Evening star., 1949-06-07
A Combat Ofheerx Theughts
On What the Natien Owes the Dead.

7 am one OF the young combat c.aoer-a
maJoE-who does not often get 70 express his
opinion Of those In the service who serve ai
what call the working level Not only an
responsible for planning. training feedtng.
clothing and otherwise taking care es the
men In my command but ! also must put
that plan into execution and supervise them
in its Carrying out Al one time in combat
was responsible for over 500 men.
During the last week have read the com
mentS In the papers As 10 the why's and
why nots" Of the pay bill On this day, Ave
years after D day. just can't help putting
my thoughts down on paper On June O.
1914. had the honor and privilege Of leading
American soldiers into ea;sle-soEne OF them
your sons. Should another conflict come. !
could ASK no greater privilege than TO lead
again. provided I am adequately trained 70
assume such great responsibility.
We believed In those ideals for which our
country stands From then 10 the end of the
war. II was q long. hard and disflcult path.
As an ofacer. I was responsible for their lives:
prayed that would not expend one life
through lack OF preparation before and dur
ing the war. With the help OF the men In INV
company. I was awarded the Silver Star
twice. the Bronze Star. and the Purple Heart
with cluster Am sure that the men
served with believed that had their and
Our country's best interests at heart however
difhcult the time. ! have an obligation TO
them and TO our buddies that we left behind
In the past. have considered getting out Of
the service. but there is still q fght 10 be won
the fight for a lasting peace-and ! am
not one TO run from q nght. would never
want TO fight again as We did in those days
but after seeing people locked In cages and
treated worse than We treat our dogs-well
would hght again for believe In America
and for what 1t stands.
Pay Less Taxes Not Very Much.
In regard 70 the pay bill, 7 know this:
After returning home found that l had
income tax to pay-includine tax on the
lo% overseas pay that ! got for digging
foxholes through Normandy. Holland Bas-
togne. and Southern Germany In reporting
TO my new station In 1916, the sixth move
In year. had to buy q house in order to
have living quarters. That took all nv
savings. My wife and l never have re-
gretted the cost for now is the nrst
time In six years OF married life that we
have not lived above or below someone:
we are living in decent housing for once
But at this time I have neither money
In the bank nor savings-and do not en-
tertain or spend extravagantly. MY wife
Is expecting a child and we are under or
GERS TO move. I am trying to sell the
house and not lose too much. Hardly a
comfortable feeling! ask myself: Why
not stay IN this house at perhaps q lower
salary and be broke rather than move. look
for quarters. and be broke too Who ever
heard OF feeding an adult on S2l a month
as we now are allowed? Even my sergeants
draw more At one post. had TO drive
30 miles day in order to have a place to
live. However, as I refuse TO contract any
debts that I cannot liquidate within the
month. I am solvent. So pay raise or not.
! will get blythe hard way
But how a. End lieutenant gets by Just
don't know. And that is what concerns me
Reading the reports of the discussion of the
pay bill. ! find to my distress and grave
concern that many OF the officers junior
to me are resigning. I note the figures
OF the college graduates who were offered
regular commissions and refused them.
When received my regular commission,
1t was high honor" There Us something
wrong with our system when a military life
does not appeal to the youth Of our coun.
ctrys any more than that. Something must
be done--for the services must have new
blood-and 1t takes young men to lead young
men when the time comes that they are
needed-God forbid! Combat takes youth
And men who have made q study Of how
to lead. train and use these men with proper
regard to their lives In defense Of our home
land. The job of q combat commander. re-
gardleSs Of his rank. is not easy for 1t must
weigh heavy on his mind the losses that
he must suffer as q result Of waging war.
Make no mistake-the Job OF leading men
on the field Of battle 50 that they have
every chance for their lives Ia q full time
profession demanding all from the man
that follows IT,
Memories Of Battlefield Democracy.
In conclusion. ! have begun to wonder II
the time devote to the ideals OF our coun-
try Ia considered by others as being as i'm
portant as I believe 1t TO be. The term
"nrass' leaves q distasteful taste In my
mouth. During combat I slept In the same
holes as my men, ate the same *" rations,
stood the same hardships as progressed to
the rank Of major In combat. and yet was
responsible for their well-being. believed
wore-but for my efforts In their behalf.
I hope sol
The disdain shown by our people for the
man who works to lead others In our mutual
defense Is hard to understand. Undoubtedly.
It contributes to the difaculty OF our services
getting suitable young men, men who have
the qualities and attributes to continue TO
develop 50 that they can lead q company,
battalion or sQuadron-or an army when
called upon.
am glad am an ofiicer and that stand
for the things that are honorable. try
by my personal life to set an example for
those that train. After the death and
destruction that have witnessed. want
to contribute something constructive. and /
want to feel that serving my country Ia
worthwhile and not just just futile gesture
or soft. easy life. can stand the rieors
OF training. the hardships Of combat. the
lack Of home and its associations. but
want the support OF the people in the thought
that the military profession In an honorable
our country's greatness Ia built
Therefore. In defense Of those men I left
behind, who died In defending those ideals.
I ask for the support Of the public in any
matters OF national security that will best
allow the proper training OF our greatest
assets men and their individual lives. Per-
Isr z L. LII