WITH 4TH ARMD. DIV., Landshut, June 8, 1945--The 4th Armd. Div., which
usually moved ahead of the 3d Army like a pilot train laying its own
track, waits for orders in the sun.
The orders may never come and the men may be here in these hills until
they’re discharged. That’s all right with most of them. If you
came all the way from St. Lo, you know every shell sounds like the
first one, and the percentage runs against you every time one comes
in.
The division was used as a vast patrol in constant journeys of
military exploration through hostile country. They were always in a
hurry, and the secret of their achievements was mobility. Now these
tankers, who recognized no frontiers in combat, are garrison troops.
They do close-order drill and pull a lot of guard. They stand reveille
and all the usual inspections and formations that plague troops in
permanent installations. Seeing them out of their dirty combat clothes
and tank helmets, you don’t recognize them in their clean ODs and
helmet liners.
Although they don’t know how long they will be here, the tankers
were getting barracks ready for winter occupation. They were still
installing wash bowls, hot-water boilers, lockers and showers. They
were carving baseball diamonds out of the flower-brightened meadows.
The I. and E. program is set to go, and a lot of guys want to go to
school. But it will have to wait until text books are located.
Thirty per cent of them have enough points to go home, and
reinforcements are coming in to take their places. They expect a
training program as soon as the recruits arrive to fill in for the
old-timers.
[Illustration: They Called Us]
Breakthrough Armored News
Rolling United Press
Patton’s Pet New York Sun
Rip-roaring Indianapolis Times
Rough-necked London Daily Express
Roosevelt’s Highest Paid Butchers German Radio
American Elite 4th Panzer Division German Radio
Invincible London Telegraph
Flaming Fourth International News Service
Ghost London Times
Phantom London Express
Fire Alarm London Globe
Flying Herald-Tribune (Paris)
Great Life Magazine
Irresistible New York Times
Hard-hitting Washington Times-Herald
Colorful Boston Traveler
Patton’s Favorite Spearhead Chattanooga Free Press
Crack Sunday Empire News
Famous Associated Press
Fire-eaters London Daily Express
Veteran Chicago Sun
Immortal Saturday Evening Post
Bold New York Times
Hard-riding Armored News
Patton’s Sunday Punch Armored News
Irrepressible Life Magazine
Famed Time Magazine
Impatient SHAEF Intelligence Bulletin
Ubiquitous BBC Radio
Patton’s Fourth Armored Associated Press
Georgie’s Beloved Fourth Armored New York Post
Patton’s Pace Setter Time Magazine
Patton’s Rampaging Fourth Armored United Press
Fabulous Chicago Tribune
Patton’s Prize Fourth Armored Associated Press
Glorious Radio Luxembourg
Gaffey’s Whirlwind Detroit Free Press
Champions Stars and Stripes
Fantastic St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Patton’s favorite of all divisions Philadelphia Evening Bulletin
Romping Associated Press
[Illustration: We meet the Russians]
[Illustration: Pass in review]