SONS OF F ATHERS OF FAMED WORLD WAR
I, "OLD HICKORY", DIVISION CARRY ON
IN THIS WAR WITH SAME FIGHTING SPIRIT
Cpl. Ray W. Cunningham, son of
Mr. and Mrs. George Cunningham, of
Sylva who is now with the First Army
in Germany, writes the following:
For some time I have been hoping
I could tell you folks back home abouU
:his outfit of ours and the swell rec
ord it has made in World War II from
the time it hit the Normandy beach
:nd began fighting on June 15. Cen
sorship has kept our Old Hickory
Division's engagements pretty much
"under wraps" but' we have made a
' record we'll stack up against any
other division's and the Public Rela
tions staff has made it easier for us
To get the information back to you
by summarizing the highlights of the
30th's greatest campaigns and get
ting this material cleared through the
press censorship.
This is some of the information we
can tell:
When the 30th Infantry Division
tioops charged through the greatest
concentration of artillery and mortar
fire they had met in the Western
. Campaign to storm the bunkers of the
German Siegfried Line and establish
a bridgehead in the Fatherland, they
reached an objective for which, in
three monttis of bitter fighting they
had been paving the way since the
battle near the beaches.
Smashing the Siegfried Line, the
sector north of Aachen where it was
heavily manned and then aiding in
closing the gap that forced Aachen's
fall constituted one of the toughest '
jobs assigned any division in the
Battle of Europe.
But th? 30th Infantry Division re
ceived its baptism of fire on a tough
assignment June 15 and its progress
to the German frontier was marked
by battles that have been vital in the
master strategy of World War II.
The all-important break through
south of pulverized St. Lo on July 25,
a date already historically significant,
was spearheaded by the Old Hickory
men. A realy fighting team, the
troops of the 30th had qualified for
that assignment ? which battered open
a passage through the hedgerow
country allowing American armor to
fan out over France? by a series of
successful offensives against the
Germans. At the outset the 30th
drove -the Germans back aoroii~the
Vjre River. Then in a spectacular
awn attack, the Old Hickorymen
-orced a crossing of theVire River and
opened the drive on St. Lo.
These battles in the hedgerow
sector were real slugging matches,
every foot of advance being skillfully
zr.d stubbornly contested and they
were complicated by rough and fre
quent counterattacks.
However, some of the heaviest
lighting remained to be accomplished
by the 30th after it had given the
green light" to the armored drive.
That occurred in the Mortain-St.
Barthelmy sector when the 30th took
ever the area of the First Division at
a time when four German panzer
divisions struck in the most power
iul blitz effort of the campaign, to
crive through to Avranches and sep
arte the American First and Third
Armies.
It was there that infantry rifle
men with bazookas, artillery and
tank destroyers, tanks, engineers,
AAA units, cooks and messengers,'
with the help of U. S. Planes and
RAF rocket-firing Typhoons finally
threw back the German tanks in a
battle that see-sawed for three days
before the Germans concluded that
they were no match for one American
division.
In this same battle, the great de
fensive a Mortain-St Barthelmy, a
battalion was isolated on a hill near
Mortain, cut off without food, am
munition and medical supplies for
five and a half days and despite the
fact the harassed -infantrymen were
under constant enemy observation,
artillery and mortar fire, they re
fused repeated demands to surrender.
The 30th infantry Division was com
mended for its heroic stand, for the
courage and skill of its men who re- j
fused to let overwhelming odds dis
courage them in the battle against
tanks at St. Barthelmy, and for the
loyalty and stamina of the mem
bers of the "lost battalion" who defied
surrender demand their spokesman
H'i'ing the German officers:
"Go to hell, we wouldn't surrender
if our last round of ammunition was
f red and our last bayonet broken off
in a Jerry belly."
Thi% battle of the 30th against the
best of the German armor started
on the night of August 7-8 and a week
l.iter the Old Hickorymen again were
f>;rcing the retreat of the Germans.
-
The 30th troops drove rapidly
against the Germans to free Evreux
apd Louviers, then crossed the Seine
r.t Mantes Cassicourt to enlarge the
bi ldgehead there and prepare for the
next breakthrough, this time into
Bolgium.
An opposed infantry speed march
record was made and another com
mendation won when on August 31
and September 1 the 30th dashed to
Tournai, Belgium, covering 180 milesj
through enemy territory in 72 hours. 1
The march motorized during the last
two days and was screened by a task
force of the division. The 30th was
the first allied infantry division to
enter Belgium.
Still disrupting German efforts to
ward an orderly withdrawal, the Old
Hickorymen drove on to become the
first allied troops in Holland, arriv
ing there-^?-September 12, after hav
ing captured the famous border fort
ress, Eben Emael, on September 10.
Maastricht, Holland, fell to the 30th
on September 13 after Old Hickory
troops fought on into Germany, ad
vance elements crossing the border at
Horbach on September 14.
The attack on the Siegfred Line
started October 2, continued for two
weeks, to establish the bridgehead
in what reputed by the Germans to
be their "impenetrable West Wall."
More than 1,500 battle decorations
of the 30th fnfantry Division for gal
i3ntry in action and meritorious ser
vice in the face of the enemy.
The 30th Infantry Division is com
rianded by Major General L. S.
Hobbs who has been twice decorated.
Although it was originally built
around troops from National Guard
units of Tennessee, Georgia and the
Carolinas, and thus gets its name, Old
hickory, from President Andrew
Jackson, who led troops in that sector,
the 30th's officers and men represent
all states in the union.
The division climaxed a colorful
World War I history by crashing the
Hindenburg Line, paving the way for
Germany's ultimate defeat then. Will
History repeat itself?
WILMOT NEWS
Miss Helen Settlemyre, who has
been empolyed at Oak Ridge, Tenn.,
has been visiting her parents, Mr.
and Mrs. W. R. Settlemyre.
Mr. Hughie Nations of Portsmouth,
Va., has been called home due to the
illness of his brother, Raymond Na
tions who has been very sick.
Miss Bonnie Woods left Sunday for
Oak Ridge, Tenn.
Mr. Donald Bradley is visiting his
brother, Robert Bradley, of Asheville,
before leaving for service.
Mrs. Nell Settlemyre is sick.
Pvt. Alf Bumgarner of Sylva was
the guest of Mrs. Nell Settlemyre and
daughter, Delia Mae.
eBertParhof theTDeal
SPECIAL
COFFEE
Vo" ^cPffje i" j/
LOOKING
AHEM .
?V GEORGE S. BENSON
CblUf*
S$*rtp. JrAamsat
Mortgage Money
National Resources Planning
Board, in a booklet by Miles Colean,
predicted last January that residen
tial buildings in the United States
*ould approximate a million new
dwellings each year for ten years
ifter the war. There was an "if"
>n the forecast: If the price could
te held down to an average of about
*4.000. Well, ten million $4,000 units
represent 40 billion dollars, which is
I lot of money.
The vision of a million people
planking down $4,000 each for a
douse in a single year is a pipe
ream. People able to make such
ash outlays have houses already,
hese new houses Will be sold on
bredit. Buyers will sign instalment
potes. Debts will be protected by
nortgages in the hands of life in
urance companies, loan associa
ions and certain kinds of banks.
Jncle Sam may insure the mort
;ages.
Unfit to Repeat
There is an old bromtde about his
tory repeating itself but some his
tory is not good enough to repeat.
We told last week why 9.4% of~
lovernment-insured mortgages de
Saulted and cost the national treas
try more than $600 apiece. If that
hould be repeated on ten million
aomes to start building soon after
the war, government's loss alone
would shoot well above half a billion,
jnd that's the small part.
Suppose only 9% of ten million
aew, post-war homes are lost by fore
:losure; that would be 900,000
pomes. Hopeful owners usually pay
20% down, which is $800 on a $4-, 000
nouse. Few buyers, living in such
l hoUse a year, could escape a loss
pi $1,000 at least. This profitless
payment for vain hopes would total
i00 million dollars. Worst of all, it
would come from frugal, industri
ous, home-making people.
Need Net Happen
I The foregoing simply arithmetic
would seem pretty gloomy if it abso
lutely had to happen, but it does
lot. It offers an idea of how much
;ax money will be wasted if pre-war
Methods are used in financing post
war houses. The danger is real. All
he controls affecting the quality of
gilding today existed during the
>oom that followed World War One.
lorry houses may still be built and
old on payments.
i Instalment home-buying is practi
tal economy. Discounting notes is
ound banking. Government insur
~ ince of loans has been a blessing;
;aved many a family from calamity
Wnd many a lender from ruin. But
shoddy construction blights all this.
It makes neither good homes nor
pood security for a bank loan. Lend
ng is the cue. Mortgage money is
ie key to better building.
Houses Warrantable
, Buildings under construction need
;ompetent and impartial supervi
sion and rating, somewhat as steam
ships are rated, or as a business
irm's credit is rated. This is to
protect lender and borrower both
pgainst mortgages far out of line
with a building's actual worth. Such
an agency exists, Certified Building
Registry, relatively little used, but
known to leading associations' of
architects, engineers and general
tontractors.
Few money lenders are qualified
to judge structural fitness. Many a
home buyer never sees his house
until its inner defects are hidden bj
decorative enticements. Yet buyer
and banker both deserve the protec
tion of a rating that means (1) a
home worth its price in a working
man's money, and (2) security for
the bank that holds the paper.
Protects the Buyer
In the interest of public safety
local governments require periodic
inspection of passenger elevators
and pressure boilers. Stock selling
schemes must stand rigid inspection
by state authority. It would seem
even mora important that ready
made residences carry a seal of
merit In the welter of a buying
boom it would distinguish a specula
tive builder to sell Impartially rated
feouses.
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WAR QUIZ
CORNER
frIiTbftftfrirCrur'frCrCrCrCi'irCrCrtitt'to&ti'&'irtrii
WHO IS HE?
(40 points)
1. This man be
came Hitler's
No. 1 collabora
tor in France,
taking over from
Petain. Know
him?
I . True or false: Karelian isthmus
was taken by Nazis from Greece.
3. Famed U. S. general in Burma
and India was (a) Chennault, (b)
MacArthur, (c) Stil^ell.
4. Who was Germany's "front" man
in Norway?
ANSWERS
Coent: Question one, 40; rest, 30 each.
Score: 100, perfect; 80, rood; 00, fair.
1. Pierre LavaL
2. False. Taken by Russia from Finland.
3. StilweU.
4. Major Vidkun Quisling.
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i
i
Army, Navy Leaders, Others
Endorse Red Cross War, Fund
WASHINGTON, D. C.? In answer to
President Roosevelt's appeal to the
nation on behalf of the American Red
Cross to fulfill the $200,000,000 Red
Cross War Fund goal lor 1945, Ameri
ca's foremost military and naval lead
ers, the press, and educational, religi
Stimson Gen. Marshall
ous. fraternal, industrial and labor
groups pledged unstinting support.
Secretary of War Stirason expressed
his gratitude to the Red Cross for dis
charging its responsibilities to the
Army "with efficiency and humanity"
throughout the war.
Chief of Staff General Marshall add
ed: "The Red Cross has kept pafe with
the growth of the Army by enlarging
its services to meet soldier needs both
in this country and overseas."
Secretary of the Navy James V. For
restal, citing Red Cross war contribu
tions of blood plasma, prisoner of war
food packages and civilian war aid,
said, "In the blackness of war, the Red
Cross stands as a beacon of mercy of
which we can all be proud. Never has
money been put to better use."
Admiral Ernest J. King, commander
iiychief of the United States fleet,,
pointed out that "every time the Red
Cross assists a man in the armed forces
in any way. There can be no doubt
that the humanitarian activities of the
American Red Cross have a direct
bearing on the outcome of the war.'"
Both tfte American Newspaper Pub
lishers Association and the National
Editorial Association's presidents prom
ised complete cooperation from the
American press.
Among groups endorsing the War
Fund are:
AMERICAN LEGION: "The Red
Cross, has Exemplified tlie fine, tradi
tional spirit of American helpfulness.
The approach of the postwar recon
struction period will not lessen the
calls for Red Cross services."
AMERICAN FEDERATION OF LA
BOR: "We are determined that the
The need for salvaged fats is great
er now than at any other time since
the war began, says Mrs. Estella
Smith of the Extension Service at
war shall be won. Let us be equally
determined that the Red Cross shall be
enabled and permitted to measure up
to the needs of the situation and the
high standard which we have set for it."
CONGRESS OF INDUSTRIAL OR
GANIZATION: "Each one of our mem
Forrestal Adm. King
bers knows that the Red Cross is con
stantly at that loved one's or friend's
side in his time of need."
AMERICAN FARM BUREAU FED
ERATION: "Sucb vital Red Cross pro
grams as home nursing, nutrition, dis
aster relief and other helpful activities
during recent years have combined
closely to identify this national organ
ization with rural life in America. The
American Farm Bureau Federation ...
urges every member to give it whole
hearted support through the organiza
tion's local chapters."
FEDERAL COUNCIL OF CHURCH
ES: "It is obvious that the world situa
tion at the present time will make
greater demands upon Red Cross than
ever before. We commend to the
churcheB of the various communions
in the United States the appeal for the
American Red Cross War Fund in 1945."
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF
MANUFACTURERS: "American busK
nessmen stand ready to assist in every
way possible the American Red Cross
in its fund raising efforts." |
NATIONAL CATHOLIC WELFARE
CONFERENCE: "The great worth of
the American Red Cross has become
more obvious as the war develops and
as our fighting men testify. Gladly,
therefore, we recommend every gener
osity on the part of the American peo
ple in the 1945 campaign. . . ,"
CETNTRAL. CONFERENCE OF
AMERICAN RABBIS: "The Red Cross
is the most appealing philanthropic
cause before the American people to
day. May the outstanding success of
the 1945 Red Cross War Fund cam
paign demonstrate the spiritual calibre
of the American people."
Hens and pullets on U. S. farms
laid slightly over 4 billion eggs in
January, about 8 per cent less than
th^ record January production last
year.
Cpl. Elizabeth Deitz
With 107th WAC Two Years
San Francisco, Calif., Feb. 15. ? .
Curporal Elizabeth C. Deitz of Greeas
Creek, North Carolina, on Washing
ton's Birthday marks the second an
niversary of her arrival for duty at
Fort Mason with the 107th Women's
Army Corps Detachment, pioneer
WAC organization on the Pacific
Coast.
The Detachment, serving at th*
headquarters of San Francisco * Port
of Embarkation of the Army Trans
pcrtation Corps, arrived 158 strong
on February 22. 1943.
The birthday will be marked with
a party, a special dinner, and a dance.
Corporal Deitz is one of the 42
original members of the company stiH
affiliated with it. She is the daugh
ter of Ransom V. Deitz of Greens
Creek. Two brothers are also in the
Armed services, Medford, in the
Army, and Otis in the Navy.
Sylva Baptist Chorch
Rev. C. M. Warren, Pastor
Sunday 9:45 A. M. ? Sunday Scheol
J. T. Gribble, Supt.
11:00 A. M Worship Service
Message ? A. M. "God's Call to
Repent".
6.30 P. M B. T. U.
John Henson, Director ?
Kidneys Must
Work Well
For Yon To Feel Well
24 hours every day. 7 days every
week, never stopping, the kidneys filter '
waste matter from the blood.
If more people were aware of .how the
kidneys must constantly remove sur
plus fluid, excess acids and other waste
matter that cannot stay in the blood
without injury to health, there would
be better understanding of why the
whole system is upset when kidneys fail
to function properly.
Burning, scanty or too frequent urina
tion eomct!me3 warns that something
is wrong. You may r.uffer nagging back
ache, headaches, dizziness, rhcumatie
pains, getting up at nights, swelling.
Why no*, try Doan'a Pills ? You will
be using a iucdicine recommended the
country over. Doan'a stimulate the func
tion of the kidneys and help them to
flush out poisonous waste from the
blood. They contain nothing harmful.
Get Doan'a today. Use with confidence.
At all drug stores.
The farm mortgage debt is at the
lowest point in 30 years. Farm eco
nomists say it is a good time to pay
up loans and not make any long
commitments.
Schulman's
O.P.A.
SHOE RELEASE SALE
?
Leather Shoes Ration Free
Famous Makes Included
For Men and Women
February 19 through March 3rd.
25 per cent off
All Sizes
All Widths