The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1942-04-09
Libby Youth
Returns From
Iceland
George Krebs Spends 10
Months With Marines in
Far Northern Land
DIDN'T LIKE COUNTRY;
PREFERS OUR MONTANA

A Libby young man has just re-
turned from 10 months in the land
of the midnight sun and he says he
didn't like it. His shift in the far
northern cline gave him expert
ence with the days without nights
and the nights without days, and he
much prefers Montanas days and
nights.
The young man is George Krebs
who is home on Mrlaugh for visit
with his parents, Mr.. and Mrs.
Charles Krebs.
Last year George enlisted in the
Z. S. marines from Great Falls and
his detachment, the Sixth, was the
one that was suddenly moved into
Iceland last July to keep it from
possibly falling into the hands of
the Nazis. George speaks of the
parines having left San Diego and
moving in slow stages through the
Panama canal and along the east
ern coast of the United States, ira
yelling at an easy rate of speed
while negotiations were probably
being completed between the United
States and the Netherlands govern
ment regarding our occupation Of
Iceland. Finally the gb-ahead or
der was evidently received for the
gas was stepped on-if that is what
is done when one speeds up a ship
and the marines moved into Iceland
and took it over without further
ado.
Likes Montana Better
While young Krebs enjoyed his
experience in the far distant land
and with the marines. he does not
think great deal of Iceland Prob
ably because he has too long been
accustomed to the natural beauties
of western Montana. There are
mountains in Iceland as high as
those we have here said George
while talking to the reporter Mon
day, but they are absolutely bare
volcanic rock, ice and snow.
couldn't conceive of a huge noun
tain being SO completely devoid of
all vegetation until saw thQge in.
Iceland Because of this~fack of
verdure, everything has drab APP
pearance. The colors are all in dark
tones, grays and browns. | can't
understand why Icelanders, after
visiting in the United States, will
want to 60 back there but many Of
them do.
we didn't have a great deal Of
snow where our detachment was,
a short distance back from the
shore line" continued George, mbut
it rained much of the time-hardly
day that there wasn't some rain.
Probably at no time did we have
more than two or three inches of
snow
George reported that the wind
blows great deal in Iceland es-
pecially during the winter. In Feb
ruary the wind reached a velocity
of 140 miles an hour, literally flat
tening many of the huts. No seri-
Gus injuries were suffered by the
men, although men were hurled
scores of feet through the ait by
the blasts.
Although no enemy planes at
tackled the camp, occasionally two
motored reconnaissance ships flew
over, leading to the belief that the
Nazis probably have a fairly COM
plete set of photographs Of the
devil-dogs' work in Iceland.
Zone has to become accustomed
to the days with almost continuous
sunlight during the summer
months" continued George. tits
rather trying on one at first. In
order to sleep, windows have to be
BACKED out, with dark shade.
blanket or some other handy mate
rial. In the middle of the summer
it's broad daylight until about 1890
at night. Then there are from two
to three hours of what might be
termed twilight, and that is fol-
lowed by full daylight again.
Short Days, Long Nights
"But all of that is reversed in
the winter. Darkness settles down
between 8 and 4 o'clock in the af-
ternoon and there is no trace of
daylight until about o'clock in
the morning. That isn't so pleasant. |
Although it gets dark in the mid
die of the afternoon, the evening
meal was not served until the usual |
time, about 6 o'clock. Then some
form Of amusement was provided |
the boys, SO as to help pass the
long hours of night. 1t might be
a show, music, games, etc. But as
a rule, an early hour found most |
everyone in bed"
Our quarters were very comfort
able and consisted of hut the
same shape that would result if one
cut milk can in two through the
long way and laid the flat side on
the ground. There was a good floor
in each, doors and windows. The in
side was celotexed There were
lights, water and the usual conven-
fences and we were very comfort !
able We soon discovered that we
were given much better care than
were the British soldiers. Our