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Show Service News and Notes From The Mail Bag Page Three THE CENTERVILLE NEWSETTE September, 1945 . . . Ruth Adams writes from Germany: This is something Ive been going to do for some time letting you know how much I enjoy the Newsette. Theres nothing I like better than opening one of moms letters with a Newsette enclosed full of pictures and news about the old home town. Since the war ended weve been here at a former Luftwaffe rest center in the Bavarian Alps. Its beautiful with a large lake surrounded by green mountains. When the weather permits everyone goes all out for swimming and sailing. The hospital is set up in buildings now, and so far we havent been too busy. Its good to relax and have a few modern conveniences and comforts in caring for patients. Field life was rough and hectic, but I think we were never closer than when sharing such discomforts. As for the pts. they were wonderful. Theres none quite like our boys. Weve taken care of them all, but give us a Yank any time. They can certainly take it. Right now were sweating out the point system I have 69. I dont know just where that puts me, but I do know theres no place like the good old U. S. A., and I would love to be there. Wishing you the best of luck in keeping these Newsettes coming. From Linz, Austria, writes Jim Kirkham: If I would have written you the first time I told myself I should, it would have been after I received my first issue of this wonderful Newsette. Why I havent written before I wont attempt to explain. Just laziness I guess. The reason Im writing now is to give you a bit of information about myself and try to exrepress my appreciation for ceiving this remarkably swell link between me and my many friends in the little community I still call my home town, even though my dogtags now read Provo, Utah. To me the Newsette is irreplaceable. The only substitute I could think of for it, would be to have each of you folks write me a letter every month, then multiply that by the eighty some odd servicefolk from Centerville that would want the same thing and its obvious how impossible that would be. The Newsette is a little paper doing a gigantic job of morale building for its hometown boys. Im proud of it, and many an envious buddy agrees that such pride is well justified. Im now about twenty miles from where my division, the 65th, met the Russians the day before the end of the war here in the ETO. Linz, second largest city of Austria, has not suffered the devastation that other European cities have; consequently, it has retained most of its picturesque scenes and quaintness. If it hadnt been for the adverse conditions in which I saw Europe, it would probably have interested me no end. As it is, I am very much fed up and disgusted with it. Im anxious to leave it now. One thing my travels through this continent has done for me, is emphasized in an unforgettable way what a wonderful nation America is and what a wonderful people and government thrive there. Ill thank God the rest of my life that I was born an American. Of course, there is a brighter side of things over here, too. is the possibility One high-ligthat I might get the opportunity to take a seven-da- y furlough to either London, Paris, the Riviera, or Switzerland. Im very anxious about this deal and hope I am at lucky enough to get a chance it. If I do, then Ill have something of a more pleasant nature to talk about when I get home. Again, thanks a million for the Newsette. ht Warren Tingey Is Civilian Again oldest servicemen in length of service, is back in civilian clothes after almost five years. Warren Barney Tingey, who served as is-a platoon sergeant on several lands in the Pacific, has received an honorable discharge, having of One Centervilles 102 points. Warren has been in the service of his country longer than any other Centerville youth, if you count his days in the Home Guard. He joined the Guard along with Wendell Nessen and Ed White December, 1939. March 3, 1941, soon after President Roosevelt inaugurated Selective Service he joined the U. S. Army and was stationed at San Luis Obispo, Calif. Other bases in the United States at which he was on duty were: Fort Lewis, Washington; Burbank, Calif., and Camp Hahn, Calif. Overseas, Sept. 3, 1942, he was at Kuai, Hawaiian Islands, and took part in campaigns on several of the Pacific isles, among them, Luzon and Mindanao, in the Philippines, in which he took part in the invasion; New Britain, Mindoro, Davao, Leyte, Ellice Islands, Guadalcanal, and a a rock in the Marianas. On Davao they organized a Saint church group, and six Mormons and two visitors attended the first meeting, and 15 attended the second meetating. On New Britain they tended church services at one of the L D S chapels. It was also on New Britain that Warren got together quite a bit with Robert Latter-da- y Wilson. He also met his brother, Wesley, and Tom Linge, on Luzon. Warren said he didnt have too many experiences to relate, only that he was glad to be home, and he expressed his thanks for getting the Newsette while he was down there. Max Rich Awarded Medal In Germany Lt. Col. Maxwell E. Rich has been awarded the silver star for gallantry in action while serv- .. ing as comman- der of the 730th field artillery battalion in Germany, 12. April According to the citation Max . Ra-pe- n, entered the Ger- man town alone on a reconnais- mission sance and located excellent positions for his battalion. .He returned wlth theGnr Lt. Col. Rich man prisoners. Max left for active duty with attery D of the 145th field of the Utah national guard n March, 1941. He had previously been awarded the bronze ar-ille- ry Shcral Rigby Awarded Air Medal We quote the following: Mrs. Horace Rigby, Centerville, Utah. Dear Mrs. Rigby: Recently your son, Corporal Sheral T. Rigby, was decorated with the Air Medal. It was an award made in recognition of courageous service to his combat organization, his fellow American airmen, his country, his home and to you. He was cited for meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flights in the Southwest Pacific area from March 13, 1945 to May 11, 1945. Your son took part in sus- tained operational flight missions during which hostile contact was probable and expected. These flights included bombing missions against enemy installations, shipping and supply bases, and aided considerably in the recent successes in this theater. Almost every hour of every day your son, and the sons of other American mothers, are doing just such things as that here in the southwest Pacific. Theirs is a very real and very tangible contribution to victory and to peace. I would like to tell you how genuinely proud I am to have such men as your son in my command, and how gratified I am to know that young Americans with such courage and resourcefulness are fighting our countrys battle against the Japanese agressors. You, Mrs. Rigby, have every reason to share that pride and gratification. Sincerely, George C. Kenney, General, United States Army, Commander. Domnick Divino Visits At Home Pfc. Domnick Divino, of the 15th army, visited his grandparents recently from the Fitzsimmons General Hospital, Denver, where he is convalescing from wounds received in the European sector. Domnick went overseas Feb. 7 of this year and spent most of his time in the Saar Basin, near Aachen, Saarbrucken, etc. It was near Saarbrucken, May 14, six days after the Germans had surrendered, that Domnick was wounded. He relates that he was driving ton truck with geant and two of his One if his buddies, by was a Mormon from Alma J. Gough. The truck hit an a 212 the ser- buddies. the way Murray, anti-personn- el mine, Domnick says, And my two buddies were hit by the explosion, but the Sarge and I were uninjured. My two buddies were hurt quite badly, and losing blood rapidly. We had to back the truck up to get out of the way of the mine and we ran into a 35 pound box mine. I was thrown 15 feet into the air, and was unconscious for 3 minutes. When I came to and discovered myself on the ground, I tried to get up, but realized my leg was broken, so I had to crawl. Domnick was wounded in the thigh, the shoulder, and for some time could not see out of his left eye, as it was hurt. He continued, Some German civilians took us to a battalion aid station, and the captain ordered stretchers for us. The captain ignored me and went over to my buddies stretchers and asked them how they were getting along. My buddies answered, Were okay, but that guy over there is in worse condition. Youd better attend to him first. Oh, hes dead, the captain was reported to have answered. But Domnicks buddies assured the captain he wasnt dead. The captain walked over and nudged Domnick and the latter woke up. They then gave him some morphine. Domnick was transported by ambulance to a hospital adjoining his outfits camp. That was where Domnick said he hated to leave because the nurses were so And the leader good to him. in my outfit came over to visit me several times; Domnick was there 12 days and then went by 7 to Rheims, France. He stayed at a hospital there for a few days, and they told him he was heading for the states. The next day they transported him to another hospital C-4- Turn to page jour |
