brooke bluebonnet broadcast

BROOKEBLUEBONNET BROADCASTVOLUME I

NO. 1713 JANUARY

1945

—Official U. S. ArmyPhoto by Wingate.

OFFICIAL PUBLICATION

BROOKE GENERAL HOSPITALAN ARMY SERVICE FORCES INSTALLATION

FORT SAM HOUSTON, TEXAS

BROOKE BLUEBONNET BROADCAST

RED CROSS AUDITORIUM "NEW” HOSPITAL:Sunday School, Children 10:00 a. m.

“OLD” HOSPITAL RED CROSS BUILDING:Sunday Morning Worship 9:00 a. m.Sunday Vespers 5:30 p. m.Wednesday Vespers 5:30 p. m.

ASSEMBLY HALL, M.D.E.T.S.:Sunday 11:00 a. m.

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RESOLUTIONSThe New Year 1945 has arrived. 1944

has been, perhaps, one of the most historicyears since the beginning of America. Someof the things hoped for have not been real-ized but many things have gone beyond ourexpectations. 1945 bids fair to be evenmore important than 1944, in that we allhope to see a part, if not all, of this warended. The time now approaches for us toconsider the advisability of making resolu-tions and what these well might be. It ismy purpose to enumerate a few that occurto my own mind.

In the first place, every American shouldresolve to do his very best to help to bringthis war to a speedy conclusion and may Isay that the part that each individual playsis an important one. Now, this resolutioncan be accomplished through a real appre-ciation of what America means to each ofus. This type of appreciation will stimu-late the desire on the part of each to do hisvery best in the job he has and to refrainfrom shirking along any line.

The second resolution that I would callto your attention is that of our obligationto our Heavenly Father. This is far moreimportant than even the best of us mayrealize. All that we have of life, privilege,and hope, comes to us through our religion.Since behind everything is Almighty Godand His Beloved Son, we Christians shouldresolve to make our Christianity morepractical and more personal than it hasbeen in the past. There should be an adora-tion of God every day of our lives for Hismany blessings. There should be a faiththat recognizes His ability to lead in worldaffairs as well as in the individual life, andconsecration of our lives and resources toHis Kingdom’s interests. There should bea willingness on the part of each to say,“Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done onearth as it is in Heaven.”

We should further resolve to be consid-erate of others, realizing that each indi-vidual has problems that are not known tous, and that these problems many timesare very great even though not expressedby word of mouth. An understanding atti-tude can go a long way toward the unitythat is needed in every activity connectedwith our lives.

There are many other smaller resolu-tions that can well be made and should be.

(Continued on Page 17)

BROOKEBLUEBONNETBROADCAST

AUTHORIZED BYBRIGADIER GENERAL GEO. C. BEACH

COMMANDINGBROOKE GENERAL HOSPITAL

Vol. 1, No. 17 APN-8-21-M

EDITORHelen McCoy

Public Relations RepresentativeASSOCIATE EDITOR

Doris Simmons

PHOTOGRAPHYPfc. Robert S. Wingate

(Official United States Army Photos)

REGULAR CONTRIBUTORSColonel Howard L. Landers,

U. S. Army, retired

1st Lt. Mary Hansen, ANC1st Lt. Fern Green, P. T.

Pvt. Carroll H. CurryCARTOONS

Pvt. Carroll H. CurryPvt. William LytlePrivate Stan Louis

The Brooke Bluebonnet Broadcast, compiledand edited in the Public Relations Office, Is pub-lished expressly for the patients, military andcivilian personnel of Brooke General Hospital.

Printed material, photos and cartoons fromthis publication may be reproduced providedproper credit is given and specific prior permis-sion has been granted.

THECHAPEL

RELIGIOUS ACTIVITIESCATHOLIC MASS:

Sunday, Chapel - 8:00 a. m.Sunday, Red Cross Bldg, “old”hospital 10:15 a. m.Confessions before Mass

PROTESTANT SERVICES:NEW HOSPITAL CHAPEL:

Sunday School, Young People 9:00 a. m.Sunday Morning Worship 10:00 a. m.Sunday Vespers 7:30 p.m .


BASIC TRAININGUNDER THE SUPERVISION

ARMY NURSE CORPSBasic Training for Army Nurses was

first initiated at Brooke General Hospitalon 19 July 1943. Based on a master sched-ule from the War Department, Basic Train-ing was begun as a four-weeks’ programof which two weeks were devoted to class-room and drill field work and two weekson the wards.

In November 1944, the program was ex-panded and is now of three weeks dura-tion with one week on the wards. Severalimportant phases were added to the teach-ing schedule, such as classes on nursingcare and administration, tent pitching, ex-cursions to various nearby installations suchas the new Plastic Eye Center and the Elec-troencephalographic Laboratory; the Recon-ditioning Unit; the Medical Department’sEnlisted Technicians School—all of BrookeGeneral Hospital; the School of AviationMedicine at -Randolph Field, at whichBrigadier General Eugene Reinhartz ad-dresses the nurses, and the School of AirExacuation, also at Randolph Field. TheBasic Training Classes are shown an armyhospital train and one of the C-47 planes asit arrives at Alamo Field. In these planesp atients are transported from other Gen-eral hospitals in the United States, aftertheir evacuation to this country by planeor boat from an overseas theater.

The group takes several hikes duringBasic Training, one of these being a map-reading problem.

On this hike the nurses experience asurprise chemical attack, learn practicalapplication of water purification, andpractice “taking cover” in the event anyof the planes overhead may be “enemy”planes.

The Basic Training program includeslectures on Health and Hygiene in variousclimates; Military Courtesy and Customsof the Service; Military Security; MapReading; Postal Censorship; POM andTroop Ships; Chemical Warfare; MalariaControl; Interrogation of Prisoners; Mili-tary Law; Field Orientation and Evacua-tion of the wounded.

Lectures are given to supplement thevarious subjects mentioned and additionallectures on the organization of the Army,Medical Department and the Army NursesCorps, wearing of the uniform; mess man-agement; hospital diets; military cor-respondence; ward management; emergen-cy surgical and emergency medical treat-ment; Thoracic surgery; Neurosurgery

and use of blood and blood substitutes.These lectures are given by members ofthe Staff of Brooke General Hospital.

Lectures totaling 12 hours on subjectspertaining to nursing care and preparationof records are included in the course aswell as a demonstration and practice inambulance loading.

Instructors of the course are membersof the regular staff of the hospital andthe Medical Department Enlisted Techni-cians School. All members of theNurse Corps, Physical Therapists and Hos-pital Dietitians in the Army are requiredto take Basic Training and all such per-sonnel coming into the Eighth Service Com-mand take their training at Brooke Gen-eral Hospital. At the completion of thecourse, a certificate is awarded.

New combat bulletins in film form, re-leased by the War Department are shownon open hours.

Physical training includes dismounteddrill, calisthenics and games such as volleyball, soft-ball and kick-ball. Approximately30 hours are required for this phase ofBasic Training.

The Basic Training Program for all mili-tary personnel at Brooke comes under thesupervision of Major Clyde Kernek, Plansand Training Officer, who with Lt. ColonelElizabeth Harding, ANC, former ChiefNurse of Brooke and Lt. Margaret E.Schmidt were responsible for first settingup the Basic Training Program here. Tech-nical Sergeant Alexander Lemons was thefirst drill-master. Lieutenant Mary ElaineHendrixson, ANC, is now in immediatecharge of the program and Pfc. BernardH. Reando is the present drill-master.

Lt. Hendrixson was born in Marietta,Ohio, and graduated from Marietta Collegethere. She majored in England and Edu-cation and is a member of Chi Omega andthe American Association of UniversityWomen.

Receiving her Master’s Degree in Nurs-ing at the Frances Payne Bolton School ofNursing, Western Reserve University inCleveland, Ohio, Lt. Hendrixson also holdsa Certificate in Public Health Nursingfrom the same school. She served on thestaff of the Cleveland Visiting Nurses’Association for two years. Leaving Cleve-land, she went to Silver City, New Mexico,as Director of Health Service at the NewMexico State Teachers College.



First LieutenantMary E. Hendrixson,Army Nurse Corps,in charge of Basictraining at BrookeGeneral Hospital, ather desk in her office,Reid Hall.

ARMS SIDEWARD! RAISE! is the command given to begin Calisthenics by the drill master,Pfc. Bernard H. Reando, 10 hours' drill and Calisthenics are required in Basic Training forNurses, Physical Therapists and Hospital Dietitians.


EARLY IN THE MORNING during Calisthenics, the class learns to do "push-ups" aspart of its Basic Training.

DRESS RIGHT! DRESS!—the order to form a straight line as the right end of each squad1,stands fast extending the left arm until fingers touch the shoulders of the person at the left.All other members of squad turn eyes right as they extend left arm.

JROOKE BLUEBONNET BROADCAST

LECTURES form an integral part of Basic Training. Here Colonel Alfred R. Thomas, Jr.,Chief of the Laboratory Service at Brooke General Hospital lectures on Malaria Control.

CHEMICAL WARFARE to prove the effectiveness of the gas mask. Nurses go in the gaschamber with their masks on and while in the chamber must remove their gas masks, givename, rank, organization and serial number before stumbling blindly out. This training is re-quired of all military personnel as defense against chemical attack.


A HIKE with full pack is one of the requirements of Basic Training at Brooke.

DRINKING FROM A LISTER BAG: during the outing, the class learns how to disinfectdrinking water in the field.


CAMOUFLAGE—"Cherchez la femme!"

SURPRISE GAS ATTACK shows orderly adjustment of gas masks and helmets.


A BREAK IN THE MARCH. Group rests for a few minutes before continuing the march.

AMBULANCE LOADING—the art of caring for the sick and wounded in the field is partof the Basic Training course at Brooke.


TENT PITCHING—Major Maidie E. Tilley, Chief Nurse, Brooke General Hospital, inspectstent pitching on the field adjoining Reid Hall.

INSPECTION of members graduating from the Basic Training class by Major Gen. JohnF. Sloan, of the 88th Division


. Christmas at BrookeLeft—Pound Boxes of chocolates,gift of the Brooke General Hos-pital to its patients, are beingdistributed by a Gray Lady. Theboxes were decorated with asketch of the hospital within acolorful wreath and below it, asincere Christmas greeting.

Above—Patients in Ward 4gather ’round their ChristmasTree on Christmas Eve, awaitingthe distribution of ChristmasGifts.

Above—Ward 5 (OrthopedicWard) shows off its prettytree on Christmas Eve. justbefore the distribution ofgifts.

Right—Ward 7 (Officers'Ward) participates in Christ-mas fun. Don't look now—but are those CIGAR-ETTES hanging on yonChristmas Tree?

BROOKE BLUEBONNET BROADCAST BROOKE BLUEBONNET BROADCAST

Scenes From Christmas at BrookeLeft—General Beach and SantaClaus (any resemblance to CaptainHawthorne is purely intentional)at the Christmas Party held by theAdjutant's Section.

Right—General Beach delivers theChristmas Message on ChristmasEve to ambulatory patients at theRed Cross Auditorium, BuildingNo. 1.

Above—Carol singing by membersof the Incarnate Word CollegeGirls' Choir at the Red Cross Au-ditorium, Christmas Eve.

Above—The Children's ChristmasParty, ably planned and executedby the Special Service Office ofBrooke General Hospital.

Above—The Adjutant's Sectionholds a Christmas Party—PollyBomba stops to admire (?) MajorKernek's gift.

Above—The Medical Supply Sec-tion held a Christmas Party, too.The improvised Santa is none otherthan Alvin "Butch" Menger.

Right—D e I i c i o u s refreshmentswere enjoyed by the many who at-tended the Christmas Party givenby the Adjutant's Section.

Left—Corporal Carter and Ser-geant Robinson, Santa's (CorporalOyster) Helpers, aid in distributingthe gifts at the Children’s Christ-mas Party.


Mess Inspection December 25thRight—Brigadier General Geo.C. Beach, Commanding Generalof Brooke General Hospital, in-spects the Mess on ChristmasMorning. Shown with the Gen-eral, are Lieutenant CatherineC. Smith, Hospital Dietician andto her right, Major Roy I. Weir,Jr., Mess Officer at Brooke.

Above—Mess No. 1, located inthe main building of the "new”Brooke General Hospital.

Above—Mess No. 3.. locatedin the Detachment, MedicalDepartment.

Left—Mess No. 6, locatedin the Medical DepartmentEnlisted Technicians' School.

BROOKE BLUEBONNET ROADCAST

"A War Expert .Views the News"By Colonel H. L. Landers, U. S. Army, Retired

Military Commentator on Texas Quality Networkfrom Station WOAI, San Antonio, Texas

Mondays and Wednesdays, 6:30 p.m.

SURPRISE(January 4)

The German counteroffensive of theChristmas season of 1944 will go down inhistory as having been productive of moreconsternation in the Allied ranks thanany other event of the war. To what ex-tent commanders were caught off guard isa matter that should be viewed with ex-treme caution, as much is yet to be learnedof events immediately preceding Field Mar-shal van Rundstedt’s surprise attack. To-day high American air officers in confer-ence in Paris said that bad weather, plusthe fact that there is only half as muchdaylight on the western front now as onD-day, prevented adequate air reconnais-sance of German preparation for this greatoffensive.

One conjecture definitely can be dis-missed—that General Eisenhower plannedto entrap and destroy enemy forces knownby him to be preparing to breach the Al-lied front. If such had been the SupremeCommander’s knowledge and purpose, hewould have proceeded in a manner lesscostly than were the events of the firstweek of the break-through.

It is a remarkable fact that 36 hoursafter the Germans struck on a 50-milefront, their defeat in this particular enter-prise could be foreseen at Allied head-quarters. The Nazi time-table was badlydisrupted by the few American divisionsthat gallantly held the battered sectors orfought magnificent withdrawal actions.It was apparent that one objective of vonRundstedt was for the divisions in thenorth to drive to the Meuse River at itsnearest point—the fortress city of Liege.But divisions from the American FirstArmy hit the northern flank of the pene-tration, bending the prolongation of thesalient southward, and Liege was neverthreatened. The several German columnsin the southern wing of the counteroffen-sive were slowed down by the small forceof Americans on their front, and it wasnot until three days had elapsed that theThird Army, Patton’s command, was or-dered into the action.

On the fourth day of the invasion (De-cember 19) four German columns hadreached the highway through Bastogne andArlon, 25 miles from their jump-off line.

It is likely that General Bradley delayedordering Patton to move into position to at-tack, until Hodges had time to funnelthe direction of the penetration southward,by the pressure his First Army exerted onthe north flank of the salient.

From the time Patton struck, the ene-my’s further progress was graduallysqueezed into a four-mile-wide corridor thatlost all momentum at Ciney and Celles, afew miles eastward from Dinant on theMeuse River. Christmas, the tenth day ofthe action, marked the collapse of theGerman high command’s plans. The out-standing spots of the last half of De-cember are to be found in heroic deeds per-formed by separate American units.

The German counteroffensive began onDecember 16 in the north with a drivethrough the Eifel Mountains, 10 miles eastof St. Yith. An organization, not desig-nated in the dispatch but probably a divi-sion of the First Army, had been in aquiet rest area for a few days, where itwas stretched out, with its patrols, over afront of about 25 miles. On the night of the15th the organization learned that the Ger-mans were massing on its front. The at-tack came at dawn. German columns cut inbehind Schnee Eifel from both flanks,trapping the American outpost troops. Themain body unsuccessfully strove to breakthrough to their encircled comrades, whoin two days were wiped out. The Germansdrove the main body of this organizationback to St. Vith the night of the 17th.

Supreme Allied Headquarters disclosedthat the 1st Infantry, 7th Armored and82nd Airborne divisions figured prominent-ly in stemming the German drive in itsfirst few days. When the crack 12th Pan-zer Division crashed through above St.Vith and headed for Malmedy, the veteranFirst Infantry Division was rushed fromthe region of the Roer River to Butgenbachand in the ensuing battle, which raged forseveral days, tore the heart out of theseSS (Elite Guard) troops. It was just southof this area that Himmler’s SS troopsmassacred about 100 American soldiers whohad been taken prisoner.

The 7th Armored Division, which in fourmonths of combat had fought as part offour armies, got word on Sunday the 17thto come quickly. One of its two combatteams struck into St. Vith while the other


covered the flank to the north. After hold-ing the important road-net around St. Vithfor five days, wljjle the main Americandefense line was being extended westward,the division was relieved and ordered intoa rest area. The rest period lasted onlya few hours, however, when the 7th Ar-mored was ordered back into the line.

The 82nd Airborne Division saw bitterfighting in and around the “Stavelotpocket,” against the 1st SS Adolf HitlerPanzers. At Bastogne occurred the mostspectacular of all these gallant episodes.The 101st Airborne Division was rushedinto Bastogne by trucks, just before theGermans completed the encirclement ofthat eight-way rail and road junction onthe 19th of December. Their gallant de-fense of Bastogne, until relieved by ThirdArmy troops, was an outstanding episodein the early days of the invasion.

San Antonio’s 2nd Infantry Division,flanked by the 1st and 99th Infantry Di-visions, held the northeast shoulder of theenemy’s corridor below Monschau, beat-ing back blow after blow along the vitalroad-network. Cooks, clerks and driversfought in the front lines, met the enemyattack head on and stemmed the surge ofan SS armored divison, elements of twoother SS armored divisions and three in-fantry divisions.

Continuing to deepen and broaden hisposition around Bastogne, Patton has dom-inated that part of the embattled line—-but only by a thin margin. The ThirdArmy strives to cut through the 12-milewaist line and encircle elements of prob-ably eight to ten German divisions. Yes-terday (January 3) Hodge’s opened an of-fensive, striking south from Grandmenil.At this writing the forces of Patton andHodges are less than 10 miles apart.

BURMAGreater progress has been made in driv-

ing the Japanese out of north central Bur-ma, than might be inferred from the mod-est stand taken by Lt. Gen. Dan Sultan,in not allowing himself to be exploited inthe news pertaining to the operations ofAmerican forces there. United States in-fantry and artillery troops, known as the“Mars Task Force,” have been fighting to-ward Mandalay for some time. This taskforce is made up of veteran jungle fightersfrom Merrill’s Marauders, together withreplacements from the United States andvolunteers from U. S. forces stationed inthe India-Burma theater.

A most interesting piece of news wasthat a “powerful American and Chinesetank force had roared into the town ofBhamo.” Bhamo previously had been cap-tured by a highly efficient force of Chi-nese infantry and artillery.

The British 36th Division captured Tig-yaing, 42 miles down the Irrawaddy fromKatha, and 125 miles short of Mandalay.

To the east near the China border, the30th Chinese Division captured three vil-lages 30 miles north of Namhkam, wherethe Japanese are expected to make theirlast stand in defense of the old BurmaRoad. It was reported that there wereindications that the branch road fromBhamo to the Burma Road would be openedsoon.

British troops on the 15th Indian Corpsfront captured Kwazon, a village at thejunction of the Kalapanzin and Mayu Riv-ers.

In eight days a corps of the BritishFourteenth Army in Burma advanced 150miles. It can be seen how this remarkableexploit has changed the strategical patternof the Burma campaign. Until recentlythere were three battle sectors, but nosingle front in Burma. Now there is a con-nected line clear across the country. Nu-merous reactions from that theater of war,point definitely to early truck service intoChina.

COOPERATION FROM THE HEARTWhen the Japanese made their assault

on Assam last spring and threatened tocut the railroad supplying Stilwell’s rail-head at Ledo, Stilwell offered to lend theBritish general in command of the areaone of his best Chinese divisions, to helpprotect the rail and road communications.That would mean the advance on Myit-kyina would have to be postponed indefi-nitely. The Britisher refused the generousoffer and in turn assured General Stilwellthat should the railroad be cut, he guar-anteed it would not remain cut for morethan ten days. With this assurance Stilwellheaded all-out for Myitkyina.

Stilwell did the job of driving the Ledoroad to Myitkina, and now the British arecooperating on a larger scale than beforeto complete the connection with the oldBurma Road, and to throw the Japaneseout of Burma.

MacARTHURIn a communique issued on the last day

of 1944, General MacArthur said that thecompleted campaign on Leyte, where sevendivisions of the Sixth Army under Gen-eral Krueger had wiped out five full Ja-panese divisions and the major elementsof two others, resulted in the annihilationof the 35th Japanese Army, including 116,-770 officers and men.

The victorious American forces were ofapproximately the same strength as theJapanese, and consisted of the 1st CavalryDivision, the 11th Airborne Division, and



General Edgar King AddressesStaff of Brooke Hospital

Brigadier General Edgar King, formerly Chief Surgeon of the Armed Forces in the PacificOcean Area, now with the Surgeon General's Office in Washington, D. C., was a recent visitorat Brooke General Hospital and is shown above as he addressed the Staff of the hospital inthe auditorium at the Red Cross House on December 27th.

asked about his visit to Brooke remarked,“I came to see what I could learn aboutwhat Medical Department people are doingon the home front and to be of any assis-tance in giving information which mightbe of value to those slated for overseasduty.

General King expressed himself as be-ing well pleased with the skill and effi-ciency of Medical Department personnelas a whole.

Brooke General Hospital was honored thepast month in having Brigadier GeneralEdgar King as a distinguished guest. Gen-eral King, formerly Chief Surgeon of theArmed Forces in the Pacific Ocean Areanow with the Surgeon General’s Office inWashington, D.C. spoke before the hos-pital staff on December 27th, the secondday of his two-day visit.

General King is making a tour of hos-pitals throughout the country and when

RESOLUTIONS(Continued from Page 2)

Some of you may say that you do not makenew resolutions, but it is scarcely believe-able that one would want to remain in thisstate of mind. My appeal is that our reso-

lutions be made intelligently after muchthought and meditation and then set be-fore us as principles by which we shouldlive in the New Year.

Oi'-LIE G. MATTHEWSBrooke's Chaplain


RADIO SHOP OPENED ATRECONDITIONING UNIT

Left to right at the fronttable: Pvt. Johnnie Bick-ley of San Antonio; T/5Harold Weiss of Belhar-bor, L. I., Pfc. Sam B.Brice of Shreveport,Lousiana; Pfc. RonaldLewis of Hopeville, Geor-gia; T/5 Wallace Sharp,Jr., of Edinberg, Texas;and Pfc. Edward J. Abairof Moniton, Washington.

T/5 Harold Weiss ofBelharbor, Long Is-

land (former patient ofBrooke), left, in centerpicture, gives a fewpointers to Pvt. WilliamC. Pleasant of Houston,Texas, in the construc-tion of a receiving setin the Radio Shop.Others left to right, are:

Pvt. Charles Kemp of

Raleigh, North Carolina;Pfc. Earnest Newbury ofWaukegan, Illinois; andPfc. David Gormley ofNewburyport, Massachu-setts.

Left, Pvt. Ronald Lewisof Hopeville, Georgia, isputting the final toucheson his three-tube radioLooking on (left to right)are: Pfc. Sam B. Brice ofSheveport, Louisiana andCpI. Ralph M. Johnson ofSioux City, Iowa.


Trainees In the Reconditioning UnitTake Radio Construction Course

“Learn while you build” is the motto inthe Radio Construction and Theory courseoffered to the trainees of the Recondition-ing Service at Annex IV, Brooke GeneralHospital. Recognizing the need for acourse with both therapeutic and educa-tional value, the Reconditioning Servicehas set up a radio class as part of theVoluntary Educational Activities program.During a period of from three to six weeks,the trainee may build a complete three-tuberadio receiver and understand most of the“why’s” and “wherefores” while he isbuilding.

The program is strictly voluntary andthe advancement of each trainee who hasprogressed from the patient stage to a con-valescent depends upon his individual speedand adaptability. When a man shows upfor his first class he is given an explana-tion of the basic fundamentals of radiotheory . . . from transmission in the broad-casting station ...to reception in the re-ceiving set.

Since the first set that he builds is acrystal detector set, the trainee at Brookeis told exactly what each part plays in theprocess from aerial to tuning circuit, to

crystal, to bypass condenser, and finally,to the earphones. His next step is theactual construction of such a set accordingto prepared instructions; in this way, as heinserts each new element, he will mentallyreflect the function of it, as explained inthe preceeding period, and tie up the en-tire phenomenon in a coherent and logicalstep-by-step process.

This plan progresses through the fol-lowing phases, that is, building a one-tubeset with earphones, a two-way communi-cation system, and finally a three-tuberadio complete with loudspeaker. The in-terest the men take in their work is height-ened considerably by the prospect of listen-ing to a radio which they, themselves, havebuilt.

In a surprisingly short time, technicalterminology, such as “amplitude modula-tion,” “carrier wave,” “variable capaci-tor,” “inductive coupling,” “grid leak re-sistor,” “filter condenser,” etc. are handledby the trainees with the facility of ex-perts. Already many of the men at BrookeGeneral Hospital have indicated a desireto continue with radio as an army assign-ment and also as a post-war occupation.

The cartoon atright by Pvt. StanLouis and Sgt. JoeyGottlieb of the Re-conditioning Serv-ice at Brooke Gen-eral Hospital, mostaptly depicts thereason why a cer-tain Pfc. in theDMD can't get aT/5 rating.

"Well . . . are you convinced . . .?"


believed if Japan might be defeated with-out an invasion of the homeland.

He replied: “Japan will have to be oc-cupied to win the peace, but how muchoccupation, I don’t know. We must be pre-pared to invade by assault, but I don’tknow how much they can take in the wayof bombing.”

Apparently Admiral Nimitz has a secrethope that Japan will quit before her homeislands are invaded.

For more than a year I have expressedthe belief that Japan will fold up underthe destruction by air power of her in-dustries and naval bases from Tokyo toNagasaki.

HITLER SPEAKSIn a New Year address to the German

people, which broke a silence of more thanfive months, Adolf Hitler declared that thewar would not end in 1945, except througha German victory. He disclosed his inten-tion to destroy every German who didnot take part in the common effort for thegood of the homeland.

Hitler said this New Year appeal to theGerman people was made “because weknow the aims of our enemies and weknow the fate that awaits us if we losethis war. We are fighting for our father-land, for survival of the German people,for our culture and for our posterity.

“I want to beg you to continue to trustGerman leadership.”

•

BASIC TRAINING(Continued from Page 3)

Lt. Hendrixson entered the Army NurseCorps in August of 1942 and reported atthat time to Brooke General Hospital. In1944 she was placed in charge of the ex-panded and revised Basic Training Pro-gram. Prior to this assignment Lt. Hend-rixson was one of the Assistants to theChief Nurse.

Her most valuable assistant, Lt. Hendrix-son says, is Private First Class Reando, thedrill-master. Reando gives instruction inTent Pitching, Gas Mask Drill, AmbulanceLoading in addition to dismounted drill andcalisthenics. Lt. Hendrixson gives him fullcredit for the well-drilled classes. “He isa fine soldier, most cooperative, and takesa great deal of initiative in trying to makeours a better course of training.”

* * *

Every third Saturday at 1 p. m. a Re-view of the Basic Training Group is heldon the field adjoining Reid Hall. Anyoneinterested in attending the Review is cor-dially invited to do so.

Red Cross News...Reported by Marie Liesch, Red Cross Worker

GRAY LADYI'm dreaming of a Gray LadyWhose kindness I cannot repayIn her veil and bonnetWith the Red Cross on itShe’s an “Angel of Mercy” patients say.

I’ll not forget that Gray LadyAlthough I’m many miles away,Every night I’ll kneel and pray,May the Lord be with you every day.

—Written by Tom Kearns.* * *

A hustle and bustle pervaded the at-mosphere of the Red Cross Building theweek before Christmas. Fruit, candy, nuts,cookies, cake and gift packages galore allgenerously donated by Brooke’s manyfriends from local and surrounding com-munities, helped to make Christmas aspleasant as possible for patients at BrookeGeneral. A Christmas tree on every wardand in the dayrooms lent a restive at-mosphere.

The week preceding Christmas, membersof the Junior Red Cross covered the hos-pital area each evening singing familiarcarols. On Christmas Eve, gift boxes ofcandy were distributed to all patients.

* * *

Interest was added to the Christmas Eveprogram at the Red Cross Auditorium bythe awarding for five dollars in cash fora long distance call home. The holder ofthe lucky number was Private Norman Lei-bowitz, Annex III, whose home is in LosAngeles, California. Mrs. U. Cross of SanAntonio donated the money for this pur-pose.

Dancing to the strains of the RandolphField Orchestra was enjoyed by patientsin Red Cross Building No. 1 on Wednes-day, January 3rd, while another dance washeld Friday, January 5th at Red CrossBuilding No. 2 with music provided bythe Fort Sam Houston Orchestra.A WAR EXPERT VIEWS THE NEWS

(Continued from Page 16)the 7th, 24th, 32nd, 77th and 96th InfantryDivisions.

It is interesting to note that the Japa-nese 1st and 8th Divisions were movedfrom Manchuria, and the 68th brigadefrom Formosa, late in 1944. When Mac-Arthur enters Luzon it is likely Japanesedivisons from the Asiatic mainland will besent to fight on Luzon.

NIMITZAdmiral Nimitz was asked recently if he

BROOKF BLUEBONNET BROADCAST

By Pvt. Carroll H. Curry

"CAMPUS" TALK:We wonder if the story now going the

rounds of the school staff isn’t just a littlebit exaggerated. Seems as though Pfc.Rubenstein, who had in his possession thekeys to the school HQ building, was stand-ing in the chow line Christmas Day whenColonel Fargo entered the mess hall. Thecolonel walked up to Rubenstein with out-stretched hand. “I’d like to have the keysto headquarters, please.” The worthyPfc., misunderstanding him, replied, “Thesame to you, sir!”, and shook his hand.

* * *

T/Sgt. Thornton is the latest advocateof drinking plenty of Bexar County water—and nothing else.

* * *

With the advent of the new year, weacquired a new officer, 2nd Lt. MikeOlenik. The entire staff of the school joinsin welcoming Lt. Olenik to Fort Sam.

* * *

One rumor, which has outlasted allothers during the past few months, hasfinally come true. We are getting aboutfifty WACs in the Medical and Surgicalsections. We’ve been nosing around, try-ing to find out if it’s safe to say anythingyet—but maybe we’d better wait ’til thenext issue to report on the girls.

* * *

Visitors over the holidays included Sgt.Frank Murray, brand-new 2nd Lt. CurtisVoelkel, Capt. Frucht, Capt. Foster, MajorDickerson, and Lt. Reid Cochran.

* * *

Captain “Chow” Kx-oner, who recentlybroke into society by attending a NewYear’s Eve party, says he’s looking for anew hobby. Y’gonna quit eatin’, Capt’n?

* * *

It was brought to our attention that, forsome mysterious reason, the early morning“bacon and egg” class at the Service Clubhas been discontinued. Tsk, tsk, tsk. Weenjoyed our late breakfast SO much, too.

It wasn’t enough that everyone was con-tinually being annoyed by sporadic out-bursts from Captain Ball’s Ford’s exhaust.Sgt. Buehler brought his alleged motor-cycle to Fort Sam.

* * H=

Lt. John Ward and Capt. Jim Kelleyhave patched up their—uh—differences ofopinion. ’Tis rumored that the Captaincaused the lieutenant to take an unneces-sary—hike.

* * *

Fred’s Place is considerably brightenedduring the noon hour by the presence ofMargaret, Emma Lee, Ronnie, Mary, andJohnnie, our HQ gals.

* * *

Sgt. Bleakney, who just returned fromfurlough, was observed in the Forum inHouston during the holidays, with a con-tented, “homey” look on his face. Just acivilian at heart, eh, sarge?

* * *

Looking down at a pad on our desk, onwhich are noted items for use in theBluebonnet, we see the notation “Get some-thing on Curry.” Miss McCoy, if anyoneslips something through, your blue pencilis in the top right drawer of the desk.(Can’t hear ya!)

* * *

Pfc. Walt Worrell recently was assignedto headquarters company, Company “A”.The Medical Section staff says, “Congratu-lations, Walt, we knew you’d make it,somehow.”

* H= *

Pvt. Angelo DiPasquale (Casanova II)was just unofficially elected best-dressedG. I. of Company “B.” It was probablythe O. D. spats that did it.

* * *

Student James Ledford, one of our starbasketeers, says he’s just misunderstood.He has good intentions of rolling out ofbed at the first whistle every morning—



PREVIEWS OF COMINGATTRACTIONS

—as scheduled by the Special Service Office

The coming attractions as announced bythe Special Service Office at Brooke prom-ise to be most interesting and exciting.Details as to when and where each of thesegems in entertainment can be found are onthe new Special Service posters located inboth the “old” and the “new” hospitals.

Coming the 15th and 16th of Januaryis a swell variety show entitled “HappyDaze” in which The Hollywood Bombadearsare featured. The USO-Camp Shows Hos-pital Circut Unit No. 11 is giving every-body a chance to see it by putting it onat both the hospitals here.

Mrs. Wilmuth Stevens, a portrait andsketching artist, is coming to spend fivedays here at Brooke—from January 15thto the 20th. She will tour all the wardsand sketch patients who would like tohave a drawing of themselves. This oughtto be good.

On January 18 the General ElectricHouse of Magic Show is here. This is a“must” on everybody’s entertainment cal-ender,

A great deal of enthusiasm for the newSpecial Service Quiz Program is in evi-dence. This program begins Saturday aft-ernoon, January 13th, over the hospitalpublic address system. With the wittyCpl. Bob Oyster as Master of Ceremoniesthis 30-minute weekly session of questions,answers and gags will be highly enjoyableto participants and listeners alike.

, —•

ANDY ANDERSON, SPORTS ANDFISHING EDITOR, DUE AT

BROOKE ON JANUARY 17THWar veterans at Brooke General Hos-

pital will be initiated into the fine art offishing January 17th when Andy Ander-son, sports editor and fishin’ authority ofThe Houston Press, offers his program.

Andy’s show consists of demonstrationsin fly tying, rod and bait building, baitand fly casting. He shows an action movieof fishin’ expeditions and relates scores ofhumorous stories. The yarns concern base-ball, boxing, fishin’ and incidents in othersports gathered during his 25 years assports editor.

Andy has appeared before 4000 war vet-erans in hospitals and offers his programto the patients w it h o u t cost. The ElksLodge of Houston recently underwrote histraveling expenses.

He has reduced the mechanics of baitand fly casting to a minimum and in manyinstances boys learn to cast after only 30

minutes’ practice. He also does a few trickshots and injects a lot of fun into theprogram. His program starts with toursof the wards and visits with “shut-ins.”He also conducts classes in occupationaltherapy and the casting program is stagedeither in the auditorium or gymnasium, de-pending on the weather. The moving pic-ture show climaxes the program.

• *

ARMY ARTS CONTESTANNOUNCED

An Army Arts contest has been an-nounced in which art contributions by en-listed personnel may be submitted in EIGHTdifferent groups, with local awards in eachgroup. The winning entries besides receiv-ing local prize awards will be exhibitedfrom 4 July to 15 August 1945 at the Na-tional Gallery of art, Washington, D.C.

The contest closes 20 February 1945 withentries to be submitted to the Service Club,Fort Sam Houston, Texas.

For further details, call 3041 or see theSpecial Service Officer, Room B-55 “new”hospital.

•—

MDETS NEWS(Continued from )

but “they don’t blow the durn thing loudenough!”

* * �

Captain Stout, on being asked about hisChristmas in a conversational way, saidthat everything was very quiet. But—whydid he miss the chair when he started tosit down at his desk the first morningafter his leave was up?

=H * *

Lt. Ed Wasserman is now a full-fledgedmember of the officer staff. This lastweek, he was presented with a diploma,showing that he is a graduate dental tech-nician—SSN 067.

* * *

Congratulations to Ex-Lt. ThaddeusHerbert —who is now sporting twin barson his shirt collar.

OOPS! HERE'S ONE FOR THE BOOKED’s Note: So sorry, Carroll, all out of

blue pencils ....

Private Carroll H. Curry of M.D.E.T.S.made a sojourn to Houston, Texas, for theChristmas holidays. After a P. M. at Hous-ton’s Famous Plantation Club dancing tothe melodious strains of Joe Cappo and hismusic, Private Curry in a moment of gleehurled his Sunday top-piece over a 14-story building. He returned to San Antonebare-headed—sadder, wiser, broker, andwith saner New Year’s resolutions.

BROOKE BLUEBONNET ROADCAST

3 Brooke Civilian Co-Workers ReceiveAwards for "Ideas for Victory"

Left to right in the picture, are: Brigadier General Geo. C. Beach, Commanding Brooke;Mary B. Malone,; Alton W. F. Blumberg and Adrienne Onderdonk.

In a brief ceremony in General Beach’soffice Monday, December 18, three CivilianCo-Workers of Brooke General Hospital re-ceived certificates and checks for their“Ideas for Victory.”

The citation read: “These Certificatesare evidence of the acceptance of VictorySuggestions and carry with them thethanks of the Commanding General, EighthService Command, and indirectly thethanks of every loyal American.” The cer-tificates were signed by Lt. Col. John L.

Clem, Jr., of the Finance Department.Those receiving the awards were Mary

B. Malone of the Civilian Personnel Office“for suggesting improved control on as-signments of new employees”; Alton W. F.Blumberg, also of the Civilian PersonnelOffice, “for suggesting an improved Timeand Leave Report Form”; and AdrienneOnderdonk of the Officers Personnel “forher suggestion of an improved clearingsheet for officer-patients and officer-per-sonnel of the hospital.”

SAN ANTONIO SYMPHONYANNOUNCES GRAND OPERA

Grand opera performances on Feb. 20, 22,24 and 25, will feature Metropolitan Operastars in “La Boheme,” “I Pagliacci” and“Cavalleria Rusticana.” Reservations for

these special events already are pouringinto the Symphony Society office, officialsreport.

Tickets for enlisted men and women areavailable at sixty cents for all symphonyprograms. Opera tickets range from a $6top to $1 for enlisted personnel.


Qive ia a lAJaMui Gawie ...

NATIONALINFANTILE PARALYSIS

� DRIVE �

for fundsThe National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis has announced its annual

drive to begin 14 January and to continue through 31 January. It ishoped that Brooke General Hospital will make a good showing for

this humane cause. All contributions are voluntary and will begladly accepted at any of the collection points through-

out the hospital and post. Make the "change" inyour pocket change the life of some youth.

A DIME AT A TIMEMAY RELIEVE PAIN LIKE AN ANODYNE

KEEP ON BUYING WAR BONDSNEWS FROM THE

DETACHMENT, MEDICALDEPARTMENT

Submitted by T/Sgt. William C. McGinnisThe Brooke General Hospital Basketball

Team plays every Tuesday and Thursdaynights at the Sports Arena.

The squad is represented by the follow-ing named Enlisted Men: T/Sgt. WilliamC. McGinnis, T/Sgt. Edwin G. Majestic,T/3RD Robert L. Dunn, Sgt. Clyde 0.Bogan, T/4TH Claudie J. Johns, Cpl. Paul

Volk, T/5TH John Thornton, Pfc. John Al-ford, Pfc. Paul V. Bartow Jr., Pfc. LloydDietz, Pfc. Roland Farley, Pfc. Sylvan J.Gurinsky, Pfc. Howard C. Pruett, Pvt.Arthur Pogorzala, Pvt. Gorvey C. Rice andPvt. Anthony Antonelli.

The team is coached by Pfc. RolandFarley.

Brooke General Hospital defeated Brack.enridge High School by a score of 27-25,War Dept. Personnel Center by 43-21,PWP by 33-7 and was defeated by Med.Serv. School 23 to 20.

brooke bluebonnet broadcast

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