The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1941-06-05

ships. Aided by q heavy fog, troops
from the Orient established bridgeheads
on the Pacific Coast. Intelligence on
Ger Benning was assigned the grim task
of reporting developments to his su-
perior, Colonel Flagwill, who was sta
toned In Washington.
Now continue with the story.
4 x
Every good" he said. ''This is
just what I've been waiting for-my
army is itching to jump off,"
From the distance heavy artillery
grumbled at the dawn, it's vibra-
tons tossed from mountain to noun
tain in dull, ominous monotone Of
sound.
In front of them the invader held
the superiority of strength in the
present moment. But Van Hassek' s
air force no longer commanded the
skies and his espionage system east
of the Cascades and Rockies had
been snuffed out by firing squads.
Benning worked feverishly to &C
quaint himself with the intimate de-
tails of enemy strength, morale, and
dispositions. In five days million
men would be ready to attack. Be
hind that mighty cavalcade of
trained fighting men, another half
million were in the final stages of
seasoning for battle, and could be
pushed forward when the need for
them arrived.
The Fourth Army was shaping it.
self to attack to the south and west.
Whatever the cost, it was to push its
way past Sacramento and cut the
Van HasSek forces in twain. Stimuli
taneously the First, Second, and
Fifth Armies would press forward
with vigor that would prevent Van
Hassek from centering his reserves
against the Fourth. Upon the adj
vantages of the first few weeks OF
action would depend the final
massed attacks that were aimed
to sweep the invader into the Pacific.
Dawn of the day of attack came
with roar of artillery that shook
the skies down three-hundred-mile
front. Old-timers vowed that not
even the Argonne Witnessed such
volcanic wrath of artillery. Light,
medium, and heavy artillery pound
ed the Van Hassek trenches for an
hour and in its wake came the in
fantry waves pushing relentlessly
ahead in the first red welter of the
tortuouS miles to the sea.
On day, after crimson weeks,
that Benning few in reconnaissance
over Sacramento, the first Ameri-
can waves were at last on the edge
of the city. A heavy pail of smoke
told that the invader had abandoned
the city in flames, indication that he
meant to hold farther to the west
rather than trust here to counter
attacks. That told Benning, too,
that the Van Hassek lines to the
north and south would be drawn
back.
Benning's pulse surged as he
viewed from the skies heavy enemy
columns marching to the west from
Sacramento to take up some new
strategic disposition. The spectacle
seemed to vitalize Hague's prophe-
cy, bring nearer the day of fulfill
ment.
Dark months lay ahead; many,
many men yet must die, and the
country's stamina would be tested
to the last fiber of its strength. But
for Benning there were no doubts.
The dawn would come, that glorious
dawn of the day when he had vowed
for himself a glorious adventure.
On that day he meant to wing his
way to the north again whence had
come those fierce shadows in the
fog. There he would see their sur
vivors as they melted back into the
Pacific before the mighty vengeance
of our massed valor.
THE ENID