davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1944-07-30
Flyer Says Luck Is Better
Since He Shaved Moustache

whenever I get frightened. just
bow my head and say a prayer,
asking God to protect my crew. my
ship and myself, and He has never
refused me yet and I have faith He
will see me through" 1t. Keff A
Smith. jr, %, former Evening Star
employe, wrote his parents, Mr.. and
Mrs. Keff A. Smith, Of 1456 Irving
street NV.
A veteran of 40 combat flights in
Italy. 1t. Smith wrote this month ht
has been promoted from second tt
first Lieutenant He regards the ad-
vancement as "just one step nearer
pair of railroad tracks" (captain)
and declares he is really knocking
off the missions since I shaved my
moustache. That damn thing had
me jinxed" His father gave the
family reaction in a telegram read
ing, Congratulations and continued
prayers yourself and crew. Don't
get cockey or swell head"
1t. Smith, native Of Memphis
Tenn, is graduate Of Central High
School, class of 1910. He worked
for the Evening Star the next year,
enlisting then in the District Ma
tional Guard and taking training at
Fort Bliss, Tex. Shifting to the
AAF, he received his wings at Albu-
querque, N. Mex. in May, 1943, and
went overseas in April, 1914, as a
bombardier. He married the former
Mary Lucille Buettner of Albu-
querque in october, 1913.
Evening star., 1944-07-30

An enemy plane can be shot down
in few seconds but it takes a
fighter pilot like Capt. Richard F.
Hurd, n, of Washington, D. c., to
maneuver into a position where his
hurried trigger bursts can be ef-
fective.
Capt. Hurd, an ace with six ferries
to his credit, had his shortest and
most complete fight" near Casino
when he destroyed two Messer-
schmitts in 10 seconds.
Il had just gotten back from a
rest camp and went out looking for
trouble to relieve some of the pres
sure on the ground troops in the
Casino sector" he said at the AAF
redistribution station in Atlantic
City. N. j. He will receive a new
assignment that will place him in a
position where his experience gained
from 162 combat sorties in a Spitfire
will be most valuable to the AAF.
Right over our lines behind a
hill I found two MES snooping
around where they shouldn't have
been. They were only 800 feet up
and were very obliging. They stayed
in one place until I shot them down
1t was the shortest and most COM
plete fight I had.
Actually there wasn't much they
could do. I came in behind them as
Evening star., 1944-07-30

s/sergt. Pennington. thony Barry, jr
6l00 E street, Capitol Heights, Md,
in the Southwest Pacific; Tech
Sergt. Hugh C. Martin, 1907 North
Fourteenth street. Arlington, in
England; Second 1t. John B. Casey
e05 K street NE, in England; Sec
ond 1t. Harry B. Beatty, former
George Washington University STU
dent, in England: First 1t. Alier
Davis, 1713 C street NV, in the
South Pacific.
Staff Sergt. Leo Stoutsenberger
1903 T street NV, in Italy; Second
1t. Michael j. Brocenos, 1925
Tewkesbury place NV, in Italy;
Flight Officer Corsen Jones OF
Chevy Chase, Md, in England: Sec
ond 1t. Francis S. Dunigan, jr., in
the South Pacific.
The Oak Leaf Cluster to the Ali
Medal was awarded to:
Pfc. Edward J. Donovan, 1924
Monroe street NV, in India; Sec
ond 1t. Henry S. Otto, 1903 W
street NV, in England and First
1t. Quinton E. Gray, former House
of Representatives stenographer, in
England.
Staff Sergt. James F. Coker, 442e
Brandywine street NV, won the
third Oak Leaf Cluster in England
Pfc. Joseph Dyer, 1925 Tucker
man street NV, and Pfc. Frederick
j. Bauer. 221 Cromwell terrace NE.
have been awarded the Combat
Infantryman Badge on Bougain.
vile,
Evening star., 1944-07-30

ENGLAND.-The Good Conduct
Medal has been awarded WAC Pfc
Bessie B. McCullaugh, 1045 Quebec
place NV. She is a teletypist at
9th AAF Bombardment Division
Headquarters, overseas more than a
year.
FORT OGLETHORPE, Ga.-Pvt
Elizabeth Simuro. former WASP
trsinee, is taking WAC basic in
struction at the Sd WAC Training
Center here. The daughter of Mr.
and Mrs. j. F. Simuro, 3841 War
rem street NV. Pvt. Simuro will
be assigned to the Air Transport
Command.
Pvt. Lucy Ann Olds, 105 West
Bradley lane, Chevy Chase, Md.
daughter of Leland Olds, chairman
of. the Federal Power Commission
will serve with the ATC after COM
pleting basic training.
Five Washington area girls who
have arrived here for general as
signment are Virginia j. Hathcock
1928 South Carolina avenue Sc;
Ethel M. Little, 4021 Benton street
NV; Dorothy Quinn of Clifton
Va: Mary A. Baer, 1927 Third street
NE, and Olvene Grimes, 212l n
street NV.
Susie M. Holmes, 6313 Powhatan
street, Riverdale, Md, and Mary E
Davis, Kansas Hall, Arlington
Farms, Va, will go on duty with the
Army Service Forces.
The following girls have begun
Evening star., 1944-07-30
B-2o Outfit in India and China
Waited Long for Raid on Jops

tea shop. There we sat at a ma
hogany table, opened our canteens
and canned C. rations and pro-
ceeded to eat without purchase
from the house. They did bring us
some hot water in which we mixed
our coffee and chocolate concen-
trate. 1t was quite a picnic. and
we talked and laughed at the posi-
bilities Of our friends seeing us
there.
ITO top the. whole thing of,
bought some fireworks and raised a
holy hellaballoo right in the center
of town-much to the pleasure of
every one. They all kept up the
steady cry Ding How, Ding How
II have been with the B-29 out
flt almost since inception.
Our flight over, in itself, was
record breaking. I flew over, but at
the last minute was excluded from a
seat in the big baby by weight re-
striction. I came over in an auxil-
iary ship under auspices of Air
Transport Command.
THE whole trip over was like
Alice in Wonderland From the
sunny beaches of Miami-its night
clubs. drugstores, lavish hotels-to a
rough, hot, sandy camp in India.
While We sat and sweated out the
heat and dust of the premonsoon
India, we began to see the plan of
operation developing, and realized
the thought and planning that must
have been and still is going on in
high places to make 1t work"
Capt. Hechinger's parents, Mr.
and Mrs. Sidney L. Hechinger, reside
at the Westchester Apartments.
Evening star., 1944-07-30

change any amount of American
dollars for Chinese"
Cap. Hechinger digressed to ex-
plain Chinese imitation.
Even those in official channels
give 200 Chinese dollars for one
American dollar. When you at
tempt to buy anything you practi-
cally need a wastebasket to trans
port the paper.
After seeing the poor, dried lands
of India, with it's mass of starving
individuals, China is a beau
tiful sight. Here we are surrounded
by towering mountains. covered as
far as the eye can see with verdant
growth and cultivated by the thrifty
Chinese on every square inch.
Masters at Flood Control.
"In the valley below the most
striking green fields of rice paddles
fill the eye. The entire lapd is COW
cred during this season of the year
with green shoots about 8 inches
tall. The whole countryside is under
water and under control by the
beaverlike natives. who, with primi-
tive methods used for thousands of
years. can control the water level to
within a half inch.
LAS we rode in our rickey riki-
shas, Chinese peasants. men. women
and children alike, worked in dirty
rags of blue denim wedding the rice
paddles. A beautiful sight, for even
in their crude way, they have pro-
duced the lush vegetation that COW
ers the land.
THE Chinese are happy lot and
practically worship the American
airman. AS we rode along, every
one in the fields would stop and point
his thumb in the air and yell, Ding
How'-their universal greeting to
Americans, meaning hello, good
luck, godspeed, etc.
Finally we reached the town, sur
rounded by large group of kids. all
saying in one breath, Ding How,
'Huba- How, Wei and other greet
ings.
The people. who had not seen
many white men. were most curious
and friendly. They examined us
closer than we did them. We were
in town but a few minutes when
we were given an escort by the
chief of police and one of his
henchmen. They followed us
around, in effect giving us the keys
to the city, and tried to keep the
crowds away from us. They failed
completely in the latter, as the
populace was intrigued by our cam
eras and demanded to have their
pictures taken.
"Our police escort graciously
showed US to the magistrate ONCE
Evening star., 1944-07-30

smoke grenade in the other end of
the mound.
Three times the Jap's head and
arms emerged from the curling
smoke, like a swimmer coming up
for air, but each time he withdrew
again.
Then marine crawled cautiously
to the opening and shouted a few
Japanese phrases, meaning, Come
out with your hands up and we
won't harm you. Wen give you food
and water" This elected no re-
sponse.
The marines huddled, debated
whether to try smoke or to blast
open the mound. Time was flying.
and they couldn't leave a potential
sniper behind.
Suddenly there was action. A
rangy Jap soldier popped out of the
hole waving long sword. He was
cut down by a dozen bullets before
he had taken three steps.
Hearing more movement in the
mound, the marines deduced an
other soldier must still be hidden
there They shouted for him to sur
render. Nothing happened, so they
called for demolition men to blast
the spot. To everybody's amaze
ment. the bodies of nine more Jap
soldiers were counted after the ex-
plOSiOn,
Evening star., 1944-07-30
Sergt. Smith Credited
With Victories Over Jups

Tech. Sergt. Arthur B. Smith, who
Is credited with two japanese Zeros
and two probables, recently returned
from China where he served as
radio gunner with the Flying Tigers.
The son of Mr.. and Mrs. Bernard
E. Smith, 608 Third street NV,
Sergt. Smith was reported missing
at one time after he had bailed out
of his crippled plane.
Sergt. Smith, %, enlisted in the
Army in 1889 and went to China
in March, 1943. He wears the Air
Medal and Purple Heart award. His
brother, Edward Joel, is training at
Truax Air Field, Wis.
Evening star., 1944-07-30

After a year Of secrecy, Capt
John w. Hechinger OF Washing.
ton revealed his assignment as
staff ofhcer with the new B-2e
Super Fortress outfit when he wa.
allowed to write his family of the
historic mission against the Imperial
Iron & Steel Work at Yawata, Japan
June is and 16.
The whole business is quite fan.
tastic," Capt. Hechinger wrote from
China. He declared he had beer
dying to tell for almost year." and
enthusiastically described his train
ing period, the Super Fortress per-
sonnel and the climax-their initial
bombing of Japan.
II am writing this letter in China
after two weeks Of feverish prepara-
ton to produce what I imagine pro-
vided all your larger headlines for
the big day.
do you realize what it took to
produce that raid? We are at the
end of the longest supply line in the
world-probably the longest in his
tory. We are operating out of
China, but there are no ports open
in China and no ports open in
Burma.
All Gasoline Flown In.
india is our supply point and the
only access to China is across the
southern Himalayas In northern
most Burma that the Yanks have
named the Hump" the most
treacherous flying country in all the
world. Much of the land we fly
over to get here is uninhabited
much more never seen by white
man. Every drop OF gasoline and
every piece of equipment gets to this
part of the world only by flying very
high over that territory.
Il will say that, excluding myself,
every man in our outfit was picked.
We have the finest personnel in the
United States Air Forces. All our
leaders have been overseas before in
this war. Our flying personnel are
the most experienced four-engine
people in the world
The pilots are of two categories.
overseas Bit or B-24 young men
who have served as instructors for
at least two years In four-engine
schools and have amassed huge
totals of four-engine time, un-
matched, believe. by airline pilots.
Besides this. they are as much a
cross-section of our Nation as any
American fighting force in these
days. Perhaps. from prejudiced
point of view, think they are the
most cleancut. all-around and snap
piest flying outfit Uncle Sammy has.
Designed for the Task.
1--WE are the first outfit to take the
new Super Fortress to combat Be-
fore it got here it was literally an
untried weapon and an untried ex-
perience in aviation. 1t will lead to
great things after the war. It is
Gen. Arnold's baby and has come
from the drawing board to the field
with as little delay as any modern
invention in our lifetime.
After the terrific job of report
ing and compiling the mission was
completed I had time to go into
town near our base. Two other Off
GERS and myself made arrangements
with one of the hostel mess boys
This boy speaks little English and
is quite the racketeer when it comes
to selling rice wine to the soldiers at
high prices. He Is willing to ex-
Evening star., 1944-07-30
DC. WOMEN
IN UNIFORM

training for the ATC branch: Mil
dred c. Anderson, 1926 Twenty first
street NV; Betty M. Bisbey, 3511
Thirteenth street NV; Lena R.
Black, 1858 Adams Mill road NV;
Hildegard L. Bushman. 3429 Baker
street NE; Julia E. Carlson, 1923
Thirteenth street NV.
Catherine M. Chervanik, 520l
Colorado avenue NV; Phyllis R.
Cook, 2015 Rosemont avenue NV:
Jeanne Gelb, 1727 r street NV:
Mary E. Hand, 2OO1 North Cleveland
street, Alexandria; Gladys I. Hen
derson, TOO Madison street NV;
Evelyn j. Meyer, 337 Eighteenth
place NE; Lee B. Rote, 2310 Ash
mead place NV; Rose M. Schneider
82l0 Alcott Hall, West Potomac
Park.
Marietta Schirf, 1lO6 Allison street
NV: Mabel o. Solum, TIA Nine
teenth street NV; Laurel A. Steele
4 1101 Fifteenth street NV; Louise r.
Stigall, East Glebe road, Alexan-
dria; Dorothy j. Swimley. 1882 South
Uhle street, Arlington. and Dorothy
A. Mcmahon, 1853 Belmont street
NV.
Mary Taggart, 1890 New Hamp-
shire avenue NV, has been trans
ferred to the WAC detachment at
Morris Field, N. C. Lefty F.. Green,
wife Of John P Green, 1407 Morse
street NE, has been assigned to the
Adjutant Generals School, Fort
Washington, Md.
CARLSBAD ARMY AIR FIELD,
N. Mex.-Pvt. Jean E. MAYNARD.
daughter of Mrs. Alice B. Feast,
1862 Twenty-first street NV, has
reported for duty from Santa Ana,
Calf.
ST. JOSEPH, Mo.-Pvt. Ruth o.
Peterson, daughter of Henry L.
Rhoades, 1914 Broad Branch road
NV, Washington, D. c., recently
arrived at Rosecrans Field, a base
of the Ferrying Division, Air Trans
port Command, near st. Joseph, Mo.
Technical Sergt. L. J. Peterson, U. S.
M. G. R., Pvt. Petersons husband,
is stationed at Des Moines, Iowa
She has three nephews in the Army,
one in the Navy and q niece in
! the WAVES.
Evening star., 1944-07-30
Cupt. Friedman Dentist
With 9th AAF Unit

Capt. Jack Friedman of Washing
Ton is the post dentist at an 9th
A. A. F. strategic air depot in Eng
land. He keeps fit the teeth of the
soldiers who repair tle-damaged
bombers.
His wife, the former Miss Gitta
Novick, and their daughter, Ro-
chelle Lee, who was born one month
after Capt. Friedman arrived in
England, live at 10 New York ave-
nue.. He is the son of Mr.. and Mrs.
Morris Friedman, 1929 Fort Stevens
drive.
Capt. Friedman entered service in
September, 1941.
Evening star., 1944-07-30
Illustration of Fanaticism.

The incident described here may
give some idea of the fanaticism of
some of the Japanese soldiers, their
ability to hide. in quarters dog
would shun and their stubborn re-
fusal to surrender, even when they
have a choice between survival and
certain death.
Beating their way through dense
underbrush, the first line of marines
had bypassed suspicious looking
mound of earth, and troops follow
ing were ordered to investigate.
There's Jap soldier in there"
one of the marines shouted after
peering into the two tiny openings
of the mound A dozen rifiemen
formed semicircle around the spot,
alert for a Jap grenade.
Sergt. Joseph Kratcoski, 20. of
Mildred, Pa, handed his carbine to
buddy, then approached the largest
opening and motioned for the Jap to
come out and surrender.
Nothing happened. so Pfc. Earl C.
Robertson, %, son of Mr.. and Mrs.
James w. Robertson of 1346 D street
NE, Washington, D. c., ignited a
Evening star., 1944-07-30
1t. Huff Lost All Supplies
But Rifle on D-Duy

1t. John P. Huff, Combat Engi-
neer Battalion with the 29th Divi-
sion, who received the Silver Star
for gallantry in action. lost every
thing except his rife and ammuni-
ton as he waded from his LIST
landing craft to the Normandy
beach on D-day.
In letter to his parents. Mr.. and
Mrs. John Albert Huff, 635 North
Lincoln street, Arlington, 1t. Huff
wrote that he and his comrades
subsisted on food, lost by others,
which they could pick up on the
beach.
And when he ran out of ammu-
milton, the lieutenant had to replace
it from the bodies of his dead COM
rades, he wrote.
Evening star., 1944-07-30
1t. Cooke Honored

Second 1t. George j. Cooke, was
one of nine aviation cadets ac-
corded signal honors at graduating
exercises for his class at Carlsbad
IN. Mex) Army Air Field-the Army
Air Forces Training Commands
large bombardier school. In COM
pleting an 18-week course in the
science of bombing, he won a $25
War Bond-for outstanding rating in
military training. He is the son of
Mrs. j. A. Manniom, 59l2 18th ST..
NV
Evening star., 1944-07-30
Roche Brothers Visiting
Here on FurIouqhs

Flight Oficer John E. Roche, jr.,
19, and his brother, Gerald j. Roche,
18, aviation machinist's mate third
class, are home on furloughs, visit
ing their parents. Mr.. and Mrs. John
w. Roche, at 2718 Minnesota avenue
Sc
Flight Ohicer Roche recently re-
ceived his pilots wings at Black
land Army Air Field, Tex. Ma
chinist's Mate Roche has been sta
toned at the Naval Air Station,
DaytonA Beach, Fla.
Evening star., 1944-07-30

pital, w h l t e
Sulphur Springs,
w. Va.
His parents,
M r. a n d M r S.
S a m u e | L.
c r u m p, a n d
gr a n d m other, j.,
Mrs. E. O'Neill,
all of 1867 B
street Sc, Wis
| t e d t h e 2 q
year-Old veteran
recently.
Corpl. Crump,
member of an
antiaircraft pro-
yicinn oI mo-
Evening star., 1944-07-30

III S I ! II gulSned
FLYING Cross. He
" a S a P a t h.
finder navigator
for a squadron
of Bit Flying
Fortresses that
made the shut
tie ON b ! n G
mission to Rus
sia and retuned
by way of Italy
to England.
S e con d l. t.
r | c h ard j.
Hruby, / Marlin
Green, and Staff
Gcrnf Io rr,1, Z
Evening star., 1944-07-30
Col. Grass Is Awarded
Legion Of Merit for
Surqeries Under Fire

Recent awards to Washington men
for outstanding service and heroism
include the Legion of Merit, a Presi-
dental Unit citation. the Bronze
Star. a commendation ribbon and
three Distinguished Flying Crosses.
Lit. Col. Edward j. Grass, former
chief resident surgeon at Emergency
Evening star., 1944-07-30

Jackson. 1928 Sixth street S.W..
also we're presented Dies at 9th
Air Force stations in England.
Pvt. Robert P Saunders, Infan-
try, who was killed in action June
Is. has been awarded the Purple
Heart posthumously. His parents.
Mr.. and Mrs. Joseph NJ Saunders,
live at 3618 Porter street NV.
Staff Sergt. William A, Penning-
Evening star., 1944-07-30
Four D. c. Men Serve
In South Pacific Posts

Three Washingtonians who are
serving in the South Pacific with
a photo reconnaissance squadron
the "eyes of the 18th Army Air
Force"-are Corpl. Clifford B. Alley,
5951 Branch avenue Sc; Pfc. James
P Burke. $500 Fourteenth street
NV, and Pfc. Louis Feldman, 1921
Georgia avenue NV.
Pfc. John E. Taylor, 1908 Veazey
street NV, is attached to the fire
department at the headquarters of
1t. Gen. Millard F.. Harmon. COM
manding United States Army forces
in the South Pacific area.
Evening star., 1944-07-30
Preece at New Caledonia

Sergt. William Preece, son of Mr..
and Mrs. Harry Preece, 1101 Euclid
street NV, is serving the 109th Sta
ton Hospital on New Caledonia as
head OF the Patients Admitting Of
flee. Before he enlisted in the Army
Medical Corps in February. 1912,
Sergt. Preece worked at Walter
Reed Hospital for two and a half
years.
Evening star., 1944-07-30

h o s p ] I a J., mas
b e en- awarded
the Legion of
Merit for "ex-
ceptionally mer-
itorious conduct"
as surgeon of a
regiment during
the New Georgia
campaign.
When the regi-
ment was cut off
and surrounded
by the enemy for
three days. the
citation stated,
Col. Ora SIS eS-
tablished a small
Evening star., 1944-07-30


prisoners digging graves and plac-
ing bodies in them.
That was my last visit to the
American graveyard. I saw enough
in five minutes to last me the rest
OF my life" he declared OF the
early days of the invasion he wrote
The gun emplacements and
tunnels clearly showed that the
Germans did not expect the in
vasion to be successful. Even after
the battleships' constant and re-
lentless pounding for three days
there were still men installed in
the tunnels directing fire from the
large guns by phone"
Edwards, 10. is a graduate of Nc
Kinley High School. He joined the
Navy in May, 1943, and went over
seas last November.
Evening star., 1944-07-30

ton, 21-year-old
tail gunner with
the 9th AAF,
has received the
Air Medal and
two Oak Leaf
Clus t ers. His
wife. Mrs. Shir-
ley P. Penning-
ton, and their
two C h ! d r en-
live at Colmar'
Manor, Md.
Nine flyers re-
ceiving the Air
Medal were:
First 1t. An
Evening star., 1944-07-30
.WiIIiums at Yale

Robert w. Williams, son of Mr..
and Mrs. Robert F. Williams, of 17I9
C street Sc, has entered the AAF'
Training Command School at Yale
University, studying to become a
technical officer in photography
with the rank of second lieutenant.
Evening star., 1944-07-30

MS parents, Mr,
and Mrs. James
C. Edwards, 18
Grant avenue,
r a k m a Park
Md.
Seaman Ed
wards W ro t e
that he took a
trip behind the
lines to see the
stockade filled
with prisoners,
who would be
transported back
to England by
the thousands
and W a t C h e d
Evening star., 1944-07-30

dria, Va: Cren-
shaw D. Briggs
of 1150 Connec-
ticut EN- u e
NV; Daniel X.
Moore Of 1906
oliver street,
Hyattsville, Md,
and Charles d.
White Of 3720
T h j r t e e n t h
street NV.
Executive off,
Ger of the 9th
Air Force Troop
Carrier B Sc,
European the
Evening star., 1944-07-30

chine-gun battalion. was wounded
on D-day. He went overseas last
February.
A graduate Of Gonzaga High
School, Corpl. Crump was employed
by the Federal Bureau Of Investi-
cation before he entered the Army
Evening star., 1944-07-30
ATLANTA. Ga.-second 1t. Heller

4vAtb WAN SSS
ne c t | C ut
a v e n u e NV,
has reported for
duty at Lawson
General Hospi-
tai as physical
therapy : a i d e.
She received an
honorable d is
charge from the
WACS to be
commissioned in
the Army Med
ical Corps at
v a IL ley Forge
General Hospi-
tai, PhoeniXville,
Pa this month
Evening star., 1944-07-30
Neuenhuhn in Oklahoma

Capt. William G. Neuenhahn, son
Of Mrs. Ruth Nash, 1425 Downing
street NE, has arrived at Okla
homa City. Okla, for assignment.
His wife accompanied him.
Evening star., 1944-07-30
Four D. {. Majors
Advance 10 Rank Of
Lieutenant CoIoneIs

-Four District area majors have
been promoted to lieutenant CO.
lonels: Charles s. Marshall of 1894
Mount Vernon boulevard, Alexan-
Evening star., 1944-07-30
u. 5. Cemetery in France
Declared 'Awesome Siqht'

The first American graveyard
established in France in this war
was an "aWesome sight" Donald A.
Edwards, seaman second class, wrote
Evening star., 1944-07-30
CorpI. Crump Treated
AtWhite Sulphur Springs

Corpl. John R. Crump, one Of the
first wounded American soldiers to
be returned to this country from
France, is at Ashford General Hos