Editorial: A feminine compliment
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Eden mends Allied fences with ‘in-to-to-end’ speech
British Foreign Secretary offers empire as model for the post-war world
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Roving Reporter
By Ernie Pyle
In Algeria –
Before leaving this special vicinity, I want to tell you about a couple of friends of mine. They are Military Police. I like them as much as anybody I know in the whole Army.
They’ve been coming to see me so long now that I’ve actually forgotten how we first got acquainted. I know an officer who was in my room one day when they were there, and after they left, he said to me:
You’re the damnedest guy I ever saw. I’ve been in the Army three years and you’re the first guy I ever heard of who knew an MP personally. Nobody knows any MPs.
Maybe not, but if so they’re ignorant of one of the finest groups in the Army. The Military Police don’t have the taint to them that they had in the last war. This time they are a specially picked, highly trained, permanent organization. An MP serves throughout the war as an MP, he is proud of his organization, and he is respected by his fellow soldiers.
One day an officer and I were talking about a barroom brawl the night before in which a drunk had tried to stab an MP, and the officer said:
Anybody who starts anything with an MP is insane. They’ve picked men, and their training starts where Commandos leave off. They know every method of fighting in the world.
MPs get tough training
And from the MPs that I’ve seen, from their demeanor and their conduct, I believe that next to Rangers and Paratroopers they are really the pick of the Army.
But to get around to my two friends. They are: Cpl. Freeland L. Riles Jr., of 601 Broad St., Darlington, South Carolina, and Pvt. Thomas Stewart, of Scurry, Texas. Riles goes by the nickname “Snip,” and Stewart goes by “Tom.” They both wear white leggings, and brass whistle-and-chain over their shoulders, and Sam Browne belts, and carry a big .45, and believe me they both know how to shoot it too.
They never knew each other before the Army, of course, but they’re the same age to the day. Both born on July 7, 1919. “Snip” went only through the eighth grade, Tom through the ninth. Then they both started to work. Both of them talk low and slow and drag out their words as if they had all day to say a sentence. Snip’s is the soft easy drawl of the Deep South, while Tom’s was the wide, frank drawl of the open spaces. They were as different as day and night.
Tom says:
Give me open country. I like big country where if you want to holler you can get out and holler.
Tom’s face is windy-red, and he is land and jointy. In the respectful fashion of his part of the country, he still refers to his mother as “Mama.” Neither he not Snip is making any headway at all trying to learn French.
Tom was a carpenter
Tom used to be a carpenter. He likes best to do the interior cabinetwork when a house is about finished. He says his specialty is making tables. He made a beauty for the general when he was at Camp Bowie in Texas.
Snip was a traveling route-agent for a bakery. He used to drive his bread truck 180 miles a day and make as high as $60 a week during tobacco season when people had money. He is a handsome youngster, black-haired and spic-and-span, but very quiet and serious. He was a star athlete in school. He says he was never homesick at all in England, but down here he thinks about home a lot.
He knows jujitsu and all the other methods of fighting, but he says he’ll never use his jujitsu, for it’s too easy to cripple somebody permanently. Both boys say they have very little trouble. Most soldiers who get to whooping it up in the backroom quiet down like mice and walk along peacefully the moment an MP shows up.
Post-war trips arranged
My friendship with these two fighters has struck me as odd, for I’m nearly old enough to be their father, and there’s little in companionship I can contribute to them. Yet they come daily and sit and chat; they say if I ever need an escort anywhere just to holler and they’ll take me; they insist on running errands for me; they bought a special bottle of champagne and brought it to my room on Christmas Eve for us three.
We’ve arranged to take trips together after the war. Snip insists on taking me on a South Carolina deer hunt, a famous institution where the man who misses his first deer gets his shirttail cut off.
And Tom has a two-week catfishing and cougar-hunting trip down the Nueces River all planned. I’ve agreed to go on these trips although I don’t know why, for I’ve never shot anything bigger than a rabbit in my life, and never intend to.
Tom wants to get into the border immigration service after the war. Snip thinks maybe his MP experience would qualify him for some kind of police work, although he’s really undecided what he wants to do.
I’ve noticed that both boys almost always preface their after-war plans by saying “If I live through it…” Nobody talks a great deal about that, but it’s in the back of everybody’s mind. It’s even in mine sometimes, despite the nice safety of my non-combatancy. Even a deer hunt looks beautiful way off there in the future.
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Nurse first woman to get Air Medal
Lt. Ott receives Air Medal.
Louisville, Kentucky (UP) –
The first Air Medal ever awarded a woman was presented yesterday to 2nd Lt. Elsie S. Ott of St. James, New York, for her care of five wounded officers and enlisted men during a 10,000-mile flight from India to Washington.
Lt. Ott, 29, an Army nurse, received the medal from Brig. Gen. Fred S. Borum on the recommendation of Maj. Gen. H. H. Arnold, commanding of the Army Air Forces.
The trip was her first experience with airplane travel. She later admitted she was airsick during most of the journey, but doctors said her care of the wounded left nothing to be desired.
U.S. Navy Department (March 28, 1943)
Communiqué No. 326
South Pacific.
On March 25:
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In the afternoon a force of Wildcat (Grumman F4F) fighters strafed a Japanese barge in Roviana Lagoon, Munda, on New Georgia Island.
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On the night of March 25‑26, Canton Island in the Phoenix Island group was bombed by two Japanese planes. Light damage was inflicted.
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Additional reports reveal that on the night of March 25‑26, U.S. planes carried out two bombing attacks against Japanese positions on Nauru Island, instead of one attack as previously reported in Navy Department Communiqué No. 325. In the first of these attacks, Navy Catalina patrol bombers (Consolidated PBY) started fires. In the second attack (previously reported) Liberator heavy bombers (Consolidated) scored hits on enemy installations.
On March 27:
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On the early morning of March 27, a total of seven Japanese planes made five attempts to bomb Guadalcanal Island. In two of these attacks, bombs were dropped, killing one, injuring 13 others, and causing slight material damage.
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Avenger (Grumman) bombers, escorted by Airacobra (Bell P‑39) and Wildcat fighters, attacked Japanese positions at Vila, in the Central Solomons. Six fires were started.
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In the early afternoon, Avenger bombers, escorted by Wildcat fighters, attacked Munda on New Georgia Island. A supply dump was blown up and a fire started.
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On the same afternoon, Dauntless (Douglas) dive bombers, escorted by Wildcat fighters, bombed and strafed Japanese positions in Ugali, on the northeast coast of Rendova Island in the New Georgia group. One building was destroyed and another was set on fire.
North Pacific.
On March 26, a force of Army Mitchell (North American B‑25) medium bombers attacked Japanese positions at Kiska. Hits were scored on a hangar and in the camp area.
Communiqué No. 327
North Pacific.
On March 26, a detachment of our light forces patrolling to the westward of Attu Island, the westernmost end of the Aleutians, made contact with a Japanese force composed of two heavy cruisers, two light cruisers, four destroyers and two cargo ships. The enemy force was headed eastward toward the Aleutians.
Gunfire at long range was exchanged. When the engagement was broken oft, the Japanese forces were observed heading westward.
Announcement of further details will be made when such information will not be of value to the enemy.
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The Pittsburgh Press (March 28, 1943)
NEW FOOD POINTS START MONDAY
Some cans cost less, but value of others rises
OPA removes all rationing restrictions on prunes, raisins and other dried and dehydrated fruits
By Joseph W. Grigg Jr., United Press staff writer
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U.S. opens new Tunisian push
Yanks strike north of Maknassy as British gain
By Edward W. Beattie, United Press staff writer
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Partial tax forgiveness drive begun in Congress
Lone Republican opponent charges Ruml would make soldiers pay for own guns
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U.S. may move in mine deal by Thursday
Officialdom predicts some action before contracts expire
By Fred W. Perkins, Press Washington correspondent
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Petrillo snubs plan to settle recording row
Offer might interfere with other negotiations, union says
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Company G, minus 50 men, yields to Nazi onslaught
Yanks who survive two days of hell in foxholes break out of encirclement
By Phil Ault, United Press staff writer
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