The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-06-26


 noticing, when the building began to shake again, that the vibrations shook the tiles out of their pattern. I made sorto gray bud out of them, the way they would seem if I had on a pair of glasses that were out of focus.
 Buildings on Fire
 Two buildings next door were afire and big hotel on the Plaza down the street had been hit. Smoke poured into the narrow street so thickly that couldn't see q foun- tain nearby. Out of the smoke c child, about three or four years old, came toddling toward Us. Its clothes were torn, it's face was gmudged and 1t was crying. Three or four of us ran out and picked Up the child whom we turned over to c police- man who came mot the apartment vestibule. To this day can't re- call whether the child was . girl or boy. Things really began happening now and happening so fast that there was no time to think.
 The third wave came over. We looked out after 1t passed and saw bundle of bloody rags moving through the dust. It was man whose left arm had been blown off at the elbow. The police- man looked around for some way to get the man to the hospital, and decided to use e peddler's cart that was standing outside the aparment. The peddler yelled at us to leave the cart alone because he didn't want to lose oil his oranges. The policeman and I didn't pay any attention. We just dumped the oranges out, and put the wounded man in the cart. I gave him q drink Of rum. The policeman took a drink, too. I made it unanimous. Then the policeman, pushing the cart, disappeared in the dust.
 Fourth Wave Goes Over
 There didn't seem to be anything we could do. There were no air- raid shelters in Belgrade because tho city had not expected to Dc bombed. By this time six explosive bombs had fallen within half 6 block of us. I couldn't sec across the street for the smoke and dust, but I dee cided to get away from there l mean clear out of the city-at the next lull. 1ncendiary bombs had started fires Spouting up all around the apartment house.
 I began to haul on the rest of my clothes.
 The fifth wave came over.
 A dud bomb crashed through the asphalt in the street about 50 feet away from me. Then there came c lull and dashed down the street to 6 garage where had arranged to buy q car. No car in that garage would nave been worth buying. The building had been smashed and every automobile in 1t was ruined. Suddenly chunks of mortar and brick came bouncing down the street from explosions, reminding me of rocks that boys skip across ponds.
 I decided to go to the home of the American minister, about c half hours walk away. had to shield my face from the heat thrown off by fierce fires on each side Of the street. but I hung on to the bottle of rum and ran as fast as I could. I came out to 6 main street. Bodies were scattered around. A soldier lay flat on his back still holding his rifle at shoulder arms. A street car blazed. Sputtering trolley wires were down, thowing off smoke and electric flames that dazzled my eyes.
 Glass Deep in Street
 Broken glass lay on the street, two and three inches deep in some places. I found that couldn't make any forward progress. It was as though I was having q nightmare in which I was rooted in the midst of flames, smoke and death. The sun was coming up as struggled