Evening star., 1944-11-20
BY GEORGE TUCKER,

Associated Press War Correspondent.
LIE MAGOUR, in the German
held Lorient sector Of France, Nov.
Is Delayed Seventy mine Ameri-
can combat officers and enlisted
men held by the Germans were ex-
changed today for American-held
Nazis during six-hour armistice in
this drab little fishing village within
the German lines on the mud flats
of TIE Etel River.
The EXCHANGE was the result of
days Of negotiations by an Ameri-
can colonel and Andrew Gero
Hodges, an American Red Cross rep
resentative, Of Birmingham, Ala,
who served as a liaison ofhcer be-
tween the American Army and the
German commander Of the Lorient
sector.
The exchange was on rank-for-
rank. anchorage and condition for
condition basis, with the further
stipulation that all German prison.
ers figuring in the exchange had to
do SO on voluntary basis.
Armistice Begins.
The armistice began at 8 am. as
the Americans arrived at the town
of Etel.
At $50 am. Gen. Hodges crossed
the river alone to ascertain If the
American prisoners We're there. He
returned few minutes later accom-
panied by German colonel named
Borst and three other officers.
Gen. Hodges reported all Ameri-
can prisoners We're ready to be ex-
changed. He said the first thing
the Americans yelled at him was,
Who won the World Series?"
The Germans then requested per-
mission to see their own men who
were to be exchanged. A German
doctor questioned each man as to
physical condition. The Germans
still count on making fight of it,
as evidenced by their refusal to ac-
cept any prisoners who did not vol
unteer to be exchanged and whose
physical condition did not warrant
active duty.
The American party, which in
cluded 1t. Col. William H. Patterson,
Erie, Pa; Capt. Scott Ashton, Kan
sas City, Kans.; 1t. Col. Clarence
Brown, a Tupelo (Miss) doctor, and
this correspondent, together with
the German delegation. then crossed
the river to where the American
soldiers were waiting.
Americans Cheer.
They stood at ease in a narrow
alley near the fishing wharves. When
they saw us they broke into a cheer
Some were bearded.
Scores of beribboned German OH
GERS in shiny boots stood around to
watch the exchange.
A second lieutenant from Chicago
was in charge of the Americans and
he grinned broadly as he saluted
and introduced himself. He said he
was captured As days ago.
The men began to yell questions
and slap each other on the back. A
private wanted to know if it was
true the American Army was half
way to Berlin. A sergeant captured
three months ago while fighting
with the 9Th Armored Division cried,
"Who won the election?"
There were five stretcher cases
among the Americans, but they
were convalescing and in good con-
dition to travel, DR.. Brown said.
The prisoners were exchanged Is
at a time, since that was all the
tiny motorboat would hold. While
the exchange progressed, the Amer
can colonel and Col. Borst sat in a
little empty room that had once
been a cafe. Finally the last GI
climbed into the boat and all Of the
Americans showed of for the oppo-
site shore. The colonel was the last
to get on the little vessel.
8 Germans Remain.
AS each load of Americans landed
on the Etel wharf, corresponding
number of Germans boarted the.
boat and returned to the German
side. Each German had it made
plain to him that he was returning
to fight as an infantryman, regard
less of his branch of the service.
Toward the end of the exchange,
eight Germans decided they wanted
to remain as prisoners of the Amer
leans, and nothing would induce
them to get in the boat
Other prisoners quickly volun-
teered in their stead.
AS each boatload of Americans
landed. they were greeted by their
comrades and hustled away to a
rest camp, where they were de-
loused, provided with fresh gar