The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1943-08-06

8L0nQ WnaL LIllS Is I'LL dDOuL uIltu
the bullets start whistling over
your head" said Capt. Charles
Goddard, 80, of Ada, Okla, a COM
pany commander who worked for
the Oklahoma State Department OF
Labor before the war. Il know /
don't and I think most of my men
are the same way. The war still
seems like something on the other
side Of the world"
The hundreds of men aboard
this big combat transport - they
dislike having her called a mer-
chairman, even though she was
luxury liner in peacetime-live by
"You can't take 1t with you"
philosophy. I heard of one soldier
who won IS 700 in a crap game.
They talk about the same opics
that are hashed over in your local
bar, and there's none of the SOUL
searching discussions that might be
expected. And they laugh at their
danger.
It's funny to them, for instance,
that their ship is one of the most
vulnerable torpedo targets, her
thin, virtually unarmored shell
sheltering tons Of high-test gaso-
line and heavy explosives that
would send 1t to kingdom com in
q matter OF seconds If it were ig-
nited.
Like Date With Dentist
1t. G.G) j. A. O,Leary, 81, the
son Of Rep. James A. OLeary, D.,
New York, told with grim relish
how the transports sister ship got
hit during the African campaign
and went down in three minutes"
The landing ahead, far from be-
ing dreadful to contemplate, is
more like a date with the dentist
an obligation that can't be lodged
But these men aren't throwing
their lives away. They are taking
sensible precautions. Almost every
body aboard, from colonies to pri-
Yates, wears a knife in his belt,
most of them fitted with brass
knuckle handles. Rifles, machine
guns, sidearms and bayonets are in
evidence everywhere. Men on duty
wear their helmets and carry gas
masks.
Although war correspondents
technically are n-combatants, I
asked Chief Gunners Mate G. E.
Nash. SO, of Sault Ste. Marie, Mich,
whether could draw some kind of
weapon just in case.
He'll" he said, you'll be able to
pick up anything you want on the
beach. Just help yourself from the
first corpse you come to. He won't
mind"
Several men have advised against
wearing my &C" (for correspond
ent armband when the landing
comes.
Enemy snipers will pick you
said. They shoot at anybody who
looks at all distinctive and might
be an officer"
Hand Picked Troops
These men are part of a power
full amphibious force, hand-picked
for an assault on enemy beaches
In the Mediterranean. They've been
told only that this one contingent,
built around nucleus of rough,
tough Oklahoma national guards
men. will be committed to occupy
stretch Of unidentified beach.
They have been told, too, to ex-
pect fierce resistance. This ship
carries exactly twice as many med
tcal officers as usual and thus far,
with not enough work to go around,
the doctors have been living the life
of Riley.
The medicos regarded it almost
as an event last week when an ap-
pendectonly had to be performed.
The patient, 1st-class seaman,
had, roughly, $1,000 worth of med
tcal talent In attendance.
He vas transferred to this ship
from a destroyer on a breeches-
buoy. The operation was completed
80 minutes later in the transports
ultra-modern operating room The
surgeon was 1t. Theodore A. Fox,
30, Of Chicago. Among the physi-
clans standing by were It. Eugene
M. Kelley. 81, of Exeter, Pa; 1t.
James j. Lucey. 80, of Perth Amboy,
N. j., and 1t. Comdr. j. P. Denneen
OF Buffalo N Y. Photographer 1st-
class Manuel April, former Wash
1ngton neWspaperman, who now is
the official coast guard cameraman
aboard, took extensive pictures.
All told, there are Is medical Of
hcers aboard-siX Navy and seven
Army-and one Navy and one Army
dentist. Fox estimates that this
ship. designated to take the most
serious casualties, could care for
300 seriously wounded men and 600
walking wounded" Of 100 casu-
alties brought aboard during the
North African operation, only five
died.
Pass Gibraltar at Noon
The trip from the United States
was relatively uneventful, proving
forcefully that the United Nations
are winning the battle against
Adolf Hitlers submarine fleet.
We steamed slowly through the
strait of Gibraltar yesterday at
high noon, almost as if we were on
parade for Axis observers. If the
enemy had observers in neutral
Spanish territory, they would have
seen every transport in the convoy
loaded with landing barges and
and armed with anti-aircraft guns.
This ship carried hundreds of
fully equipped troops under the
command Of 1t. Col. Edward F..
Stephenson. 46, Of Oklahoma City,
a former high school principal now
leader Of an amphibious landing
team.
Also aboard are Col. Robert B.
Hutchins, A, of Portsmouth, Va,
commander Of regimental combat
team, and Navy Capt. w. B. Phil
lips. 54, Of Oceanside. N. Y, COM
modore OF the conveys transports.
Several Of the men aboard such
as Pvt. l.. A. Salamone, %, of East
Boston, Mass. have relatives in
Italy. and others we're horn there