The globe-independent. (Hagerstown, Md.) 1943-19??, 1945-01-04

Sr., Route 1, W1ll1amSport, gradu-
ated last month from the Aviation
Machinist's Mates school at the Ma
val Air Technical Training Center,
Memphis, Tenn, and is now eligible
for duty anoat, or ashore, leading
to machinst's mate rating.
Seaman Eyler is a former student
of Williamsport High School.
Pfc. Robert j. Carver, son Of Mr..
and Mrs. Earl Carver, 300 Frederick
road, has been awarded the Combat
Infantryman's Badge for exemplary
conduct in France, on November 26,
1914.
Pfc. Carver, graduate of Ha-
gerstown High School, class Of '43,
entered the Service on January Is,
1914.
Three County boys-Pfc. Charles
r. Forrest, of Funkstown; Staff
Sgt. Clay II. Hays. of Route /,
Smithsburg, and Cpl Franklin J.
Hermann, Jr, Of 325 Summit ave-
nue., Hagerstown, are members of
the 397th Infantry Regiment Of the
Tooth Century Division, one of the
newest units fighting on the U. S.
7th Army front in Eastern France.
1t was this regiment that played an
important part in the squeeze
play so thoroughly applied to the
German 10Th Army.
While French troops spearheaded
drives through the Saverne Pass in
the north and Belfort Gap in the
south, both routes leading to Stras-
bourg and the Rhine, the principal
part of the 18th Army fought relent-
lessly against the thousands of Nazis
caught in the middle. With the
French holding the enemy in on the
sides, the 397th-and other units of
the 7th Army--drove piston-like
against the middle.
Cpl billie" Gelwicks, son of Mr..
and Mrs. Charles F. Gelwicks, 6l3
North Mulberry street, who is over
seas, has been promoted to sergeant
which is really going some for a
boy who has only been a year in the
Service. In recent letter to his
parents, Billie wrote that he had
gained 16 pounds and his mother
says she is not surprised, for he sent
home the menu of their Thanks
giving dinner and Mrs. Gelwicks
said it was a better meal than they
had at home. Another son, TVS
Carroll Gelwicks, who served over
two years in Alaska and the Aleu-
tians, is now Radar instructor at
Florida base.
Pfc. William r. (Bill) Howard,
Jr., son Of MIR. and Mrs. w. Russell
Howard, 824 The Terrace, mem
Der of the 81st wildcat Infantry
Division" has been awarded the
Combat Infantry Badge for exem-
plary conduct and skill in action
against the enemy.
The Wildcat Division took part in
the invasion Of the southern stands
of the Japanese-held Palau group,
500 miles east of the Philippines.
Second Lieut. Fred p. Kretzer,
! son of Mr.. and Mrs. Paul Kretzer,
Williamsport, Route 2, pilot with
| a Fighter Squadron, is now in
Italy, preparing for combat missions.
Technician Fourth Grade Louis P.
Meyers, son of Mr. and Mrs. Louis
Meyers, 932 Oak Hill avenue, re-
Gently completed two years of over
seas service with veteran aviation
engineer battalion in the Mediter-
ranean Theater of Operations.
1t was but few days after
"D-Day that the first contingent -ef
this battalion landed in the battered
harbors of North Africa. Men and
equipment were hardly safe ashore
before they were put to work
building their first airfield. Recently,
"a months later, the Goth airfield
was completed.
| Following the advance of the
front lines, the unit leapfrogged
across North Africa, through the
rain and mud in Morocco, over the
scenic Atlas Mountains of Algeria,
and into the sitting heat of Tunisia,
building another field at every halt.
And when hurried call for more
airfields ''up front" reached them,
they made their longest jump-100O
miles in six days.
Moving deep into Tunisia the unit
was given the task of constructing