an Alzheimer patient in Coronado, California. John Jr. pinned on the medals awarded to his father who served with the 70th in Saarbrucken. He was awarded the Silver Star, Bronze Star and the Purple Heart. The Beaver family was profoundly grateful for the interest and caring by Smith.

* The voyages of the •Blazers

Here are the itineraries of Trailblazer units as they went to war in Europe:

All units went to Marseilles , France. All left from Boston except Special Troops Advance Party, which departed from New York.

274 (minus Co. L): on the USS Mari­posa. Departed Dec. 1, '44 and arrived Dec. 10.

From all of the above you can see that your officers have their work cut out for them. As expected, there are always more things to fix than things that pleased folks. We can't expect to please everyone. I can assure you that we will consider all of the comments and suggestions. I know we can use many of them to improve on all of our past experi­ences. We will do our best to do so.

George

Spring 1997

I.Jrr•~

IIIJI .. IJ~'I'IN (continued)

John Hildebrand, A/274, has a new e-mail address:

Jonmar@.aol.com

* "Three Star Final", the monthly

magazine of the "new 70th", the former !24th Regional Support Command, devoted a recent cover to large reproductions of the unit's old shoulder patch and the 70th axe-head it now wears.

"Along with the name change," says cover copy, "comes a long and proud tradition from the 70th Infantry Division. (See page 15 to join the Association.) And we have at least two new members from the new 70th.

* At least eight 'Blazers have asked if there will be a 70th tour coinciding with the dedication of the U.S. tank at Spicheren. Our two tourmeisters each have a trip to Europe on schedule and don't have time to shape up another. But - Floyd Freeman is willing to negotiate special airline fares for those who will travel on their own. Give him a ring at (213) 926-6828 and save big bucks.

Home, home on the net The 70th page on the Internet is: Http :/www.surfsouth.com/ -the70th/ pagel.htm

CYBER'BLAZERS e Charles Pruett, L/274,

Compuserve : 75070,2 111 and C/ !57th Infantry , Microsoft Network: CDPRUETT@MSN COM

e Willie Prejean, C/274, http://users .accesscom./-prejean

e John Hildebrand, N274, alhill @ix.netcom.com

275 (plus L/274): on the USS West Point, Departed Dec. 7, '44, arrived Dec. 16.

276: on the West Point. Departed Dec. 7, arrived Dec. 16.

Special Troops Advance Party: on USS Marine Devil. Departed Dec. 13 , arrived Dec. 23.

Special Troops Main Body (including Divarty): On the USS Mariposa. Departed Jan. 8, '45, arrived Jan . 18.

7

HThanks for the use of the muHier, Captain"

(~()J .. J)

8

Weather infliets toll as ntueh as enenty fire

In the opening hours of Operation Nordwind, Company 8 of the 275th had undergone a horrific baptism of fire. On the road from Philippsbourg to Bitche, they had been ambushed and lost two-thirds of its men.

This excerpt from a book by Elmer Martin recounts the events of the second and third days . The com­pany was on Hill 30 and Capt. William long was sending out patrols to seek information amidst the total chaos. Lt. Jerry Glass took part in all the pa­trols; he was weary and bedraggled, "the saddest of sad sacks," as Martin says.

By ELMER MARTIN B/275

L T. GLASS didn't let anyone salute him or in any way show he was an officer. He claimed Jerry tried to

pick off the officers first. (Hell, Jerry tried to knock us all off.) So he wore a G.I. over­coat and carried a Garand M-1. A muffler was wound around his neck. He ' d go and do anything his men would.

We watched as the Germans fought for the town (Philippsbourg) and as they were shelled off a hill across the valley from us. It was like watching a giant movie of the war, except shells would land near us from time to time.

"I still think I can hit that little Kraut guy cutting wood."

"Well , there 's no one around to say no. So go ahead, but put your sights up all tbe way."

"There he comes," my buddy raised his rifle, took aim and as he fired , the Jerry threw up his arms and ran like hell for the house .

"Did I hit him?" "Nah, but you scared hell out of him." "Let 's get out of here, they know we're

here now." But we couldn't get out. And if Jerry

found us we ' d just have to fight as best we could.

One of our men got back from our com-

70th Division Assn. TRAILBLAZER

• pany CP and said t'nat they were cut up and shot down when they tried to give up.

On the second morning, as I walked by a hole, there was a Jerry with his arms tied behind him with wire from the sound phone.

"What the hell are you doing tieing up a POW? Those bastards don ' t need much of an excuse to kill us. But this would cook our goose if they found we 'd done this to this prisoner! " The POW was untied.

"Thank you. Send me back to POW camp." The Jerry could speak a little En­glish and was one of those who wanted to be done with war. He gave me a concus­sion grenade that looked like an egg which he had in his pocket, also a book with the names of our men wounded in the ambush January I. This I took to Capt. Long.

"Stay the hell away from him, Martin ; you ' re to go on patrol."

"Lt. Glass and Sgt. Duffy will go with you. If you can , make contact with our people."

I didn ' t want to go, but it seems that I was one of the few who didn ' t have trench foot, so I went. I was thinking hard of the pain in the stomach from no food and how hard it was to walk fast. So the voices of some Germans came as a shock. Down in the snow I go. There was a German obser­vation post. One German with fieldglasses was running around a big rock, calling back corrections and targets for the other K.rauts to radio back to their artillery. There were six Germans in all. Why they hadn ' t seen us, I'll never know.

As I was signalling Lt. Glass to go in from my right and Sgt. Duffy from the left,

Spring 1997

If we tied up a POW~ Jerry~ll kill us the one who was spotting looked right at me. With a yell I jumped up, firing the 45 M-3 and running towards the Germans. They all took off and four fell down the steep hill. The other two were running with 20-league boots as my magazine ran out of ammo. Reloading, we grabbed the maps , shot up the radio, took the machine guns and took off back to our company. Shells were starting to come in from both ways, to and from our lines.

Back with the company on the morning of the third day, like all the others , it was cold and i~ had snowed. But now there was a strange quiet. The men were not talking or joking as before. Most were weak from hunger and had frozen feet.

"Martin, the ol' man wants you."

HE'D HAVE TO WAIT till I switched my sox as I did each morning, taking the dry pair from

inside my shirt and putting them next to my feet. The other two pair were rotated to the outside and outer pair went inside my shirts to dry. It didn ' t do much for the smell of one's clothes, but at least in the cold the stink wasn't as strong.

"Reporting as ordered, Captain." "Why so formal, Martin?" "Well , it 's that you got all these other

guys and you send me all the time."

"You're the only one with good feet now."

"Captain, you'll have my blood before this is over."

"Not you , you ' ll outlive us all. " "Yes, Sir." Lt. Glass, Sgt. Duffy, a man from B Com­

pany and I went off to see if contact could be made with our men. It was to be my last walk in the snow.

We had almost reached the point of rocks where the OP was when the shells started to come in -real thick this time. I got in between the big rocks with Lt. Glass. Trees and branches were falling, the force of the shells pounded us into the ground.

"Martin, Duffy's been hit. " There was Sgt. Duffy holding his leg and

sitting up like all American soldiers seemed to do when they get hit. They figure it's over for them. They ' re out, now getting up to get out of the ball game, that 's when they get hit.

I had two burning sensations in my back, but it was just dirt or stones thrown by the shells.

"Martin, let 's get him." " Duffy! Lay Down! Hey, Duffy' Lay

down." "Let 's go, Martin." "Let him be, Lt. Glass." "No, let's get him." I started out as did Lt. Glass. A shell!

Right on us! I tried to breathe and couldn't. How long I was out after the shell hit I don't know. But I joined in with Sgt. Duffy and Lt. Glass in screaming for a Medic. We

(continued on next page)

•

9

•

DamnFreneh replaee the mines we just eleared (continued)

couldn't find the man from B. "This is it, I can't walk." "Neither can I, Martin ." "Medic!" "Hey! Medic, where the hell are you?" Shells were still fading all around us, but

like everyone else we had struck out, the war was over for us.

"I'm going to try to crawl this goddam mountain."

"Help will be here soon.' Capt. Long, Lt. Turner, Lt. Cannon and

most of the men came to get us. The cap­tain made sure we were all taken care of and carried back to our company area.

"Put these men down by the CP." "Dig slit trenches for them." "Start a fire; goddam the Krauts ." "If anybody has any coffee give it to the

wounded men." The Medic took good care of us. It was

funny, but I felt very little pain. Mostly I was very sleepy. There were more shells dropping on our company area. The man who was watching me laid on top of me to protect me. This I will never forget although

10

"Acres of prisoners" at end of combat

By CLISBEE LYMAN HQ/884

As the war was ending, we left for Paris on May 7, 1945, passing through Rheims by train . Someone pointed out the school where the German surrender had taken place the previous day. By the time we reached Paris the victory celebration was in full swing and continued for another three days . It was unbelievable! I have

I do not remember his name. Capt. Long took off his muffler and

wrapped it around my left foot. I had no feeling and everyone was afraid my left foot would freeze.

At last I fell asleep, no dreams of food or home or anything. Soon someone was shaking me, "Martin, can you get on this stretcher? We've been fou nd."

T HE STRETCHER was made from two poles and two GI overcoats. I lay on my stomach. The four men

carrying me were weak and tired, too, and had to rest often in the deep dark. We went through the lanes of the men who found

Sox stink-but they~re drying inside my shirt

never seen anything before or after that even comes near.

On our way to Paris we passed open fields filled with German prisoners of war. It would be impossible to estimate how many there were. I do know, as a farmer, that there were hundreds of acres filled with them.

(Lyman knows acres, he still farms over 4000 acres of farmland in Blanding, Utah. A Life Member, he made a nice present to his friend Kenneth MacDonald who gradu­ated with him from Utah State University and served with him in the 70th Division. He paid his dues to the Association.

us . About half way down the mountain they stopped to rest, setting the stretcher down on a tree stump. It hit my stomach and sort of had me draped head down, rump up.

"Hey, guys, look what you done to me now." After they all took a look, making remarks and laughing, they put me down.

"Put the stretchers here, men." "You ' II be okay till we get a truck or

jeep." God! It was a black night! You could

smell the burnt powder, burnt buildings and death."

"Don ' t light any cigarettes; Jerry's all around us ."

There was other small talk and a moan or two, but mostly we all were thinking it was all over, feeling guilty about leaving our buddies to fight, and the miserable life of a combat GI. But glad it was over for us.

"Get those men on the jeep." They put me on the front hood rack and

Capt. Long stood on the bumper and leaned back against me. We hadn ' t gone far when,

"Hold it! There's something on the road." Getting down he moves something from

the road. "Dammit those Frenchies, we clean a

road of mines and they put 'em back." Capt. Long throws the mine off the side of the road.

"Let's go, driver." The jeep stopped by a building. Men

started to take the stretchers into the Aid Station.

"Here, Lt. Cannon , take this knife; maybe it will come in handy again for you."

"Thanks again , Captain, for the use of the muffler."

"So long, Martin." They carried us inside. There were

stretchers all over the floor. The medics were busy looking at the wounds and tag-ging everyone.

* 70th Division Assn. TRAILBLAZER

•

Eyes like

Mays' night vision

pays off during war

The second floor of his home near Glen Rock, Pennsylvania had no electricity. So Daniel Mays, Cannon/274, had to develop good night vision. Then, as a youth, for seven years he delivered the morning pa­per in nearby New Freedom. Again his eyes had to adapt to the dark through the long winters.

That ability came in mighty handy dur­ing his WW2 service. He was the driver for Capt. Roy Meiners. "These two eyes led the whole company as the captain had no feel for the dark. But I went back and forth to Regimental headquarters and de­ploying and re-deploying company posi­tions with ease.

"Returning to Company HQ on April20, 1945, the captain told me that Col. Conley, the regimental commander, told each com­pany commander to submit one name for a battlefield commission. That captain said he'd like to recommend me.

" I wanted to know the details. Well , I'd spend two weeks back in Paris for special training, then get my commission - and then go off to the Pacific. I thanked him sincerely but said, No, I want to get home as soon as possible."

"I was a former ASTP student and felt I was qualified. But to this day I have never

Co-ordinators for two states

New state co-ordinator for North Carolina is James Kid­der, H/27 4. His address is 21 03 Pinewood Terrace, Fayetteville, North Carolina 28304. His phone is (919} 868-4754.

He succeeds Harry Weeks who has moved to Virginia.

The new state co-ordinator for Iowa is Carl Obermann, 232 W. Manning, Ottumwa, lA 52501. His phone is (515) 682-4335.

Spring 1997

regretted my decision. "Capt. Meiners was a quiet, honest and

humble man. To this day I consider him one of the best friends I was ever privileged to associate with. We operated in the summer of' 45 and I didn ' t see him for 48 years. He had been promoted and left the service as a major.

"In '93 I went West and dropped in to see him. We had a real mini-reunion. His family immigrated to America from Ger­many and crossed the continent on the Or­egon Trail (that gave the 70th its name of Trailblazers). Their original 800 acres are still a part of the 2,000 acres that Roy's son and grandson farm at Walla Walla, Wash­ington.

"If any of the old company would like to write to the captain, hi s address is : Roy Meiners, 1454 Lowell Drive, Walla Walla, WA 99362. His phone is (509) 525-5019."

Danny has written a most interesting and handsome book, "1 OOth Anniversary of Sports in Glen Rock, PA. " It is a fasci­nating account. His small town produced many stellar athletes. Among them is Cliff Heathcote who played with the Chicago Cubs in the early 30s. Mays himself played with the Pittsburgh Pirates farm clubs and later became baseball coach at Eastern High School in his home town.

*

Short command sarge to looie

By JACK STRANG G/275

My old sergeant , James Roddell , stepped on a shoe mine and fell across an­other one. He lost his right leg below the knee and received a bad fracture of his left leg below the hip. This happened in Forbach on March 5, 1945. He spent 53 weeks in the hospital.

Our platoon leader for the weapons pla­toon was Lt. C. Cheegan. I saw him get

Deadlines and Guidelines

Contributions to the "Trail­blazer" are warmly invited. Please observe the following guidelines:

• Be sure that your name and unit are on every piece of pa­per and/or photograph that you send in.

• If possible, use a type­writer. If your copy is handwrit­ten, please write carefully, es­pecially your and other's names.

• Double-space all type­writer copy and use only one side of the paper.

• Do not underline. • Do not use all-capitals.lt is

not TRAILBLAZER: it's "Trail­blazer."

• Don't worry about spelling or grammar; the copy-editor takes care of that. Do be sure you are as accurate as your memory allows.

• Do share your favorite war story- combat, training, occu­pation, civilian - with your buddies. They say they're ea­ger to read it.

DEADLINES for Summer '97 issue:

All copy: April 3.

You should receive your copy on or shortly after June 12.

Address changes: If you will be at a new address by June L you should send change-of­address cards to the editor or Treasurer Don Lindgren. If you fail to send information on time, we can't guarantee deliv­ery of your magazine.

Please note that the schedule for publication may be altered by the editor's personal agenda. The "Trailblazer" is not his primary occupation.

hit on March 4. He was able to rejoin us later. The irony of the whole thing is Sgt. Rod dell took over Lt. Cheegan 's job as pla­toon leader and the next day he got his leg blown off. Short command!

11

•

The Editor's Edmund C. Arnold

Barracks Bag This is your assignment for this after­

noon: Drop a card or note to Ed Hawes at 641

SE Peacock Lane, Portland, OR 97214. Ed is the second oldest Trailblazer and

he is fighting cancer. Your missives will help brighten days that are not of them­selves bright.

Ed has a rather rare distinction: He was a warrant officer with Service Company, 275. He was sent to WO school from the Division and returned as one of the few of his rank in the Division. A short, wiry guy, he "took charge." He's taking charge to­day, of the doctors, of the hospital staff, of Fate itself. (But not of wife Dorothy! She is still the only one who can make him go to bed.)

This is exactly the time when Trailblazer camaraderie is the proper prescription.

* Another Baby of the Battalions: John Roesch, l/274. He was born March 30, 1925. That puts him just about the exact center of the list of Trailblazer "young­sters." He is among our three-war buddies, serving in Korea and VietNam.

* Every Trailblazer death leaves a void. Every departed brother had a story to tell. But there are deaths that bring an extra poignancy. Such is that of J. A. Ethridge, D/276, who died Oct. 15, '96.

Jay was a charter member of the Asso-

Mustang muster Trailblazer Mustangs are invited

to send their names to this maga­zine so they can be recognized for their achievement, perhaps the highest prize an enlisted man can claim.

Mustangs are men who have received a battlefield commission. The term was originally a depre­cation by elitist regular officers but the new officers adopted it as a title of pride.

Mustangs are urged to send to the editor the place and date of their battlefield commission along with their rank as a non-com and any other information that would be of interest to fellow 'Blazers.

12

ciation and he was in charge of the instal­lation of the Division plaque at the site of old Camp Adair.

His wife Fern, who died in 1991 , earned the title of A Good Sport on a 70s Return­to-Europe trip . While she was enjoying snail soup in a French restaurant, a real live snail crawled out from her dinner salad. After a momentary shock, she joined the group in whooping laughter - and pro­ceeded to eat the properly deceased snails.

Jay was drafted in 1941 and went into the horse cavalry. Then to the 9Jst Infan­try and the 70th cadre. He and Fern met at Adair. He worked for 34 years with alum­ber company.

* There is a personal poignancy in the death of Frank Hand, CN/274, in Janu­ary. Frank and I worked together on the "State Journal" in Lansing, Michigan in the early 50s. But it wasn't until a couple of years ago that we found out we had served together in the 70th. He was a 40-year vet­eran newspaperman, a fine reporter and a good friend.

* Odd-numbered years have always been rather quiet for Trailblazers as we savor memories of the even-numbered Reunion Past and look forward to the one next year. That doesn ' t apply to 1997. There are sev­eral regional mini-reunions on the sched­ule and the dedication of the monument at Fort Benning will occasion a national gath­ering of the clan.

There 's more information about this gathering someplace elsewhere in this is­sue. When you decide to join in the festivi­ties, move fast. Hotel accommodations are not as ample in rural Georgia as they are in, Jet 's say, Orlando. So grab a room while they're still grab-able.

We will be entertained at the Fort by the current crop of Infantrymen. And what fun that will be. Take it from me, returning to a military base as a civilian and a VIP civil­ian, at that, is a helluva lot different than being a permanent GI resident of said post.

* As we approach the monument dedica-tion at Fort Benning, we ought to note that the "Trailblazer" staff artist, Peter "Tex" Bennet had the original idea of using the axe head of our shoulder patch as a key el­ement. Way back in the Fall , '93 issue, Tex

submitted a sketch of the idea.

* You may believe there 's a typographi-cal error in this paragraph. But that 's not so. I am writing this on December 26, 1996. I just got word from the printer that the Winter issue is being printed, even as I write. That's the signal that starts me on the next issue.

I hope that one of the '97 issues will have your war story. If you haven ' t already sent in that story, please do so right away, will you? Incidentally, those stories- after the typesetter has finished with them - are sent off to the Historical Institute at Carlisle Barracks. So your late tale will be preserved in the national archives.

* If you haven't already done so, please send in your questionnaire to the Institute. Drop a note to:

Angela Lehr Military History Institute Carlisle Barracks Carlisle, Pennsylvania 17013-5008

and ask for the questionnaire. It will be sent to you immediately and included will be a postage-paid address sticker so mailing is painless and costless. You owe this effort to your kids and grandkids - and great­grandkids, too.

* One of the questions in this form asks what dreams and hopes and aspirations you had after combat ended and you eventu­ally could look forward to getting back home reasonably soon. That question stopped me. I don't recall that I had any plans other than to get home and see my wife and the baby that had been born while we were in Germany. I'm sure I never con­templated then that I'd be editing the "Trail­blazer" in 1997. But I lucked out.

* Sitting right in front of me as I labor at my desk is a statue that I cherish. It's just like the one that was given to Dale Bowlin as a thank-you to a past president at Or­lando Reunion. A picture of it ran in the last issue of this journal.

My perceptive wife saw how much I admired the sculpture and. ordered one for me. It stands over a foot tall and is authen­tic in every detail. Oh, how it stirs memo­ries!

* 70th Division Assn. TRAILBLAZER

TOP MAN AND TOP MEN-The military genius who directed all American mili­tary forces during World War II was Gen. George Marshall. One of the most admired men in the ser­vices, he came to the 70th in the Spring of '44 on an inspection swing across the country.

gram. Many of the men were unhappy and the gen­eral explained the situation with patience and sym­pathy that impressed the men.

He took the occasion to talk with men who had just been transferred to the Infantry from washed­out programs, ASTP and the Air Force cadet pro-

With the top man as he watched a field exercise were the Trailblazers' own top leaders. Brig. Gen. John Dahlquist, Division commander, is just to the right and in back of Marshall. At the left is Brig. Gen. Robert Young, assistant commanding general.

This magazine is scheduled to be mailed in the first week of January, April , July and October. When it arrives in your mailbox is, alas! , not in our hands but in those of the joyeux postal people. I took it as a com­pliment when people phoned to ask about their Winter issue. It indicates that you guys anticipate the "Trailblazer" and do miss it. Delivery was delayed about two weeks because of the holiday jam-up at our mail-

Spring 1997

ing house and the post office. (I actually was three weeks ahead of schedule.)

I ask you - again - to send in your personal story or stories of your 70th ten­ure . Every GI has at least one story he 'd like to share with fellow sufferers. I prom­ise to use your story and so preserve it for posterity.

* You may have noticed that there are

some 40s-vintage pictures running on these pages. We have been able to reproduce some old photos that up to now had not been usable.

You are invited to send in some of your 1944-5 pix if you have some to share. I must warn you, though, that I can ' t guar­antee their safety. Normally I send such

(continued on next page)

13

•

•

·The Editor's Barracks Bag

(continued)

pictures back to the owner as soon as our printer has finished with them. But things do get lost- especially in the postal sys­tem - and I'd hate like the devil to lose one of your treasures .

Be sure the identification and your name are on the back of each photo. If you use a ball-point pen, write lightly; the surface of the picture can easily be indented and that will show in the reproduction.

* Babies of the Battalions are still report-ing in. Latest to do so is Marcus Demsich, G/275. He was born May 22, 1926.

"I joined the 70th in January, '45, in France. My first combat was at Gross­bliederstroff. The first time we had to re­treat. But the second time we captured the whole town and held it. I was First Scout in G Company, 275. Our Platoon Leader was Sgt. Collo . We went through the Siegfried Line and on to Saarbrucken."

Marcus lives in Frankenmuth, Michigan where I once owned a weekly newspaper. The city is Michigan's leading tourist at­traction and if you're within 50 miles you ought to drop in. It has among other attrac­tions, the world's largest Christmas store. It 's about as big as three football fields­and that's no exaggeration.

* Another young-un is the good doctor Niles Schoff, C/725 . Says he, " I was with the Division from August,' 43 until we were assigned to Occupation duty in Germany."

Niles is a chiropractor in Albert Lea, Minnesota.

* If you are a snowbird, you' II have to let us know before each move you make. There's no way we can automatically send your magazine down South on a given date and change to your Northern address at an­other. Remember that your secretary and treasurer are volunteers; we can't expect them to devote 40 hours a week to Asso­ciation activities.

* May 8, 1945. That was the day the world's greatest war

ended. And for most Trailblazers- most service people, in fact- it was the begin­ning of a vital chapter in their lives. Do you know where you were on that historic day?

"I do, " says Byron McNeely in the newsletter, "I/274 Items" that he edits. "I was in the 3rd General Hospital near Marseilles. We were confined to the grounds but could see, through the fence, the celebration in town. Four days later I sailed for the United States, by way ofltaly, on the USS Wakefield.

"We landed in Boston and I was sent to Thayer General Hospital in Nashville, Ten­nessee. I got a furlough home in June and was then transferred to Ashland General Hospital, at the famous resort, the Green­brier Hotel in West Virginia. I had addi­tional surgery there. It was a terrific place."

In the Fall issue John Wilson, K/274, was mentioned. The Tempestuous Toms, Axelrod and Higley, couldn't recall him in the company and set out on a quest. They located John Tilson (with a T) and also found that he was in F/274. So the record is clean.

Just got off the phone with George Barten, HQ 2nd Bn/275, who called to tell me about Ed Hawes. As usual , any con­versation with George becomes a fascinat­ing cornucopia of topics. He stayed in ser­vice after we all became civilians and has had a variety of assignments. One- while he was with Allied Control Authority of Berlin - was to deactivate the 3rd Regi­ment. As its number indicates, this was truly a historic unit, goi ng back to George Washington 's army. It has more battle rib­bons on its colors than a palm tree has leaves. One of them is for the Battle of Chapultepec in the Mexican War. There it attacked with fixed bayonets - one of the few, and maybe the only, American unit to do so. As a reminder of that battle, it's the only unit that marches in parades with bayonets fixed.

Incidentally, George soon was sent back to the States and reactivated the 3rd. He shares my approval of the Army 's energetic preservation of traditions - such as keep­ing alive our cherished numbers, 70 and 274.

* As an old enlisted man, I have to be care-ful what I say about officers. But I enjoyed what (George says) officers say about the Army ways. "If an officer is intelligent and energetic make him staff. Intelligent and

lazy, command. Stupid and energetic- get rid of him."

* This is my lucky day. Comes another

interesting phone call, this from Adolph Voigt, L/276. He just got back from Ger­many where he evaluated equipment left there by troops who have been deployed elsewhere or returned home. He's a con­sultant to the Army as he has been for ump­teen years.

When you go to the monument dedica­tion at Fort Benning, you'll certainly be visiting the museum there, a world-famous one. Keep an eye peeled for an exhibit about Adolph. He 's honored for winning battlefield commissions and the Combat Infantryman Badge in three wars.

After his last tour in uniform, in Viet Nam, he has served as a consultant to the Army and has been traveling constantly. As his four daughters and two sons are all adults now, his wife is able to travel with him.

After an absence of three months, he had a stack of mail to tackle and was busy catch­ing up. He wanted to know his Association dues status. He noted that after his name on the mailing label of this magazine, is a number. That, I was able to tell him, shows the year for which hjs dues are paid up. Adolph is solving the problem of overlook­ing the dues date (January 1 each year) by becoming a Life Member.

* Board clarifies expense reporting

With membership inching up to 2,000, more people are involved in Association business. Many such activities involve ex­penses. The Executive Board has set guide­lines for reimbursements of appropriate costs.

President George Marshall explains the procedure:

The Association will reimburse costs incurred for communications (postal and, telephone) on Association business for sums between $10 and $50.

Such requests should be sent to the ap­propriate Regional Vice-president. He will endorse and forward them to the President.

These two elected officers will determine that the requests are "reasonable and prop­erly supportive" on a case-by-case basis.

This procedure will also cover members in a continuing search and recruitment of new members.

This does not cover costs of mini-re­unions. They remajn self-supporting.

14 70th Division Assn. TRAILBLAZER

•

Mail· Call

Voiding on "holy soil" is Ed's satisfaction

I was just reading a book about another vet's experience in WW2. On his way out of Germany, the convoy stopped for a p­eal!. He thought, "I am finally getting to piddle on Germany for the last time."

We Trailblazers did even better. We got to do it on Hitler 's "hallowed ground," the German military cemetery on Spicheren Heights.

The only problem with retirement and being alone is boredom. Even the problems of running a business and working are pref­erable to boredom. Thank God for family, friends and war buddies!

I didn ' t get to the Orlando Reunion. I've been having variant angina attacks. They come on with a bang. They look bad when really they aren't. But airline stewardesses like to make them an emergency and may even call an ambulance. So I only go on trips with family or friends.

The VA hospital changed my medication and I am OK. Edwin Apelgren I&R Platoon, 274th HQ.

* French Associate sends greetings

I appreciate a lot of the opportunity I had to talk with you and many other Trailblaz­ers at the Orlando Reunion. It would be nice if you could let it be known to others with whom I had conversations how thankful I am for that experience.

I enjoy the "Trailblazer." I have the op­portunity to compare it to other veterans' magazines and none of them reflect the spirit of comradeship that yours does . The wide variety of topics makes the "Trail­blazer" so interesting. So do the priceless photos by Chester Garstki. I hope I can join you all again in two years. Christophe Viller, Associate Member, Strasbourg, France

* "This is the way it was back when"

I thought I would make a small correc­tion- or better information- on the ar-

Spring 1997

ticle on page 16 of the Fall, '96 issue on Oregon hospitality.

The Roosevelt Hotel is still standing as low-income apartments but it does not show on the photograph in the magazine as the caption indicates. The picture (of a quartette of men of Sv/274) is taken out­side the Roosevelt and the buildings behind those soldiers are the Arlington Club on the left and the Heathman Hotel at the right. Both are on SW Salmon Street, as is the Roosevelt.

The Arlington Club is still an exclusive club and only now admits women after years for men only. The old Heathman is now the Park Tower, subsidized apartments for the handicapped, poor and elderly. The present Heathman is across Salmon and is a very posh hostelry next door to the Para­mount Theater. One of our sons manages the Park Tower, the erstwhile Heathman Hotel , and lives in that very building.

The World War II era is part of my past since I have always lived in Portland and met my husband, Arno Denecke, then a captain in the 884th, when he was at Camp Adair. We were married on his return from overseas in October, 1945. Arno died three years ago but all our five children live in Portland.

This is not of great importance, but as a resident of Portland who sees this part of the city frequently , I thought you might like an update. Most sincerely, Selma Denecke (Mrs. Arno Denecke- HQ/Divarty)

* Moloney loses wife I must advise you at this time that my

wifepassedawayonJuly 17,1996. We had four children and seven grandchildren and were married 48 years. Jim Moloney G/276

* Surfing net nets brave old friend after half century

Last October I was surfing the net, try­ing to find buddies who were in the 70th, particularly C/274.

I found an Internet site and zeroed in on the name: Paul McCormick in California. I found his address and phone number.

The first and second times I called there

was no answer. It 's true, "The third time is the charm." A man answered. I asked, "Was he the Paul McCormick who was in WW2? Yes! European Theater? Yes. The Infan­try? The 70th Division? The 274th? C Com­pany? Yes, yes and yes!

I was so excited I could barely say, "Gee! I've found you at last. After 52 years!"

He asked who I was: I told him. He re­membered me and had often wondered what had become of me. Paul had been wounded on Jan. 24, '45 and we hadn't seen each other since that morning at the aid sta­tion. He had been captured by a patrol of SS Mountain troops who ordered him to guide them back to the German lines. He deliberately led them through American minefields. He stepped on a mine, injuring himself in his head and side and killing two of the SS men. He was taken to an aid sta­tion where I found him.

Later I was taking a trip to California and stopped to see him at his home in Stock­ton. We talked with him and his wife Patricia long into the night. They are cur­rently working with their own marriage consulting business in Stockton. Ed Allsup C/274.

* Book-looking-Can you help Graham?

In the fall issue of the Trail Blazer there are several books listed on page 15. Per­haps you can help me locate two of them. I have already written to Barton, Matlock, and Cathey to ask about how to get their books. What I need help on are the books by the two guys that are listed as current members: "Fox-276th" by Sgt. Carmon K. Fajando; and History of Co. A, 274th by Eugene Clyde Hill. I would like to know who/where or what libarary has a copy that I could get access to.

I have Burtner's book as well as those by Cheves, Pommois, Pence & Petersen, Docken, Gulley, Lowry and the book by McGuire, McMahon and Lester. Wow, what a great infantry division! I also visit the 70th Division internet web page and got Mataxis' "The Oetingen Raid. "

So, now I must find the books listed on page 15 of the Fall issue. Hope you can help me. Dave Graham, 7121 Davis Rd. Hilliard, Ohio 43026

15

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•

Son ·now wears axe-head patch his father wore in World War II By BRIG. GEN. CRAIG BAMBROUGH 70th Regional Support Command

Change is one of the few consistent things in military life . When I assumed command of this organization on May 24, 1995, we were the !24th U.S . Army Re­serve Command (ARCOM) with units in Washington, Oregon and Northern Califor­nia.

Soon, however, the general reorganiza­tion of the Army Reserves command and control structure began to affect us. In 1995, we became the !24th Regional Support Command. We lost units in California but gained units in Idaho and Utah. The Army Reserve was in the process of converting more than 20 ARCOMs into 10 RSCs (Re­gional Support Commands), using the Fed­eral Emergency Management Agency re­gional divisions as basic geographic guide­lines.

Late last summer, we learned that more change was coming.

As part of the U.S. Army's plan to con­tinue the heritage and heraldry of organi­zations with extensive military history, the !24th RSC became the 70th Regional Sup­port Command the day after deactivation of the 70th Training Division in Livonia, Michigan, a successor to the 70th Infantry Division.

We are delighted to be given the privi­lege of carrying on the proud legacy estab­lished by the members of the 70th Infantry Division, inheriting a rich military history that we did not previously enjoy. We have already begun to appreciate what we have been given.

Edward G. Adamek is a retired profes­sor from Wayne State University in Detroit, who now lives in Edmonds, Washington. He was drafted out of Elgin , Illinois, in 1944, and joined the 70th Infantry Division in February, 1945 as one of the wave of replacements sent to Europe after the Battle of the Bulge. Adamek served in combat as an intelligence scout and observer with I Company, 3rd Bn, 276th Regiment. He later served with the 3rd Division as part of Al­lied Occupation Forces.

His son, Capt. Scott Adamek, is a gradu­ate of Michigan State University who earned his commission through ROTC. He is the operations and training officer with the !24th Engineer Battalion, which is part of this command. While growing up, the younger Adamek said, "I knew someday I would probably join the Army." He hoped to serve in Europe and see the castle at Forbach, France, where his father's unit had been in heavy action.

He achieved those goals, but never thought he would get a chance to wear the same patch that his father had worn more than 50 years earlier. When he heard about the reflagging, Scott Adamek said, "It was

OFF WITH THE OLD .... This is the shoulder patch

that the Trailblazers ' a xe-head repla ced for the newly desig ­nated 70th- the 70th Regional Service Command.

a big surprise. I knew I had to tell my dad right away," adding that the news brought tears to both their eyes.

The elder Adamek said the change "brings back some of the memories of a part of my life that I thought were long gone."

As commander of the 70th RSC, I'm delighted to become part of an organiza­tion that can inspire so much emotion and affection over so many years. We are also very pleased that our new designation has

such strong ties to the Pacific Northwest. The 70th Infantry Division was activated June 15, 1943, at Camp Adair, Oregon.

The former !24th ARCOM was created in 1967 to succeed the active duty X Corps in providing command and control for area Reserve units . The number 124 has no his­torical significance; this command was merely next in line after the 123rd ARC OM at Fort Benjamin Harrison, Indiana re­ceived its designation.

Although not simultaneously, the !24th ARC OM over the years included more than 100 units and 10,000 citizen-soldiers. To­day, the 70th RSC includes 49 units and about 5,000 soldiers. Our units cover a wide range of combat-service-support special­ties, including engineers, personnel replace­ment, postal , chemical, maintenance, trans­portation, legal services, medical and pub­lic affairs.

Our units have served proudly both in time of peace and of conflict.

The 737th Transportation Co., at Yakima, Washington was activated for duty in Viet Nam. Eighty-four soldiers deployed for 11 months of duty there. They all returned home safely and earned the Presidential Unit Citation for their efforts. Reserve de­ployments have become common today, but only 3,500 reservists from the entire United States were called for service in Southeast Asia during the VietNam war.

After 20 years of peace, 12 units from the 124th were called for service in Opera­tion Desert Shield/Desert Storm.

The 907th Engineers rolled across the Iraqi border with the first coali tion troops during the war, while the 135th and 139th loaded ships on the U.S. West Coast bound for the Persian Gulf.

The !24th wasn't around long enoug!J to have someone with as much organiza­tional tenure as Edmund Arnold, who served as Division journalist duri ng World War II and is still active as editor of the 70th Division Association magazine. How­ever we do feel proud to have Sam Jones, staff military personnel officer, as the se-

(continued on next page)

70th flags now in hands of new generation

"We'll preserve heritage of proud Trailblazers

16 70th Division Assn. TRAILBLAZER

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Army seeks to keep historic units alive (continued)

nior member of our full-time civilian staff. Jones enlisted into the U.S. Army in

1942, before the activation of the 70th In­fantry Division. He saw combat in Italy and served 22 years on active duty. Jones rose through the ranks to retire from the Army Reserve in 1978 as a full colonel. He earned the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Silver Star, two Bronze Stars under battle condi­tions and other decorations . Sam was one of the fathers of the !24th ARCOM, and he is one of the real assets now of the 70th RSC.

Our reflagging ceremony on February 9, 1997, was at the Leisy Center, Fort Lawton, in Seattle 's beautiful Magnolia neighbor­hood. Commemorative floor tiles in the Center 's newly remodeled lobby honor both the 70th and the !24th.

After so many years, we are going to miss being the !24th, but we are very ex­cited about the chance to carry on the his­tory, heritage and colors of the 70th Infan­try Division.

P-BOURG IN PEACETIME .... It is quiet now where half a century ago bitter

fighting took place in the hills of Alsace. Here a group of soldiers gather around a campfire on a November afternoon in 1996. The uniforms are those like Trailblazers wore in '45. Equipment and arms are strictly Gl. But the men are not American sol­diers. They are "re-enactors." To remember the valor of the Task Force Herren men who liberated their towns and villages, they re-enact the battles that the Trailblazers fought 50 years ago. (Photo by Christophe Viller)

Fifty years later Tveter finally finds what happened to liberated stove

Fate gives finger twice to 'Blazer By EMRAL KEMPF L/274

By JACOB TVETER G/275

While we were at CP-2, we cleaned cosmoline from our weapons and washed our greasy clothes down by a canal. We then took a sponge bath and dived into the canal to rinse off. It was a bit chilly in late December, 1944. We got a pass to go into Marseilles for a day to look around. Jim Phillips, who was killed in action three weeks later, and I and some of the other men went to a French Catholic church. We sampled some wine at a cafe and stopped at the Red Cross for coffee and cake. As we returned to CP-2 in a GI 6x6, a shot rang out and a number of us flinched as that shot was very close. (The incident has never been explained.)

We left CP-2 on December 22, in a 40-and-8 along with other companies of the

2nd Battalion. My 1st Platoon was in one box car and it was very crowded. There was no heat. At a pit stop several of us located a stove in a vacated boxcar nearby. We were carrying it to our car when the train started pulling out. We could not reach our own box car so we handed the stove to another group of men who willingly accepted it. We rejoined our own platoon at the next stop.

About 45 years later Doug Jeffries ofF Company told in a "Trailblazer" article about a stove in their car, getting real hot and burning a hole in the floor of their car. They had a fire with much smoke and were very concerned for a while for their safety.

On Christmas Eve, S/Sgt. Paul McCour (later a captain) talked to us about Christ­mas and then led us in singing carols. We arrived in Brumath on Christmas Day.

One of the first nights in the Seventh

Patrol finds support in visit to church

Spring 1997

When the Division was de-activated in Europe, I was on my way home, going to Antwerp, Belgium for a shipment home. A troop build-up occurred there and there was no place to put new ones.

So we were put into "packets" of 500 officers and men and sent back to the con­tinent, regardless of points, etc. I was one of those unfortunate ones and sent to Vienna, Austria and assigned to the 42nd Division.

I was also called back in the Korean con­flict as a Captain and served 21 months from December, 1950 to August, 1952.

Army, we were going out on patrol. Before leaving, Bernard Lojko, our platoon ser­geant, with the men of the first platoon at­tended a Catholic church service. Sgt. Lojko was killed on January 4, at the same time I was wounded.

•

17

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•

Axe-head Archives the 70th from its organization to its depar-

-~,"·· ture from the ETO, he joined the 142nd Dis-

Camp was lucky -- bursing Section in Bremen, Germany as a Master Sergeant. In civilian life he was a

but good or bad? vice-president and treasurer of an insurance company.

Lucky Strike was aptly named for the last stop Hoyt Stinson , N275, made in Europe.

It was, of course, Camp Lucky Strike, one of a string of Normandy coast sites named after then popular American ciga­rettes. They housed Gis, both home-bound and new arrivals .

"Lucky" also applies to Hoyt's experi­ence there. He didn ' t have to go back into combat but he had to pay a stiff price for a ticket home.

He was wounded on Jan . 8, 1945, and sent back to England. After hospitalization there, he came back to France. While at Camp Lucky Strike, a mess hall caught fire and Hoyt was so badly burned that he was sent back to the States instead of rejoining the 70th.

Back in the States, he wasn ' t allowed to stay in the Army. Seems he had added a few years to his age when he enlisted. He was really only 16 at that time.

Born on March 25, 1927, he is the third youngest Trailblazer on record.

So he finished up his high school work and became a sewing-machine mechanic for Arrow Shirt Co. He and his wife , Ethelene, had a daughter and granddaugh­ter. After her death in 1974, he married Brooksie Dean Waldrop in ' 87. He ' s ac­tive in the DA V and VFW and Scottish Rite Masons.

* He said and he said and he said: "Sign me up!"

Michael DeFrank, B/275 , was vaca­tioning in Las Vegas in 1990 and just stumbled upon a reunion - a reunion of 70th veterans, no less. He never knew such an organization existed. He joined the jolly crew immediately. Meanwhile, his friend Robert Thomas Filip, F/274, who lived in Downer 's Grove , not too far from Mike's Lisle, Illinois home, was just as much in the dark about the Association's existence. But when Mike told Bob- Bob told Secretary Lou Hoger, "I want in." And in he is- in.

After making the whole long haul with

* First. first and first-that's Davis' story

He was leader of the 1st Squad in the 1st Platoon of 1/276, from its very beginning at Camp Adair. And Joe Davis did the whole combat bit in the ETO with the 70th. He then transferred to the 3rd Division and was discharged at Camp Fanning, Texas in January, 1946. He has retired after a career in plumbing, heating and air conditioning. With his wife Vi Bernice, he lives in Dal­las, Texas.

* Smith's roots go back to the Revolution

As a member of the Sons of the Ameri­can Revolution, T hom as Smith, 70 Recon, has roots deep in the American military. That may explain why he continued work­ing in the Army after his discharge from active duty in March, 1945.

Tom was a cadre-man from the 9lst Di­vision which organized the 70th. After com­bat with the 'Blazers, he joined Special Troops of the 3rd Division in Bad Wilungen, Germany. He went into Civil Service in 1956 after working as a hard­ware salesman. He was an administrative technician with the Army Reserve and re­tired as Staff Administrative Assistant.

He is a member of Founders and Patri­ots of America and several other heredi­tary organizations, of the Masons and the Consistory. He received the Army Out­standing Civilian Service Medal , the DAR's Medal of Honor, the Legion of Honor and the Meritorius Service Medal.

* "Zero in on me!" command makes 'Blazer folk lore

One of the most cherished episodes of Trailblazer folk lore is the order Capt. Herb ert Jay Andrews, I/276 , gave to sporting artillery during the Battle of the

Tower at Forbach. "Just zero in on the tower!"

The tower was the "foxhole" for the com­pany as the Germans mounted a fanatical counterattack. Says Bill Westmoreland, "Many of us would not have enjoyed a full happy and useful life if it had not been for his timely and critical military decision. We owe him."

"Captain Andy" as his men called him, died May 18 in Colton, California.

After the war, Andy was commander of the San Bernadino unit of the National Guard and was responsible for the build­ing of a new armory in that city. He went to Korea with the 40th Sunshine Division as battalion commander in the 224th Infan­try Regiment. He was awarded the Bronze and the Silver Stars.

* Lashin's stay with 70th was short but friendly By ABRAH AM LASHIN F/274

As an 18-year old entering combat, ev­ery nuance in events of preparation and entering combat madd quite an impression on me.

I did not get far into combat with the 70th since I was pulled out as a replacement to another division before moving up to the Rhine and the Vosges.

I recollect so well making and solidify­ing friendships as a rifleman during the four months I spent at Ford Leonard Wood.

After some time at CP-2 north of Marseilles at CP2, I lefe to go north on 40-and-8s. Our platoon had to bunk in a rail­road car that had just hauled eight cows and horses. What a time we had with only our entrenching tools to clean out that car so we could eat, sleep and live in it for the two or three we would be in transit. Talk about solidifing camaraderie. It showed we weren ' t going to take any crap from any­body.

Abe enlisted in May, '44 and went into the ASTP program at Alfred University, until joining the 'Blazers at Wood. Shortly after arriving in the ETO he went to the 319th Infantry Regiment in Luxembourg. He won the Purple Heart and was in the Army Hospital at Camp Butner, North Carolina until his discharge in August, '45. An architect, he has served as chairman of the Westlake (California) Joint Board of Homeowners. He lives there with Lorene, his wife.

18 70th Division Assn. TRAILBLAZER

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"Swamp Adair This time the t itle is a compliment to reclaiming Oregon wetlands

"Even Uncle Sam couldn't quite drain all of 'Swamp Adair"'

That's how Bill Monroe began a story in the Portland "Oregonian". It tells how the last identifiable portion of Camp Adair, birthplace of the 70th, has been reclained as the original wetlands that it was in 1942.

The camp comprised 50,000 acres of the Willamette Valley. At its heyday, some 40,000 men, in four divisions, trained there and made it the second largest city in Oregon.

Today I ,683 acres remain as a wildlife management area, owned by the state's Department of Fisy and Wildlife and maintained by several sportsmen's groups.

Agricultural users and the Army had drained almost all of the original wetlands. In 1991 only 5 surface acres of water were recorded for the old camp site. In '92 the state decided to restore as much as possible of the 400 cares of traditional wetlands. Half of that area had been paved for barracks and camp streets. 'Blazer veterans who trained there insist that II 0 percent of

the area was swamp and that gave the post its semi-affectionate nickname.

To date, 165 acres have been restored as wetlands. It's believed that a total of 200 acres can be reclaimed. The Oregon Duck Hunters Association, Ducks Unlimited and Pheasants Forever have spearheaded the program. They have contributed $30,000 to the project. It is estimated that it will cost $50,000 to construct a complex of ditches, dikes and plantings to create a network of lakes, ponds and marshes that will offer suitable habitat for wildlife. The deeper lakes are stocked with trout and a wide va­riety of ducks, grebes and rails are making homes there. Shorebirds and small song­birds attract viewers who use paved roads and walking trails. These were especially designed to serve disabled hunters.

Project workers occasionally discover unexploded mortar rounds but bomb ex­perts of the state police believe these are duds that were never meant to explode. Most live ordinance was shot into the nearby Coffin Butte artillery range.

' 'St. Louis Riots'' Does that ring bell in any recollections?

Perhaps the most extesive collection of Trailblazer historical material has a new home. Tom Higley, C/275, has donated his library to the U.S. Army Historical Insti­tute.

It consists of more than I ,500 pages of various materials. They cover the recollec­tions of scores of men and about hundreds of episodes. One, however , remains incomplete and Hig asks the hlep of anyone who knows anything about the so-called St. Louis Riots".

Shortly after we arrived at Fort Leonard Wood, I recall , it was about dusk when we were loaded into a 6x6 on the company street. Lt. Dusty Dsiderio, our company exec, was in command.

In St. Louis we unloaded on a street along the river. We had no ammunition for

Spring 1997

our rivles so Lt. Dusty ordered us to fix bayonets. As we pushed up the street, the rioters ran away. My memory is hazy but I think the riots ran for a number of nights."

Anyone with information about this incident is invited to write to Tom at 1226 No. Olsen Ave., Tucson, Arizona 85719.

(The editor, going home on leave in the Summer of '44, was caught in the Detriot riots, a very deadly affair, and rode under armed escort from one railroad station to another.)

WET ONCE MORE This map. used by courtesy of the Portland " Oregonian". shows the location of the wild­life area that occupies part of the old Camp Adair s ite. It is accessible on Route 99 West. that Trailblazers used so often in the 40s. and by Interstate 5. built long after 70th days there.

Some 'Blazers won their battle stars in Pacific Theater

Horace Meyers, C/882, wears combat ribbons that are unfamiliar to most Trail­blazers. For he earned his battle stars in the Pacific. He is a pre-Pearl Harbor veteran, serving with the federalized Kentucky Na­tional Guard and put in 5 years, 2 months duty until August, 1947. He was an MP in Manila, the Philippines.

He was a salesman for wholesale hard- , ware for 40 years. With his wife Ruby, he lives in Victoria, Virginia.

Another ' Blazer who earned his CIB in the Pacific is Guy Rose, K/274. He was inducted at Fort Custer, Michigan in '43, just in time to join the then-forming 70th Division . After basic training at Camp Adair, he was one of the thousands who were sent out as replacements through Cali­fornia POEs. As a civilian he was a store­keeper, truck driver and shet-metal crafts­man. With his wife, Kaye , he lives in Golconda, Illinois.

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K-nten are frozen nontads

as enenty threatened froiD Rhine By FRANK PORTNER K/274

His story begins with a Jan. 2 move from their threatened positions on the Rhine. The company had arrived in

THAT NIGHT, the 2nd, we were in­formed by headquarters that the en­emy had crossed the Rhine and set

up a 50-mile front heading in a direction that could surround Seltz and cut us off from the rest of the outfit. There was only our company in Seltz and we were ordered to delay the enemy at all costs so that the outfits behind us could retreat to safety.

We were ordered not to withdraw until they told us to. All night our planes were bombing enemy tanks which were about five miles from us. The sky was red with fire and all you could see was bombing and artillery shells exploding. We were getting minute-by-minute information on enemy actions and they were steadily closing in on us.

You can imagine how scared we were. We all thought we would be killed or cap­tured. While all this was going on we still had men out on the outpost. They didn ' t have a telephone to the CP; the only phone they had was to the last house in town. Pat Workman and I were chosen to stand by this telephone and in case something hap­pened at the outpost we were supposed to report it to the CP. In other words, I was one of the 10 men who were out in front of the rest of the company.

We knew the enemy was getting closer by the minute. We had the phone to our ears to find out if there was trouble at the out­post. All of a sudden we heard a rifle shot outside our building. Workman and I looked at each other and we said to our­selves that must be the enemy. Workman went out to see what it was; I stayed with the phones. I told him to hurry back and that he should call his name before he opens the door because I would shoot whoever opened the door. I got down in the corner

20

Alsace on Christmas Eve after the long, cold trip from Marseilles in 40-and-8s. After a long march they came to Bischwiller, across the Rhine from the German-Swiss border. Two days later they moved again to Herlisheimer, leav­ing many of their possessions in duffel

of the room, pushed the safety off my rifle and had my finger on the trigger. Believe me, I was never that scared in my life. I was thinking of a million and one things that minute.

Workman was gone about 10 minutes and I began to worry .... There may be Krauts outside and when he went out they must have stabbed him. Now I felt I was all alone in this miserable situation.

About five minutes later the door opened. I was about to shoot when I saw it was Workman. I asked: Why he was out so long? What had happened outside. He told

II History Honor Roll

Many Trailblazers have sent in per­sonal histories to the Military History Institute which is helping to preserve the record of the 70th Division for posterity.

This History Honor Roll pays proper respect to members who have per­formed this service to the Division by sending in their questionnaires: e Paul Burnette, C/27 4 e Harry Colborn, HQ 1st Bn/275 e Irwin Cone, A/275 e William Darin, G/275 e Clarence Fasbender, F/276 e Abraham Lashin, F/274 e Frank Lowry, A/276, who also sent

a copy of his book of his com­pany's combat history.

e H. E. Meyers, C/882 e Marion Perky, Medics/276 e Robert Schlapper, L/27 4.

bags they had to abandon. On Dec. 30 they moved to Bischwiller

again. There they spent New Year's Eve -and that's when Operation Nordwind began. On New Year's Day they moved to Seltz and Portney picks up the narra­tive on January 2.

me that the fellow who was guarding the bridge had heard ice cracking in front of him; he thought it was a Kraut and shot in that direction. He (Workman) said he went out to investigate if someone was really out there. There wasn't.

That is one night we really sweated out, none of us got any sleep that night.

N EXT DAY we were all dead tired from not sleeping. We were all waiting for the order to withdraw.

As I looked out the windows I saw almost all the civilians in town moving. Some were on bicycles and some were pushing wag­ons; others had whatever they could carry on their backs. Everyone was moving, from babies in mothers' arms to people so old they could hardly walk. I asked: Where were they going. They told me: They heard that the Germans were coming and they wanted to get out before that. They said: They would rather die than live under the Germans again .

I asked, "Where will you go when you leave your homes?" They looked at me, "Any place as long as we get away from the Germans." I really felt sorry for these people and I thanked God that my loved ' ones back home didn ' t have to go through anything like this.

Late that afternoon we got the order to withdraw. As we left the town we blew the bridges behind us. We marched pretty fast because we knew the enemy was right be­hind us and getting closer all the time. We only had one road of escape and, believe me, we really marched fast. The trucks came to meet us after we walked about three hours. We jumped on the trucks and they took us out of the pocket. Thank God, we

(continued on next page)

70th Division Assn. TRAILBLAZER

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C f) HI/' If 11-!j III.CoHfwa~<lf' r~~----

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were safe again! It was about II p.m. when the trucks finally got us to Soufflenheim. We had some cold supper and went to sleep for about four hours.

Snow and cold foil search for rescue By PAUL MENTH B/275

When Company B was captured in the hills, Sgt. Longworth, and I and two others

. slipped out in the dark to go to Philippsbourg for help. We were stopped by what was left of either I or L Compa­nies in the hills. There we were held up for seven days in the snow and cold. We had nothing to eat or drink, except for a lot of snow. By the time we got to our destina­tion it was too late for help. The Company had already been surrounded and captured.

ABOUT THREE O'CLOCK on the morning of Jan. 3 they woke us up and told us we were moving again.

About 4 o'clock a convoy of "Ducks" drove up. (In case you don 't know what a duck is, well it is a vehicle that can travel on land and water.) There was no cover to keep out the wind as you have on trucks . We rode on three ducks about 40 miles and we were all frozen solid. We were dreaming of a nice warm building that we would find in a town . To our disappointment the ducks stopped in the middle of Schneitzwald for­est, and there wasn't a town in sight. When we got off the ducks I was one piece of ice and when I tried to walk I almost fell down. The snow on the ground was about a foot deep. They told us we will stay here and we would have to dig in. We didn't feel like

Dog/276 proud of three Mustangs

By SELVIO "STEVE" ZANOLLI D/276

When I joined Company D of the 276th in early Summer of 1944, Fred Massey was our First Sergeant and the St. Bernard, Ginger, was the mistress of our orderly room. She did not go overseas with us, but was shipped to Texas. Sgt. Massey was originally one of the 1st Cavalry non-coms who cadred the 91st Division and then the 70th.

When I returned to Dog Company after

digging but we had orders and we had to do it. We put a blanket in the hole and I slept in it. Of course I didn't sleep com­fortably; I was freezing all night.

Thank God we moved again on the 5th. We didn ' t mind moving from the woods because we thought we might get a better deal. This was a daylight move and we had to march to our destination. The roads were covered with ice and almost all the boys fell on their tails more than once. It was a long cold march and by the time we got to Offwiller it was dark. Thank God this was a town! We had beds, stoves and everything to make us comfortable. Company I was on the line and we were in reserve. We went to sleep as soon as we got in the buildings.

Still cold outside on Jan. 6, but we were in buildings so we didn't mind it too much.

having been wounded in Wingen, Massey had been battlefield-commissioned and then wounded. He eventually ended up on the 7th Army boxing team and never came back to the Company. He was one of three battlefield-commissioned 2nd lieutenants in Dog Company.

When I rejoined the Company former Sgts. Zaleta of my I st MG Platoon and Krasnoff of the Mortar Platoon were still with the Company. They served under me with great distinction until we disbanded the Division in Europe, when I served as Company Executive Officer and Recon­naissance Officer and for a time as Com­pany Commander.

The Treasurer's Report

Don Lindgren

Treasurer

JANUARY 1,1996 TO DECEMBER 31, 1996

OPENING TOTAL BALANCE -1/1/96

RECEIPTS: DUES: ASSOCIATES

REGULAR LIFE

TOTAL DUES INTEREST REUNION REGISTRATION SILENT AUCTION SOUVENIR SALES BOOK SALES FT. BENNING MONUMENT DONATION MISCELLANEOUS

TOTAL RECEIPTS

Spring 1997

$927 $9,952 $2,528

$13,407 $2,646

$86,648 $1,751 $5,487

$744 $11,016

$128 $186

$ 56,259

$122,014

EXPENSES: ARMY ASSOC. DUES ANNUAL GRATUITIES BOND BOOK REPAIR OFFICE EXPENSE POSTAGE REUNION EXPENSE REUNION REFUNDS SOUVENIR PURCHASES TRAILBLAZER PRINTING STATE CORD. EXP.

TOTAL EXPENSES

TOTAL ASSOCIATION FUNDS

LESS MONUMENT FUND

BALANCE OF ASSOC. FUNDS 12/} 1/96

($20) ($1, 199)

($174) ($270)

($4,108) ($2,685)

($68,177) ($5,686) ($4,268)

($13, 192) ($95)

($99,873)

$78,400

($1 1 ,016)

$67,384

21

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New Members NEW MEMBERS

CRUPNICK, lewis 1351 SW 125th Ave., #309 Pembroke Pines, Fl 33027 1/275- Charlotte Phone: 954-433-0441

FERRIS, James P. 70 Shumway St., #14B Springfield, MA 01119 C/275- Dorothy Phone: 413-782-0721

GEORGI, Robert l. 1221 Brook Trail lansing, Ml 48917 Hq/1 Bn/275 - Barbara Phone: 517-323-2341

GORDON, Charles 1526 Beabbe St. Traverse City, Ml 49686 B/275 Phone: 616-947-3908

HELLER Sr., Walter l. P. 0. Box 2166 Silver Springs, Fl 34489 1/275 Phone: 904-625-2282

HUBBARD, Thomas P. 2520 lasBrisas Way Hemet, CA 92545 E/27 4 - Stella Phone: 909-652-4844 LATINI, Eugene J. 121 Sampson St. Kittanning, PA 16201 A/270 Eng Phone: 412-548-7325

LAZAROU, James 66 Grey St. Amsterdam, NY 12010 AT/274- Edith Phone: 518-842-0717

McCARTY, Thurman l. Rt. 4, Box 46B3 Grandview, TX 76050 AT/274- Charlene Phone: 817-645-3394

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"Cii :~ c: 0.2 c.~ - u c: 0 ~ "' c:..t ..c: 0 .......

POTIENGER, Mark K. 590 Issac Prugh Way, #373 Kettering, OH 45429 C/270 Eng- Virginia

SOBEY, Wilfred M. 2194 Benwick Dr. Pfafftown, NC 27040 K/275 -Irma Phone: 910-945-9250

STAHL, William B. 51 00 Ridge View Bowling Green, KY 42101 C/270 Eng- Meld a Phone: 502-843-8148

URANOWSKI, leo A. 229 E Grand St. Nanticoke, PA 18634 1/275 Phone: 717-735-4907

WADE, MaxW. 6931 E. 62nd St. Tulsa, OK 74133 AT/274- Donna Phone: 918-494-7045

NEW ASSOCIATE MEMBERS

Bonorden, T. H. 4575 -36th St. Seattle, WA 98199 70th RSC

Murray, Michael 5011 Conklin Rd. Green Acres, WA 99016 70th RSC

Terry, Michael 40 livingston Cir. Needham, MA 02192

Stanard, John R. 1310 Barron Rd. Poplar Bluff, MO 63901

ROSTER CHANGES HOLLIDAY, Merrill R. MOLONEY, James M. 178 Sunny Gap Rd. 28 Boxwood ln., Apt. 11 Conway, AR 72032 Fairport, NY 14450

AVERY, Quinten R. M/275 - Eunice G/276 -Alice 1500 Batts Ct. Phone: 716-425-9434 Greenville, NC 27834 HURST, Harry l. A/276- Elizabeth 3119 Nichols Blvd. SCHNEIDER, Emil Phone: 919-758-1647 longview, WA 98632 6725 76th Ave., SW

M/276 -lola New leipzig, NO 58562 ELLIS, Orville F. Phone: 360-423-7077 B/275 325 Deer Run Dr. Nevada, MO 64772 JAHN, Herbert A. SMITH, Robert W. C/276- Edna P. 0. Box 377 2027 Laubach Ave. Phone: 417-667-3404 Somerset, CA 95684 Northampton, PA 18067

C/274- Elizabeth M/275 -lois ENGEBRETSON, Lyle Phone: 916-626-6141 Phone: 610-262-9214 3700 Garvin Ave. Richmond, CA 94805 JONES, William H. SPILLANE, John A. C/883 FA- Sandra 7981 S Glasgow St. 1572 Hwy. 36E Phone: 510-232-5487 Tucson, AZ 85747 Jackson, GA 30233

G/275 C/276- Alice FOULSTON, Sidney L., Jr. Phone: 404-775-5687 2455 N Woodlawn Ave., #338 KEMPF, EmRal V. Wichita, KS 67220 1290 83rd Ave., N; Apt. B SPIRITOSANTO, James V. B/274 St. Petersburg, Fl 33702 5725 Greenwd. Ave., #2-Phone: 316-686-9231 l/274- Elaine 2102

North Port, Fl 34287 GRIMES, Gerald A. KORSNACK, Robert B. H/275 -Phoebe 729 Diebler Pl. 5651 Brookcliffe Rd. Phone: 813-426-4054 Manhattan, KS 66502 Toledo, OH 43614 Medic/1 Bn/274- Ellen A/275- Margaret STOCKMAN, Ralph R. Phone: 913-776-6630 Phone: 419-476-3872 734 8th St., SE

East Grand Forks, MN HABEGGER, lester N. MARKANTON, Chris 56721 7116 Stinson Ave., #121 15241 Cricket ln. F/276 -Ina Gig Harbor, WA 98335 East liverpool, OH 43920 Medic/1 Bn/274- Anne A/275- Marion THOMAS, Alvin

Phone: 216-386-4040 114 S. Clinton HESS, Walter Eureka, ll 61530-1 063 1211 Gulf of Mexico Dr. - 502 McGINTY, Jos. lewis long Boat Key, Fl 34228 87 4 E Patton St. TRETAKIS, George #525 G/274- Barbara Tallassee, Al 36078 9701 W Oakland Pk. Blvd. Phone: 813-383-4435 1/276 - louise Sunrise, Fl 33351

Phone: 334-283-2208 70 MP- Betty HIGGINS, Samuel G. Box 508 TUCKER, J. T. Quincy, Fl 32351 P. 0. Box 884 B/275- Bernice Wynne, AR 72396 Phone: 904-627-6045 1/275 -Sandra

Phone: 501-238-9357 HILL, Eugene B. 2666 State Hwy. 17 Clarksville, GA 30523 AT/276- Vivian Phone: 706-754-4446

•

70th Division Assn. TRAILBLAZER

...

CADY, Robert D. CN/274 92276 4001 SW Fairvale Dr. Died: Jan. 1997 Portland, OR 97221 Med/274 HARBAUGH, Paul Died: 1 0/ 13/ 96 201 E. High St.

New Oxford, PA 17350 COOK, Charles E. B/ 275 33805 W 18th St., Apt. 504 Died: ?? Topeka, KS 66604 K/275 HUNT, Woodrow V. Died:?? 226 Vesper Circle

Mauldin, SC 29662 DAVIS, William V. G/274 P. 0. Box 712 Died: 05/??/95 Pismos Beach, CA 93449 A/274 JAGER, Francis A. Died: 11/22/96 1/ 275

Died: 10/ 09/92 GARRETT, Clifford l. 1/275 REICH, Morris Died: 08/02/92 7265 Arcadia Court

Boca Raton, Fl 33433 HAND, Frank A. C/275 31-816 Robert Rd. Died: 03/12/96 Thousand Palms, CA

I remember. I shall always remember By WALTER COX E/214

With the exception of comrades and others who have shared the experiences of war, very few understand the horrible existence of living day to day faced with death . To this day I never seem to forget the lonely feeling of being shot at or being blown up by a mortar, mine or other explo­sive. It was so devastating to a front- line infantryman, that even Gen. Patton could not believe the fact that some men could not hold up under such pressure.

I can recall wondering every time I had the call of nature and with my pants down, whether or not I would be shot or feel the hot steel of a mortar before I could finish . Every trip as a patrol or when advancing, was a step-by-step doubt about surviving. You just figure it's going to be you next-

Spring 1997

SMITH, Wm. Q. 415 7 lakeside Dr.

MARICLE, Floyd l. Rocklin, CA 95677 4115 SW Nehlem Ct. l/274 A/370 Med Bn Died: 09/18/96 Woodbury, OR 97071 Died: 06/1 0/96 TROST, Melvin

1309 Highland Dr. MILLER, Herman Concordia, KS 66901 12025 SE Stevens Rd. #1 0 1/275 Portland, OR 97266 Died: 05/09/96 Medical 3rd Bn/274 Died: 6/1 0/96 WILLIAMS, leonard D.

505 Maple St. SMEAD, Robert G. Farmersville, TX 75442 19800 NW Quail Hollow Hq/274 Dr. Portland, OR 97229

Died: 1 0/23/96

70th Recon WITHAM, Wilbur A. Died: 11/01/94 7424 Holiday Dr.

Spring Hill, Fl 34606 SMITH, Edgar l. E/274 943 Mt. Airy Dr. Died: 11/06/96 Johnstown, PA 15904 E/275 Compiled by louis Hoger, Died: 06/02/96 Secretary

it's only a matter of how and when. If you escaped being hit, it was a miracle and somehow God saved you for some­thing more than just war. I can still see the gory bodies blown up by the shells, the blood running down a face stilled by a bullet to the forehead, the still , frozen forms which had once been hot-blooded infantrymen.

I still remember the sound of a bullet zooming near to my ears, the screaming meemie cutting loose nearby with its roaring thunder. I remember splinters hitting things nearby, but miraculously not hitting me. I remember the smell of death all around during the cleanup of Wingen. I see the body trucks stacking corpses like so much firewood . That stench and memory will live with me forever.

We are asked why we cannot forget and put it all behind us. I simply reply, "You do not understand." And they don't . When you live minute by minute, wondering where and how you will die, it is forever, irretrievably etched on your soul and memory.

You men of the 70th understand and that is why we at­tend and meet and talk. It is the best therapy that any of us can pay for and absolutely necessary to help us remain sane.

23

70th Infantry Division Assn. Louis Hoger 5825 Horton Street Mission, KS 66202

45th captain, ignorant of 70th, sees 'Blazer as Nazi spy

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had never heard of the 70th Division . He told one of the sergeants to keep an eye on me while he phoned his Division CP.

By JOHN PASSANISI Medic 1st Bn/274

"Seventieth Division, 274th Infantry." "Where are you from?"

The conversation: "What, there is a 274 Infantry? Attached to us? Huh! Huh! OK! @##*&$*." When he returned my ID to me he said how lucky I was that he hadn ' t shot me right where I sat. No apologies, no nothing. He walked out and left me com­pletely befuddled.

"Boston," I replied. The scene is Wimmenau on a cold snowy January, 1945 morning after our with­drawal from Philippsbourg. In a mess hall of the 45th Division- to which we were attached - I was enjoying a hot cup of coffee. Sitting across from me, a 45th cap­tain oflnfantry was eyeing me rather oddly.

Then he asked me what the Boston base­ball team was named, who Paul Revere was and a couple of other items of common knowledge to Bostonians. Naturally I an­swered all his questions easily.

It wasn't until a couple of days later that I learned the reason for my experience: Some enemy soldiers had infiltrated Ameri­can lines in Alsace and the Ardennes , dressed in GI uniforms with 2nd lieutenant bars on their collars but with no insignia of Army department. And that was my situa­tion after losing my medical caduceus sev­eral days before. A Life Member, he made a nice present to his friend Kenneth MacDonald who graduated with him from Utah State University and served with him in the 70th Division. He paid his dues to the Association.

Finally he spoke, "What outfit are you with?"

But then he asked very coldly, "Let me see your ID." So I showed him my Medics ID card. He said it was phony and that he

21 GUN SALUTE 21 TREE SALUTE ....

One of our Trailblazer comrades, who went on to win the Congressional Medal of Honor, is saluted daily by 21 trees, planted around this memorial in his native Clairton, Pennsylvania.

Capt. Reginald "Dusty" Desiderio, C/275, fought with the 70th through its European campaigns. Five years later he was fighting in Korea where he won the nation's highest military honor in action that re-

24

* Short war for logan By EARL LOGAN D/275

I would like to spin a story for you , but after 48 years my memories are not too sharp. I was wounded on January 5, 1945. That was just after Co. D started support­ing the push across a field down the hill from Philippsbourg. We had spent the night before waiting in the woods for the morn­ing assault. It was the first engagement for most of us and for me the last. I have learned from others just what we wounded had escaped. My regret is that so many ' young men, whom I came to know in ASTP, were not spared as I was.

suited in his death. Clairton erected this monument to him and has

augmented it with 21 trees. The number recalls the 21-gun salute which is given to the highest digni­taries of this and other countries. Each was grown from seeds from trees at historic sites that include Valley Forge. Franklin Roosevelt's summer cottage, Mount Vernon and William Penn's park that now shelters one of Pennsylvania's oldest trees.

70th Division Assn. TRAILBLAZER