The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-02-24
MANY SOLDIERS
Die IN ATTACK
F 0 R BUDDIES

WITH THE ADVANCE u. S.
SUPPLY FORCES IN BELGIUM
Fighting mad, but not fighting
troops, members OF Negro Quar-
termaster Company en- route TO
forward area. withstood a relent-
less 45-minute air attack on their
train.
Heroic deeds on the part OF the
diving and wounded men featured
the attack on the Quartcrmaster
Service Company Many OF the men
died so that their buddics might
live. refusing aid that others
needed more than they did.
There were no mcdicS in the
company personnel on the train
when il was strafed late at Isht,
but Pfc. Rutherford Harr son. Will
hanson. ". Va. Won the admira-
ton Of his comrades as ne. assisted
by others, administered frs; aid 20
tho wounded. Harrison is company
cook
Individual acts OF heroism on the
scene were too numerous 20 meQ-
ton. but Cpl Elsa Thompson, In
dianapoiiS. Ind, former sparrng
partner OF Joe Louls,,waS conspicu-
Gus by his daring.
Amid the whizzing bullets. Cpl
Thompson fought a fire in one of
the freight cars. in vain effort
20 rescue three men who had been
trapped BY the time ne eXtin-
guished the flames il was too late.
for The men had died from bullet
wounds.
Removing the bod cs of the dead
men from the Chayyed remains Of
the car. Cpl. Thompson then Wtpt
about removing gas ana oil from
the other ears IN the l5-car train.
There we're no gns o. disorder
or panic among the men as they
eft he train and sought cover on
terrain that had very little protec-
lion 10 offer" SAID Second 1t
Ernest " Anderson. ~ Corydon
lrd.
L. Anderson was mentioned by
most OF the men as having been
responsible for the small amount
Of victims among the 206 enlisted
men on the train. In relating the
role PLAYED by the Lieutenant that
night. S-Sgt Carl Haines. LOUIS
vile Ky. said
Apparently II Anderson must
have been asleep. heca-se when !
first saw him he was coming down
the train 10 where The car was
burning. very Scant,,N, clad Il was
cold. snow was on the, ground. but
he vas among the men offering
assistance where re could. and d.
rec;ng others 10 a wood almost a
II ie from the raDyo9d track Dur
NJ al, this. the plane attacked
tA4Ce more
Ha.neS modest or h.S own dis
pay OF courage. was cited oy ms
comrades for failing "a leave me
scene unit, all others had been re.
moved He assisted With The
wounded and made frequen: trip;
20 Tho train 20 procure bandage'
a~d blankets for the men.
According 10 Second 1t. JOSEPH
=. O'NeLl Philadelphia. Pa. y
VAS remarkable how the wounded
men behaved Some o. them hat
pretty nasty looking wounds. bu
they aid no. cry out or whinlpeI
They jus; lay where they wer
and waited patiently until al
reached them. Those who wer
able 10. assisted others unable 4
help themselves
The night before. enemy planes
af.er firing severa. bursts AZ tn
tram. We're driven Of by anti-air
craft guuncrS While in one cry
"hc:e the train had stopped 70
ra;orS, the company, ass gncd :,
Advance Section, Communication!
Zone. ~as forced 20 abandon iht
Ira for a. AFRAID shelter.
Rec pieGtS OF NO letters OF com.
mediation FOR operations in Eng.
land and on The beach. member.
- The outfit proudly wear Ses
Horse lnS.-nia. awarded them 70,
inc,r oats,aHd NJ work AZ Omaha
Beach. where their uni; deS gnatior
Is Inscribed on a monument. a,
that tine they we're assisting the
6tH Engineer Soec.a, BRIGADE ir
~ ph,oioJs operations. The mcr
also were guards over captured
Germans WorAing on the Red Ba,
Il 'shNay