The Wilmington morning star., 1945-03-18
Washington Calling
WITH u. S. TENTH MOUNTAIN DIVISION,
BY MARQUIS CnILDS

| U, 3,
ON ITALIAN FRONT-They were carrying
dead German down from the top OF ridge
300 yards up steep slope. You could see men
in foxholes up there. One was reading news
paper in the bright, warm sunlight.
| -Four Gps put the dead German down be-
side three others in the basement Of house
ruined by two days of Smelling. They stood
soldiers in dirty field gray VINO had been
killed by our snipers during the night and
morning-klled expertly with bullets through
their heads or hearts.
you've got to do three things to Them"
said one CT. First you've got to kill 'em.
Then you have to carry 'em down, and then
| you have to bury en-
Standing there, the CPS had brief pro-
| fame argument as to whether they really were
compelled to bury the four dead Germans.
1t was futile argument, because they knew
from the beginning what their orders were
| Overhead comes flight of planes-o
planes, of course, since the Germans have
none on this front. We all stand and watch
them sWoop down into the valley behind the
nearest mountain, which concealS enemy sup
ply lines The sound of strafing comes to U.S.
Enemy artillery positions are just down
there In the clear light, you imagine you can
see them without glasses.
They save their Shells says one OF the
CTS. They don't throw anything in till they
think they've got a good target.
| He is Pfc. Walter Holloway OF Unlap, Iowa.
He has been in the line for about two weeks,
! he guesses Time doesn't mean anything after
you've been in the line for a day or two
he says. Anyway, he's been there since the
| fighting for Mount Belvedere began.
| That was the first time the U. S. Tenth
mountain division committed in the Ital-
ian theater. But it wasn't the beginning OF
their fighting history by any means
Holloway was at the Kiska landing and lived
in the gray bleakness of the Aleutlans for
seven months. Then, with most of the rest OF
the division, he went to Camp Hale in Colora-
do for more than year of tough training,
which included maneuvers in the deep snow
and sub zero weather of the Continental Di-
vide.
With his stubble of yellow beard, he has
the look of SO many CTS I have seem 1t
makes you think of very early photographs
of American pioneers-the look of the men who
carved out our frontier.
Well these men have lot in common with
our pioneers. They face every hour of the
day, the peril of sudden DEATH and their own
skill and courage must them if they are
saved
Its the Smelling that gets you down." says
a second CT, Pfc. William H. Thomas, for
You what he means. In this mountain
war fare, the enemy normally has you under
observation and you are conscious of moving
like clay pigeon in the range of his powerful
glasses, knowing too that his 88 nm. gun
has the accuracy OF rifle.
We are starting down narrow trail 1t is
about the time OF the afternoon when the
ferries usually shell. Don't bunch up that
way or Jerry may think you really are good
target CT says.
explosion. They are blowing up mines discov-
point where we pass wrecked tank and jeep.
Nearby are pools of blood caught in the
deep ooze of mud. An American officer was
killed and two men were hurt there a few
hours before.
| We going down the trail past ammuni-
ton dumps, past Italian service troops climb
| ing upward with mules One of the Italians
singing and, incredibly enough, is flour
ishing a fancy paper fan with operate gas-
lures, The CTS stand beside the trail, grinning.
/ We go down past ar evacuation station, past
an advance command post down to where
we left our jeeps. 1t is beginning to get dark
and, from behind all the hills, come the red
flashes of artillery
4 Now we are driving along moonnt roao
as fast as We can go-to good beds and oatns
and safety The CPS are staying oenlno' 1hey
will be there through the night ana tnrough
the next day and the next night
| That is what you think, with sense Oh awe
| and admiration that is mixed with sometnlns
like guilt. I suppose it is why am gong oacN
to the Western front for another Vlsit-to sec
little more of the men who are tlghting Oh