The Durant news. (Durant, Miss.) 1882-1985, 1945-01-04
Durant Boy With
9Th Armored Unit

Capt. B. B. Wilkes, son of Mrs. Laur.
acne Wilkes, of Durant, is a member OF
the famous Fourth Armored Division
which has seen outstanding service in
France and Germany.
Cant. Wilkes entered the service as a
private in August, 1912. Before he en-
tered the service he was a senior in
law at Harvard. He attended officer
training school at Fort Knox, KY, and
received his commission as a second Lit.
July 4, 1943. He went overseas to Eng
land in August, 1913 and has been with
the 4th from the day of its activation
until the present.
His brother. Capt. John b. Wilkes, is
overseas with medical unit and has
for several months been on q hospital
train carrying the wounded from the
front back to England. They have met
briefly over there.
Capt. Wilkes also has an uncle, Col.
B. B. Wilkes, who 10 on Gen. Devers'
staff now fighting in Germany with an
infantry outfit.
Mr.. and Mrs. H. B. Sargent, Of Du-
rant, have . nephew in the 4th Armor-
Cd Division, Beverly Fitchett. His moth
or has visited here several times.
The following account Of the exploits
Of the lth Armorsd will be Of interest
to many readers. It 10 reprinted from
the watertown Daily Times, watertown,
N. Y.
Fourth Armored Division sets pace in
Liberating France; Spearheading Third
Army advance, Germans called members
~Supermen"; Smashed 400 tanks in
swift strides into continent; Division
was activated at Pine Camp in 1871;
Led by Major General John s. Wood
BY George J. DAILY.
Northern New York's pride, the famed
Fourth Armored Division, spearheaded
the Third Army advance across France
smashing 400 enemy tanks, capturing
$4,000 and knocking out 1900 miscel
laneous vehicles at relatively low
cost to itself, tho War Department re-
secrecy that has masked the divisions
activities since it left the United States
In its lightning advance under Major
General John s. Wood. who took COM
mand Of the unit shortly before it left
Pine Camp where 1t was formed and
trained for sixteen months, the fight
ing Fourth destroyed the Naxi nth, 9lst
and 2lsrd Infantry Divisions, wiped out
the Naxi 9th Paratroop Division and
liquidated the 28lst Cavalry Battalion
Tho Americans wiped out $50 Ger
man tanks, many Of them Mark V. Pan
Tiers in two solid weeks Of undated
armored fighting. In addition, 1t was
credited with destroying lao large ar
tillery pieces.
Major Joseph Kirchheimer, who serv-
ed with the Fourth as an army ground
force observer, gave a graphic picture
of the Fourth's toughness in an inter
view, at the War Department yesterday
after returning from France.
It will thrill all of Northern New
York to know that the Germans regard
ed the man of the Forth as super
men,"
The reaction of a German colonel OF
IS troops is typical. The Nazi officer
captured by the Fourth near Lemon
court when the division broke into the
German rear areas across the Moselle
River, said, "Having been a commander
Of army units in Russia, covering an
area OF approximately 1900 miles,
must admit that the American troop.
are not only equipped with the best Of
material, but what strikes me especial
" 10 the excellence Of organization un.
der which these men now function.
CONTINUED on page four)