The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-03-23
\ nnnAnWAYTrE IN ITALY

M" W@l#aAAH Wsm4AA8 AAN M4a@AA&
 near Walter: It's Q far throw fun pounding copy In 0 Broadway
 Aok min Co Fifth Army public re- A1Iunn Ia Italy, but there I was
 ana here I am. At Fort Bliss, Texas,
 wnn instructed in the finer points nf q 60 calihre machine gun, finally olnbakking for the Big Adventure and going directly into the Sictlian fnvneion with an ack~ack unit att tnched tot he 45th Infantry Division. During the run Of the show we weaped our share of that old flax magic but after Salerno I heard ahe call and joined forces with the public relations section ct Fifth Army headquarters. That was un- doultediy the best thing that ever happened to me because 1t plopped me down in Q ringside seat at the greatest show on earth.
 I'm writing this to you from our quarters just outside of AnSio for this is one public relations set-up that doesn't draw up the rear. Most of tho writers came in with the as- sault troops on D Day, newspaper men being what they are. Thus far we've been shelled out of two office sites, but at the moment we're all pretty determined to stick where we are. The scriveners with us are some of the gamest and sQuarest gliys I've ever met all top men in their field and as earthly and regular as your best pal. There's a lot of them here, representing every big press association back home, not to mention some of its top gaGettes.
 Flushing in and out of here throughout the day are Reynolds Packard of U. P, Don Whitehead of 4. F., (who, incidentally, should be on his way back to the States by now for Q well merited resD, clark Lee of INS. Homer Bigart of the Herald Trib, Will Lang of Time, John Lardner of NewsweeE, Bill Stoneman of the Chi. Daily News, and photographers Bert Brandt of Acme, Bob Capa of Life, and Sam any 0oldstein of the Hearst and Ecripps Howard pool. The Stars and Stripes staff, notably Jack Folsie and Milt Lehman (who are doing right fine by that sheet, in case Harold Ross should inQuire) are also here, as are host of im- pcrtant British writers. Mind you, we're all under one roof, and while foreign writers are eninently sensi- ble guys this Stlll manages to be as delightful a madhouse as any impressionable kid like myself could hope for.
 were in a tilree-Story villa oVer- looking the harbor where the navy is still unloading men and equip lnent. For the first time in many months, sunny Italy has stopped looking like Florida's conception of California. The sun Is strong and beautiful. even if you can't see the Messerschmltts camouflaging them- selves In It's glare, The mir raids have been coming fast and furious, and the flax from our own naval guns droppeth not as the gentle rain from heaven more often, as it droppeth, 1t is as Q skeleton hay- ing Q conniption fit on q tin roof Even the quality of mercy Is con- spicuously absentee, for 1t seareth the hell out of man.
 However, If the truth De told, the air raids during the day are not so bad. For then most of the press cards are up at the front gathering the stuff dispatches are made of, and there's little confusion in our halls. But ct night, look out. When that first bomb drops, the batter Of feet may be heard rather distinctly