Hellcat News, (Godfrey, Ill.), Vol. 37, No. 1, Ed. 1, September 1982 Page: 27 of 34
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Sept. 1982 HELLCAT NEWS Page 27
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494th
Armored
Field
Artillery
KENNETH G. BRADSTREET
1018 PRAIRIE ST.
EMPORIA, KS 66801
[316] 342-8373
BOOSTERS
Robert E. Hand — Hq
William Cunningham — Sv
Howard R. Gmelch — Hq
Frank Varonese — B
Robert Roller — B
Dominic R. Latella Jr. — Hq
Paul K. Cooke — C
Henry R. Ebeling — B
Lambert Hary — Hq
George P. O'Brien — B
R. W. Pledger — A
Frank Scheidter — C
Thomas P. Scott — B
Emma R. Wilkes — Hq
Mark E. Conneley — C
Arthur Jost — B
Roy M. Cook — A
Frederick W. Gauthier — A
A "BIG HELLO" to all,
It has been several years since I
sat down to write a column for the
494th in the Hellcat News and so
you will have to bear with me
until I get my right index finger
back in shape again! I don't know
if I can fill the shoes of our buddy,
Jim Moulder who has done the job
so superbly while I have been
gallivanting around. When I was
asked to be the Unit Rep agyn at
the reunion, it was quite a sur-
prise and was not sure about
saying "yes," but knowing that all
of the 494th would help by writing
for the column and aid in all ways,
I could only take on the task.
Let's all write to Jim and thank
him for the great job he has done,
for he has spent many hours in
our behalf over the past several
years. Thank you, Jim, you are a
true Hellcat!
What can we say about the 36th
Annual Reunion in St. Louis? It
was G-G-R-R-E-E-A-A-T-T!!! John
and Ruby Critzas and their com-
mittee really went all out to put
on a reunion that will rank high
for all of our years. Thank, your
John and Ruby, and all of you who
served on the committee, it was
great, a superb job!
The 494th was out in force for
the 36th reunion, coming into St.
Louis from the east, west, south
and north. The attendance count
was 87 Redlegs and Redlegettes,
this being the third highest atten-
dance ever.
Our thanks to the Hellcats and
Hellkittens of C battery for host-
ing the hospitality room and
making everyone welcome, a job
well done!!!
Word has been received that
Henry and Eleanor Moritko of A
Battery have been in ill health.
Let's get some cards in the mail to
them and let them know we are
thinking of them.
NOW is the time to be thinking
and planning for the trip to Nash-
ville for the 37th Annual Reunion!
A 100% turnout for the 494th
would be great!
Don't forget to write to your
Unit Rep. As soon as my mailman
HISTORIAN
REPORT
KENNETH G. BRADSTREET
1018 Prairie Street
Emporia, KS 66801
Phone (316) 342-8373
BACK
TRACKS
Harry Schulz B/493 admiring the runner-up trophy he
won while participating in the Thursday 9 hole golf tourney
provided by Charles Ruma A/17, tourney chairman.
Here we go again with another
part of our ongoing saga of the
56th A.I.B. overseas history of A
Company by Einar J. Lapic and
Charles Karika. This section deals
with the month of March 1945.
March 1-6 - Still in Cites Des
Charbonnages. And all this time
you had been reading the papers
figurin' we was fightin'.
March 17 - We shoved off from
here under 3rd Army, leavin' at
0655 and arrived at Elyange at
51.7. What's that number. Miles
traveled of course. This is when
we get the name of the "Mystery
Division." Between the 17th and
18th we crossed the Moselle River
into Germany. That's when we
went into the town of Trier.
Course when we went into Ger-
many, the NO FRATERNAZA-
TION policy went into effect.
March 18 - Arrived in Baum-
holder 1950. Traveled 94.4 miles
from Elzange.
March 19 - Left Baum at 0130
for mounted attack to Winnweil-
ler. Got there 1900 and traveled
23 miles.
March 20-21 - We continued the
Tar Ecar to the Enihr Revir.
Don't ask us the names of the
towns, cause we ain't got em
listed. But anyhoo, we reached
Morach, south of Worms, at mid-
night of the 20th. First in the
division to reach the Rhine River.
We made the last lap of this rat
race down the Autobahn (a Kraut
super highway - built no doubt for
military purpose in mind). The
bride was blown across the Rhine
so we pulled back into Brun-
stadt. In this boig we liber-
ates some Polish women who
knows that 1018 Prairie is going
to be an every day stop, he will be
looking for those familiar names,
postmarks and reading the post-
cards again. He has been grumbl-
ing for quite a while now and you
could make him smile again. All
he has been talking about is
politics, tornadoes, rain, sleet,
snow and war. This makes him a
bit hard to get along with . . .
HELP!!!
Take care and may God bless
you and yours each day in every
way.
woiked (until we come) in a spud
dehidratin* plant. Got our first
taste of bombing and strafing in
this town. We got into Grun-
stadt early in the morning (darn
early). Left here 1805 arriving
Grosskarlbach 1832. From March
to Gross, 39.2 miles.
March 22 - Left at 0355 and got
to Mutterstadt at 0800 traveling
14.7 miles. (Gettin' all wore out
just goin' over this trip again.)
Now this is what Karika has us
going - Left Mutterstadt 1730
arrived Limburgerhoff (smelly,
ain't it) 1800.
March 25 - Left Mutterstadt
0900 to take Speyer. Things went
along pretty good till we get
outside Speyer. Guess the Krauts
don't want us in the town. Good
hotel there too. Didn't get to the
hotel till the 24th. Spent the night
of the 23rd in a factory on the
edge of town.
March 24 - Took Speyer and the
hotel was ours. This is where we
set up the CP. Ed Note - Karik
caught hell in Otterstadt.
March 25 - Sure hate to leave
this hotel, but orders are orders.
So we shoves off at 1400 arriving
Bohl at 1500. Traveled 13 miles.
March 26 - Don't remember
being here two nights, but thats
what Karik's morning report says,
and you know Karik's morning
report. So take it for what it's
worth.
March 27 - Left Bohl at 0105,
crossed the Rhine River below or
above Worms over 7th Army
Bridge (How did we get back to
the 7th Army? That was back in
Speyer. Please forgive us for
having forgot to mention that
before) at 0234 arriving Rutker-
feld at 0400. Left this place at
1020 to find dem dere Krauts.
(Don't know why we capitalize the
K on Krauts, dey don't deserve it)
Arrived at Over-Schon-Inatten-
weg at 2000 o'clock. Traveled 49.4
miles.
March 29 - Left Obo Sugar at
0300 and fought for Kailbach. Got
it and set up housekeeping there
at 2000. Traveled (here it comes
again) 31.7 miles.
March 30 - Broke up house-
keeping and took off for parts
unknown. Got to Amorbach. 18.9
ya, thats what it is - miles
traveled.
March 31 - Left at 0335. Travel-
ed 39.2 to Hettingen.
Editor's Note - Don't think we
ain't been fightin' all this time.
This masterpiece is being written
only to better, some day, tell our
kids where we was and when.
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Twelfth Armored Division Association (U.S.). Hellcat News, (Godfrey, Ill.), Vol. 37, No. 1, Ed. 1, September 1982, newspaper, September 1982; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth410696/m1/27/: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting The 12th Armored Division Memorial Museum.