The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-09-22

the chances of the Russians to "hold off'' the Nazis.
 DESERTTONs LOWEST
 IN HISTORY
 Certain isolationist statements that there will be wholesale de- sertionS at the end of the one year training period found ab- solutely no confirmation among these citizen soldiers In the field here. When asked about the rec port they laughed about it as mischievous joke they had put over.
 The desertiOn rate among the citizen soldiers Is the lowest in the peacetiIme history of the U. S. Army. Even Che AWOL rate Is extraordinarily small.
 At one time 1t was SO infinitesi. maj in the 27th Division, the out- At reputed to have the lowest in morale in the End Army, that c special inspector was sent from washington by the War Depart Inent to investigate whether the situation was as good as report ed. It was as good.
 NOTE: The aud Army has c counter to "0.H.I.O." (Over the Hill In October that sprang up among some outfits during the Extension Bill debate. It Is "G.I.N." - GuArdhouSe in No. vember.
 AMID WOODS AND
 SWAMPS
 Proof of the sound patriotism and high morale of this mans army iS strikingly demonstrated in the spirit displayed by the sol- diers in the gruelling war games being fought out here in the vast piney woods and swamp country of the Sabine and Red River basins.
 This is mean country, and the weather has been worse. It has been hot and Steamy with fre- quent soaking showers. The woods are full of chiggers and the mosquitoes are as thick and persistent, as flies around Q sugar bowl The nlaneuvers have been fast and furious in . combat situation basically one of . mobile arm0red force l2nd Army against an enemy less mobile and armored but three times as large (3rd Army. From the zero hour movement has been continuous day and night, with night operations un- der strict black -Out.
 Also the 450,000 men engaged have been in the field in divis- ionai and intra-army maneuvers for two months. They have been able to bathe infrequently, have had to wash their own clothes, to eat on the fly. Movies and rec reation have been rare. Yet the boys entered into these games with all the zest and verve of 6 championship football game. HAS SHE GOT A FRIEND
 Here is one instance of their spirit. The 85th Engineers was assigned the task of building a pontoon bridge across the Red River, a tricky, sandy bottom stream with steep banks of vicious red clay, quick-sand traps and given to rising 2 feet in an hour. The massive 40O-yard span of 25- ton pontocns was begun early in the morning under orders that it was to be completed by dark in order to enable several divisions of motorized artillery to cross during the night.
 All during the day the engineers toiled in the steaning heat. At dusk, ciay-caked, drenched and worn, the engineers triumphantly completed their mission. The bridge was ready.
 4 Signal Corps unit arrived and on the near bridgehead set up . radio communications point for one of the divisions moving Up to cross over. AS one of the radio operators was tinkering with his set. Jeep car with several gEimy engineers skldded by and one Of them yelled. "Gettlng anythlng?"
 @Yep, she's coming through.S
 'Sweill" was the gFinning Fe. ply. -Aak her lf she's got . friend."