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About The Plattsmouth journal. (Plattsmouth, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 11, 1944)
0 MONDAY, DECEMBER 11, 1944 THE JOURNAL, PLATTSMOUTH. NEBRASKA PAGE FIVE fs TAis Page is a regular feature of the Monday edition of the Semi-Weekly -: THE SERVICE JOURNAL :- Correspondents and others having items for the SERVICE JOURNAL will please mark "Service" and place on separate sheet from other items. Service Editor r i i i ' s w i ? ( i. 1- I f I 1 1 Letters Tell Of Terrors Of Air Raid Warfare Island cf Malta One of tbe Heavi est Bombed Place of Earth Now Is Peaceful Sgt. Harold McFarland Awaits Re-Assignment MIAMI BEACH, Fla., Dec. 5. (U.R) S. Sgt. Harold D. McFarland, 20, of Plattsmouth, Neb., has ar rived at Army Air Forces Redisribu tion Station No. 2 in Miami Beach for reassignment processing after completing: a tour of duty outside the continental United States. Medical examinations end classi fication interviews at this post, Raphael Toman Writes from Pacific Rt. Rev. Monsignor George Agius, , , v . " j T (pioneer of several redistribution sta- teresting letter from a niece re- tions operated by the AAF Person nel Distribution Command for AAF V, Jrlo-r, Malta .! x ii rui v. i - a returnee officers and eiiLsted men, tells a little of the long days and nights of terror that the people of ... , . , , A .,.1 weeks, much of which will be devot the British island was under the I ' will determine his new assignment. He will remain here about two ed to rest and recreation. Sergeant McFarland, son of Mr. and Mrs, George H. McFariand, 1124 Lincoln Ave., was an armorer-gun ner in the European theater. His wife, Mrs. Mary L. McFarland, re sides at -212 So. 9th St., Platts mouth, Nebr. air raids of the Italian and Nazi airmen. 53 East Street, Vallta: 13, Oct., 1944 My Dear Uncle: How pleased we were to get your P. C. a few days ago. Charlie has been speaking to me about you and wondering where you were. Here we are all well and at last free from Cpl. Frank Kalasek bombs, but we had a very bad time. HQme from Iceland We had raids which lasted for twen- ty-four hours, the bomberg kept on Cpl Frank C. Kalaaek is home for coming in waves and the cnly inter- hi3 f irst furi0ugh since he joined the val for another twenty-four hours armC(j service over two years ago, was one hour in which we came up ccmmg. home from Iceland, where he from our rock shelters to breathe a was stationed for the greater part little fresh air. 0f the time of his service. For seven weeks we never dreamt jje states that in this country of sleeping in our beds, we always one doesn't know what cold, snow went down to our shelter. "We spent anj -in( Can be until they have three years of the war at a house yjted the bleak lands of the north in Babzan, we had our own shelter Atlantic, snow often covering the there, but oiten our windows ana huts of the American forces as doors were blasted and once a bomb wen the homes of the native resi missed us by one garden. dents. After all these bombs there came On his way home from Iceland even worse than the bombs. We all Frank lost fifteen pounds in weight grew very thin and looked very the result of the severe voyage pinched. Poor Charlie came to Valletta to -i - his work, bitz or no blitz, without fcnteftam fOr JLt. his work, blitz or no blitz, without Hall Here on Leave Porte des Bombs. We have undergone a great strain indeed. Now things are better, but The members of the Hall family we both have to work very hard, be- have been enjoying very much the cause life has bectfme a very ex-Heave home of First Lieutenant Dick tt, ,tT mn rhrH. ran't take IS. Hall and in his honor a number a holiday and as eo myself I am of family dinners have been, enjoy luckv to have a worthless maid so ed. 1 have to do " double" the amount of On Thursday Mr. and Mrs; Major work she does, to keep a house Hall and Lt. Hall were at Glenwood decently, beside? looking after the! where they were guests of Mrs children and cooking too sometimes. Grace Hall, paternal grandmother of You know besides Gorpei, who is Lt. Hall, and Miss Grace Hall her now ten years' of age we hare a daughter. little boy of four who is called This noon the members of the JoeDh. Gornei roes to a nun's Hall family were at the home of school. I wanted to send her to a County Clerk and Mrs. George R boarding school, but Charlie does Sayles, the maternal grandparents not like it. Of course please God I of Lt Hall. The members" of tbe hope to send Joseph to a college party comprised Mr and Mrs. HalL later on. Lt. Hall, Miss Joan Hall, Mrs. Philip Your family is very well and in Campbell, of Omaha and County as good health as could be expect- Clerk and Mrs. Sayles. ed. We miss Zia (aunt) Manann very much. She was very fond of John Dunbar BM2-C both of us and tne cnuuren. leucine Marcell and Charlie's mother were Joseph's godparents and I hope you will be here when he is confirmed and be his godfather. We are in a house overlooking Mr. and Mrs. John H. Toman of this city hare received a very inter esting letter from their- son, Fvt, Raphael Toman, who has been sta tioned in New Caledonia for some time. Raphael writes: Dearest Mother and Dad: I received your letter today, and was sure glad to hear from you. I also received the Service Journal and sure enjoyed reading it. If it weren't for the "Echo" and the news clippings that you send to me, I wouldn't have a vague idea as to what goes on back home. I also received a letter from "Mutz" Sedlak today. He had been in Hawaii, but think he's up in the Southwest now. I have been keeping on the lookout for him, and think there are chances that I might see him one of these days. I had to go down to the beach and swim 50 yards this morning. The Service Of Lt. Taylor Covers Many Battles Parents Enjoy Visit with Son if PlattsxncatB Naval Officer Has Seen Service on Every Type of Ship But Subs In Pacific Service District Judge Thomas E. Dun bar was in the city for a short time on Mondav afternoon, fitoooinir here the grand harbor, altho smaller than Lnroute from papllicm to his home General's orders are that every man here must be rble to swim at least fifty yards, so guess that's final. The distance is marked off by two rafts, but since there was a nigh tide this morning, we had to swim out to the rafts. The distance out is over fifty yards, so all in all, we had to swint a good 150 yards. It's starting to get warmer out here now, and of course it decides to rain almost every day. I haven't heard from "Slats" for quite some time notfr. John was land ings troops up on Palau, but suppose that he has left there by now. He sure has been a lot of action since he has been overseas, nd the way things are moving now, he'll prabably be in on something before long. I see where Nebraska hasn't had very much luck with their football team. A fellow in a tent next to me receives the college paper, which we commonly call the "rag' so we're keeping posted on the news back on the Nebraska campus. I happened to know this fellow back at school, when we went out for baseball to gether, so it was rather a surprise meeting each other here. Well folks, I guess that's about all foT now, hoping this letter finds y6u all In the best Of health. Your loving son, Raphael. the one we had it is very airy. How nice of you to be able toj at Nebraska City, Judge Dunbar had a short session spend your noimays m sucn marvei- of the court jn garpv county aTld ous places I hope this war will soon stoT)pef here t0 sign a few or(!erS be over and you will be able to that were demandinR, his attention, come and see us again. Next time Jud?e and Mrg Dunbar are Vry you come over you must spend more happy -n havin? just heard from time in Malta providing Dunamg theh. secfnd John Dunbar, have been rebuilt. BM2c. John is well known here and With Love and Best Regards From many friends wlH he pkased Lieutenant (jg) Oliver E. Taylor, who is here for a ten day leave with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Roy Tay- or, has a naval reeord that reads like a saga of the ancient sailors that roved the seven seas in the service of their country. Lt. Taylor entered the service after leaving school in 1934 and from that time on he has seen ser vice on every type of war ship that flies the flag of the United States except the submarine. This service of ten years, the lat ter part of which have seen plenty of action, has earned for this gal lant and fearless officer a rest from active sea service, for a land as signment In this respect it now permits Lt. Taylor to tell something of his service on the seas. Since Pearl Harbor he has been in the thick of the sCTap and has served constantly since that time on the carriers of the navy, the large ones and the smaller carriers that served as submarine foes on every sea. The battles that Lt. Taylor has participated in started with Pearl Harbor, the defense of Guadalcanal in 1942 when the Americans made their first landing in the Solomons and were attacked by the Japs, Bougainville, Salamues Lea. In the battle of the Coral Sea he was in service on the Lexington, the car rier that was destroyed in one of the greatest naval clashes with the Japs, the Midway blows at the Jap anese fleet, the Santa Cruz battle where the naval power of the United States was challenged by the Japs. ' Lt. Taylor has fought around the world with the exception of 700 miles, a record that few members of the naval force can boast He has ribbons for service in every theatre of warfare, these are liberally studded with combat stars. He also has a" presidential citation and a good conduct award for his service. An interesting touch of local color occurred some ten days ago as Lt. Taylor was preparing to leave the carrier on which he was serving, for shore duty, a young ensign came on board to take over some of the dut ies handled by. Lt. Taylor, and it was a great surprise when he found it was Ensign Charles Gradoville, a son of Dr. and Mrs. C. M. Grado ville, formerly of this city. He will serve as one Plattemouth young man relieving another. Lieutenant Taylor is expecting to be located on the west coast where Mrs. Taylor is now making her home. Thursday Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Cotner received a call from Omaha that their sen, Donald Cotner, M3c, was passing through Omaha on his way to Washington, and would be grounded there for a short time. Mr. and Mrs. Cotner at once drove to Omaha and enjoyed a three hour visit with the son at the. Omaha air port before resuming his journey on east. Donald will spend two or three days in Washington and expects to be home for a thirty day furlough. PLATTSMOUTH COAST GUARDS MAN IN PHILIPPINES Coast Guardsman John Slatinaky, gunners mate, third class, of Platts mouth. Neb., secures his erun aboard A TRIBUTE TO JIMMIE MAUZY 1 v. a-' ii J fe rT S&iC I ' the Coast Guard manned invasion transport on which he served in the invasion ef Leyte Island in the Philippines. Slatinsky also saw act ion in the Marianas Island invasion. Major Hall Family Has Happy Reunion A pledge to remember Jim who gave his life. If people think the. government is expecting too much, take a look at the casualty lists in the papers any day. There are many good reasons for! all of you to buy more and more and more bonds the names of Plattsmouth boys who have made the supreme sacrifice, in the service of their country. I saw Jim's name theTe the other day, yes, Jim Mauzy with that win some smile and sunny manner. How well I remember this blue-eyed boy, who took life seriously. He loved life, was full of plans and am bitions for the future. He wanted to be a pilot, loved the freedom cf the skies. Yes, Jim got his wish but he's dead now;. But No!! Jim is not dead in the hearts of those who knew and loved him. He stands as a symbol of courage and devotion to that cause which he gave his me. There are lots of Jims all over America, from Main Street, Knob Hill and the other side of the tracks. Many of them died as Jim did, but there are millions of them still out there, fighting for the right to come home again to peace and ee curity. But they need HELP. They cannot do it alone. They've got to have the support of their loved ones back home. We may find it hard, but it can't be as hard as learning to speak German or Japanese. Lets prove to Jim that we still remember him and are keeping faith with him. Glen Woodbury Tells Of Beauties Of SunnyHawaii Former District Court Reporter in Letter to Mrs. F R. Guthman and Miss Minnie Tells of Island This week end is a very pleasant one for Mr. and Mrs. Major I. Hall at their farm home south of the city, their children being home for a re union for the first time in many months. First Lieutenant Dick Sayles Hall of Camp Shelby, Mississippi, is home for a nine day leave with the home folks, and this is bringing the family group together as Mi3S Joan Hall, the daughter, who is teaching at Verdigree, Nebraska, arrived Friday night to spend the week end with the brother and par ents. Lieutenant Hall is with the 94th Chemical Warfare Bn, at the Mis sissippi army camp. By Mrs. Robert Reed, Denver, Colo. LORIS LONG, Local Representative Equitable Life Assurance Society cf the U.S.A. PHONE 337-W or 250 De It Yomslf-at Heme 4- IS? iritl in VM PERMANENT WAVE KIT Complete with curlers, aKrl"9, It's easy to do and safe for every type "f wttM hair, tor nmairig results be mm to sale w iur Charm-Kurt. Over 6 mil imp sold. CASS DRUG, KNORR'S, ST1BAL VARIETY Now on German Front Us All, Yours Affectionately, Sabina Cassar to learn that he is doing vell and is in the best of spirit His ship has the distinction of having two Jap flags painted on their stack so they have been doing all right. Cpl. Devoe In Utah Undergoing Treatment j plattsmouth friends of the l. s.i Captain Ed. Kalina Devoe family, now of Lincoln, will be interested in learning that their son, Cpl. Lowell S. Devoe, Jr., is nowr at the Bushnell General hospital at Brigham City, Utah. Cpl. Devoe was wounded while in service in the European theatre of operations sev eral months ago. He has been back in the United States for the past few weeks and was first stationed at a hospital at Staten Island. The Back in United States Mr. and Mrs. Cyril Kalina of this city were overjoyed this week to receive a call from their son, Cap tain Edwin Kalina, from Alameda, California, informing them that he was back in the States for a thirty day leave. Old school friends and many ac quaintances of Warren ReecL former high school football and basketball star, will Be interested in learning that Warren is now playing his part in the biggest game the United States has ever faced. Letters received from him state that he is now on the German front and in plenty of action and doing his best to maintain his part of the great war. Warren was a student at Denver university when he entered the armed service, the R. G. Reed fam ily moving to Denver from this city after his graduation in 1939. Flight Officer John H. Jacobs, who has been at the military hospital at Bocaraton, Florida, is for some time, is still there and undergoing treatment. Word from the hospital states that the young man is still under obsrevation and the exact cause of his illness has not been fully determined. John has been in the hospital for the past several weeks. address of the young soldier is Ward .. T. .. , , ,T J b ' Xlrz Knlinn nnrl her Tinrpnts. Air. ZZ at tne nospiiai. Returns to Texas Sunday evening Sgt. Clinton Nearhood and wife departed for the south where Sgt. Nearhood is sta tioned at Midland, Texas, in the air service. They have been enjoying a visit at the home of their parents, Mr. and Mrs. Herman Hough and Mrs. Anna Nearhood for the past few days. and Mrs. L. L. McCarty. Captain Kalina will have been in the armed service three years in March, entering the service from the ROTC of the University of Ne braska and was commissioned as a second lieutenant. He later served in California and Hawaii and then in the Pacific theatre of warfare He has participated in some of the heaviest fighting of the island in vasions. To Visit at Home Son Reported As Prisoner By Berlin Mr and Mrs.- Charles Tasler of this city have received cards and a letter from persons in several parts of the east country telling of a short wave Berlin radio broadcast. The message tells of hearing from the German radio that Pfc. Charles Tasler, Jr., is nor: prisoner of the German forces, is iio.;- &!r of the prison camps in that coau.;'. The broadcast gave the serial number of Charles and confirms the first word received that he was a prisoner and not missing in action as was reported. These radio broadcasts are given frequently and prisoners from all sections are reported from time to time, the reports picked-up by short wave reception and the parents and relatives notified. Pfc. Finnice I. Galloway, who has completed thirty-two months ser vice overseas in the Asiatic Pacific theatre of operations, is to have the opportunity of a visit here with his parents, Mr. and Mrs W. A. Gallo way. Pfc. Galloway is scheduled to arrive at Camp Bowie, Texas, cn or about December 9th, where after a few days checkup he will be sent onto the home here. Lt. Carter Minor Is Interned In Europe The message has been received here by Mr. and Mrs. T. H. Pollock, of the fact that their grandson. Lieutenant Carter Minor, has been interned m a neutral country in Europe. The news came through the American Red Cross to the parents, (Mr and Mrs. L. O. Minor, of Kan kakee, Illinois, and the members of the family here. Lt. Minor is a member of the air corps and wtss sent overseas in October where he has since been on active duty. Earlier in the year he was ordered overseas but this was recalled and he remained until the final orders were received. The message has come as a great relief to the family to learn Lieu tenant Minor is safe altho interned. Cart has many friends here that will be pleased to hear of his afety. FOR SALE Improved Eighty Acres West of Plattsmouth, Possession March 1st. - n4 fl9 mm Friends Have Meeting Recently "while in an unnamed port James D. Brown, Sic, had the pleasure of meeting an old friend and schoolmate, Harry Shiffer, Jr., also in the naval service The two had a most delightful time in the reviewing of news from home and of the mutual friends back here in Nebraska. Harry is looking forward to leave as he has been out in the midst of the Pacific warfare and may have a chance to come back to the states and visit his home. Jim, however,- is not looking for ward to an imediate leave, but is hoping that his turn may not be too far away. Still in Naval Hospital Edwin Hiber, AS, son of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Hibcr of this city, is still at the naval hospital at Great Lakes, Illinois, where he has been for the p2st several weeks Edwin had a very severe spinal operation and some of the leading surgeons of the country participated The young man is feeling some better and hopeful that he might be given a release for the Christmas holiday season. ALL OUT FOE VICTORY The government is asking yon to store yonr winter supply of Coal HOW to save trans portation for war material later on. So see ls now for your next Winter's CoaL E. J.RICKEY Lumber Coal Phone 128 We Will Have A Car of COTTONSEED MEAL and PELLETS for 4-H BEEF CLUBS the last of December. Place your orders now so they will be the first on file.. We will make a special price to 4-H Baby Beef Club Boys and Girls. PUTTSM0UTH CREAMERY Home of CASCO Buffer Loicer Main St. Phone 94 Glen Woodbury, who served as district court reporter until join ing the naval construction forces, has written a very interesting let ter from the Hawaiian islands telling of his observations on a short shore leave that he enjoyed. His letter was sent to Mrs. F. R. Guthmann and daughter, Miss Minnie: 23 October 1944 Sunday we left the base at 8:30 and drove through Honolulu and n up to the Pali (cliff) which is about a two-mile drive from town. The drive takes you through the beau tiful residential district of town and on up the mountain. At the summit you are in a draw between two mountains and the wind is ter rific you can't run against it and hardly walk. The strange part of it is there seems to be no explana tion for the extremely high Telocity wind unless it i the draw. You can stand in the wind and see trees a block away without a leaf stirring. From the top of the Pali the road winds and winds down a steep in cline worse than any I've ever been on but we made it in fine shape. From the bottom we drove through a rich valley growing bananas, pua puas and avocado pears we filled ourselves the bananas have a strange taste at least, strange to me seemed sort of rubbery and not too good. We drove through three or four small towns or vil lages to a side road that pointed to Sacred Falls. We drove down this side road approximately a mile through acres and acres of 6ugar cane and finally stopped at the end and got out and walked for at least another mile through a dense jungle with only a foot path, crossing a small stream eight or ten times and finally reached the falls. The falls itself isn't anything in comparison with others I've seen, but it is be tween two mountains extending al most perpendicular cn both sides. At the bottom of the falls there is a pool about 25 feet in diameter about the kind where you would ex pect to see Dorothy Lamour but she wasn't there, nor was anyone else. We spent about an hour here and at our lunches and then started on for Mormon Temple a very beautiful edifice with luxurious gardens surrounding it. (A funny thing, it seems that every stick in the ground has a bloom on the end of it) The building wasn't open but we spent some time around the grounds and then started "on. About two diles further down the road a group of Hawaiian bojrs were div ing for pennies and we stopped for a time tossing in coins and taking pictures of the kids there. The road continues more or less along the coast, ducking in and out and back up into the mountains and then we came to a very beautiful beach and we stopped and had a dip in the blue Pacific and it really is blue the sky is anemic looking in com parison, t spent about an hour hunt ing an interesting form of seashell and was lucky to find one they make necklaces out of them here. You have to feel around rocks for them and then bury them in the sand and let the ants eat the insides out and then shine them I'll try that again when Uncle Sam lets me off. We left the beach about 5 P. M. and started back across the island and went past miles and miles of pineapple fields. When we reached the base we decided it was too early 6 P. M., so on back through Hono lulu and out around Diamond Head the homes are a sight for sore eyes out this way Janet Gaynor's, Doris Duke Cromwell's, etc we went around Diamond Head and Koko Point and stopped and watch ed some Jap fishermen and then back up the long steep hill through the Pali from the opposite direction and quite a sight it was at night millions of lights below like dia monds in black velvet and a faint glimpse of the ocean in the distance. It was really a trip I'll never for get but now I've seen everything there is here and so there will be nothing but work from now on ex cept an occasional swim at Waikiki, which isn't what you'd expect. Keep Bayine War Bonds