The sun. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1937-1972, January 12, 1945, Image 2
Washington, D. C.
NO MILITARY ERROR
Those close up. to the war picture
are convinced that aside from faulty
intelligence, there was no one single
military error which brought on the
swift and disastrous German break
through.
Undoubtedly some intelligence of
ficers will be disciplined or broken
for failing to evaluate the concentra
tion of German troops opposite the
First army about a week before
hand. But there were other factors
contributing to the reverse, none of
which can be laid at the doorstep
of a single commander. Basically
they are factors which only General
Eisenhower and General Marshall
themselves could properly evaluate
and act on.
Here are some of the inside, basic
factors involved:
1. General Marshall himself
ordered the C. S. offensive which
began November 8, and which
continued with battering-ram
tactics until Von Rundstedt
turned the tide against us. Mar
shall, visiting the battiefront in
October, said that during the
winter the Germans could mo
bilize 100 new divisions, so it was
wise for us to clear them off the
west bank of the Rhine before
winter closed in.
2. There was and is no disposition
to doubt the wisdom of General Mar
shall’s decision. However, these
battering-ram tactics cost men, also
tire men out. The American system
is to keep divisions on the front line,
bringing up fresh men only for re
placements. Thus the divisions now
at the front have been fighting stead
ily since the landing in Normandy
last June—with, of course, a lot of
men coming up as replacements.
Germans Rested Troops.
3. This is considered an excellent
system and gets results. However,
the Germans immediately took out
their battle troops after Normandy
and sent them to rest behind the
lines. The Nazi boys and old men
we encountered in the Siegfried line
made us think the German army
was shot to pieces, but it wasn’t.
The experienced battle troops, now
refreshed after a long rest, are tak
ing the offensive against us.
4. The war department itself was
responsible for a lot of the favorable
news which gave the public a gen-
oral feeling of overconfidence. One
of its most important indications
was that some 800,000 German
troops were killed or taken prisoners
during the clean-up of France, mak
ing a sizable hole in the Nazi army.
Of these, however, about 400,000
were Russian-Ukrainian labor bat
talions. Thus the American public
had reasons to -believe that a largt
slice of the German army was deci
mated.
5. Germany’s new Royal Tiger
tank is superior to ours and we
have known it. It is extremely
difficult to knock out of commis
sion. However, we thought the
war was going to be over soon
and that we could finish up the
job with the tanks already on
hand—of which we had tremen
dous quantities. More recently,
however, we have started build
ing a big tank which can equal
or better the Royal Tiger.
Robots Beat Airplanes.
6. Robot bombs and rocket bombs
can fly in any weather whereas air
planes can’t. Also they don’t re
quire men. Thus the Germans have
been able to bomb us from the air—
by robots and rockets—while be
cause of bad weather we couldn’t
bomb them. The Nazis lay out a
square of territory in and behind
our lines, then systematically pep
per it with rocket bombs. They can
aim them well enough to hit within
certain areas.
7. The German system is to at
tack suddenly with tremendous force
and heavy armor in one small area;
they concentrated hundreds of tanks
in their first attack. Once they
broke through, they spread out. Also
the Nazis had little to lose.
8. However, it remains a fact
that we had advance information
of great Nazi activity for about
a week before the attack came,
though apparently we sized it up
as preparation for retreat rather
than attack.
Note — Gen. Courtney Hodges,
against whose First army the blow
was launched, is regarded as an
average American general. He was
not able to make the grade at West
Point, but immediately enlisted in
the army and has worked his way
up. He was a major in command of
infantry in the last war, one rank
higher than Marshall, who was then
a captain, and has commanded in
fantry all his career since, having
risen to be chief of infantry shortly
before we entered the war.
• • •
UNDER THE DOME
C. The expansion in the tire industry,
announced by WPB, inspires no
cheers from anyone in the tire in
dustry. Labor is unhappy because
manpower difficulties rule out Akron
as the site for the new plants. Akron
is a strong union town, and organi
zation there is fairly sirrjple. . . .
The big rubber companies are un
happy because they have no assur
ance that the new tire plants will
be nipped apart after the war. They
are afraid of new postwar competi
tion.
‘Nothing Can Stop the
Army Air Force!’
With B-29s ranging over Tokyo al
most daily it’s tough for the
imagination to conceive that three
years ago our air forces’ only as
set was the moxie of its men. . . .
Bataan was saved at least once by
the wizardry of our air force per
sonnel, who had plenty of ingenuity
as well as courage. . . . Enemy ships
were trying to land troops on the
shore one night. Though there were
no bombers with which to stop
them, our airmen weren’t fazed.
. . . Mechanics rigged up three pur
suit ships with a device whereby two
300-pound bombs could be attached
to the wings and released by pull
ing a wire. . . . The three ships
made three trips that night and
bombed and strafed the Jap boats,
preventing the troops from landing.
. . . What made their feat of stall
ing the Japs and- gaining time for
us even more of a miracle was that
most of the pilots had never before
flown at night!
The newspapers not long ago car
ried a story telling how there were
no trees in the far Aleutians and
that pilots had brought in a single
tree, planted it and labelled it
"Umnak National Forest.”
What the news story failed to men
tion was why the tree had been
flown in—for the exclusive use of
a flier’s pet dog.
A flyer who had been stationed on
an island for too many months de
veloped a crush on a half-native
girl, who looked very beautiful
after months in the South Pacific.
. . . In his barracks one day he was
getting poetic about the girl—when
his buddy, thumbing through a
movie magazine, suddenly turned to
a photo of Betty Grable in a bath
ing suit. . . . “How’s this?” ex
citedly asked the buddy, holding up
the picture.
The pilot took a brief look and
snorted, “White tvash!”
On a recent bomber mission
over Germany the flight ran into
serious opposition from both
fighters and flak, and a B-17 was
hit. A 20-mm. shell struck the
top turret, and the gunner fell
to the floor covered with blood.
... A colonel who had come
along as an observer rushed
back to give first aid and, see
ing the lad’s rigid form, thought
he was either dead or dying.
... He was about to adminis
ter a hypodermic when the gun
ner opened his eyes. . . . The
colonel bent over him, putting
his ear close to the lad’s Ups,
expecting some last feeble
words. . . . “Colonel,” was the
gunner’s comment, “I’m begin
ning to think there isn’t much
future in this racket.”
Despite popular misconception,
boys of the AAF aren’t as pin-up-
happy as people think. . . . This
verse was penned several months
ago by a B-17 radio operator-gun
ner who failed to return from a mis
sion over Italy: “Oh, Hedy Lamarr
is a beautiful gal. . . . And Made
leine Carroll is, too. . . . But you’ll
find, if you query, a different theory.
. . . Amongst any bomber crew. . . .
For the loveliest thing of which one
could sing. . . . (This side of the
Heavenly Gates). ... Is no blonde
or brunette of the Hollywood set. . . ,
But an escort of P-38s.”
Pet story of Gen. Hap Arnold,
chief of the AAF, concerns the
Wright brothers, who had repeated
ly tried to fly a heavier-than-air
craft. Finally, one December day,
at Kitty Hawk, N. C., they did what
no man had ever done before. They
flew! . . . Elated, they wired their
sister, Katherine: “We have actual
ly flown 120 feet. WiU be home for
Christmas” . . . Katherine ran down
the street and breathlessly handed
the telegram—the news scoop of the
century—to the city editor of the lo
cal paper.
He read it carefully and smiled:
“Well, well! How nice—the boys will
be home for Christmas!”
A fighter pUot (veteran of the
famed Flying Tigers) took bn
half a dozen Jap planes in a
dogfight and downed two. Then
his ammunition ran ont. . . .
Ramming his plane into a third
he bailed out and managed to
land safely near the wreck. Re
moving the one undamaged ma
chine gun from the debris he
carried it to his base—where
he promptly reported to his
commander, Gen. Claire Chen-
nault: “Sir, may I have another
airplane for my machine gun?”
During a raid on Schweinfurst
several months ago one of Our
bombers, “Battlin’ Bobbie,” was hit,
and two of her engines were
knocked out. . . . For 500 miles the
bomber hedge-hopped over trees,
roof tops and enemy pillboxes. . . .
All the time as the plane limped
along her crew kept praying the two
smoking engines wouldn’t blow up.
. . . When they finally reached home
and the perspiring pilot climbed out
of the ship, his comment was, “We
made a chapel out of that airplane
today.”
THE NEWBERRY SUN, NEWBERRY. S. C.
‘Waddy’s Wagon’ Comes to life at Saipan
The crew of “Waddy’s Wagon,” fifth B-29 to take off on the initial Tokyo mission from Saipan, and first
to land, pose to duplicate their caricatures on the plane. Upper left shows Brig. Gen. Haywood S. Han
sel! of San Antonio, Texas., who commands the 21st bomber command of the 20th air farce. Upper right.
Col. Byron E. Bruggs, left, of Tampa, Fla., and Brig. Gen. Emmett O’Donnell of Jamaica, L. I., N. Y., as
they were launching the B-29 raids on Tokyo.
Burning Navy Plane Saved Aboard Carrier
Quick action by navy fire fighters saves flaming plane and pilot. Like a meteor, a navy F6F burst into
flames (as shown at left) as it approached its carrier, the USS Cowpens, in the Pacific. Upper right,
shows the plane as it landed. Center, shows pilot leaving the burning plane. Lower right, the fire is ont,
with no damage to carrier.
‘New and Old’ Transportation
Blind Gives Blood
An oxen wagon loaded with supplies for the U. S. army rolls slowly
by as a modern war plane comes in for a landing on a newly con
structed runway, somewhere in China. Many of the landing fields were
constructed with the aid of Chinese labor, and their ever faithful and
hard working teams of oxen.
makes his 10th blood donation at
the Red Cross blood donor center
in Washington, D. C.
Congressmen Aboard Carrier
From the deck of a carrier, members of congress visiting the Pacific
area observe the accuracy of navy gunners. In the center of the front
row, peering through binoculars, is Adm. C. W. Nimitz. At his right
is Congressman J. J. Hefferman of New York, and at his left is Con
gresswoman Margaret C. Smith of Maine.
GI Show in Belgium
U. S. servicemen are shown enter
ing a show to see “Saratoga Trunk,”
in a section recently taken from the
Germans. The USO has been able
to keep the shows moving to the
front, as the troops advance into
Germany.
A QUERY comes in from far
away Leyte in the Philippines to
this effect—“What is the distance
record for the forward pass?”
This is one of the most interest
ing, and one of the most unproved
records in sport.
Years ago this for
ward - passing dis
tance crown was
given to Brick Mul
ler of California
who was credited
with a 65-yard pass
against Ohio State,
as we ricall the
faint and faraway
details. Brick Mul
ler is still credited
with the distance
record, registered
as 70 yards in many dust-covered
guides.
Later on along the West coast
many conceded a new record to
Kenny Washington, U. C. L. A. star,
who was supposed to have thrown
a completed pass for 68 yards
against Southern California.
Grantland Rice
“It was in that neighborhood,’*
Howard Jones of Southern Califor
nia told me later. “It may have
been 65 yards—it may have been
70 yards. It was too long for me. 1
couldn’t tell you the exact distance.”
Brick Muller and Kenny Washing
ton were undoubtedly two of the
great long-distance passers on the
West coast — probably two of the
best in football history.
Isbell’s Long Peg
j The longest completed pass I ever
saw came in a game between the
professional All Stars against the
Green Bay Packers in California
several years ago. Green. Bay in
this game had the ball on its one-
yard line with only a few seconds
left to play. Ceci 1 Isbell of Green
Bay faded back of his goal line and
whipped a long, high one through
the balmy California air.
] Don Hutson was already under
way. He galloped down the field
! with two All Stars alongside. Sud
denly Hutson, with his amazing
speed, put on full steam, ran away
from his guardians and took the ball
around the mid-field strip at least
65 yards from the spot where Isbell
had thrown the pass. It was an easy
touchdown. I happened to be sitting
on the Packers bench where I could
measure the throw.
All of this still doesn’t answer the
Leyte sergeant’s question. There
probably isn’t any answer. I was
talking this problem over with Ed
die Dooley, Dartmouth’s long-disr
tance passer.
A 75-Yard Toss
“We had a contest at Dartmouth
once,” Eddie said, “for distance
passing. I was to pass against Swede
Oberlander. We had no following
wind. In this contest I passed on
the carry for 75 yards and Swede
hit the 73-yard mark. This is the
only occasion I recall where for
ward passes were accurately meas
ured. But remember, this was not
in competition. It may be that
someone has passed the ball over
75 yards on a carry, without a favor
ing wind. I doubt it. Of course, if
you have a favoring gale at your
back it would not be difficult to pass
80 or 85 yards.”
The main trouble is this—if you
' can pick up a passer who can heave
the ball over 60 yards—how can
you find a Hutson or another end
v/ho can ramble toat far and catch
it? I recall, vaguely, one pass in a
Dartmouth game against Cornell,
where Eddie Dooley, from his own
35-yard line, hit Bjorkman on the
shoulder, 65 yards away, and just
at the goal line.
The great passers of more modern
times have been Sammy Baugh, Sid
Luckman and Glenn Dobbs. And it
. might be mentioned that Cecil Is-
' bell and Arnie Berber were no
punks. Two of the most accurate
passers I’ve ever known were Ben
ny Friedman and Sammy Baugh.
They were not 65-yard marksmen.
But they could hit a gnat in the eye
from 10 to 30 yards. So could little
Davey O’Brien. There Is another
great and now forgotten passer.
There is no set or proved record
on the longest pass ever thrown in
actual competition—a pass that was
caught and held. Maybe Brick
Muller of California is the man.
Maybe Kenny Washington of
U.C.L.A. It might be Isbell to Hut
son. I know of no other end who
, could go as far to catch one as Hut
son of the Green Bay Packers. I
only know that Eddie Dooley could
cover 75 yards through the air and
j Eddie today can hit the 65-yard
mark, long after he has been away
from the Green of Hanover. .
• • •
Stars in Service
All this matter about service
training, rough life in the barracks,
lack of time to play or practice,
said to be wrecking skill timing, is
about 97 per cent bunk.
It doesn’t take any too long to
swing back to the matter of touch
i and timing or to the more impor
tant fundamentals. Army sergeants
Ferrier and Harrison, and Sammy
Snead, late of the navy, have al
ready proved this point in recent
golf tournaments.
MENTH0LATUM
BE PREPARED
to relieve colds’ achy muscles, sore throat
with St. Joseph Aspirin, world’s largest
seller at 10^. No aspirin can do more fee
you. Big 100 tablet size for only 354.
Beware Coughs
from common colds
That Hang On
Creomulston relieves promptly be
cause it goes right to the seat of the
trouble to help loosen and expel
germ laden phlegm, and aid nature
to soothe and heal raw, tender. In
flamed bronchial mucous mem
branes. Tell your druggist to sell you
a bottle of Creomulston with the un
derstanding you must like the way It
quickly allays the cough or you are
to have your money back.
CREOMULSION
for Coughs, Chest Colds. Bronchitis
ROT * POWDER e ROT A PASTS
A RELINER YOU CAN APPLY YOURSELF
SusrastMd to smU your t«vth fit tiqlU
for months. Eosy to oso. No Hoot No Fuia
Odoriott, Toitoiots. Bpcomos o port of plot*.
SATISFACTIOS OR MOREY PACK
SOME DESTAL PRODUCTS, LM
Box 1045-A, AJtroo 9, Ohio
WNU—7
1—45
That Nag<?irw
Backache
May Warn of Disordered
Kidney Action
Modern life with its hurry and worry,
irregular habits, improper eating ana
drinking—its risk of exposure and infec
tion—throws heavy strain on the work
of the kidneys. They are apt to become
over-taxed and fail to filter excess add
and other impuritiee from the life-givlnc
blood.
You may suffer nagging backache,
headache, dizziness, getting up nights,
leg pains, swelling—feel constantly
tired, nervous, all worn out. Other signs
of kidney or bladder disorder are some
times burning. Beauty or too frequent
urination.
Try Doan’$ Pill*. DoaiC* help the
kidneys to pass off harmful excess body
waste. They have had more than half a
century of public approval. Are recom
mended by grateful users everywhere.
Ask your neighbor!
Doans Pills