The Bluffton news. [volume], February 08, 1945, Image 2

About The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current

Image provided by: Ohio History Connection, Columbus, OH

                
PAGE TWO
Heavy anti-aircraft fire that greet
ed American bombing formations in
their assault on the German Ruhr
earned the name“Flak Happy Valley”
for the area, according to Lt. Harold
Peterson, son of Mr. and Mrs. E. E.
Peterson, of Bluffton.
The son of the local residents now
is at Miami Beach, Fla., for rest and
reassignment, after making 35 bomb
ing missions on a B-24 Liberator from
an English base. Before going to
Florida, he spent a 21-day furlough
with his wife and baby son in Ada.
He went overseas June 1, 1944.
Lt. Peterson was commissioned a
bombardier, but served in that ca
pacity only on two of 35 missions.
On 33 missions he was navigator.
The lieutenant attributed the ef
fectiveness of the crew that manned
the Liberator to the team work, con
sistent high spirits and respect each
man had for the ability of his crew
mates. This held particularly true on
the 26th mission.
Through the Flak
On this mission their plane, the
•‘Fairy Belle,” with two engines shot
out, fell in lehind a formation of Al
lied bombers and managed to make
it back over “Flak Happy Valley.”
With the third engine threatening to
fail the engineer crawled out on the
catwalk and succeeded in emptying
the wing gasoline tanks to lighten
the load. While on the catwalk the
engineer’s parachute partially open­
Varied activities of Bluffton’s two
Boy Scout troops mark them among
the most active in this district, with
two of the last year’s projects tying
in with the war program.
One of the high marks of the year
was the collection of 35 tons of
waste paper, badly needed because
of
a paper shortage. In addition,
the Scouts participated in gathering
milk weed floss used in packing life
preservers.
Membership of the two troops is
as follows:
Troop No. 82
Coyote Patrol—Patrol Leader, Bil
ly Haller Ass’t. Patrol Leader, Mor
ris Groman Maynard Pogue, Keith
Kirtland, Ralph Stager, Don Fritchie,
Jimmie Howe.
Tiger Patrol—Patrol Leader, Ken
neth Bracy Ass’t. Patrol Leader,
Earl Frick Robert Niswander, Ber
nard Fish, Marvin Bronson.
Wolf Patrol—Patrol Leader, Roger
Linden Ass’t. Patrol Leader, Ralph
Dunifon, Jr. Roderick Balmer, Ad
dison Myers, James Huber.
Sponsor—American Legion Post
No. 382.
Life Scouts—John Bracy, May
nard Pogue.
Star Scouts—David Frick, David
Stearns, Keith Kirtland.
First Class—Kenneth Bracy, Bob
Coon, Don Fritchie, Robert Niswan
der, Robert Nonnamaker.
Second Class—Harry Burkholder,
Bernard Fish, Earl Frick, Karl
Frick, Roger Linden, Ralph Dunifon,
Son Of Bluffton Res dents Tells
Thrilling Saga Of Bombing Missions
Officers: Scoutmaster, Woodrow
Little Ass’t. Scoutmasters, Eugene
Benroth Dallas Berry Troop Scribe,
Maynard Pogue Troop Quartermas
ter, Karl Frick Troop Librarian &
News Reporter, Morris Groman.
Senior Patrol—Patrol Leader, John
Bracy Ass’t. Patrol Leader, Karl
Frick Harry Burkholder, David
Stearns, Bob Coon, David Frick,
Roderick Nonnamaker.
Bluffton’s Two Boy Scout Troops
Have Outstanding Records Of Activity
ed and with his hands ‘frozen’ by
sprayed gasoline from the tanks, was
unable to loosen the chute which was
dragging him off the icy catwalk.
The radio operator seeing his crew
man’s plight went to his aid and suc
ceeded in freeing him from the chute.
With the engineer and radio man
back in the plane came the realiza
tion that the spare chute had been
left behind. Realizing that the order
to “hit the silk” might come at any
time another member of the crew’ and
the engineer had arranged a piggy
back ride down.
Makes Crash Landing
The plane was then over Belgium
and headed for a nearby field. On
arriving they found the runways full
and proceeded to a nearby English
landing strip. A crash landing w’as
made that destroyed the plane but no
member of the crew was seriously
injured.
For the successful n&vigation of
this mission, Lt. Peterson was award
ed his fifth Oak Leaf Cluster. The
English took the crew to an American
field from where they were flown to
their English base. Arriving at
their base they found their belongings
packed and ready to be shipped home,
which meant the crew would have
soon been listed as missing.
Lt. Peterson has the Distinguished
Flying Cross, Air Medal and Four
Oak Leaf cluters in addition to the
fifth cluster awarded him on the 26th
mission.
Billy Haller, Jimmie Howe, Roderick
Balmer, Addison Myers, James Hu
ber, Morris Groman.
Tenderfoot—Ralph Stager, Marvin
Bronson.
Troop Committee—Ralph Stearns,
Chm. Ralph Badertscher, Robert
Potts, Arthur Nonnamaker, Wilbur
A. Howe.
Troop No. 56
Officers: Scoutmaster, Ralph Reich
enbach Jr. Ass’t. Scoutmasters, Don
Augsburger, Charles Triplehorn,
Dean C. Niswander Senior Patrol
Leader, Robert Ramseyer Troop
Scribe, Paul Don Bixel Troop
Quartermaster, Robert Bixel, Troop
Librarian & News Reporter, Bill
Burcky.
Explorer Patrol—Charles Triple
horn, Patrol Leader Dean Niswan
der, Ass’t. Don Augsburger, Gord
on Bixel, Robert Ramseyer.
Beaver Patrol—Bill Burcky, Patrol
Leader John Bauman, Ass’t. Gene
Hankish, Dean Sommers, Donald
Burkholder.
Cobra Patrol—Malcolm Basinger,
Patrol Leader Paul Don Bixel,
Ass’t. Sam Buhler, Robert Bixel,
Ronald Diller.
Jr. Alumni—John Schmidt, Bill
Amstutz, Bob Oberly, Kenneth Ober
ly, Richard Oberly, Floyd Herr, Bill
Mericle, Otto Klassen, Varden Log
anbuhl, Denard Luginbuhl, Richard
Berky, Evan Herr, Roger Howe.
Sponsor—First Mennonite Church.
Eagle—Don Augsburger, Bronze
Palm Robert Ramseyer, Bronze
Palm Dean Niswander, Charles
Triplehorn.
Life—Gordon Bixel.
Star—Malcolm Basinger, Paul Don
Bixel.
First Class—Bill Burcky, Bob
Bixel, Gene Hankish, Dean Sommers,
John Bauman.
Second Class—Ronald Diller, Sam
Buhler.
Tenderfoot—Donald Burkholder.
We are pleased to announce
The Gray & White Company’s
Bluffton Station
is under the new management of
I I
Mr. Frank Anderson
Your Cream, Egg and Poultry business
is earnestly desired and will be
appreciated*
Thanking you for past as well as future favors.
The Gray & White Co.
Bluffton Phone 152-W South Main Street
V FEBRUARY TWELFTH
GREAT
\W\\% am
have Faith
AND TO THE AMERICAN IDEALS OF
FAITH-COURAGE-INTEGRITY- HUMANITY
Loss of both legs was the price
paid for a dozen dead Japs and the
safety of his platoon buddies by Pvt.
Calvin Lichtenwalter, Chicago Ma
rine, and the nephew of A. E. Lich
tenwalter, of this place.
Pvt. Lichtenwalter’s feat of daring
was described in a recent news re
lease based on the files of the Ma
rine Corps and corraborated by his
buddies who were saved by the brav
ery of Lichtenwalter.
The Chicago man’s personal sacri
fice for the good of his platoon was
made three days after Thanksgiving
during some of the heaviest fighting
on Bougainville.
Lichtenwalter and his Marine bud
dies had charged across the beach
and into the jungle—just far enough
to have the palms furnish an over
head screen for their foxholes.
They started to dig in but w-ere
halted by fire from hidden Jap ma
chine gun nests. Lichtenwalter and
his buddies w-ere directly in front of
the guns, and bursts of Jap fire kept
them flat on their faces.
Finally, after more than an hour,
Lichtenwalter had enough. He
Wintering in the balmy weather
of the Low-er Rio Grande valley in
Texas is a welcome contrast to bit
ter winter in Ohio, according to Mr.
and Mrs. Willis Althaus, former
Bluffton residents, who have been in
the garden spot of the southw-est
Nephew Of A. E. Lichtenwalter
Hero In South Pacific Fighting
Mexican Grave Markers Have Pictures
Of Deceased, Willis Althaus Writes
THE BLUFFTON NEWS, BLUFFTON, OHIO
are
10H!
never
shouted, “I’m going out and get ’em.”
Tucking extra clips for his auto
matic rifle under his arm, he leaped
to his feet and ran tow-ard the
enemy, his gun spitting fire.
His unexpected maneuver caught
the Japs unaware. Three times he
ran toward the enemy position and
three times returned to his buddies
to get more ammunition. On the
fourth charge, just as he put his
last remaining clip in his rifle, the
Japs finally got the range.
Only one enemy gun crew re
mained in action, but they poured a
withering blast of bullets w-hich
struck Lichtenwalter between the
ankles and knees.
He wenf down—stunned momentar
ily—then fired one last round into
the machine gun nest before he lost
consciousness. He didn’t know it
then, but he killed the last Jap op
posing him as he lay on the ground.
Buddies put tourniquets on his
legs and returned him to a surgical
depot on the beachhead where his
legs were amputated. Lichtenwalter
now is in the Mare Island Naval
hospital in San Francisco.
since late November.
Althaus’ letter of description from
Weslaco, Texas, follows: “There are
many other Buckeyes in the valley
and since it is customary here for
‘birds of a feather to flock together’
we flocked with the others for a
Christmas dinner. The sun was out
all day and the temperature was 80.
“It is impossible to comprehend the
abundance of fresh fruit and vege
tables shipped out from this garden
spot of the world altho at present
there is a serious shortage of refrig
erator cars to meet the demand.
Several packing houses and juice
canning plants are located here.
After extraction of the juice the
hulls of citrus fruits are dried and
ground into pulp which is sold as
feed for cows.
“Mexicans employed as field work
ers have their own quarters across
the railroad, including schools and
cemeteries. Their cemeteries are in
teresting. The first time Mrs. Alt
haus and I approached one we were
surprised by the abundance and
freshness of the flowers. On closer
inspection, however, we saw that
they were treated with parafine,
both the real and those made of
paper.
“Most of the markers are of con
crete in the form of a cross. Re
cessed behind glass in most of them
is a picture of the deceased. Toys
are often placed on the graves of
children.
“There are no bananas this sea
son because of frost, but we have
string beans, cabbage, beets, turnips,
cauliflower, broccoli, tomatoes, car
rots and parsley by the ton. Grape
fruit, oranges, tangerines and limes
are still on the trees, as well as
Ponderosa lemons weighing two and
one-half pounds and 16 inches in
circumference.
“Opossums are plentiful and a nui
sance, for they thrive on oranges,
leaving nothing but the empty hulls.
Eggs are 60 cents a dozen, for the
hens have been on a strike.”
Althaus, who was in the job print
ing business at Ashland, Ohio, went
to Tex s this whiter fo. his health.
In Memoriam
In memory of Henry Matter who
passed away five years ago on Feb
ruary 5, 1940.
Just a thought of sweet remem
brance,
Just a memory fond and true,
Just a token of affection
And many a heartache still for you.
We think of you in silence
Your name we oft recall,
But there is nothing left to answer
But the picture on the wall.
Sadly missed by
Mary W. Matter
and
Mr. and Mrs. C. R. Reynolds
and son David Ray
Graveside Rites For
Beaverdam Infant
Graveside services were held Sun
day at the Woodland cemetery near
Beaverdam for the infant daughter
of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Coil, of
Beaverdam, who died at birth Sat
urday at St. Rita’s hospital in Lima.
Rev. C. D. Chiles officiated at the
rites.
Survivors include the parents, two
sisters, Sandra Jean and Phyllis Ma
rie, both at home and one brother,
James Leroy at home.
To reestablish and maintain the
productivity of rotated cropland in
Ohio, Professor R. D. Lewis, agron
omy department, Ohio State univer
sity estimates soybean acreage should
be reduced 54 per cent and corn acre
age 24 per cent from the 1943 acreage
and sod Crops should be increased 33
per cent, with alfalfa up 400 or 500
per cent.
Johnson’s Wax-O-Namel
For interior decorating—its wax base
makes it easy to wash and preserves its
lustrous finish.
A complete color selection now in stock
including: Java Brown, Cherokee Red,
Cardinal Red, Bittersweet, Bittersweet
Orange, Royal Blue, Delphenium Blue,
Willow Green, Jade Green, Arizona Tan,
Parisian Gray, Dresden Blue, Pastel
Green, Daffodil Yellow Cameo Pink,
Cream, Ivory, Antique White, White.
Choose your colors from our attractive
color card.
Prices Slashed
Pint
«/2 Pint
Pint
Quart
Linoleum Varnish
For Printed Linoleum Only
Farm Bureau Speaker
I
I
1
Dr. George Scarseth, authority on
soils and their management will ad
dress the fifth annual meeting of
shareholders of the Allen Farm Bu
reau to be held at the Beaverdam
high school auditorium on Wednes
day afternoon, February 14 at 1:30
o’clock.
Announcement that Dr. Scarseth
had been obtained to address the
meeting was made by Stevens Smith
of Bluffton, manager of the associa
tion which numbers 157 stockholders
in Allen and Putnam counties.
Election of directors and reports
of business of the association for the
yast year are also a part of the
evening’s program.
Dr. Scarseth for the past twenty
years has been interested in soil
management and is the author of a
book “Development, Classification and
Characteristics of Soils”. He is well
PAINT SALE
CLOSING OUT-Our entire ’line John
son’s Paints, Enamels, Linoleum Var
nish and Floor Lacquer
AN UNUSUAL OPPORTUNITY TO OBTAIN GENUINE PRE
WAR MERCHANDISE—ALL OF THIS STOCK IS MANUFAC
TURED BY JOHNSON’S, MAKERS OF JOHNSON’S FLOOR
WAX AND OF HIGHEST QUALITY.
NOW IS THE TIME TO BUY PAINT AND SAVE MONEY—
BOTH FOR YOUR OUTSIDE PAINTING THIS SUMMER
AND YOUR INTERIOR DECORATING THIS SPRING.
i/4 Pint
'/2 Pint
Pint
Quart
Quart
Gallon
Sale
Price
$ .30
.50
.90
1.70
Regular
Price
.$ .40
.. .70
.. 1.20
.. 2.25
Gallon
Sale
Price
$ .60
Regular
Price
Quart Pint
.............................................. $ .75
COME EARLY—THESE QUANTITIES ARE LIMITED—ALL
PRE-WAR QUALITY. FILL YOUR PAINT NEEDS NOW
AND SAVE MONEY.
Basinger’s Furniture Store
THURSDAY, FEB. 8, 1945
... ,"sy
acquainted with conditions in Central
America where for two years he was
soil chemist with the United Fruit
company. His residence is in West
Lafayette, Indiana, where he is head
of the department of agronomy of
Purdue university.
Armorsville
Mr. and Mrs. Lysle McCarty and
son called Sunday afternoon at the
Ervin Moser home.
Mr. and Mrs. W. I. Moore are spend
ing several days with Mr. and Mrs
Leo Beagle and family of Carey.
Mr. and Mrs. Lewis Hefner and
Paul RousK called Thursday evening
at the Ervin Moser home.
Mr. and Mrs. Edgar Montgomery
and family called Sunday at the Ivan
Montgomery home.
Mr. and Mrs. Ervin Moser and
daughter Rosella called at the Walter
Hostettler home, Friday evening.
Mr. and Mrs. Carl McCafferty call
ed at the Wm. McCafferty home near
Ada, Friday night.
Mr. and Mrs. Wayne Hauenstein
and daughter Janis is at the Levi
Hauenstein home.
T/4 and Mrs. Robert Matter took
supper with Mr. and Mrs. Chas.
Montgomery and daughter, Sunday
evening.
Mr. and Mrs. Wayne Guider and
daughter were Sunday dinner guests
of Miss Margaret Guider.
News Want-ads bring results.
Francis Basinger, D. D. S.
Evan Basinger, D. D. S.
Telephone 271-W^
Bluffton, Ohio
A
Johnson’s
Quick Drying Enamel
For interior decorating—dries in a
jiffy.
Wide selection of colors—at prices you
can’t afford to miss.
Johnson’s Perma-Coat
Just the thing for walls—an unusual
flat paint in mist green, soft green and
ivory.
Sale
Price
Regular
Price
.20
.25
.45
.90
$
.$ .30
.46
.74
1.34
9
Regular
Price
FortifiedO House Paint
Linoleum Floor Lacquer
For Printed Linoleum and Floors
Sale
Price
.$ .90
2.90
$ .60
2.00
(Cream Only)
Regular
Price
...............................$3.45
Sale
Price
$2.75
Regular
Price
Sale
Price
.$ .80
$ .60