Description

The Spearhead Doughboy

Volume 1, No. 5 · 36th Armored Infantry Regiment, 3rd Armored Division · Printed in Germany · Sunday, July 15, 1945

4 pages scanned

Names

• Ahearn, 1st Tgt. John J. — B Co.; met twin brother Bill for first time in two years when Bill visited
• Ahearn, T/Sgt. Bill — twin brother of John J. Ahearn; stationed with Hdqtrs., Army of Occupation at Frankfurt
• Aiken, T/5 Geo. M. — E Co. reporter listed in masthead
• Aim, Corp. R. W. — Regt. Hq. Co. reporter listed in masthead
• Anderson, Capt. — Regt. Hq. Co.; engaged in fashioning a T/O organization
• Banks, 2nd Lt. Gordon — Brooklyn, N.Y.; returned from OCS Four; installed as motor officer of C Co.; known for eating three men’s rations
• Barnotes, Pfc. V. J. — 2nd Bn. Hq. Co. reporter listed in masthead
• Baum, Pfc. Donald — 3rd Bn. Hq. Co. reporter listed in masthead
• Beardsley, Corp. R. A. — Service Co. reporter listed in masthead
• Berzeniek, Sgt. Walter — D Co. reporter listed in masthead
• Biliyerian, Oscar — G Co.; getting hot ping-pong competition; will figure in Company Championship tournament
• Bindas, Pfc. John — G Co.; getting hot ping-pong competition
• Brown, Donald — B Co.; returned from three-day pass in Spa, Belgium
• Cannizzaro, 2nd Lt. Louis A. — Brooklyn, N.Y.; came to 36th via Seton Hall, Catholic U. and Armored School at Fort Knox; served as motor officer; now leader of third rifle platoon
• Carlson, Lt. R. E. — Cartoonist listed in masthead
• Carpenter, Sgt. Benjamin F. — Managing Editor listed in masthead
• Chiang Kai Sheik (Chiang Kai-shek) — field marshal of all Chinese fighting forces; put in command by Dr. Sun Yat Sen
• Cloyd, Pfc. Ray B. — B Co.; returned from three-day pass in Spa, Belgium
• Cochrane — Regimental team baseball lineup
• Conn, Billy — ex-light heavyweight king; only man who ever threatened Joe Louis’s crown; former stablemate of Ray Harold
• Cook, Capt. Robert — Wellsville, N.Y.; commander of C Co.; with outfit from Mausbach through V-E Day
• Crumpler, Capt. B. F. — Editor and Business Manager listed in masthead
• Daniels, Capt. — fielded Regimental baseball team at F Co. diamond in Muhlheim; has ace pitcher yet to show
• Danielson, Pfc. Kenneth P. — C Co. reporter listed in masthead
• Davis, S/Sgt. Chester I. — E Co.; 85-point-plus; departing for States as paper goes to press; former good luck charm
• Epps — Regimental team baseball lineup
• Erwin, Lt. — F Co.; transferred with high point officers and men to another unit; served as officer bugler
• Eslinger, Lt. — I Co.; commands 1st Platoon, which has ‘nigger drill’ down pat
• Fabal — Medics; part of ‘unholy trio’ with Smith and Klein; in Holland
• Fallo, ‘Fearless’ — F Co.; driver of ‘Honey Wagon’
• Farmer, S/Sgt. — H Co.; passes Saturday morning inspections using pin-up girl wall strategy
• Fleming, Capt. D. D. — new CO of Hq. Co., Third Battalion; formerly CO of Hq. Co. in the 9th A.I.B.
• Francko, Sgt. Steve — C Co.; plays midget violin; accompanies Pfc. Radcliff’s hill-billy music sessions
• Gallett, Pfc. Clayton — E Co.; plays all bugle calls including reveille and chow call
• Gelof, Lt. — I Co.; commands 2nd Platoon; won’t admit 1st Platoon is best
• George, S/Sgt. Ardis L. ‘Curly’ — E Co. (Easy Co.); killed six German soldiers with a captured Sturmgewehr near Dessau; secured objective
• Gravrok, 2nd Lt. Ralph — Beacon, N.Y.; added to C Co. when company went overstrength
• Gribok, Pfc. Alex — A Co. reporter listed in masthead
• Grice, Pfc. George — E Co.; does all fancy work in orientation room; keeps news items up to date
• Harbin, Pfc. Eddy — Cartoonist listed in masthead; also author of ‘The Roving Reporter’ column
• Harold, Ray — former stablemate of Billy Conn; sensational heavyweight; 46 bouts with only one loss (to Machino); from Oklahoma City; joined Martin Mazzeo’s 36th stable
• Heniser — 3rd Bn. starting baseball lineup; consistent hitter
• High, Sgt. Paul E. — I Co. reporter listed in masthead
• Horowitz, Sgt. — H Co.; roommate of S/Sgt. Farmer; passes inspections with pin-up girl wall strategy
• Ives, Pfc. Howard — G Co. reporter listed in masthead
• Johannsen, Pfc. Edwin G. — 1st Bn. Hq. Co.; author of poem ‘Call Me Spearhead’
• Kelly, S/Sgt. Donald L. — F Co. reporter listed in masthead
• Kennedy — Regimental team baseball lineup
• Klein, Pfc. — Medics; part of ‘unholy trio’ with Smith and Fabal; in Holland; finally got mail after offering reward
• Kniffin, S/Sgt. — E Co.; successor to Davis as mess sergeant
• Kruscynski, Cpl. — H Co.; superb three-hit pitching performance in 5-0 win over 2nd Bn. Hq. Co. on July 5
• La Gpacan (Lagpacan), Pfc. Ben A. — Asst. Editor listed in masthead; author of article ‘China — The Harvard Movement’
• Lain, 2nd Lt. H. J. — Peekskill, N.Y.; returned from OCS One at Fontainebleau to strengthen C Co. New York contingent
• Leitner, Lt. — Regimental team baseball lineup
• Lekic, Pfc. — E Co.; second platoon; threatened to shoot anyone who put cigarette butts longer than quarter inch in trays
• Libby, Capt. — I Co.; Pfc. Panzzie is his new driver
• Lieser, T/4 Earl N. — Med. Detach. reporter listed in masthead
• Loretoni, Pvt. Giacomoa — H Co. reporter listed in masthead
• Louis, Joe — world heavyweight boxing champion; his crown threatened only by Billy Conn
• Lyle, Pvt. Garland — B Co.; returned from three-day pass in Spa, Belgium
• Machino — light heavyweight champion of the British Isles; only man to beat Ray Harold
• Maggipinito, Pfc. Dominick — B Co.; returned from three-day pass in Spa, Belgium
• Maizie, 1st Sgt. — new top-kick of Hq. Co., Third Battalion; good soldier, fair but efficient
• Marino, Pfc. Alfred — I Co.; 6 inches shorter than his M-1 Rifle; possibly smallest man in battalion
• Marks — Regimental team baseball lineup
• Mazzeo, Martin — manager of 36th stable of boxers; brought in Ray Harold
• McClung, Cpl. — 1st Bn. Hq. Co.; 85-point man departing; said he does not want to leave the Third Armored
• Moore, Cpl. Bud — Hq. Co., Third Battalion; company clerk; has more discharge points than required but declared essential
• Morse, Major G. E. — formerly CO of 9th Armored Infantry Battalion; new battalion commander of Third Battalion
• Murphy, Pfc. Francis ‘Hank’ — I Co.; puzzles everyone by breaking teeth on his comb
• Nameth, Lt. — 3rd Bn. starting baseball lineup
• New, S/Sgt. — Regt. Hq. Co.; received almost a whole sack of private mail, causing delay in rest of company’s mail
• O’Neil — 3rd Bn. starting baseball lineup
• Oldfield, 1/Sgt. — F Co.; car commander of ‘Honey Wagon’
• Opalka — 3rd Bn. starting baseball lineup; consistent hitter
• Panzzie, Pfc. Frank ‘Blow-Out Patch’ — I Co.; Capt. Libby’s new driver; has tough run of luck with wheels falling off
• Phillips, Pfc. Clyde F. — Printer listed in masthead; also in 3rd Bn. baseball lineup
• Pizzarelli, Pfc. Fredric T. — 2nd Bn. Hq. Co.; from Philadelphia, Pa.; tried to celebrate birthday on March 30 while four German tanks were threatening
• Pomerleau, Roland — 36th boxing stable; runner-up for divisional honors; Robinson’s stablemate
• Prejean, 1/Sgt. — Regt. Hq. Co.; with Capt. Anderson in fashioning a T/O organization
• Price, S/Sgt. ‘Blood and Guts’ — G Co.; vowed vengeance on soldier who stole his overseas cap
• Prince, Sgt. ‘Red’ — G Co.; getting hot ping-pong competition
• Radcliff, Pfc. Cliff — C Co.; nightly leading hot sessions of hill-billy music with guitar
• Radmore, Pfc. K. J. — Med. Detach. reporter listed in masthead
• Rehnberg — 3rd Bn. starting baseball lineup
• Rever — 3rd Bn. starting baseball lineup
• Reynolds — Regimental team baseball lineup
• Robert — Regimental team baseball lineup
• Robinson, Eli — sparkplug of 36th boxing stable; expected to highlight July 15 boxing matches at Sports Plaza in Darmstadt
• Rose, Major-General Maurice — late; present at Presidential Citation Award Ceremony at Mausbach on 21 Feb. 1945
• Russell, Capt. R. W. — S-2 Censor listed in masthead
• Savalda, Luis — 36th boxing stable; runner-up for divisional honors; Robinson’s stablemate
• Schneider, Pfc. Harrison G. — 1st Bn. Hq. Co. reporter listed in masthead
• Schratwieser, 1st Lt. Joseph J., Jr. — Locust Valley, L.I., N.Y.; returned to C Co. from hospital; father of twins Robert and Barbara Ann (born December 23 – six months old)
• Scranton, Pvt. Carmon B. — B Co. reporter listed in masthead
• Sharkey — 3rd Bn. starting baseball lineup; consistent hitter
• Smitty — Medics; doing wonderful job as first-sergeant; popular with fellow soldiers
• Sun Yat Sen, Dr. (Eugene) — Chinese revolutionary leader; Harvard-educated; first president of the first Republic of China; died shortly after establishing republic
• Ware, T/Sgt. — F Co.; assistant car commander of ‘Honey Wagon’
• Yazijian, Ed — E Co.; fastidious; declines to carry cigarettes as they make his pockets bulge; nevertheless never refuses one
• Young — 3rd Bn. starting baseball lineup

Locations

• Beacon, New York — home of 2nd Lt. Ralph Gravrok; just up the Hudson River from Peekskill
• Belgium — Spa; B Co. soldiers took three-day pass there
• Brooklyn, New York — home of 2nd Lt. Louis Cannizzaro and 2nd Lt. Gordon Banks
• China — subject of article ‘China — The Harvard Movement’ by Pfc. Lagpacan; historical overview of modernization
• Cologne (Köln), Germany — Third Armored Division placed ‘Call Me Spearhead’ sign over overpass shortly after taking the city
• Darmstadt, Germany — location of Sports Plaza; site of July 15 boxing matches featuring Eli Robinson
• Dessau, Germany — fighting location where S/Sgt. George killed six Germans with captured Sturmgewehr
• Dudenhofen, Germany — G Co. billet town; S/Sgt. Price’s rage over stolen overseas cap rang out here
• Fontainebleau, France — location of OCS One attended by 2nd Lt. H. J. Lain
• Frankfurt, Germany — T/Sgt. Bill Ahearn stationed with Hdqtrs., Army of Occupation; B Co. cruiser destination for female Army personnel
• Harvard University, Massachusetts — where Chinese scholars studied before returning to lead modernization movement
• Heerlen, Netherlands — visited by 1st Bn. Hq. Co. soldiers; enjoyed American food and comfort
• Holland (Netherlands) — Medics ‘unholy trio’ (Smith, Fabal, Klein) in Holland; tip: don’t carry more than $10 in Netherlands money
• Jugesheim, Germany — Catholic Mass at 1045; Holy Hour Wednesdays at 1815; Protestant service location
• Leesville (Louisiana) — referenced in ‘Roving Reporter’ joke as hometown of a soldier’s girl
• Liege, Belgium — referenced in poem ‘Call Me Spearhead’; also where Medics’ Klein’s letters came from
• Locust Valley, Long Island, New York — home of 1st Lt. Joseph J. Schratwieser, Jr.
• London, England — referenced in article on China’s civil wars; Chinese were fighting in London streets
• Mausbach, Germany — location of Presidential Citation Award Ceremony on 21 Feb. 1945; where C Co. was stationed from start through V-E Day
• Muhlheim (Mühlheim), Germany — post location; city of windmills; founded 784 B.C. by Franks; Napoleon retreated through here; site of regimental baseball game
• Normandy, France — starting point of C Co.’s campaign from ‘Normandy to the Mulde’; referenced in poem (‘near St. Lo’)
• Oklahoma City, Oklahoma — hometown of Ray Harold, heavyweight boxer
• Peekskill, New York — home of 2nd Lt. H. J. Lain
• Philadelphia, Pennsylvania — home of Pfc. Fredric Pizzarelli
• Rhine River, Germany — D Co. fought at Rhine Bridgehead on 27 March 1945; referenced in poem
• Roer River, Germany — A Co. crossed under fire on 12 Dec. 1944 to reconnoiter village; 2nd Lt. Cannizzaro arrived around time of ‘jump to the Roer River’
• San Francisco, California — referenced in article on China’s civil wars; Chinese were fighting in San Francisco streets
• Seligenstadt, Germany — location of church services (Protestant 1030, Catholic 1315); Holy Hour Thursdays 1900
• Shanghai, China — where foreign powers established their governments during ‘International Settlement’
• Spa, Belgium — B Co. soldiers visited on three-day pass
• Lo, France — referenced in poem ‘Call Me Spearhead’ as starting point of the campaign
• Wellsville, New York — home of Capt. Robert Cook, commander of C Co.

Units

• 1st Battalion, Hq. Co. — reported by Pfc. Harrison Schneider; column dedicated to 85-point men departing
• 2nd Battalion, Hq. Co. — reported by Pfc. V. J. Barnotes; Pfc. Pizzarelli’s unit; whitewashed 5-0 by H Co. softball
• 36th Armored Infantry Regiment — unit publishing the newspaper; received two Presidential Citations for A and C Companies
• 3rd Armored Division (‘Spearhead’) — parent division of the 36th Armored Infantry Regiment; scheduled to remain in ETO throughout 1945
• 3rd Battalion, Hq. Co. — reported by Pfc. Donald Baum; welcomes new commanders Major Morse and Capt. Fleming
• 41st Infantry Division — veteran division in Pacific; in action since 1941
• 9th Armored Infantry Battalion — previous unit of Major Morse and Capt. Fleming before transfer to 36th
• A Company (Co.) — received Presidential Citation for Dec. 12, 1944 action crossing 1,500 yards under fire to capture village on Roer River
• Army of Occupation, Hdqtrs. — stationed at Frankfurt; unit of T/Sgt. Bill Ahearn
• B Company (Co.) — reported by Pvt. Carmon Scranton; cruiser ‘Miss America’ on the Main River; 33 men departing for States
• British Army — has one army committed against Japan in Pacific theater
• C Company (Co.) — reported by Pfc. Kenneth Danielson; received Presidential Citation; six officers from New York State; ‘Eighty-Fivers’ departed
• Chinese Army — five divisions in Pacific theater; volunteers from southern China organized by Sun Yat Sen
• D Company (Co.) — reported by Sgt. Walter Berzeniek; captured five 88mm guns with crews at Rhine Bridgehead on 27 March 1945
• E Company / Easy Co. (Co.) — reported by T/5 Geo. Aiken; S/Sgt. George’s action near Dessau; 10-3 win over 3rd Bn. Hq.
• F Company / Fox Co. (Co.) — reported by S/Sgt. Donald Kelly; beat G Co. 4-0 in softball; has ‘Honey Wagon’; Lt. Erwin transferred
• G Company (Co.) — reported by Pfc. Howard Ives; five players spearheaded 3rd Bn. nine to 25-6 win; ping-pong competition; supply room robbery
• H Company / How Co. (Co.) — reported by Pvt. Giacomoa Loretoni; mascot ‘Zero’ departed with old men; softball 5-0 over 2nd Bn. Hq.
• I Company (Co.) — reported by Sgt. Paul E. High; Pfc. Marino possibly smallest man in battalion; Lt. Eslinger’s 1st Platoon
• India (Allied forces) — 1,000,000 men ready to commit against Japan
• Medical Detachment — reported by T/4 Earl Lieser and Pfc. K. J. Radmore; ‘unholy trio’ of Smith, Fabal, Klein in Holland
• Regimental Hq. Company — reported by Corp. R. W. Aim; lost baseball 25-6 to 3rd Bn.; mail delayed by S/Sgt. New’s sack of mail
• Service Company — reported by Corp. R. A. Beardsley; personnel changes from ‘high-low’ transfer; motorcycle school attendance increasing