The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-05-19
West Front Victory fastened By
Contributions By Negro Soldiers

w I'D EnN rnONl NcSTO anu
white soldiers worked side by side
in staff sections and among the
troops OF the Army's latest heavy
trucking network which supplied
the materials of victory to spear
heads plunging toward Berlin.
The Nighway Transport divi-
sions. initiated March "a to re-
place The ABC road cargo system
transporting supplies and equip
ment from Antwerp to the Bel
gian. Luxembourg. western France.
and Rhine areas. have been carry
ing their lotion loads across the
Rhine and as much as 200 miles
into the heart OF Germany, de-
livering 5000 to $4,000 tons a day,
plus thousands OF gallons OF gaso-
line and oil. TO the American
armies. Autobahns (super high
ways speed them.
IN THE ABSENCE OF total fig
ures, il may be said that one out
fit-the 467th Quartermaster Truck
Battalion - hauled $4,000, 900 gal
Ions of gasoline and oil in the
Rhine area during March. On a
sample day-April Sail the High
way Transport Divisions delivered
a total of 1852, $50 gallons, about
20 per cent more than their origi-
nal estimated capacity, in addition
TO the tonnage of ammunition,
weapons. clothing. rations, and
other solid materials. On return
trips from forward depots, the
trucks carry as many prisoners as
they can hold. in addition to the
empty gas cans On April 8, for
example. the division serving the
Third Army removed l3.460 pris-
oners cluttering the combat outfits
behind the front.
When General OF the Army
Dwight d. Eisenhower. supreme
commander. Allied Expeditionary
Forces. declared at recent brief
ing that supply OF his Armies
would determine the speed OF VIC
tory. he referred 10 the various
means OF transporting vital ma
terials as armored spearheads |
smashed at record speed ahead of
the service elements. And in this |
supply establishment. which in
cludes trucks. boats, planes, pipe !
lines, and railroads, Negroes have !
had a vital role.
IN THE HIGHWAY Transport I
Division are many Negro truck |
companies and battalion headQuar- |
ter units, and one Negro-staffed |
group headquarters. This group is
the 470th Quartermaster Group |
Transportation Corps). with |
catch-as-catch-can headqua tiers
somewhere we'll within Germany.
AT this headquarters. the bullets
and beans acquire specific desti-
nations; the maintenance OF trucks
IS checked: the types OF load are
analysed: and conveys dispatched
from companies are recorded This
is the TRANSMISSION that keeps the
wheels rolling smoothly. so that
combat troops of the Ninth Army
do not lack food. clothing. ammu-
milton, or fuel for their armored
steeds.
In the operations section. reports
Of tonnage end use Of the vehicles,
rs well as schedules Of training for
the staff personnel. are planned
and evaluated by men like Staff
Sgt. Oliver o. Gaines, -. of Indi-
annapolis. Ind. and Staff Sgt. Her
man Baxter. IS, OF Cincinnati. O.
They do their work on German
stationery with headings like Die
Deutsche Arbeitsfront"-an ironic
letterhesd Of the German Work
Front" II helps 10 save American
paper stocks.
The group headquarters ako
depends on men like Cpl. Rob-
ert Temple. 20. Of 267o East 9Th
street, Detroit, Mich. . clerk
who fills in rs substitute switch
board operator for Pvt. Frank
Hooks. 20. Of East Chicago. Ind,
regular operator.
THESE MEN know well the need
Of other soldiers for the supplies
being transported by their units.
Sgt. Baxter has two brothers who
are commissioned officers at
other stations: Cpl. Temples BROTH
er. Robert. is tank gunner in the
Third Army. while another broth
er, Jasper. is in the army. too.
Supervising the work Of these
men is ne sergeant major. NJ. Sgt |
I. Randolph. Is. OF lndi-
Ind. formerly an en-
ployee OF the Indiana Bell Tele-
phone system on Meridian street.
Indianapolis.
The staffs non-operationsl du-
ties are under the management OF
the top-kick OF the headquarters
detachment First Sergeant James
NJ O'Neal. IS. OF Montclair. n. j.,
who takes great pride in his out
fit