Imperial Valley press., 1944-09-22
-Our Men i'm the Service

ham of Ell Centro. He completed the
course at Hondo army air field in
Texas. He is in the group of young
Americans from every state in the
union who are ready to lead AAF
bombers to the crumbling defenses
of Germany and the beleaguered
outposts of Japan.
Somewhere in Guadalcanal First
Lieutenant James H. Carter, for
mer law student at the University
of Southern California, is on duty
as an adjutant with an ordnance
battalion of the army's service
forces. He is the son OF DR.. Edwin
o. Carter of 6305 Yucca street. Hol-
lywood, formerly of Ell Centro. His
wife, the former Martha Jane
Preble Of Imperial, is awaiting his
return from overseas duty. One of
the early inductees, Lieutenant Car
ter was inducted at Fcrt MacAr-
thur and took his basic training at
Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri as an
ongineer, and attended the Quar-
termaster O. c. { At Fort Warren,
Wyoming, in 1e4z
Master Sergeant Steve Ritter,
son of Mr.. and Mrs. Coy j. Ritter
of Calexico, is with the Seventh
Army in southern France, where he
went at the time of the invasion of
that country. His outfit, the seth
Infantry fTeXas) Division, had
been with the Fifth Army in Italy.
His division was said to be the van
Guard when the army landed on the
hostile beaches of Taestum and
Salerno and established the first
American beachhead on the Euro
pean continent in the face of Ger
m a n opposition. They Tough
through the mountains all winter,
to Casino. Sergeant Ritter saw the
bombing of the monastery there.
They then had a rest, he said be-
fore they were ordered into action
again at critical time and place
near Velletri, to break the strong
hold of the enemy defenses east of
Rome. He was in Rome and heard
the Pope address the soldiers. They
went on through northern Italy
until taken out to help in the in
vasion of southern France.
Technical Sergeant Jack Hellman.
,t,h IN fo nf q
has been in Oran, Africa. in tie
army shops 10 months. He has beer
in the service two years. He said
the men in his outfit leased a man
sion belonging to a wealthy French
resident and use it as their club. 1t
is an elaborate place and has two
swimming pools.
Mrs. R. H. Hammer of El Centre
received word that her brother.
Lewis c. He'll. gunner's mate sec
ond class in the coast guard, is on
his way to the mainland after q
year and a half of action in the
Southwest Pacific. He has been on
a LIST ship and has seen plenty OF
action. His home is in Los Angeles
new but he attended school in El
Centro and is anxious to visit I'M
perial Valley again.
It has been learned that Ell Gen.
tran Harry Graham received his
navigator's wings and commission
as a second lieutenant in the air
CORPS September 49, Lieutenant
Graham entered the armed forces
in March, 1943, and took his basic
training at Fort Leonard Wood,
Missouri. He was graduated thlrd
highest man in his class and new
awaits assignment. He is former
student of Central Union High
school and California Polytechnic,
San Luis Obispo.
Joseph P. MonteJano OF Calexlco
has been promoted from corporal
to sergeant by an American olVl-
sion infantry regiment somewhere
in the southwest Pacific area. He
has been overseas eight months
and is a veteran of the Bougaln-
Vile campaign He holds the combat
infantryman badge and is now per-
forming the duties OF a mortar
squad leader. Formerly Montejano
was a mortar gunner His parents,
Mr.. and Mrs. John G.. MonteJano
live at 518 Third street, Calexico.
Ten days leave in Ell Centre is
being enjoyed by Technical Sergeant
Jack Delozier, son of Mr.. and Mrs.
A. J. Delozier, before he goes to
officers candidate school in Fort
Renning, Georgia. He has been
serving with the infantry in the
southwest Pacific three months.
Three Ell Centro boys are holding
forth with the army at Camp Rob-
erts these days. They are Neal Ma
Curda, Nathan Jim Stone, and Mar
tin Dobel.
Sergeant Jerry Smith is still hear
ing about the telegram he wrote
to Robert Hatton, former Ell Cen
tro mayor, and addressed to the
PoSt-Press. This time Smith wrote
from somewhere in France. This is
what he said while 1 was in Eng
land my wife sent me a clipping