Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 23 January 1945 — Page 11

. 23, 1945 0 La 0 DR 'S PM Mm.

L1-3995

J

EN!

\. M.

nce the r MEN

om vue

»

y Seem or Onl

| Bloody Ground

(Ernie Pyles dispatches from "the Pacific are expected to start in the near future.)

WITH THE 3D ARMORED DIVISION, CHERAIN,

led their tanks and infantry against Sterpigny. They

Belgium, Jan. 20 {Delayed) .—Sterpigny, Vaux, Che- «got several light and one medium tank into the town

rain are not even whistle stops but.they are on the Houffalize-8t. Vith Jighway, west of Gouvy. And

Field Marshal Karl Gerd von Rungdstedt's disillusioned i but not confused armies needed a road on which to move east from the fast closing gap. So, after 13 miles, and as many days, of perhaps the" bitterest fighting since the American‘ troops began counter-offending the coun-ter-offensive Germans, Maj. Gen, Maurice Rose, Denver, Colo, decided we should take them. ' January the 15th is written in the blood of the 3d armored calendar. Lt. Col. Bill Lovelady, Soddy, Tenn., attacked Cherain in the morning. ' The doughboys waded a stream in zero weather, The clothes froze against their bodies, but they went on. The tanks slipped on the icy roads but went on—until they ran into fighting more desperate than any of the units have seen out here. They advanced up a long hill under a rolling arWey barrage, more artillery raining on the town, —-and- ~every-gun-they. had blazing, The Germans instead of ducking: “stood in fox‘holgs against that withering fire and swept the hill with constant small arms and thew dug-in anti-tank guns blazing away. Perhaps no soldiers have known such deadly fire in this war. Col. Lovelady retired from that hillside graveyard with two tanks and a handful of infantrymen. They dug in and waited through the day and night. When they were relieved the aid mén had to cut their shoes, socks and clothing away in sections from their frozen legs.

Infontry From the 83d

COL. LOVELADY assembled a task force of tanks and some infantry from the 83d, the first division trained at Camp Atterbury, Ind. They moved down the road into the valley, and at the bottom the lead tank was knocked out by a mine. A Jerry 83-mm, gun got the last tank in the line. So, blocked at both ,ehds of the column and under cress-fire, they fell victims to Jerry shooting. Just 12 shots were needed on the tanks. Across the snow-covered fields the erews and infantry--what few escaped-—fought their way out to shelter, leaving the Jerries owning Cherain. It was the 15th, too, when Capt. Malcolm Puller, Elmira, N. Y,, and Lt, Thomas Cooper, Henderson, Ky.,

under heavy fire. Then startéd two days of strange and terrible experiences. Into the town came a Panther tank, which proceeded to shoot up all the light tanks. Then came the German infantrymen, ohviously thinking the Americans had fled—and our men waited until they sauntered 20 yards away before dropping them wholesale with rifle fire. The Panther came, seeking more prey. An American tank-gunner hit it with three shells, which bounced off harmlessly, after which the Sherman backed behind a house. -The Panther’'s powerful 88-mm. rifle shot the house down, shot up the tank, and then proceeded to.shoot down house after house, chasing the Americans from one to the next.

Lone Tank Battles 1, Hours

THAT NIGHT, Lt. Robert Annin, East Greenwich, R. I, was the only one of three relief tanks which got into town, picked a good pisition and took up the duel. For 14 hours, until he had used all his ammunition, he kept the Panther in the east end of town, Then, helpless, he bailed out. “And we saw that gun shoot _.an_armer-plercing shell through two walls of the house and both sides,of our tank,” he declared. So, beaten and discouraged, weakened afid freezing, they hit again the next day harder than before. Maj. William Bailey, Toccoa, Ga., and Lt. Col. 8am Hogan, Pharr, Tex. had slipped into Vaux against light opposition. The next day they hit Cherain hard and viciously. Over at Sterpigny, Lt. Col. Walter Richardson, Beaumont, Tex., entrenchid fresh infantry before dawn.

The sun came up, the visibility was good, outpost

observers were alert—and by nightfall 24 German tanks lay shattered in and around the two towns. The artillery and tank destroyers did that great job. But all that day, even with their tanks pinned down or knocked out, the Germans fought from ‘houses and cellars, permitting them to advance only! over dead bodies. I was in Sterpigny and Cherain yesterday, andl the men who hold them now look east to another long, high, ridge running north and south through Gouvy. “There will be a gun-totin’ Kraut behind every bush,” said Sgt. Bob Fairchild, Kansas City, remembering that long night in Sterpigny. “When it comes to plannin’ a defense, they don’t miss.”

(Copyright, 1945, by The Indianapolis Times and The Chicago Daily News, Inc.)

Inside Indianapolis By Lowell Nussbaum

J. B. WADDY, the builder, is in Methodist hospital with a fracture of the back. Mr, Waddy, whose home is out around New Augusta, was up on a ladder a week ago. Saturday, trimming some limbs, when

i one of the limbs knocked the ladder out from under’

him. He fell about 12 feet, fracturing a vertebra. He'll be in a cast several months, but expects to be moved to his home sooh. We just knew we'd get in thouble with that incidental mention of bluejays and spring, right in the same breath, the other day. And sure enough, we did. From various sources, we were reminded that bluejays remain here all winter. Mrs. William Gilliland Jr., Beech Grove, writes that she's had them in her yard all winter. Bhe says her daughters, Nancy and Karen, counted eight red birds during a recent heavy snowstorm. Mrs. Arthur Harbin, who lives south of the city, near the White river, has been feeding six bluejays all winter. Eddie Hall, the printer, says it's the bluebirds —not bluejays—that are harbingers of spring. . . . Most any day- now, sve ought to be hearing about the “first robin,” although some robins—the more foolish ones—stay around all winter. . . . Speaking of appropriate names, we note that Mrs, May Beaver is state manager of the Supreme Forest Woodmen Circle, New Busses? Later! IN CASE YOU, TOO, have been wondéring when the street railway is going to get those 25 new busses, here's the dope. We asked Harry Reid yesterday, and he said: “Maybe 10 or 15 early in May. We don't expect any before then.” What's holding them up? War plant priorities, particularly in the case of bearings, which are needed on tanks. . . . Anniversaries are going to occur ‘in#m group in the Herb Elliott family. Herb, manager of Lieber's photo finishing

World of Science

IRRESPECTIVE of when the war with Japan comes to an end, the United States will have to depend upon synthetic rubber for the next four or five years. That is the opinion of Dr, John T. Blake, director of research of the Simplex Wire & Cable Co. Cambridge, Mass. During those years he expects that advances in the field of synthetic rubb¥r will be so great that the material will remain: as a permanent competitor to natural rubber, Regarding the plantations of the Far East, now in Japanese hands, Dr. Blake states In a report to the American Chemical society, “It is doubtful that the plantations ares coming back very quickly and even if they could, they will not be able to supply our needs for several years, “I do not believe that matural rubber will "be a free commodity for four or five years even though our supplies increase appreciably. The supply will be under allocation by Washington to be used where it is definitely superior to synthetic rubber.”

Possibilities Expanding

DR. BLAKE'S OPINION matches that which. I have received from other sources. The most optimistic authorities think it will take at least two years to recondition the plantations after they are wrested from the Japanese, Meanwhile, the possibilities of synthetic rubber are constantly expanding. , It is a well known fact that the government

My Day

WASHINGTON, Monday. — Yesterday afternoon I went to the cathedral for the service held under the auspices of the Federation of Churches of Christ in America, in collaboration with the cathedral. The service itself seemed to me a very fine and fitting one for the times in which we live, but the sermon made a particularly deep impression . on me, .

The clergyman, Dr Peter Mar- + shall of the New York Avenue Presbyterian church, told us, first; to face our shortcomings as a people; our complacency, our apathy, our pride’ in our own achieve nents. Thén he reminded us that

requisite to peace, and humbleness is a necessary attribute: without which there can be no. righteousness. He added that we must have peace

“at home if we hoped to help bring ‘peace in the world.

L a re is only one why to have peace ‘at home, and t 1s for the individual who wants peace not just Sean of the but fo reale that the

. righteousness is always a pre-

plant, was married Eatinday to Mary Edith Risies.| Besides being their wedding day, it also was the birthday of both the bride and groom. Incidentally, it was the birthday of two who attended the ceremony, K. T. Brock and John Kleinhenz. . , , Note to Mrs. Thelma Vaughn, 2235 Bloyd ave.:

by the censor is Metz. . . .'Sign on the cigar counter at Haag’s, 22d and Meridian: “Sorry—No cigarets —no stoops or under the counter, either, Be a good sport—SMILE.”, . . Speaking of cigarets,. Mrs. Ray Ankers, 1701 N. Illinois, says she never thought she'd see the day when Camel's prewar advertising slogan— I'd walk a mile for a camel—would come true. ., . The" Speedway Lions club is getting ready for its annual minstrel show. They're going to give it two nights this year—March 22 and 23, Johni Wilson is director and general chairman, while Pred Greene is businessemanager.

‘By Jack Bell

Cooper went for help. Lt.|

The name | of that city mentioned by your husband but deleted |

SECOND SECTION

T probably. would be futile, and might be stepping on a lot of toes, to say that this or that war job is the most important. Aircraft workers wouldn't take a back. seat to the tank builders.

workers. Nor vice. versa, But everyone will agree that many a war machine—be it a tank™ truck or engine-=has its beginnings not in the factory

in foundries. o ” FOR IT IS in the foundry that ore from the mines and ‘the scrap salvaged from everywhere are -melted together and poured White hot in the molds. - There it hardens into hundreds” of different parts for all kinds of battle vehicles. That is why the foundry — where the long lines of war production really begin—is looked on as one of our most important war industries. A glance in the big National Malleable & Steel Castings Co. plant here, at 546 N. Holmes st. shows why it is regarded as ‘one. of the most important cogs in war production, > ” 2 ABOUT 80 per ceht of the parts being made there are gok ing into heavy trucks like those in the famous “Red Ball” "sys- | tem that is delivering the goods to our armies in France right now. National Malleable keeps feeding those parts to the truck mak-

o

»

Nor bombsight makers to truck

~where-it—is-finally-assembled. hut...

TUESDAY, JANUARY 23, 1945

HELP WANTED: TO FORGE THE SINEWS OF WAR HERE—

National Malleable Needs More Men

Miss Martha Fon, a shipping clerk, sitting on a pile of castings for the “Weasel,” demonstrates a big tank wrench.

ers, but the cry constantly is for “more.” Trucks wear out faster at the fronts. Many are batte casualties. And the closer our armies get to victory, the longer our supply lines are stretched. » »

TO HELP meet the increasing demand for truck parts, the war production board and war man-

pdwer commission have given National Malleable the green light to add 120 more workers. About 775 are working at the big plant now. A lot of them are working overtime, at time and one-half pay. “And there's plenty of overtime work for everyone,” added Raymond 8, Davis, head of the plant.’ “Many are working 55 and 60 hours a week.”

‘sentially the same as what we

: ployment

‘the employees

eo

NATIONAL MALLEABLE' is one of the city’s oldest industries, not a “wat baby.” “There will be plenty of work to. be done here when the war ends,” - Mr. Davis said, “because what we are making nowt is es-

make in peacetime. “Our post-war prospects for furnishing jobs "look very good because the public will be so anxious to buy automobiles, farm implements and other such products for which we make parts, severely curtailed by war.” . 3 » : ; ~—AS-PROOF-of-the-plant's_em. stability, Mr. Davis pointed out that 30 per cent of belong to the plant service club's. 15-year category. The oldest employee is Henry Theis, now a watchman, who has worked theré 62 years. The back-breaking work of the old-time foundry has been dis placed in many instances, by la-bor-saving devices. A “buggie,” an ingenious three-wheel truck, delivers the hot metal to: the molders, saving them much carrying. Likewise, there are the pots of molten metal, brought

from the furnace by an overhead rail to _the spot where it is to be poured into the molds. » »

NATIONAL MALLEABLE works in two’ eight-hour shifts, paying bonuses for the work starting in later hours of the day. It furnishes shower rooms and lockers. A cafeteria provides hot meals at “very reasonable” prices from 5 a. m. to 9 p. m. The plant is in urgent need of 75 men as laborers, 10 rough grinders, 17 machine molders, 11 coremakers, 5 millwrights and four women to work in the office. Applicants shoud inquire at the U. S. employment Service, 257 W. Washington st.

De Molay Rites Set for Monday; Fryar Takes Role

HAROLD FRYAR will play the leading ‘role of Jacques De Molay at initiation ceremonies Monday

Hitchhiking Haven

BOB FESSLER, the insurance man, has an idea which he thinks would relieve the evening rush hour transportation problem. It’s easy to pickup riders going down in the morning, says Bob, but in the evening, it’s not so easy. You don't know, for instance, which ones are Waiting for which bus, Bob's idea “is ‘to paint bus names on the sidewalk and have people wanting rides to stand in the proper spof. For instance, in front of the Board of Trade building, they could paint one spot for Speedway busses, another for N. Meridian. Then the motorist would know who wanted rides and who was going where. It might work. .-. "The Century club of the Christian Men Builders class of the Third Christian church is starting .its 11th year of service to underprivileged children needing glasses. To date, the club has bought more--than 2500 pairs of glasses for local “school pupils. It has the co-operation of the school nurses, board of health and local gptometrists. The glasses are purchased with funds raised by ‘the club's $3 membership fee. Every membership fee buys a pair of glasses. Membership is open to the public.

By David Dietz

program was “frozen” to GR-S or the butadeinestyrene type of synthetic rubber only because we knew how to make it and because it mixed well with natural rubber. The emergency was upon the nation and action had to be swift and decisive. Since then, many laboratoriés have developed new types of synthetic rubber that for special purposes are Better than GR-S rubber and in many instances are superior to natural rubber,’ But there is. still a real demand for a synthetic rubber that can equai natural rubber in all respects.

Chance to Make Good

COMMENTING on this phase of the situation, Dr. Blake says, “The industry has four-or five years in which to make good. By this I mean the production of material that will serve as a general purpose synthetic. “There will always be a demand for the specialty synthetic rubbers that are definitely superior to natural rubber. In effect, the synthetic rubber industry is. only” two years old, and when we see the amaging~~ technical‘ improvements A that have

occurred in this period of time I have hopes that |.

in the four or five years allotted to it without competition that all this may be accomplished.” He points out that much research is now going on with synthetic rubbers made of butadeine but in which something other than styrene is used ,as the

co-polymer. Among those now under study, he says,

are co-polymers of butadeine and vinyl pyridine. The molecule of natural rubber consists of chains of smaller molecules of a substance known as isoprene. Researches are now being conducted in the synthetic production and the polymerization of isoprene. This would be a synthetic rubber which chemically would come much closer to natural rubber,

. By Eleanor Roosevelt

desire must translate itself into daily action. Peace must enter into our business life and influence our contacts with every individual in the community. The old democratic teaching of the value of the individual human being, regardless of race, creed or color, and the need for equality of opportunity will have to be accepted before peace will come at home or abroad. This is a hard lesson for us to accept, and yet it must be learned before we can hope to accomplish anything on a world-wide basis.

At this morning's press conference, Miss Charl |

Williams told the story of the Roster of American women, and answered questions about it. This roster, or list, was compiled as a result of a meeting held in the White House to include all the wo! list which will be a

at 8 p. m, in the Sahara Grotto home, 4107 E. gu 2 Washington st. ° Si Approximately 100 candidates will be initiated for the degree and Alvin Light, recently installed monarch, will be honor guest. Dale . T. Diefenderfer, “dad” of the Indianapolis De Molay chapter,

Harold Fryar and Hugo Klingstein, ritualistic direc-

tor, planned the event. Refreshments will be served after the ceremonies.

WOODMEN'S CIRCLE TO HEAR SPEAKERS

A fieldworker’s meeting of the Supreme Forest Woodmen circle will be held today through Thursday in the Lincoln hotel. Speakers will include Mrs. Dora A. Talley, national president; B. P. Collins, educational supervisor, and Eugent Pakes, all of Omaha, Neb. A special examination for local workers of Ramona Grove 63 will be given. Those taking the test are Mrs. Rose Green, Mrs. Myrtle Turpin and Mrs. Margaretta Decher.

Cpl. Lou LeTellier:Jr., a member of the 106th infantry division, is safe at a rest camp in Belgium, according to a letter received yesterday by Miss Betty Hester, 20311 W. Washington st. Cpl. LeTellier, whose home is in South Carolina, is with the engineers’ section of the 106th. His letter was written Jan. 6.

CPL. LOU LETELLIER | SAFE AT REST CAMP

CHRISTMAS IRONY BEFALLS HEROIC EXPLOIT—

Mine Snuffs Out Snuffy’s Life

By B. J. M'QUAID Times Foreign Correspondent IN THE ARDINES, Belgium, Jan. 23.—Snuffy Hughes, one of the most colorful and best loved characters in the 7th armored’ division is dead. Snuffy got it in the battle of Manhay early Christ“mas morning. Censorship regulations until now precladed mention of the casualty. They have “prohibited identificatie®t of Capt.

Hughes as the light tank company “Mayor of

commander who as Gouvy-Station” resupplied an entire division with stores. of the huge 1st army dump. The division was cut off in the first hours of Field Marshal Karl Gerd Von Rundstedt's drive. ” ” ” AT ONE TIME 'the 7th armored’s- magnificent effort-in placing itself athwart the main routes

Abdullah to Speak At Lourdes’ Forum

CAPT. ACHMED ABDULLAH, wellknown as a teller of strange tales and a wordweaver of fan< tastic romance, will speak at the Bernadette forum of ‘Our Lady of Lourdes church at 8 p. m. Thursday in

Howe high school auditorium, His subject will be “Why Must There Be Critics?” Wil

liam J. Betz, forum president, will preside. The second English author to be crowned by the French academy, Capt. Abdullah wrote “Thief of Bagdad,” “Lives of a Bengal Lancer,” “British Agent” and many other tales.

Capt. Abdullah

Up Front With Mauldin

NR [A

J

Q “

N| !

NN

ey

WB

.| Indianapolis, ship 42, will honor the

of German advance in the St. Vith - Recht = Beho region was

threatened with nullification. ~~

The division itself faced. annihilation due to its loss -of 80,000 gallons of gasoline and 30,000 rations, That was nen Snuffy—whose

— rightful title was Capt. Walter Jh a ve ~~ Hughes, Surveyor, W. Va.—Recon-

stituted his famous “Blueball Express.” The Blueball Express was what he called his light tank company whenever it had to be employed as a combat train to run supplies and ammunition under heavy enemy fire to sustain other forward elements. » o In one action on the Roer river front, Snuffy’s boys ran the “Express” between Geronsweiler and Lindern, to supply medium tank units which had driven into Lindern to relieve trapped infantrymen, only to be cut off themselves. But the Gouvy Station job, which he did only a few days before his death, was Hughes’ greatest triumph. Not only did ‘he shove his light tanks down the highways from Beho—which were supposedly con= trolled by powerful SS panzer forces—=but he kept these routes open for three days. ” ” » HE ORGANIZED a defensive system around Gouvy and made so much noise that the Germans delayed their approach until they had gathered immense forces to attack what seemed like a whole armored division. By the time the Germans felt strong enough to seize Gouvy, Snuffy was gone and so were most of -the supplies of the -1st army depot. Every man in the 7th armored was walking around with a big box of 10-in-1-rations under each arm and the name Snuffy Hughes was again on every lip. = ” ” » HUGHES was killed when his tank ran over one of our own mines, hastily laid south of Manhay as our forces, who had penetrated several thousand yards south ‘of the village on Dec. 24, decided to pull back to Manhay and hold the line, Just as the withdrawal began, the Germans sneaked into town with captured American Sherman

A

NAVY CLUB AUXILIARY TO FETE GRADUATES

The Navy club auxiliary, U. 8. 8.

”

February graduating class of the naval training -school, 30th st. and White river. A dinner-dance will be given Friday evening in the Y. M. C. A. auditorium. Mrs. J. D. Young and Mrs. C. A. Fields, are in charge. They will be assisfed by Mesdames Hubert Allen, A: W. Miller, Harry Collins, Hubert Wahn and Bertha Wegner. The Kitchen band will provide entertainment under the direction of Mrs. Helen Wise and Mrs. Stella Sears. Miss Prieda Wegner is commandant of the chapter.

i EASTERN STAR TO MEET ‘Nettie Ransford chapter,’ 464, 0. E. 8, will meet at 8 p. m. tomorrow in Prather Masonic temple.

Degrees will be conferred and a | social hour will be in charge of Mrs.

tanks and tank destroyers, mask-ing-a strong force of their own Tiger Royals, . Penetration was through an area loosely held by outfits not attached to the 7th armored, but anyone might have been caught by such a ruse. Combat command A's forces, primarily from the 40th tank battalion, were badly shot up and forced to evacuate. » » ” HUGHES, outposting the left flank some distance to the south-

east, found his main routes of withdrawal cut by the enemy surprise penetration. He tried to get his outfit back through open fields. In one of ‘these his tank ran over the mine. Gloom pervaded division headquarters when word of Snuffy’s death got about. In the army several years “before the war, Hughes had risen from the enlisted men’s ranks. Before that he had worked in the West Virginia coal mines. He had the G. I. philosophy all the way through.

” s LJ

One story everyone told on Christmas day concerned his beseeching, agonized phone cgll to Capt. Malcolm O. Allen during the Lindern exploit, when the Blueball Express was running assistance to Allen's beleaguered tanks. At one juncture several of Snuffy’s tanks, caught under a withering barrage on the road from Geronswiler, had to leave the highway and take shelter. Snuffy pleaded with Allen to send some of his forces to their assistance.

THEIR conversation, on an open circuit, was Héard by many of their brothers-in-arms, who, despite the gravity of the situation, exploded mirthfully when Snuffy, his patience exhausted by Allen's methodical approach to the problem, blew up with: “Goddam it, quit the double talk and stop blowing smoke in my eyes. It ain't me that’s asking you for nothing. Them’s my boys out there. Them’'s My Boys!”

|

{ |

* HANNAH ¢

Tomorrow's Jo Speedup in. War Surplus Sales Sought

By ROGER W. STUART

WASHINGTON, Jan. 23~Increasing public demands, partic: ularly among industrialists anc

“ business ‘ groups, for changes in

surplus property disposal regula - tions to speed up distribution of marketable goods are meeting with quiet but nonetheless stubborn resistance in congress. The surplus property act, passed last fall after a three-months bat tle, has been criticized by many persons, in the government and out. Feeling amaqng the lawmak-

ers; NOWever -seems-to- be that. Pihiereapro

fundamental changes are needed yet.

The act, they insist, is all right —that the disposal problem now is largely one of an \ administrative . nature.

Meanwhile, constantly mount - ing inventories reported by the five government disposal agencie(already more than a billion dol- - lars’ worth of gocds have been aeclared surplds, but only a fraction sold) are causing representa - tives of industry to shake tieii heads in dismay. » » BOTH THE treasury department’s procurement office anc thé RFC have come in for severe criticism because of mounting inventories. A hearing by the senate small business committee brought a sharp rebuke to the former agency for failing to dispose of goods more rapidly and concluded with the statement that it is unwise for any surplus

iy agency to increase inventories at

this time.

As for the new three-man surplus property board, ome of ffs first acts will be to set up regulations” governing “preferences to be accorded veterans, municipalities, and other groups seeking _ goods. :

Although the act as adopted by congress specifically mentioned that veterans were to be assisted to engage in business and agricuiture “by affording such veterans suitable preferences . . . in the acquisition of the types of surpius property useful in such enterprises,” it was left up to the board to issue regulations implementing this provision. 3 s = =»

~ AS YET the board has not done

s0. Former Senator Guy M. Gillette (D. Iowa), the third member named, was, of course, sworn in only last week.

Meanwhile, many complaints have been received at the office of surplus property administration: that veterans seeking surplus items—particularly trucks—have been denied them.

In answer to a query, a spokesman said that only established dealers with repair equipment are permitted to ‘buy trucks at the moment, but that the new board's forthcoming regulations “will clear this matter up.” :

We, The Women Romances of

War Prisoners Hurt Morale By RUTH MILLETT THE ARMY is blocking the marriage of a 19-year-old White Plains, N. Y, gurl who has an nounced her engagement to ar Italian prisoner of war. For the sake of the morale of American sol. diers fighting the war to a finish, the romance = itself should have been blocked. G. 1. Joe hasn't seen his American girl in: months or maybe. years. And while he is fighting in the cold and enduring hardships that American girls back home can't even comprehend, a war prisoner has had the opportunity to meet, woo, and win an American girl, ss & »

SUCH NEWS is bound to make G. I. Joe think we folks back home know nothing of the Tealities of ,war, And who can blame him if he isn't a sucker fo ‘suffer and fight month after endless month while the war prisoners who are shipped back to this country are allowed to make the acquaintance