Laurel outlook., 1945-06-27
SERVICE MEN RECOUNT
SOME Of EXPERIENCES
FOR ROTARY PROGRAM

Two service men, First Lieut..
Robert Ranger and Chief Quarter
master Hackert Phillips, provided
the program at the meeting Tues
day of the Laurel Rotary club by
informally recounting a few of their
many experiences and answering
questions from the interested club
members. Both men have served a
long time.
Lieutenant Ranger entered the
army during peace time and served
with infantry in Alaska, the Aleu-
tians and Pacific. He was at Attu
and Kiska, stepping stones the Japs
once hoped to use for invasion of
western Canada and the United
States.
He eventually volunteered for
paratroop service, and after being
commissioned was to have joined
his boyhood friend, Capt. Dale Roys-
Ion, also in paratroops, in the in
vasion of Europe. Captain Roysdon
was reported killed in action the
first day of the Normandy invasion
and Lieutenant Ranger arrived two
lays later. Instead of jumping he
vas flown in.
A little later he was severely
wounded, from which he has but
partially recovered. \ A group OF
German machine gunners set up
tests on the flank of his outfit and
we're giving trouble. Weary and
ust back from a sortie into enemy
erritory, Ranger led a group of
Americans to rout the machine gun
lers. Several nests were mopped
and some prisoners taken. One
etained an automatic and clip, con-
ealed under his blouse. Suddenly
e began shooting. One bullet dia-
entered Rangers chest, s
ierced his spine and came out his I
ack. The German evidently wish {
d to commit suicide, for he was
cad a few seconds later from &
american bullets.
Since then Lieutenant Ranger has
cen in hospitals in Europe and 6
.merica. He came here last week S
McCaw general hospital at
Valla Walla, Wash, and he and |
Irs. Ranger were guests for sew I
raj days of Mr.. and Mrs. M. o. \
I
Chief Quartermaster Phillips has
in the navy 10 Or more years.
efore the war he made a trip
round the world with the fleet. He
as at Pearl Harbor and on duty
lee. 7, 1871, when everyone was
by a tremendous explosion.
,on followed by others. The in
x~perienced guessed an airplane had
own up, but an old-timer had only
look aloft at planes with red
ais on their sides and explosions
1 the ground under them to guess
that a war had started
len and there. AS a result, when
lie call to stations sounded there
as the spectacle of crew members
in both directions.
Phillips did not go into minute
,tails about Pearl Harbor. He said
Tough had been published and told
inform the public. An incident
ustrated the "calmness" of some
the crew. They were firing
-erything they had. Suddenly
ere was a haze of yellow smoke
'ound the target, a submarine, and
income yelled, "They're using
Isl" Someone had showed a star
ell into the breach.
There were plenty of Jap subs
Pearl Harbor that day; some may
We been there several days. Phil
IS told about a destroyer going
It to the mouth of the channel,
ID en- route en~countering a Jap
b which was shot and rammed as
ough it was an everyday affair.
AS in the case of Ranger, Phillips
uld at best tell only a few high
hts and answer some questions
the few minutes available.
The club meeting marked the be-
ming of the Rotary fiscal year.
B. Packard, secretary-treasurer, /!
ad his annual report, and c. A.. 1
uoc ca,tad n Drae;Joo+ I