The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1945-03-15
Sergeant Sends
Priest S Tribute
To Mothers

PAYS TRIBUTE TO ALL
AMERICAN MOTHERS
j A letter from Sgt. Kenneth R.
Boyle, who is with the American
forces in Europe, was recently re-
ceived by his mother, Mrs. Al Ha-
mel. Excerpts from the letter APP
pear below:
i Il just finished letter to Jua-
nita and will try and get this ono
i finished and off to you tonight. !
sent you cablegram and some
flowers for Easter the other day.
Hope you get them OK and In
time.
II spoke to our chaplain about
Charles Shanahan and he says there
isn't anything we can do but wait
and pray that he is alright
was walking down the street in
a small town in Holland one day
when Catholic preist stopped me,
and asked if my supply sergeant
could possibly let him have tooth
brush. He said that the Germans
took everything there and it was
impossible to get toothbrush any
where, so / went and got it for
him plus some shaving cream, razor
blades and bar Of soap. Well the
priest never did get through thank
ing me, and when left him he
said he wanted me to have copy
of his article that he had written
about the war. After reading it T
went back and got a couple more
copies from him. of which / ann
enclosing a. copy for you g.
This old priest is quite well known
around here and from what I un-
derstand is quite well known by
many in the world for his writings
i Sgt. Boyle is member of the
Bath Inf. Div, the famous Rail
splitters' which received warm
letter Of congratulations from Ma
jor Gen. Collins on their heroic per-
Torrance Of duty during last jan
Iuary in the battle of the Ardenne-.
Excerpts from the Holland Priest,
FIR. w. M. Frijns S. m. m, follows:
4 II is for the American mothers
and wives that the following lines
are intended. Just to tell you how
grateful we feel, over here in Hol-
land, for sending your sons and
husbands to fight for our liberation.
In fact, they risk their lives for
us, even quite a few, alas, are
doomed to sacrifice their existence
in order to win us peace.--frec-
dom from want, freedom from fear,
as Mr.. Roosevelt put it, but your
sacrifices are no less than theirs:
it is also to You that we ought
to pay tribute.
One way to show ones gratitude
is never to forget what the u. S.
did for Us. We hope, it shall not
be said, that, in the long run, the
Dutch disgraced their character by
being forgetful of the American
soldiers. But moreover, / am sure,
you will be pleased to learn at once
'hoW we associate with your sons
at this very moment
One may make some reservations.
Because only a little corner of
Holland, SO far, saw the First Ar
my. Nor was it exactly the whole
First Army but only part Of it who
freed this minute spot of hilly soil.
which CHANGED to be predominantly
Catholic. Other circumstances in
1 fluenced the present friendly at
titude. For four and one half years
we underwent every kind OF hard
ships, unbelievable to you: we were
overruled by devils who took a
pleasure in torturing and reviling
our populace. There is not one fam
lily but they beWail the death or
deportation of a member How many
were fined, expelled from their
homes leaving everything in the
hands of the ruthless invader! How
many were killed outright without
any kind of trial whatever! And,
which is worse than DEATH how
many were sent to concentration
campsl What big difference then
between your sons and those 9TH
ers, no soldiers, but thieves and
butchersl Lastly, Heerlen and
Schaesberg were the first that duly
welcomed the American triumphal
/ Army. Several localities were lib
! Grated before us, it is true But
there the inhabitants looked rather
l surprised at the entry of Amcri-
cans, and. not able to rea.iza they
/ had regained freedom, were in
1 fear the Germans, as the tyrants
promised when they left in hur-
ry, would soon return. So the Dutch
withheld their elation, and watched.
with sigh Of relief, in silence, the
American warriors passing by This
was not the case at Heerlen and
Schaesberg on II and 18 Septem-
Der. Here the First Army had a
regular entry in triumph. 1t was
well deserved after a weeks hot
| fight. | spoke to hundreds Of your
/ soldiers, had conversation with
thousands Of my countrymen. The
topic among US is the American
soldiers. Right from the start their
praises were sung by all, not the
least by our children. And this
bids fair % last: it is likely to last,
it won't alter in weeks to come.
Those Americans You sent us arc
not only gentlemen and heroes;
they are friends, and they will re-
main so for ever.
Now we are rid of the Germans