Summer - 70th Infantry Division Association

WHERE IT ALL COMES TOGETHER ...
The Ohio River, three Interstate highways, the
Indiana-Kentucky state line - and the 70th
Division Reunion, all come together in downtown Louisville.
The Galt House Hotel is convenient to auto,
paddle-wheel or bicycle. And the airport is
only 10 minutes away. Here is a map of our
Reunion area and the many attractions this
historic city has to offer.
l. The Galt House
2. Kentucky Center for the Arts
3. Commonwealth Convention Center
4. Galleria Shopping Center
5. Kentucky Exposition Center
6. The Belle of Louisville Riverboat
7. Airport
8. Churchill Downs and
Kentucky Derby Museum
9. Louisville Downs track
Here's Reunion check-list!
Deadlines are coming up for Louisville!
I don't know just when you are reading
this message. (Mailing of the magazine depended on when the editor got back from a
cruise to Alaska.) But I do know there is
still time - if you act promptly ~ to plan
to attend the 1992 Reunion in Louisville.
It's shaping up to be a great event and I
urge you to come along and meet your old
is published four times a
year by the 70th Infantry
Division Association and
friends . Subscription: $12
annually.
Editor
Edmund C. Arnold
3208 Hawthorne Ave.
Richmond, VA 23222
(804) 329-5295
*
Associate Editor
Chester F. Garstki
2946 N. Harding Ave.
Chicago, IL 60618
(312) 725-3948
Send it to Secretary Lou Hoger, 5825
Horton St., Mission, KS 66202.
3. Air fare discount
1. Hotel special
The Galt House Hotel offers its special
rate of $62 not only for the three nights of
the Reunion - Sept. 30 - Oct. 4 - but
also for three days before and three days
after that period. Many, many of our members come early and stay late to visit with
old friends and make new ones and enjoy
the sights of the Reunion city and surroundings.
But reservations must be made by Aug.
30. Use the reservation form in the Winter
'92 "Trailblazer" (or make a photocopy)
and send it to the Galt House, 140 No.
Fourth St., Louisville, KY 40202.
Guest rooms and most of our meeting
rooms will be in the West Tower of this
fine hotel on the banks of the great Ohio
River. The Grand Ballroom, where our big
banquet will take place, is in the East
Tower.
2. Registration discount
*
If you register before Sept. 1, you will
receive the economy rate of $80 per person, a real bargain. After that date the fee
will be $90. This form was in the Spring,
'92 magazine and it, too, may be Xeroxed.
Volume 50
Number 3
Summer, 1992
The President's
Report
Staff Artist
Peter Bennett
3031 Sir Phillips Dr.
San Antonio, TX 78209
2
buddies again. Every man who has attended
past Reunions calls them memorable and
first-timers always remark on how warmly
they were welcomed.
Here's a checklist for the Kentucky gathering:
American Airlines is the official carrier
for the Reunion and offers special rates that
are detailed elsewhere in this magazine.
With current fare war among the airlines, I
suggest you check with a travel agent and
compare available fare before you buy your
ticket.
4. Car rental
Alamo Car Rental has offered us very
favorable rates with unlimited miles. Specific information is also shown somewhere
in this magazine.
5. Sightseeing tours
The Louisville area is scenic and rich in
history and we have lined up some dandy
tours for you. They 're scheduled for Thursday and Saturday when we have free time.
Reservations should be made directly with
the tour line and there's an appropriate form
-again "elsewhere in this issue".
6. RV and auto parking
The hotel furnishes RV parking but there
is no hook-up. Parking is free with a validated ticket.
7. Souvenirs
We will offer many new items for sale.
They include sweat shirts and sport shirts
Alex Johnson
70th Division Assn. TRAILBLAZER
President
American offers
special fares
for Louisville
(Continued)
as well as our familiar items.
"L' Operation Nordwind et Wingen-surModer" by Wallace (Bob) Cheves is available in Xeroxed form from Lou Hoger. (Incidentally, there are only about 150 copies
left of the second printing of "The Trailblazers".)
8. Friday Fun Night
After a mouth-watering buffet that will
feature Kentucky food specialties, we'll enjoy an evening of fun that will be emceed
by our Les Edwards, B/274. We'll have
sing-alongs and skits and top off the evening
with our auction that will be "cried" by
Paul Alford, HQ/274, one of Oklahoma's
best-known auctioneers.
You are invited to bring items to be sold
there. Memorabilia, crafts, items that are
identified with your home territory or just
plain fun stuff are welcome. Drop them off
at the registration desk.
9. Hospitality Room
Always the favorite gathering area at a
Reunion, our Hospitality Room will be spacious and comfortable and open for maximum hours. As usual, members will show
memorabilia there, (bring yours!). There
will be plenty of conversation space and
coffee, tea, soft drinks, beer and spirits will
be offered.
10. Women's luncheon
The famous stem wheeler, "Belle of Louisville", which docks just in front of our
hotel, will be the scene for the ladies' lun-
cheon as they cruise on the famous
0-hi-0.
11. Golf
If you want to shoot a few holes on
Thursday, drop a note directly to Gene
Sisson, 8601 Greenbrier Court, Louisville,
KY 40242, who is setting up accommodations at one of the city's beautiful courses.
12. Business meeting
I remind our members of the important
issues that we will vote on in our biennial
business session Thursday. The major topics will be the possibility of a Division
monument, the publication of our second
History Book and the proposed constitutional amendments that were printed in the
last issue of this magazine.
There - an even dozen items for you to
check out and check off.
*
Helen and I enjoyed attending the Westem mini-reunion where we renewed old
friendships and made new ones. It always
amazes me how easy it is to establish immediate friendship because of the hardships
and good times we all shared in "The Big
War". We have a great bunch of people.
We especially enjoyed meeting with our
Gold Star Mother, Mrs. Faye Hill. She is
the mother of John Lackey, A/276, who
was killed at Wingen.
Looking forward to seeing you all,
Special rates for
Alamo auto rent
Alamo Car Rented. named
the official providers for the
Louisville Reunion, offers our
members special rates that will
apply to all classes of cars from
economy through compact. midand full-size and luxury. The
special will extend for a week
before and a week after the
Reunion. All include unlimited
mileage.
To obtain this special. phone
Alamo at l-800-732-3232. Request "Group I.D. No. 255489"
and "Rate Code G-3".
The auto reservation desk is
open 24 hours a day.
Summer, 1992
Four-haler at Wood
was a private affair
One fine morning at Fort Leonard Wood,
some eagle-eyed officer discovered that four
holes had been shot into a water tower.
One result: AI Riedel, F/276, suddenly became a private again. And he's still unhappy about it.
"I came to the 70th during its organization at Camp Adair," he says. After combat
he went to the 42nd (Rainbow) Division,
the Vienna Area Command and HQ/5th
Division.
An insurance agent, AI does business in
New Orleans. There he's married to Noerni,
with whom he has a son and two grandchildren.
A 40% discount off regular coach
fares is offered by American Airlines
to 70th people flying to the Louisville Reunion.
The 40% discount applies to roundtrip, unrestricted day-coach travel
within the United States. Travel may
be between Sept. 30 and Oct. 4. Reservations must be made and tickets
purchased at least seven days before
departure.
In the other plan, a 5% discount is
offered on the lowest "round-trip fare
subject to availability of inventory".
That means that when American offers a special on a number of seats
on a specific flight, you can grab the
offer and take off 5%.
To accept either offer, or to get
more information, you must use the
special Trailblazer code. Phone 1800-433-1790 and ask for "Starfile
S-029241". You may call anytime between 7 am and midnight, Central
Time, seven days a week.
573
That's number
now for Lifers
Life memberships continue to increase each quarter. With the contingent listed below, their total now
is 573.
Lifetime dues continue at $1 00
and checks should be sent to Lou
Hoger or Calvin Jones, keepers of
the exchequer and the records. Their
addresses are listed on page 23.
Regular dues - $12 annual - are
due July 1.
Newest Lifers are:
Ralph Atkinson, C/274
M. "Buck" Connelly,
HQ 1Bn/275
Robert B. Elliott, K/275
Paul J. Gartenmann, B/275
Elton Kline, K/275
Donald M. Rauhauser, L/275
Anthony Romano, C/276
R. Alex Wardrop, HQ 2Bn/276
and
Herman J. Wolach,
HQ 1Bn/274
3
Monument votes reunion must make
The Monument.
A major issue for the general meeting of
the Reunion will be the questions raised by
the proposal to erect a monument to the
70th Division. A committee headed by Brig.
Gen. Theodore Mataxis (Ret.), HQ, 2nd Bn/
276, has been extremely busy during the
past year and will have an extensive report
to present.
"We have had meetings, exchanged letters and phone calls and have received recommendations from members," says Gen.
Mataxis. "We know that many members
will not be able to be present and vote in
Louisville and we urge them to make their
wishes known to any committee member
(listed on this page) or any Association officer (listed on page 23)."
Here are the questions to be decided:
1. Shall we erect a monument? Yes or
no?
2. If so, where shall it be?
"The committee has explored the three
sites that have received the most support in
straw votes conducted by the 'Trailblazer'
and several other groups," Mataxis says.
3. Shall it be in Oregon? Yes or no?
Paul Thirion, L/274, Vice President/West
and a site advisor to the committee, has
been surveying possibility of locating the
monument at the site of the former Camp
Adair or in Portland. He will report to the
meeting.
4. Shall the monument be at Fort Leonard
Wood? Yes or no? Past President Orville
Ellis, C/276, also a site advisor to the com-
mittee, has visited the Fort in Missouri, to
discuss possibility of placing the monument
there. He will report on that situation.
5. Shall the monument be on Spicheren
Heights, France? Yes or no? General
Mataxis has been working closely with the
Battlefield Monument Commission, visiting its headquarters in Washington, D.C.
and has received an up-to-the-minute report made on the scene in Europe. He will
give details to the general meeting.
6. Shall costs be met from the Association treasury? Yes or no?
7. Shall we solicit contributions to defray some of the cost? Yes or no?
Financing has not been a responsibility
of the committee and it will have no recommendations. But Mataxis says: "At the
Las Vegas meeting it was claimed that there
had to be a choice between the monument
and the proposed second History Book. I
don't believe it's an either-or proposition.
Committee report
will outline
details of issue
Personally, I favor both the monument and
the book. Our treasury certainly is healthy
enough to handle both. I feel that these are
two excellent ways to that we can commemorate our Division's contribution in
World War I I - and to leave something to
our children and grandchildren to remind
them that 'freedom isn't free!'"
Should the Reunion approve, planning
the specifics of the monument and erecting
it would be given top priority so that it
would be emplaced during WW2 observances and, especially, by the 50th anniversary of Trailblazer action in the Vosges
and the Saarland.
*
Why should the monument be
placed:
IN OREGON?
a. Camp Adair was the first home of the
Division.
b. Portland was a generous host to offduty Trailblazers.
c. The State adopted the Division, which
was formed during the centennial of the
Oregon Trail; civic and social groups furnished many a day room at Adair.
d. Oregon media were generous in their
coverage of the camp and the 70th.
e. The Benton County Museum in nearby
Philomath has an extensive collection of
Trailblazer memorabilia.
f. There will be observances of Adair's
50th anniversary during the next three years
and the Corvallis Tourist Bureau is arranging many events.
g. Association members, despite advancing age, could visit the site easily.
AT FORT LEONARD
WOOD?
a. It was the Division 's last home in the
(Continued on next page)
...
ON SPICHEREN
HEIGHTS?
Monument
States and many members of the Association joined the 70th there.
b. Wood is a big and bustling Army center and it is permanent; there has never been
a suggestion that it might be closed as other
installations are during the Pentagon cutback.
c. It is centrally located and easily accessible.
d. There are many attractions on the Fort
that draw visitors and so the monument
would have good exposure.
e. Our children and grandchildren could
visit the monument without travelling long
distances to Europe.
a. This was the Division's greatest victory. It was the first major action that involved all 70th units after they were reunited as a Division. The Alsatian campaign had been fought by Task Force
Herren.
b. There are many monuments in the area
-both for the Franco-Prussian War and
the German occupation in 1940- and they
draw visitors, especially Europeans.
c. The Heights are rich in history. The
Germans won the decisive battle over Napoleon ll in the Franco-Prussian War of
1870. Bismarck exploited victory to join
independent German states into the modem Germany.
With Germany's defeat in World War I,
the French took back Alsace-Lorraine. But
the Nazis captured the Heights again in
1939, the first French territory they conquered in WW2, and Hitler set foot on it
on Christmas of that year. He declared it
"sacred soil" and ordered it held at any cost.
d. French officials have given tentative
permission to erect the monument there and
the U.S. Monuments Commission has offered assistance in procuring and emplacing
it.
e. Fiftieth anniversary observances of
World War ll will focus international attention on that area and give 70th exploits
a wide audience.
Members of the Monument
Committee who welcome your
comments include:
Brig. Gen. Theodore Mataxis
(Ret.)
PO Box 1643
Southern Pines, NC 28387
Phone: (919) 692-4168
*
Col. Frank Arnbrecht (Ret.)
97-07 Glen Oaks Circle
Sun City, AZ 85351
Phone: (602) 974-5376
*
Orville Ellis
127 W. Pitcher St.
Nevada, MO 64772
Phone: (417) 667-3404
*
Col. James Kidder (Ret.)
2103 Pinewood Terrace
Fayetteville, NC 28304
Phone: (919) 868-4754
*
Donald (Charlie) Pence
285 Fairway Lane
Sanford, NC 27330
Phone: (919) 499-5949
*
•
•
•
Western m1n1-reun1on draws
By CAL JONES
Sv/883
"See you in Louisville!" were the words most often heard in
Monterey, California as the attendees of our Western States MiniReunion were departing to go their separate ways, either to
continue on their trips or to return to their homes.
The three-day "mini" ended around 11 a.m. Sunday, March
22. The co-hosts, Bob Crothers, B/275, Gene Lim, C/884 and
Henry Clarke, AT/274, with their wives and other family members, really outdid themselves on this one. The entire affair was
meticulously planned.
There were 96 at the Saturday night banquet, about the average for these Western "minis." There were some dozen or so
"first-timers" which included two new Association members,
Albert Garcia, CN/276, along with his wife, Irene, of Marysville,
Calif., and Philip Vlamis, B/884, of Santa Cruz, Calif. They
leanred of our Association from the reunion announcement in
the American Legion magazine.
Summer, 1992
*
Paul Thirion
6669 Nicollett
Riverside, CA 92504
Phone: (714) 682-2963
96
We were honored by the presence of Association President,
Alex Johnson, H/274, and his chief-of-staff, Helen, and of
Vice President/West, Paul Thirion, L/274, and his wife, Fay.
Alex brought us up to date on the Louisville reunion and Paul
discussed activities of the Monument Committee of which he
is a member. A highlight was the introduction of a Gold Star
Mother, Ms. Fay Hill, mother of John Lackey, A/276, who
was killed in action Jan. 5, 1945 at Wingen.
John Hartman, B/276, volunteered to host next year's Westem Mini in Grand Junction, Colorado. The tentative date is the
first week of May.
Laverta and I seem to get increasing enjoyment from each
reunion we attend. Of course part of the reason for this is the
tremendous amount of planning and hard work which goes
into putting on a reunion, but probably most of it is because of
the new friends we acquire and look forward to seeing again at
the next one.
5
Wi ngen-su r-Moder
While memories were fresh
Regimental commander
told its dramatic tale
WOUNDED IN WINGEN ...
Litter bearers (right) carry wounded Infantrymen
through back street of Wingen-sur-Moder to avoid
sniper fire that was whizzing along the main thor-
The half centu<y s;nce the Battle af
Wingen-sur-Moder have blurred memories enough so that even men who fought
side by side there often have sharply different recollections of the events.
So it is interesting to read an account
written only some five weeks after the
battle when memory was fresh and when
6
oughfare. The battle was at its height when this
photo was taken by Chester Garstki. then as now
"Trailblazer" photographer.
eye-witnesses could - and were - asked
to corroborate the tale.
Col. Samuel (Shootin' Sam) Conley,
commander of the 274th Regiment, sent
this account of the battle to Lt. Gen.
Alexander Patch, CO of the Seventh Army.
As a result, the Second Battalion of the
274th was awarded the Distinguished Unit
Citation. Wingen has been the subject of
War College classes for years, an example of "coordination of small units."
The maps initialed W. C. were drawn
by Col. Cheves shortly after the engagement to bolster his own recollections.
70th Division Assn. TRAILBLAZER
F
o.- 10 days prio< to tho as"ult on tho
enemy position at Wingen, France, the Second Battalion, 274th Infantry, was maneuvered into eight different defensive positions in an effort to counteract General von
Rundstedt's southern drive into the Alsatian Plain in Alsace-Lorraine, France. These
moves were made over icy, slippery, snowcovered mountains in bitter cold weather.
Defensive positions had to be dug in each
new location and in most cases the work
was accomplished during the hours of darkness. The regiment's forces were split as
each battalion was launched on a separate
mission in an effort to meet the enemy's
thrust over a wide area. Usually the only
enemy information known was: that the enemy was on the offensive; his next drive
was imminent; and it could be expected
most anywhere.
Such was the general situation on Jan. 5
when the Second Battalion was busily preparing several different defensive lines in
the vicinity of Puberg, France, having arrived there after an all-night ride from a
position along the Rhine River near
Drusenheim, France. Word was received
that the enemy had broken through to capture Wingen, France, located two miles to
the east and that the 276th Infantry was
battling desperately to drive the enemy from
the town.
At 1400, January 5, the Second Battalion received instructions to seize, occupy,
and defend a position overlooking the village of Wingen. Time was short, and the
move from Puberg to Wingen was initiated
without delay over a treacherous, ice-covered mountain trail. Supplies would follow
later, but it was then of the utmost importance to occupy this new position during
the hours of daylight so foxholes could be
dug prior to dark.
T
HE SECOND BATTALI ON suffered approximately 20 casualties
driving back the enemy covering
forces from the eastern edge of the woods
overlooking the village of Wingen before it
was able to occupy its assigned defensive
position. A terrific battle could then be observed waging around the town where the
276th Infantry was engaged in a fierce battle
to drive the enemy from the town.
The situation was very vague. All that
was known was that the enemy was in the
town and the 276th was trying to drive them
Summer, 1992
out. The location of the 276th Infantry was
not known except that there were some elements of it several hundred yards to each
of the Second Battalion's flanks.
To add to the apparent confusion, shortly
after this the Second Battalion was subjected to mortar, tank, and machine gun
fire from all directions. This fire had come
from both friendly and enemy forces. It was
Seventh Army feared
German break-through
to Alsatian tank country
later learned that the forward elements of
the 276th did not have knowledge of the
Second Battalion's location and fired upon
what they assumed to be enemy since the
Germans had occupied this position shortly
before. Darkness settled down as the battle
raged around the town.
By this time the Second Battalion had
been operating continuously for 60 hours
without rest in below-freezing temperatures
and eight inches of snow. Foxholes still
had to be prepared though, and the men,
although near exhaustion, busied themselves with digging positions and coordinating defenses. Enemy patrols were extremely active throughout the area.
Communications and supply difficulties
were soon encountered as enemy patrols
were operating to the Second Battalion's
rear, along the densely wooded mountain
trails between Wingen and Puberg. Telephone lines were often cut, pulled several
hundred yards off the road, and then tied
around a tree. Supplies were available only
by hand-carrying parties over a treacherous, ice-covered cliff. It was impossible
for even a 1/4-ton truck to negotiate the
steep grade. Several vehicles traveling the
supply route were ambushed and destroyed
by aggressive enemy patrols. As soon as
defensive preparations were well underway,
the battalion commander, Lt. Col. W. F.
Cheves, accompanied by his S-1, Capt. G.
E. Boyea, departed on the long trek back
and around to the 276th CP to receive instructions.
At 2100, the battalion commander reported to Brig. Gen. T. W. Herren at the
276th Infantry Regimental CP in
Zittersheim. Upon arrival, he was informed
that the 276th Infantry was unable to drive
the enemy from Wingen and that the Second Battalion, 274th Infantry, was to attack at daybreak the next morning and recapture the town.
T
HE ATTACK had to be launched
from the west only since there were
friendly troops scattered throughout
the area with no time to readjust forces. It
was imperative that this town be recaptured
without delay for the Germans were attacking desperately from the north in an effort
to reinforce the garrison. The enemy
strength was unknown, but the few PWs
captured were all identified as members of
the 12th SS Mountain Regiment, their morale was excellent, and they were supported
by numerous automatic weapons. They had
succeeded in knocking out two American
tanks. All American forces of the 276th in
the sector were placed at the disposal of
the Second Battalion commander, including an attached tank company. Artillery support would be furnished by the 45th Division, since the 274th and 276th were without their normal artillery battalions.
The loss at Wingen, a key communication and road net center, was of prime importance to the Seventh Army front, and if
not recaptured immediately would probably
result in the withdrawal and reestablishment
of the entire defensive line in that sector
and give the Germans a route to the highly
strategic Alsatian Plain.
Upon receipt of the order, Lt. Col. Cheves
consulted with various staff officers at the
276th CP to ascertain more information and
to coordinate the attack in the morning. The
Under attack 2 days,
276th suffered high
casualties in ranks
276th had been attacking for two days and
had suffered severe casualties. The companies were disorganized, deployed over a
wide area, and their exact location on the
ground was not definitely known due to
communication difficulties.
The only method of obtaining artillery
support would be through the 276th's Forward Observer with an SCR 300 radio. It
was already late at night and there was much
to be done prior to the attack. Rifle company commanders had not been informed
of the forthcoming attack as yet. Lt. Col.
Cheves decided to have the First Battalion,
276th, remain in its present position, deployed along the woods south of the town
as a holding force, since it was impossible
to coordinate an attack at this late hour with
any assistance from them in their deployed
state.
(Continued on next page)
7
Wingen
The Third Battalion, 276th, which had
been attacking from the north side of town,
would furnish a composite company from
the remnants of that battalion, attack, and
capture the high ground north of town.
The tank commander was to report to
the Second Battalion, 274th OP, the very
fust thing in the morning.
T
HE SECOND BATIALION, 276th,
was not in the immediate area and
therefore not in position to assist.
Lt. Col. Cheves then returned over the
treacherous mountain roads to his CP since
there was much remaining work to be done,
such as furnishing an early meal prior to
the attack, issuance of orders and extra ammunition, and the multitude of other details that had to be worked out prior to the
attack. Reconnaissance would be limited
to an intensive study of maps.
It was 0200 before all the company commanders and battalion staff officers could
be assembled for the attack order which
Capt. Robert Davenport
was perfect example
of Infantry leader
was to be launched at daybreak. Because
of the vague enemy situations, it was decided to attack with one company, F, with
two companies, E and G prepared to attack
on order. A platoon of heavy machine guns
from Co. H was attached to Co. F. The
balance of H would be in general support.
At daybreak, 0900, the Second Battalion
led by Co. F, commanded by Capt. Robert
J. Davenport, crossed the LD and moved
across the open, flat ground into the town,
supported by a 15-minute artillery preparation which was fued to cover area generally as the important enemy locations were
not known.
Good progress was made at first as F
Company fought through the enemy's outer
defense, which consisted of two machine
guns on the outskirts of the town supported
by snipers that were well concealed in the
houses.
However, the advance shortly dwindled
to a rugged, bloody, house-to-house battle.
8
It was then that the true estimate of the
enemy forces was determined. It was later
disclosed that the strength consisted of two
battalions of elite SS troops. In addition to
the enemy occupying literally every house
in the town, they held the dominating high
ground to the north which gave them a commanding view of the entire town. This high
ground was to be seized by the Third Battalion, 276th.
However, the effect of their attack could
not be noticed, and it was learned afterwards that they started the attack late and
then progress was extremely slow against
an enemy that had to be blasted out of rock
caves.
Capt. Davenport, moving at the head of
F Company, was hit twice, refused evacuation, and continued to lead his men relentlessly forward against a determined, fanatical, and cunning foe. His radio operator
was also hit but elected to stay with his
company commander.
F was now also receiving murderous
flanking fue from the high ground to their
left as well as from their front. Men were
falling on all sides as progress was limited
to a house by house, room by room, painstaking, and costly battle for this important
French town. The cold bitter snow added
to the misery and suffering. The cries of
the wounded, both friend and foe, were
heard on all sides as any attempt at evacuation was a suicide mission. Many were left
to die in the snow from exposure as the
attack pushed on. The enemy had no respect for the Geneva Convention Red Cross
emblem of the medical aid men, and many
medics were casualties along with their
doughboy buddies.
T
HE CUNNING OF THE ENEMY
was reflected in the manner in which
he withheld his fue until the opportune moment when he would deliver flanking fue while the F men were attacking an
adjacent house. Or, as in one case, waiting
until an entire squad had entered a shallow
ditch for protection before opening fue and
killing or wounding the entire squad. The
fanatical determination of this enemy was
demonstrated by the fact that they would
not surrender until completely out of am-
The flames of Wingen afire
made silhouette targets
on both sides of line
munition and any further resistance would
have been suicide.
The dead and wounded toil in Co. F continued to rise as the weary men battled
slowly but steadily forward. Capt. Davenport was hit twice more and blinded by
blood gushing from his head before he relinquished command of his company to
Mahon, the executive officer. The radio operator was killed and the radio destroyed.
The executive officer was wounded and
then killed a few minutes later. F Co. continued to fight forward but the advance was
fast coming to a halt. Twenty men had been
killed and twenty-six wounded in this bitter struggle.
From his vantage point at the Bn OP, Lt.
Col. Cheves summed up the situation. By
this time the tank commander had reported.
The battalion commander could now make
a coordinated attack with E and G Company, supported by the tanks, at 1300.
Considerable coordination must be made,
especially between the rifle companies and
the platoon of tanks that was to be used in
the attack. E and G would attack abreast
through F Company, Eon the right. F would
reorganize and become reserve when passed
through; one platoon of heavy machine guns
to be in direct support of both companies.
The 81 mortar platoon was to be in general support. The Second Battalion Antitank Platoon was now in position, fuing at
opportune targets, having traveled across
the hazardous, icy mountain trail from
Puberg. The guns had to be pulled through
the deep snow and lowered into position
with a series of winches. The battalion Ammunition & Pioneer Platoon was having unusually difficult supply problems, but by
use of hand-carrying parties managed to
keep the ammunition supply adequate over
the icy, slippery mountain paths. Snipers
still lurked in the woods and no place in
the area was safe from enemy fue.
(Continued in next issue)
70th Division Assn. TRAILBLAZER
PRIDE OF THE PLATOON ...
Item Company of the 276th had its 3rd Platoon pose
for this picture at Camp Adair or Fort Leonard Wood.
Albert Kollman, who sent in the photo, isn't sure.
Additional information is welcomed.
Albert identifies the men as; Top row, left to right;
Busche, - Gray, Casey, Kemp, -, Freeze;
Third Row: -, Lieb, Neighbors, -, Henderson,
Baucom, Mazrak;
Second row: -, -, Swetz (deceased), Killman,
Bretschger, -, Harris (killed in Wingen);
Front row: Sgt. Larrymore (killed at Wingen), Sgt.
Wilson, T/Sgt. Beggs, -, Sgt. Mosby.
"The Trailblazer" is now able to print old photographs if they are sharp and clear and not discolored.
If you send in one of your pictures, be sure your name
and address are noted on the back. They will be
returned after use or when it is determined they will
not reproduce in print.
70th snowbirds hold mini-reunion
By Lee Miller,
D/275
Twenty-three Trailblazers and their ladies gathered in Clearwater for the third
annual 70th Division luncheon in February. This started two years ago as a meeting of old buddies from Co. D/275. In '91
we had nine members et femmes. We hope
to have many more attendees next year.
Any member wishing to be invited, please
contact Lee Miller or Bob Culbertson.
These are the members who were present
and the units represented:
Frank Balzano, B/275; Jerry Beran, D/
275; Dick Brown, D/275; Fred Cassidy, G/
274; Edward Cloonan, D/275; Paul Connell,
N884; Bob Culbertson, D/275; Joe Doyle,
I/275; Les Edwards, B/274; Steve Outer,
HQ/276.
Cal John, G/276; Lou Klettlinger, D/275;
Kieth McDonald, B/276; Lee Miller, D/275;
John Skeen, I/275; John Stanton, (Chap-
Summer, 1992
lain), G/276; Ed St. George, HQ-3Bn/276;
Alvin Thomas, HQ/883; Don Tousignant,
Med/274; Cliff Bishop Med/276; John
Tilson, F/274; Arthur Nisson, l/274; and
Helen (Mrs. John) Walter, M/276.
Bob Culbertson made the arrangements.
The Rev. John Stanton opened the program and Les Edwards sang. The spirit of
comradeship prevailed.
after the Trailblazers broke up, he drew
duty in Berlin until his discharge in April
of '46. His wife, the former Marge Dalton,
and he have four children - two each - ,
10 grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
*
70th Anti-Tanker
James Ryan, 570 Signal and 270 Engineers had an interesting set of careers after
he left the 70th on Feb. 6, 1945 at Mainz,
Germany. He was a railroad switchman,
then a salesman and then a deputy Sheriff.
He married Jean Stephenson in Carlton,
Minnesota in 1937 and they raised a fine
family of three sons, three daughters and
15 grandchildren. Plus- two great-grandchildren!
drew Berlin service
One of the Camp Adair 'Blazers is John
Cantella, Anti-Tank/276. He earned the
Central Europe and Rhineland and battle
stars and GO 33, WD 45 as amended. Until AI McGuire, HQ/2nd Bn/276, contacted
him, John didn't know the Association existed.
Serving with the 3rd Division Motor Pool
Ryan served *
in two
Trailblazer outfits
9
The Editor's
Barracks Bag
Just got off the phone with Casey
Cassidy and as always the organic plant
food was flying high. Casey and I have
different ideas about Gen. George Patton.
Casey admires the guy. Now I ...
He explains why: "The Engineers built
a wooden bridge across the Rhine. Its main
purpose was to carry a freight train loaded
with food and medical supplies to show the
Germans what nice guys we were.
"The 70th was to guard it. Patton told
Gen. Barnett that if anything happened to
the bridge- or to the gasoline supply line
that ran under it - Barnett and everybody
in the whole blooming Division would become instant privates.
"When the big day of the opening was at
hand, F/274 was assigned as honor guard.
They even had fixed bayonets - the first
time that happened to us in Europe. Patton
was supposed to cut the ribbon. He said to
hell with the scissors and walked over to
one of the 70th guards. 'Son, can I borrow
your bayonet?'
"Naturally the guy said yes. But he was
so nervous he couldn't get the bayonet off
his rifle. So Patton did it himself.
"Then, after he had sliced the ribbon, he
didn't give the bayonet to one of his flunkies. No, he walked back to the soldier,
said, 'Thank you,' and fastened the bayonet back on the M-1.
"Ever since then I thought he was absolutely the greatest."
*
I didn't like the guy because the first
time I came in contact with Third Army
men, they were digging in a 155. Andthey were wearing neckties, of all things!
Because Georgie said they had to. Yet he
gave the back of his hand to uniform regulations and pranced around dressed like
Errol Aynn in a war movie.
Then, right after the 70th came under his
command in March when it was still cold
- ol' Gorgie commanded that we not wear
a knit cap under our helmets. ' Didn't look
soldierly', he's supposed to have said. I was
riding around the 'Blazer sector digging up
news stories for the "Trailblazer" and Army
press corps. The helmet liner scooped up
the cold icy air and whirled it around your
head till you liked to die. I thought- and I
think- that was just plain Patton puke.
*
We found Mary Grayce Cheves. She
wasn't lost in the wilds of Gainesville,
10
Edmund C. Arnold
dress: 479 N. Court St., East Stroudsburg,
Pennsylvania 18301.
Florida. Just lost in our computer.
We wanted to tell her that her husband's
book, "Snow Ridges and Pill Boxes" was
going to be published in French in Europe.
Thanks to the many people who steered us
in the right direction.
*
If you are planning any mini-reunions
during the next three years, Corvallis, Oregon invites you to meet there and join in
celebrating the 50th anniversary of Camp
Adair. The convention and Visitors Bureau
is planning extensive activities and will
work closely with veteran groups. For more
information make a toll-free call to John
Cooper or DeLynn Anderson at (800) 3348118.
*
Ray and Laura Ireland, N275, marked
their Golden Wedding at Flat Rock Baptist
Church in Hamptonville, North Carolina in
February. Ray is a retired farmer and doing
a lot, a lot, of golfing.
Wade Johnson, same company, sends
in the news and recalls that "Ray was with
Major Gorney Cahoon when we re-took a
hill near Zingzing, between Grossbliedersdorstroff and Spicheren. I was hit
and Ray and another comrade carried me
back to an ambulance."
*
The original sign that hung over the 276th
Post Office at Adair and Leonard Wood
has been donated to the Trailblazer archives
by Berne La Bar, Sv/276. Berne, who has
counted up 85 years on this earth, has some
heart problems and won't be able to join us
in L'ville. He sends greetings and if you'd
like to drop him a get-well card, the ad-
Teen-age veterans
sought by Assn.
The Veterans of Underage
Military Service is trying to
contact all veterans who served
in the U.S. military for any
length of time - and in any
period - while they were under the age of 17. A reunion will
be held in Las Vegas in October, 1992. Contact Allan C. Stover, 3444 Walker Drive, Ellicott
City, Maryland 21042
*
The Hearings Division of the Oregon
Workers' Compensation Board has paid a
nice compliment to David Ortiz, N270 Engineers. Says an official report: "Mr. Ortiz
has worked as an interpreter for this Division in Portland, Salem and McMinnville.
He has performed his duties in an exceptional manner; he is prompt and courteous."
David would like to know where he can
buy an Eisenhower jacket. If you know,
please drop him a line at 2521 SE Oak
Grove Blvd., Milwaukie, Oregon 97267.
*
Lou Goetz, B/276, tells us "I have just
read 'Winter Storm', by Lise Pommois. She
is a native Alsatian and is fluent in French
and German and teaches English in
Niederbronn. Her book has innumerable references to Bob Cheves' "Snow Ridges and
Pill Boxes' and includes communications
from men of Task Force Herren and the
70th Division."
The same mail brought a letter from the
editor of the 42nd Division Association's
"Rainbow Reveille". Kenneth Carpenter
writes: "We sponsored the book and we
have made arrangements with the publisher
to offer it at special price of $25 plus $5
shipping charges, to all veterans of Operation Nordwind."
Send checks to: Turner Publishing Co.,
PO Box 3101, Paducah, Kentucky 420023101.
Lou tells us that the heart trouble that
has plagued him for three years "seems to
be stabilized and Lorraine and I hope to
see you all in Louisville."
*
When the editor of this estimable journal really wants to impress someone, he
hands them a business card emblazoned
with the full-color Trailblazer emblem. It's
the work - and a gift - of Oscar
Coleman, C/275, a printer for 56 l/2 years.
Oscar has finally retired from the "Tulsa
(Oklahoma) World". He went through great
- indeed revolutionary - changes in the
printing industry, beginning with handset
metal type through phototype to today's
computerized typesetting. He rose to become foreman of the "World's" composing room.
On his retirement, the paper wanted to
present him with the traditional watch. But
Oscar had the timepiece engraved and presented to his wife Ethel. "She 's the one
70th Division Assn. TRAILBLAZER
who kept me on the job," he said. He plans
to spend his leisure reading and re-reading
"The Trailblazers", he says.
*
The 70th Division was not represented
at the annual meeting of the Army Division Association at Albuquerque this Spring.
As President Alex was going to the Westem Mini-Reunion a week or so later, he
nicely allowed me to represent the Division. (I had been involved in getting the
ADA going several years ago.).
Continental Airlines offered a free plane
ticket if I'd fly out of Washington. So I
scooted up the hundred miles there via
Amtrak the night before and had a bad time
at a motel overnight. Early next morning
I'm at the airport. Nice day in Washington;
not so nice in Houston where I had to
change planes. Matter of fact, the internal
airport is shut down by the tremendous
flooding that you read about.
It would take me 12 hours to get there
- if I was lucky. And I'd miss a crucial
meeting. After flying some 2 million business miles over a 35-year span, I just wasn't
up to that. (The surly airlines people hassling me about my luggage threw the fmal
straw on my creaking back.) So I Amtraked
back home having spent 24 hours, 120
bucks (mine, not the Association's) and
travelled a measly 200 miles.
most interesting little book. John D.
Murphy, who was a master sergeant with
that outfit loaned it to me as a source for
some Divarty ancedotes. It was published in
Gelahausen, Germany in August, 1945.
The author of the book is not noted. I
wouldn't be surprised, though if it were
T/5 Edwin Arowiti and Cpl. Jack Little
who produced it. They were the editors of
"Hot Poop", a four-page daily newspaper
begun in Rarnstein on March 28, three days
after the battalion occupied that city. If you
have any such publications, I'd like much
to see them. It's too late to get anything in
the History Book but it would be nice to
print something in this magazine that you
could clip and paste into your copy.
"Military" magazine plans to run the
story of "The Big Foxhole" by Tom
Krakowiak, C/275, in a future issue. The
story carne to the "Trailblazer" through a
couple of intermediate hands which apparently had added something to the manuscript. So Tom has a couple of corrections
to make to the Winter, '92 piece. He asks
that the following sentence be deleted because he did not write it: "Although the
275 Medical History indicates we had Medics, we did not!" Please note again that the
sentence is erroneous.
Tom also says that it was Leland or Lee
Fletcher, not Lou, who was with him in
Alstingen. Let the record show ...
*
Hy Schorr, H/274, tells us that a producer is planning a 3-part series on the
Battle of the Bulge. Charles Whiting, the
British military historian who is an associate member of the Association, has been
asked to consult on the project. Our History Book has become part of the basic
research; this is important because we don't
want history - and television audiences
- to forget that Operation Nordwind was
a significant part of the Bulge. Tom
Dickinson, B/274, and Hy will be involved,
we presume, and we'll keep you posted on
developments.
*
Although he has vivid memories of combat, including transporting bodies of 2nd
Bn/276 men killed in combat back to the
rear for burial, Francis "Jimmy" Dunn,
F/276, also remembers a training exercise
that was a memorable event.
"In the Autumn of '43 our company
made its first 25-mile hike with a full field
equipment. Lt. William "Wild Bill"
Dougherty was CO and Winfred Stevens
was fust sergeant. We didn't lose a man on
the hike."
Francis traveled all over the world as a
chief mechanic for off-shore drilling rigs.
He specialized in Diesels. He is an Adair
'Blazer. His wife Mary died in '88; he has
a son, a daughter and seven grandchildren.
*
Please note that you are a Baby of the
Battalion only if you were born in 1926 or
later.
*
"Mission Accomplished: The Story of
the 884th Field Artillery Battalion" is a
Summer, 1992
CHARLIE COMPANY . ..
Tony Catalano, C/275, sends along this 1945 photo
taken in the Frankfurt-am-Main area during Occupation. That looks like either a soccer ball or a
cannon ball, held by Billy Garica. Tony sits next
to him. He identifies Harold Lewis, standing at the
far left; Bobby Clark, fourth from the left. and Amy
Gieselman, far right. Other idents are welcome.
11
Babies of
the Battalions
1929
1927
May 1
March 3
1926
Oct. 10
Aug. 12
July 20
July 14
June 27
June 26
June 1
Moy25
Moy21
May 17
May 12
MayS
Moy6
April29
April28
April 21
April10
March 31
March 25
March 21
March 20
March 15
March 10
March 9
March 5
March 4
March 3
March 2
Feb. 28
Feb. 24
Feb. 22
Feb. 14
11
10
9
5
Feb. 3
Jon. 29
Jon. 26
Jon. 26
Jon. 21
Jon. 20
Jon. 12
Jon. 11
Jon. 9
Jon. 7
Jon. 5
Jon. 3
Jon . 1
R.D. Kelly, Medic 2nd Bn/275
Hoyt Simson, •
Thomas Callahan, A/883
Matthew Worminski, E/276
James Buter, •
Harold Tepper, Medic/274
Robert Sample, B/276
James Bates, D/274
Joe Gorman, 1/274
Nevin Rouch, C/274
Don Wilson, 1/276
Harold Osios, •
Norman Grove, 1/274
Fronk Folish, F/274
Everett Austin, G/27 4
Wellstood Tipton, G/276
Gerold Thaw, B/275
James Foley, A/275
KIA at Wingen 1/5/45
Rudy Senser, 1/275
Edwin Gorsky, B/276
Charles Tile, B/276
William Robinson, •
Albert Ernes, C/274
Stuart Lucas, 1/276
David Troum, B/274
Chester Morgan, F/274
Wolter Winebrenner, K/276
Vincent Ravitz, •
John Hildebrand, A/27 4
Gene Krueger, B/276
Dick Lykke, 1/275
George Fricovsky, 1/276
Norman Eriksen, C/275
Noah Kennedy, E/276
Jerry Adomietz, B/274
William Hines, C/276
William Owen, C/276
Arthur Zoeblein, L/274
Leon Hyatt, Jr., G/274
Fronk Kinble, F/276
Raymond Wilkins, •
Roy Shirrell, C/276
William Griffin, H/275
AI Hedrick, C/274
Edwin Sovois, M/275
Jock Apostol!, F/274
Harry Gier, K.275
J. Lynn Hughes, F/274
Herbert Gallahan, L/275
E. Street Jones, Jr., C/276
Charles McGregor, E/276
Orville Wiseman, A/276
Hardy Burrow, B/274
Jock Borton, HQ/274
Fronk Hozmuko, A/275
Paul Newman, D/276
Robert Clark, C/275
Robert Bush, F/275
Gladys, with whom Henry Stackhouse,
M/275 , had marked 63 years of marriage,
died Feb. 27, 1992. She was active in the
Grange and Home Extension.
*
12
The last retreat
(Worn
on Both Shoulder$)
RANK
****
ANNUAL
BASE PAY
INSIGNIA
William Burch
(?)
Feb.
Feb.
Feb.
Feb.
ARMY OFFICERS
INSIGNIA OF RANK
Writing this part of the magazine is always a sad duty. But these paragraphs are
especially grievous because they concern a
special friend and a professional colleague,
Walter Bogart, Sv/276. He died of a massive heart attack, April25.
For a short time while Division HQ was
at Weilberg-am-Lahn, he was our "commanding officer." Actually he was a respected colleague. He had been a sports
editor for the "Nashville Tennesseean" before the war and so had much in common
with the staffers of the "Trailblazer" who
had been civilian journalists.
After the war he returned to newspapering but soon rejoined the Army. He
was the chief assistant to Gen. Hershey,
the administrator of Selective Service, and
retired as a colonel. He leaves his wife Freda
and two sons.
***
**
*
-·~
]§
-~
$8 .0QO
Genml
Lteutenant General
$8 .000
MaJor General
$8.000
Bngadter Genera l
$6 .000
Colonel
$4 ,000
Lteutenant Colonel
$3 ,500
MaJo r
$3.000
Captatn
$2,400
~
Ftrsl Lteutenant
$2 ,000
~
Second L teutenanl
$1 ,800
BRANCH INSIGNIA
-
(Worn on Lapel or Collar by Officers)
.~··
~~
M
/
,
The Sam Browne belt tS worn OHU
Officers The Marme umform IS
~~~a~n~fo:~~
xxxx
Offtcers' U S . Chem . Warfare
T
Infantry
Aoc Co'P'
T
Medtcal
Engtneers
+ t
Coast Arttllery Fteld Artillery
F'nance
ff~
'<
O rdnance
BADGES
(Worn on Left Breas:
..
~
Cavalry
~
~
PILOT
OBS ERVER
~
• •. Med=l~~d~~~r~~!~!.Chaplam
M'hlary Pohce
Stgnal Corps Quartermaster
bons , marksmans·
badges, etc., are a
worn on left brea~t
*
A West Texas golf champion for many
years, Leo Dorris, 570 Signal, kept his love
of the game through his whole life. He was
an accountant for Hunt Oil Co. for 36 years
before his retirement in 1976. Leukemia
felled him and he died March 9, '92 in
Dallas.
*
After a lifetime of service with the federal government and the military, Sidney
Iverson, HQ 3rd Bn/276, succumbed at the
age of79.
He served in the 70th and commanded
the 3rd Battalion of the 276th. He remained
in the Reserves from which he retired in
1970 as a full colonel. He also worked for
the Veterans Administration in Boise, Idaho.
His wife Dorothy Mae, whom he married
in 1941, died in 1987. He leaves a daughter, a son and four grandchildren.
*
Blindness from a war wound at Wingen
did not deter Arthur McBride, C/276.
Aided by a faithful seeing-eye dog, he operated the snack concession in the Monterey
County Courthouse in Salinas, California
for 41 years until he retired in '88. He was
a familiar and well-liked figure in the buildin g.
He died Jan. 4, 1992.
Art was a member of the Legion, D.A.V.
and the Blind Veteran Association and the
Moose Lodge and was a past president of
the Lions Club. He leaves his wife Billie, a
son, two daughters and a step-daughter.
We just received one sentence: "Alex
Kalisuch, A/883, passed away Jan. 13,
1991."
*
It was too short a while that Robert
Tatlock, B/883, enjoyed the fellowship of
the Association. He phoned Calvin Jones,
Sv/883, recently and told him that although
poor health would keep him from joining
us at Louisville, he just couldn't say enough
about how great it was to have discovered
the Association recently and to have the
opportunity to renew acquaintance with
many of his old friends.
Bob succumbed to emphysema, Jan. 14,
1992.
We all should be reminded that there may
be a buddy or two out there who haven't
heard about the Association and who would
enjoy re-making contacts. Give them that
pleasure by inviting them to join. And ask
Lou Hoger (address on page 23) to send a
couple copies of the magazine. That's a
good recruiting device. Lou will send you
a batch if you 'd like to mail them yourself
to prospects.
*
Several years of failing health ended in
the death of Stewart Gardner, HQ/274,
on March 9, '92. He worked for J. C.
Penney for 23 years and was manager of
its large store in Washington Courthouse,
Ohio, on his retirement. He leaves his wife
Martha, a son and two daughters.
*
70th Division Assn. TRAILBLAZER
NAVY OFFICERS
INSIGNIA OF RANK
(Wo r n on Both Cuffs)
ANNUAL
INSIGNIA
RANK
~
lASE PAY
$ 8,000
Adm1ral
~- ~
Vice Adm•ral
$8 ,000
f!!!!!!!!!! J..;;;J~Rear Adm1ral
base pay as shown for both off1cers and enlisted men may be 1ncreased by longev•tv of servtce,
g or parachute duty, qualification in arms, etc. P nvates 1st class and P nvates are not non·ccm·
1oned off1cers
NAVY PETTY OFFICERS AND NON-RATED MEN
~~~~.~l 'i 1 B ·a !! !!
2
3
5
6
7
"
2
io~~Hl y Pe~~·c;ff_ ~~!t:8~~~ ~:~t';'Q~. ~~~:~ff~ ~~~~~~ffs ~!;~aas: S:a~:~s A~~~~!·~e
J.SE PAY-$138.00
$125.00 $114 00
$96.00
$78.00
$ 66 00
$54.00
$50.00
Chevrons are worn m1dway between shoulder and elbow ; on the r1ght sleeve ,
oft he seaman branch , and on leO sleeve by men oft he art1ficer branches. Seamen are not
non-commissioned off1cers.
J=Spec1alty marks.
~
Capta1n
~ fiiiiiiii~ Commande r
$3 ,500
fiiiiiiiJ~
!!!!!!!!!
Lt. C omma nder
$3,000
t!f!!:- fiiiiiii/l-
=-
*
Death of Medic
recalls heroism
The death of Donald Brown, 370 Medics, assigned to G/274, brought back some
poignant memories for Fred (Casey)
Cassidy, company commander.
"On Jan. 5, 1945, in the woods overlooking Wingen, not far from the Villa
Frantz, Company G suffered its first battlefield death, T/Sgt. Hugh Shellem, a close
friend and a magnificent combat soldier.
Hughie had knocked out two enemy machine gun nests with hand grenades. As he
let loose at a third nest, he was cut almost
in two by the MG in that emplacement.
Moments later the grenade landed and
wiped out the enemy there.
"Don Brown was with me and he rushed
to Hughie's aid. But there was nothing he
could do. While kneeling over the body,
Don was hit by small-arms fire and had to
be evacuated. After recuperation, he rejoined George Company."
Summer. 1992
$4,000
Lteutenant
i//!!/!!1-
$2 ,400
L1eut. (Jr. Grade)
Ens1gn
$2,000
$1 ,800
The base pay as shown for both offtcers and en·
listed men may be tncreased by longevity of serv1ce,
flytng or submartne duty, etc. The uniform of the
C oast Guard IS very stmilar to that of the Navy.
by men
A massive heart attack took the life of
Carl Cain, B/276, Feb. 5, 1992. He joined
the 'Blazers at Camp Adair and went all
through combat with the Division. He was
discharged in June, '46. His wife Kathryn
sends us the sad news.
$6,000
- --
CORPS INSIGNIA
a bove lnst(l:nta of Rank)
Davenport succumbs
" Andy was a jovial individual and I enjoyed frequent telephone conversations with
him," says Francis Dhein, C/882. He
speaks of Andrew Davenport of that outfit, who died in Jan. 28, 1992 of a heart
attack. Combat buddies, Francis and Andy
found each other' s names in the Trailblazer
Roster and phone lines between Sheboygan,
Wisconsin and Andy's River Edge, New
Jersey soon started humming. Andy leaves
his wife Dorothy.
Where did he *
serve?
Everywhere! EVERYWHERE!
Not too many Trailblazers can say they
also served in the Air Force (not as a
cadet). But Lawrence (Larry) Cummins,
B/882 can. And does.
He had 26 years of military service beginning in June, '43 at Fort Oglethorpe,
Georgia. Then went to the fly boys at Fort
Sill, Oklahoma before coming to Adair with
that contingent of Air Cadets whose program had been riffed.
After combat he rejoined the Air Force
in 1951 and drew duty in Finland, St.
John' s, Newfoundland, Canada; Baffm Island; Fairbanks and Anchorage, Alaska; Japan; Viet Nam and lots of neat places like
that.
He was a Social Security administrator
BIG BUCKS . . .
The pay scale of United
States military personnel
in 1943 was a little bit
different from today's.
Buck privates got $50 a
month. First sergeants got
a handsome $114. Fourstar generals made $8,000
annually and second lieutenants, $1.800.
This information was
printed on a blotter,
shown here in its actual
size. Popularity of ballpoint pens had made blotters an extinct species.
in various areas and in '82 was cited by its
regional commissioner. He serves on a
whole raft of non-profit organizations. With
his wife Frieda, he has six children, three
of each and eight grandkids.
*
Personal guard for Ike
is proud GI's duty
When the 70th headed for home and lowpoint 'Blazers were reassigned, Ralph
Rissmiller became a personal guard for
Gens. Eisenhower and McNamey and other
SHAEF officers at Bad Homberg, Germany.
He had that duty just a year.
Ralph was inducted just before the Battle
of the Bulge, at Fort Dix, New Jersey and
took basic at Fort McClellan, Albama. He
joined the 70th as a replacement in March
1945 at Rudesheim, Germany and was assigned to Cn/274.
He has retired as a credit manager and
purchasing agent. He has two sons.
Battle commission
members sought
If you received a batrlefield commission - someone is looking for
you!
The National Order of Batrlefield
Commissions is making a big, nationwide effort to find eligible men.
If you are one, please contact John
Angier, Ill, 67 Ocean Drive, St. Augustine, Fiorida 32084.
13
Tours available for open time
Four sight-seeing tours will be available
during free time at the Louisville Reunion.
They will be conducted by a commercial
firm and the Association has no part in any
arrangements. Reservations - using the
form on this page and due Sept. 17 should be sent directly to Remmers and
Associates.
1
"They're Off!"
Thursday, Oct. l, 1 to 4 pm $17 per
person
The tour starts with the historic district
of cast-iron facades - West Main Street.
It goes through St. James Court, famous
for its Victorian mansions. The Kentucky
Derby Museum has a spectacular 360-degree multi-image show that depicts the excitement of Derby Day. The tour winds up
at Louisville Stoneware.
2
"Fort Knox - Armor and Gold"
Thursday, 12 to 4 pm $15 per person
A pleasant coach ride south of Louisville brings Trailblazers to the famous U.S.
Gold Depository at Fort Knox. You can
see the nation's great gold bullion reserve
only at a distance - but it's there alright.
Right up close, though, you can visit the
Patton Museum of Cavalry and Armor,
showing development of that arm of the
military from the Revolution until today.
Gen. George Patton's personal memorabilia
is on display there, too. The tour will go
through the busy and interesting unrestricted
areas of the Fort, which is a major keystone in American armored forces.
3
"Bardstown and Jim Beam"
Saturday, 9 am to 2 pm $29 per person
Luncheon at Talbott Tavern
Even a teetotaler will enjoy Kentucky's
oldest continuing business, the Jim Beam
Distillery in a beautiful rural setting. In historic Bardstown you'll see the original "Old
Kentucky Home", built in 1818 and immortalized by Stephen Foster's song. Ah,
yes! There will be time and opportunity for
some high-class souvenir shopping.
TOUR ORDER FORM
70TH DMSION ASSOCIATION
THURSDAY, OCTOBER l. 1992
Fort Knox
12:00-4:00
[email protected]. _ __
They're Off
l :00-4:00
[email protected]. _ _
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 3, 1992
Bardstown & Jim Beam Distillery
Lunch at Talbott Tavern
They're Off
Lunch at Captain's Quarters
9:00-2:00
[email protected] _ _
10:00-2:00
[email protected]. _ __
TOUR DEADLINE: SEPTEMBER 17, 1992
TOTAL._ __
Name -------------------------------Address _______________
City
State
Zip _ _
Please make check payable and mail to:
Remmers and Associates
Suite 1065 Starks Building
455 South 4th Avenue
Louisville, KY 40202
Phone: 502-587-8720
All tours are based on a minimum of 35 persons. If this minimum is not
met. your money will be refunded. Otherwise all tours are not refundable.
Tickets purchased on-site will be an additional $1.00 per person. Tickets
may be picked up at the tour desk in the 70th Division registration area.
14
4
"They're Off!"
Saturday 10 am to 2 pm
Lunch at Captain's Quarters
This is almost the same tour as the one
Thursday. A fine added attraction will be
lunch at the famous restaurant overlooking
the historic and scenic Ohio River.
*
This is just a brief summary of what the
tours will show you. Louisville and Northern Kentucky abound in beautiful, historic
and interesting sites. Travel is by comfortable new busses and there will be many
"explainers" along the way, many in period costumes. All schedules have been
drawn to allow you plenty of rime to get
ready for the evenings' events.
Even younger
'Blazer found
It just had to happen!
Every time we report something unusual
in these pages, within days we get word of
something even more unusual.
In the last issue of the "Trailblazer" there
was a story about William Owen, C/276,
who has a 10-year-old son Jackie. Would
he be the youngest child of a 70th veteran,
we asked?
Not quite, not quite.
All the way from Buenos Aires, Argentina comes an answer from Bill Greenwalt,
C/276. He writes: "I congratulate Bill and
Jackie not only on the difference between
their ages but also for the obvious excellence of the father-son relationship clearly
shown in their picture. In our family we
share a similar "depth of feeling" between
my son Brian (Butch), age 9, and myself.
What a beautiful experience!
"Butch was born Jan. 17, 1983, which
gives him a slight edge over Jackie for the
title of 'Youngest Trailblazer'.
"Your article on the 'Invasion of Japan'
in the Spring, '92 issue is excellent, lucid,
eloquent and convincing. No one in his right
mind can refute your argument in favor of
dropping the atomic bomb.
"I tip my hat in admiration of your continuing chronicle of the 70th Division and
its people, both historical and current. You
and Chet Garstki combine to furnish us with
talent supreme. Largely by your efforts the
70th Division enjoys a soul and spirit rarely
found even in the best organizations."
70th Division Assn. TRAILBLAZER
Good shootin'
Can't-miss target
garners observer praise
By RALPH JOHNSON
HQ/884 FA
Clarenthal across the Saar River from
German-held Volklingen. Sometime in April
'45, mud and snow gone, weather warm, sky
clear, beautiful day.
Our Op was on a circle at the end of a street
that led almost to the river. The room we were
using had a small picture window overlooking the river and most of the town of
Volklingen. It also had a desk and swivel
chair.
This day I was alone as an Artillery observer. It was a quiet day and the rest of the
crew had gone back for a bath and a change
of clothes. I sat in my swivel chair with my
feet on the desk feeling a bit like Zeus complete with thunderbolts, calling strikes on
points where there seemed to be more than
usual activity and putting concentration numbers on the map. We were planning to cross
the river in the next couple of days and
wanted points upon which we could bring
instant fue.
About the middle of the afternoon Capt.
Hennessy came on the phone and asked for
fire on a factory buildingjust across the river.
It appeared that the enemy was fortifying it.
The building was about 50 meters long with
a little annex at the left and that carried a brick
smoke stack about 200 feet high. It was an
easy call bcause the structure was right on the
intersection of two map grid lines.
I phoned in the mission and the very fust
round hit the stack about half way to the top.
I was tempted to ask for a repeat and try to
shoot the stack down but I realized that the
odds against even hitting it were pretty long.
I called it five zero left and 100 over. The
next round hit about the middle of the wall. I
called for fue for effect and got battery six
rounds, most of which went through the wall
or in the windows. The soot boiled out of that
stack like a volcano all the rest of the afternoon.
A few minutes later Capt. Hennessy came
on the phone and said. "That was damned
good shooting." Had I been strictly honest I
could have pointed out that it was a miss. But
you don't argue with your superior officer so
I just said. "Thank you, sir. Shall we give
them the other barrel?" He said he didn't
think it would be necessary. I thought that it
bTHc"Pi?t'lt.... ' pr -
( 7'-'1(-A.If':,_AJ~ ~M Mlt:I.Ji _.'{
'
;
i
.
....
/
,•"
C.thedral, Frankfurt
was great that he took the time and trouble to
call me up and compliment me. No wonder
he was popular with his men .
It really was damned good shooting. But
the Battery and fue direction deserved most
of the credit.
The next morning we moved up, or maybe
it was down, the river and crossed on a
pedestrian pontoon bridge, walked through
town in two files and the only shot we heard
was one goofed off by a scout. The enemy
had moved out during the night.
This was the end of my war. We never
caught up with the enemy again.
He did get to Japanlater and classier
A "casual" in the Army travels more than
the Hying Dutchman ... and often feels
just as damned. But Kennard (Ken)
Stephenson, E/276, thought he finally had
Summer, 1992
/' f 'j-
Sgt. Syd FosM!"'
found a permanent military home with the
70th when he joined the Division just after
Forbach. He liked the Trailblazers.
But, as a very low-point man, he was
told he' d do a bit more travelling, clear
around the globe to Japan. But V -J Day
came just in time to cancel that trip. Instead he transferred to the 29th Regiment,
stayed in the ETO and came home in July,
'46.
His travels continued in civilian life. A
chemical engineer in Kentucky, he made
business jaunts to Europe, the Middle East,
all around the United States ... and Japan.
"So I did get to Japan- but under much
better conditions than I would have in '45,"
he says. He and his late wife Ann had three
sons, three daughters and seven grandchildren. For four years he served as president
of the Particulate Solids Research Center, a
volunteer job, while he worked for AlliedSignal.
15
Mail
Call
Home-then
to Japan
travel plans changed
I would like to regain contact with members ofD/274.
I came to the 70th as a replacement in
the Saarland. I was with the 81 mortars. I
left the Division in late July, 1945, to go to
LeHavre, on to the States and then over to
Japan. While we were in the 40-and-8s, on
the way to the French port, the A-bomb
was dropped. We were turned back and I
drew another year of ETO duty. It wasn't
bad duty; for six months I was with a cadre
for a nice Riviera recreation facility.
I was discharged at Fort Dix, New Jersey, Aug. 8, 1946. There I met my brother
who was returning from Korea and got out
a week after I did.
Donald Dixon
D/274
655 Boston St.
Lynn, Massachusetts 01905
* way!
Monument? No
I think this monument controversy has
been on the agenda too long. Valuable time
has been wasted discussing a monument
that should never be built, would never be
seen by most of our membership or for that
matter, our descendents. If we should heaven forbid! -decide to built a monument, we are faced with the major decision
of where to build it.
Byron McNeely
1/274
*
Reduce dues to
stopgrowing dollar surplus
I joined the 70th Association 23 years
ago at the Denver Reunion. Dues then were
$5 per year and they seem to be edging up
every few years. I realize that we are getting a better and much larger "Trailblazer"
and that the cost of publishing it has risen
along with postage and other expenses.
I also notice that we are getting a large
surplus in our treasury and there has been
some thought to the eventual allocation of
funds as we come to the foreseeable and
certain attrition of our membership. In or-
16
der to keep from adding to the problem of
an ever increasing surplus, why not keep
the dues at the lowest level say $7 to $10?
Or is the interest in keeping the 70th Division Association an organization for "associate members" such as the 70th Training Division or the sons and daughters or
other relatives of members?
Fred Dinkel
C/883 FA
(Editor's note: It is true that "Trailblazer"
costs have risen in 23 years, much of it due
to the tripling of its size. And constantly
rising postal rates increase expenses of the
magazine as well as of the secretary-treasurer, both of whom maintain high volumes
of mail.
The surplus will not continue to grow.
Increasing life memberships, for instance,
will reduce annual dues revenues. Some reserve must be kept in the treasury to maintain services when eventually membership
declines. But proposals for a Division
monument and a second history book will
return that surplus to members more directly than reducing dues would.
It should be emphasized that no one's
membership will ever be jeopardized by rising dues. If a man is unable to pay whatever the dues are at the time, they will immediately be forgiven.
Associate members make but a tiny portion of the total roster and they have no
vote to influence Association activities. But
there are associates who are keenly interested in the 70th and its activities and their
participation and support are welcomed.)
Oregon girl *votes
for Oregon of course
We sold "The Beach Leader" newspaper
in Jax Beach, Florida about eight years ago.
Bill is better now after a long and hard
fight against cancer.
We're for the 70th monument to be
placed at Camp Adair. Where else? I'm an
Albany, Oregon girl and a graduate of Oregon State University at Corvallis. What a
great place for a girl to be in the ol' Camp
Adair days!
Beryl Marks Dryden
(Mrs. William, C/725 FA)
*
Monument?
We need two!
I strongly believe we should have not
one but two monuments! One should be in
the United States either at Camp Adair or
at Fort Leonard Wood. The other should
be in Europe. They could be fmanced from
the Association's treasury or funds could
come from contributions by members.
Joseph Aceves
B/276
*
Who'll go to France?
I vote for the second history book something our children can enjoy. Let's face
it: How many of our kids will ever make it
to France- or even to Oregon?
William (Bill) Schaefer
1/275
*
We're lucky to have
so many story tellers
I would like to see another history book.
We have been so fortunate in having so
many good men telling the stories of the
70th that we tend to forget that not many
units have such records over the years.
Monuments are good - in their place,
and I understand the one at Wingen is very
good. But all of us could enjoy a book and
read the many happenings that are of interest to all our members.
Edson Larson
B/276
*
Keep memorial
on homeland
It is important that we not let our European friends ever forget the sacrifice made
by so many of our buddies but it seems
more important to memorialize our own
here on the grounds or near those areas
where we trained. I personally prefer the
Oregon area - Portland, perhaps, or the
state capital grounds of Salem, maybe in or
near Corvallis.
The markers that are now on Route 99,
telling about the 70th at Adair, are fine but
they are wood and need constant attention.
And someday there will be no one taking
care of them. I go back to the camp site
regularly and try to fmd familiar landmarks
on the old streets that are barely visible
70th Division Assn. TRAILBLAZER
r
now. Dorothy and I were manied in Chapel
1 by Chaplain Loren Jenks on New Year's
Eve, 1943. Walter and Freda Bogart stood
up for us and there were a total of nine
people there.
Gus Comuntzis
Sv/275
Casey seeks *record
of Association officers
At a mini-reunion at Clearwater, Florida
in February I entered in discussion with a
man whose name I can' t recall. I thought
he was in Orville Ellis' outfit and asked
about Orville. He said he had never heard
of Orville.
I was almost irate. How could any member of the Association not know what
Orville, in his 10 years as president, had
done to build up this organization.
I suggest that at the Louisville Reunion
all former officers and editors be honored
for their service that kept the Association
growing and vital.
President Alex has asked me to take over
- and I need help. Does anyone have the
complete record of the Association and all
its officers and their length of service?
Please let me know promptly. I'd also like
to know the honors that they have received
from other groups.
Fred (Casey) Cassidy
G/274
307 Forrest Drive, Heritage Park
Gettysburg, PA 17325
*
Bealer was 274 man
I recently heard of the Association and
promptly joined. I have enjoyed the back
copies of the "Trailblazer" that Secretary
Hoger sent me and the History Book. They
brought back many memories and I learned
a lot of things I never knew before.
My outfit was incorrectly identified (in
the list of new members). I was in K/274
and would appreciate it if correction were
made. Like the editor, I was a printer (typesetter) and after the Linotype died I spent a
few years as a proofreader and copy editor.
I was saddened to read of the death of Ed
Crowson. I believe he once played football in North Carolina at Presbyterian College.
Are you aware of other Division associations, such as the 45th? I'd appreciate
their address.
Harry Bealor
K/274
(Editor' s Note: We do have a foster of
associations and if you' II tell me what outfit you are seeking, /'II be happy to send
the address.)
*
Put the monument
in United States
My feeling is that the monument should
definitely be placed somewhere in the USA.
My preference would be Fort Leonard
Wood since it is a permanent Army base in
a good central location with good access
by highway from all parts of the country.
J. Vernon McKay, M.D.
Battalion Surgeon
3rd Bn/276
I take exception to those people who say
there were no German tanks in the fighting
at Phillipsbourg. I was acting as lst/Sgt of
1st Bn Headquarters/275 and had our CP
set up on the main street. So we were only
about 50 yards away when a tank came
around the comer.
Our A&P lieutenant (I can't remember
his name) identified it as a Mark VI Tiger
tank with an 88 mm cannon. If I am wrong,
then a lot of time was wasted trying to teach
me to identify enemy vehicles.
M/Sgt Harold Steiner
HQ 1st Bn/275
l
*
Summer, 1992
Washington, D.C. gets
vote for memorial
I think the monument should be here, in
Washington, D.C. rather than in Germany
or France or Oregon. Our Division contributed our share as much or more than those
groups represented by monuments in our
capital today. It should be placed where
visitors and friends can see and admire it.
Topic 2: Perhaps an audio tape could be
made of all Reunion activities at Louisville,
including speeches, reports and just the conversations in the hospitality room, etc. Then
members who can't be at Louisville can
share the joys of a Reunion.
Donald Walters, Sr.
70MP
'Blazers eligible for
French decorations
Many 70th men have ordered the Cross
of Lorraine medal (No. 26) but seem hesitant to order other French medals. Trailblazers are also eligible for:
No. 16, Cross of Voluntary Soldiers. (All
US military personnel are considered as volunteers by the French and Belgian governments.)
No. 12, Prisoner of War Medal;
No. 22, Cross of the Soldier;
No. 29, Medal for Service to France;
No. 56, City of Metz Medal (I hope it
will be available soon);
No. 60, Casualty of War Medal for all
who were wounded, injured or hospitalized.
Lt. Col. Henry Van Nus ill (Ret.)
2537 Hugo Road
Niguel Laguna, CA 92677
(Editor' s Note: All details of such medals are given on page 4 , Fall, 1991 . Another story on Belgian medals appears elsewhere in this issue.)
*
36 hours of fire
can't daunt Medics
For 36 hours, Harold Tepper's Medical Detachment of the 3rd Battalion, 274th,
was under intense artillery ftre as they
moved wounded men near Glashutten.
Harold joined the 70th at Wood and
served until discharge in April, '46 He was
in the mail order business in Brooklyn and
now lives in Howard Beach on Long Island. His wife is Evelyn and they have a
son, a daughter and five grandchildren.
17
70th now eligible
for Belgian medals
Belgium has announced that all
United States military personnel in the
ETO - including, of course, the 70th
Division - are eligible for three medals. The country decided that even troops
who did not actually fight on Belgian
soil made significant contributions to
the liberation of the country from the
Nazis.
The three decorations are the World
War II Service Medal, Medaille de Ia
Reconnaissance (the Gratitude Medal)
and Medaille du Volontaire.
The medals may be purchased; they
will not be given. That raises an interesting situation. Belgium does not have
its own mint to produce medals as the
United States and France do. So commercial companies are licensed to
manufacture them. So medals cost more
than those of the U.S. and France. But
Belgian medals, as befits a monarchy,
are much more elaborate.
Trail blazers may order them through
our honorary member, Lt. Col. Henry
Van Nus, Ill. He volunteers his services
in helping 'Blazers (and all military
people) get all medals they are entirled
to. He is well known at the Pentagon
and the Army Records Section in St.
Louis and those contacts are valuable.
"Many 70th veterans are writing me
for help in getting their U.S. medals,"
he writes. "I have devised Form I and
Form II that have worked very effec-
Schu between shoes
brings death too close
It was by inches that Frank Kloiber,
HQ 2nd Bn/275, missed becoming a victim
of the deadly schumine. "I was stooped over,
talking with a fallen soldier who had been
wounded by stepping on one of those
mines," Frank recalls. "I just happened to
look down - there was a live mine between my boot heels!"
After serving at Camp Wolters, Texas,
after his induction in July, '42, Frank went
to Officers Training Corps at Fort Benning,
Georgia, then joined the 70th as it was organized at Camp Adair.
After winning two Bronze Stars as a
'Blazer, he was transferred to the 3rd Division as a company commander and came
home for discharge just before Christmas
18
Medaille de la
Reconnaissance
Beige
Medaille
du Volontaire
Medaille
Commemorative
tively in getting the medals the men are
entitled to. Many men have not received all their medals because they
weren't entered on their discharge papers.
"All the vets need to do is list the U.S.
medals they do have and write their
requested medals on an 8 1/2x 11
pa~r (notebook paper is OK) which I
will Rle. I also need a large (No. 10)
self-addressed stamped envelope for
my reply. It takes about six weeks to get
American medals."
If Belgian medals are ordered, please
send a check or money order. Col. Van
Nus must pay in advance for your
medals and we can't expect him to put
up his own funds. The medals that the
70th is eligible for are:
No. 75 World War II Service Medal
full size
$23.
miniature
19.
ribbon slide
2.
No. 80 Medaille de Ia Reconnaissance
full size
33.
miniature
19.
ribbon slide
2.
No. 83 Medaille du Volontaire
full size
$23 .
miniature
19.
ribbon slide
2.
***Please add fee for handling, mail
and insurance:
$3 or
5% if medals exceed $60
The address:
Lt. Col. Henry Van Nus Ill
2537 Hugo Road
of '45. As a civilian he was a salesman of
school supplies and equipment. With his
wife Viola, he has three sons and 13 grandchildren. He lives in Fort Atkinson, Wiscons in.
*
Bob Gates remains
active in labor union
Four months after joining the 70th at
Camp Adair in July, '43, Robert Gates,
Medics/275, was made supply sergeant. He
held that job until transferred to the 3rd
Division after combat. He was discharged
at Camp Atterbury, Indiana in January, '46.
He retired in 1982 after 37 years as a
union pipefitter and remains financial secretary and business manager of his local
today.
*
"Thought battlefield
commission was just a
joke" -Leon Berry
"When I was told to report to Battalion
Headquarters to receive a battlefield commission, I thought it was a joke." So recalls
Leon Berry, L/274 and D/275. "I spoke to
Paul Thirion who said, 'It's no joke and
you're supposed to be there in 15 minutes.'
I was!"
Leon entered service in January, '41 and
served in Aruba and Trinidad in the Caribbean before becoming a Trailblazer in July,
'44 at Leonard Wood. He won the Purple
Heart in the ETO.
He was in production control and inside
sales for United States Gypsum Co. before
retiring. With his wife Roma, he lives in
Newton Falls, Ohio.
70th Division Assn. TRAILBLAZER
First attempt to lonn Association
goes all the way back in 1950
The following is the history of their parent division that
current members of the 70th (Training) Division have been
given. It includes an invitation to become Associate Members.
Now that many "newT railblazers" have racked up wartime
service during the Gulf conflict, there is an even stronger bond
between them and the combat veterans of WW2.
The 70th Infantry Division Association grew from a small acorn.
In 1950, Col. Leo Bessette of the Headquarters Detachment
circulated a letter among a few men suggesting that they gather in
Pittsburgh to form an association. The effort died aborning.
In August, 1962, 17 members of Service Company/275th gathered in Chicago. Eugene Petersen, now one of the Historians of
the Association, was elected president and they decided to meet two
years later in Salem, Oregon, not far from Camp Adair where the
Division had been activated in 1943. During those two years,
several 70th men from other units had heard about the reunion and
asked if they might attend.
The Service Company men invited all the Trailblazers that they
knew in the Washington-Oregon area. The response was so good
that they decided to make their next reunion an all-Division affair.
C. G. "Gus" Comuntzis, who as a sergeant had been the first
man assigned to the new 70th, and thereafter became its first Special
Services Officer, was named president.
"The Trailblazer" which had been a LIFE-format magazine in
the States and a weekly newspaper in the ETO, was resurrected as
the link among far-flung members.
When the 1966 Reunion met in St. Louis, membership had
grown to 240 and the 70th Association was formally organized and
a constitution adopted. Comuntziz was named its fust president.
In the next two years, membership grew to almost 400. Th,
original group of 275th Service men had maintained their own
organization but now merged with the greater group.
In 1970 the Reunion was in Reno with 86 in attendance. (There
were 1,110 at Las Vegas.) Orville Ellis was elected president in
1976 and he was the sparkplug that ignited the great growth in
membership. He also was Reunion chairman for eight years.
Mostly by word of mouth, the Association became known to more
and more veterans. Almost without exception, when a former 70th
man learns that the Association exists, he joins up.
Despite the fact that Trailblazers are aging and the "Taps"
column in the magazine grows lengthy, membership increases. A
longtime goal of 2,000 seems to be feasible today and the Association has set aside monies to buy advertising in areas where there
are concentrations of 70th veterans. California has the most members; Pennsylvania and Missouri are also the homes of large
contingents.
Members of the "new" 70th Training Division are eligible to
become associate members. (As Gen. James Mukoyama is.) So
are relatives and friends of70th veterans. Dues are only $12 a year
and include a subscription to "The Trailblazer", which has been
acclaimed as the finest of all association publications.
The biennial Reunions are held on alternate sides of the Mississippi and in the intervening years there are Back-to-Europe tours.
These are conducted by a member who operates a travel agency
and they cover the battlefield areas of the Vosges and the Saarland.
The travellers are warmly welcomed by the people of the towns
they liberated and members of the 6th SS Mountain Division which
faced the 70th in all its battles join in memorial services at American
and German military cemeteries.
Billy G.
Body was small
but fight was giant
By TOM HIGLEY
C/275
Sgt. Billy Joe Garrison was an original
C/275 man in the Weapons Platoon at Camp
Adair. He was an unusual fellow in many
ways simply because of his fiery, fighting
spirit. He was highly regarded by all of us.
Billy was thin, wiry and as strong as the
proverbial ox! He was a machine gun expert
of experts. When Ethelyn and Billy were
married at Camp Adair, I believe almost all
of the company was "present for duty".
The crash of mortars, artillery, small arms
and MG fire in the small Alsatian village of
Philippsbourg at sun-up, January 3, 1945,
was the first real baptism of combat for good
old Charlie Company. Some of the Weapons
Summer, 1992
Platoon, much to their chagrin, then and now,
did not understand why, instead of being on
the line with the other riflemen, they were on
guard duty, at headquarters of the 1st Battalion of the 275th. HQ was a two-story house
some yards south of the end of the right ridge.
Suddenly enemy fue came from our left
flank. Essential weapons had been stored and
the guards werearmedonlywithM-1s.Many
of the men have said since, "If we had only
had our MGs and mortars we could have
eliminated a lot of the enemy in a hurry."
Billy Joe, noting a jeep with a 50 cal. MG
on it, rushed out of the building, through
heavy fue to the vehicle and instantly put the
50 into action. He swept the west ridge where
German MGs were fuing into the street.
Soon no fuing came from that quarter.
Billy fought bravely on in the midst of
incoming metal until he ran out of ammunition. The jeep, incidently, was soon destroyed and, like a half-track close by, became a burned-out hulk.
Billy was captured and was a POW until
the end of the war. He will always be remembered as that small guy with the giant fighting
spirit!
*
It took 16 hours after Fr a nk Hazmuka,
A/275, took a piece of shrapnel through his
thigh until he could get to a regimental aid
station. His company was bracketed by
German 88s on a Philippsbourg trail where
there was only frozen gravel to dig into.
But he survived, was discharged in 1946
and, as a civilian, was an electrical engineer involved in power distribution in
south-central Louisiana and eastern Texas.
He worked there 41 years before retiring.
With his wife Frances, he has three
children and four grandchildren.
19
Axe-head
Archives
Long-distance item
alerts 70th veteran
We'd like to know just how this happened. But we're glad it did. A news item
about a Western 70th Mini-Reunion made
its way all across the country to Watervliet,
New York. There Joseph Gorman, I/274,
saw it, learned about the Association and
became a member.
Joseph joined the 'Blazers in France in
January of '45 and later served with the
4th Infantry. He remembers vividly crossing the Saar River and the death of Lt.
Becker. Back home again, he worked as a
warehouseman. With his wife May he has
four each of kids and grandkids.
*
Coast-to-coast
is Bob's journey
Entering the Army on the East Coast, at
Fort Meade, Maryland, Robert Ruttenhower , B/274, traveled partway across the
continent to Camp Custer, Michigan for basic training. Then he continued to the Gulf
Coast, to Fort Hood, Texas with the MPEG
(whatever that means!) and then on to the
West Coast to join the Trailblazers.
C11. Alla n Le w is
.,.... ...,
'
"'·'"
-v~,
20
.
.....\..
~­
After ETO combat, he went to the 3rd
Division at Kassel, Germany and came
home for a discharge in April, 1946. He
has retired after working as a Civil Service
railroad employee for the Army.
He and his wife Dorothy live in Tampa,
Florida. They were married in 1985. Bob
has three children by a previous marriage.
In the commissary at McDill Air Force Base
he met Walter Bogart, Sv/276, and learned
about the Association from him.
*
Giro enjoying ease
Giro Carrescia, A/274, and his wife
Rose enjoy retirement in Paramus, New Jersey where they have a son, a daughter and
three grandkids. A retired telephone installer, he's a member of VFW, DAY and
MOPH.
He became a 'Blazer at Leonard Wood
just before we went overseas and was discharged in May, '46.
*
Lost
Buddies
Winning half a buck
was Morrison highlight
There weren't too many "big days" during basic training. But John Morrison,
E/274, remembers one very well. "We were
in the field taking rifle-grenade-launcher
training in April, '44. A lieutenant, whom I
didn't know, bet me half a dollar that I
couldn't hit a target, a board, 50 yards away.
I took the bet, took aim - and took his
half dollar. (Which bought an awful lot
more then than it does now.)
Jack joined the 70th in September, '43,
and after the war, went on to duty in Hawaii and Okinawa. As a civilian he was a
variety store manager, winning honors as
the best manager in the G. C. Murphy Co.
in three different years.
He's very active in civic groups in his
native Temple Hills, Maryland.
Yagottago? *
Ya almost got went!
When ya gotta go, ya gotta go. But sometimes the going ain't so easy.
Edward Kraus, F/274 found that out
when he and a buddy were trapped for some
time in an abandoned German anti-tank gun
emplacement. The shelling was fierce when
he had to go. Only there was no place to go
where the shells weren't falling. But go he
did. Wasn't funny at the time, he says.
He served exactly two years with the
70th, then went to the 3rd Division, winding up at Rotenburg-am-Fulda at the Gap
where American and Russian heavy armor
for a generation faced off within binocular
sight of each other all through the Cold
War.
Ed was an architectural lead man as a
civilian. He's a member of Association Rhin
et Danube and the American Legion. He
and his late wife Dorothy had two sons, a
daughter and three grandchildren.
Wanted: One town;
one buddy's name
Can someone help me recall the name of
the town where I joined the 70th? It had a
railroad track that ran through the center.
When we arrived in cattle cars as replacments
from from the 3rd Division, the town was
on frre and the Germans were running all
over, wanting to surrender. I was assigned
to G Company and Capt. Fred Cassidy was
my CO.
In this same town I had a buddy who was
on guard duty with me when I got my eyes
burned. He led me to a German hospital
where they treated me and released me. I
was wondering if you could help me fmd
that 70th man.
I stayed with the Trailblazers until the
end of the war and was then transferred to
the (Lightning) Division where I fmished
my Army Career.
Ray C. Hudgens
G/274
*
Radioman in 275th
was from Philly
I have tried for years to make contact
with Raymond F. Turner who was in the
radio section, HQ Co./275. He was from
Philadelphia and his wife Frances was from
Boston. He was last known to have been
employed in 1955 by RCA, working on
Army equipment in El Paso, Texas. I'd appreciate it if any members in the Philly area
could make some phone calls and see if
he's around there.
Elwood Knox
HQ/275
1425 Lingleville Road
Stephenville, TX 76401
70th Division Assn. TRAILBLAZER
~
I
I
X marked the spot
where Newbill wasn't
"We were in Battery C{725, four 155s.
My crew took one gun forward and got
established in a Little town whose name I
have forgotten. It was late afternoon and
we settled in for the night. At daybreak the
Germans opened frre with their 88s and
came in mighty close. So we moved back
in a hurry . Later we returned to the spot
where we had been. Everything there was
completely destroyed."
So recalls Paul Newbill, C{725. We took
basic at Fort Bragg, North Carolina and
then went to the 36th Division at Fort Riley,
Kansas. Next stop was Leonard Wood just
before Divarty took off for Europe. After
combat he was transferred to the 2nd Armored Division as a tank operator.
He has retired after civilian service with
the Virginia Air National Guard as an inventory management supervisor. He's married - to Dorothy - and they have a son
and a daughter. He was recently named "Legionnaire of the Year".
*
Hotel corridor
is meeting place
for 'Blazer buddies
,.•
(I
Air, ground, space ...
Mitchell's itinerary
is most interesting
What a happy coincidence!
Leo Daskiewicz, E/275, was attending
a meeting at an Omaha hoteL In the next
room, Max McCord, of the same outfit,
was attending a convention. Both groups
took their coffee break at the same time
and the two 'Blazers got into conversation.
So Leo learned about the Association and
joined immediately.
Leo has received many honors since he
left the 70th. He's president and life member of the Telephone Pioneers and has been
named Red Cross Volunteer of the Month
in Omaha.
He donned the uniform in July, '43 at
Fort Crook, Nebraska and went right to the
newly-formed 70th at Camp Adair. In November, '45 he was discharged at Jefferson
Barracks, Missouri.
He had an interesting career as a streetcar operator, woodworker and worker, then
supervisor, for Northwestern Bell Telephone (now USWEst). He and his wife
Lucille have two daughters and five grandchildren.
From anti-air, to air, to ground and almost- outer space ... that's the itinerary for David Mitchell, F/276.
On his enlistment in November, 1942
he went into Anti-Aircraft training at
Camp Callan, California. Then on to the
Army Air Force. When the big manpower
crunch hit American military in 1944,
Dave was summarily moved from Air
Force basic training at the University of
Montana to the 70th .
After receiving degrees from the Universities of Iowa and Northern Iowa, he
taught science for 37 years. He was one
of six finalists in the NASA teacher-inspace program in which Christie MacCauliffe would later be killed in the Challenger explosion.
Retiring from teaching, he went into
real estate where he stays active. He and
his wife Arlene have three children and
three grandchildren. He learned about the
Association from a piece in the Holbrook,
Arizona "Tribune-News. " Whoever was
responsible for getting the story into that
paper: Identify yourself and collect
congratulations.
*
*
Summer, 1992
."
HOME. HOME FROM THE RANGE
As Divarty returned from the Yakima Firing Range,
they bivouacked in Portland. Here 2-man tents stand
in neat rows in what appears to be a park. If any
gunners can tell more about this photo, they are
invited to send along the information.
Burt finds 3-star
was looie in Alsace
Charles Burt, HQ/276, tells us that Trailblazers can claim another 3-star general as
one of their own.
In 1973 Charlie read that Brig. Gen.
John Hennessey was retiring as Commandant of the Army Command and General
Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.
"Hey," says Charlie to himself, "could this
be the Lt. Hennessey who was with H/276
in the Vosges campaign?" So he wrote a
letter to the general and, sure 'nuff, it was
the ex-looie, now a 3-star general and Chief
of the Office of Reserve Components, who
replied promptly.
Charles was a staff sergeant of a mortar
in Alsace and there received a battlefield
commission. After the war he stayed on in
Military Government in Berlin and Vienna
until 1948. That year he was married to his
Austrian war bride, Gerda.
Back in the States he went to law school
but stayed in the Reserves for 23 years. He
also served 23 years with the Farm Credit
System and retired in '84. He still serves
the banks in an advisory capacity.
*
21
New
Members
NEW MEMBERS
VLAMIS, Philip
871 40th Avenue
Santa Cruz, CA
95062
B/884 FA
ATKINSON, Ralph
245 East 19th Street
New York, NY 10003
C/274- Ruth
ASSOCIATE
MEMBERS
CARR, John
2121 S. Pantano #246
Tucson, AI. 85710
1/275- Marjorie
BOWLIN, Robert D.
630 Knotty Pine
Green River, WY
82835
(Son of Dale Bowlin
C/883 FA)
CHAPMAN, Robert l.
61 0 Del-Mar Drive
lady lake, Fl 32159
HQ/3 Bn/275
DICKENS, Brad
7190 E. 550 North
Columbus, IN 47203
FERREE, Charles V.
481 Panda loop
Eugene, OR 97401
HQ/884 FA- Evelyn
Hill, Fay
6439 Rogue River
Hwy
Grants Pass, OR
97527
Mother of
John lackey A/276
KIA
GARCIA, Albert D.
2315 Bubb Street
Marysville, CA 95901
CN/276 -Irene
HEMPHill, Robert D.
2779 Hillcrest St. NE
Orangeburg, SC 29115
BAR man, Unit ?
KIEFFER, Adolphe
4 Rue Carriere
57460 BOUSBACH
FRANCE
SHAW, David
1751 Woodburn
Hagerstown, MD 21740
l/275
KNOWLES, Diane
3206 Colgate
Tyler, TX 75701
STANTON, John D.
4744 W . Anita Blvd.
Tampa, Fl 33611
-Peggy
VlllER, Christophe
1 Rue de Ia Durance
67800 Hoenheim/
Strasbourg
FRANCE
Treasurer's
Report
FEASTER, Elbert
32 Shipwatch Point
Hilton Head, SC 29928
CHANGES OF
ADDRESS
AUSTIN, Cecil
240 Klutts Drive
Rockwall, TX 75087
HALES, Fred
502 Hemm Road
Piqua, OH 45356
BAINES, Charles
3716 Timberview Court
Anderson, IN 46011
HARBOLD, William
552 Crossbridge Dr.
Westminster, MD 21158
BRANCHAUD, Mrs. Ralph
4604 Pacer Avenue
No. las Vegas, NV
89031
HAYDEN, William
8211 Redlands St. #l
Playa del Rey, CA 90293
BROWN, Richard
12215 SE Highway 42
Weirsdale, Fl32195
HENDERSON, Albert
RT. 2, Box 46
Taneyville, MO 65759
BURROW, Hardy
Rt. 1, Box 220 A· 1
Point, TX 75472
HONOLD, Woodrow
8836 Country Club Place
Spring Valley, CA 91977
CANTREll, Robert
511 S. Cantrell Street
Seymour, MO 657 46
HOTZ, Gerald
711 W King
Jefferson City, TN 37760
CLIFFORD, Joseph
1435 West Valley Road
Preble, NY 13141
JEFFREY, Rex
14939 Buttonwood Drive
Sun City West, AI. 85375
DICKENS, Bryan
2204 7th Street
Columbus, IN 47203
lAUGHTER, R. Cy
1422 N. Main Street
Dayton, OH 45405
DUFFY, John
3192 counz Rd. JG
Mount Hore , WI 53572
MEYER, Paul
602 S'Jiine Crest
Portion , OR 97229
ElSER, George
33773 Noreen lane
Yucaipa, CA 92399
NOEl, Kenneth
346 Carl Street
Circle Pines, MN 55014
Calvin Jones
Assistant Secretary Treasurer
DISBURSEMENTS:
1/1 /92 through 3/31 /92
BALANCE 1/1/92:
Postage, shipping and permits . . .
Office supplies .................... .
Trailblazer printings ........ . ....
Pre-reunion Expense ...... . . . .
Belle oflouisville deposit ..... .
Gateway computer ... ... .. . .......
TOTAl DISBURSEMENTS ......
0
Mission Bank, Mission, KS- Checking . . . .. . . $ 828
Mission Bonk, Money Market .. . .... . .. . . . .. 18,287
Mission Bank, CD .... . ... . ... .
55,701
Citizens S&l, Eureka, ll-CD ....
3,564
Total beginning balance ... .. . . ............. . . . . $78,380
0
0
0
•••••••••
•••
•••
•••••
••
••
0
0
•
0
•
0
0
••••
•
0
••••••
0
$
••
•
•••
•
•
•
673
23
2,898
180
900
2,545
••
••••••
••
0
0
•
0
0
•
•
•
0
•
•
•••
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
$ 7,219
•••••••••••••••
RECEIPTS:
Regular dues ............
$1 ,121
life merrber dues .. . .......... . .. 732
Associate member dues . . . .. ..
70
History Book sales ...........
Souvenir sales ..... ...
Interest on deposits ........
Reunion registration ...
TOTAl RECEIPTS .......... ..
0
••
0
0
0
•
••
••••
•
•
•
.
-
•
.
•
0
0
•
•••••••
- ••
-
. -
0
•••••••
0
•
•
••
o
22
CLOSING BALANCE 3/31 /92:
•
••
•
•
•
0
•••••
•••
•
$ 1,923
239
248
1,294
1,346
•
•
•
••
••
••
0
0
•
•
•
•
•
0
•
•
•
•
•
•
o
•••••••••
Mission Bank, KS- Checking Account ....... $ 1,075
Mission Bank, KS- Money Market Account .... . 8,282
Mission Bank, KS- Certs. of Deposit ....... .. 56,717
Citizens S & l , Eureka, ll-CD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 137
TOTAl ClOSING BALANCE . .................... $76,211
Minus Reunion registration .....
1 346
ClOSING BALANCE ............. . .... .. .. .. .. $74,865
0
$ 5,050
0
•••
0
0
•
•
0
0
•
•
•
•
•
•
70th Division Assn. TRAILBLAZER
and Changes for the Roster
PASKVAN, Mrs. Charles
13324 West Circle Pkwy.
Apt. 605
Crestwood, IL 60443
SIKORSKI, Mrs. Edward
127 SE 52nd
Portland, OR 97215
WHITE, Mrs. Joe
1606 Woodland Place
Bastrop, LA 71220
TURNER, Neal
201 S. 31st & Chester
Middlesboro, KY 40965
STALEY, Vernon
233 N. Fern Avenue
Stayton, OR 97383
UFFELMAN, Mrs.
Vernon
61 04 Donwood DRIVE
Austin, TX 78759
TILSON, John
Rt. 3, Box 233, Apt. 1
Ogden, 10 50212
WALLS, Paul
217 Blue Ridge Cir.
Belton, SC 29627
BOGART, Wolter R.
413 Giovanni Drive
Nokomis, FL 34275
SV/276
Died April 25, 1992
DAVENPORT, Andrew F.
231 Woodland Avenue
River Edge, NJ 07661
C/882
Died January 28, 1992
DORRIS, Leo B.
5738 W. Hanover
Dallas, TX 75209
570 Signal
Died March 9, 1992
If it was an Army job,
Chet Herren done it!
"I did so good as a Medic that I was
transferred to Field Artillery."
So Chester Herron, 570 Signal, explains
one of his many military moves . . . and
more MOS 's (Military Occupation Specialty) than Planter's has peanuts.
Chet is a pre-Pearl Harbor enlistee. He
put on the uniform Sept. 15, 1941 , at Fort
Sam Houston, Texas, and was a gunner on
a 105mm cannon. Then - by Army logic
- he was made rations clerk for two Field
Artillery Regiments.
After training at the Eighth Army Communications School, he was made Message
Center chief for HQ, 2nd Division. Next
move: On cadre to Camp Howzy, Texas as
Message Center chief.
On special orders from Washington, he
went to the !85th Field Hospital as Chief
Clerk of Registrar. He was in charge of all
admissions and dispositions of patients. It
was then that his good work was rewarded
by his Field Artillery assignment at Camp
Roberts, California.
Summer, 1992
WARD, Mrs. William
73-833 Masson Street
Palm Desert, CA 92240
TOUPS, Irvin
526 Foret Street
Thibodaux, LA 70301
*
*
Taps
WHITE, William
PO Box 285
Rockaway Beach, MO
65740
WOLACH, Hermon
1815 Enclave Pkwy, #3208
Houston, TX 77077
MEARS, Rolph E.
909 Glen Oaks Dr. E.
Spanaway, WA 98387
M/274
.
THOMASSEN, F.G.
Minneapolis, MN
~ied July, 1968
*Complete information
unavailable
After three or four weeks he was again
moved, this time to Camp Adair as Post
Message Center chief. When the 70th was
formed he was assigned to C/274 as an
Infantryman. But the whole company was
soon reclassified and Chet found his predestined niche in the 570th Signal. As Message Center chief there, he trained 45 men.
When the Division went to Fort Leonard
Wood, a lot of those men were transferred
out and Chet had to train new ones.
"I got a new company commander and
we didn ' t see eye-to-eye so I was transferred again - to the 770th Ordnance."
He went overseas with that outfit, served
through to the end of the war and came
home for discharge in October, 1945.
For a real change of scenery, he then
enlisted in the Air Force and became personnel sergeant-major for the 950th Service Group. When his enlistment ended he
worked as driver of an 18-wheeler for one
company for 33 years.
He and his wife Dorothy marked their
50th wedding anniversary last year. "We
like to travel and have done a lot of it. But
lately my legs haven ' t been so good and
we don 't go so far and so often. I was
frostbitten badly at Morhange, France and
the old legs have given me trouble ever
since."
70th Infantry Division
Association
President
Alex C . Johnson
833 N. Carlyle Lane
Arlington Hts., IL 60024
(708) 506-9884
*
Immediate
Post-President
Neal C. Gibbs
11910 Moonlight Rd.
Olathe, KS 66061
(913) 764-0388
*
Past President
Norman J. Johnson
3344 Bryant Ave.
Anoka, MN 55303
(612) 421-7265
*
Vice President-West
Paul E. Thirion
6669 Nicolett
Riverside, CA 92504
(714) 682-2963
*
Vice President-East
Wm. R. Kiefriter
50 Woodhill Dr.
Willow Grove, PA 19090
(215) 657-0212
*
Sec.-Trees.
Louis Hoger
5825 Horton
Mission, KS 66202
(H) 913-722-2024
(0 ) 816-931-4333
*
Asst. Sect.-Treas.
Calvin L. Jones
227 NE lOSth Ave.
Portland, OR 97220
(503) 253-8575
*
Chaplain
L. Donald Docken
170 N. Ruth St., #1005
St. Paul. MN 55119
(612) 735-8325
*
Asst. Chaplain
Rev. Harry Durkee
7739 Via Napoli
Burbank. CA 91504
(818) 767-0794
*
Historians
Donald C . Pence
Carolina Trace
285 Fairway Lane
Sanford, North Carolina 21730
(919) 499-5949
*
Dr. Eugene Petersen
1850 Randy St.,
San Leandro, California 94579
(415) 351-0861
23
NORMAL LIVING FOR NORMAL PEOPLE
The first softball player in Iowa to use
the windmill pitch was the late John
Meshkes, K/274. He has just been inducted
into the Iowa Men's Fast-Pitch Softball Hall
of Fame. "Big John" played for 33 years.
He threw five perfect games and dozens of
no-hitters.
WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE? ...
This photograph turned up in an old "Trailblazer"
file. There is no clue - other than the Axe Head
Patch on the staff sergeant's sleeve - as to who,
where, what. why or wherefore of this picture. If
anyone has any idea, the editor would welcome the
information. (Signal Corps Photo)
*
Edmund C. Arnold
3208 Hawthorne Ave.
Richmond, Virginia 23222
NON-PROFIT
ORGANIZATION
U.S. POSTAGE
THIRD CLASS
PERMIT- 1310
RICHMOND, VA
Forwarding and Return Postage Guaranteed and Address Correction requested