THE4'2 Gregory Ave. Weehawken. N. J. 07087 TH.E NIN'TH INFANTRY DIVISION ASSOCIATION A~~illtion Dues: $5.00 per vear - $ 1.50

will be earmarked to pay for the Oetofoil

VOLUME XXVIII NUMBER2 MAR-APRIL 1973•. z

"

Rutgers Honors "Old Grad &Old Reliable"

- Registration- Board of Governors Meeting

- Welcoming Party

Ail article which appeared inthe March 11th issue of the"New Brunswick, N.J. DailyHome News" will be of interestto former members of theMedical Detachment 47Infantry. It pertains to DoctorCopleman.

"Green and scarlet will be thecolors of the day as the RutgersAlumni Association holds itsannual Midyear Alumni Day.

Presentation of the RutgersUniversity Award to Dr. HymanB. Copelman '29 of 299 N. FifthAve. Highland Park, and aconcert by the RutgersCu;VSf3ity Glee Club will bebighlites of the occasion.

Dr. Copleman, teamphysician, has warmed theScarlet bench at football gamessince 1935. His mimy successesin treating injuries have madehim an authority on athleticmedicine.

His award, one of the highesthonors the university confers,will be presented by Dr.Edward J. Bloustein, Rutgerspresident, at a luncheon in theUniversity Commons. Theaccompanying citation hailshim as "Respected physician,honored servant of the com­m!mity, devoted and generousalumnus."

Ed "Hoppy" Hopkins, Co. F.47th, was the alert fellow whonoticed this article in thenewspaper and brought it to ourattention.

- Registration- Fr. Connors Mass at Hotel

- Memorial Service- Business Meeting- General Meeting

- Ladies Auxiliary Meeting & Social- Board of Governors Meeting

- Fr. Connors Mass in hotel- Banquet & Dance

1973 BostonREUNION SCHEDULE

8:30 P.M~

5:00 P.M.12:00 A.M.

6:00P.M.8:00 A.M.

10:00 A.M.1:00 P.M.3:00 P.M.1:00 P.M.4:00 P.M.5:00 P.M.7:00 P.M..

8:00P.M. to

8:00P.M. to 11:00 P.M.8:00P.M. to 1:00 A.M.

10:00 A.M. to' 8:00 P.M. - Registration9:30 A.M. 1st Bus Clam-bake & Trip to Plymouth

Reservations Only- Teen age dance- Informal Dance

July 27th Friday

July 26th Thursday

July 28th Saturday

12:00 P.M. tol:OOP.M. to

10:00A.M. to

10:00 A.M. to

HackersGolfers don't forget your

clubs as there is an excellentcourse at White Cliffs and thegreen fees are just $4.00. It's achampionship golf course andthey offer electric carts, rentalsand caddies.

Business MeetingsSaturday afternoon is given to

meetings. While the men areattending the meetings, thewomen will be enjoying theirown' program. At 5:30 a.m.Fathar Connors will again sayMass' so that Catholics mayfullfill their Sunday obligations.

BanquetFrom 7:00p.m. to 12 midnight

Saturday the dinner dance willbe held in the Grand Ballroom.Rem~mber, time has a way of

passing by and each year wemeet the roster gets smallerand smaller. So, don't say "May­be next year I will make theReunion". Plan now to be withus this year in Boston.

Ron MurphyReunion Chairman

U.S. FRIGATE CONSTITUTION

Christened "Old Ironsides" by her crew after a blazing battle in the War of 1812 when they watch­ed with delight as the British cannonballs bounced ~lff her stout sides. This ship is the oldestcommissioned ship in the U.S.' Navy. After a long illustrious career the Constitution wasthreatened with destruction. With the help of Oliver Wendall Holmes poem "Old Ironsides" andthe pennies donated by America's schoolchildren she was saved and given a permanerit berth atthe Charlestown Navy Yard.

Friday eveningFriday evening from 8:00

p.m. to 1:00 a.m., we will holdour dance in the magnificentGrand' Ball Room. The or­chestra we hired plays our typeof music and is considered thebest in Boston. They will en­tertain you during your threeday stay.

TennagersWhile the "old folks" are

dancing the teenagers will holdtheir dance with their owncombo, from 8:00 p.m. to 12:00a.m. Security guards will beposted at the door so only theyoung people and their guestswill be allowed into the dance.

Memorial ServicesSaturday, morning at 8:00

·a.m. Father Connors will sayMass in the hotel. At 9: 30 a.m.we will hold our MemorialService for those who paid thesupreme sacrifice, as well asfor those who have since passedaway. This will be one of themost impressive ceremoniesever held at our reunion.

Clam BakeAs the "bake" is an added

attraction to our Reunion, thereis an additional charge of tendollars per person when pur­chased with a strip ticket. Forthose just wanting to attend the"Bake" the pri~e ~ will befourteen dollars per person, thisalso includes transportation.

Reservations a mustWe cannot stress enough the

importance of your filling outthe registration form that ap­pears in the Octofoil and returnit to the Reunion Committee, asthey must know how mpny planto attend. The cut off date is twoweeks prior to the clam bake. Ifthe committee does not hearfrom you by Monday July 16th,we assume you will not be at­tending the bake. So pleasedon't miss out on a most en­joyable day. Fill out the form,mail it back to the committeeand they shall be more thanhappy to do the rest.

Ron Murphy who wears twohelmets - President of theAssociation and the 1973Reunion Chairman sends thefollowing message to' the"troops".

Back in July 1967 formerwearers of the Octofoil packedtheir "A and B" bags andheaned for their annual Reunionthat was being held in Boston.To those who attended in "67",it became a long rememberedexperience.

If you were not with the groupin Boston that year, you missedan unforgettable three days.Now, six years later, the NewEngland Chapter has againbeen given the honor of beinghost to the men of the Ninth andtheir families.

Again, they can promise youthree days of enjoyment. Daysthat will long be remembered!For what could be more en­joyable than to see old buddies,to laugh, to reminisce and enjoyeach others company. That iswhat the reunion is all about.There is no other commitment,other than to enjoy yourself.

PROGRAMThe program starts with

registration on Thursday July26th. At 8 p.m. we will hold ourwelcoming party in the Com­monwealth Room of theSheraton Hotel. Friday hasbeen set aside for those whoenjoy a good old fashion clambake. This affair is being held atthe White Cliffs in Plymouth,one of the most beautiful spotson the South Shore.

THE OCTOFOll

The Memorial Fund of the Ninth Infantry Division Associationwas established by the members of the association to com.memorate the memory of their comrades who paid the supremesacrifice in battle. As a part of this fund the associationestablished a scholarship program. Scholarships are awardedeach year to relatives of men who served in The Ninth InfantryDivision. Each scholarship is for one year.

Stref't Addftll ""

ELIGIBILITY FOR~CHOLARSHIPAPPLICATION.A person who wishes to apply for a scholarship must be

related to a man who served with The Ninth Infantry DiVision.Children of former members of the division will be given firstconsideration, but children of men killed in combat given firstpreference. Applicants who are not children of former membersof the division will not be considered unless no child of a formermember qualifies.

Name Serial No ..

Dan Quinn, National Secretary, 9th Infantry Division Assn.412 Gregory Ave., Weehawken, New Jersey 07087

NINTH INFANTRY DIVISION ASSOCIATIONMEMBERSHIP APPLICATION

Enclosed please find 1973 dues for:

APPLICATION PROCEDUREThe following procedures must be followed by those Wishing to

apply for the scholarships:1. Send a letter of application, written in expository form, to the

chairman of the scholarship committee stating the following:name, address, age,and sex of the applicant; name, address,

. and occupation of the applicant's parents or guardians; thename and address of the secondary school the applicant isattending or has attended and graduated; the name andaddress of the college the applicant expects to attend; thevocational goal of the applicant; and the name of and degreeof relationship to a former member of the division. The unitand dates of service in the division of the former membermust be inclUded.

2. A transcript of the applicant's high school record must beincluded with the letter of application. The transcript mustinclude at least the first seven semesters of the applicant'srecord.

3. The applicant must have a counselor or principal of the highschool he or she is attending write a letter of recom­mendation to the chairman of the scholarship committee.

4. The applicant must take the PSAT which is given everyOctober. The applicant must see that the results of the PSATare sent to the chairman of the scholarship committee. Theseresults may be included with the high school transcript orsent to the chairman from the College Entrance ExaminationBoard. The SAT of the CEEB may be submitted in lieu o~ thePSAT.

5. THE APPLICATION MUST BE SENT TO THE CHAIRMANOF THE SCHOLARSHIP COMMITTEE BY MARCH 15.Applications received after March 15 will not be considered.

6. All applicants must accept the decision of the ScholarshipCommittee as final.

7. Information to determine financial need will be.requested bythe Scholarship Committee after the applications have beenconsidered.

8. Recipients of the scholarships may apply for renewal of thescholarship each year. Acopy of the student's college grades,a financial statement, and a letter requesting renewal of thescholarship should be sent to the chairman by March 15.

9. All applications must be sent to: John J. Clouser, ScholarshipChairman, Ninth Infantry Division Association, 901Graceland St., Des Plaines, Illinois 60016.

THE MEMORIAL FUND OFTHE 9TH INFANTRY DIVISION ASSOCIATION. ScholarshIp InformatIon

Oops' We've Been Gigged

The 47th Infantry always hada reputation for being a sharpoutfit. It developed thatreputation under the guidanceof Colonel Randle. The Colonelhad a keen eye for even thesmallest detail and whenever hesaw the least sign of slacknesshe made the regiment snap-toand get on the ball. Well thepassing years haven't taken theedge off the General's eye fordetails. He caught us "goofingoff" and gently reminded us toget on the ball. In a recent letterthe General wrote as follows:

"I never see the nameWeehawken but what I think ofa job I had as a 2nd Lieutenantin 1917. I was stationed at CampMerritt, N.J. for a while andduring that fall was sent downto Hoboken with a bunch ofother shave-tails to censorChristmas packages being sentto soldiers already overseas.We had to open every package,then tie it up again, to see therewas nothing in it whichshouldn't be. There werethousands of packages stackedon the North German Lloydpiers. It wasn't a bad job and onour free time we could take theWeehawken Ferry over to NewYork and see the sights.

But what I am really writingabout was to thank you for thenice story in the July-August"Octofoil" titled "ActiveRetirement" and about an oldsoldier.

*

MAR·APRIL 197:1

Dance

Memorial

Clam Bake

Edward McGrathJohn EdmundsHerbert OlsenWilliam Mills

Joseph McKenzieWilliam BongiornoConnie Matulis

Francis MaherThomas BoyleAndrew BakerAndrew BakerEdward McGrathRev. Edward Connors

THE OCTOFOIL*

VOLUME XXVIII NUMBER 2

The official publication of til" ~Int~ ~f~~~?~ ~~;.vision Assoclatlrr.~~gl~~o.e~arpi~a:leIn advance~t~~ d~e:Yar':~ald. 'Duell are,' ($15) per .~e~~eW~t!M~

f h ($5) earmarked for "X ssues 0 I io t e h Id tlfv the National Secretar)·. Dan eMembers s ou no A've Weehawken N. J. of an)'Quinn. 412 Gregory.. ,change In address. S t ber

Published six tI,::es ~·~~b~~I)·.AJ~lft~~~\'.?e~~ar)':October. Novem er· bC

' nd tor the members of the~I~t~h-~~~~tr~abi~~~~nis~oclatlon. ~~i':.r J:~:;:sin~e::ture stories, photogrt~h~ a~~e~~t :r~~rt will be madebers will bhe appre~ a :nd art work In good condition.to return p otograp s tI f

An extract from the coertlflcate of Incorp~~a on 0the tth Infantr)' Division Association Jeads : l~~: t:h:~~;~~i ~~~l:i~:~~::~ o:~I:~~:f~:~:~h:e:f~o~~o f th division to assist In promotlnB' an ever.

~ii~:laJ;i~1e!b:~~e:f(~Xteh"eel~:.~:i:il~~~~:~tl~~fn~~:::~to former mem ers 0 • h

Co y must be received on or before the lOth of eacmont~ to guarantee pUb~Jcation o~ ;h:e 2~~:- 5~"i:;graphs must be· receive.. on or e 0of publication month.

Seconjl.Clus Poeta'!re paid at Union CIt~·. N. J.Authorf~d Ill! .()f October 1. 1967.

~'()rm 3579 should be l!Ient to 41: Uregon' Avellu..,Weehawken. N. J. 07087OCTOI"OIl. ASSOCIATED EDITORS WlIller U'Keeffeanti Daniel Quinn.

Ronald V. Mun,hy. President.H Strawberry Lane, Scituate. Mass. 0:066Vincent Gugllelmlnfl. ht Yice-Pr..si<lent.Floral Park, N. Y. 11001James Bruner, :nd Vice-Prel!lident.Flint, Michigan 48081Francll!l Maher. 3rd Vtce-Prel!lldent,Worcester. Mass 01610Harrison DaYl!lh; Judge Advocate.Kenl!llngton, Md. 20795Daniel Quinn, Secretary.412 Gregory Ave.. Weehawken. N. J. 07087Thomas Boyle. Treasurer.39 Hall Ave.• Somerville. Mass. 021H

BOARD OF GOVERNORS1973Nick Dogol!ltlno. Wel!lt Berlin, N. J.Charles Koskie. Schiller Park. III.Ronald Murphy, SCituate, Mass.Walter O'Keeffe, Ridgewood, N. J.

1914 .Ralph carel, Cheverly Manor. Md.Paul Keller, Whitehall, Ohio .Mlchael"Belmonte, Oak Park. III.William Klauz, New York. N. Y.Fred Josey. Grand Blanc, Mich.

1975Richard Wilson, Woodbury, N. J.Edward McGrath. Green Harbor. Mass.Charles Jones, McLean. Va.Robut DeSandy. St. Clair Shores, Mich.Nick Palega, Bellrol'e, N. Y.

One other thing I would like tomention and that is that in yourmail call in that issue you had a

"'-~-------------- .....~..,!",~_oA number of interesting lettersbut in most cases you did notgive the addresses of thewriters. I write to the 47th and84th FA men and I think thatothers would also like to write toold buddies, but when no ad­dress is given it is impossible todo so. Often when an address isgiven the ZIP is not includedand the post office is again withletters with no ZIP.

I know you got out that issueright after returning from yourvacation and it was a rush joband I don't mean this to becritical, but those addresses areimportant to people who want tocontact the letter writers.

Being two old "Raiders" yourEditors know that when theColonel drops a hint it's time toget on the ball, so in this issueall the letters in the "Mail-Call"column are complete withaddresses and ZIP Codes.

Program

Banquet

John EdmundsWilliam MillsLawrence McLaughlinHerbert OlsenFrancis Maher

Herbert OlsenJohn EdmundsAndrew Baker

RegistrationFred D'AmoreRonald MurphyThomas BoyleFrancis Maher

Golf

1973 Boston Reunion CommitteesChairman Co-Chairman

Ronald Murphy Francis Maher-Herbert OlsenTreasurer Thomas Boyle

Greater New York ClWashinston.D.C. (]

Michipn (]Fayetteville. Fort Br... N. C. 0

City , .lone St.te..........•...•

I was a member of:

Battery ; Company Reaunent ;9th.Di'

I wish to sign up for the foUowina:

Resular Member. per year ~· ..··..··· ..· S5.00 CDonation Memorial Scholarsltip Fund CTHREE·YEAR MEMBER .$13.00 0Life MemlSership ·········· ..·.. ·..·· · $50.00 COctofoil Automobile License Disc $ .50 (]

Decals. 2Sc; (5) five (or $ 1.00 CLadies· Auxiliary Member . $ 1.50aCombat Route Map .$ .SO Q60th Infantry History $ .50 a

•••Please credit the foUowing chapter:

Philly.Delaware Valleyo

Illinois 0New England 0Ohio 0

73 Reun ion AtBoston

July 26 - 28•••

PublicityHerbert OlsenThomas BoyleRonald MurphyWilliam Bongiorno Joseph McKenzie

Edward McGrathConnie MatulisFred D'Amore

Hospitality .All members of the New England Chapter and their wives.

THE OCTOFOIL

GOLD STAR PA,RENTS

State

Since the National Secretaryand your Editors were what theBritish call "Other Ranks" wewere unable to assist theDivision in its search for thepunch bowl. We advised MajorDyer, 9th Division InformationOfficer that the only punch bowlwe were familiar with was the30 gal G.!. can that the MessSgt. mixed the lemon juice in.However, we promised topublicize their quest in the"Octofoil". If anyone has in­formation pertaining to thebowl please contact either Mrs.Wentworth or Major Richard R.Dyer.

City

Street

While attached to the 9th Infantry Division (staterelationship, whether the Ninth Division man was a husband,father, brother, son, etc,)

was withgive company, regiment, battery, attached unit, etc,)

Make checks or money orders payable to Ninth InfantryDivision Association. Mail to

Mrs. Myrtle Guglielmino, Secretary-TreasurerNinth Infantry Division Association Ladies Auxiliary

114 Charles Street, Floral Park, L.1. N.Y. 11001

Name

I would like to become a member of the Ladies' Auxiliary to theNinth Infantry Division Association. Enclosed is check ormoney order for $1.50 for 1973 dues. Please mail my mem­bership card to-

APPLICATION FOR MEMBERSHWlathe

LADIES' AUXILIARYof the

NINTH INFl\NTRY DIVISION ASSOCIATION

Tip Of The Hat

Joseph F. Eska, 96 Pulaski Avenue, Sayreville, N.J. sends thispicture of Co. M. 60th Inf. taken back in 1942, the Company'ssoftball team. Joe tells us he met some of the guys over theyears and others he's talked to on the phone. Front row: GeorgeBrum, Ray Donavon, Lt. James McGinity, Nate Silverstein,John Kneip, Sidney Edelstein, John Wisniewski. Second row:Isadore Greenberg, Harry A. Lansing, Joseph Dempsey,William Riedell, Willie Riolo, Charles Rochwerger, Paul Beyo,Peter Englese, Stephen Ergler. Third row: Marty Barthelme,Henry David.

.. The Association is grateful to the followingmembers who contributed to the ScholarshipFund and special' thanks to Howard J.Heilman. Every ~ear Howard sends adonation to this fund but this year he wasextra generous.John Holick Michael BateHiBill Morrison Nate GaynorAaron Alpert Morris MatisesRobert Pappas Clarence Holman

Howard J. Heilman'

Who "Liberated"The Punch Bowl?

Our National Secretary hasreceived the following com­munication from Headquarters,9th Infantry Division, FortLewis, Washington.

"The curator of the FortLewis Museum is seeking ad­ditional information regardingthe 9th Infantry Division PunchBowl. The large 'Germansilver' bowl also has 102 cupsand a large tray. The in­scription on' the bowl reads,"Officers Club, Headquarters,9th Infantry Division."

Members knowing the origin,history and tradition of the bowlare encouraged to relay thisinformation to Mrs. Wentworth,Fort Lewis Museum, FortLewis, Washington 98433."«

1973

These lines were written bythe late John D. Day who servedwith the 9th M.P's and Co E ofthe 60th Infantry. While servingwith the 60th in Normandy Johnwas wounded and lost his rightarm.

The figh t is over, there in peace,they'll ever remainThe ones we left behind usAt a place called Sedjenane.

Wooden crosses mark eachha.l1nw.:.rI ar.tlu~

And above the sleeping ranks,Red poppies wave.

sedjenane

Death's swift flight, through theApril rain

Paused at a place called Sed­jenane.

With Ii cold hand, he marked hisprey

And picked the ones who were tostay, forever,

At a place called Sedjenane

In this breif moment, they gavetheir all,

Life, and all it meant, beyondrecall.

Never to be bothered by April'srain, they sleep

At a place called Sedjenane

.Persons incurring funeralexpenses of a deceased veteranmay be reimbursed for $250.

An application forreimbursement, should be madewithin two years of the burial orcremation.

Reimbursement can be madefor burial expenses of war-timeveterans and veterans ofpeace-time service who werereceiving compensation

.payments for service-connectedinjuries at the time of theirdeath, or were discharged orretired for a disability in line ofduty.

The veteran must have beendischarged under conditionsother than dishonorable.

If a veteran is not eligible fora burial allowance because ofthe nature of his discharge, theallowance can still be paid ifhisdischarge is corrected bycompetent authority to otherthan dishonorable. Then, theperson incurring the burialexpenses has two years from thedate of discharge correction inwhich to file for reimburse­ment.

Additional costs fortransportation of the remainsmay be allowed, if the veterandied while in a VA hospital orhospitalized in a privateinstitution at VA expense, orwhile the veteran was travellingat VA expense to or from ahospital.

Orville W. Lanpher,:lrd Bn. Med. 47th Inf.

May they rest in peace.

Anthony J. Fiore,Bty C, 34th F.A..

The last roll call has been an­swered by several "OldReliables" :

Mr. Michael McInerneyGold Star Parent

Elliot Charles Diehm,Co. B. 60th Inf.

~apJ

&OunOtb

***AROUND THE CORNER

Around the corner I have afriend,

In this great city that has noend:

Yet days go by and weeks rushon,

and before I know it a year isgone.

And I never see myoid friend'sface;

For Life is a swift and terriblerace.

He knows I like him just as wellAs in the days when I rang his .

bellAnd he rang mine. We were

younger then;And now we are busy, tired

men-Tired with playing a foolish

game;Tired with trying to make a

name."Tomorrow," I say, '" will call

on Jim.Just to show that I'm thinking of

him."But tomorrow comes-and

tomorrow goes;Around the corner-yet miles

away..."Here's a telegram, Sir." ...

"Jim died today!And that's what we get-and

deserve in the end-Around the corner, a vanished

friend.Charles Hanson Towne

Joseph A. LagattutaCo K. 47th Inf.

***

"Mr. Mac""Mr. Mac's" contributions

weren't limited to materialthings, he also gave generouslyof himself. Whenever any of theChapter's officers or com­mittees had a problem he wouldsit down and go over it withthem. If some leg-work had tobe done he would take on the joband bring it to a successfulconclusion.

During the Chapter's earlyyears most of us were brash ExG.1. 's and sometimes the debatewould get hot and heavy, hiswas the calm voice that broughtthe meeting back to order. Hehad the respect of every man inthe Chapter, perhaps the bestindication of this is the fact thateveryone addressed him as"MR. MAC".

Not all of his good deeds werepublic knowledge; He lookedupon every Ninth Division manas an adopted son and wasalways willing to help them inevery way he could. He didmany personal favors for thesefellows who had a special spot inhis heart.

"Mr. Mac" fame was notconfined to the New YorkChapter, he and "Mrs. Mac"were familiar figures' at theAssociation's reunioh and at theWorcester Memorial Service.They made many friends atthese' annual events anddeveloped friendships thatspread across the nation.

We know that his manyfriends throughout theAssociation share our grief athis passing and we are positivethat they will agree with uswhen we say that no one moredeserved the title of "Oldt\eliable" than did "Mr. Mac".May he rest in peace with hisson Sgt. Michael Mcinerney.

The New York Chapter lost avery dear friend and a faithfulmember when Mr. Michael J.Mcinerney passed away. onFebruary 19, 1973. "Mr. Mac"was a Gold Star Parent whoseonly son Sgt. MichaelMcInerney died in action whileserving with the 39th Inf. inNorth Africa.

Active for 25 YearsAn active member of the New

York Chapter for twenty-fiveyears he rarely missed ameeting. The first Friday ofevery month was a red-letterday on his calendar. Onlyduring the last year or so whenill health and advancing agebegan to take their toll did "Mr.Mac" begin to miss some of themeetings. .

Anytime the New YorkChapter called,on ':Mr. Mac" hewas John~y on the spot, alwaysready', willing and able to lend ahand. When it came to disposingof raffle books he had no peer. Ifads were needed for the Journalhe knew where to get them.When it came time for Santa togiveou{ candy at the l:hnstmasparty "Mr. Mac" was thefellow who came up with theloot.

THE OCTOFCll

BARTON STACEY, El'JGLAND MAY 1944

(continued ne"t issue)

eggs on the beach and machinegunned the length of it butfortunately only a few were hit.It was then time to dig and we

did for the rest of the night. Thefollowing morning the convoysailed into Algiers harbor whichhad been secured and theLeedstown waited for tugs totake her in to be beached. Abouteleven that morning an Italiansub sent 6 torpedoes into herand she went down aboutl'oclock. A British courvettemanaged to blow the sub to thesurface and about twentysurvivors were picked up. Mostof our boys who were aboard theship managed to make theshore, although a few were lost.All of our equipment was nowgone so we started the longmarch to the airport to rejointhe Bn. This was Nov. 9th andthe Spitfires which had arrivedthe prece day fromGibralter and from our carriershad a field day, knocking down16 out of 18 JU-88's attemptingto raid the field and Algiersitself. In their terrific rage theyattempted to bomb everythingand I don't believe they ex­pected fighter opposition soearly in the game.

NORTH AFRICA

During this engagement, thetransports moved east andanchored a mile off the town ofSurcouf. We all piled overboardhere and made the beach andwere forced to abandon' our

. landing craft due to the rough­ness of the water.Luck began torun against us again, as thefollowing morning the mainboom on the ship snapped in twoand the only equipment we evergot off was twO' bull-dozers. Wewaited all day on the beach forit to be repaired and that nightwe experienced our first air­raid. About 8 o'clock we heardthe drone of planes and aboutfive minutes later the group of 7ships and the beach were lit upby dozens of parachute flaresand five minutes later hestarted to drop them.

The ships put up a good.curtain of fire as did our 50 cal.and 40 mm guns of the beach.The stern of the Leedstown wasstove in by a direct hit and oneof the raiders was broughtdown. He broke into flames andcrashed into the water. On theirsecond run they dropped a few

We .were kept pretty busy thatday studying our alternateplans. The Stone took a terrificshot which knocked off its fantail and she was eventuallytowed into Algiers a week later.Although she was a good milefrom us, the concussionknocked us all out of bed aboutfive in the morning and reallyscared the hell out of us. Thatnight at eleven we were 6 milesoff Algiers and the lights of the

.city were visible, forming a

.perfect arc around the bay.

British

The Officers had a fairwellparty in the mess hall, it wascertainly a dramatic moment.At 1 o'clock, the Commandoswent over the side followed at1: 10 by our first assault waves. Iwas scheduled for the thirdwave, so I went up to watchfrom the upper deck. By 1: 50the city was in darkness and ten

.minutes later powerful search­lights were sweeping across thewater followed by red andcrimson flashes from pointsaround the bag. I thought it wasthe Commandos dynamiting theemplacements but a fewmoments later the water beganto splash up around us. It wasevident then that we were in for

. a fight. A British cruisercrossed between the shore andthe ships and began firing at theshore batteries, scoring hits ona few lights and suffering adirect hit itself.

Part of the 3rd Bo 39th Infantry - April 1943- Tebessa, Tunisia

German torpedo planes"Leedstown " was poorlyequipped for amphibious workand we also had all of the serv­ice troops and spare parts. Alsoon board was 1 Company of the6th Commandos who were toreduce the coastal gunsdefending Algiers which werelocated at Cap Matifou.

We all spent a busy weekporing over maps and Britishintelligence reports which were

. excellent. Their intelligenceproved to be a little off later onbut as a whole it was good.Thursday afternoon we passedTangiers, and Friday morningwe stood off Gibraltar. We couldsee see terrific A.A. barragesgoing up from the warshipsaround us but the troopshipswere never attacked. Friday·afternoon we sailed along theSpanish coast, definitely a showof power, and that night headedS.E. for Algiers. On Saturdaymorning, the U.S.S. Stone whichwas directly ahead of us andcarried our 2nd Bn. was tor­pedoed by an enemy planeforcing her out of the convoyand necessitating that the 3rdBn. go into the assault.

During the day we hadpractice marches and at nightwe went to Antrim, Carrick­Fergus or Bally Carry to danceor have a few brews. ThelUUUW 1115 ""~IlUCl'y J. 'WCllt 10

Belfast and had a swell time atthe American Officers. club.During our stay here the shipswere re-Ioaded and thefollowing Wednesday we againboarded ship. We sure hated toleave Ireland so soon. After'leaving the port we sailed souththru the Irish sea and into themaze of Scottish Lochs to aplace called Inverrary. This isthe training area of the Com­mandos and we went thru a fewpractice landings, our op­position being the British BlackWatch Regiment. We had finetime here but the weather wasso nasty and it rained most ofthe time. We weren't allowedany liberty here and the onlytime we were allowed off wasfor some type of training. Wedid see a Highland castlehowever and the heather Afterfour days here we again set sail,this time for Glasgow. We hopedto have some liberty here butagain we were confined to theship. Here our great convoybegan to take shape and afterthree days we all' sailed toScapa Flow where all of theships were finally assembled.On Oct. 25th, we left here for ourmission and all awaitedanxiously D-day minus 8 whenour destination would be an­nounced.

Masion Blanche

Our convoy carried the 39thInfantry, the 168th Infantry andunits of the British 1st Army.We had with us some of theheaviest battlewagons of theBritish fleet. H.M.S. Nelson,Rodney and Renown, scores ofcruisers and destroyers andseveral aircraft carriers. Themission of the 39th as an­nounced was the capture ofMaison-Blanc, airport nearAlgiers, the radio station, andthen assist in the capture ofAlgiers itself in conjunctionwith the 168th Inf. Our 3rd Bn.was to be in reserve as the

Temple Patrick was a prettylittle town but we didn't seemuch of it as we left the trainthere and set off on foot for atransit camp. The encampmentwas an estate called "Lough­more" and here we werebilleted in Nissen huts, whichwere perfectly camouflaged.Loughemore castle was.beautiful and the owner Mr.Scott was a great fellow. He hadthe Officers in for tea(Henessey 5 Star) several timesduring our stay and he was ajovial fellow.

M-ItOREGTL.HO,

We were fairly close and it wasreally the Emerald Isle. Abeautiful green, mountainouscountry with the white breakersrolling up against the immenseblack rocks. We kept close allday and the country becameprettier as we sailed. It lookedlike a checkerboard, with all thedifferent types of vegetationand thru our glasses we could seelittle white houses here andthere. It took us that day and thefollowing night to round the tipand the next day we came into'the narrows between Irelandand Scotland and we spentanother day looking at the landthru our glasses. We sawSpitfires for the first time and itcertainly was a thrill to see thefamous plane that we had heardand read so much about.

I never realized then howmany times in the next fewmonths this very plane was tosave our hides. That night theconvoy split up and the threetroopships bearing the 39th Inf.sailed into Belfast harbor andthe balance of the convoy wenton to Liverpool. The followingday we were to see for the firsttime the devastating effects ofthe Nazi bombardment. Shipssunk in the harbor, piers anddocks wrecked and buildingsand houses in the harbor areadestroyed. We disembarked thesame day and were welcomedby one of the British ServiceUnits who had hot coffee andsandwiches ready for us. Afterhaving this we marched thruthe town to the railroad station.and boarded a train for the littletown of Temple Patrick. We gota kick out of the British trainand enjoyed the countryside.

Staff Officers of the 39th Infantry. The only two the Editorscould identify are Frank Wade on the left and Colonel Flint onthe right.

The battleship "Arkansas"was the mother ship and it wasa beautiful sight to see all theconvoy ships change directionat once. Most of the time wespent on the upper deck en­joying the sea and air. Thewater was really beautiful asthe sun went down. Quite a fewof the boys became seasick but Imanaged to keep everythingunder control. The food we hadwas excellent. Every night wehad a little session in the messhall, playing cards and talkingover all the happenings of theday. Of course with the Serieson, the big argument wasbaseball. We first sighted landlate Monday evening. It wasevident all day that we wereapproaching something as there•• 10 •• :l.__~ _ •••_11 _ .......... ,,_

than the h!i4 waves that we had'~n riding. We all anxiouslyawaited for morning to see whatthe land looked like and thesight was really breathtaking.

Landed at Belfast Ireland

39th Infantry

During the past. few years the"Octofoil" has published manyfirst-hand accounts of eventsthat took place during the'Division's action in the E.T.O.These articles were sent to usby members of the associationand were well received by thereaders of our paper. Now wehave received a first-handaccount which we believe isunique for several reasons. Itwas written during the warwhen the events were still freshin the writers mind, it was notfor publication it was more likea "diary" and a member of theCompany gave it to the writers'Father asa memento.

The events were written inMay of 1943 by Captain Paul J.Lynch and his father Mr.Joseph Lynch has been kindenough to let us print it in theOctofoil.

Paul began his service withthe Ninth back in 1941 as anenlisted man in Company K 47thInfantry. When war wasdeclared Paul was off toOfficers School and returned asa 2nd Lt to the 39th Infantry. Helater served as a 1st Lt. Anti­Tank Company 3rd Bn 39th,while the outfit was in N. Africaand Sicily. He was ExecutiveOfficer of Company L 39th inEngland; C.O. of Co. K inFrance and C.O. of Co. 39th inGermany. While leading Co Khe was wounded at St. Lo,France. On March 25, 1945 hewas killed in action' atObureitscheid, Germany whileleading Company I, 39th Inf. inan attack on Winterberg,Germany when the Ninth beganthe drive out of the RemagenBridgehead on the Rhine.

Aboard USSAT Leedstown

-We boarded the 'ship at 10:30P.M. Thursday, Sept. 24th, 1942at Staten Island, N.Y. The shipwas the "Leedstown", formerlythe "Santa Lucia" of the GraceLine. Everybody was a littleexcited and we had quite a timegetting the men assigned tocompartments and holds. Wewere all pretty cramped forspace and the Officers slepttwelve to a room. All dayFriday the ship took on gasolineand when she slipped down theharbor at 6:00 A.M. Saturdaymorning she had aboard 200,000gallons of 100 Octane gasoline,450 tons of ammunition and highexplosive along with 3200 Off.and men. We picked up ourconvoy in the bay immediatelyand began the trip for where wedidn't know. We knew of coursethat we were set for an am­phibious landing as the shipshad been combaUoaded and wehad our Higgins boats andlanding tables. We sailed S.E.,N.E., E. and N. and on Tuesdaymorning we arrived at Halifax.The U.S. Manhattan was there,a beached wreck. We wrote afew letters there but the mailboat never got off as we set sailagain that night. The mail we'wrote at this time was neverreleased, we found out later andquite a bit of it went down withthe ship. By this time the gen­eral consensus of opinion wasthat we were bound for Englandas we headed generally east andnortheast. The next week wasrather uneventful. I was Officerof the deck and had a good run.of the ship. We listened to the'World Series, read, playedcards, and' were kept prettybusy with inspections andabandon ship drills. We sailedpretty far north and the seabecame pretty rough. The"Leedstown" rode them nicelybut as we changed course everyfive minutes we thought a fewtimes she was going over.

THE OCTOFOll

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FOR 9th INFANTRY DIVISION ASSOCIATIONREUNION

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Make checks payable to9th Inf. Div Assn Reunion and send all Checks,

money orders and Ad copy to:Reunion Treasurer Thomas Boyle39 Hall AvenueSomerville, Mass.. 02144

Dealine for REUNION PROGRAMJuly 1.1973

CHAPTERS ··PLEASE FORM A COMMITTEE TOSOLICIT ADS AND BOOSTERS.

9th Infantry Division Assn. Reunion and send to:

CLAMBAKE

•

ElectionsThe Chapter elected Fred

Josey to lead them for thecoming year. The Vice­President Chair will be filled byGene Reedy, .Tom Hatton willhandle the legal matters asAdjutant, Bob DeSandy willtake of the money matters, JohnYoung will serve as Chaplainand "Old Relaible" JohnBonkowski will again take careof the paper work for anotherterm as secretary. Jim Brunnerwas named as Assistantsecretary for the year.

The Chapter is indebted toPast President Bill Meadows,Everett Tapp and Bill Phelpsthe outgoing officers for theircontributions during their termin office. The Chapter has madegreat strides during this period.

Respectfully

John Bonkowski Sec.

Sad NewsThe Chapter was sadden to

learn of the demise of Mr.Michael McInerney the GoldStar Parent from New York.Mr. Mac as he was called soaffectionately will never beforgotten.

The Chapter is striving for alargi! list of names of"Boosters" for the BostonReunion.(Ed's note to Michigan Chap­ter) - Hugh Lee's - (39th andJersey member of the NewYork Chapter) -daughter Kathyis now living in Birminghan,Mich. Mrs. William Lester, 1914Birminghan Avenue.

The gang out Michigan waysure go over the "Octofoil" witha fine tooth comb. They read.every line, recently in a Mail­Call item they spotted the nameof a Michigan man who wasn'ton their roster. They wasted notime in getting in touch withhim and advising him of thebenefits to be derived frombeing an active member of theMichigan Chapter.

73 Reun ion AtBoston

July 26- 2,8•••

Hus to ReunionFive more names have been

added to the Convention Bus listbringing the total to 24passengers but the goal is for 35.If they do not reach this numberthe money will be refunded.Plans are to leave on Wednes­day July 25th at a time mostconvenient for arrival at Bostonon the 26th. The route will bethrough Canada at Sarnia orWindsor depending on thestarting point. Those makingthe trip will receive a copy ofthe itinerary which will take thegroup through the Upper-NewYork Thru-way and theMassachusetts Turnpike.Refreshments will be providedand more important the bus willhave a rest-room. Of coursestops will be made along theway. The bus will pick up thegang at Sheraton Hotel inBoston on Sunday July 29th andhead for home. A lot of fun,coming and going is assured.The trip should cost about $35.00a person.

Hear From PresidentBill Meadows acting on pehalf

of the Chapter wrote thefollowing letter to PresidentNixon. •'On behalf of theMichigan Chapter of the 9thInfantry Division Association Iwish to thank you for yoursupreme effort in ending theVietnam War. At long last ourP.O.W.'s are coming homethanks to your unending efforts.

The President replied to theletter as follows: "I am deeplygrateful for your kind messageabout the settlement we haveachieved in Vietnam. A longand difficult testing of thenational spirit has come to anend, and now we must worktogether to build a peace thatlast, a peace that heals. Withyour support, this great taskcan begin so that the nextgeneration of Americans willknow only peace. With myappreciation and best Wishes,Sincerely Richard Nixon.

CHAPTER NEWSMichigan Doings

SICK CALLBrighter news came from

Tippie Plunkett who is doingvery well after her eye surgery.She thanks everyone for thenotes and many ChristmasCards sent her way. TheChapter thanks her for the kindnote and greetings which werepassed around for everyone tosee at the party.

Recently, we received a letterfrom another long time friend ofthe Ohio Chapter, Dick Pestel.Sorry to hear that he is downwith the bug. (TB) Your cardsand notes would be greatlyappreciated so' please sendthem to:

Richard PestelVA Hospital Ward No.4Dayton, OHIO. 45428

A note from Marie Korobkotells us that she's been meetingnew friends and life is becominga little more cheerful in Tuscon,Arizona. Wonderful.

Our appreciation to everyonewho completed the question­naire and we thank you for yourcomments. We do apologize forthe typographical error, whichread $15 instead of $13 for the 3Year Dues. When this mistakewas pointed out upon receivingsuch dues from StanleyTurowski and Vincent Temple,they've decided to leave theover-payment towards theChapter's "Guys &Gals"Booster Page in the BostonReunion Journal. Our sincerethanks to them and also ArtLitos who sent extra funds forthis project.

Recent dues have beenreceived from LeonardKowalski, Matt Urban, EverettTapp, Maurice Mitchell, KlebStockford and a new member,all the way from Hazelhurst,Wisconsin - Arthur Johnas 60thReg. (Thanks to Tippie.>

Kleb Stockford's wife sent his$50 check and now we have 12Life Members on the ChapterRolls. Who knows? This may beanother record.

The 3rd Annual OutstateMeeting site is still undecided.Frankenmuth, Bay City and theGrand Rapids - Muskegon areaare high on the list. You maysend in your choice if youhaven't done so as yet.

Now with the beginning of anew year, we'll be up-dating ourmailing files. There are a fewthat we haven't heard from forquite a while. If you wish tocontinue receiving the Notices& News Notes just drop us aline.

TRAVELING CHAPTERThis is really a traveling

Chapter. The latest membersdoing their thing - Fred, Janeand Raridy Josey heading fOl:Florida before the Holidays.

Pres. Bill & BarbaraMeadows and sons Guy & Donflew out of Metro on Christmasevening to spend a week inSpain. It was a Silver WeddingAnniversary and a pleasant midwinter vacation.

Floyd and Leora· Hennesseytake an occasional week-enddrive to drop in on Tom & DorisPitzer in Crown Point, Indiana.Some day, they hope to bringthem along to one of ourmeetings. The sooner, thebetter.

The sad word came fromElmer Wagner. His Dad passedaway a little while back and theChapter expressed its deepestsympathy.

Ph illy-Delaware ChapterEvents

Harry Orenstein our NewYork correspondent writes thatPresident George. Bako kept theApril meeting moving at a fastpace and there was a great dealof lively participation by ~he

members on the Pro and Con ofthe topics on the agenda, yetharmony pervaded the meetingroom.

A warm welcome was givento a few old timers who missedseveral meetings at the Ar­mory. Val DeMaria back fromFlorida where he spent thewinter and John Rizzo and SalLongo back from "sick call".

The next meeting in May isplanned for Past-President'snight. Later in the month theChapter members will travel toPinelawn National Cemeterywhere several hundred menwho wore the Octofoil are laid atrest.

There are good indicationsthat the Chapter will be wellrepresented at the .BostonReunion. Boosters and "ads"were collected at the Aprilmeeting and will be collectedfor another few months fromthose who missed this meeting.

The raffle winners for theevening were Edward Tobin,George Apar, and AI Orletti.The "gang" enjoyed the usualdelicious refreshments after themeeting with a great deal ofreminiscing by the members.

HarryO.

Dick tells us that an old pal ofours Pat Culleton is on "SickCall". (Editors note - I got toknow Pat after the War yearswhen he worked in Weehawkenand we met by chance at asocial affair. He was in Div.Arty and had never attendedany Division reunions, for Patnever knew the associationexisted. We lost no time insigning him up. Many a nightPatty would go out t6 his' carand get his "bag pipes". Hisfellow workers, (pressman,printers etc.,) would join Pat ashe marched and played the"pipes" around the neigh­borhood pub'> Pat lives at 102Penn Ave., Cherry Hill, N.J. socome on gang drop him a fewlines and wish him well.

Dick Wilson reports for thePhilly Chapter that they arestill going strong and recentlyheld elections of Officers for thenew year. Charles Trocolli anold timer from E Co. 47th waselected President and AI Cuprysformer 47th & M.P. will holdthe chair as Vice-President.Dick Wilson will again beSecretary and Vic Butswinkuswas returned to the job ofTreasurer.

Election

NEW YORK CHAPTER

The Ladies Auxiliary alsoheld their elections and ConnieRichards will lead the Gals forthe coming year with AnneWilson as Vice-President.Shirley Sabato will hold thepurse strings and VerneSoprano will be the secretary.

HarryO's Report

J(Jrr~J J. CLOUSER9)1 GRACELAND STREETDES PL/\I'iES. ILLli10IS60016

THE OCTOFCIL

THEOCTOFOIL412 G'ego'~ Ave Weehawken, N. J. 07087-

SICOnd·CI_ '0 lNIod •• Uftioft CO'•• "'. J. Au oIOc._'. 'M'2nd Bn Med. 47th Inf

Bill Baptiste817 Gilbert St.Sebastian, Fla. 32958

Janet and I were in NewJersey this past summer, butonly for a short time. Most ofthe time we were at my sister'shome in River Edge.

We stay as well as is to beexpected. Guess the vitaminsand the Florida sunshine aregood for us.

Co K 47th Inf.E. B. <Red> ThompsonP.O. Box 132Niles, Mich. 9120

Thanks for getting in touchwith George Bastedo for me. Hegave me information about KCo. and sent me the names ofmen that he thought I mightknow. He also mentioned thefact that Arthur Crowell was 1stSgt. when K Co. was at St. Lo.Sorry to hear that Sgt. EmmetSchette passed away.

Hoping to get to the reunion sothat I can have the pleasure ofmeeting some of the old gang.

Sorry to report that TedMatusik is in very poor health.Hehas sugar and his wife has togive him insulin shots everyday. His eyesight is failing andhe had to give up driving. Ted'swife recently had a seriousoperation but she still keeps uphis correspondence, only todayI had a lovely long letter fromher, Ted can't write anymorebecause of his failing eyesight.

In November I entered theV.A. Hospital for an operation. .Had a check up in Decemberand everything seemed to bealright. Will have a final check­up in March. Everywhere youlook today you see more andmore tragedy. It seems that wein this life have all been givenCrosses to bear and I guess allwe can do is to make the best ofit and live day by day the bestwe can.

If you get to see Herb Olsengive him my regards.

Co. G 60th Inf.Michael H. Mysyk12604 Darlington Ave.Greenfield Hgts.Ohio 44125

We are doing fine here "Busyas Hell" and hope that we canretire in the next few years.

I received a letter from one ofour old active Ninth Divisioncomrads and a very good friendof all. He went through all thehells of combat with the Ninth inWorld War II. He is Dick Pestelwho is seriously ill at a V.A.Hospital in Cincinnati, Ohio andI know that he would appreciatecorrespondence from anyonefrom the Ninth. His address isDick Pestel, VA Hospital,Cincinnati, Ohio 45220, Ward N­4.

Dick was very active with theAssociation for many years butillness kind of stopped his ac­tivity. Let's remember when hewas such a great activemember and not let him down.We all have problems from timeto time but let's help each otherwith our problems ,as comradeand members of the NinthDivision Association. Dick'swife Edie would also like to hearfrom the gang.

Dear Dan:I received your letter in

reference to Mr. Monaco. I wasSupply Sergeant before leavingthe states for overseas, and thenbecame First Sergeant inFrance. John Monaco's namesounds familiar, but I cannotbet that he was in theassocia tion. His statementsabout Captain Wilson arecorrect. Italked to Sam Longoof 49 Kipp' Avenue in EastPaterson, who I believe youknow and who attended most ofthe meetings before he had aheart attack in December, andhe indicates that the namesounds familiar. He doesremember August Montagno asbeing in our company.

I am sending a copy of yourletter and the DisabledAmerican Veterans letter toSam, who will read it and eithersee you or drop you a note.

Sorry I cannot be a little morehelpful. If there is anything elseI can do, please feel free to call.I will try to make one of themeetings shortly.

Nice hearing from you.

Thomas A. Maggio10 Crane TerraceWayne, New Jersey 07470Co. 147

39th Inf.Joseph Lynch Gold Star484 Crestwood AvenueHackensack, N.J. 07601

Mr. Lynch our Gold Starparent of Captain Paul Lynchrecently spent a few weeks inFlorida visiting his daughrerRose. He writes "Many thanksfor your birthday greetingwhich I just found in my mailbox after returning fromFlorida. Even at 83 "Tis sweetto be remembered". Manythanks to Betty and John Rizzo,Hugh Lee, Ronnie and theirdaughter, Terry, Myrtle andVince Guglielmino, Bill O'Shea,Ed Egan, Emil Langer and hiswife Mollie, and Lou i\ Imassy (aclose friend of Paul's) . wIremembering me on my birth­day. Planning on making theBoston reunion this summer.Doc Simmons also sent a birth­day greeting and expect to meetwith Doc this summer and visitFr. Francis J. Sullivan O.F.M. agreat friend of my late son Paul.It seems I have lived the "OldReliables" since January 1941when Paul was with the 47th atBragg. I believe he would wantme to carryon with the troops,and they are the greatest."

3rdBn. 39th Inf.Casimir J. Przybylski1042 Dewey Ave.Evanston, Ill. 60202

Cas has been disabled by astroke since 1970, so it is a greatday for him when he hears fromone of the "Old Reliables". Hehas never met Robert Mason ofMcKeesport, Pa. but the"Octofoi!" brought themtogether and they have beencorresponding for some time.Tony Kuczewski of Michigan isanother Ninth man who keeps intouch with Casimir, PerhapstheIi~ are other 39th men whoremember Cas, how aboutpicking ;lP a pen and droppinghim a line.

Clarence Holman2106 Argyle St.Hamburg, Iowa 51640

Clarence includes a donationto the Scholarship Fund whenhe sent his dues for the year.Regrets that they will be unableto attend the reunion this yearas his vacation is not untilNovember and at that time theyhope to take advantage of a tripthey won. He continues "We arethankful so many POW's arehome. But so hard it is on thosewho as yet do not have wordabout their loved ones. Goodluck to all and our sympathy tothose who lost their loved onesthrough out the years.

CoH47th

Ted Matusik.3424 S. 5th CtCicero, Ill. 60650

Mrs. Rose Matusik writes forTed as he is unable to write."Ted's been "grounded" fromdriving by his Doctor, anOpthalmologist. His conditionhas been diagnosed as poorcirculation in the Eyes due toDiabetes, he can't see sharp andhas to read with a magnifyingglass" .

He would appreciate hearingfrom some of the "old gang".

CoM47th

Hq. 2nd Bn 47th

9th Sig. Co.Everett H. Spink7293 Akron RoadLockport, New York 14094

Everett sends in for a threeyear membership, as he, like agood many other members doesnot like to see his name printedin "red ink". He writes - "One ofthe better things that hashappened to me is I retired the1st of February after 35 yearswith the Telephone Companyand I haven't missed the oldroutine one little bit and itseems good not to have to dothings except when you want toand when you feel like it."Everett tells about a visit hemade to Sid Schneider inGreensboro, N.C., last fall. Sidis a salesman and gets to seesome of the old gang from the9th Signal in his travels. -- Heconcludes his letter, by t~ling

us that he won't be at· thereunion this year as he has astaff job at the Boy ScoutJamboree to be held in Idahothis summer, and sends his bestregards to alL

J.W. McKeeBox 233Columbia, La. 71418

Mac writes - "a word ofthanks for sending the 'Octofoil,

. which I enjoy so very much. Amgrateful to my buddy Doc(Percy> Rishel for sending me amembership in the association.He and his wife visited us inOctober - was a nice surpriseand we enjoyed every minute oftheir visit. Other than Doc theonly other buddy I have seensince leaving the outfit wasPerry Payne of Mobile, Ala.who came by to see us severalyears ago. I am Councilmanand also Street Commissionerof our town. Plan on visitingPercy and wife this summer.Hope to make one of thereunions before long.

26thF.A.Robert Mason2818 Garbett Ave.McKeesport, ,Pa:'

Russel M. Hummel M.D.2411 Lommel LaneMarion, Indiana 46952

The good Doctor writes thathe doesn't like the color redespecially when his Getofoil isaddressed in that color - as adues reminder. He keepspromising himself that this willbe the last time that everhappens. He closes with bestwishes to all.

CoB 60th Inf

34th F.A.

Co B 9th MedicalDetachment

W. E. Deme1949 White St.York, Pa. 17404

Along with his dues Bill sent anote telling us how much heenjoys reading the "Octofoil". ­He hopes to be in Boston for thereunion and sends his bestwishes to all the gang.

Joseph DailydasCountry Life Mobile ParkMidway, Ark. 72651

Joe is another fellow who leftthe "Big City" for the pleasuresof life in the open air. Just asshe did when they wereresidents of New York MaryLou makes sure that Joe's duesarrive on time.

She included a note with thedues and it goes like this:"Sorry we are going to missboth the July Reunion and theMemorial Mass again this year.Hope 1974 will find the reunionback in the Middle West. Wemiss our friends in the East butnot the rat-race. We have reallybecome Ozark Hill-Billies.

"Best regards to theAssociation and the New YorkChapter."

George Stein8747 E. GirardDenver. Colo 8023

George is another refugeefrom Mayor Lindsey's "FunCity". He writes, as you maynotice from my address, I amnow a resident of Colorado andlike it here away from the hustleand bustle of New York. I havebeen here nearly two yearsworking in the constructiontrade helping to build this boomtown.

We love the climate andthough we have had plenty ofsnow this past winter itdisappears fast in the warm sunand hasn't time to become dirtylike it does back East.

A. T. Co. 47th InfCharles A. Bodnar187 New York Ave.Bergenfield, N.J. 07621

This summer I am taking anextended vacation from July23rd to the end of August, and Iam going to look over some ofour old 'battle-grounds fromBelgium to the Elbe River.Perhaps if you mentioned it inthe "Octofoil" some of the gangmight ask me to look up some oftheir old girl friends. All kiddingaside, some of the fellows mightwant me to look in on some ofthe places where they sweatedout the war and then give thema report on how things aretoday. It might also help me tocontact some old friends that Ihave lost track of.

I am trying to get in contactwith Henry Cassata who servedwith me in A. T. Co. of the 47th.If anyone has his address pleasesend it along to me.

9th Div. Hdqt's& Co. G 47th Inf.

R.M.A. Hirst62 WiesbadenGustav- Freytag -Strasse 6Germany

This year do any of you guyswant fotos of Remagen, Nor­mandy or some other placealong the route? I am going todrive it again and will visit withsome dear friends in Nor­mandy. Should anyone have aspeciai request I shall try to fillit for him. Trust all is well withthe Association. I am stillwriting my way throughEurope, historically-speaking.Regards.

Our faithful readers continueto keep the mailbag filled tooverflowing. We are alwayshappy to hear from the old gangand hope that they will continueto write. If you have somethingto say let's hear from you, wewill see to it that your letterappears in the "Mail-Call"column.

Co A 39th Inf

Martin J. Gill2401 Pennington Rd.Trenton, N.J. 08638

I have heard from bothHarold Black and Harry Klompas a result of the letter I wroteto Harold on December 12th.Harold said he had heard fromseveral of the fellows whom hewas trying to locate followingthe publication of his searchletter in the Sept.-Oct. issue ofthe "Octofoil".

Harry was in Florida for theracing season at Lauderdale.He returned to New Jersey onApril3rd and will remain for therest of the year (most of it, atleast). Any of the fellows whowant to catch up with him cando so by visitnng the race tracksat Freehold and Monmouth andlooking for him in the MutualDepartment. He will be found inthe Main Money Room atFreehold and in the MezzanineMoney Room at Monmouth. Hesays he has to be "where themoney is."

I am enclosing a list of up todate addresses for a dozen ormore ex-Ninthers. If you have amembership solicitation letterand application form send it toeach of them. I'm certain thatyou would get some response. Ifyou care to don't hesitate to usemy name as the one whosuggested that they would getmore than their money's worthif they joined up. Or if youprefer, let me have a sufficientnumber of copies of the nextedition of the "Octofoil" and Iwill mail one to each fellowalong with a prodding note andwe'll see what happens.

Speaking of addresses, I'mhoping you have one in yourfiles for Norman Dean who, likeHarry Kloms, was also inDivision Headquarters,Adjutant General Section. If so,I'd appreciate receiving it.

Best wishes to all the gang.

Co. G 60th Inf

Stanley KazdoyP.O. Box 1865Waco, Texas 76703

Stan wrote to advise us of hisnew address and to tell us thathe is presently on sick leavepending a disability retirementfrom the Federal Government.He and his wife have decided tomake Waco their permanenthome.