The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-06-23
Detroit Boy Saves Wounded Buddies
By Bluffing Nazi Patrol In Italy

BATTLE CREEK. Mich. - Eight
rounds OF ammunition and loud
voice were all that Cpl. James L.
Humes OF Detroit. Mich, had to
halt Nazi patrol in Italy and save
his litter squad and some wounded
Yanks-but he did the job. Now a
patient in Percy Jones General
hospital, Battle Creek. Mich, this
veteran OF the 92nd Infantry Di-
vision has been awarded the Bronze
Star Medal for rescuing six
wounded men under fire.
Corporal Huues lost his right
leg on April 6 when he set of
an anti-personnel mine during
the second day Of the big Allied
push which led 10 the complete
collapse Of the German troops In
Italy.
THE STORY Of how Corporal
Humes won the Bronze Star Medal
is another truth is stranger than
A'NN'oi W llt
and ingenuity shown by American
fighting men when faced by larger
odds.
II goes back to the night Of No
vember Z, 1914. Humes had been
on observation posts for three DAYS
when the big attack began and he
was ordered TO accompany his bat
talon commander and a guide to
The top OF a hill while communica-
ton lines were being laid.
AT the top of a hill, the COM
mander stepped on a mine and was
seriously wounded. The Italian
guide was wounded by the same
mine fragments Staying with them
under fire until nighttall. Humes
loaded the wounded Italian on his
back. put his arm around the cap
tain and somehow staggered and
plunged through the darkness to
the American lines.
/ No sooner had the two wounded
men been taken over by the first
aid men when a call came from
the top of the same hill that four
more lay wounded.
Il was assigned TO the Job Of
guide" said Humes. - had lust
dropped of my ammunition belt
and was all set to fall in TO that
much-needed sleep when the call
came. ] grabbed my rife and
eight rounds Of ammunition and
we started out. two medics and
II 'pizons' or Italian litter bear
ers and myself.
WHEN WE were half way up
the hill. one OF the Italians spotted
about IL ferries on patrol Is yards
above US. The ferries saw us about
the same time and headed in our
direction.
There we were. IL Italians, two
medlcs and myself. with one rifle
and eight rounds OF ammunition
among us. The Italians were all
for getting out Of there | talked
10 them, using what little Italian
! knew, and they decided TO STAY.
In the excitement, we lost track
OF the two medics Then | began
yelling al the approaching Germans
10 stop. threatening them that if
they came any nearer. we'd let
them have all the grenades we had
which were exactly none"
When asked what he really told
them, Humes grinned.
We'll, promised TO blow them
straight to hell" he admitted.
And believe II or not, those
ferries stopped In their tracks.
Hut ] sure sweated. The blun
worked all right. We didn't have
grenade In the crowd-just
those eight rounds Of ammuni-
ten and one rife. We wouldn't
have had \ chance at all"
WHILE THE Germans were talk
Ing II over. the young corporal
wasted no time in leading his party
around the side of the hill and up
over, sneaking above the Germans
until they found the four wounded
men. Two were litter cases. The
JOB OF getting those liiters and
the other two wounded. men down
narrow trail that dropped 300
feet in the pitch darkness was not
an easy one Humes admits.
Corporal Humes. who gives his
address as SEAS Williams avenue.
Detroit. has been in service since
January 1912. and went overseas
last September. His parents live
n Beckley. W. Va.