Imperial Valley press., 1945-05-11

| Private First Glass Loreto M. Pre-
ciado of Heber was serving with the
142nd infantry regiment when those
veteran doughboys broke through
the Moder line at Oberhoffen, cap
tured Wissembourg, and slashed
through strong Siegfried line de-
| fenses This was some Of their
hardest combat in more than $50
days on the battlefronts.
In England the meritorious service
unit plaque was awarded TO the
609th ordnance base armament
maintenance battalion for superior
performance of duty during the pre-
paratory phase of the invasion of
western Europe and the build-up
following D-day. Private First Class
Angelo Romero, 81, El Centro, is
with base depot company attached
to the battalion. He is son of
Mr.. and Mrs. Fred Romero, LAG
Orange, and has been in the army
80 months Before his induction he
operated his own ranch.
Three more Imperial Valley
youths. all II years of age, have
enlisted as apprentice seamen in the
naval reserve in San Diego and are
awaiting calls to active duty. They
are Charles Ellis, Jr., son of Mrs.
Charles Ellis, Sr., Of 227 North I'm
perial avenue, Brawley; Frank Rob-
ert Lyali, Jr., son of F. R. Lyall, Sr.,
CT Fifth and D streets, Westmor-
land; and Max Otto Ruegger, son
of Mr. and Mrs. Otto Ruegger of
Westmorland area. All three navy
recruits have been attending Braw-
ley Union High school where they
were members of the football team.
Recruit Ellis has a brother, Mitchell
C.. Ellis, who is a corporal in the
army air corps.
jim Hand Of Imperial recently
changed his rating from fireman
first class to machiniSts' mate third
class. He is serving with the navy
in the South Pacific. His brother,
Dave, is home on leave, They are
sons of Mr.. and Mrs. E. H. Hand
of Imperial.
Anthony j. Pennestri of El Gen.
tro recently was promoted TO the
rank of captain at the Ell Centre
marine air station where ne is sta
ton operations officer He is
veteran of Guadalcanal. New Geor-
gia, Bougainville, Munda, and Ra-
beul campaigns. He was awarded
the Air medal, Purple Heart, and a
Presidential unit citation. He and
Mrs. Pennestri live at 764 Olive.
Writing from Germany, Technical
Sergeant Dale Harper. nephew Of
G. c. Harper of Mt. Signal district,
said, After being in several coun-
tries over here, I'd say this is the
prettiest." He has been overseas
since October, 1943. He suffered
throat wound early in 1914 which
took him out Of combat and put
him in maintenance.
Donald Lee Bell, arm &c, former
Imperial High school student, was
married April to Miss Helen Hy-
land of Idaho. He served in the
South Pacific but at present is sta
toned on the Pacific coast.
Leroy Jackson, seaman second
class, was inducted into the navy
last January and recently finished
platoon commander school. On May
2 ne took over his company for 10
weeks of boot training. He is a
son Of Mr.. and Mrs. Milton Jackson
Of West Imperial While in school
ne was a star athlete in all sports.
81 see much beautiful country in
! Germany, Private Roland FoWlkeS
| of Imperial, wrote home recently,
"but I haven't time to write about
it even if 1 could" While in Bel
GUM he saw farmer plow all day
with his COW, and then drive her in
to be MIXED at night. That, in
Private Fowlkes' opinion, is really
making her pay for her feed.
Private First Glass Riley (Jack)
Hanson, who worked at the Coca
Cola plant before his induction four
years ago, wrote from the Philip
pines that he had slept in a bed for
the first time in more than three
months. He was stationed on New
Guinea for some time
An interesting description of his
surroundings were written by Cor
poral Frank w. Dixon to his moth
er Mrs. Grace Dixon of El Centro.
He said. I'm writing in the IL
brary of an old German mansion
while sip a glass of sherry which
is about the same vintage as the
house. The windows open on ter
race where an American dance band
is playing. lie view from the ter
race is beautiful, green meadows
| lead down to river, apple blossoms
across the river, and on a hill in
the distance stone castle. And this
is the army. No, not dreaming. I'm
at division rest center It's like a
little bit of Heaven after seeing the
other place. Here we are waited on
hand and foot. We get just about
whatever we ask for and do what we
darn please for a few days. Mostly
rest. I'm well and quite happily lazy
at the moment. A little tired and
nervous but otherwise 0. K. Ger
many seems to be the cleanest and