Evening star., 1941-06-19

mcLemore' feeLS worse. MY
rides were taken through a forest
of them and the ones we didn't
knock down we sent to the hospital.
Normally, curious correspondent
is given a ride in only one combat
machine day but the I'd Armored
was preparing to leave for maneu-
vers and 1t was case of running
me all in one day, or not at all
The lieutenant in charge Of my
destruction asked me if I thought
I could take it, and when I said
NO" he said, Swell, jump in" and
I was off in a one-half-ton Ban
tam reconnaissance car, an inno-
cent looking little fellow that runs
better than so miles per hour, packs
two machine-guns and a crew OF
four, and has upholstery of the
Spartan or steel-bottomed type.
This thing will go anywhere, II.
Lindenmayer said, and proceeded
to prove it. We banged off the
highway headed through a thicket
that neither Livingstone nor STAN
ley would have penetrated without
native beater and letter from
their pastor. For more than an
hour the Bantam scared he'll out
of the native wildlife and me as it
charged up and down hills. along
river beds, through gullies and
sandy wastes.
Unfortunately, was strapped in.
From the Bantam We advanced
to the scout car. Six tons of he'll
on wheels that carries one .5O-cali-
Der and two .30-caliber machine
guns, tommy guns for its crew OF
six to eight men, an assortment OF
pistols and rifles, a radio sending
and receiving set, and all at a speed
well in excess of so miles per hour.
Once the scout car starts, it is every
man for himself. 1t seems to scent
out the widest places. And for
what seemed a month We explored
places that a razor-back hog would
complain Of. But there was no
stopping it. The regular members
Of the crew didn't seem to mind the
terrific humping at all, and even
managed gracefully to avoid me as
l ricocheted from dashboard to
stern. know how fast we we're
going at one time because the i'm
print Of the speedometer on my
chest reads IL" and the oil pres
| sure gauge stamped on my thigh
is at normal. The scout car has
the same luxurious upholstery as
the Bantam, processed steel, very
yielding, that cushions the body and
protects it from hitting something
comfortable like an ammunition
box
When the scout car finally stopped
was given few minutes to allow
some of my more important bones
to knit, and then lifted and placed
behind 1t. Lindenmayer on a motor
cycle. We rode in what is known
as a buddy seat. A vast whack
of leather with what is jokingly
called a spring underneath it..
''This'u be all right" I grunted to
myself. "I know motorcycles always
go down roads," and the thought
OF a nice strip of asphalt, with red
and green traffic lights on it, was
like heaven to me.
Grab me around the waist" the
lieutenant shouted as he started
the motor. "and hold on tight"
He wasn't fooling, either.
We started briSkly up a ditch and
with me riding at a point just be-
low the lieutenant's shoulderblades,
swept smartly around a culvert and
headed in the direction of where
the Bantam and scout cars had
taken me-
i've seen that neighborhood, lieu
tenant" called down. was well
above him now-and we must have
given the picture of a motorcyclist
pulling a glider.
This was a mistake, because he
changed our course and tore into
what must be the only section of the
Rocky Mountains in the State of
Georgia. now had wrapped not
only my arms, but my feet around
the driver. He didn't seem to notice
it, so busy was he keeping the
motorcycle from climbing trees or
leaping from crags after the man
ner of motorized goat.
Now for the tank" my charge
d'affaires said after had been I'M
wound from him and the motor
cycle.
Gentle, almost tenderly for men,
bers of Americas crack panzer unit.
I was lifted into the 121a-ton mon
ster. A crash helmet was put on
my head, goggles fastened about my
face, respirator clamped over my
nose. Looking like a slightly Ill
man from Mars took my seat.
Distributed by McNaught Syndicate, Inc)
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