Evening star., 1943-10-10
landing parties onto several islands
around the Gulf of Naples and were
in on the mainland invasion.

Nazis Weep at Bombing News.
I'VE talked to some German pris-
oners we had taken off Sicily ELL
zey said. they thought New York
had been bombed off the map, tha.
the japanese had landed on the vest
coast and occupied San Francisco
and that the German army was as
far west as Chicago. Boy. those
fellows had been fed on propaganda
When We told them our planes
had been bombing German cities
they sat down and cried like babies -
The Arab squadron had its be-
ginning with the invasion of North
Africa, when six boats came in with
the first wave Of troops, shooting out
searchlights. Later they carried
troops along the coastline to land
them at strategic points.
There was some talk of COM
mendation awards for their work,
but after the invasion the Arabs
became lost in the scuffle and
dropped into the background. They
had to wheedle their needs from
large ships and take care of them
selves as best they could.
Many Men Green Hands.
In the latter part of May 1t.
Bryant arrived from the United
States with some new Arabs manned
by green shippers and crews. He
added these to those already in
North African ports and has a
squadron for special operations in
the Sicilian invasion.
1T was one hell of a Job 1t.
Bryant said. Each skipper had
operated independently for so long
that it was difficult for them to be-
come part of an organiza ton which
restricted their freedom and offered
them nothing in return. Actually
We were not squadron, but just
collection"
L set up an organization. I
named Warrant Machinist George S.
Peltier of Detroit as engineering
officer. He had two boxes of spark
plugs and a monkey wrench. I
elected Dick Heath of Boston navi-
cation officer. He had to beg, bor-
row or steal his charts from larger
ships.
1t. Sam Schwartz, New York City.
became the squadron's procurement
officer because of his knack of find
ing supplies and equipment where
no one else could. He found radios
fer the boats with no radios and
ammunition for guns which had
nothing to shoot. He haunted docks
and large ships for tools, motor
parts, radios, food and equipment.
On Suicide Mission.
The boys went on suicide mis-
sion when they went on a diversion
operation west of the main invasion
front in Sicily. 1t was their Job to
get shot at and they were not dis
appointed. Ellzey had the stern of
his boat lifted out of the water bv
a shell and had to be towed back
to port.
Running through enemy mine
fields is all a part of the job for the
Arabs, as we'll as running close in
shore in range of enemy guns. They
have been bombed, strafed and
shelled. Some of the boats even
have set off mines, but luckily they
are SO fast they are we'll past the
mines when they explode.
"One night my boat was lying off
the enemy coast and I decided to
get nap" Ellzey said. "A seaman
came down and woke me and said
the boat was rubbing against some
thing in the darkness.
Il went up and there was the
biggest mine I ever saw. I sweated
blood getting away from that spot" {"
"At least there is one consolation
in being small and insignificant" ;"
said 1t. Bert Osborne Of Chat
tanoosa, Tenn. German planes