The Waterbury Democrat., 1945-01-17

Captain Frederick K. Drescher, l5 Wildwood avenue is taking a three week course of study in the duties of an Army air force civilian personnel officer. He is the son Of MT. and Mrs. Alfred Drescher,
 Pvt Daniel J. Leahy, Maple street, now serving in France with railway operating battalion par ticipated in the task Of increasing the line of track leading to Paris. His battalion unit put 400 service able freight cars and locomotives back into service in less than a months time,
 This feat was only possible by the complete utilization of all three companies of the battalion which had anything at all to do with the direct maintenance work of the rail- way. Approximately 96 hours after the unit reached its destination in France, they were hard at work. The conditions at that time were very adverse due to the lack of proper signals and equipment. Pieces of straw ablaze were used to signal trains and dispatch them in proper order In many of the maintained stations. Some of the men were on special duties in small stations along the line and have been on assignment "A hours a day since the battalion first started its operations.
 Especially essential is the Mainte- nance Away Company, which con- tains squads for track leVeling and repair, filling in bomb craters, rais- ing bridges and repairing railway buildings, and supply systems for use of coal and water by the loco- motives. This Company "A" is com manded by Captain Neander Peter son, Audubon, Minnesota.
 Staff-Segt. Louis Di Laurenzio of Naugatuck, Conn, gunner on B-20 Superfortress of the Twentieth Bomber Command, has been award ed the Air Medal for his partici- patton in aerial combat against Japan and its occupied territories, it has been announced.
 Sergt. Di Laurenzio is credited with ten Superfort missions against the Japanese and has compiled more than 280 flying hours on mis- sions and over the Hump, hazard olls mountain barrier between Twentieth Bomber Command bases in India and Western China.
 The citations. issued by the War Department, reads in part: For outstanding and merit or ious achievement while participating in operational and combat flights from bases in India to bases in China ana return and from bases in China on missions over enemy territory where enemy fire was probable and eY- pected These flights were made over extremely rugged terrain where unfavorable weather made flying hazardous"
 Son of MT, and Mrs. Carmine Di Laurenzio, 238 Scott street, Nauga- tuck, the sergeant is graduate of Naugatuck high, He entered mili- tary service September l8, l942,
 Staff Sergeant William J. Lefevre, Meriden road who has served with the Army Air Forces, since Decem- Der, 1942, in Africa and Italy. arrived home Saturday to spend 30-day leave He is the son of MT. and Mrs. William o. Lefevre.
 The tailgunner Is veteran of the campaigns in T'unisia. Sicily. Salerno, and Rome. Upon entering the service in June, 1942, he trained In Louisiana and Mississippi.
 He will marry Bernice Jean Ber- gin. daughter of Mrs. Raymond Bergin, 450 Meriden road. at SS. Peter and Paul church, Saturday.
 Fort Devens. Mass. Jan. IT. Major Robert II. Watkins, Dental Corps of IA Dwight street. Water vile. Conn. who for the past three years and II months has served in the Army Service Forces, has been granted a terminal leave and will rvert to inactive status on April 6. 1t was announced at the Separa- ton Center here today.
 Release has been effected in ac- cordance with the policy of the Army to relinquish specialized per- sonnel as soon aS possible to strengthen the support which the Army must have on the home front. officers released are subject to re-