Mediterranean Algiers Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 14, 1943, Algiers, Algiers                                Page 2the stars and stripes weekly saturday August 14, 1943  4 4 4 it 4 4 4 4 flashes from the  Home Acain continued from Page i mule pack train continued from Page i a a ?.ler h , 1 gues Kinda log the first blown Bridge on the Uke it la be Over Pretor soon with Road from Ceram to Troina. This a a Italy out of the  i ii v in Day of the place a Quot hell boy you Don t know what you re talking  i scuffed about with my feet stumbled picked myself up and stumbled again. A Damn it a i muttered and stumbled again. I was tripping Over the wire. We All seized the wire it seemed to soothe our harried tempers it far they had advanced that last observation i disco i Light taking advantage you May have heard these two invasion stories before Ulery barrage they be been told and retold in Sicily. Mike Chiego internal ii \ i f i Foj i which had tonal news correspondent is the hero of the first. Shortly after he. Typical of the general smothered the German Long Range arrived on the  beaches with the invasion Force the Field Public optimism that the end of efforts for the moment. Now they Telephone at one of the italian coastal guns began to ring. Chine go War aft und waited for dusk before showing a picked up the phone and heard an excited italian voice from an Comer. Like the cab Driver their Heads Over the Ridge. Quot keep gave us strength to resume the Axis Headquarters asking whether the americans were being repelled m9st. People apparently took mus off the Skyline Damn you a cursed and whether reinforcements would be necessary. Chine go in his fluent Sci Luis startling comedown As some unnerved infantrymen who italian replied that the americans had been repelled and that the merely added proof that they have had been pinned Down All Day by coastal defense had the situation we in control. Quot Grazi a the voice b11 right a11 a1011 in their Rosy the German Shellin replied with Relief. The other comes from Irving Smith Universal Outlook. And newspapers with but the mule. Iners for a newsreel photographer who arrived in Palermo with the 2nd armoured reams Good news to report from night were anxious to get going. Division. The first sicilian he met came up to him and said Quot do the fighting fronts during the past there was a time limit on this you want some wine it s damned Good wine a Quot you re English is two weeks did not spare the head Job for the pack train must make Good a said Smith. Quot you must have been in  Quot sure a the lines. Sicilian answered. To from Kansas City. They ran me out for bootlegging struggle. The guard at the up of last night could take us to where the battalion had been a few hours ago but they Are moving again to avoid sniper fire he explained. They always move at night laying Low during Daylight. This a the battalion command you understand. They direct the operate entire round trip during the but if civilian America is taking hours of darkness with the Dawn the Iii de advances with too much would come the German snipers tons of the companies. Snipers a. Are eager to get them for it Breaks up the smooth function of each mule was loaded with about Wishful thinking it is dead serious and keen eyed enemy artillery of these notes come from a diary found in Ceramic they were in its eagerness to make whatever servers copied by a local fascist from letters received from his daughter who sacrifices Are necessary to win tile each was living near Catania. A a oar friends make themselves seen very wet on the Home front they do 250 pounds. They carried a kor often in Catania causing damage and a few victims the daughter complain wearily about the con cd rations 12 cases to a company wrote last Winter. Quot meanwhile the town has been invaded by German fusion and politicking from Wash the Headquarters mules Karpitis who have been gloriously Able to defend us. We had an except in ton but you feel they have re lied radio batteries and Field Tele tonal Winter. For More than a month we have been covered with signed themselves to put up with phone wire. Only the rudiments Snow and the sky is always Grey. It is As if nature herself contributed to our present state of  one letter written later dated Decem it until the Wai ends. Of packing equipment were Avail rationing has brought a raft of Able the Saddle consisted of a Ber 4, said Quot while we pass moments of acute anxiety and Trenida changes in the nations eating i mattress of Straw or an army Tion during the Days of the air raid Here in the mountains we Are habits. If you be been dreaming Blanket. The brightly coloured Brit living a Little More tranquil. Also because of the fact that the close about the Day you would walk Chen strap which is part and Ness of our Island is effectively defended by our magnificent arms casually into the nearest drugstore parcel of All sicilian mules trave and for this reason we Are sure of final Victory which we Hope will a 1. A k be very  for a Coke or Stop after a movie Luster to the trappings. The Cooks for a hamburger and Coffee you knew nothing about Diamond can Wake up now. The chances i hitches and the loading among its Many bivouac the most luxurious taken Over Are about All you would be certain strange contraption of by one american division was the Palazzo of Prince Lanzo i Scalea a member of the princely family Ana Friendly to the _ cause. The Princess Palace near Palermo has a Broad Green Garden even in new York Are scarce and i there was hardly enough Rone to with lines of Lemon and Almond Trees its floors Are Fine grained stores frequently run out of it. Sicilian Marble the Walls Are brightened by 17th Century Oil paintings and the chairs Shine with Gilt. Says a sgt. James d. Langford of Thomaston ga., a member of Headquarters company when we moved in. We saw this mild old Man walking about inspecting the meeting the beef shortage by re Almond Trees. We figure him for the caretaker and he turns out to mailing closed until five or six hamburger shortage Many hamburger joints lash All the loads securely across the attack. The pack train was moving up the Saddle of the second Ridge when there came the Siren Call of the Shell. We had Beard them going Over headed the other Way. This one was coining our Way and was close. It burst on the Side of the Hill. There was the sing of shrapnel and everyone ducked. They be seen us a shouted one lad a bit hysterical. Quot shut up said the guide his voice full of disgust Quot How in the hell can they see us let s get  mules and men were breathing hard now. A mule has a rasping sound in his Throat when he is straining. The men yanked hard at the Halter to get them up to the Broad backs of the impatient i the Saddle of the second Ridge. Are be the  of clock in the evening and then there a a Stampede on a first come first served basis. You will pay 15 or 20 cents texans maybe without onions which Are almost a the roads of Sicily and the towns along them become rear line and quiet returns As the War moves on. Where Bridges Over a Century old have been blown to delay the Advance for an hour the 4 engineers have built bypasses and Bridges. In the Small towns the earful memory now to hamburger sicilians who threw plums and Lemons into the first american jeeps Loving americans. To drive through and who stood cheering on the sidewalks now crowd people do not ask for the Price around american vehicles asking for cigarettes Candy and c rations. Of foods anymore particularly As far As the average american who fought in Tunisia is concerned Ineat now its How Many ration its still the same War there a Only a new language. Points does it Cost a which probably is one reason Why the Black Market flourishes and so Many people unwillingly pay More than ceiling prices. For example meats and fats come on red ration Stamps sixteen of which Are issued to each it Erson per week. But Ernie Pyle the War columnist whose syndicated writhes appear in the daily editions of the stars and stripes has one chronic amnesia he can never remember to Wear his Battle helmet. Air raids Are always catching him on one Side of a bivouac area and his helmet on the other. It was that Way when German planes strafed the area the other Day. Ernie who is not a Young Man leaped into a Slit Trench with a shovel. He put the shovel Over his Fer a one costs ten Points a Pound head for Protection. A a not a bad helmet in a tight spot a he said. Vou can be in it and meat a rages eight Points a Pound. There Quot these americans fight a1 Day and All night and shoot Gyp Pityou a  All the time. A German prisoner. To pay 60 to 70 cents a Don Here and the Price is rising. This is one of the Best stories to come out of the Bidi l pure chocolate bars and Chew Ian Campaign a 3rd division truck Driver name unknown was 8um Are almost impossible to blown through the Canvas cab roof by the concussion of a Large Cai Iber get ice cart am is not War Cas Shell which exploded nearby. The Man was taken to the Hospital but dazed but alive. When the doctors examined him they could not even find a scratch. Quot if any Man deserves a purple heart this Man does i re v t a it we v of a it Thule skinners for i night it is limited and stores that Are cleaned out coax Wavu their customers to buy sherbet As a said the doctor. Quot but he in t wounded a argued another doctor. Quot of subsume. But despite All rationing yes he is a said the first doctor scratching the truck Drivers Bottom with a scape. The truck Driver got his purple heart. Railroad Madhouse Railroad stations Are Madhouse this is or i did not see any citizen near starvation even though lots of old foods Are out or available Only in cart. Clarence l. Gilbert of Burlingame cal., command us a a a fog a Cannon company was too thankful at finding himself alive to Are i Engniu out fares Are be very much embarrassed shrapnel had ripped a Hole in the seat a i Noufa a ? cripple the purse. Of his pants but had not even scratched his Bottom. Despite what you read about  rationing there seem to be Pilot officer Reginald wild of Laura South Australia 1�te of cars going somewhere in had flown 130 missions without losing a ship. But Quot accurate Light. Cities although the country flak from 40 my. Anti aircraft in the Vicinity of Raccuia shot away re ads Are most deserted. To get his Oil line and he started Down. Skilled handling of the p-40 plus crowds out of town the race air cover by his three combat comrades enabled him to get Over to Racks and amusement spots have the american lines before belly Landing. Ive always wanted to installed round trip service via visit you americans but i never thought id do it this Way a he Norse and Wagon not the Voiture exclaimed. De place kind you see Over there 4p but old fashioned Hay wagons. Six me-109 s attempting to strafe an american column did no to do too Well. Two of them were shot Down by ack Aries and a third. A Wnm. Was ruined by an intrepid truck Driver who manned a 50-caliber and Quot the Only Quot break Serviceman gun the truck Drivers victim hit the Road and exploded. Of the get is cheap fares. Getting a res Pilot one hand and a piece of jaw Bone were found. 1 Elvation does not guarantee you will have a seat in the Pullman. Just As Likely you will find your self standing on the car platform or sleeping in the gents washroom a that is if you Are Early enough. And Mph a make train rides uncomfortable by stalking Lengthwise at regular intervals to see that soldiers done to get too chummy with civilians and their liquor. Liquor and Beer by the Way does t flow As freely As it used to. Whisky is rationed officially by dealers and Gin has gone Back to the Bathtub variety. I caught on to Beer rationing easy. At first i asked for six bottles and got three. Now i ask for a dozen and get six. You would find lots of changes on coming Back to America now but probably More important on arrival Are the Little things you did no to think about until you got Over there. Like water from faucets that you can drink and Barber chairs that tilt Back and shaves with hot water and if you had trouble like i did the one thing America has that is the Best in the world is a plumbing animals. One mule called Quot Light the file of men and beasts spread Ninga lashed out with his hoofs out As the stubborn and the Lazy smashing the ribs of a yank who j critters fell behind. A a hold it up a had not Learned that the rear of shouted those in the rear. We a mule packs lightning. He was 1 stopped and flopped on the ground. The first casualty. The mules started to Flop but we right then and there the Jok knew if they went Down they ing and horseplay stopped. The would never lift their loads again second battalion pack train filed Quot stay up a the Cooks snarled at Over the Skyline into the Darken 1 their charges. It men dirt a a a a Stead by one mule never my make it up Simon put auth s to the Saddle of the second Ridge. Pm q i of he stumbled the Load shifted and h 5 5sv0e�?T struck an overhead Rock. The mule in i a rpm a f a i Hgt reared it slipped off the narrow Goat l to Vil of Robert Trad and rolled Over Down the a of shale Rock Side. We heard his Ter shoulder 2? in a tried Snorton amp As he dashed wildly More than them Over away apparently unhurt. We now Imi nor of p it a lost had no Way to carry the six cases Foat of rations half a company would sols Cor a i not eat tomorrow. As we descended into the gorge.,. Wyond the second Ridge we met ground three stragglers and challenged dominating the important Road them Quot who s tout a Junction town of Troina which guards the approaches to mount Etna the volcanic Crown of Sicily. Behind me i heard the men and the mules stumbling feeling their Way through t he Black. I remember also the shrill whistle of the crickets and the feeling of lonely Quot ration detail out of third battalion. Who a that a Quot second battalion pack  Quot know where our rations Are a Quot no did no to come up with  Quot Damn it we be got to get something to  Cpl. Salvatore i Marco Points oat to his comrades that Mezzoiuso is his Home town. He returned to Home and family by Way of invasion. A army pictorial service Ness which clutched at me As the Hins Riel a no the Nark train Glnnth nhf.0h t Quot la Slae they look like cigarettes. Sume a not to did no there fire nerf Little does anyone know about the ass hardships of War until suddenly of a burning after being he finds himself face to face with hardships of War until suddenly to 01 by a s re he finns him if for foe a a mfg Laseia on. Lar by  sniper s Rifle cracks. We Duck land a mule rears throwing off its vague Load. Six More cases of a Kara them. Our instructions were Quot locate the wire that leads to the old command Post. A guide will meet you  the pack train halted Neath the Shadow of a ledge. This had been the command Post of the battalion two nights ago when they were last supplied. Now we spread out to find the single strand of Telephone wire our guideline to the guide. For a full 15 minutes we stumbled about feeling with our hands and feet. Quot it must run along this Ravine a said one. Quot no a said another Quot this is the wrong tons plunge into the Black chasm below. Thirty More men will not eat tomorrow. Better if tile Bullet had killed the mule. We Are now in the streambed slouching through the water headed downstream to where we believe is located the battalion command Post. We await eagerly the Challenge from their outpost guard. Finally it comes. Quot who a there Quot Quot second battalion pack train with  Quot Damn boy we re glad to see you