The Wilmington morning star., 1944-01-11

Of the hill to return to their own
lines.
81 don't know what happened to
the rest of the guys" he said.
In a tunneled-out cave where
they put up for the night the Jer.
ries started talking about taking
Billy back to a prison camp. The
lieutenant who spoke some Eng.
lish. told him what they were saw
ing.
you'll never make it," said
the kid who used to be dough.
| roller in a Peoria army biscuit
bakery. He knew he was at least
a quarter of mile in front Of
his own line, but he added:
we've got you surrounded. Lis
ten!"
Outside the gunfire cracked
echoing into the cave. The Ger.
mans were convinced. They Spent
the night there. One of them had
an accordion and they sang songs
and drank wine, Ignoring Billy in
the corner of the cave.
IT was to damn scared to sing"
The said. Twice I had to 20 out.
side and they let me go, but
Figured it might be trick. so 7
didn't make a break for it,
Next day the fighting was sill
terrific SO the German platoon
moved only a short distance far.
Their back this time to farmhouse
in the valley behind the hill. Thev
drank more wine and found som.
bread "But you could hardly stick
a knife into it," Bill said.
They asked him if American
bread was that hard.
"Oh, no." said the guy who used
| to make Grafton hard tack.
american army bread is all
fresh and soft.
The Germans looked at one all
other. Later they started talking
again about taking Billy back 10
prison camp.
"We'll all be killed, Billy said
II tell you we are surrounded by
American troops"
He convinced them again, but
next day the tall German lieuten.
ant was briskly insistent that the
time had come to try to contact
other German outfits. As he lis.
tened Billy looked out the window.
On a distant hill paralleling the
valley he saw troops moving. It
was worth gamble.
I tell you we've got this place
surrounded" he insisted. Come
outside and I'll show YOU
They stepped outside and he
pointed to the movement on the
hill. The lieutenant stepped back
inside, talked to his men moment
then came over to Billy, unbuckled
his pistol belt and handed it to
the doughboy-holster, gun and ALL
"You are not our prisoner now
he said. eve are your prisoners"
Then he took charge and Or
ganized the surrender. He open
= ed his own blouse and insisted that
Billy search him, lined up his men
n with German thoroughness and
:. said they must be searched too
Then he took them outside and
: formed them in a column of two.
o He turned back in the house
k took his machine pistol off the
o wall and handed it to Bill.
Shall we go?" he said
~ So back across more than 600
1t yards of norman STAND the sawed
II !. off kid from Peoria led the strange,
u erect column of prisoners.
: The doughboys watching from
our lines first thought it was a
f. counter-a attacking force, but held
y their fire until Pvt. Miller walked
W up and reported with his 10 prison
TX ers, seven German automaticS.
1t one binoculars and one machine
y pistol. The rest of the loot had
been left behind and Billy gave
1, even what he had-Worth about
y 81 1000 in souvenir trade-to dough-
'e boys he met along the line. All he
lie had left today was the machine
" pistol.
e Billy was beginning to be bash
full at being called Sergeant
e York by his kidding comrades He
ie asked if his folks would read about
- it in the Peoria papers. He hasn
.e had time to write them for cou-
~ pie of weeks now.
=. The folks are Mr.. and Mrs. Roy
- Miller and two sisters, Betty, 10.
and Marilyn, 16. They live at 1913
,s Ann Street in Peoria, where his
h dad works at the Caterpillar WaT
=, plant.
= = "Just tell them I'm okay and
~ say hello" he said. Then he fid-
:, geted a minute looked at the
y, ground and added:
" "You might tell Peggy Mitchem
! of Macon, Ca, that I'm all right
~ too"
" Then he headed back into the
y, lines to join his company.
- MACON, Ga.,- Up Peggy Nit
10 chem, the girl Private Billy Miller
- in Italy wanted to say hello to,
:. is a II year-old blonde who works
y as mechanic Oh the swing SHIT