Evening star., 1943-09-04
Back From the Wars
African Duck Hunters Potted
Outfit, Wounded Man Relates
Pvt. Mccullough Tells
Of Shotgun Attack
On U. S. Troops

If any one wants to know how
ducks feel on the first day of duck
hunting season, Pvt. Henry W. Nc
Cullough is the man to tell him. %
With a fast trip up an African
beach in an assault wave and swift
advance toward their objective be-
hind them, Pvt. McCullough's outfit
found itself entering small village
which, with the bridge just beyond,
it had been ordered to capture
and hold.
One platoon cut off to the left Of
the town, which was a little settle
ment with one Or two side streets
paralleling the main highway. An
other circled it to the right. The
third barged right on down the
main street.
On the sidewalks were men of all
ages In civilian clothes. And a sur
prising number were carrying shot
guns of assorted gauges. not to
mention a rife or two. Not alto
gether unnaturally, the Americans
expressed surprise at this concen-
tration Of civilian firepower and,
with due regard for matters of
protocol, directed an inquiry through
the proper channels.
First Day of Season.
The answer, when it came. was
surprisingly simple 1t was the first
DAY OF the duck hunting season,
the villagers obligingly explained.
All true sons of the soil are lovers
OF sports. Therefore the guns. One
or two of them even pointed to some
ducks they had hanging at their
waists to substantiate the explana-
ton.
Well" says Pvt. Mccullough,
they let us 60 right on into the
town and then started firing. We, it
soon became evident, were the
ducks!"
Pvt. Mccullough, who is now re-
covering at Walter Reed from
wounds received in later action.
was with the platoon which had cut
to the right of the town and when
the firing began from the houses he
promptly took cover behind a big
farm wagon.
from this vantage point he Joined
IN the Americans returned fire and
the offending duck-hunters were
soon forced to take to their heels.
Ihey were not seen again and as
Tar as Pvt. Mccullough was able
to determine there was no evidence
to support the rumor, circulated
later, that the duck hunters had
been enemy soldiers in disguise.
House to- House Survey.
Once the annoying duck hunters
had been disposed of, the American
unit began a house house turn
out OF the inhabitants. Brought to
headquarters they were questioned
and most of them later released.
Seeking more complete details of
the duck-hunting business, the
Americans were told that the viii
Layers liked the Americans. But the
excitable inhabitants, it seemed
had mistaken the Americans for
Germans. What a misfortune! And
what about the American flag car
ried by the units and the American
flags sewed on the tunics of the
men? They must have been over
looked, it seems.
This incident served to introduce
Pvt. Mccullough to the most ex-
citing period of his life-so far
After occupying the village for two
days, the unit was relieved by en-
gineers and taken by truck to within
seven miles of Oran.
Oran was still in enemy hands
and Pvt. Mccullough, who is q
native of McKees Rocks, Pa, re-
lates that the American commander
sent in word ahead that If the
American troops were fired on al
they advanced, they would "flatter
the town" The words are Pvt. Nc.
Cullough's.
If necessary at ALL the warnine
did not 60 unheeded, for when tn,
| Americans marched IN they wer,