The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1944-05-06
54th Coast Artillery Is
Strong Aid To Infantry

weapons. Another factor, enemy
troops we're nearing the perimeter.
The ridge. rugged and blue against
the sky was pregnant with Jap
IS nm. and los nm. weapons. They
were hurting missiles into the
bowels of the perimeter. The Saith
pulled their guns inland. and with
other batteries. pointed the ugly
muzzles toward the knobs.
During one twilight barrag &c.
your correspondent watched sweat
ing. shirtless men at the helm of
the batteries fire l28 rounds at
the ridge, 5000 yards away. We
could see dust clouding the air,
trees topping as though John Bun
vans giant hand snatched them
from the earth. Time and again
the guns roared, baleful orange
flames leaping out. Dusty GROUND
at our feet shuddered. Shell cas-.
ings were snatched out-cannoneer.
showed new projectiles home, CUR
commanders barked: Battery ready
sir!'
Intermittently the enemy coun-
tered with she'll Our missile e1-
ploded 200 yards from US. Three
men received flesh wounds, none
considered serious. 1t was not
many days after until the enemy
had ceased firing altogether. Most
Of his mountain artillery had been
smashed, what remained he must
have carted away. The freight
became a one-sided affair. Our
guns were turned on his infantry
firing roint blank into thousands
Of oefuddled enemy troops. Screams
could be heard along the line as
the enemy was blown apart
Enemy In Retreat
The enemy is now in mad retreat
over the mountains. The infantry
and artillery are squirting him on
at remarkable speed. At H-hour
during the night the guns strike,
devastation is great. The cannonS
fight with skill and valor.
Commanding the cannon-struck
is shrewd and well-read
Major r. W. Ely. Kansan. The only
Negro officer is Capt. Simeon John
son. chaplain OF Roselle. New Jer-
hkeable. competent.
During one barrage Captain john
son watched his men with pride.
A piece of shrapnel whizzed over
head falling near the chaplain.
Since. Captain Johnson keeps this
piece OF jagged iron in his pocket
TO remind himself how close death
came and how men must feel who
man the guns in the face OF flying
shrapnel
Major Ely was all praise for his
troops. and especially did he point
pat: Gun commanders: SgtS. Major
Z. Barron, Malakoff. Texas: Dewitt
Robinson, Gary. Texas: Jesse J.
Jennings, E. Columbus. Texas: First
Sergean; Randall Henson. Column
oia, Mo: Range Section: S-Sgt.
Jesse Bay. Houston. Texas: Observ-
'r. Cpl. James Thacker. Richmond,
Va; Plotter. rs William Hall. New
Orleans; Radio operators, Pfc. /
Thomas Ezekiel. Columbus. Ga:
rs Mora Powell. Detroit: rs Mel .
Tin Butler. Cincinnati. Ohio: Ma
'hine gunner, SGT. Bishop Beam,
louisville. Ky; Gun mechanic, Sgt. |
James II. Johnson. Louisville.
Battalion Sgt Major S-Sgt. John
iioson. Flint. Mich; First Sgt. lsh- |
nal Cain. Arkansas City, Kansas:
Master gunner, T-Sst. Claude |
Jacksonville. Mo: Gun |
mmander SGT. Edrcan Holley. |
Norfolk, Va; Searchlght operators, ,
SGT David Smith. McKeesport. Pa:
'v;. Elwood Jones. Philadelphia.
Cannoneers: Pvt James Kinsey,
Wake Forest. y. c: Pvt. Wilbert |
-et!ai-. Baltimore. No: Pvt. Rosco |
Coleman. Charleston. Miss: Pvt.
)ock Erwin. Tarpoon Springs. Fla:
section. Pvt. Cyril |
Butts. Trinidad. BWI.