The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1919-05-09
CORPORAL GEORGE SwE1TZER EN-
LISTS AFTER THREE YEARS
RESIDENCE IN THE o. S.
Was Captured by Huns and Escaped
Later Lost An Arm in
Battle.

II there Is a bigger her" in Wheeling
than Corporal George Swcitzrr have him
PACED Born and raised in Germany.
George Sweitzcr came TO America and
located IN Wheeling.
Here is his story:
81 had been in Wheeling thrc" years
and had not had time tu become nm Am
crican citizen. When l saw all "f tho
other fellows going TO war | decided 10
go with them. for l knew better than
they did what they wrrc going 10 fight
for 50 went. didn't have 10 50. nut
l wanted 10, so I enlisted in the lllth
infantry.
ITO cut a long story short We went
overseas and with three weeks training
nm TO tho front We went on tho border
Of No Mans Land. On" day our captain
asked for volunteers for guard duty.
That's fine job. out hunting intortna
ton. way beyond your own lines ana
usually n follow doesn't come back. but
what does one fellow amount to cnmPar-
cd to to an army So l volunteered. 1
knew l could talk German and could IN
drrstand what the boys i'll thr enemy
lines were saying.
.~Thc captain asked for moro volun-
tecrs and my buddics said Well. II nc
goes we'll DO damned if we stay behind
SO away about eight of us started
I've got clear over 10 the German
trenches crawling through VIC oarh,
For several hours We overheard German
conversations. then We decided that we
had tho information we wanted ana
started back. On our way back VIC pass
cd Il German outpost patrol. thc same
boys I guess that we haa pFtV'ou'
passed on our way out: | didn't recoE-
ni7.c them though. for I didn't want to.
When VIC got up to them twenty-five
of them opened fire on us eight rour
Of our boys were killed Instantly Tw"
Of US were taken prisoner and was on"
Of the captives. Tho other two. got away
and back to the lines with The inform
sto2 S. We , a1dIt sSF Tx out M"{ hcre at
night with machine guns staring. you
in the face on every side. then to he
taken captive after fighting twenty-five
men, Well it isn't funny co-n,o, ,;nes
and there we two were separated.
have never seen the other FELLOW since.
They assigned me TO work with PICK
and shovel on dict or nothing, because
I wouldn't give them any Information
about the American Army. They didn't
know that / could talk German and De-
lieve me didn't let them Know ~;
, to cat or drink and worked right on with
guard behind me with liked oayoneI
and loaded gun
THE SeCOn0 night SISpl "'N4' '''-
eyes open and when I saw the Guaru
dozc off edged over to my shovel $1,000
up and made up my mind TO ole or get
away. Swinging the shovel over my
head hit the guard square in the face
Then out the entrance of the ousout
beat It and pretty soon passed the Ger
man line. but I don't know how fast
How ever got through there I don't
know, but did Whether I killed the
guard I don't know and don't care. l
do know I changed his face some.
-Day1teht came and the Germans were
shooting around trying to find mo- out
! T had crawled into shell hole 1 h1o
there until dark. with our own fire above
mo Finally T determined to try for the
American line and so crawled on. IL
came To my mind that our FELLOWS
urouldn't know was an American, when
I approached them IN the dark. hut
took a chance and leaped into the trench
and had He'll of time CONVINCING
them who I was, for my organization
had been relieved.
1T was sent back to my organization
then we went to Chateau-Thicrry. Ihat
place has a pretty name, but II nH''
| Of q place anyhow. Every place snipcrs
were shooting and when went out 10
the front the first night that was an un-
lucky trip for got hit three times ana
my right arm was put out Of commas
sion.
| At this point Corporal sweitzer dis
played three wounds on his arm. each
Of them the scar Of a lacerated wound
inflicted by a soft nosed bullet
II this story told by German boy
who enlisted iuthc American army ~hen
The didn't have to won't make people BUY
Victory bonds what wtll7