Description

The Spearhead Doughboy

Volume 1, No. 17 · 36th Armored Infantry Regiment, 3rd Armored Division · Printed in Germany · Sunday, October 7, 1945

8 pages scanned

Names

• Adams, Cpl. — Officers Clerk; explained point calculation to Lt. Lavin
• Agostinicci, Cpl. Julius — E Co.; left guard on 36th football team; average weight over 190 lbs.
• Allen, Sgt. Garner — E Co.; left end on 36th football team; nearly caught touchdown pass
• Anderson, 1st Lt. Robert H. — just returned from England where he had reunion with his brother; noted coolness of English people possibly due to end of Lend-Lease
• Bloxham, Capt. — Regimental S-1; received report from Pvt. Schmeltz about German firefighters wearing swastika armbands
• Bohme, Capt. ‘Bob’ — B Co.; came overseas with 3rd Armored; fought as Reconnaissance Staff Officer and Company Commander throughout 301 days of 3rd Armored Combat
• Brown, Lt. Harold A. — Provost Marshal; investigated German firefighters caught wearing swastika armbands in local pub
• Burg, T/Sgt. Paul A. — A Co.; personally directed decoration of Bartenstein Mansion dance hall; took care of small details for party
• Burgess, Master Sergeant Louis — C Co.; transferred to 12th Armored Division on first lap of journey home
• Button, Co-Capt. — 36th football team; right guard position
• Camara, ‘Duke’ — 3rd Armored boxer; won by TKO in first round by opening cut over Pappa’s eye
• Campbell, Mark — 397th Infantry boxer; lost to Polidori by first-round TKO
• Cannizzaro, Lt. — C Co.; suggested rounding up Germans and cows to repair fallen flagpole
• Cappepi — 33rd Armored football team; right guard
• Carboni, Pfc. Eugene — D Co.; sweetheart Mrs. Eugene Carboni listed
• Carlson, Lt. W.V. — Cartoonist listed in masthead
• Cesti — 33rd Armored football team; left tackle
• Colbert, Sgt. — F Co. reporter listed in masthead
• Cook, Capt. Robert J. — C Co. commander; decided new flagpole was needed; handed award citation to Sgt. Johnson
• Dabrowski, Cpl. Roman J. — Regt. Hq. and Hqs. Co.; sweetheart Miss Vi Grudzien listed
• Danielsen, T/5 Kenneth — Asst. Editor listed in masthead; reporter C Co.; author of ‘Under The Sun’ column
• Davidson, T/Sgt. — nickname ‘Radar’; picks up anything; Blaufelden
• Desaussure, Capt. Richard S. — 2nd Battalion; will take over from Major Spitzberg as Regimental Surgeon
• Doggett, Lt. — Regimental Headquarters Company Commander; returned from furlough in Switzerland
• Dore — 36th football team; right halfback and safetyman; spinning runback placed ball on 33rd’s 35-yard line
• Eade, Lt. — Regimental S-4; available to explain technical details of consolidation; also quickly explained to Lt. Brown why shooting swastika-armbanded Germans would cause excess paperwork
• Eisenhower, General Dwight D. — issued letter on October 1, 1945 relaxing non-fraternization policy for US troops in Germany
• English, Sgt. — C Co.; directed flagpole erection operation from a half-track; watched proceedings
• Estosito — 33rd Armored football team; fullback; intercepted pass on the four-yard line
• Fenderbosch — 36th football team; halfback; sweeps contributed to victory drive
• Fischer, Bishop Francis — of Rottenburg; confirmed Pfc. Onorato at St. Stephen’s Catholic Church, Wasseralfingen on September 27
• Flemming, Capt. — Third Battalion Commander; made joke about peep accident hitting a bank
• Forrestal, T/Sgt. Thomas P. — Regt. Medics; sweetheart Mrs. Thomas P. Forrestal listed
• Gantos, T/5 Charles (Chuck) — E Co. kitchen staff cook; from Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania
• Garth, David — staff correspondent; author of ‘Bermuda Calling’ serialized story
• Gasparro, Pfc. John V. — E Co. kitchen staff cook; from Poughkeepsie, New York
• Gelof, Lt. Malvin — I Co.; claimed supervisory credit for bridge construction over Jagst River
• Giles — 33rd Armored football team; right halfback; came up fast to tackle Dore
• Glatch, Lt. — I Co.; actually built the bridge over Jagst River with beavers under cover of darkness
• Grice, Pfc. George — E Co.; supplied large-size map of regimental campaigns for mess hall wall; also keeps orientation room news items up to date
• Griggs — 33rd Armored football team; right tackle
• Grow, Major General Robert W. — 3rd Armored Division Commander; at opening of football season; spoke with Bishop Fischer about Church’s role in Germany’s moral reconstruction
• Hacker, Cpl. Aubrie C. — 1st Bn. Hq. Co. reporter; left Regiment for England to apply for civilian job with Occupation Forces; has 66 points and 2.5 years overseas
• Hallisey, Pfc. John — C Co.; sweetheart Mrs. John Hallisey listed
• Haney — 36th football team; substitute guard; intercepted 33rd pass
• Harbin, Pfc. Eddy — Cartoonist listed in masthead
• Hill, Lt. Billy — I Co.; demanded credit for ground work on Jagst River bridge
• Hojnowski, Sgt. H. A. — E Co.; sweetheart Miss Alicia Teja listed
• Hudspeth, 1st Sgt. Jeral M. — C Co.; departed for home in July; replaced by Sgt. Johnson
• Iffland, Lt. — Personnel Officer; became 1st Lieutenant last week; Lt. Lavin visited to sign points
• Johnson, First Sergeant James G. — C Co., from Sugar Grove, Virginia; appointed Sergeant Major of First Battalion; worked for Glenn L. Martin Aircraft Company before service; received Silver Star and cluster; action at Fliesleden and Paderborn/Hersberg/Dessau
• Johnston — 36th football team; right tackle
• Jones, S/Sgt. Roland T. — H Co.; transferred to Army Postal Unit at Bad Nauheim; found unit deactivated; returned to H Co.
• Karst, T/5 Herman — one of two men sent by Lt. Brown to arrest swastika-armbanded German firefighters
• Kimmey — 36th football team; quarterback
• Kline, Sgt. Robert — A Co. reporter listed in masthead
• Koski, Sgt. Wibby — E Co.; center on 36th football team; kicked off at opening of game; average weight over 190 lbs.
• Krasik, Pfc. Willard — E Co. reporter listed in masthead
• Kruse, Lt. — Personnel Office; also became 1st Lieutenant last week
• Laigy — 3rd Armored boxer; unable to answer bell for second round due to injured thumb; lost to Robinson
• Langston, Major Joseph V. — Executive Officer of 36th Armored Infantry Regiment; at opening of football season; also judge for Mess Contest Board
• Lavin, Lt. H. J. — Editor and General Manager listed in masthead; the ‘Tune In On The Editor’ columnist; leaving for 1st Armored as regimental PRO; has only 6 points
• Lefferts, Richard — German civilian pianist; performs daily in E Co. mess hall; played at popular resort hotels in Switzerland before the war; learned American tunes by ear
• Lieberman, T/5 Jonas — only GI cook left in kitchen after transfers; inherited four PW workers; now ‘Big Chief’ to the PWs
• Lower, Sgt. William P. — 2nd Bn. Medics; answered Question of the Week on post-war financial depression
• Lowry — 3rd Armored boxer; won decision over Rase in feature bout despite losing third round on unintentional foul
• Makekau, Pfc. — native of Hawaii; climbed flagpole to fix stray wire; looked around for coconuts on the way
• Marca, Dr. — German civilian pianist and composer; of Kirchberg; entertained at D and E Company party; teaching Spoken German to 2nd Battalion member
• Martinelli, Pfc. Frank — F Co.; celebrated 20th birthday by packing duffel bag for transfer to 1st Armored Division; born in Brooklyn; joined F Co. at Paderborn; known for swell sense of humor
• Massouris, George — 3rd Armored boxer; won decision over McNicholls in most interesting bout of the evening
• McNicholls — 397th Infantry boxer; lost decision to Massouris
• Miller, T/5 — C Co.; looked at fallen flagpole and quoted George Washington
• Mitchell, S/Sgt. W. Y. — one of two men sent by Lt. Brown to arrest swastika-armbanded German firefighters
• Morrison, T/4 Joseph J. — E Co. mess sergeant; from Baltimore; 39 months cooking in the Army; directing meal preparation when staff visited
• Munger — 33rd Armored football team; left end
• Neal, Capt. — 33rd Armored Regiment football co-captain; won coin toss; elected to receive; connected pass to Westmoreland from punt formation
• Onorato, Pfc. Ronald — Headquarters Company; confirmed in St. Stephen’s Catholic Church, Wasseralfingen on September 27; also played piano at Bartenstein Mansion party
• Orr, Lt. Col. William R. — 36th Armored Infantry Regiment Commander; at opening of football season; flew to England for short leave; to present efficiency banners for Mess Contest
• Orsini, Pfc. William J. — E Co.; left tackle on 36th football team; average weight over 190 lbs.
• Pappa, ‘Mike’ — 397th Infantry boxer; lost to Camara by TKO when cut opened over eye
• Pizzarelli, Pfc. Frederick T. — 2nd Bn. Hq. Co. reporter listed in masthead
• Polidori, Remo — 3rd Armored boxer; won first-round TKO over Campbell in semi-final
• Putz, Supply Sergeant — G Co.; commended by Seventh Army Inspection Team for having one of best supply rooms in regiment
• Rase — 3rd Armored boxer; lost feature bout decision to Lowry
• Reynolds, Co-Capt. Cleo — 3rd Bn. Hqs.; co-captain and fullback of 36th football team; led team to 6-0 victory over 33rd; scored the game’s only touchdown
• Richards, Pfc. Lewis B. — E Co.; from Chicago, Illinois; owner of dog ‘Brown Nose’; refused furlough to England to care for dog
• Ring, Lt. — Regimental Athletic Officer; discovered in garage storeroom amid newly arrived athletic equipment
• Roberts, Lt. Col. Littleton — 33rd Armored Regiment Commander; at opening of football season
• Robinson — 3rd Armored boxer; won fourth bout when Laigy could not answer bell due to injured thumb
• Rose, Major General Maurice — former 3rd Armored Division commander; killed personally directing operations at Paderborn; 30,000-dollar Spearhead Division Surgical Ward financed in his honor
• Rose, Mrs. Virginia B. — widow of General Rose; wrote letter of thanks to 3rd Armored Division for Surgical Ward donation
• Roselli — 33rd Armored football team; quarterback
• Russell, Lt. Col. Carlton P. — former 3rd Battalion Commander; rejoined Regiment October 2, 1944 and assigned as Executive Officer (historical entry)
• Sanner — 36th football team; right end
• Schmeltz, Pvt. Charles — Business Manager listed in masthead; reported German firefighters wearing swastika armbands to Capt. Bloxham
• Schneider, Pfc. Harrison ‘Harry’ — Sports reporter and Sports Editor; author of ‘The Sporting Angle’ column
• Schrat, Cpl. Robert — I Co. reporter listed in masthead
• Slawek, Pvt. — C Co.; volunteered to climb flagpole to fix stray wire; retreated when pole had ‘epileptic fit’
• Smyth, Col. — CO of 47th Infantry; conducted tour of front line positions on October 4, 1944 (historical entry)
• Spitzberg, Major Randolph — Regimental Surgeon; transferred to Division; judge for Mess Contest Board
• Steinhardt, S/Sgt. H. H. — C Co. reporter and Book Shelf staff correspondent
• Stroup, T/5 — Blaufelden; every morning reports Platoon Headquarters with snappy salute as the only one in the squad; also serves as barracks guard and telephone operator
• Tasgano — 33rd Armored football team; center
• Taylor — 33rd Armored football team; right guard
• Treme, 1st Lt. Prestley — A Co.; wanted party for his company; developed it into battalion party at Bartenstein Mansion
• Turney — 3rd Armored boxer; won first bout by KO in first round over Langen
• Ullum, T/5 Bill — Reg. Hq. Co. reporter listed in masthead
• Veont, T/5 — C Co.; fought flagpole erection from the beginning; measured distance between flagpole and C.P. to check safety
• Vernamonti, Michael ‘The Führer’ — C Co.; played second base on 1st Battalion baseball team; mistaken for Hitler lookalike
• Vredenburg, Pfc. Robert G. — Hqs. Co., 1st Bn.; answered Question of the Week on post-war financial depression
• Wagner, T/5 Ralph E. — Hqs. 3rd Bn.; answered Question of the Week on post-war financial depression
• Wahs, T/5 Ernest — G Co.; answered Question of the Week on post-war financial depression
• Watson, Lt. — A Co.; on Detached Service with boxing team; leaving A Company Commander Treme alone
• Westmoreland — 33rd Armored football team; right end; caught pass from Neal from punt formation for first down
• Weyrick, T/5 Stanley R. — Hq. Co.; from Columbus, Ohio; celebrated 23rd birthday on September 23

Locations

• Bad Nauheim, Germany — location of Army Postal Unit to which S/Sgt. Jones was transferred; unit found deactivated on arrival
• Bartenstein, Germany — location of A Company’s Bartenstein Mansion; site of first weekly party for 120 German girls and 90 First Battalion men
• Belgium — 2nd Battalion with CCB were first American troops on Belgian soil in WWII; happened at 1445 on September 2 (year noted as 1945 in text but historically 1944)
• Bermuda — setting of serialized story ‘Bermuda Calling’ by David Garth; Zachary Taylor Rowland investigating intelligence operative’s death
• Blaufelden, Germany — B Company joined C Co. here after consolidation; location of Protestant church services and new Catholic movie hall
• China — referenced in article on political history; site of civil wars and dynasties
• England — Cpl. Hacker travelling to apply for civilian job; Lt. Orr flew there for short leave; Lt. Anderson returned from reunion with brother there; noted coolness of people possibly due to end of Lend-Lease
• Eschweiller, Germany — 703rd TD Battalion conducted indirect fire on targets there on October 2, 1944 (historical entry)
• Fliesleden, Germany — location of Sgt. Johnson’s Silver Star action; he and two men pinned down crews of five German antitank guns
• Garmisch, Germany — visited by last recreational tour group; comparable to Lake Placid/Sun Valley; site of 1936 Winter Olympics Winter Sports Carnival
• Gerabronn, Germany — Regimental headquarters area; location of jail described as far from comfortable; printer M. Rückert’s Buchdruckerei located here
• Germany — occupation zone; non-fraternization policy relaxed October 1, 1945 per Eisenhower letter; restrictions now only marriage and billeting with German families
• Hall, Germany — 20 Estonian and Polish displaced girls came from Hall to D and E Company party in Kirchberg
• Hersberg, Germany — location of tank hit by German anti-tank gun; Sgt. Johnson thrown 15 yards; part of Silver Star citation
• Jagst Mistlau, Germany — location of H and I Companies after consolidation; site of Jagst River bridge construction dispute
• Jagst River, Germany — spanned by I Company soldiers; disputed credit between Lt. Hill, Lt. Gelof, and Lt. Glatch
• Kirchberg, Germany — 2nd Battalion headquarters after consolidation; 184 men; site of E Co. castle kitchen contest; location of D and E Company party on September 28
• Langenburg, Germany — 1st Battalion headquarters; A Company moved here; football game played at field below Langenburg
• London, England — referenced in China article as site of Chinese civil war fighting in streets
• Mausbach, Germany — Road Block 4 drove off enemy patrol on October 1, 1944; civilian evacuation planned October 7, 1944 (historical entries)
• Paderborn, Germany — where General Rose was killed; where Sgt. Johnson led platoon for second Silver Star; where Pfc. Martinelli joined F Company
• Rot am See, Germany — 3rd Armored boxing team’s home base; fighters battled 397th Infantry at Schwäbisch Hall
• Russia — referenced in quiz question (Finland went to war with Russia in 1939)
• San Francisco, California — referenced in China article as site of Chinese civil war fighting in streets
• Satteldorf, Germany — location of G Co. and 3rd Battalion Headquarters after consolidation; G Co. moved here again
• Schwäbisch Hall (Schwäb. Hall), Germany — location of 3rd Armored boxing matches at Spearhead Playhouse on October 5; also site of upcoming boxing match vs. 508th Paratroopers on October 10
• Stolberg, Germany — 1st Battalion reported heavy artillery fire on their positions on October 1, 1944 (historical entry)
• Stuttgart, Germany — Kraut involved in flagpole project probably lived here; used as humorous aside
• Switzerland — Lt. Doggett returned from furlough there; Richard Lefferts played at resort hotels there before war
• Wallhausen, Germany — location of G Co. during Seventh Army Inspection; Supply Sgt. Putz commended
• Wasseralfingen, Germany — location of St. Stephen’s Catholic Church; site of Pfc. Onorato’s confirmation by Bishop Fischer

Units

• 100th Division — represented by 397th Infantry Regiment at boxing matches; lost unanimously to 3rd Armored
• 12th Armored Division — destination at Heidenheim for high-point men on first leg of trip home; also where Master Sgt. Burgess transferred
• 1st Armored Division — destination of low-point officers leaving 36th; located in regiment’s old area; also destination of Pfc. Martinelli
• 32nd Armored Regiment — published ‘Oriole News’ weekly newspaper; held regimental pin-up contest
• 33rd Armored Regiment (‘Men of War’) — defeated 6-0 in football game at Langenburg
• 36th Armored Infantry Regiment (‘Doughboys’) — unit publishing the newspaper; won 6-0 football game; two Presidential Citations (A and C Companies)
• 397th Infantry Regiment (100th Division) — opponents of 3rd Armored Division boxing team at Schwäbisch Hall
• 3rd Armored Division (‘Spearhead’) — scheduled to remain in ETO throughout 1945; deactivation expected November/December 1945; 3rd Armored Surgical Ward financed in honor of Gen. Rose
• 47th Infantry Regiment — CO Col. Smyth conducted tour of front line positions for 36th officers on October 4, 1944 (historical entry)
• 508th Paratroopers — upcoming boxing opponents of 3rd Armored on October 10 at Schwäbisch Hall
• 703rd TD Battalion — received first M-36 90mm TDs; conducted indirect fire on Eschweiller targets October 2, 1944 (historical entry)
• A Company — twice Presidentially Cited; down to 47 enlisted men and 2 officers from 155 enlisted and 5 officers a year ago; hosted party at Bartenstein Mansion
• Army Postal Unit (Bad Nauheim) — deactivated unit to which S/Sgt. Jones was transferred
• B Company — Capt. Bohme’s unit; moved into Blaufelden with C Company; company pet produced ten puppies
• C Company — twice Presidentially Cited; down to 41 men and 3 officers from 149 men and 3 officers; Sgt. Johnson’s unit
• Combat Command A (CCA) — 1st Battalion served with CCA
• Combat Command B (CCB) — 2nd Battalion served with CCB; first American unit on Belgian soil in WWII
• Combat Command R (CCR) — 3rd Battalion served with CCR
• D Company — at this time last year had 188 men and officers alone; joined E Co. for party in Kirchberg
• E Company — winner of first week of Mess Contest; hosts mess in Kirchberg castle; five players on 3rd Battalion baseball team
• F Company — Pfc. Martinelli’s unit; transferred personnel to 1st Armored
• G Company — moved to Satteldorf; passed Seventh Army Inspection with flying colors; Supply Sgt. Putz commended
• Glenn L. Martin Aircraft Company — Sgt. Johnson’s pre-war civilian employer
• H Company — S/Sgt. Jones’s unit; returned after failed transfer to Bad Nauheim postal unit
• Headquarters Company Second Battalion — only 2 officers; part of consolidation into Kirchberg
• Headquarters Company Third Battalion — lowest number of men at press time: 27; ‘Little Switzerland’ area
• I Company — bridge construction over Jagst River; Regimental Headquarters Company runner-up in Mess Contest
• Medical Detachment — Major Spitzberg commanding; down to 28 enlisted and 6 officers from 93 enlisted and 9 officers a year ago
• Red Cross Clubmobile — provided shelter and coffee/doughnuts to spectators during rainstorm at football game
• Regimental Headquarters Company — runner-up in Mess Contest; organizing T/O under Capt. Anderson and 1/Sgt. Prejean
• Service Company — 80 enlisted men and 6 officers; down from 141 men and 10 officers a year ago
• Seventh Army Inspection Team — inspected G Company at Wallhausen; complimented Supply Sgt. Putz