Page 72 - Mastheads Aug-Dec 1944
P. 72

PAGE2          THE MASTHEAD, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 21,  1944  ---------------------------------------
                                                                                                 "All  Ship-wrecked  Gobs
                                  ASTHEAD                                                  G     Contact  Public  Relations  ~~~


       * *  Island  publlee.tlon  distributed  every  Saturday  without
       Offlolw  Treasure                               * * cost  to  the                  e.     Office  Immediately"            11111  'll'H IE  111 EW !
       offleers,  enlisted  men,  and  employees  of  Treasure  Island.  All  communications  and
       contrlbutlMI  should  be  directed  to  The  l!:ditor,  Welfare  and  Recreation  Department,   Because of the large per cent of
       Tree1ure  !■land, Sau Franclseo,  Oallfornla. Phone:  EXbrook 8931,  Extension 59.   s  lives  lost  in  the  Navy  due  to   Marine  Pfc.  LeRoy  Sturch,  19,
                                                                                                                               of McCrory,  Ark.,  is  "pretty sure"
                         OOMMODORE  R.  W.  OARY,  USN                                           aquatic  hazards,  the  Physical  In-
                ,  Oommander U,  S.  Naval Training and Distribution Oenter                                                    he got his share of Japs on Saipan
                                                                     You  can  depend  upon  GI  Joe  to  structors  School,  U .S.N.T.C.,  Bain-
                                                                                                                               and  wishes  he  had  accounted  for
                      LT.  OOMMANDER  R.  S.  KIMBELL,  US:NR      take  advantage  of  any  situation  bridge,   Md.,   under   swimming   more  of  the  enemy  before  shell
                        Director  cf  Welfare  and  Recreation
                                                                   where  he  can  get  "the  long  green  officer Adolph Kiefer, is seeking ad-  fragments knocked him out of that
                         STANLEY  SOLOMON,  Y2c,  USNR                                           vanced  information  from  ship-
                                                                   stuff with the short f-uture"  by  uti-                     epic  battle  for  control  of  the  key
                                  Editor                                                         wrecked  survivors.  Data  obtained
                                                                   lizing  his  capitalistic  resources.                       island in the Marianas.
                     CLYDE F. BABB,  Slc, USNR,  Associate Editor                                will  be  used  to  improve  teaching
        Robert E. Johnson,  YSc,  Managing Editor   Rex N.  Olsen, Y8c,  Feature Editor  Such  was   th e  case  of  Pvt.  Leon   methods, life-saving equipment and   Sturch  went  through  the  battle
       Carolyn N.  Brown,  Y2c, WAVES  Editor   George J.  Schechter,  YSc,  Stall'  Artist  Stewart,  who  took  advantage  of   of  Tarawa  without  getting  a
                                                                   an  old  Army  tradition-that  a   for  the  safety of all  men  going  to   scratch,  but his  brother,  Elja,  was
       TREASURE ISLAND, S.  F.,  CALIF., SATURDAY, OCTOBER 21,  1944  newly_  commissioned  officer  must   sea.               wounded  there  and  preceded  him
                                                                                                   Many  of  you  torpedoed  seamen
                                                                   give  a  dollar  bill  to  the  first , en-                 back  to  this  country.  He  has  been
        EDITORIAL-                                                 listed  ma,n  who  is  lucky  enough  to   are  the  key  to  the  closed  door  on   a  patient  in  the  Treasure  Island
                                                                                                 deep  sea  mysteries  and_ your  first
                                                                   salute  him.                ·                               Hospital.
                                                                                                 hand information would  be  a  guid-
                                                                     The incident,  as  it  is  related,  oc-                    One of the first wounded returned
                                                                                                 ing light  on  the future  of you  and
                                                                    curred  at  a  building  at  Chanute   your  buddies.      from  Saipan  by  air  transport,  the
                                             • • •                  Field,  Illinois.  When  Pvt.  Stewart   This  matter  will  be  treated  as   Arkansas  Leatherneck,  who  par-
                                                                    saw coming toward him a  big group                                     ticipated for 13 day.s
                   (With Apologies to "The Leatherneck")           of officers who  had  just  been  com-  confidential  and  has  the  approval   in  the  battle,  told
                                                                                                 of the  Bureau of Naval  Personnel.
                                                                    missioned  second  lieutenants,  he   Best considered form  to use,  be-  how  he  shot  three
            Take any man in our outfit. We'll call him Mac. You prob- decided  to  be  the  first  to  give  the
                                                                                                 low:                                      Japs  "in  about  five
        ably know hundreds like  him.  He's  just  an  American  who  has   "old  trim  touch  to  the  hat  brim."   1.  Name,  rate,  age,  type  of  ship   minutes"  one  night
                                                                     The  resourceful  private  used  one
        been doing a job he hates and doing it to the best of his ability.                       and  battle  area.                        when  they  infil-
                                                                    hand  to  salute  and  the  other  to   2.  Hours of training,  ashore and
            After being overseas  22  months, Mac is  to get his chance in  collect,  thus  when  he  had  finished   afloat you  have had  in life-saving,   trated into American
        combat.  Inwardly  or  outwardly he has  been wanting  that for  a   with  the  line  of  new  officers,  he   swimming, survival techniques, life   lines  and  attempted
                                                                   was $70 the  richer. This  is  just an-  raft drills,  etc.   to  use  the  bayonet  on  some  Ma-
        long while. But now that the time draws near, he is scared. Death  other  case  where  preparation  met                rines  in their foxholes.
                                                                                                   3.  Short paragraph  on  how past
        and pain terrify him, but more than anything he's afraid of being   with  opportunity;  however,  his   life-saving  and  swimming  helped   "It  was  about  11  o'clock  one
                                                                   soldier  buddies  prefer  to  call  it   you.               night and  it was  pretty dark,  too,
        afraid                                                      luck.                          4.  Suggestions  for  improvement   where we were,"  said  Pfc.  Sturch.
            Aboard the transport, on the endless trip of waiting, Mac has                        on equipment, training of personnel   "We were in our foxholes just back
        plenty of chance to take stock of himself. Three decks down jn the   If  you  have  noticed  the  WA VE  and instruction you did not get that   of a  ditch where we were watching
                                                                                                                               for  some  Japs  to  come  out  of  a
                                                                    Officers  wearing  a  star  on  the  would have helped you.
        relentless heat of his hold, he thinks of home and wonders if he'll   sleeve  of  their  uniform,  you  were   5.  Relate in own words, reactions   canefield  where  their  snipers  had
        ever see the corner drug store again.  At the first sign of activity,  wrong if you thought they were out  and  experience  from  ship  sinking.   been  bothering  us  during  the  day.
                                                                   of uniform  and  it was  wise  if  you                        "Suddenly  I  heard  a  noise  from
        the general quarters alarm sounded and Mac marched down to the                                                         a  foxhole  occupied  by  a  Marine
                                                                   did not report them to the  SP,  for
        holds with the others,  to  wait  and  listen  behind  locked  doors,  officers  of  the  Women's  Reserve             named  Robertson  from  Oklahoma.
                                                                   who are classified W-V(S)  are  au- Disabled  Sailors       It  was  the  click  of  his  Browning
        praying for their lives, perhaps.                                                                                      Automatic  rifle.  When  the  rifle
                                                                   thorized to wear a  blue star above
            A lot of human interest pieces have been written about "Life  the sleeve  braid  on  their uniforms  To  Release  Waves   failed  to  fire,  for  some  reason,
                                                                                                                               Robertson  hollered.  I  saw a  figure
        aboard our ship." They don't tell how Mac tosses  fretfully  on a   by the Bureau of Naval Personnel.                  standing  almost  over  Robertson's
                                                                     The ruling affects all WA VE Of- For  Overseas  Duty
        sweat-drene::hed  blanket and wonders  if  his  body will  still be  in   ficers  except  those  of  the  staff   WAVES  who  have  dreamed  of   foxhole and I  fired because I  knew
        one piece in a couple of days.  The pre-invasion bombardment is  corps,  for  whom  existing  staff  in-  going overseas  for  duty will  get a   none  of our men  were supposed  to
                                                                    signia has already been authorized.                        be  standing  up.
        raging.  The correspondents  liken  the  show  to  a  Fourth  of  July                    chance  to  serve  outside  of  the   "A second figure  made a  leap at
                                                                                                 United States on a  volunteer basis,
        firew<;>rks display. But the young lieutenant platoon leader and his                                                   a  Marine  named  Yates  from  Ken-
                                                                     Perhaps  the  news  item  which   according  to  the  provisions  of  the   tucky and  again  I  let go  with my
        boatload of assault troops hear the roar and rumble and don't see   will  follow  will  be  considered  a   recent legislation.   Browning automatic. That Jap fell.
                                                                                                   Although the  Navy's  program is
        much. They are hunched down in the landing craft,  rocking and  waste  of  space  by  native  Califor-  continuously  expanding,  the   "About that time someone in an-
        pitching at rendezvous .. .                                 nians but it may strike the interest   WAVES  quota  of  100,000  for  this   other  foxhole  yelled  for  a  corps-
                                                                    of those concerned who are merely                           man.  I  edged  my  way  toward  the
            The tanks  move  inland  and  spread  death  and  destruction  passing through the so-called "Sun-  year has  been  cut  to  75,000,  as  of   foxhole where the yelling was com-
        among the ·fleeing  Japs.  Their  performance  will  make  a great   shine State."       November 31, for the stated reason   ing from and about the time  I  got
                                                                     According to the Bureau of Naval   that returning disabled  servicemen   close  enough  to  distinguish  what
        story, much better than the account of one tank which went to the                         are filling  billets in limited service.
                                                                    Personnel,  you  may  wear  mufflers                       was happening another dark figure
                                                                                                   The WAVES' purpose was to re-
        bottom when its lighter capsized.  Four men were trapped 60 feet  with  your  overcoat-if  you  are  a                  arose  and  threw  a  grenade  into
                                                                                                  lease  men  for  combat.  Some  of   the  foxhole.  It  seemed  to  explode
        down and drowned without ever learning how "easjly" the beach-  Chief  Petty Officer.     those  are  now  coming  back  to  re-
                                                                     Under  a  recent  addition  to  uni-                       almost  on  the  back  of  the  corps-
        head was made.                                                                            lease WAVES.                  man.
                                                                    form  regulations,  Chief  Petty  Of-
            Organized resistance ends. Already aboard ship accounts are   ficers  may  wear  mufflers  provided                  "The figure  wheeled  and  started
                                                                                                                                to  run.  I  let  that Jap  have  it and
        being radioed out and tomorrow's communiques will tell of the   that  they  are made  of  white  silk,   She:  "Marry  you?  Why  you   he  went  down.  It  all  happened  in
                                                                    rayon  _or  wool,  plain  or  ribbed,  haven't  enough money  to  keep  me
        smashing triumph. Back on the island darkness joins hands with   woven  or  knitted,  to  be  of  ap- in clothes."      about five minutes' time."
                                                                                                                                 The Arkansan  landed  on  Saipan
        the Japs to make night a hell for Mac and his comrades. He hears   proximately  commercial  size.  Blue   He:  "Honey,  that  doesn't  take   on  D-day  last  June  15  and  was
                                                                    wool mufflers  may be worn  at sea.  money.  That takes will  power."
        the Jap rapping the cap of a grenade and the suspense is  awful.                                                        wounded  13  days  later  by  shell
        Tony kills himself by  falling on  a Jap hand grenad~ so  that his     JUST A MINUTE, MAC!                              fragments  in a  somewhat  unusual
                                                                                                                                manner.
        foxhole buddy can go on living. Windy loses his leg and lies alone                                                        "We  had  just  finished  a  short
        on the rock and sand all through the long dark hours. They were                                                         push and had  dug in along a  road
                                                                                                                                when  I  was  hit,"  he  explained.
        both sqtiadmates of Mac's.
                                                                                                                                "Some  of  our  jeeps  were  heading
            The commentator terms it a bloodless conqueit and the strat-                                                        up  the  road  and  the  Japs  opened
        egy which won the battle is explained back home. All Mac knows   r                                                      up  on  them  with  knee  mortars.
                                                                                                                                One of the shells  landed on one  of
        is  the hell his  particular platoon encountered on the ridge. To-                                                      the jeeps as it was passing the fox-
        morrow he must make his aching muscles perform the ugly job of                                                          hole  I  was  in  and  fragments  got
                                                                                                                                me in the left hand and right knee.
        grave-digging.                                                                                                          The  jeep  driver  was  killed.
            "Where will we strike next?" That question is  being posed                                                            "Except for the hot artillery fjre
                                                                                                                                the  Japs  poured  on  us  at  Saipan,
        in the national magazines. And, meanwhile, Mac has moved close
                                                                                                                                I  would say the Tarawa battle was
        to  an enemy base,  helping garrison a small forgotten  island  and                                                     worse,  but  I  had  more  close· calls
        defend it against Jap bombings.                                                                                         at s ·aipan.  Those Japs  really made
                                                                                                                                it  hot  for  us  with  their  artillery
            Palm  Sunday  services  are  held  throughout  the  Christian                                                       and  it  was  their  artillery  that
        world. That is the day Mac went out on another operation against                                                        caused  most  of  our  casualties."
        the  Japs.  It was  only  a mino-r  one,  but  a  bullet  ripped  into  his                                               A  son of  Elja E.  Sturch,  Sr.,  of
                                                                                                                                McCrory,  Pfc.  Sturch  enlisted  in
        shoulder  before  the  enemy  force  was  wiped  out.  Mac  has  re-                                                    July,  1942,  and  went  overseas  the
        covered by now. At another steaming base he drags his body over                                                         following March. He served in New
                                                                                                                                Zealand  and Australia  before  tak-
        the hills during the day and does a stretch of guard duty at night.                                                     ing part in the battles for Tarawa
        Yesterday afternoon he took time out from the daily conditioning                                                        and  Saipan.
        program and at simple ceremonies outside his tent row received                   tWMro                              \ l
                                                                                                                             r
        the Order of the Purple Heart for wounds incurred in combat with                StOP MY                              I   Gather your kisses while you may,
                                                                                        IJ OHP ALLOWNT;                         For  time  brings  only  sorrow.
        the enemy.                                                                                                              The  girls  who  are  so  free  today,
                                                                                                                                Are  chaperones tomorrow.
            Don't forget that contribution to the War Chest to help sup-
        port the vital services  of  our fighting forces,  our Allies  and the                                                     No  one  in  Physical  Training
        ~el;llth and welfare agencies of the Community Chest. Remember                                                          has yet equaled the record number
                                                                                                                                of  knee  bends  required  in  an  all
        Mac.                                                                                                                    night crap game,
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