Evening star., 1945-06-13


1900 Veterans Return
In Three Groups for
WeII-Eorned FurIouehs
A total Of 1900 Army veterans
from the European theater arrived
at Fort Meade yesterday in three
groups and today were preparing
for well-earned furloughs.
Among them are 407 members of
the 10Th Division Of the 9th Army.
In that group are included many
Washington men.
Among the Washington men who
arrived are: S/Sergt. Leslie H. Jack
son, "a, of 3439 Oakwood terrace
NV; S/Sergt. John I. johnson, "a,
of 1921 Fourteenth street NV;
T/Sergt. David M. Horis, "a, of 1741
Lanier place NV; S/Sergt. Gran
vile r. Brown, ~, of 1922 Twenty
fifth place NE; and S/Sergt. Her.
schel w. Dodd, Is, of 1855 Monroe
street NE. The latter two arrived
yesterday but are not members of
the 10Th Division.
Other Washington area men who
arrived last night include T/Sergt.
William S. Dunn, "a, of 1116 K
street Sc; 1st Sergt. Paul Moore,
Is, Of 1920 Oglethorpe street, Hy-
attsville, Md, and 1st Sergt. Robert
B. Gibson, 40, of 4710 Fifteenth
street NV.
Two Have Over 100 Points.
Sergt. Moore, who has ITO points,
and Sergt. Gibson, who has 1874
points and was wounded four times
were both with the original 29th
Division group.
A former Star delivery route en-
ploye, Pvt. Everett w. Klein, 81, OF
1919 Wisconsin avenue NV, lib
Grated from the Germans, was still
another of those Of the 10Th Divi-
sion who arrived at camp last night.
A Congressional Medal of Honor
winner, S/Sergt. Junior Spurrier, %,
OF Bluefield, w. Va, also arrived at
the center.
The men Gang in last night to the
playing of bands. They all were fed
and as one man expressed it, felt
Immediately at home by gripping
about the food"
The criticism, however, was made
in spirit of fun, the spokesman
said, as the food was wonderful"
In comparison with K rations they
had received, especially those who
were prisoners overseas.
Gets Physical Examination.
After eating, the men were given
a physical examination and then
returned to the barracks. Several
OF the boys said they were too tired
to want to do very much and after
talking about the pleasant prospects
of getting back to familiar scenes
at home they went to bed.
The veterans all said the feel of
clean sheets was indeed a great
pleasure. They also were intrigued
with the morning shower.
Pvt. Klein has been overseas 80
months and said he has a total of
108 points. He landed in Normandy
on D-day to receive a "hot recep-
ton" He was captured on June
10 in France. He was wounded at
the time the Germans took him, but
the enemy freed him shortly after as
they withdrew.
Aided by French Pea SAINTS.
He was taken in by some French
peasants who attended to the
wounds in his back. Two days later,
however, the Germans returned and
he was recaptured. After being held
at various prison camps in Ger
many he said his group was loaded
into box cars and told they were to
be taken across France on a three
day ride to another prison camp.
He said the ride turned out to be a
23-day one, and that sometimes only
loaf and half of bread was given
out for 81 men. Water also was
difficult to obtain.
Pvt. Klein was liberated on Nav
5 somewhere in Bavaria.
He anticipates the thrill of re-
turning to Washington and standing
on Fourteenth and F streets and
getting that feel" Of District traffic
once again. Future plans have not
yet crystallized, he said, but he is
going to make one OF them a visit
to Glen Echo and to other familiar
places in the city.
Pvt. Kleins brother is Gunner's
Mate Wallace A. Klein, %, U. S. N,
who also was in France with the
Navy on D-day. The two brothers
haven't seen each other for some
time. Their mother, Mrs. Bessie B.
Klein, died while Pvt. Klein was
overseas. He has three sisters liv-
ing in Washington, Mrs, Gertrude
A. King, Mrs. Freda L. Lagner and
Mrs. Louise F.. CaZarn