Oregon daily emerald., October 06, 1945, Page 3, Image 3

Your Men of War
Luzon Battles Change Vets
-Opinion of Jap Soldiers
By Maryann Thielen
A boat trip to the Philippines usually takes about three weeks,
but it took Gerald (Pete) Starr, veteran technical sergeant, three
years to g'et tnere. Portland-born Starr went into the service in
September, 1940. After 15 months of training at Fort Lewis with
the 41st division, Starr s outfit was preparing- to ship out of San
.Francisco tor the Philippines. The
date was December 6, 1941. As a
result of hastily-changed plans,
the men were sent to Honolulu
instead, and spent a year guarding
the beaches. Starr was not im
pressed with the people or with
the island.
In January, 1942, Starr and his
group were sent to Guadalcanal
for the final six-weeks of action
on that famous island. After the
island had been officially taken,
the men unloaded ships by day,
and tried to sleep through nightly
'flap plane raids. “The Japs were
trying to hit Carney airfield which
was about a mile from us, but
their bombing was often erratic,”
grinned Pete.
Next to New Georgia
After six months on Guadal
canal, Starr’s outfit was ordered
to New Georgia to relieve the
troops there. After taking Munda
airdrome, the men proceeded to
another part of the island. It took
21 days for them to hike 12 miles
through the jungles, and they had
only one days rations with them.
Asked as to what they ate, Pete
replied, “Tree tops and spoiled Jap
rice.” He explained that the top of
a certain type of palm was very
edible, and that its taste was simi
lar to cabbage. Pete laughed as he
recalled that there wasn’t a tree
leH standing wherever they made
camp.
Upon arriving at their destina
tion, the men discovered that the
Japs had pulled' out to another
island the day before. A marine
division left soon after, and Pete
was cne of the 25 fortunate men
left to run their ration dump. “For
three months we really lived well,”
he remarked.
Humorous Situation
After a two-week stay in Guad
alcanal, he was stationed in New
Zealand for three months. Ques
tioned as to his impressions of the
people, Pete told of a humorous
and appetizing situation the men
had run into there: “The New
Zealanders had heard that we
were looking forward to beer,
steak and eggs, and all the while
- -. —
we were there that was the only
meal on the menu in every res
taurant.”
The men were sent to New Cale
donia for 10 months of intensive
training for beach head and open
country warfare. Being an anti
tank platoon, they learned how to
use j the then newly-developed
bazooka and other anti-tank equip
ment. This training was in prep
aration for the landings on Luzon,
which soon followed. ‘‘Although
we were trained for beach head
landings,” Pete remarked, “our
group was held as a floating
reserve, and we went in two days
after the beach head.”
Balete Pass
The men fought in two open
warfare tank engagements, and
then moved into the hills to secure
Balete Pass. Pete’s outfit suffered
heavy casualties from artillery
fire, and they had a difficult time
lowering the stretcher cases down
a steep mountain side. Soon after
the pass had been taken, the curly
haired 24-year-old was returned to
the states on the rotation plan.
Arriving on a Dutch freighter—
“the best ship afloat, because it’s
the one that brought me home”—
Pete was discharged' at Fort Lewis
under the point system, as he had
125 points.
Changed Opinion
Until the Philippine campaign,
Pete didn’t have much respect for
the Japanese soldiers as they
seemed untrained and concentrat
ed on guerrilla tactics. “I changed
my opinion while on Luzon,” com
mented Pete. “They had well
organized defense systems, and
made some good counter-attacks.”
The brown-eyed veteran has an
impressive array of ribbons. Along
with his three battle stars, he has
the silver star and the purple
heart with oak leaf cluster. No in
formation could be obtained from
the modest lad as to how he re
ceived these decorations.
The dark, good-looking business
administration major likes the
campus very much. Ke is living at
Sigma hall.
At GUunxUt : : :
Sunday
By BUD BRADLEY
The Archbishop of Canterbury
has proclaimed Sunday as a day
of prayer, and throughout the
world fifty million Anglicans will
have the opportunity of attending
a special Communion seiwice.
Likewise the Federal Council of
Churches has proclaimed Sunday
as “World Communion Sunday”
for the Protestant churches.
The First Congregational church
will observe an open Communion
of the Lord's Supper at the morn
ing service. The ■ Rev. Wesley
Goodson Nicholson will speak on
the subject, “Our Common Faith.”
At St. Mary's Episcopal church
there will be a Choral Celebration
of The Holy Communion at the
morning service. The Rector, the
Rev. Ernest Bartlam, will be the
Celebrant. Episcopal students are
urged to attend the Wednesday
Communion service in Gerlinger
hall at 7:30 a.m.
Dr. Vance H. Webster, pastor of
p
the First Baptist church has
chosen as his sermon topic, “The
World Looks at the Cross." After
the sermon, there will be the ser
vice of the Lord's Supper.
Chaplin H. N. McCallum, will
speak at the First Christian
church on the subject, “Our Mea
sure of Sacrifice." The morning
service will be built around the
Communion Service.
At the First Methodist church,
there will be a celebration of the
Holy Communion at the morning
service. The Rev. L. O. Griffith
has announced that there Will be
no sermon.
The First Presbyterian church
will observe Communion Sunday
at the morning hour. The Rev.
Norman Tully has chosen as his
sermon topic, “The Institution of
the Lord’s Supper.”
Masses for Communion will be
held at 6:45, 8, 9:15, and 10:30 a.m.
at St. Mary's Catholic church. The
Rev. Francis Liepzig will be the
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