The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1945-02-08

for good. We've never yet found out
for sure why the Italian big guns on
the shore didn't let us have it. Sew
eral Of US inquired around when we
got ashore after daylight. We never
found the searchlight men them
selves, but from other Italian SOL
diers and citizens Of the town we
learned that the people ashore
were so scared at whatever was
about to attack them from out there
in the water that they were afraid
to start anything.
guess I'm always going to have
to love the Italians, for anybody else
behind those searchlights and guns
that night and we Of this ship would
be telling Jul searchlight yarn to
st. Peter by now.
Before closing this series about
the navy I want to tell you Of one
member of our ships crew who
didn't make the invasion trip with
US. She was the ships dog, and this
is the story of her and her master.
He is a regular navy man, a chief
petty officer Of many years service.
He is tattooed, windburned, a bache-
lor. and quietly profane. His officers
say he is an excellent worker. I'm
not giving his name because the
story concerns his getting drunk.
1t seems that several months
ago some sailors from our ship
picked up q German shepherd
puppy. She belonged to the
whole crew, but the puppy took
to our friend and he took to it,
and sort Of by reclamation she
became recognized as his dog.
The puppy grew into a beautiful
dog, smart, alert and sweet. But
when hot weather came along she
got the mango. Our friend doctored
it with everything he could find. and
other sailors helped him with the
d%octoring, but still the mango got
worse They finally clipped her hair
close so they could get medicine to
her skin more thoroughly, but moth
ing did any good.
When they hit the last port be-
fore leaving Africa my friend told
me he went ashore and searched
the country for a French or Ameri-
can army veterinary, but couldn't
find any.
True Dog Story,
When I came aboard ship this
beautiful dog was frisky and alert
but the sailors had given up all
hope Of curing her. Something had to
be done. The other sailors left it up
to our friend. Whatever he chose to
do had their approval. He told me
later that you couldn't just put her
ashore, for she had grown up aboard
ship and wouldn't know how to take
care Of herself on land.
So u friend solved it in his own
way. the morning after I came
aboard. He didn't ask anybody to
help him, or tell anybody what he
was going to do. He just tied a
weight around her neck and let her
down into the water. That was her
end-in the tradition of the sea.
I heard about it a few hours later.
and stopped by the rail to tell our
friend I was sorry. He couldn't talk
about it. He just said Lets 60 be.
low and have a cup Of coffee"
A few hours after that l saw that
he had started having something
else.
In the mid-afternoon I saw one of
the ships officers talking to him
very seriously. 1t didn't look too
good. Drinking aboard ship just
doesn't 60, The next day our friend
was called before the mast and
given a light suspension Of privileges.
At lunch the boys were kidding
him about it and he said, well hell,
he wasn't sore about it, for obvious.
ly they had to do something to him.
That evening l happened to be
sitting with the officer who had
sentenced OUT friend. and Just to
make conversation I mentioned that
it was sad about the dog being gone.
He sat up and said, What"
l said yes. the dog was gone.
He said. My God!" And then he
said:
Hes one Of the best men on
the ship. and l knew something
was wrong, but I tried for half
an hour to get 1t out of him
and he wouldn't tell me-"
The officer sat there looking as
though he was sick, and again he
said, so that was it! My. God!"