Rambling Anecdotes

[4V50 Gary]

"A new crop of war prisoners was brought in and turned over to the team of interrogators. An interrogator costumed for the encounter with a pup tent shelter half draped importantly around him walked over to the group slowly, gave each prisoner a lingering, terror-inspired gaze, then with a dramatic flourish selected one and sent him to another interrogator wearing a Russian gold start general's insignia. He began testily to question the prisoner, quit abruptly in a few moments and haughtily turned him over to a third interrogator. This one took a milder tone, drawing out the prisoner conversationally.

"A lieutenant emergend from the headquarters tent and said loudly in German, 'Everyone from the 5th Company step out.'

"Two prisoners began moving, caught themselves but it was too late; they had given themselves away and identified their unit. Finally the prisoners were segregated into two grops, one with those who would talk and the other who wouldn't.

"'This group goes to America,' said the lieutenant, then pointed to the nontalkers,' and this group goes to Russia.'

"Instantly the nontalkers outshouted each other saying, 'I'll talk, I'll talk!'"

[Ricklin]

Good stuff Gary, And where might we purchase your book?

[4V50 Gary]

Never knew this stuff. Reading about a soldier who served in the First Battalion Argyll & Southerland Highlanders (called by some wit the agile and suffering Highlanders). Being dressed in kilts, they presented themselves for inspection so that they may be presentable when out in town.

"Bob Moat, Ginger and I decided we would go into toown to see this new Walt Disney movie called Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. We walked into the guardroom, dressed in kilts as usual, faced the duty sergeant and told him our names and regimental numbers. He then told us to stand over a shiny plat strategically positioned on the floor.

"He took a quick glance down at the lack of hairy one eyed monsters not glaring back up at him and then told us, "Ye hav draws on so ye dinny git oot the nacht!"

I have to read this book very slow because the Scottish speech is spelled out phonetically and I don't understand those words unless I can hear them.

[4V50 Gary]

"At Mail Call we would gather around the mail cler and as he called out our names a voice from the crowd would respond with, "Yo," or "Here," or "That's me." The letter was then passed on overhead in the direction of the call. I can still picture the smiling face when each name was called. I latter from home was worth a pound of cure. My mother would send me boxes of homemade butter cookies, and Italian pastries on a weekly basis. When my name was called and the package was being passed back to me, the boys would start opening it. As soon as the package was completely open, all the guys around me and I sahred the cookies with them. They were called, "Ma Limoli's cookies." We were like brothers by the virtue of our life together."

From Memories of a WW II G.I. by E. Gene Limoli. Limoli served in a field medical company attached first the 5th Army and then when Southern France was invaded, the 7th Army. They actually landed via glider in quasi-secured area. Seven days after they landed more stuff came in via parachutes. Yellow meant Signal Corps, red Artillery and maroon medical.

Ms. Limoli must have used some margarine in her cookies. Butter was rationed and if she wanted more butter, she would have to get some from a neighbor who understood the purpose of her needing more. Too bad Limoli never looked into how his mother got past the rationing.

[4V50 Gary]

BTW, recently read of a WW II American hospital in England where a black GI who had volunteered from the Red Ball for the infantry was housed among whites. All the injured men there were combat soldiers and no one cared about race anymore.

[4V50 Gary]

I've mentioned how soldiers smuggled alcohol in the past. There's also one involving a mother who sent a bottle to a friend's son in Vietnam and how after it broke, the postal inspector visited her. She thought it was a death notice but relievingly laughed when told it was about the booze. Post Office Inspector was not amused and told her it was serious. Still laughing, she apologized and told him she thought it was a death notice. He admonished her and left embarrassed.

Anyway, here's the first WW II incident that I've found:

"I'm looking forward to receiving your packages. Now I know you won't want to send me any booze, either because you are afraid you might be embarrassed or because you don't want me to have it. I think it is the former. Here's a fool proof method that is working for the other guys. Simply put the alcohol in a bottle of Dill pickles after draining off the vinegar. The pickles do not hurt it at all and looks O.K. Suit your self but I would like to have a jar of Dill pickles, and some stuffed olives and you might slip in some good fresh crackers. Anything else you might think I like. Oh yes, a box of Chili peppers."

From p. 93 of John Pearce's A Private In The Texas Army. It's the diary of his father, Frank Pearce.