Evening star., 1946-03-18
Rupido
Continued From First Page)

to relieve pressure from the Anzio
beachhead landings.
In the first place it should have
had some chance to succeed" he
said, and secondly it should have
been conducted to net minimum
amount of losses"
He said the casualty figures
shown in the War Department re-
port were misleading in that they
showed a loss of only 155 men
killed, while the missing in action
were approximately 1000, and the
killed, wounded. missing in action
and captured totaled nearly 5000.
The figures don't represent the
true facts" he charged. Now that
two years have gone by, some one
ought to be getting those figures up
to date"
Cites Clark Charges.
While Maj. Gen. Fred L. Walker,
who commanded the 36th at Rapido,
sat near at hand, Col. Ainsworth
told the committee that the very
serious accusations" made against
Gen. Clark as the overall COM
mander of American forces in Italy
at the time could not be taken
lightly.
IF Mark Clark is not guilty of
what we have accused him, then in
fairness to the man himself, who
has had lot of adverse publicity
in the matter, hearings should be.
held, and he should be exonerated
or else held guilty as we claim that
he is" he added
Declaring an investigation would
clarity the real issue" by bringing
out views not contained in a report
submitted by War Department
"spokesmen," he continued:
II this investigation is ordered
it is our firm conviction that we
will get out of our Congess cor
rection of military system that
permits elevation of officers to high
commands regardless of ther known
ability.
The correction of this system
will eliminate gross discrimina-
ton against National Guard and
Reserve components in favor of the
Regular establishment and / am
including the West Point Protective
Association"
Attacks Caste System.
He added:
IF bringing true facts before a
committee In Congress, exposing a
caste system that would do credit
to a totalitarian power, a system
that places its own glorification and
ambition ahead of the lives of our
sons-if exposing these conditions
will bring discredit to our division
and to our State, then we are in
error"
Gen. Walker testified that in his
opinion poor tactical judgment was
used by higher commanders" in
ordering the division to attack in
the vicinity of st. Angelo.
Il feel certain" he said, that the
veterans of the 36th Division have
no complaint to make regarding the
directive which Gen. Alexander
British commander issued to Gen.
Clark, the commander of the 5th
Army. They feel that the directive
was proper one from a strategical
point of view. Their complaint is
that poor Judgment was used in the
selection of the point of attack and
in the manner in which the direc-
tive of Gen. Alexander was applied
tactically."
Charges Guard Sacrifice.
A charge that the Rapido attack
was pushed by West Point COM
mander" who deliberately sought to
destroy National Guard officers was
made before the committee by Will
liam H. Martin of Houston, Tex,
a retired colonel who commanded
the 143d Infantry. He is now at
tached to the Texas State adjutant
generals Office.
Carl L. Phinney, Dallas lawyer,
submitted prepared statement ex-
pressing views similar to previous
witnesses.
Chairman May said no further
testimony will be received, adding
the committee will take up the mat
ter tomorrow in executive session.
While he and other members were
noncommittal, it appeared that the
committee would consider the mat
ter closed episode and turn down
the request for an investigation.
At reunion in Brownwood, Tex,
about six weeks ago. the division as