Smyrna times., 1945-07-19

while on sea duty, 1 know that you
will welcome a trip to see your ole
home town once again. Further
than that, folks will be very GLAD
to see you.
Things around this community
are moving along in very mucf
the same manner minus many Of
the, younger fellows of a fighting
age. Some of the older Service
men are now receiving their hon,
orable discharges from the Army
on either a medical, or the point
system. Practically all the youths
reaching the age of eighteen are
entering the armed forces. Suct
is war my friend. No one will
ever quite understand its meaning
until they have been engaged ir
this grim manner of settling diff.
ferences of opinion.
The very best of luck to you
Tommy" Conaway, and here's
hoping once again that your ship
will drop anchor in one of our har-
bors soon. Yes, and don't forget
to write in whenever you have the
opportunity. Well always be
pleased to hear from you.
Central Austria
Report received from Captain
Robert D. Upp, A. S. N. 0-355427,
Co. M, 259th Infantry, U. S. Army.
In Central Austria, while cele-
brating We Day on the banks of
the Ennco River, Staff Sergeant
Nelson G. Stele, son of William o.
Steele, Smyrna, Delaware, was
awarded the Combat Infantry
mems Badge for active participa-
ton in the Battle of Germany with
the 65th Infantry Division of Gen.
eral Paton's Third Army.
AS a member of Company M,
259th Infantry, Staff Sergeant
Steele entered the combat zone in
Northeastern France on March 1st,
l945 and took an active part as a
Mortar-man in the 3rd Army
drives that continued unbroken un-
til the final Nazi capitulation.
Initial heavy action met by the
Unit was along the Saar River,
Just inside Germany, where after
TWO weeks of feeling out the con-
crete and steel defenses of the
line, a penetration was
made at Saarlaute. This was fol-
owed by rapid day and night
pursuit of the enemy which result
ed in the crossing of the Rhine
River at Many on March goth.
Capitalizing on the enemy dis
organization, the Unit took part on
The swift, relentless pursuit which
was to carry in hundreds of miles
across Germany, striking first in
one direction, then another, until
The Nazi radio finally referred to
It as "The Phantom Division"
Or General Patton's S. S. Troops"
Berlin seemed to be the first
goal as the regiment passed
frankfurt, crossed the Fulda River
1t Rotenburg, and struck into the
neart of the Reich, until, at Lam
on April 5th, it had
achieved the deepest penetration
If Germany, and was the Amer
can Unit nearest Berlin.
Staff Sergeant Steele then par
.icipated in repelling a German
which had been
aunched in a fruitless effort by
he Nazi's to recover the gold sup
oly over-run by General Patton's
orces. This blow had originated
rom one of the heavy German
orrests, so the Company was then
ent to the vast Mountainous Thur
nger Wald with the mission of
earching out German units.
German resistance to the South,
lear Nurnburg, was at that time
,tiffest encountered by any Amer
can troops, accordingly Sstaff Ser
.eant Steele and his buddies made
mother rapid move nearly 2oo
niles to Newmarket, where they
encountered frantic, drunken S. S.
Hitler Elite Guard) troops, and
participated in fierce two-day
,attle which caused many casual
les and left the city in ruins.
River crossing of the Danube
md capture of Regensburg were
he next actions participated in.
This was followed a few days later
W another crossing, under fire, in
mall boats, this time across the
witt Inns River in Austria.