The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1944-11-30
A Word Picture Of
Men Engaged In Battle

part:
This won't be as nice letter as
some because it describes one little
side of this great big war.
The other night about $50 | was
standing outside when a convoy of
motorized infantry vehicles with men
rolled up and stopped They were out
Of a tank division and were waiting
for a bunch of medium and light
tanks to join them, because at dawn
they were going to attack the strong
German position few miles up the
road, the positions that had been Civ
ing the infantry boys such a bad
time.
Talk OF Battles
THE stream OF ambulances coming
back and the truckloads of replace
mcnts going up were mute evidences
Of what a tough struggles was going
ON. But as these boys stood there.
batting the breeze, ioineed the con-
vcrSation and we touched on many a
subject that soldiers discuss. In a
half Joking sort of way some of the
boys were kidding their platoon
leader, saying that they hoped they
wouldn't lose him as they had several
of their former ones, or that they
would have better luck with the mines
this time They spoke of other battles
and other buddics whom they had
left behind, but most of the talk was
on the lighter side. Before we broke
up the subject was women with whom
we had become acquainted ON our
progress through Franco. Women and
home arc foremost in soldiers mind
for there is nothing much to live for
now except to remember or hope for
the future. They knew what lay be-
fore them, but they made no fan
fare about it, You can't think much
about it, | suppose. Soon the tanks
came rumbIing up and off went the
convoy The clear night made them
happy because they knew that the
next day the planes would be along to
help them out
"I'vc noticed that the tank men are
an aggressive, Sclf-contidcnt lot on
the whole, proud of their outfit and
cuuipmCnt The common infantry
man, though, is usually a pretty tired,
beat-up guy. old beyond his years,
but then that isn't hard to under
stand.
War At Its Worst
"And then here's the other side of
the story-the ending: The attack
was a success since they gained their
objective, killed lot of Germans,
and took a lot of prisoners. l. myself,
counted 1900 come rolling back, and
there were lot more that wouldn't
or couldn't come back. But we take
some punches, too.
The next day took a trip with
some grave registration boys out to
fine cemetery, and all in all it showed
war and death at its worst. To one
unaccustomcd. it's a pretty rough
sight. but if sobcrs a man up.
Il thought it would be darn good
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