La Grande evening observer., May 28, 1945, Image 6

n r
Lee G.
Miller
Wily Jap Makes
Going Tough at
lialete Pass
Bv LEE G. MILLER
WITH THE 25th DIVISION AT
BALKTE PASS Luzon (By Wire
less) The men of this division
are piqued because somehow peo
ple seem to regard the campaign
lor Balete Pass as part and par
eel of the recent drive for Baguio,
the Philippine summer capital.
Baguio is only 35 miles away
as the crow flies, but tactically
speaking :t might almost be on
another island. Baguio fell weeks
ago. Balete Pass wasn't pro
nounced officially secured until
(he day I arrived here, when a
pocket of Japs still commanding
a highway was cleared out.
I was to ream firsthand later
that "secured" doesn't mean ex
actly what you might suppose.
This is mountain fighting,
ridge by ridge, against a Jap
who is a mailer ai defensive
exploitation of such terrain.
The Jap Is Col. Hayashi, the
same Hayashi who when the
first cavalry trapped him i.i
Santo Tomas Internment camp
at Manila Feb. 3, used Ameri
can hostages to bargain a safe
exit for himself a,.id his men.
And now ho is believed to have
flown the coop again, leaving
scattered nests of machine guns
and mortars as a suicidal rear
guard while he prepares another
defense line a few miles north
beyond the crossroads hamlet of
Santa Fe.
The 25lh division is scornful of
Jap strategists, but it does no
sneering at the tactical skill of
Colonel Hayashi. It was a sharp
disappointment when it became
evident he had escaped to con
jure further devilments.
The 25th division had been in
contact with the enemy 119 days
when the fall of Balete Pass was
announced.
It was no hayride for the Japs
though. The 25th, which was in
Hawaii on Pearl Harbor day and
learned Jap fighting on Guadal
canal and New Georgia, gave the
defenders of Luzon a preliminary
pasting at Binalonan and another
at San Manuel names that mean
nothing back home but plenty to
these veterans.
Lieut. Col. John W. Ferris of
Abingdon, 111., a West Pointer
commanding the 89th field ar
tillery, recalled that Company
E of the 1 6 1 si regiment had five
successive company comma id
' ers killed and a sixth wounded
in the four-day San Manuel
action. Ferris himself was
slightly wounded there aid
lost all his gear at Binalonan
when a Jao shell hit a gasoline
ca.i on his jeep.
Then there were sharp fights
at Lapao and Umingan. But this
Ualet-j Pass action in the Cata
ballo mountains, slutting more
than a month beloro the pass fell,
has been the toughest. It has
been in and above the clouds and
i.'eently 'in rain and mud. The
Japs have been dug in on the re
verse slopes of every ridge and
their guns have commanded ev
ery approach.
But since the division moved
up from the town of San Jose to
tackle tliis formidable task it has
counted 7,000 Jap dead. It esti
mates the total Jap casualties in
that time .it 20.000. So, while
Hayashi is clever, there are sunie
Americans around who know a
thing or two about terrain.
Well. I thought I'd better go
forward and see how it was with
tile guys wiio do Ihe ditty work.
We set nut up the highway, turn
ed into a siderond newly gouged
by bulldoers, and dropped in
first at tile command post of Col.
Victor L. Johnson, jr., command
ing officer of th? Kilst infantry.
ATTORNEY DIES
WALLACE Ida., May 28 (UP)
John H. Wniirnis, 75. prominent
northern Uaho mining attorney,
died of a iicart attack late Sat
urday at a local hospital where
he had been coiitined for five
months with a broken hip.
NEW
WESTERN TONES
FOR WESTERN HOMES
Quu k and tty.
4 nr to.it iotfi
lit. turtJtr . . .
nuluiJiitg wtll-
IJI Y MORE JtONUS
Cn
o Lttcafefiif Co.
a e a m
a -c- m
u.,
IFA,-...
wirv
1 -
NEW HERO WORSHIP LIMPS INTO WEST COAST PORT Her hull and superstructure grotesque
ly twisted by impact of six hurtling Jap suicide pla zes Bid two bombs, the heroic U. S. destroyer Lai
fey slides lilo Seattle Wash., harbor under her own power to a shipyard to patch her gaping battle
wounds. In Ihe most savage and spectacular action in which an American destroyer has participat
ed in the entire war, 31 of her officers aid me.i were lislcd as killed or missing in action, another 60
were wounded.
MIS
if M M
Captain James W. Leslie to
day is visiting friends and family
La Grande and union county
on his first trip nome since ne
left with the local national guard
unit for Fori L:-wis in Siptern-
U-r. 1940.
Leslie landed with his regiment
in Australia in April 1042 and
since that time, until his lelurn
home a few days ago, lias been
in the south Pacific area with a
41st division infantry unit, in
Australia, he attended officer
candidate school and has risen
le his present rank. v nen r.e
left here (he was employed at the
First National bank) be was a
sergeant in the local guild.
He speaks disparagingly of his
military activities, docl.u mg his
experiences are "mucii tne same
ar everyone else h."J bad.
Sine? a year ago last April.
however, the KKIrd infantry has
participated in assaults and am
phibious landings on Aetape in
New Guinea, Toem in Dutch New-
Guinea, Biak, Zamboanga, Min
danao and Jolo.
Jolo he describes as "tile beauty
spot" of the Philippines, lush in
nature and clean, with American
built hospitals, paved roads, sani
tary facilities. Natives there ale
Moros.
Since the local guaul unit was
split up, h.' has seen little ot
other men from this an a. al
though Lt. Don Pyle of l.a
Grande has been assigned to the
IfKIrd infantry tor 10 months, In
said.
Afttr his leave expires, he will
go to Fort Sam Houston, Texas,
and expects to lie assigned in the
stales. His wife. Marguerite Les
lie, is a La Giande lesirient, t m
ployed by the Union Pacific.
Technical Sergeant Geoige F.
Taylor, 32, of Island City, engineer-gunner
on a B-17 Flying
Fortress, was ree.-ntly awarded a
second oak leaf cluster to the air j
medal at an Eighth air force i
bomber slaiion in K.iu:l;uul. He 1
won Ihe di-coiation lor "coura.ee.
coolness and skill" and for his ;
outManihng p.-i foiniance of duty
during a lUimlicr of Eighth air
lorce attacks on German military
and industrial tai gets.
Before entering ttie army ail
forces in March. V)2, he was cm- j
ployed by ;he Hi .-mg ain-ialt cor
poration in Seattle as a shei t
metal worker. Sgt. Taylor is the
son of Mr. and Mrs. G. S. Taylor
of Island City.
The giurier won his win".. ;,t
Kingman lieUl gunnery school m
March I'M ( H, is now a mem
her of the teiith bomb, group, .i
unit of the Thmt air division,
which was cited by the president
for its Kniil.unl All ira shuMIe
bombing of the Mt'sseixehmitl
plants at lieuentnii ii, t ; ,-i :n:iny.
Carl F. eilltnel. L'll. elect; lei. ill's
mate, thirl cias-.. of KU.n. ic
cently arrived at the niiv.il t.inili,
mg station .it Xoriolk V.t . !o
li.uu tor duties alo;u, .i new
.lestioyer ol th.- Atlantic tleet
lie wi.ir, ribbons foi ! lit Amer
ican area and Asiatic -Pacific
aiea caniiaiKns.
He is liie von of Mr. ami Mis.
Frank I.', i;. liner ol Elgin, and
the hii-band ol the lonner ll.'l'.v
Lou Murpny ol 1 .i i',r.inde. Die.
llelore i iili-tini;. he allended higli
school at Klgin.
Stall Sgt. Donald D. Sevems.
?2, of 111.. W Ax , v,,n o Mi
and Mis. Jan. s M. Seyci ii i
e uncut ly asMciicd to the AM'
1 f -&He&!7&X?: "f -'Hl
T t
Today We Pay
Tribute to-
Etlii'l Mae- I'tiinplitey. ''i,
yemiian third class. WAVES,
wlin is stationed at San Fran
cisco. The daughter of Mrs. I,. M.
Zinimerli', linhi Second s live I.
Mrs. I' u m ) h r e v attended
(ircemvond and l.a Grande
liiijli school, and entered the
WAVKS in April lit 1 1.
She was married June 1.
I!) 12, to Staff SkI. .lack W.
I'limpluey, who was a pri
soner of war in (.erniany.
Mrs. I'limpluey is a memlier
of the l.ady l iremeii and
Neittlibnrs of Woodcraft.
re distribution staiinn No. 4 at
Simla Ana army air ba:-e. Kfct.
Sevnns. formerly gunn.-r on a
li-17 of ihe llth air force, ovei
st as will i ie:issic,nid to elomes-
tic stations of
the anny air for-
Mai ine
jr.. of l.a
the battle
on fiiilou;
third mar
serve! tn
( poi a! K'igar N'eer,
vlriiiiue, a eteran of
of Iwo Jima, is home
:ii. A member of the
me division he also
the Boun.iinvillc ami
ttiiatn campaigns.
Co; ;o: ,il Neci the soi
and Mis. Eel Neer, 10-1
of Mr.
llreen-
I wood street.
Bol. Hy.h
has ,
and i
tint v
nlist.'il in tile
aw. i. ling his
to
ctiv
William Pete: -on. fucman first
ela-.-. -on of Mi . and Mis. Clyde
lvtci on. :s home 'oilay for a
one-day lea e w ith hi- parents.
II,. ha- been m Ihe Pacific area,
pal ticip.ilinc, in both the Philip-
p.nes and ( Ikmaw ..
impalgns.
First Line of
VePpJo
STEPHENS
j$L.rr ."-trv
r... M'A .V rVi.'
..tviT AlJ'.'iaHf
..-VV -I'' ,
r Jy
it 4l
i
City News
In Brief
Olaf Anderson, La Grande, was
arrested Saturday night on a
charge of b.dng drunk and dis
orderly and was released on $25
bail.
Fred J. Patton, superintendent
of schools, and Ralph Jones, high
school principal, will attend a
meeting in Pendleton tomorrow
for instructors and the public,
when the army forces will pre
sent demonstrations of methods
of G. I. instruction.
Bob Quinn, coach at Eastern
Oregon college since the found
ing of the institution in 1029 re
turned last evening from New
York where he attended Colum
bia university during his year.'
sabbatical leave.
A public meeting of the Union
county veterans' employment
committee will be convened in
the city hall in La Grande at 8
o'clock this evening.
Aluminum Workers
A re Hack On Jobs
VANCOUVER, Wash.. May 28
(UP) Members of the aluminum
workers union, AFL, who were
on strike for two days, were back
at work along with other em
ployes of t'ne Aluminum company
of America's plant at Vancouver
today.
No agreement has been reach
ed, according to Larry Evans,
business agint of the union, who
said Ihe case is still pending and
the "worKers are returning as a
patriotic cfaty."
A back to work vole was taken
nine hours after Charles Wheeler
of Portland arrived at the plant
lo arbitrate The dispute.
Quakers Propose
Work for Objectors
SEATTLE. May 28 (UP) The
American Friends service com
mittee, a Quaker organization,
today announced it had appealed
j to President Truman for better
use of conscientious objectors,
j Arthur II. Burnett, local chair
. man. said ,10(10 skilled objectors
now in government camps and
1 prisons could work "for Ihe bene
. lit ot" th'. nation."
The group's resolution asked
1 for appointment of a civilian
hoard to a-sign tile objectors to
Ottense
Cooper Hurls Shutout
Iii Debut With Braves
NEW YORK, May 28 (UP) Morton Coocor's American league
jinx still plagued him today his four-hit shutdown debut with
the Braves rated only second billing in Boston because the incred
ible Dave Ferriss of the Red Sox topped the performance with a
one-hitter. .'
Cooper always has had trouble with the American league in world
series and all-star games, so it was no surprise that even with a
4 to 0 triumph over Cincinnati he was hexed out of the headlines
by Ferriss, who gave the White Sox just one dinky single in win
ning, 7 to 0. Ferriss faced only 28 men. ...
' , O'Neill Gets Two-Hilter
TODAVS
By JACK CUDDY
United Press Staff Correspondent
NEW YORK, May 28 (UP)
They came 38,378 strong, all
curious to see the kid with the
empty sleeve and they stayed
more than five hours in dismal
rain to give him a thunderous
ovation.
The big town got sentimental
over one-armed Pete Gray, tak
ing him in as one of its own,
which indeed he is, since only a
few blocks away from Yankee
stadium, the scene of his trium
phant return yesterday, he once
played baseball on a semi-pro
-and lot.
There was nothing sensational
about Gray's day on this dark
gray day, except the fact that
he could be out there playing at
all. It was almost beyond be
lief that this wasp - waisied
Brownie outfielder with the jut
ting jaw could be playing base
ball in the major leagues with a
championship team and doing
more than his share to keep that
team in a contending position.
tic cotliun i maKc a move im-
out drawing a cheer from thi
. s. ... k,i
He couldn't make a move witn
crowd. Obviously nervous as he
stalked each batter in leu neio,
h.. r.'-mnvMi his elove countless
times to stroke his head or hitch
at his belt.
And he had reason to be tense.
Failure to hit had prompted Man
ager Luke Sewcll to tonch him
so he didn't start in the first
game, but went to left field to re
place Boris Martin in the seventh
in respons-3 to Bronx chants of
"we want Gray" from the Bronx
rooters. Martin, a long ball hit
ter, had made a homer in his pre-
i vious time at bat. .
In the stands were his parents,
Mr ;nd Mr Peter Gray, who
came from Nanticoke, Pa., to see
their son play big league ball for
the first lime. Perfect balance
and timing, his chief assets atieia,
mnrin Hiffirnlt hv the slin-
p-sry underfooting from the day
long drizzle.
So it was only natural in the
ici .,f ihi- ninth that Frankie
Croselti, sent a single in day's
direction and the kid bobble'd the
play, the bases were filled and
two runs cam? home to tie the
score, though neither came as a
result of the error. Gray fielded
the ball perfectly but dropped it
as he flipped off his glove and
attempted to throw to the infield,
nermittine the lunners to move
up to second ana inua.
to secona ana wiuu. :
. , ., ..,,.
The game went on into extia
innini's and Orav batted three
times, hitting two sharp fly balls
lo the outfield and walking.
Afield, he had one more chance,
a long fly, which he handled per
fectly. He was benched in the second
niirnn hut h.-lH hii; "hip moment"
of the day when Sewcll rent him
in as a pinch hitter for Latent r
Frank Mancuso. He came through
with a sharp single to light about
six feet inside the foul line and
seconds later went down in th?
mud at second base in a beauti
fully executed slide as Don Gut
teridge hit into a double play.
Weary and bespattered he got
up lo leave the game and was ac
claimed the standing ti itmte the
most enthusiastic for anv player
since Babe Ruth.
When he walked in the. first
game, he cat-looted it ' far off
base, worrying pitcher Jim Tur
ner so much that he also walked
the- next batter.
Owner Donald Barnes, proud
of the youngster whose rie,ht
arm was amputated near the
shoulder when he fell olf a gro
cery truck as a six-year-old, said
he was "definitely satisfied" over
bis perfoimance.
"If it hadn't been for this wet
field, he would have done much
better," Barnes said. "He war
under great pressure wilh all of
this big crowd and with his moih
er and dad there.. But any im
pression that he 'isn't a big K-a-guir
is strictly his own. becaus.-
Granada
TOXITK anil Tl'ESDAY
JtSWS and COMEDY j
I Team mate- Emmett O'Neill
I gave Ferriss a run for his monev,
holding the wnite box ro iwu
hits ii a 2 to 1 second game vic
tory. "The defeats run Chicago's
losing streak to six. i
Only one Cincinnati piayei
roncheH third base and Cooper
struck out eight. Bucky Walters
countered Coopers tine woik,
winning the second game, a io u,
and holding the Braves to three
hits.
Champions Are Humbled
It was a touch Sunday for last
year's champions, both the Cards
and Browns losing douoie neau
ers. The humiliation was worse
for the Cards, who lost to the
last place Phillies at St. Louis,
9 in I) sind 3 to 2.
The Yankees ran their winning
streak to seven games and in
creased their league lead to a
game and a half by besting the
Brownies twice in the rain, 10
to 9 in 14 innings, and 3 to 1 in
an eight inning second game
p.'illerl heeituEo of darkness.
The Pirates deflated the New
York Giants in the National 1U
tc 4, in the first game and lead
ing them, 10 to 5, in a suspended
second game, callod in the eighth
because of the Pennsylvania cur
fovi The unfinished Blirhe will
be completed today.' The Bucs
made 28 runs and Jl nils in me
two games.
-"-,- , .. . ,
The Cubs won and tied against
t in Dnrioeis nt Ch caeo. takinE
the Dodgers at Chicago, taking
the opener, 6 to 1, behind Hay
Fnm's oiiiht-hit nueninir. ine
second game ended in a 2-all
deadlock clue to darkness.
The Tigers and Senator divid
ed at Washington, Detroit win
ning, 3 to 1, behind Hal Ncw
houser's nine-hit pitching, while
Mickey Haefner countered with
a five-hit 2 to 1 triumph for the
Senators in th3 second game.
Lou Baudicau's first homer .of
the year started the Indians off
to their sixth straight victory,
ll to 3, at Philadelphia. The sec
ond game was rained out.
Seattle Amateur
Wins Golf Tourney
TACOMA, Wash., May 28 (UP)
Amateur golfer, Harry Givan,
Seattle, won first prize in shoot
ing a six-under-par 134 in the
36-hole twellth annual Tacoma
open yesterday.
Givan, low amateur entry in
both legs of the tournament,
carded C8 in the lirst round, and
66 on the last 18 holes. It was
the first straight tournament win
for the former Walker cup star.
In professional play, Chuck
Congdon, Tacoma, captuied top
money with 137.
.T.-miim lYRniirkp. Seattle, and
- ,
frank Sibertsen, Tacoma, each
iccorded in the 12 years of Ta
coma open competition.
Nelson and Snead
Split Golf Honor
WEST ORANGE. N. J., May
21! (UP) The debate still raged
today as to whether Byron Nel
son or Slammin' Sammy Snead
was the unofficial golf champion
of the world their 72-hole match
for the crown having proved
only that the payoff still is in
the putting.
Nelson, who lost one down to
Snead Saturday in a 36-hole
medal lest, came back yesterday
over the rolling acres of Essex
county country club to win their
36-hole match play test, 4 and 3.
But nothing was conclusive ex
cept that it was raining.
London's 50 automatic tele
phone exchanges cover 220,000
lines.
I know he is."
New York thinks so too. Thc
won't forget the kid with tlu
empty sleeve for o long time.
TODAY and TUESDAY
Sfciul
All -star Bond
Rally
with
I I llollyy. Dud Favorites
Wednesday
"Music.. For Millions".
CElfMIIEfl
iL. '! DANA AKDBEWS
y7 VINCEUT PRICE I
LA GRANDE EVENING OBSERVER"
I'hune 600
Complete Local Reports
Monday, May 28, 1945
RainiersMave Up
With Twin Victory
As Beavers Lose
By United Press
The Pacific coast league base
ball race that two weeks ago
threatened to become a runaway,
has developed into an old-fashioned,
knock-down, drag-out bat
11.. with the leaders sliuoinB and
the challengers closing in for the
kill.
After holdine a sixiiamo edge
over second-place Seattle as of
May 7, the Portland Beavers have
been shoved all over the lot and
finished this week by dropping
a 4-2 series to the once-lowly San
Francisco Seals. The result is
that the Manager Marv Owen's
club now holds only a one-half
game advantage over the rising
Seattle Rainiers.
And close on the heels of tha
Rainiers are the Oakland Acorns,
just four games from .the top.
Yesterday' the Beavers played
only one game, due to wet
grounds, and they dropped that
to the Seals, who finished on a
high note by scoring five runs in
the ninth for an 8-4 win. Mean
while Seattle was plastering Los
AnEeles twice. 6-2 and 8-2: Oak
land split with San Diego, win
ning the wirst, 4-3, and dropping
the nightcap in two extra inn
ings 9-8; and Hollywood and
Sacramento divided. 6-2 for the
Stars in the first and 3-0 for the
Sacs In the second.
Gene Tierney Stars
In Liberty Film
An experiment in love that
leads to murder in New York's
glittering cafe society is the
theme of the motion picture
"Laura" now showing at the Lib
erty theater;
Gene Tierney, Dana Andrews
and Clifton Webb have the lead
ing roles, and Judith Anderson,
noted stage actress has one of
the important supporting parts.
The plot put Miss Tierney in
the role of an advertising execu
tive whose leisure is spent in the
gay night spots of the metropolis.
THIS REMINDS ME -
it
Its the
UNTIRING patience in striving
for the ideal ... . a knowledge
dating back to the "world's first brew
ing school" . . . processes developed
through three generations ... a famous
brewing water that improves every
process of brewing... all these precious
things contribute to the distinctive
character of OLYMPIA . . . America'
Original Light Table Beer.
Plti the Water"
OLYMPIA BREWING COMPANY
Olympia, Wiihington, U.S.A.
IUT WAI BONDS ond KEEP THEM1
SPORTS
Li
Baseball Standing
AMERICAN LEAGUE
jW. .L. Ft
New York ...
Detroit
Chicago
St. Louis
ll M
.'..M7 11 ,
la 1J
15 13
Cleveland ...
Boston
Washington
..r..l3 14
13 17
13 18 .,
Philadelphia
.....11 20 4
NATIONAL LEAGUE
New York .,,, 25 8
P.rooklyn ...;.....18 14 J
Pittsburgh ...16 14 i;
Chicago 16 14
St. Louis .,..16 16 j
Boston 2 17. j
Cincinnati .: 1 . 18
Philadelphia (...10 24 si
PACIFIC COAST
Portland
Seattle -
Oakland
San Diego
San Francisco
... .: 34 21 (:
....U..33 21 .(
.. .'.,21 20 if
.;..,.:.2tt 30 4 '
.:t...'..2U 20
:,i.J.21 . 29 4,
Sacramento ......
Los Angeles ...
Hollywood
.,:..',20 a . fi
.::...;19 37 i.
MAJOR LEAGUE ':
LEADING BATSMEN
National League ;
Player, club G. AB R H
Holmes, Boston 30 127 31 51
Ott, New York 35 118 30 45
Reyes, N. Y. 35 125 17 40
Kuiowski, St. L 33 125 26 40
Rosen, Brklyn. 25 30 21 32
American League
Cuccinello, Chi. 27 -93 16 31
Stephens. St. L. 26 : 9(1 22 31
Elten, N. Y. 27 115 JU 37
Stirnweis, N.Y. 31' 1 19 27 38
Case, Wash. 28 110 17 35
Special Communication
of 'I
' ' ' I ! .
Ut Grande
Masonic Lodge
.e
Tuesday Evening at '7:30
May 29th
Work E.t Al-.'Degree.
Uy Order of the W. M.1
C. M. Humphrey's
' Sec'y. '
Water
99
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