davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1943-04-04

for the toughest, most perllous, most
thrilling service of the war.
A man doesn't make a mistake more
than two or three times before his name
appears over grave. Because if he
continues to make the same mistake it
will not be long before he will actually
be in the grave-or he will be out of the
rangers and back with his old outfit
again.
The training is dangerous in the ex-
treme. But the commandant boasts
that none of the Americans put under
his charge have been seriously injured.
And he is solicitous of their welfare in
the extreme.
I was standing beside him the other
day on little hilltop amidst shower
Of mud and stone from land mine ex-
plosion when ranger took a 2O-foot
jump from log barricade. Just as he
landed On his stomach and face in the
cozy mud at the bottom his rifle went
off and the soldier staggered blndly to
his feet holding his hands over his eyes.
The colonels attitude became at once
AS kindly as that of a father. The boy
fortunately was not hurt except for mud
in the eyes. But his name will appear
on one of the rough-hewn crosses.
1t seems sometimes that all possible
stories about American Army training
have been written. 1 thought so myself
until the gray dank February morning
when truck set a group of correspond
ents down in this wild, eerie highland
glen after coming for miles across desc
late moorland where the white heather
was in bud. 1t was a spot celebrated in
Highland song and story. The swift
flowing mountain river had been red
with the blood Of clansmen
We shivered in the enveloping black
Evening star., 1943-04-04

States ranger with all the traditions of
the frontier Indian fighters to maintain
and with the addition Of the most COM
plicated techniques of modern warfare
Before he came doctors tested all his
physical reactions and psvchiatrists
probed deeply into his mind to determine
if he was something of throwback to
the American pioneers.
He probably has given up lot He
has taken off his sergeant S stripes. Very
likely he has given up chance to attend
an officers training school. He has
enthusiastically abandoned all this for
chance to work from sunrise to mid
night with hardly ever a day off, to
undergo the most rigid discipline known
in the American service, to face hourly
hardships and dangers from which all
but the stoutest hearts would finch.
And there, before his eyes, are the
freshly dug graves. If he doesn't notice
them, his attention is called to them.
He reads the rude inscriptions:
Here lies Pvt. -, U. s. A, He forgot
to examine his climbing rope.
Here lies Sergt. -, Royal Marines.
He got in front OF his pals rifle"
There is something odd about it. These
inscriptions seem to be ridiculing the
dead.
But you don't mean that these men
are actually buried here?" the new
ranger asks the tough British commando
lieutenant who has taken him in charge
You're damn we'll certain they are
and that's where you're apt to be in a
few days. But after all what difference
does it make. You get it here or you
get it there"
This new ranger is tough fellow, but
this seems little too calloused. All his
fellow Americans in the tent to which
he is assigned assure him solemnlv that
the commando lieutenant was telling
the truth.
Graves Are Empty.
Very likely it is not until week or
80 later when his own name and epitaph
appear on one of the crosses does he
know that he has fallen for grueSome
hoax-that these are empty graves, a
bit Of the grim humor Of the hard but
kindly former first sergeant of the Regu-
lar Army, commander Of the station.
whose job Is to train super tough men
Evening star., 1943-04-04

ton every two weeks. Graduates of the
course are now posted almost every
where any of our men are posted.
Among the trainers are soldiers, sailors,
marines and coast guardsmen as well
as civilians. The dogs they train are
assigned to every branch of the service
and to guard duty in many ordnance
depots and warehouses.
At present, sledge dogs and dogs with
other duties are being trained at the
other dog stations in the country, some
of which are in Maryland, Nebraska,
North Carolina, Colorado and Cali
fornia. However, some other types Of
training have been given al Front
Royal, and when the present demand
for sentry and messenger dogs slacks
UP a bit, these types will doubtlessly bs
resumed there.
Evening star., 1943-04-04

apart. There is a hail of bullets in the
black waters between them. Range
finding flares whiz through the air.
Bullets richocnet off the lake surface.
mean trick is to shoot the oar out OF
mans hand. The marksmen do it now
and then, if they think somebody is get
ting a little careless.
Landing Is Made.
The landing is made and the rangers
charge up the beach and take the only
available cover. Then they charge up
mountainside. They crawl. They roll
over and over for scores of yards. They
keep firing. Again land mines explode
in front of them. They are spattered
with rock fragments. Over their heads
whistles a hailstorm of bullets One
after another they climb a 20-foot log
barricade.
1t is no place for cautious conserva-
tive man. Here perhaps is the best
chance of getting hurt. The rife comes
out dripping with mud. The soldier
himself is dripping mud from head to
foot
Then the day becomes a little less
strenuous There is drill in 'unarmed'
combat-that is, how to get the other
fellow in the back with a knife, through
the heart if possible, at the same time
throttling him so that he cannot make
an outcry which will warn his comrades.
They also learn to protect themselves
against the knives of Germans, also good
at this style Of combat, by using their
helmets as shields.
Another drill on the days program is
the so-called me and my pal' exercise.
1t is a flexible commando rule, adopted
by the rangers that two men shall al
ways work together. one to cover the
other. In the practice of some of the
British commandos a soldier is never
sent alone on the simplest sort of er-
rand. Another always goes with him.
The idea is to accustom the two to work.
ing together.
One of the most uncomfortable feel
ings in the world it is explained, is the
sensation of facing danger. absolutely
Evening star., 1943-04-04

carious balance so that he is left clinging
to the rope face upward it is practically
impossible to make any progress and only
the most strenuous efforts, usually dl-
rected from the shore, enable him to re-
gain his face down position again
If he looses his hold he drops 20 feet
into ice-cold water over his head which is
flowing so swiftly that it would be i'm
possible to swim even if he were unin-
numbered. He will not be let drown.
There is boat to pick him up few
rods down the river.
In the same training period the man is
taught to make an "eye-and -toggle"
bridge. Each carries so-called "toggle
rope" From all of these carried by de-
tachment a suspension bridge can be
built consisting essentially of three
strands of rope, one to walk on and two
with which to hold on. 1t is crossed
walking erect, the next thing to tight
rope walking Adding to the excitement
are blasts of INT which explode con-
stantly in the water underneath. sending
up 30-foot fountains to douse the pre-
cariously balanced soldiers.
Alpine Warfare.
From river crossing the rangers turn to
an hour of alpine warfare and are
trained in the tricks of climbing and de-
scending high, bald mountainsides by
means of ropes. Coming down is lot
harder than going up.
When this is finished it is about 10 in
lo 10
start their real days work, something to
make the uninitiated turn a little pale.
The commando leaders talk to the cor
respondents. Follow in my footsteps"
he says. Group close around me when
1 stop. Don't wander yard away"
For" he adds solemnly, and he is
the fellow who thought up the idea Of
the new-made graves, "if you do not you
are most assuredly going to be killed.
There are land mines everywhere and
you are under rifle fire.
1t is a simulated battle with live am
munition. We Slip slide and wade over
hillsides covered with deceptive soft
moss underneath which flow the cold
waters from the melting snow on the
high peaks above. At about every third
step, it seems one is over the ankles.
Across this country the rangers must
crawl on their stomachs. keeping up
constant and accurate rifle fire on as
sumed enemy positions above. Each
man creeps forward, climbs over barri-
cades, f1ops through brooks under an
umbrella of whistling bullets from the
men behind him. Bullets richochet here
and there. The shooting red stars of
tracer bullets fly through the air Land
mines explode in front of the crawling
men, sometimes only a few feet away.
Up to now it has been sissy stuff-for
rangers. We are taken to the messy,
sedgy shore of an island-dotted high
land loch, subject of many songs and
legends. From behind the birch and fir
covered isles appear open boats filled
with rangers. On the shore are set up
two Bren guns, manned. by commando
soldiers whose craftsmanship thank
heavens, is deadly accurate. Their job
is to fire as close to the approaching
boats as possible without hitting them
The craft approach about 20 feet
Evening star., 1943-04-04

of fiat topped boxes, each covered with
roofing each about 4 feet square, and
each with an overhang over the entrance
which provides shelter from sun and
rain, while allowing the dog to sit out
SIDE of his kennel.
The dogs are chained to the entrances
of these houses. The chains are just
long enough to permit each dog to
almost reach his neighbor in either
direction. Yet apparently, each dog is
fully content to stay just where he
belongs. Perhaps his new life gives him
Evening star., 1943-04-04

charges of TINT blast the thick concrete
walls apart. Riflemen of the attacking
party toss hand grenades into the rubble.
Typical Attack.
This is typical attack on fortified
position by well-trained assault party"
a lieutenant explains. You have seen
the various steps-the softening Of the
position by artillery, the smoke barrage,
the flare signals to lift artillery fire, the
covering fire by rihemen and, finally, the
direct assault by flame throwers and
heavy charges. Any questions?' There
we're none. The boys of the Officer
Candidate School apparently were salts
fed When they graduate and are
further indoctrinated in combat tech
nique they'll be directing parties just like
these, on some faraway battle front
where enemy pill boxes bl1stle with
death.
1t all seemed so innocent down there
in the woods despite the simulated
artillery barrage which tossed clods OF
dirt high in the air. and the other
things which are part of the messy busl-
ness of war. But the training isn't
play. 1t is for keeps. 1t wouldn't be
much fun to be in pill box under an
attack of this kind.
Evening star., 1943-04-04

Germans have used them time and again
in attack against fortified positions
The attack party forms up. 1t is led
by a sergeant, armed with signaling de-
vices, including portable radio. Behind
him group riflemen, men carrying TINT,
flame -throWer operators, men carrying
heavy demolition charges and corporal
with more signal devices brings up the
rear. lieutenant explains through
microphone what will happen. The as
sault party f1anks the pillbox, advancing
through the woods.
A red flare bursts from the pistol of
the assault leader and the artillery bar
rage begins to pound the pillbox area,
moving slowly up the slope Jumping,
falling and slowly advancing, the assault
party moves forward. The HE shells
burst around the pillboX and suddenly
change to smoke shells Under cover of
the smoke the assault group moves in
closer. Three vari-colored flares go up
high in the air-the signal to suspend
artillery fire, as machine-gun bursts
from the pill box die off in intensity.
Lethal Bursts.
The flame throwers rush up. half
seen shapes in the smoke of battle. They
pour lethal bursts of man. destroying
flame into the embrasures If any
groggy half-dead defender survives he
is stunned, perhaps killed, as twin
Evening star., 1943-04-04
D. S. Rangers Find Training Tough in Scotch Highlands

that he has done in daylight. Beach
landings. for example, usually are staged
at about midnight. A good deal Of COM
mando tactics, of course, are tactics of
darkness.
The rest of Rangers time is pretty
much his own. Supposedly he is en-
titled to one afternoon week off. Only
once month, however, can he leave
camp and then there is nowhere to go.
Still these boys from the warm. pleas
ant countryside of the District Of Colum-
bia. Maryland and Virginia, together
with their comrades from other States,
seem to enjoy it. They are volunteers.
Nobody asked them to come here. There
is little problem to getting away if they
Continued on Page B-5)
Evening star., 1943-04-04

stand out on a sunny hillside. In field
a few yards away the men are taught the
ers. They aren't nice weapons. You
turn on the hydrogen here" says a ser
geant. Take your position, left arm on
left knee. leaning forward. Push forward
on this catch and release trigger" A
column of soaring flame several feet
thick bursts out 80 yards in front. Moth
ing could live in that soaring burst. The
Evening star., 1943-04-04
Belvoir Fig hters Learn Flaming Assault
BY Walter McCallum,
Star Staff Writer.

FORT BELVO1R, Va-The men in the
pillbox felt fairly safe. For months thev
had lived, surrounded by war; in their
comfortable front-line position behind
concrete walls several feet thick. Occa-
sionally all enemy shell burst in the near
by woods. Once a 3-incher dropped
squarely on the roof. The conclusion was
bad, but no one was hurt. They felt
pretty good, exactly like a hedgehog
drawn up for battle, his spines sticking
out in all directions. The spines were
other pillboxes, exactly like theirs, in
echelon, covering all approaches machine
gun muzzles sticking out at all angles
through narrow Sits. The war was close,
yet far away. Attack had not come their
way.
Suddenly their cozy nook in the war
became hell Violent explosions shook
the ground. Shells burst up against the
embrasures, scattering dirt and scream
ing steel fragments through the Sits,
killing a man and wounding another.
The bombardment let down little Re-
naming men peered through the Sits.
They saw lodging figures creeping and
running, and poured machine gun bursts
at them. They realized the war was
coming close.
The barrage dropped down with re-
neWed fury. Successive blasts of heavy
stuff rocked the very ground in which the
pillbox sat. AS the shells continued to
pound away, three falling right against
the concrete as they lost control of their
faculties a new menace beat OH them.
The enemy fired smoke shells, shrouding
them in thick gray mist. They couldn't
see two yards.
Billbox Blown Apart.
Heavier bursts came closer. The end
came when the pillbox was blown apart
by INT charges placed right in the
smoking embrasures.
That is the way it will happen thou
sand times in this war. Enemy pillboxes
or fortified lines dotted with machine
gun protected concrete bunkers are
tough nuts to crack. But the fighting
engineers crack them. They are taught
the methods of doing the job at Fort
Belvoir, where almost daily classes go
through the classic assault on a fortified
position.
The fre-seared pillboxes, concrete
dented and battered by heavy charges,
Evening star., 1943-04-04

enough to think about so he is not
curious about what his neighbor is doing.
On the day we arrived with our 16
dogs SIS others had come in by train
from many parts of the country. BY
far the greatest number of dogs in the
days haul were German shepherds or
near shepherds. There were number
of collies, varying in type from real show
stock to the old-fashioned shepherd dog
variety Dalmatians and Doberman
Pinschers were there in about equal
numbers.
A beautiful Briard was in the lot: two
or three great Danes, dog that might
have numbered a chow among its an
cestors, and another that could have
passed for Kerry Blue, but was Ia
beled Airedale, helped swell the ranks.
Each of these dogs was Immediately
given a fiat collar about an inch and
half wide and heavy enough to hold
a horse. A leash of similar type was
attached to the collar and each dog
was handed to soldier with slip of
paper that gave the dogs name, age, sex
and breed. Then the dogs were taken
to the weighing-in room where he was
quickly and accurately measured and
his weight guessed. Height. weight and
approximate color were charted and
then the dogs were taken to their ken
nels. In two or three days after re-
ception, the dogs are painlessly tatooed
on the ear for permanent and positive
identification.
Dogs Look Fine.
Every dog on the post was lean, hard,
bright-eyed and keen looking 1t was
a muddy day, but every dog looked as
II he had been recently groomed. The
Evening star., 1943-04-04
Dogs Look Fine.

Every dog on the post was lean, hard,
bright-eyed and keen looking 1t was
a muddy day, but every dog looked as
II he had been recently groomed. The
Evening star., 1943-04-04

(Continued on Page B-5)
Evening star., 1943-11-08
20 D. {, Se|ectees Report
For Active Duty Tomorrow

S1xty-siX selectees from the Dis
trtct will report to four branches of
the armed services for active duty
tomorrow.
The men now on their postinduc-
ton furlough include "a going into
the Army, "a for the Navy, 5 for the
Marine Corps and 3 for the Coast
Guard.
The list fnllnu,c.
Evening star., 1943-11-08
\X]':; \X]&;:f !; E. 5;
~

M CONCERTS.
%sMusic of the Masters" Jewish
Gommunity Center, $50 o'clock
tonight.
Marine Band, Marine Barracks,
1880 pm. tomorrow.
LECTURES.
"T'he English Bible A B c." by the
Rev, Albert Joseph Mccartney, 1864
N street NV, 8 O'Clock tonight.
# Christian Scientist lecture, Fourth
Church of Christ Scientist, 8 o'clock
tpnight.
E@ Literature Of India" by Horace
~ Poleman, Library of Congress
Aolidge Auditorium. $50 o'clock
Mmight.
81 RECREATION.
MWalsh Club for War Workers. 4
10 II o'clock tonight. Dance class,
$50 o'clock tonight.
FOR MEN IN THE SERVICE.
Stage Door Canteen, Belasco The
ater, tonight: Flo Small, Rubini,
Army Air Forces Dance Band and
Capitol Theater acts.
Entertainment tickets, The Hut"
E street at Pennsylvania avenue
NV, 4 to $50 O'Clock tonight.
VI Pep6i-Cola Center, $50 am. to-
DAY to 1890 am tomorrow. First
three floors open to servicewomen.
M Recreation, Masonic Center, l to
40 o'clock tonight.
sN Officers.
h Officers Club of the United Ma
lions, Burlington Hotel, 10 a m. to
10: 30 o'clock tonight. Introductory
cards to entertainment.
Tennis and golf, Kenwood Coun-
try Club, all day. Guest cards at
Burlington Hotel.
Servicemen.
Swimming, pm; dance instruc-
ton. $50 o'clock tonight; Jewish
Community Center lUSO).
@% Open house, Anacostia USO, l to
40 o'clock tonight.
rs Voice recording, community sing,
1850, Eighth and PENNSYLVANIA ave-
&nue NV. o'clock tonight. /
1s2 Crafts, USO. Sixth and Maryland
avenue NE. 7 o'clock tonight.
: Stenographic service, o'clock to-
night: dance class, 8 o'clock; YMCA
JSOJ.
Square dancing, Thomson Cen
Aer. 8 o'clock tonight.
Games, 7:30 o'clock; drama, 8
o'clock tonight; Central Center.
Amateur Camera and Movie
Guild NCCS CUSOp, 926 G street
NV, 7:3o o'clock tonight.
Spanish class, discussion group,
USO 1912 North Capitol street, 7:30
O'Clock tonight. +
Games, voice recording. NCCS
/, tUSO), 1914 N street NV, 7:30
O'Clock tonight.
Social dancing, games. Roosevelt
Center. 8 O'Clock tonight.
Dance, Servlcemen's Club No. /,
O'Clock tonight.
Dance, floor show. Rhoads Service
Club. o'clock tonight.
Dance with Army Ground Force
Band, NCCS USOp. 9l3 Tenth
street NV, $50 o'clock tonight.
Dance, YWCA tUSO), $50 o'clock
tonight.
FOR COLORED SERvICEMEN.
sOpen house, Leisure Lodge, noon
to midnight tonight. ~ ~
8; Bridge lessons, 7 o'clock tonight: |
bingo party, s8 o'clocks: YMCAl
USO). /
Game night, Banneker Club,
o'clock tonight
Bridge lessons. Hearthstone War
Workers Club, $50 o'clock tonight.
war workers welcome.
For details, call Travellers Aid
USO, National 1881.
Evening star., 1943-11-08
Builders Group to Meet

The Master Builders Association
will meet at s pm. tomorrow In
the Jefferson Room of the May
flower Hotel.
Evening star., 1943-11-08
Clearance Fine SUIT

Tailored and dressmaker suits all made of virgin
wool fabrics :. .. suits that will be as wearable next
spring as they are now. Blacks, browns. blues,
green's reds. Sizes to Is and 10 to TO- but not
all sizes in all styles If you need good suit, this
is your opportunity!
Kann's-Suits-Second Floor
Evening star., 1943-11-08

Those up-and-coming Juniors who read Glamour
Magazine like mad have been buying this blouse in
twos and three's! It's tailored with T-square pre-
cision and it looks super with everything from suits
to slacks The fabrics soft, fine, washable rayon
in snowy white gold, blue pink. In sizes to 15
Kanns-Junor shop-second Floor.
The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1943-04-15
THRO OWN FROM HORSE

Sterling M. Loaney received
leg and back injuries and cuts
about the face Sunday after
noon when the horse he was
riding threw him and he struck
a telephone pole.
The accident occurred about
a quarter of a mile east of Har-
din. He was accompanied by
Mrs. Loaney and Roy o. Cham
bers at the time.
Mr.. Loaney was confined to
his home for several days, but
on Wednesday made a trip to
Billings to receive medical at
tention.
The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1943-04-15

children from their course in
preparation, andin confirmation
as members of the church ....
at II a.. m. Our fine Church Sc
hool hopes for record attendan-
ce The growing Jr. League GAS
p. m. and Youth Fellowship at
7 p. m. Union service at the
Baptist Church, 8 p. m.
The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1943-04-15

ST. THOMAS EPISCOPAL
Palm Sunday S pm.
Evening prayer and Holy
Communion. At the Seventh
Day Advent church.
The Rev. Henry L. Evan, Gel
ebrant.
The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1943-04-15
CHURCH OF GOD
A. T. Stuart. Pastor

Services held each Sunday in
the building adjoining the Bus
depot on the north.
Sunday school at 10 a. m.
Preaching at II a. m.
Preaching at 7:30 p. m.
Note: This is the German
congregation and the Bible
class is conducted in German;
singing in both English and
German but the preaching is in
English. You are invited to
attend.
The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1943-04-15

"Sure been a great year for crops, judge.
best we've had in quite a SPELL"
That true, Henry. all over thecountry.
AS a matter of fact, there's been quite a
surplus supply of grain according to some
figures I saw in one of your farm papers the
other day. But that surplus is being used to
mighty good advantage and is making the
contribution of you farmers to the war effort
The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1943-04-15
CARD OF

The sponsors of the benefit
dance in Lodge Grass on Sat-
urday night wish to take this
opportunity of thanking the
various committees and every
one who helped with the dance.
They also wish to thank the
school for the use of the hall
and to the janitor for the don
alton of his time.
The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1943-04-15
METHODIST CHURCH
j. ID. Smith. Pastor

Palm Sunday, Good Friday
Easter. Christians should apr
zach this trinity with reverent
wonder, self denial, and faith
in infinite Goodness.
Our Church will observe Palm
Sunday by baptisms, reception
Of members, and graduation of
The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1943-04-15
formed at the church parson-

formed at the church parson-
age.
The bride wore a street frock
of rose color with a corsage OF
roses. She was attended by her
sister, Mrs. Alex Frickel, who
wore a blue dress and a corsage
of roses. Alex Frickel was best
man.
Mr.. and Mrs. Link will make