Verhovayak Lapja, 1944 (27. évfolyam, 1-52. szám)
1944 / Verhovay Journal
Page 2 Verhovay Journal April 13, 1944 A Report on the War Effort What Americans of Hungarian Origin Ar e Doing By Stephen Huzianyi It is inevitable that most of the activities which contribute to the successful termination of this war will never be publicized in the full, because the ranee and variety of the departments in which we serve are too greatly diversified to permit of a detailed description and summary. It is our purpose here to do what justice we can to our boys as well as those of us on the production line through an analysis and exposition of our efforts on both home and battle sectors of this, the most widespread and far-flung of conflicts in our world history. While many thousands of our people, our brothers, our husbands, our sweethearts are battling all over the globe, right here in our country there are undoubtedly several hundred firms whose efforts are all directed toward an early and successful conclusion to the war. Recognition is deserved on the fighting fronts — and at home, and moreover, is necessary — so that we may gauge more thoroughly our contributions to the U. S. A. Such will be the aim of this and future articles, in which I intend to give brief, revealing biographies of our fighting men. In his accounts, Pvt. Nagy gives a better picture of the war than we can get from some of the headlines these days. For war is more than just the fighting at some beachhead or front, or an account of bombings and missions against the enemy. The intimate glimpses afforded us by Julius give us a broader understanding of war than we could get from the tabloids and periodicals, for which we can thank him. Good luck and happy hunting, Pvt. Nagy! * * * Zoltán W. Kertész, Y 3/C We’re proud to write about Unit “D” - Post Office a Seabee for we have heard so ^ Th much of their fme exploits. Zol USNCTC * Camp Peary tan Kertesz is one of Chicago’s West Side boys (4246 W. Washington Blvd.) in this rough ’n tough construction battalion. Zolié is 21 years of age. He attended the Tilton Grammar School, where many West Side kids of Hungarian parentage (Korom, Fodor, Csakai, Igyarto, Kovács, Halmos, Szepi, Csajaghy, et al) went to school. Later, Zoltán went to Crane Tech for a General Course, and a Bookkeeping and Stenography Course at the Jones Commercial High School. He was so good at shorthand that he received the Pitman pin for proficiency—100 words a minute! Yes sir, many an office girl will just sigh at this! Zolié was as much a success in civilian life as he will someday be in the armed forces. We aren’t kidding when we use the cliché to describe him as “tall, dark and handsome” and more swooning females than you could count will attest to this. A typically dark romantic Erdély, he had an easy command of the social graces, winning in one instance at least a Tango (or was it Rhumba!) contest. As to hobbies, Zolié played the trumpet and liked to bowl participating in many activities of the Magyar Youth Organization. Before his entry into the armed services, on March 2, 1943, Zolié was Secretary and Receptionist to the Personnel Manager of the Chicago Surface Lines. His first stop was at Camp Peary. Writes Seabee Zolié further: “When I first arrived the part of camp where I was taken had just been completed by the contractor and there were no walks of any sort. When it rained we had to walk around in mud up to our ankles and when it didn’t rain we almost choked to death from the dust. The first few days, after usual routine of getting physical examination, clothes, etc., was spent building boardwalks around barracks and company streets, and general cleaning up of area around barracks. But the chow was very good! “I entered Camp Peary on March 3, 1943, as an Apprentice Seaman. I spent 6 weeks of ‘boot training’ in Area D-8; then I was raised to rating of Seaman 2/C on April 1st. I broke ‘boot’ on April 17th, and then went to the Yeoman Training School. “I had three weeks in Yeoman Training School, where I studied Navy correspondence and general Yeoman work. I am secretary to a Lieutenant Commander in charge of ten battalions in Primary Military Training, Area D.” And what has Zolié to say of the Navy? Here it is: “I think the Navy is fine, but when I choose the SEABEES, they didn’t tell me I would have to be a combination laundry and tailor. With all this hot weather I have to change so often that most of my spare time is spent washing clothes. “At present I am in Ship’s Company and will be in Camp Peary indefinitely, but some day soon I hope to get in a battalion and go to island “X” with the rest of my buddies. The weather down here is terrific. It’s so hot now that we have all been ordered to take from 2 to 4 salt tablets daily.” “All Men Are Created Equal... Pvt. Julius Nagy, Co. D, 803 Tank Destroyer Batallion APO 305, % Postmaster Here’s a lad now in England, far away from his home at 4812 Pennsylvania Avenue, Detroit, who found time before a blackout to write some items of in(Continued from Page 1) ing, and we should give respectful hearing to those members who by their contributions have proven their “right to criticize and to accept leadership. Criticism without constructive proposals is destructive. So is leadership which is wanting in self-criticism. Any member who criticizes the way his organization is run, without submitting at the same time a plan which has a chance to successfully replace the one that is criticized, is acting out of order. Plans are usually accepted because no better plan is offered and it is entirely unreasonable to demand that a system be abolished, unless a better system has been offered at the same time that motion for the abandonment of the old system is made. At the same time, every reformer should sincerely test himself as to whether he possesses sufficient information and understanding of the matter. Reform-plans are a dime a dozen but very few can stand a trial. It is usually the member who has contributed most to the life of the lodge, who knows best how things can be efficiently done, while the one who contributed hut criticism has not as a rule, the slightest inkling as to what the difficulties are that every organization has to face. , All men and all members are created equal but they do not remain equal. And while the right of every member is recognized to have his say, those who have made substantial contributions to the life of the lodge, should receive a more intent hearing than those whose sole ambition consists in making themselves conscpicuous by their consistently cantankerous attitude. WARD BOND PURCHASES During the 4th Drive During the 4th War Bond drive $5,309,000,000 (billions) worth of War Bonds have been purchased by individuals (68,000.- 000 dollars less than in the 3rd drive), $1,133,000.000 by banks, $2,270,000,000 by insurance companies and $7,585,000,000 by other corporations. The national quota was 14 billion dollars which was oversubscribed by 2,730,000.000 dollars. However, possibly due to the fact that on March 15, 1944 the Income Tax has made excessive demands on the public purse, the redemptions amounted to 25% of the purchases, in the last month. Prior to that date the redemptnons were much lower, varying between 8% and 15%. Unless the Europian war comes to an early conclusion this situation may become serious. It must be re-emphasized again and again, that a redeemed War Bond does not help the war effort. In fact, Uncle Sam loses money on early redemptions. Buy War Bonds and — KEEP’EM!-------------------v------------------WATCH FOR THE CRASH! <. Astronomers have found, after long observation of the Milky Way, that a certain constellation called Draco seems to undully attract our small earth which is speeding toward that particular constellation at the rate of 100 miles per second. Sounds like a dizzy speed, but is only milkwagon speed as far as the universe is concerned which does not observe the 35 MPH wartime speed-limit. Should our good earth continue in its course toward the lovely Drac, a crash may seem inevitable but knowing that at the rate of 100 miles per second it would still take our earth a few hundred years to get there, we are not worried. Getting closer, the earth would probably find out that it would not be worthwhile and change its mind, like its inhabitants do.-------------------v------------------RUSSIAN DEAD, military and civilian, so far in WorldWar II. total 16,000,000 according to current estimates. Total dead for Allies and Central Powers in World War I., was somewhat under four million. TO THE CONTRIBUTORS The English Section is published the SECOND and LAST Thursday of every month, except when holidays intervene, and the Thursdays IMMEDIATELY preceding them are the final dates. Contributions intended for the April 27th issue should be in before or on April 20th. Address contribution to ENGLISH SECTION, VERHOVAY JOURNAL, 345 FOURTH AVENUE, PITTSBURGH (22), PA. Contributions should be typewritten, if possible; but handwritten contributions are also acceptable. Typewritten Articles: Use one side of paper only, and double space. Contributors please confine articles to 1000 to 1200 words. Handwritten Articles: Make handwriting as legible as possible. terest concerning himself. We will endeavor to do justice to Julius. Born 25 years ago in Detroit, Julius attended St. Margaret’s .and St. Mary’s school, and then went on to high school. His sports activities included softball, baseball, bowling, swimming and horseback riding. So interested was he in sports that he held a position as secretary of the IROQUOIS CLUB and also president of CLUB BALLYHOO. Before his induction into the military services in October of 1941, Julius worked on a milling machine and did bench work at Federal-Moguls in Detroit. Pvt. Nagy’s training began at Camp Custer, Michigan. “Here they really put us through the mill. I also found out you didn’t have to salute a Pfc., and that there is no such things as a written cannon report, or a key to the parade grounds. It’s just like they say in civilian life: ‘The first 100 years are the hardest.’ Well, in the army, it’s the first three months of basic training.” Later, Pvt. Nagy entered special training in armored divisions, the details, to use his own terminology, which “are of a military nature and considered a military secret.” These variegated and intensive studies for overseas participation were at camps like Camp Roberts, Ft. Lewis, Camp Hood, Ft. Dix and Pine Camp. Writes Pvt. Nagy further—from somewhere in England: “My training has varied from time to time. I would like to mention them but the War Department says ‘No.’ But I have done everything but fly.” Since Pvt. Nagy is in England, you would naturally ask, what observations have you made, Pvt. Nagy Well, here he has furnished us a good answer: “I have had an opportunity to visit London, as well as the surrounding towns. Things here are quite different compared to the American way of life. I consider my experience here as one of the best educations in the world. True, I will have no college diploma, but seeing how others live, think—and seeing their form of government function—all this has gained for me a greater appreciation and understanding of my country. “While on a tour of London, I visited Westminster Abbey and St. Paul’s. I would like to describe these great edifices but find it impossible for I don’t believe there are words of description worthy of these great buildings. These two places have painted an everlasting picture in my mind. The main altar in the Abbey is carved from solid gold and is a work beyond duplication. Here you find many of the great people Of England buried. In this one building, it would require years of study in order to fully appreciate the great arts found here. “However, I learned a lesson during my short stay, namely: that with all the crudeness and backwardness in the early centuries, the people were far ahead of us in the appreciation of the finer things. I say this because those people were bent on creating something beautiful and of an everlasting value, while, on the other hand, we seem bent on tearing down all these things. “I find the people here very quaint. They still have many of the old English customs. The ‘PUB’ or ‘PUBLIC HOUSE’ is unchanged. throughout the ages—just the same old tavern, a place where people meet and discuss world problems over a glass of warm beer. “When we landed, the English monetary system had me puzzled but I have it now well in hand. “I have had plenty of chicken paprikash, only that it comes in the form of sawdust. All kiddin’ aside, we are fed pretty good. And I have been fortunate to meet quite a few Hungarians and have meny promises of some real home cooking when I get to London on another visit. This shouldn’t be in the too distant future, as furloughs are in order this month.”
