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Show ( THE RICH COUNTY REAPER, RANDOLPH, UTAH With Ernie Pyle at the Front Unit Is Very Proud of Its Guns Tank-Destroy- er Combat Team Confident; Differs Little From Battle-Trie- d Outfit By Ernie Pyle SOMEWHERE IN ENGLAND. I went out the other day with a tank destroyer unit.' They have been over here long enough to fortti an opinion of English weather but you cant print it in a nice newspaper like this. It was the first time in ages I had been with a combat outfit which had not yet been in battle. There isnt$ so much difference as you might with them on maneuvers. But when think. The really I spoke of our best ration the -l noticeable differ- field ration they had never heard ence is their ea- of it. gerness to get a They have been working hard crack at the Jersince they bit England. Theyve ries. After they made long night trips and done have been cracka lot of practice firing and some- ing at them a few times they have to work as late months theyll be 10 oclock at night. as just as eager to When I saw them they were let somebody else making preparations for moving have a turn at it. overseas. It takes a lot of work But outside of to get your equipment ready that they talk for an move. amphibious and act about the Theyve worked so hard they .same as men who have been in com-ba- t. havent had time to get bored. They cuss a lot, razz each There are some American outother about their home states, comfits that have been here for two plain about the food, take great years without action, and there pride in their guns, and talk about are Canadians who have been how they wish they were home, just marching up and down for four as though they had been away for years. How theyve kept from years. going nuts is beyond me. toThis unit has been training gether for nearly two years. The commander of the They dont yet realize what a battalion I have been visitterrific advantage that gives Col. Joseph Deeley of is Lieut. ing as but will realize it them, they Sheboygan Falls, Wis. He used to soon as they are in battle. mill there. I like run a fireThey are a vast team of toward things. his attitude of of dozens power composed When I first showed up he was little teams, each one centering A marine cook who has seen front handcourteous but he made perfectly These men belong to the civil affairs group, made up of around one gun. They have done line action is Chief Cook W. William plenty sure I had proper credentials picked officers and enlisted men of the British and American armies, H. McKinley, 26, of Thomaston, Ga. it so long they know automatiand what not. As he said, they have which will follow hot on the heels of allied invasion forces to restore cally what to do. They all know McKinley abandoned his victuals on had plenty of security preached into free government in liberated areas and do the actual governing out- Tulagi to blast Japs from their every man on the team and C. Diggs, public works them back home, and this indeed is right in Germany. At top left is Maj. John they know his personality and he and critical isnt communication a officer; lower caves. taking period how he will react. They have officer: top right, Capt. Allan Westervelt, Lieut. Stephen right, any chances. faith in each other. Only those left, Maj. Benjamin Scheinman, legal officer;alllower of whom are especially But once he had assured himself Ware, These officer. men, assistant who have fought know what conlegal I was all right he called in his ser- qualified by former occupations, are now training in Great Britain. fidence that produces. around to told them go geants and and tell their men they were perA typical gun commander is free to show me any and all Missimo fectly Sergt. Dick Showalter, (535 S. Ghar-ke- r equipment they had and talk to me St.) Muncie, Ind. I have a spe- as freely as they wanted to. cial reason for mentioning him. For As 1 told him later I dont while I was talking with a group of think he need have bothered. scldiers he came up and introduced For these boys, approaching himself and said:. war for the first time, pumped home I married a girl from your me so thoroughly on what war town. is like that I hardly got a chance Now things like that are always to ask any questions of them. nine that to me, except happening Maybe Ill have to write some 'times out of ten the people are security regulations of my own mixed up. People will come up and Who just out of say, Dont you remember me? I war. this is devil the reporting used to deliver papers at your house. And it will turn out they lived in a town I had never heard One company commander, Capt. of, and were thinking of two other Charles Harding, of Olmsted Falls, fellows. near Cleveland, had just had a letWhen Sergeant Showalter said he ter from home telling him to keep 'had married a girl from my home an eye out for me. He figured that town I slightly arched my handsome in a war this big our paths would never cross, but they did. eyebrows and said, Yes? GOP presidential candidate, Gov. Yes, he said. I married Edna l-Another Ohioan came up and inJohn Bricker of Ohio, helps Mrs. Kuhns. troduced himself. This was Pfc. with was raised Bricker to army chow during their I of (6711 Why, I said, James Francis McClory k gathered a group or orphaned Chinese visit to the Indiantown Gap Army Madame Chiang .the Kuhns kids. They lived just Guthrie street) Cleveland. McClory the new Chinese war orphans home, across the fence from our farm is what is aptly known in the bat- girls around her when she visited ceremonies at the institution. The reservation as part of the program attend to opening near Chungking, of the governors conference held in 'Ive known them all my life. talion as a "character. He used to of them too young to understand the reason for their Pa. Thats what I said, said Ser- be a prize fighter. Being in the children, many are some of the millions who roamed over the countryside Hershey, world of pugilists, he suffering, d geant Showalter. And then we left towns. , the crowd and sat on the grass has a great affinity for apes. Theres after the war had struck their leaning against a rock. an almost human ape at the zoo in a Sergeant Showalter worked in fac- nearby city which McClory goes to tories before the war. He has been see every time he gets a pass. He commander of his gun for more than calls him Alfred the Ape, and a year and a half. He is a small says he sure wishes he could take fellow, quiet, serious, conscientious, him back to Cleveland. and extremely proud of his crew and McClory used to work for the of the way they take their responsi- Cleveland Welding company, which bility. When I asked him made bicycles. One of Showalters best buddies what he did he said, Oh, I was just in his crew is Pfc. Bob Cartwright a hod knocker. of Daytona Beach, Fla. He is a You can kid lots with McClory. cannoneer a small, reddish, When I went to write down his name fellow. in front of it, and Whats I put Sergeant to When we met I said, no. Id never get 50 he said, No that youve got in your mouth? lasted war if the be a sergeant He grinned and said, Chawin vearS I tobacco. Which was just what So I said, Well, Corporal then. thought it was. But he said, No, I aint even got He manages to keep well stocked sense enough to be a corporal. by trading stuff with boys who donjt So I said, Well, we simply can t chew. Bob is very young. He didnt have you a private. What would the know much when he came into the McCloys of the world think with army, but Showalter says hes the you only a private? best there is now. So we compromised and made him a pfc. As I said the boys are very proud McClory is one of those guys who of their guns. They say theyve are good for the morale of an had fine training and lots of prac- outfit. He is always doing or saytice on moving targets. They say ing something funny. And he is a that on direct fire they can hit a good soldier. He is one of the kind moving tank at about a mile and who are fanatically loyal. almost never miss. Theyre anxious He has a great affection for his to get at it and get it over with and company commander, Capt. John Fawndale road) get back home. on Jay Kennedy of (15 when some Once They know it wont be easy Mass. the other side. Theyre living rough Roslindale, threw Candidate for the title of the fire McClory caught now but they know it will be lots gasoline on the captain and knocked man in the American shortest himself him Pacific area is Private in the rougher pretty soon. the way, of saving out army As they say, the chow is bad him serious injury. Another time, tfi O. Clark Carl is until (Jeep), 19, of Sanford, shaU We victory from fight The symbol of the crossed hands is here compared to what it was in when Captain Kennedys mother was Mo. Standing five feet flat, he meet during a fiesta given by Laguna Pueblo America, but they dont complain very ill, McClory took the last mon- ours. as three warofleaders that he can do a man-size- d Kirtland at proves are 60 Chinese pilots who training honor in Indians too much because they know its goto home heavy guns is part of ey he had and telegraphed near Albuquerque, N. M, The officer on the right is Brig. Gen. job. Loading Field, said mass a ing to get worse. to have work. days K his own parish Roger M. Ramey. mother. They know they'll be on C and the captains for rations, and theyve had experience 10-in- . tank-destroy- wool-cardi- er ng Brickers Attend Meet and Her Orphans li' Kai-she- horny-hande- Indians Entertain Chinese Air Cadets . good-natur- ed 99 Smallest Yank |