The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-09-27
Germons Not Set To Quit
Continued from Page D

(Contlnueu from PnRe I) your own neck, but we don't want to tempt them to send Q salvo in this direction"
 Artillery whackings were inter. spersed with malignant machine gun chatteringS at our right and left elbows, indicating the location of strong points.
 Lieutenant General George s, Patton's great armored column, which rolled victoriously across France after the break-through, now has come smack up against the traditional fortress of Metz, which probably cannot Do taken without Q heavy air bombardment which was retarded due to the thick, rainy, foul weather that gave Hitler c breathing spell.
 Further north, on It. Gen. Court ney II. Hodges First Army front, l entered Germany with United Press Correspondent Henry T. dorreil. It was not his first trip across the frontier aS he and Ernest Heming- way had been the first eorrespond- ents ill.,
 That's Germany right across tho railroad tracks" said dorrell.
 A minute later our jeep, slither. Ing through mud that in many places was well over the shoetopS, carried us into the NaziS' homeland at Rotgen. travelling in the direction of Stolberg.
 Muddering along the road, I no. tieed sharp contrast with the in. habltantS back in Belgium and France. Here there wero no waves, except by c few children. Most of the peasants didn't even look up AS the Army Jeep passed. The towns folk mostly stare glooTnily or glover.
 Once in c while you get O surrep. titious smile or . friendly eye, but rarely.
 Ten miles Into Germany and ap- preaching the front you begin to hear the rumble of artillery, al. though the German peasants, like those in other countries over which the war has rolled, continue oblivl. ously working in the fields, even though shells are passing directly overhead.
 We reached the coloneis head. quarters close up.
 The weather was gloomy, the mud like liquid glue. American "dfS" huddled under dripping trees and in dank, muddy holes.
 However, despite the low cloud ceiling two German MeSserSchmltta appeared, took leisurely look at the town, and then the ack.aek commenced chattering. Everybody took to the holes or took shelter Ii, doorways as if escaping Q sudden thundershower.
 Presently we found ourselves at an observation post from which n big German factory, smoke boiling from many chimneys, was easily dlScernible; likewise German rail. road trains ci1ugging along parallel with our lookout.
 Remember, this Is not c strictly solid front like in the last war If Is Q long projection or skinny salient Into Germany.
 Enemy machine gun nests were right before us, but so well con. cealed that only c praeticod military eye could detect them, A farn, woman still was dwelling in no mans land. Whenever firing began hitting close to her demlcllo sho waved . white handkerchief In token of strict neutrality,
 Several times we saw oermaaa Silhouettcd on c ridge just across from Us. The country locked go peaceful and rural that it seemed we could just march right ahead, put actually it was bristling with hidden defcnScS, although the tho Americans at that point had nee tually pierced the 1iegffied Line,
 Heavy concrete piiiboxer were all behind Us. Sono had been blown up, some Rbandondcd, and our own soldiers were occupying them aS shelter from the penetrating, bone. chilling rain.
 The Americans dropped 6 shell plop into ono German sit trench, Smoke arose. 4 short distance away c German soldier emerged from hls hideaway, stood locking arouond, and then crawiod in again.
 YankS in tho observation post stood for hours looking deatah straight in tho teeth, since 1t was c ci1ch the Germans were staring down OUT throats just aS vigilantiy as we were staring down theirs.
 Presently they gave evidence Of their interest, banging several shells into pactures very nearby. 4 few minutes later, as we were wriggling thoEugh the wettost possible woods among tangl6s Of briaTg, half c dog en ShFapnei airburSts whackOd the vicinity.
 'Thoy seem ot have plenty Of stuff" remarked ah officer, They ladle it back to iig around here Just as fast as we dish tt out"
 After feeling oil that optimiOEa back home following the attempt to xiii Hitler, following It. Gen. Omar BFadieyb SIlaDtefiy strategy i1 breakS Ing through and the unprecedented sweep Of Americans and British across France aSld Belgium, it Was strange to sec the Americans hung iif, under circumstances looking als most like 6 staieniato Of the last WaEs
 However, the explanation is inst bad weather permitted the Germans Co bring up tough divislois linniOl- estod by oliF air supsTlorlty, plus efis