Jackson advocate. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1939-current, 1944-09-16

infantry spearheads.
BY force of circumstances, the
success of the break-through OF
the German lines that started at
st. Lo in Normandy and is now
ending its final stages in Brittany,
depended entirely upon the sue
cess of the mission Of these Negro
truck drivers. Without realizing
the Importance of their mission
these soldiers, who drive trucks
like cowboys ride horses, went in
to battle untested, unframed, and
came out with the praises of every
commander ringing in their ears.
NOT ONE FLINCHED
The commander of the 22nd In
fantry Regiment, whose Third Bat
TALON rode the "Gl3mor Wagons"
as the drivers call them, said:
mot one flinched. They carried out
their mission with as much cour-
age and ability as the best 'front.'
line troops. I'm proud of them"
Besides being the first time that
the Negro troops had seen any
front-1ine action it also was the
first time that a tank-truck as
sault team, as a spearhead, had
been used in France Most of the
doughboys were Skeptical about
the courage of the Negro soldiers
because of several unfortunate eX-
periences with other drivers, both
white and Negro. However, at the
bivouac area they were loaded on
and the attack began at midnight.
Major Harlan w. Hendricks, of
Hamburg, Pennsylvania, formerly
with the First Infantry Division
tactical operations with the First
Army. The following is a brief ex-
cerpt from the battalion executive
officers report:
TRUCKS MOVE FORWARD
This unit left its bivouac area
on the 18th of July and reported
to the 22nd Infantry Regiment
south of st. Jean Du Day. The We
hicles of the companies were ap-
portioned between the first and
second battalions. On the day Of
the attack the vehicles moved the
battalions to the vicinity of Pont
Herbert. The troops dismounted
from trucks with the exception of
seven trucks. These seven trucks
went forward with the infantry at
the start of the attack.
1.-THE trucks that went forward
remained with the attacking unit
until about 223O of the day of the
assault, at which time they re-
turned because of destroyed
bridge. These vehicles worked in
termittently, hauling troops for
ward whenever the opportunity
presented itself and followed the
troops at about two to three hun
dred yards behind the fighting
front all day. During the return of
these vehicles, Corporal Oplies
Watkins, of Guntersville, Alabama,
was wounded and Private Maceo
Smith, of Ha1lsboro, North Caro-
lima, stopped his truck, ran across
fifty yards of terrain during the
Smelling, and rescued the injured
corporal Four vehicles were knock
ed out of action"
RESCUES OFFICER
While In the vicinity of LIE Pive-
let a heavy night attack by enemy
bombers was suffered. During this
attack Technician Fifth Grade
James A. Livisay, of I'll Depot
Square, Ironton, Ohio, distinguish
ed himself when he went under a
burning half-track to attempt to
rescue Quartermaster officer.
Livisay successfully removed the
body of the officer without regard
for personal safety.
This tank and truck team opera
ton is new experiment of mobile
warfare. So fluid and fast is this
war now being waged that no
longed can the infantry keep up
with the tanks, ana in order to
establish the deep breaks that
have been recorded, and maintain
them, infantry must accompany
the tanks. So, Negro service SOL
diers had to be called upon to go
into combat carrying infantry.
The entire mission covered some
% days, and included several other
heroic Incidents Out of it all the
two units suffered eight casualties