The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1942-11-05


school in Detroit for Is
weeks of troinino. Upon
graduation he wos rofed on
electricion's mote, third
Gloss, and sent TO New Lon
don for II more weeks of
training. He will oroduote
there next month.
l took SO men with me. That
was mp on the Leningrad
front. We were ralding .
place called Porchov-Novgo-
rod. about 70 miles or more
inside the German lines.
I'VE worked through the forests
and hid in them for one night.
Then we raided the town after
midnight OF the second night. and
We caught Fritz with his nose in
side his coat collar. We got their
sentries without shooting-before
they knew what hit them. Then a
Russian woman told US the Ger
man general was living in the
Town Hall That was my borsch.
All I wanted was a taste OF that
general. II was too easy. As easy
as IL II for the German artillery
to miss whatever they're really
aiming at"
"sLEEPING LIKE A BABY"
The lieutenant coloners private
map OF the Ukraine developed a
large number of jovial crevices as
ne pounded the table and his
major and captain grinned APP
preciatively
II took four men and posted
them around the Town Hail."
smirnov continued. The Russian
woman pointed out the room
where the German general always
slept. I decided the quickest way
was to climb up the drain pipe. So
I pulled off my skis and climbed
up and sure enough. there was the
German general, sleeping like q
baby.
He didn't have time to
squeal moro than twice. I
hit him once with the butt Of
my revolver and then stuffed
. pillowcase In his mouth, tied
his hands and feet and
brought him down. had
made mp my mind that We
must bring him back alive,
but there wasn't any way TO
do II except TO carry him on
our hacks. Besides, we'd had
great luck. but we couldn't
risk hanging around that town
any longer. So 1 slung him
on my hack and we got back
Into the forest ~ fast ~ We
could
zone Of the troubles with these
darned Germans is they eat too
much" doomed the lieutenant
colonel. Most Of their lebens-
raum In In their stomaehs. This
Gen. Hoffman wasn't so tall. but
he weighed nearly 200 pounds"
Gen. Hoffman," ! asked. Was
ne any relation to the Gen. Won
Hoffman who invented the Hcff-
mann plan for invading Russia ?"
CARRIED ON HIS BACK
~He was a 1t Gen. Won Hof-
man - think a brother of that
other Hoffman" Smirnov laughed
Anyhow. / slung him on my back
like q dead pig. and we started
back on our skis. ! carried him
first a couple OF miles and then
we shifted him around every mile
or so. In order 10 avoid German
troops we had to ski nearly 100
miles before we got back inside
our lines. Then We delivered the
general.
On inc way We hda 70 ohdo
him every few miles and pound
his back. arms and legs to keep
him from freezing. By the time
we delivered him he looked like
he wished Hitler had never been
born"
This time Ii. Col Smirnov's
-no-no-no~ uiied the enttre
dugout. He reached for the
vodka bottle.
'-0h. Fritz has had plenty Of
surprises In Russia all right
he went on. "But walt until
this winter. Hell get lets
more. This winter the Ger
mans are really going TO get
their bellyfui Of Rnssla-bat
they won't get much else
Look a my men Look At the
Red Army
He didn't say Look AZ me"
but he didn't have to. After all.
you couldn't help IT, The lieuten-
ant colonel would be a terror in
any mans srmy-snd he IL