Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 18 December 1944 — Page 8

FARE do —-

TIGERS TURN TAIL—

Superior Nazi

Tanks Quit

~ After 6 Days of Yank Fury

By JACK BELL ~ - Times Foreign Correspondent

WITH THE U. S. 9TH ARMY, Germany” Dec. 18.—This is the story of a battle virtually lost in the shuffle of world-shaking events.

This battle shook the earth of this sector.

It may have shaken

the very foundations of the defensive plan which Germany hopes will

= gecure better peace terms. "It was a tank battle, decisive action,” according to the daily Germans’ radio comment during the six-day action. Well might they « so speak because, for the first time, they massed Tiger tanks against American Shermans. ‘Furthermore, for the first time

‘ they used what was thought to

be the 70-ton King Tiger with its high-velocity barrel, 88-mm. gun, also new and considered the finest in the business. The U. 8. 1st army was moving into Hertgen forest, the U.-8. 3d toward the Saar, thé French toward Strasbourg—all making hot copy and getting the headlines. 80 up here between Geilenkirch= en and Aachen, Jerry threw the might of his panzer units across the Roer and the tremendous struggle went on day and night. But the world looked out the window to the south. n ” ” THE 2d ARMORED division of Maj, Gen, Ernest Harmon sits licking - its wounds, $till wondering how it stopped the mighty “fat man smoking a cigar,” the

doughboys’ description of the Tiger. ' Now that the censorship is

raised, they admit that for four days victory was in doubt. The Germans, instead of their usual plan of waiting for our advance, rolled into the open with guns blazing. Had they smashed the 2d armored divisiori the whole 9th army front, and that of the 1st to the south, would have been thrown into complete confusion. It was Jerry's one great autumn offensive. +8 » » THE 2D ARMORED division threw its entire strength into the six-day battle, tanks, self-propelled guns, artillery battalions, an infantry régiment and all the air power that the weather permitted. Against them were Jerry's famous 9th panzer division, down from the Russian front, and the 15th panzer grenadiers from the late Marshal Erwin Rommel's old Afrika Korps. Both had Tigers for added power, 150 tanks. They were supported by intense ‘massed artillery, infantry and dive bombers. It was a big test of Germany's ability tog go on the offensive again, -» » ~ . AMERICAN tanks cannot beat Germany's in open combat, The Panther and Tiger armor will repel our tank-gun shells, while their 76 and 88-mm. guns will shoot through our best armor. Gen. Isaac White, whose combat command caught most of the Jerry attack, had his tanks knocked out at 3000 yards. Naturally, the danger is greater at close range.

“the largest of the Western front;

the most

“We won because of sheer numbers,” one tank officer said. “Our men had too much will-to-win for Jerry to stomach. “We knew we were licked, tank for tank, but the boys went in in a free-for-all, ganging on the Tiger until they knocked him out.” n » . THE STORIES of some of these battles are sheer’ tragedy. The American crews, drilled to believe that the first ‘to get his

or eight of their shells bounce off the enemy armor. They have been known to crawl out of their tanks and beat the ground with their fists, tears streaming down their cheeks in hysterical despair, “ They then would see a Jerry “88” get the range and pierce a Sherman with one shot, The Sherman is faster and more maneuverable than the Tiger in theory only. In mud, the usual condition here, it will sink half a foot deepar than the Tiger, " » ” TIGERS MOVED across where Shermans were mired, despite the fact that the Tiger is 70 tons, the Sherman half that weight. The Americans won by feinting and sparring. . Each day they fought until dark, then Jerry artillery, with the roads zeroed in, shelled all night so that the Shermans couldn't reassemble easily. Each morning started again, Finally, after Jerry had lost 110 tanks to our Shermans, he limped off, towing the last injured Tigers. It had been a case of who would knock out whom, and he threw in the towel, ® «nn NOW, THE Americans respect ive Tiger and his smaller but still powerful brethren, But they know, given enough Shermans and firm footing, that they can outslug them, “But just the same,” sald Sgt. Louis Weir, Detroit, a Sherman commander, “I want a tank with a 90-mm. gun.” A tank officer nodded approval, as did 30 tank fighters, Then they agreed that they hope the war will end before America builds them.

the slugging

Inc.

HONOR PUPILS LISTED

High honor roll pupils at Crispus Attucks high school for the grade period ending Dec, 4th are Vivian Allen, Thomas Barnett, Lauranne Brown, . . Marjorie Bryant, Lillie Crossland, Charles Hackett, Betty Lyerson, Winifred Parker, Robert

Steward and Ethel Trice.

shot home was the victor, saw six |

A sister act . ine and Edna Roudebush top to bottom) have joined the WAVES. They're at Hunter college, New York City,

. Wilma, Cather(from of Noblesville

now taking boot training. Two Roudebush sons are in the army, one overseas,

SPONSOR VETERANS’ SUNDAY CONCERT

The weekly entertainment at Veterans’ hospital tomorrow night will be sponsored by Hayward-Barcus post No. 55, American Legion. The Christian Men Builders class orchestra of the Third Christian church will give a concert directed by R. C. Miller, Miss- June Marie Sparks, violinist, will be featured with the orchestra, Miss Burdine Egli, accompanied by Miss Eva Jané Clore, will sing a group of numbers. Elmer C. Julien is post commander and Albert Hinkle is entertainment chair-

man,

D. U. V. GROUP NAMES

MRS. STELLA RAIRDON

Mrs. Stella Rairdon is the new president of Catherine Merrill tent No. 9, Daughters of Union Veterans of the Civil war. Other officers are: Mrs. Minnie May Jackman, vice president; Mrs, Nellie MeGinnis, treasurer; Miss Edith Wood, secretary; Mrs, Cora Bernhardt, patriotic Instructor; Miss May Wiley, chaplain, and Mrs. Clemahtine Vanardsdale, delegate to the G. A. R. board Members of the council are Mrs. Charlotte Halter, Mrs. Mary Haley and Mrs, Bell Roberts,

LEAD HONOR PUPILS

Frances Sebanc and James Lines lead 125 high honor pupils at Washington high school with 15'4 and 15 grade points for the second six weeks of the semester.

BENNETT CIRCLE TO MEET

T. W. Bennett circle No. 23, Ladies of the G. A. R., will have a covered dish luncheon and Christmas party at noon tomorrow at Ft. Friendly.

Kk Christmas holiday parties,

THOLIDAY FETES SET AT CENTERS

Parties, Plays and Dances Scheduled in Many Neighborhoods.

plays

and dances scheduled for: com-

Today—Blue Birds’ party at Keystone, 4 p. m.

# Tomorrow—Children’s party at| | Bouth Side, 4 p. Mm. Wednesday—Children’s party at

at South Side, 7:30 p. m.; Youth | Council dance at Douglass and Junior | high school dance at Riley, 8 p. m. Thursday—Grade school . girls’ party at Rhodius, 3:30 p. m.,, Children's parties at Northwestern, Keystone and Christian, 4 p.-m.; Christmas dance at Keystone, 7:30 p. m.; Christmas dance at Hill and high school dance at Riley, 8 p. m. Friday—Grade school boys’ party at Rhodius, 3:30 p. m.; children's parties at Northeast, Douglass and Hill, 4 p. m.; high school boys’ party at Rhodius, 7 p. m., and dances at Brookside and Christian, 8 p. m. Saturday — Children’s party " at Garfield, 2730 p. m.; Youth Council dance at Northeast and Junior Athletic association dance at Keystone,

18 p.m

Dec. 24—Rockette girls’ party at Northwestern,-6 p. m.

Dec. 27—Children’s party at Hill, 4 p. m,; Youth Council party at Douglass, 8p m,

Dec. 29—Formal high dance at Brookside, 8 p. m.

Death, W here Is Thy Sting?

By SGT. CARL RITT Of the Evansville Press

dusk. The rain has ceased.

They always come over at this time. They come in high, and you cannot see them. But you can hear an ominous whine. That is’ the time to get under cover because they come with breath-taking speed. When they are overhead it is useless to run. You cannot escape. You must trust to luck. From far above they dive. The whinning noise rises pitch and volume. crescendo and then . . Damn those mosquitoes.

in It reaches a

COL. DRYSDALE TO SPEAK

Col. Walter 8. Drysdale, former assistant chief of staff to Gen. Joseph Stilwell, will speak on “Experiences in China with ‘Vinegar’ Joe,” at 12:15 p. m. tomorrow before the George Washington Men's club at Washington high school.

POCAHONTAS RECEPTION SET

Pocahontas Council No. 350 will hold a reception at 8 p. m. Wednesday at their hall, 137 W. North st., in honor of Mayme Eichel, Mrs.

Merle Hartlage and Joe Doyle.

munity centers operated by the city | recreation department are as fol- | lows:

Riley, 4-p. m.; girls’ club party at| Rhodius, Tp. m.; Christmas dance |

yard aside.

school

NEW GUINEA (By Mail) ~It is

It's an ideal time for attack.

. SMACK! |

Ready and Waiting. Sth Army Coon 'Love on Yo Roser. “And Local Yank Sets Up Own Little Home in a Foxhole

WITH THEIR EARS and guns cocked, Yanks from the 9th army are. waiting in their fexholes along the Roer river bank in

Germany. They're ready for the

Jerry to star something and they're prepared to start some- Fs thing them- ! selves. . { And waiting there with these men is Lt. Malvin Walker, son of Mr, and

Mrs. H. J. Walker, 3417 Broadway, Indianapolis. - Jack Bell, In- Lt Walker

dianapolis Times foreign correspondent, gives an Intimate account of life on this front. Mr. Bell traveled along a dirty white ribbon, without stepping a This ribbon missed the mines but the tape was blown

aside in one place, The correspondent, however, chose the right course to the foxhole. n n s

THE PATH ran over a soccer field, tennis and basketball courts and a cricket field, he said. An American liaison plane drew four bursts of flak and whizzed over him" at 50-foot level. He ducked behind the pool into

| they did it well,

a cellar where a makeshift quartet. was - trying to set music to “Love on the Roer,” “We Cover the Waterfront” and “It's a Hell of a Beat.” The Nazis built a pool and arena for their Hitler youth and the dispatch said. The arena, appearances to

‘ the contpary, is not of earth but

compen 5.00

of concrete, sod-covered. The swimming pool, a countryclub affair, has a six-foot depth with convenient gunposts at the corners,

- ” ” o TWO IN the area have achieved fame. They have crossed the Roer. Sgt. Cles Bades, Detroit, crossed at Kirchberg on patrol. He had to swim part of the way. “It was cold as ice,” said he.

Pvt. Sammy Flex, St. Augustine, |

Fla., crossed at another spot. Be fore starting he painted, “Berlin or Bust” on a bath towel. He stuck it on a pole on the German side. It read: “Just so you guys can't say I didn't make it.” Kidding predominates there, 50 yards from the Jerries. For example, “Love on the Roer” refers to L -{for- Love -company; “We Cover the Water Front” to the fact that the outfit fought to the river at Kirchberg, and Husenfeld cut, and now are on defense at the pool.

“ARE SNIPERS active?” correspondent asked, “With mortars,” answered Sgt. Wolf Sneiderman, Brooklyn, N.Y. “And they Preak ‘my telephone wires.” “The life of a communications man is sad,” observed Lt. Karl Knechtel, Jeannette, Pa. “They ew the sergeant’'s wire last night, so I tried the walkie-talkie and Jerry cut in-to say, ‘Thanks for the information, pal.’ I hadn't given any.” 5 ao EJ “I WANT to tell the world about Sgt. Joe Bindiki,* one sergeant said. “He's from Shamokin, Pa., the unsung hero of this war,” The others nodded approval. Their interest was obvieus, “We was at Brest, Sept. 16,” the sergeant resumed. “We had a lieutenant - and . three sergeants killed, and many wounded. The shelling was so, heavy that the aid men couldn't move. “But Joe went!

the

Yes, through

“SPEAKING of mysteries,” > t

added Lt. Walker, “what about Joe Doe?” : One night recently, as the company moved up under fire, Pvt. Doe, carrying two field telephones, was lost. The next- night a voice cut in the company telephone. “This is the. soldier lost last

night,” the voice said, and named three of the company. “How do

I get back?”

“Follow the wires from where you tapped in,” he was told.

He hasn't shown up yet. Was

lit Joe Doe or Jerry? It's one of

those little factual foxhole fables

| —with a boy's life at stake,

more fire than we've ever been |

into before. He found Jerry's strength, came back to direct the fire, and we took the damned fort and got our dead and wounded.” “And why nobody medals him, nobody knows,” added Lt. Walker. “That teries of our outfit.”

Send Her Up, Up, Up Inio

Clouds of Rapture

You'd like to pluck stars for her hair—and give her the moon? almost ‘the same thing—when you give her Intoxication—the magic ' ; wr fragrance that spins hearts and turns. heads—that has caught all the Et _ rapture of romance in its hausting Joveligees,

With

kL 4 ¥

Ld os

Fertume. 10.00 and 18.50

Parson

CCR

= » 8 BEFORE going into the Roer sector, Lt. Walker served in

“France, Belgium and Holland. On

July 11, 1044, he was wounded and was in a hospital in England until Sept. 22. He was graduated from Shortridge high schodl, Jordan conservatory and Butler

|. university.

«In his last letter home he wrote

| that he had a candle in the side | wall of his foxhole and straw for

is one of the mys- |

a bed. His task the next day was to hunt a stove on which to cook in his “little home.”

It's >

| with

SOMEWHEF some of the lig up on a 1200-n During its | argot of its owr

active. The Ge billion francs, | cost of the oc ranged to hol sacks goals Just to m maquis sent ] accounting for ized accounts money except visions, ete. 1 for a mere tw gotten lost son

Thousands

ONE OF T gation of the 1 sands of maqu During max adopted “resis

Insic

IT HAPPI Jammed in w 8 man, womar talking. Sudd the woman, |

big Allison er interested spe young WOmMAI head, attemp barrassed girl tom of the ! heard an an know him or P-38 fighter | the cockpit, then he went was more an happened wa a powerful s] is used to fli to bail out. manner, chal plane's twin

Persisten

IT MAY Sam usually

"THE CH man is arte Dr. Howard

Reserve Uni As I poin

says. ‘Are from others question. I on the basi diseases to

Man Mo

IN THIS that man ¢ diseases wh The gre given infect fact that tl whole story light on th