The FReeper Foxhole Remembers The Battle of Tremensuoli & Drive On Rome(5/12/1944) - Dec. 2nd, 2003

http://yourpage.blazenet.net/cjheiser/ct9/339txt3.htm ^

[SAMWolf]

Lord,

Keep our Troops forever in Your care

Give them victory over the enemy...

Grant them a safe and swift return...

Bless those who mourn the lost.
.

FReepers from the Foxhole join in prayer
for all those serving their country at this time.

...................................................................................... ...........................................

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The Mediterranean Situation

"The bayonet decides."
Motto of the 339th Infantry.

The main allied effort in Europe during the latter months of 1943 was concentrated in Italy, the race being to take advantage of "the soft underbelly of the axis" as Winston Churchill put it. The Italian Campaign was undertaken in some of the most difficult terrain and terrible weather conditions which the United States Army faced during the war. Events in Italy were stalemated through the winter of 1943-44 despite heavy fighting at the southern base of the Liri Valley at Cassino. As spring approached, the allied efforts were renewed with the re-enforcement of the Anzio beach head and a renewed allied drive to take Rome. Troops and reinforcements were needed for Fifth Army and in the midst of the continuing allied effort was the 85th Division and the "Polar Bears" of the 339th Infantry. Four days after returning to St. Denis du Sig, the regiment moved to Oran where they set sail aboard the H.M.S. Letitia. On March 14, the 339th Infantry landed in Naples, Italy just in time to experience one of the last major Luftwaffe night raids on the allied port. Explosions lit up the city skyline as the GI's loaded into trucks or marched out of the city's limits. Most of the Polar Bears believed that they would have some time off for training. Little did they know that they would be in the front line the very next day!

The Gustav Line

After dark on March 16, 1944, the GI's of the 339th Infantry moved up into the front line between the two tiny villages of Castelforte and San Lorenzo, northeast of Minturno. The night sky was overcast, adding to the gloom and inky darkness. Each man held onto the pack strap of the individual in front as they slogged up narrow, muddy trails in a drizzling rain. Engineer's tapes marked the trails for the area had not been cleared of mines. The sudden report of a battalion of dug-in tank destroyers made everyone jump. "We were s******* in our pants," recalled one A Company GI. "We didn't know what we were getting into." Eventually reaching the front line positions, the men slipped into foxholes and bunkers held by the 349th Infantry of the 88th Infantry Division though the 3rd Battalion occupied positions held by British troops. Within the first few hours, two soldiers from E Company- Pfc. Carl Terry and Pfc. Ralph Frederick- were taken prisoner by a German patrol. These were the first casualties for the 339th Infantry in combat. Nerves were on edge that first night and fear of the unknown made for a sleepless couple of hours until dawn. The enemy positions were on higher ground and German artillery observers made life miserable calling in random mortar fire and artillery rounds throughout the next day.


Custer Division

The first battle death occurred on 20 March 1944 when Pfc. Charles Warner was mortally wounded in action while directing artillery fire against on a German patrol probing the E Company positions. Warner and another soldier were manning an outpost when an enemy patrol attempted to enter the company positions. Though wounded by mortar fire, Warner dragged his equally wounded buddy to safety and returned to his position to call in artillery directions. He was struck again by a mortar blast adjacent to his foxhole and died within minutes. Warner was posthumously awarded the Silver Star for gallantry in action.


2nd Battalion, 339th Infantry troops in Itri near the town square, 20 May 1944. The was reduced to rubble from allied air bombardment and artillery.
(85th Division in WW2)

After a week in the line, Colonel Matthews was hospitalized and ordered to be transferred. The aging officer cared deeply for his men and the strain of combat, his age, and a severe infection proved to be too much for him. After ten days in the line, the Custermen were relieved by troops from the 88th Infantry Division. As they marched down from the mountain in a driving snowstorm, the aged Colonel Matthews stood by the roadside and shook the hands of those men who passed by. With the relief of Matthews, Colonel Brookner Brady assumed command of the 339th Infantry. Brady was a combat tested veteran of the 3rd Infantry Division, and would face the tough assignment of leading his combat team into the hills above Minturno.


German defensive position: camouflaged log bunker.
(DA photograph)

On May 1, 1944 the regiment was assigned to the Scauri-Minturno area on the west coast of Italy. The area had been under artillery fire for many weeks and the small village of Tremensuoli, which overlooked the area, was simply a mass of ruined stone houses. A single narrow road led to the village and was soon known as "Purple Heart Alley". The regiment occupied foxholes and command posts and immediately patrolled the areas west of the village. The other small village in the area, Scauri, lay astride Highway 7 and was in German hands. It was found to be abandoned except for a few key enemy sniper positions. Beyond it was Mount Scauri on whose towering height were posted German artillery observers. The key hills between the two towns were a combination of fortified hills and ridges: Domenico Ridge, a high rocky ridge overlooking Scauri and Hill 58, northeast of the ridge. Further east was Hill 79, located in the center of the German occupied positions. Northwest of Tremensuoli and beyond a winding creek called "Capo d' Acqua", stood Hills 69 and 66, both of which dominated the stream crossing. The bare hills were misconceiving as they were covered with thousands of mines, concrete pillboxes, and reinforced rifle bunkers manned by members of the German 94th Grenadier Division of the Fourteenth Panzer Corps. This was the western end of the main line of German defenses, The Gustav Line, cutting across the mountain ranges to the southern end of the Liri Valley where Cassino was located.


"Ebb and Flow of War, Monte Altuzzo, Italy, " by Harry A. Davis.
(Army Art Collection)

Fifth Army plans were for a major drive to take place that spring code named Diadem. The timetable was set for the event to kick off at exactly 2300 hours on 11 May 1944. After a briefing in the regimental headquarters, each rifle company commander instructed their non-coms on the assigned objectives and routes to take. The 3rd Battalion would move through the shattered village of Tremensuoli and strike Hills 69 and 66. The 2nd Battalion, under Lt. Colonel Charles Mudgett, was already in place near the village and would hit three objectives between it and Scauri: Hill 79 (G Company's assignment), Hill 58 (E Company's assignment), and Hill 85 and positions on Intermediate Ridge (F Company's objectives). The 1st Battalion would move directly to contain Scauri and the ridges surrounding it, including Domenico Ridge which was heavily defended. Unlike the other battalions, the 1st had to advance over relatively flat, open terrain and follow Highway 7 directly into the village.


Infantry pack teams bring supplies to the fighting units

At 11 P.M. on May 12, DIADEM opened in a deafening roar of artillery.

[SAMWolf]

The Battle of Tremensuoli

Promptly at 11:00 P.M., every available artillery piece in Fifth Army opened a deafening barrage on the Gustav Line. The continual blasts shook the ground. "It was pitch dark," recalled one veteran of E Company, "but in fifteen minutes you could see to pick up a needle out there." White phosphorus shells slammed into the German positions and flares filled the night sky as hundreds of GI's stepped off toward the German line. The air was filled with machine gun and mortar fire. The Germans manning the positions were determined to hold onto their lines and depended on the thousands of mines and wire entanglements stretched over the hills to halt the Polar Bear attack. The columns made their way through no-man's land and into dense mine fields filled with "S" and shue mines. Soldiers were killed and maimed in most horrible manners, but the leaders kept the squads moving toward their objectives.

The 339th left their assigned line of departure at promptly 11 P.M. (2300 hours)

The 1st Battalion troops swept toward Domenico Ridge where one platoon of C Company succeeded in reaching the crest. A Company moved toward Scauri and into the outskirts of the village. The 2nd Battalion moved out with E Company headed toward Hill 58, F Company toward enemy positions on Intermediate Ridge, and G Company onto Hill 79. Meanwhile the 3rd Battalion moved through Tremensuoli and out towards the crossing of Capo d' Acqua. Enemy mortar teams had the crossing zeroed in and temporary bridges carried by members of L Company, the assault company, were quickly knocked out. The steep banks of the stream and the swiftly moving water bogged down the wading GI's loaded with equipment. K Company followed up in the attack with the objective of moving onto Hill 66 while L Company assaulted 69. In the darkness and confusion, men became separated from their commands and only a few GI's remained to continue the attack once across the stream which was now filled with bodies.


Soldiers work on a trail, while an Indian pack mule convoy returns from taking supplies to the front line.
(DA photograph)

The fighting was close and bloody. The 3rd Battalion lost almost 66% of its effective fighting force within the first 10 hours of the battle. Unable to take their objective of Hill 66, the battalion withdrew to Hill 69 and held on throughout the 12th. The 2nd Battalion was pinned down west of Tremensuoli though G Company had successfully taken a portion of Hill 79, a fortified hill in teh center of that section. Not far away was Intermediate Ridge, held by F Company while E Company lay scattered among the draws and ridges further south. A 48-hour stalemate ensued, though concentrated enemy counterattacks on F Company proved to be too much and the company capitulated the following morning. The 3rd Battalion was withdrawn from Hill 69 overnight and relieved by the 1st Battalion, 337th Infantry after midnight of May 12th. The 1st/337th attacked Hill 66 and though they gained a brief foothold, only a few GI's could hold out on the enemy held hill.


Tremensuoli on the far hill from the crossing site at Capo di Acqua.
(National Archives)

By the morning of May 14, the battle had been underway for over 60+ hours and the situation was grim in the center of the Polar Bear line. Cut off and still surrounded on Hill 79, G Company was running low on ammunition, water, and supplies. On this day, 2nd Lt. Robert Waugh knocked out two enemy-held pill boxes that blocked the trail up to the company positions. His action wiped out the last main German resistance on the hill that Company G had held since May 11 and the GI's consolidated their hold on the hill. Vigorous patrols and aggressive attacks by the 1st Battalion, 339th Infantry knocked out more enemy positions and the line was weakening. A recommitted 3rd Battalion, 339th Infantry, pushed over Intermediate Ridge and recovered lost territory, including a number of GI wounded left on teh field since the opening of the assault. The enemy line was showing weaknesses with abandoned positons being discovered and prisoners coming in, shell-shocked, exhausted and hungry. All along the Gustav Line, German forces were running low on ammunition, food and water. The combination of allied artillery, aerial bombardment, and determined attacks by the American II Corps was more than the German soldiers could stand. The last German elements still holding positions on CS San Martino began to pull out overnight, leaving behind a token holding force and those who could not be reached to extract. By early morning of May 16, the Battle of Tremensuoli was over.


36th Division Artillery helped soften objectives of 85th Division Infantry near Minturno as big push began.

The 1st Battalion moved into Scauri on May 16, retook Hill 58 and cleared the Domenico Ridge positions east of the village. There they consolidated until the remainder of the regiment could secure their positions and be brought forward. Re-enforced by a tank battalion, forward elements of the division moved northward parallel to Highway 7 while the 339th Infantrymen took a four hour break around the small village. The regiment received a compliment of replacements and soon set out, leaving behind the shattered remains of what once was a well-trained regiment. Tremensuoli was the battle where the 339th proved its mettle yet paid a high price in lives to take important objectives.


GI's from A Company, 339th Infantry enter Scauri looking for snipers on 16 May 1944.
(85th Division in WW2)

The survivors of this battle never forgot it, or the sacrifice of so many of their friends. For many it was a shock that never seemed to fade from their memories. Over fifty years later, W. D. "Bud" Bammer who led the weapons platoon of K Company, vividly recalled his experiences. He was not the only Polar Bear who remembered those terrible days as being the real test of the regiment. In 1992, veterans of that great battle returned to the small village of Tremensuoli to dedicate a monument to those past and present who gave their all on that almost forgotten battlefield of the "Forgotten Front".


GI's of the 88th Infantry Division approach Itri. German resistance was sparse and daylight movement was un-impeded by ground fire until the riflemen got within a mile of the town. The 88th and 85th Divisions closed around the village and surrounding mountains on May 19.
(US Signal Corps Collection, National Archives)

After the fall of the main defenses of the Gustav Line, the 85th Infantry Division moved northwest into the mountains toward the next line of German defenses called the Hitler Line. To get there, the Polar Bears had to move on to Formia and then set out toward the small town of Itri. The ancient village of Itri sits at the base of Mount Orso from which enemy artillery observers had a perfect view of the allied line of approach. The 339th Infantry and infantry from the 88th Division marched toward the city, with the Polar Bears arriving first. The 2nd Battalion closed into the outskirts of the city when they were attacked by a large force including German tanks supported by artillery. Pinned down under an intense fire, F Company was overextended on the southern approach. Supporting riflemen of G Company, taking shelter from the intense fire in several bombed out buildings, were ordered to go forward and support the Custermen under fire. While attempting to gather and move his platoon forward, Lt. Robert Waugh was killed by a shell blast from one of the enemy tanks. The lieutenant died without ever knowing of his nomination for the Medal of Honor. After two hours of intense fighting and saturating fire support from allied artillery, Itri fell into the hands of the 339th Infantry. The allied bombardment and German demolitions had nearly destroyed the town. Engineers went to work bulldozing away the rubble to re-open Highway 7 through the town.


German POW's are marched back through a rifle company weapons platoon of the 1st Battalion, 339th Infantry outside of Itri, 19 May 1944.
(US Signal Corps Collection, National Archives)

After the fall of Itri, the 85th Division moved northward into the mountains east of the flooded Pontine Marshes and directly against the much vaunted "Hitler Line". Allied forces drawing from the east flanked key enemy positions while Combat Team 9 marched uphill against heavy resistance. At Sonnino, the 339th won a brilliant victory, wiping out the German garrison with the loss of only two men wounded. The surprise victory at the small town opened the way for the division advance adjacent to Highways 7 and 6. More mountains followed, including Mount San Angelo where the regiment was pinned down under heavy fire and suffered losses during a night withdrawal. After 30+ days in continual combat, the Polar Bear regiment finally found itself on the outskirts of Rome. A task force from the 339th's Intelligence and Reconnaissance Platoon was ordered into Rome to secure bridges over the Tiber River. The GI's made their way into the city and finally located the bridges which had already been taken. The Custer Division consolidated south of the city that night and the next day, June 5, 1944, the 339th was finally ordered to march through the eternal city- Rome!

[SAMWolf]

The Eternal City Falls

"They held us up right on the outskirts of Rome. We knew why; to let the fellows who had been there in Italy longer than us get into the city first."


American infantrymen advancing along Highway 6 toward Rome.
(National Archives)

On June 4, 1944, the 339th reached Mount Salamone and Monte San Sebastiano where the battalions were ordered to halt. The 337th Infantry was sent west to cut Highway 7 while the 338th moved to the northeast and into the outskirts of Rome. The Polar Bears needed a rest, and most took advantage of the few hours here to sleep or get someone to eat. At about 1300, the battalions were marched forward a mile or so and concentrated on the outskirts of the city. Sporadic fighting was underway in the city's suburbs and the GI's watched the skirmishing with intense interest. Some talked of going on into the city but the word was, "halt and go no further."


Liberation of Rome, June 4, 1944, by the United States 5th Army

The last of the German units in the city were streaming northward, leaving behind a token force of snipers to delay the advance beyond the city's borders. South of Rome, the Polar Bears lay in wait for the moment when it, like other Fifth Army units, could enter the city in triumph. As the skirmishing died down on the southwest suburbs, the 339th's Intelligence & Recon Platoon, commanded by 1st Lt. Edwin Guthman, was ordered into the city to locate a task force from the 338th Infantry holding several bridges over the Tiber River. Picking their way through the dark streets, Guthman's patrol was wary of snipers and booby traps. The city streets were blacked out and all that could be heard was the far off rumble of trucks and other vehicles- the last enemy units pulling out of Rome. Sometime after midnight, the lead scouts of Lt. Guthman's platoon found the bridge and a token force of the 1st Armored Division at the crossing. The Germans had not blown the ancient bridges and Rome could be entered with dry feet after all. Moments later the 338th's task force was located nearby and everyone blew a sigh of relief. They had not been swallowed up by the German garrison after all.


Rome, Italy, June 1944. Army Reserve Historical Painting)

That afternoon, the Polar Bears tramped through Rome. It was an exhausting day's march, nearly 25 miles for some of the 2nd Battalion companies; but the Romans went out of their way to make the GI's welcome. "They gave us cheese and crackers," recalled one veteran adding, "and then there was vino, and plenty of it!" Small cups of wine were handed to each soldier as they passed, most being spilled by the happy Romans who insisted on slapping backs and touching the helmets of the men as they passed. It was a day of celebration like few others in that ancient city, but the Custermen saw very little of it beyond the central part of Rome. That afternoon the 339th passed north and began a pursuit of the retreating German forces up to Olgiata.


Custermen march through Porta Maggiore, the ancient wall surrounding Rome on June 5, 1944. The third GI from the right is Howard Maki, past president of the Polar Bear Association of World War II. (85th Division in WW2)

It had been a long road to Rome, covering many miles and over many mountains. The 339th Infantry had been up to the task placed before it, but it had not been the same since the battle at Tremensuoli. A "replacement company" was formed, the new men meant to be sent into the line companies as they were needed. Meanwhile, the three battalions of the regiment closed on Olgiata and the heights above the village, which were perfect for a defensive stand. German 88's and mortar crews blocked the routes of advance. Just before the Polar Bears were to move out, they were relieved and another GI unit passed through them. After 30+ days in combat, the 85th Infantry Division was headed for a much needed break.


Sgt. Charles Russell covers Sgt. Barney Wright as they search for snipers. Two men of this patrol were killed by snipers a few minutes later

Two days after the fall of Rome, the 85th Infantry Division was ordered back to a rear area to refit and retrain. The men were exhausted, equipment worn, and spirits lagging. The 339th encamped at Lido di Roma, the "King's Forest", south of Rome and it was a welcome respite. Mail caught up with the GI's and there was a PX, movies, and even a beer ration. For six weeks, the regiment camped and trained. Promotions were also made within the regiment and the combat team was brought back up to fighting spirit.


Custermen of the 339th Infantry near Formia, Italy, May 1944 (National Archives & Records Administration)

In mid-August, the 339th Infantry was ordered back into the line. Fifth Army was stalemated along the Arno River south of Florence. Units that had been holding the line there also needed relief prior to the next big push into the North Apennines,and Combat Team 9 was assigned to a position on the river to hold the front. The 85th Infantry Division relieved the 2nd New Zealand Division overnight of August 14-15, taking over positions that lay west of Florence. The 339th Infantry was sent into positions near Montelupo and Tinaja with all three battalions on line. Adjacent to the Polar Bears was Combat Team 8 (338th Infantry) on the left flank and troops of Eighth Army on the right. Dug in a just across the river was the 362nd Grenadier Division and elements of the 3rd Panzer and 29th Panzer Grenadier Divisions.


"Roman Holiday" by Mitchell Siporin.
(Army Art Collection)

It was a two week assignment that tested the patience and mettle of GI and machine, but the Polar Bears held the line until they were relieved and sent back for a few days rest. The next major test was coming within the next two weeks; Operation OLIVE, the attack on the Gothic Line.

Additional Sources:

www.army.mil
www.kwanah.com
www.army.mil
www.wvam.org

[SAMWolf]

'The war in Italy was tough. The land and the weather were both against us. It rained and it rained. Vehicles bogged down and bridges washed out. The country was shockingly beautiful, and just as shockingly hard to capture from the enemy.'

Ernie Pyle in "Brave Men", 1944

Casualties in the 339th Infantry, 12 - 25 March 1944:
5 killed, 24 wounded, 2 taken prisoner

Casualties in the 339th Infantry, 29 March - 22 April 1944:
30 killed, 51 wounded, 1 missing

Casualties in the 339th Infantry, 2 - 10 May 1944:
10 killed, 34 wounded, 2 missing

Casualties in the 339th Infantry 11 May to 6 June 1944:
240 killed, 709 wounded, 167 missing, 34 taken prisoner.

Casualties in the 339th Infantry 14 to 26 August 1944:
13 killed, 43 wounded, 5 missing.

[SAMWolf]

Veterans for Constitution Restoration is a non-profit, non-partisan educational and grassroots activist organization. The primary area of concern to all VetsCoR members is that our national and local educational systems fall short in teaching students and all American citizens the history and underlying principles on which our Constitutional republic-based system of self-government was founded. VetsCoR members are also very concerned that the Federal government long ago over-stepped its limited authority as clearly specified in the United States Constitution, as well as the Founding Fathers' supporting letters, essays, and other public documents.

---

Tribute to a Generation - The memorial will be dedicated on Saturday, May 29, 2004.

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Actively seeking volunteers to provide this valuable service to Veterans and their families.

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[snippy_about_it]

FALL IN to the FReeper Foxhole!



Good Tuesday Morning Everyone

If you would like added to our ping list let us know.

[WaterDragon]

Very moving post, SAM. It is a good thing to remind us of how very much we owe our military, we're fat and happy today because they won that war at terrible cost to themselves.

[WaterDragon]

Good morning, snippy!

Found this about the Polar Bears......

The 339th Infantry Regiment of the 85th Infantry Division was named "The Polar Bear Regiment". This name originated in World War 1 when this regiment was sent to Russia to fight the Bolsheviks. Only this regiment of the 85th Division was sent to Russia and they were armed with Russian rifles. The regiment's distinguishing insignia is a polar bear mounted on a shield with a blue background.

[E.G.C.]

Good morning, Snippy and everyone else at the Freeper Foxhole.

[manna]

Present!

[The Mayor]

Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. —Galatians 5:16

God will give us the victory, but we must be willing to fight.

[snippy_about_it]

Good read SAM.

The drive and tenacity to move forward in the face of fire is always a moving read. What wonderful men we had that gave of themselves so that we could maintain our freedom and Europe could be liberated!

Thanks for bringing this story to us.

[snippy_about_it]

Good morning WaterDragon, good find on the Polar Bear name, I wondered when I saw the picture why the writing appeared to be Russian. Thanks!

[snippy_about_it]

Good morning EGC.

We have cold temps today, in the upper 30's but the sun is shining.

[snippy_about_it]

Good morning Mayor.

[snippy_about_it]

Hey manna, good morning!

[Soaring Feather]

Good morning everyone in the FOXHOLE!

[snippy_about_it]

Good morning feather.

[HiJinx]

So much for the 'soft underbelly', eh? The motto on the 339th's patch is written in cyrillic letters, and the first word appears to say 'Shticker'. I wonder if that really is Russian for bayonet? I'll have to grab my dictionary and find out!

OBTW, check your FReepmail...

[Valin]

On This Day In History


Birthdates which occurred on December 02:
1578 Agostino Agazzari composer
1678 Nicolaas S Cruquius Dutch hydraulic engineer (drained Haarlemmermeer)
1728 Ferdinando Galiani Italian economist/philosopher/diplomat
1813 Jacob Rosenhaim composer
1821 Rufus Barringer Brigadier-General (Confederate Army), died in 1895
1825 Pedro II van Alcantara Emperor of Brazil (1831-89)
1837 Dr. Joseph Bell, British physician believed to be the prototype of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's detective Sherlock Holmes
1837 Charles Garrison Harker Brigadier-General (Union volunteers), died in 1864
1859 Georges Seurat France, painter/pointillist (Grande Jatte)
1860 C T Studd cricketer (brother of G B, five Tests for England)
1863 Gustav Wohlgemuth composer
1866 Henry Thacker Burleigh Erie PA, black composer (Springarn Medal)
1869 Jonas Cohn German/English philosopher (Theory of the Dialects)
1870 Francis Louis Casadesus French violinist/composer/conductor
1875 Frank Reicher Munich Germany, actor (King Kong, Son of Kong)
1885 Níkos Kazantazakís Greece, writer (Zorba, Last Temptation of Christ)
1892 Leo Ornstein composer
1893 William Gaxton San Francisco CA, actor (Destry, Convoy)
1893 Julius Bissier German painter
1893 Louis Freeman band leader
1894 Warren William [Krech] Aitkin MN, actor (Cæsar-Cleopatra, Morgan-Go West Young Man)
1895 Klaas Voskuil journalist
1896 Georgi K Zjukov marshal of Moskow/Stalingrad
1901 Staf Gustaf Frans Nees Flemish organist/composer (Simon Peter)
1902 Horace A Hildreth (Governor-ME, 1945-49)
1902 Miroslav Ponc composer
1904 Donald Woods Brandon Manitoba, actor (Tammy)
1905 Osvaldo Pugliese musician/composer
1906 Peter Carl Goldmark developed color TV & LP records
1908 Robert F Simon Mansfield OH, actor (Custer, MASH, Man Who Shot Liberty Valance)
1908 Rufe Davis Oklahoma, actor (Cocoanut Grove, Trail Blazers, Gangs of Sonora)
1910 Robert Paige Indianapolis IN, actor (Colgate Comedy Hour)
1914 Bill Erwin Honey Grove TX, actor (Glenn-Struck by Lightning)
1914 Eddie Sauter Brooklyn NY, musician (Sauter-Finegan Band, Sat Night Revue)
1914 Ray Walston Laurel MS, actor (South Pacific, My Favorite Martian, Damn Yankees)
1915 Adolph Green songwriter (married to Phyllis Newman)
1917 Ezra Stone US, actor/producer (Henry Aldrich)
1918 Milton Delugg Los Angeles CA, orchestra leader (Tonight Show)
1919 Michael Geoffrey Corcos medical researcher
1923 Maria M Callas New York NY, soprano (Carmen, Mademoiselle Award-1953)
1923 Meshulam Riklis chief executive-McCrory Corporation, (Mr. Pia Zadora)
1924 Alexander Haig Jr Bala-Cynwyd PA, (R) US Secretary of State (1981-82)/general
1924 Jonathan Frid actor (Barnabas Collins-Dark Shadows)
1925 Julie Harris Grosse Pt MI, actress (Bell Jar, East of Eden)
1929 Jaap Boersma Dutch Minister for Social Affairs (ARP)
1931 Edwin Meese III prude, US Attorney General (1985-88)
1935 Jurg Wyttenbach composer
1936 Peter Michael Braun composer
1937 Brian Lumley England, author (Compleat Crow, Psychomech, Beneath the Moors)
1938 Michael Levin Minneapolis MN, actor (Ryan's Hope)
1940 Willie Brown NFL defensive back (Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders)
1940 Gerry Cheevers NHL goalie (Bruin, longest undefeated streak-32 games)
1941 Paul C W Chu China, physicist, superconductivity researcher
1942 Bob E Smith Sacramento CA, PGA golfer (1993 Yanase Cup)
1942 Ted Bluechel San Pedro CA, rock vocalist/drummer (Association)
1944 Cathy Lee Crosby Los Angeles CA, actress (Coach, That's Incredible)
1944 Botho Strauss writer
1944 Roger Omond journalist
1946 Gianni Versace fashion designer (Versace)
1947 Dhiraj Parsana cricket pace bowler (India vs West Indies 1978-79)
1947 Michael Green English TV/video producer
1949 SAMWolf internet guru (Doctor reportedly slapped mother and father. Delivery room nurse last seen running away screaming THE HORROR...THE HORROR)
Middle age is having a choice between two temptations and choosing the one that'll get you home earlier.
Happy birthday
1950 Merrill Ashley St Paul MN, ballerina (NYC Ballet)
1952 Keith Szarabajka Oak Park IL, actor (Nightlife)
1952 Michael McDonald St Louis MO, rock keyboardist/vocals (Doobie Brothers)
1953 Meg Griffin DJ (WNEW-FM, WPLJ-FM, WKRK-FM)/VJ (V-1)
1953 Myung-Whan Chung Seoul Korea, pianist (Chung Sisters)
1953 Jay Dean Haas St Louis MO, PGA golfer (1978 Andy Williams-San Diego)
1954 Dan Butler actor (Bob "Bulldog" Briscoe-Frasier)
1954 Danielle Alexander Fort Worth TX, country music pianist
1954 Huub Stapel Dutch actor (Amsterdamned, Attic: Hiding of Anne Frank)
1954 Stone Phillips news host (NBC Dateline)
1955 Dennis Christopher Philadelphia PA, actor (Breaking Away, California Dreaming)
1956 Steven Bauer Havana Cuba, actor (Scarface, Thief of Hearts)
1960 Rick Savage bass player (Def Leppard-Hysteria, Rock of Ages)
1962 Tracy Austin tennis pro (US Open 1979, 81)
1964 Brian Habib NFL guard (Denver Broncos-Superbowl 32)
1964 Chip Hale Santa Clara CA, infielder (Minnesota Twins)
1964 Yolanda Henry Houston TX, high jumper
1965 Karrie Mitchell Arvada CO, Miss Colorado-America (1991-top 10)
1966 Anita Jokiel Poland, gymnast (Olympics-1980)
1966 Rob Sullivan Chicago IL, Canadian Tour golfer (1991 Tri-City Pro-Am)
1966 Zeke Jones Yipsilanti MI, 114½ lbs freestyle wrestler (Olympics-96)
1968 Reneé Tenison Caldwell ID, playmate of the year (November 1989)
1968 Darryl Kile Garden Grove CA, pitcher (Houston Astros)
1968 Elna Reinach Pretoria South Africa, tennis star
1968 Jiri Dopita Sumperk Czechoslovakia, hockey forward (Team Czechoslovakia Olympics-gold-1998)
1968 Mark Harding Bath England, keeper of Internet biographies
1969 O J McDuffie NFL wide receiver (Miami Dolphins)
1969 Paul Francis Stankowski Oxnard CA, PGA golfer (1994 Las Vegas-5th)
1971 Roy van de Hill soccer player (Roda JC)
1972 Alan Henderson NBA forward (Atlanta Hawks)
1972 Chris Burns CFL tackle (Calgary Stampeders)
1972 Zack Crockett NFL running back (Indianapolis Colts)
1973 Kevin Feighery NFL/WLAF punter (New York Giants, Panthers, Galaxy)
1973 Monica Seles Novi Sad Yugoslavia, tennis star (US Open-1992, French Open-1990)
1975 Brett Lindros London, NHL right wing (New York Islanders)
1981 Britney Jean Spears Kentwood, LA, singer (Baby One More Time, You Drive Me Crazy, Oops I Did It Again)
1988 Edward EMG baron Downpatrick grandson of English prince Edward

---

Deaths which occurred on December 02:
0537 Sylvester Italian Pope (536-37), dies
1463 Albrecht VI archduke of Habsburg, dies
1515 Gonzalo de Córdoba Spanish general/strategist/viceroy of Naples, dies
1592 Alexander Farnese land guardian of Netherlands (1579-92), dies at 46
1719 Pasquier Quesnel French theologist (La Foi), dies at 85
1723 Philip French duke of Orléans/regent (1715-23)/PM (1723), dies
1763 Carl August Thielo composer, dies at 56
1774 Johann Friedrich Agricola German (court)composer/organist, dies at 54
1814 Marquis de Sade writer, dies at 74
1828 Simon Paap Dutch 56 cm long dwarf/cabaret artist, dies at 39
1831 Traugott Maximilian Eberwein composer, dies at 56
1845 Johannes Simon Mayr composer, dies at 82
1859 John Brown US abolitionist, hanged in Charles Town WV at 59
1864 Archibald Gracie Jr Confederate Brigadier-General, dies in battle at 31
1880 Josephine Lang composer, dies at 65
1888 Franz Xaver Witt composer, dies at 54
1888 Mehmed N Kemal Bey Turkish writer/journalist (Vatan), dies at 47
1903 Victor Roger composer, dies at 50
1915 Jan Malat composer, dies at 72
1918 Margit Kaffka writer, dies at 38
1919 Henry Clay Frick built largest coke & steel operation, dies at 69
1925 Julio Garreta composer, dies at 50
1935 Albert Kessel first to die in California gas chamber
1943 Nordahl Grieg writer, dies
1944 Filippo T Marinetti Italian writer (father of futurism), dies at 67
1944 JW Ummels Dutch resistance fighter (House of Saxon-Nazi), dies
1950 Dino Lipatti composer, dies at 33
1953 Ernest Hayes cricketer (Surrey bat played 5 Tests for England), dies
1953 Francis Picabia French painter/illustrator, dies at 75
1957 Harrison Ford silent screen actor (Rubber Tires), dies at 73
1963 Sabu Sabu actor (Jungle Book, Drums), dies of heart attack at 39
1964 Roger Bissière French painter, dies at 76
1966 Luitzen [Bertus] Brouwers Dutch mathematician, dies at 85
1967 Cardinal Francis Spellman archbishop of New York, dies at 78
1969 Kliment J Voroshilov President of USSR (1953-60), dies
1972 Friedrich Christian Christiansen German Luftwaffe general, dies
1974 Sofie-Carmen Eckhardt-Gramatte composer, dies at 72
1976 William Tannen actor (Life & Legend of Wyatt Earp, Jailhouse Rock, Sitting Bull), dies at 65
1976 Danny Murtaugh baseball manager (Pittsburgh Pirates), dies at 59
1979 Vasily Pavlovich Solov'yov-Sedoy composer, dies at 72
1981 Wallace K[irkman] Harrison US architect (UN), dies at 86
1982 Marty Feldman comedic actor (Young Frankenstein), dies at 49 of a heart attack in México
1982 David Blue rocker, dies while jogging in Greenwich Village at 41
1985 Alex Courtney actor (Sword of Justice), dies
1985 Philip Larkin [hermit of Hull] English poet, dies at 63
1986 Desi Arnaz actor (Ricky Ricardo-I Love Lucy), dies of lung cancer at 69
1986 Lee Dorsey R&B singer, dies at 59
1990 Aaron Copland composer (Fanfare for the Common Man), dies at 90
1990 Robert Cummings actor (Love that Bob), dies of kidney failure at 82
1992 Gary Mascaro choreographer, dies at 43
1992 Loek Elfferich Dutch journalist/historian (Treason in Rotterdam), die
1993 Pablo Escobar Gaviria Colombian drug baron, shot to death at 44(Gee That's really too bad)
1994 James Norman Dalrymple Anderson lawyer, dies at 86
1995 [William] Robertson Davies novelist essayist/dramatist, dies
1995 Francis Joseph Quinn academic, dies at 90
1995 Roxie Roker actress (Helen Willis-Jeffersons)/mother of Lenny Kravitz, dies of breast cancer at 66
1995 Stanley Devon photographer, dies at 88

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Reported: MISSING in ACTION

1965 AUSTIN CARL BENJAMIN---WOODBURN OR.
1965 LOGAN JACOB DRUMMOND---SEATTLE WA.
1965 ROBERTS GERALD RAY---SAN MARCOS TX.
[REMAINS RETURNED, IDENTIFIED 10/30/96]
1966 BOTT RUSSELL P.---WORCHESTER MA.
1966 BERGER JAMES R.---MANSFIELD OH
[02/18/73 RELEASED BY DRV, ALIVE IN 98]
1966 BURNS DONALD R.---MINERAL WELLS TX.
[03/04/73 RELEASED BY DRV, DECEASED]
1966 CORDIER KENNETH W.---CANTON OH.
[03/04/73 RELEASED BY DRV, ALIVE AND WELL 98]
1966 DUCAT BRUCE C.---BETHESDA MD.
[03/18/77 SRV RETURNED REMAINS TO PCOM]
1966 DYER IRBY III---MIDLAND TX.
1966 GREGORY ROBERT R.---CAPE GIRADEAU MO.
[POSS DIED IN CAPT REMAINS RETURNED ID 06/09/88]
1966 LANE MICHAEL C.---CORAL GABLES FL.
[02/18/73 RELEASED BY DRV, ALIVE AND WELL 98]
1966 MC RAE DAVID EDWARD---DECATUR GA.
[CMDR THINKS SUBJ DID NOT GET OUT]
1966 MOORBERG MONTE LARUE---GRAND ISLAND NE.
[PROB KIA PIC PUBLISHED REMAINS RETURNED 08/14/85]
1966 NYSTROM BRUCE A.---MARION OH.
[POSS DEAD]
1966 REHMANN DAVID G.---LANCASTER CA.
["02/12/73 RELEASED BY DRV, ALIVE AND WELL 98
1966 STARK WILLIE E.---OMAHA NE.
1966 STUTZ LEROY W.---EFFINGHAM KS
[03/04/73 RELEASED BY DRV, ALIVE AND WELL 98]
1966 SULANDER DANIEL A.---MINNEAPOLIS MN.
1966 WORRELL PAUL L.---PHILADELPHIA PA.
[REMAINS RETURNED 08/14/85]
1967 CROSBY RICHARD A.---SPOKANE WA.
1967 LEEPER WALLACE W.---WELLINGTON CO.
1967 MOREIDA MANUEL J.---HARLINGEN TX.
1967 STRANGE FLOYD W.---CHICO CA.
1969 DUNLAP WILLIAM C.---TUCSON AZ.
[REMAINS IDENTIFIED 2/26/90]
1969 SANDERLIN WILLIAM D.---FORT WORTH TX.
[REMAINS IDENTIFIED 2/26/90]
1969 SHANLEY MICHAEL H. JR.---LA MESA CA.
REMAINS RETURNED 3/90]
1969 VANDEN EYKEL MARTIN D. II---WHEATON IL.
[NO POSITIV ID ON MARTIN 2/02/90]
1972 SHINE ANTHONY C.---PLEASANTVILLE NY.
[REMAINS RETURNED 09/96]

POW / MIA Data & Bios supplied by
the P.O.W. NETWORK. Skidmore, MO. USA.

---

On this day...
1620 English language newspaper "Namloos" begins publishing in Amsterdam
1682 English Earl of Shaftesbury's flight to Amsterdam
1697 St Paul's Cathedral opens in London
1763 Touro shul of Newport RI dedicated (oldest existing US synagogue)
1777 British General Howe plots attack on Washington's army for Dec 4
1790 Austrian army occupies Brussels
1802 English sell Suriname to Dutch
1804 Napoleon Bonaparte crowned 1st emperor of France in Paris by Pope Pius VII
1805 Napoleon defeats Russians & Austrians at Austerlitz
1812 James Madison re-elected President of US, Elbridge Gerry Vice-President
1816 1st savings bank in US opens (Philadelphia Savings Fund Society)
1822 In San Salvador, a congress proposes incorporation into US
1823 President James Monroe declares his "Monroe Doctrine"
1840 Gaetano Donizetti's opera "La Favorita" premieres in Paris
1840 William H Harrison elected President of US, John Tyler Vice-President
1848 Franz Josef I becomes emperor of Austria and King of Hungary
1852 2nd French empire established; Louis Napoleon becomes emperor
1864 Skirmish at Rocky Creek Church, Georgia
1868 1st British government of Disraeli resigns
1877 Camille Saint-Saëns' opera "Samson et Dalila" premieres in Weimar
1882 Amsterdam Artis Zoo opens aquarium
1883 Johannes Brahms' 3rd Symphony in F, premieres
1887 Charles Dickens' 1st public reading in US (New York NY)
1887 French President Grévy (80) resigns
1891 52nd Congress (1891-93) convenes
1895 54th Congress (1895-97) convenes
1896 Gerhart Hauptmann's "Die versunkene Glocke" premieres in Berlin
1899 US & Germany agree to divide Samoa between them
1900 South African President Paul Kruger arrives in Germany
1901 King Camp Gillette begins selling safety razor blades
1907 English Professional Football Player's Association forms
1908 Pu Yi (Hsuan-T'ung) became China's Last Emperor at age 3
1913 Archdiocese of Managua created
1913 Government-Barthou falls due to overtime conscription
1914 Austria army occupies Belgrade Serbia
1916 Baseballers who are injured now get full pay for duration of contract
1917 Han Yong-woon, found Zen awakening at Osean Monastery Korea
1918 Armenia proclaims independence from Turkey
1924 British-German trade agreement signed
1927 1st Model A Fords sold, for $385
1928 Cardinals 1B Jim Bottomley is voted National League MVP
1929 1st skull of Peking man found, 50 km out of Peking at Tsjoe Koe Tien
1932 "Adventures of Charlie Chan" 1st heard on NBC-Blue radio network
1933 1st transatlantic telephone wedding (Bertil Clason-Sigrid Carlson)
1933 Fred Astaire's 1st film, "Dancing Lady" is released
1934 5.08-m (200") Mount Palomar Observatory mirror is cast
1939 British Imperial Airways & British Airways merge to form BOAC
1939 New York's La Guardia Airport began operations as an airliner from Chicago lands, 1 minute after midnight
1941 Largest roller skating rink (outside of NYC) opens in Peekskill NY
1941 Naval Intelligence ceases bugging Japanese consul
1941 New York Giants name Mel Ott as player-manager, replacing Bill Terry
1941 Yamamoto sends his fleet to Pearl Harbor
1942 1st controlled nuclear chain reaction (Enrico Fermi-University of Chicago)
1943 1st RSHA transport out of Vienna reaches Birkenau camp
1944 10th Heisman Trophy Award: Les(lie) Horvath, Ohio State (QB)
1944 General De Gaulle arrives in Moscow
1944 German troops seize Betuwse dikes
1944 General George S. Patton's troops enter the Saar Valley and break through the Siegfried line
1947 13th Heisman Trophy Award: Johnny Lujack, Notre Dame (QB)
1948 Stan Musial is picked National League MVP
1950 Vic Toweel knocks down Danny O'Sullivan 14 times in a title fight
1951 Philadelphia sets NFL record of 25 1st-downs rushing
1951 "Borscht Capades" closes at Royale Theater NYC after 90 performances
1952 18th Heisman Trophy Award: Billy Vessels, Oklahoma (HB)
1952 1st human birth televised to public (KOA-TV Denver CO)
1954 Frank Selvy of Milwaukee sets then NBA record of 24 of 26 free throws
1954 US Senate censures Joe McCarthy (Senator-R-WI) for "conduct that tends to bring the Senate into dishonor and disrepute"
1956 Fidel Castro lands with "Granma" on coast of Cuba
1957 1st US full-scale atomic electric power plant-power generated, Shippingport PA
1957 Sam Cooke's "You Send Me" reaches #1
1958 Benelux treaty signed by Belgium, Netherlands & Luxembourg
1958 24th Heisman Trophy Award: Pete Dawkins, Army (HB)
1958 KNOP TV channel 2 in North Platte NE (NBC) begins broadcasting
1959 Malpasset dam collapses destroying French Riviera town of Frejus
1961 1st OT Grey Cup game (Winnipeg 21, Hamilton 14)
1961 Fidel Castro declares he's a Marxist, & will lead Cuba to Communism
1961 Wind Bell, journal of San Francisco Zen Center, begins publishing
1962 50th CFL Grey Cup: Winnipeg beats Hamilton, 28-27 at Toronto [OT]
1963 1st Dutch rocket launched/reaches height of 10 km
1963 Major League Rules Committee bans oversized catcher's mitts, effective in 1965
1964 Ringo Starr's tonsils are removed
1966 Love, Moby Grape & Lee Michaels perform at Fillmore East
1967 55th CFL Grey Cup: Hamilton Tiger-Cats defeats Saskatchewan, 24-1
1968 President Nixon names Henry Kissinger security advisor
1969 Boeing 747 jumbo jet 1st public preview (Seattle WA to New York NY)
1970 Environmental Protection Agency begins (Director: William Ruckelshaus)
1970 Tippetts Opera "Knot Garden" premieres in London
1971 Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Dubai, Fujeira, Sharjah & Umm ak Qiwain form the United Arab Emirates
1971 Soviet Mars 3 is 1st to soft land on Mars
1971 Zayid bin Sultan Al Nuhayyan of Abu Dhabi becomes President of UAE
1972 "December Giant" largest sinkhole in US collapses (Alabama)
1972 In one of their worst trades Yankees get Rich McKinney for Stan Bahnsen
1972 "Via Galactica" closes at Uris Theater NYC after 7 performances
1972 60th CFL Grey Cup: Hamilton Tiger-Cats defeats Saskatchewan, 13-10
1973 62nd Davis Cup: Australia beats USA in Cleveland (5-0)
1973 US Air Arena opens in Landover MD, Bullets beat Seattle, 98-96
1974 Soyuz 16 launched into Earth orbit for 6 days
1974 Giant Baba beats Jack Brisco in Kagoshimi, to become NWA champion
1975 Laos falls to communist forces; King Sisavang Vatthana resigns, Lao People's Democratic Republic proclaimed
1975 7 South Moluccans hijack train at Wijster Drente, 3 killed
1978 Chanting "Allah is great", anti-Shah protesters poured through Tehran
1978 Neil Diamond & Barbra Streisand's "You Don't Bring Me Flowers" hits #1
1979 Crowds attack US embassy at Tripoli Libya
1979 USSR performs nuclear test at Eastern Kazakhstan/Semipalitinsk USSR
1980 4 American Maryknoll nuns killed by death squads in El Salvador
1981 Moscone Convention Center, San Francisco opens at 11:30 AM
1981 Fernando Valenzuela (Dodgers) wins National League Rookie of the Year
1981 Spanish government requests membership in NATO
1982 1st permanent artificial heart successfully implanted (University of Utah) in retired dentist Barney Clark; lived 112 days with the Jarvic-7 heart
1984 4th meeting of Giants-Jets, Giants even series at 2 with 20-10 win
1984 Bob Holland takes 9-83 for New South Wales against South Australia, SCG
1984 USSR performs nuclear test at Eastern Kazakhstan/Semipalitinsk USSR
1985 Rupert Holmes' musical "Mystery of Edwin Drood" premieres at Imperial Theater NYC for 608 performances
1986 Dow-Jones index hits record 1955.57
1987 Chicago City Council elects Eugene Sawyer acting mayor
1987 Jennifer Steele, 17, of Colorado becomes Miss Teen America
1987 US performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site
1988 "Naked Gun" premieres, a movie based on TV's "Police Squad"
1988 5 gunmen who hijacked Soviet Aeroflot jet, surrender in Israel
1988 STS-27 Atlantis launched (Secret military mission)
1988 UN votes 151-2 (Israel & US) to move PLO debate to Geneva, Britain abstains
1989 KHJ-TV in Los Angeles CA changes call letters to KCAL-TV
1989 Vishwanath Pratap Singh sworn in as President of India
1990 1st parliamentary election in newly reunified Germany
1990 US 69th manned space mission STS 35 (Columbia 11) launches into orbit
1990 79th Davis Cup: USA beats Australia in St Petersburg (3-2)
1990 Beth Daniel/Davis Love win LPGA J C Penney Golf Classic
1991 Bobby Bonilla signs record $29 million-5 year pact with the New York Mets
1991 Muslim Shites release American held hostage in Lebanon (Joseph Cicippio)
1992 WQEW-AM radio replaces WQXR on 1560 in New York NY
1993 A Websters musical "Sunset Promenade" premieres in Los Angeles
1993 Dow-Jones hits record 3702.11
1993 Houston Rockets tie NBA record of 15-0 start
1993 Space shuttle STS-61 (Endeavour 5), launches
1994 Achille Lauro (Willem Ruys) sinks off the coast of Somalia
1994 Jury finds Heidi Fleiss guilty of running a call girl ring
1995 17th ACE Cable Awards
1997 MCI Center opens in Washington DC, Wizards vs SuperSonics

---

Holidays
Note: Some Holidays are only applicable on a given "day of the week"

America : Pan American Health Day
Cuba : Landing of Granma Expeditionaries
UAE : Independence Day (1971)
US : Mars Landing Day
International Calendar Awareness Month

---

Religious Observances
Roman Catholic : Commemoration of St Bibiana, virgin & martyr
Anglican : Memorial of Channing Moore Williams, missionary bp in China & Japan

---

Religious History
1763 The Touro Synagogue opened in Newport, RI. Sephardic Jews in Jamaica, Surinam, London and Amsterdam sponsored the building of this first major center of Jewish culture in America.
1831 Birth of Francis N. Peloubet, American Congregational clergyman. A promoter of the Sunday School, he penned 44 annual volumes of "Select Notes on the International Sunday School Lessons" between 1875 and his death in 1920. They were known afterward as "Peloubet's Notes."
1873 The Reformed Episcopal Church was organized in New York City when 8 clergymen and 20 laymen broke from the Protestant Episcopal Church over a debate regarding proper church ritual.
1908 The Federal Council of Churches of Christ in America was founded in Philadelphia. (In 1950 this ecumenical organization was replaced by the National Council of Churches.)
1946 Rev. E.V. Steele founded the European Christian Orphanage and Mission Society in Alberta, Canada. Its name was changed in 1953 to World Missions Fellowship and has been headquartered since 1961 in Grants Pass. OR.

Source: William D. Blake. ALMANAC OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH. Minneapolis: Bethany House, 1987.

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Thought for the day :
"Every Titanic has its iceberg."

---

Question of the day...
If people from Poland are called "Poles," why aren't people from
Holland called Holes?"

---

Murphys Law of the day...(Boling's Postulate)
If you're feeling good, don't worry. You'll get over it.

---

Astounding fact # 768,120...
Reindeer like to eat bananas.

[SAMWolf]

Good Morning Snippy.