The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1943-08-26
Libby Man
Writes From
Sicily
Sill SaccO in First
Troops That Landed
On Important Island.
TELLS OF DAYS
PRECEDING BIG FIGHT

PRECEDING BIG FIGHT
Following is letter direct from
the fighting front in Sicily. 1t was
written to this newspaper by Sill
Sacco, former Western News en-
ployee, and gives his reactions as
the American forces embarked and
got ready for the invasion of Sicily
and later tells of the first landing
operations. Sacco writes, in part, as
follows:
Somewhere in Sicily
August 7, 1943
Well, it's been long time since
I've got around to answering your
letter, but know you'll forgive me
as I've been pretty busy. hope this
letter finds you in the best of
health and that everything is going
smoothly. I've been getting the
paper pretty regularly and | enjoy
it very much.
Well, sir. suppose you'd like to
hear what's been keeping us so busy.
About the first of July we boarded
an invasion ship scheduled to in
wade somewhere but none of us
knew where. Well, rumors were
running high, wide and handsome.
/ We stayed on the ship seven days
before we set sail and it surely was
hot on those steel decks. We spent
the 4th aboard and it was very much
like any other day and we were
| all thinking of the last 4th we'd
spent at home and feeling very
lonesome.
When we came abord we
mounted all our IA guns ON deck
SO we could fire, SO in addition to
the ship armament we had a hor-
nets nest of fire power as the Jer-
rvs were to find out. On the morn
ing of the 7th we got bunch of
maps and dope and were told that
our objective was to be Sicily. Well,
there we were, all anxious to get
under way as one gets uneasy sit
ting at anchor with those damn subs
i floating around
Talking about that, one day a
sub broke the surface and we were
all relieved when we discovered
it was an English sub. It pulled
/ up along side our ship and think
she took on few supplies for
something. They're sure dreary
looking and sneaky as all hell
While sitting at anchor we had a
raid one night. We didn't fire as
that would give away the location
of the ship and that's exactly what
bomber wants. So the shore bat
teries started giving them hell. Jer-
ry was dropping hanging lanterns
(flares that hang on parachutes ard
stay up for long while, lighting up
everything like day.. Well, about
this time the search lights started
picking up the planes and he'll
broke loose All at once one burst
into flames and headed for the
drink and they peppered the plane
all the way down. He hit on the
beach mass of flames. They rot
three altogether and it's sure a pref
ty sight and a grand feeling to see
those rats bite the dust.
Shortly afterwards We pulled out
and the first part of the trip was
very good. The sea was smooth as
glass and there was no wind. But
the last part was tough. 1t started
storming and our boat would dip
down and roll and shoot water all
over Boy, that night my stomach
did so many summersaults that
finally decided against my will to
give Davey Jones my supper.
, On the morning of the 10th things
! started happening. Infantry started
| hitting the beach, the navy was
Smelling and about 400 a. m. the
jerry started dropping eggs and
! strafing so that's when we COM
menced to break loose and thought
: my car drums would burst, but they
didn't One gun was firing right
: over us, so that made hell of
racket but it was all music to our
: ears because lots Of lead keeps
those big eggs away.
Well from there on for three
: days we were getting raid after
raid and we were putting she'll after
; shell at them but we got on to them
tCQntintled IN maya ~