Verhovayak Lapja, 1944 (27. évfolyam, 1-52. szám)

1944 / Verhovay Journal

December 13, 1944

_____________________________Verhovay Journal__________THE VERHOVAY

. Three years have passed since the attack against Pearl Harbor plunged our nation into the greatest war of history. During these three years the United States has built up the greatest army of the world, supplied it with the greatest equipment that ever was made, and decided the final outcome of this war in favor of the United Nations. However, we must always remember that, while the size of an army and its equipment is of greatest importance, it is the determination, the loyalty and courage of the members of the armed forces that wins the battles.

As the war goes on and, at least in Europe, approaches its decisive phase, reports in ever increasing number come in: reports that unfold the epic story of American heroism. American soldiers of Hungarian descent— | seme even of Hungarian birth— have a glorious part in this story. Theirs is a record that makes us deeply proud and humbly thankful to them for it shows that the love of America is supreme in the hearts of immigrants who, once an opportunity is given, are willing to pay the ultimate price fer their liberties. Let the record speak...

PFC. JOHN CZINKI

He was killed in action in Italy on October 23rd, as reported in the last issue of the Journal. Space did not permit to write more about his heroism, in that issue but now his story shall be told as reported by “The Stars and Stripes Weekly.”

“WITH THE 5TH ARMY. Sept. 29.—Pfc. John Czinki, of Detroit, is a quiet little guy who is company messenger in the 91st Division and just about the last man you’d expect to capture 42 Germans from the 4th Parachute Division.

His outfit had just come out of (he line and Czinki was going back to the scene of fighting to find the bodies of some of his friends. Czinki stopped a few minutes to tell how he captured llie Germans.

In the tough going after jumptog off from Poggio' his company was advancing on the left side of a ridge. Czinki, for some reason unknown to himself, went over to the right side of the hill.. He still didn’t think much of his hunch. He thought he heard some soldiers on that side but believed they were Yanks.

He hollered to Lt. Walter J. Haley, East Orange, N. J., asking if they were Yanks. Haley replied in very strong language that they were not. With the lieutenant, Pvt. Andrews, Green City, Mo., and Pfc. Russel C. Alimo, Buffalo, N. Y., covering him, Czinki went down to investigate.

“I saw a flat helmet—Czinki said—and I gave it to him.” He let go three clips at the German who later was captured badly wounded.

Czinki went down a little farther until he saw a pill-box. He threw one of his two grenades. It was a bad throw, going over the top. About this time he saw other pillboxes much larger than the first. Cznki was going after bigger game when he slipped down. When he came up he was looking a German face to face. Czinki said both of them must have been frozen stiff a moment or so. Then Czinki pulled the pin out of the grenade. The German yelied “Kamerad!” and threw his hands up. The guys back of him

in the pillbox did likewise. There were 15 in this pillbox. Czinki said they all seemed “pretty scared, but so was I.”

By this time the Germans in the other pillboxes caught the spirit of the thing and, in addition to the three men covering him, more of the company had come over from the other side of the hill. The rest of it was easy. The five pillboxes gave out a total of 42 prisoners. At least 12 machine guns were taken and many more smaller weapons.

Czinki modestly shoved off most of the credit for the feat on the company—“Battling B.”—but the rest of the company shoves it back on Czinki.

Ths isn’t the first time Czinki has amazed the company. Some time ago the men found out he resigned a good defense job— j foreman in the Ford plant at Willow Run—to enter the army.”

Thus runs the story as told by the “Stars and Stripes.” The end is sad, as you know. Czinki paid the Supreme Sacrifice as the 93rd Verhovayan who gave his life for his country.

His feat, so much like the story of Sergeant York of 1st World War fame, shows how courage, determination, presence of mind in grave danger, can win victory against overwhelming odds. Not the German, but he fired the first shot, not the German but he pulled the pin out of his grenade first, and though he had no more grenades left, his selfassurance convinced the Germans that he was sufficiently covered. Of him it can be said what a soldier wrote to the mother of his fallen comrade: “We all must die sometimes, but not all of us can die for something.”

THE STORY OF A FAMILY (Contributed by Ernest Kunstadt)

35 years ago, in Gary, W. Va., a young miner joined the Verhcvay F. I. A. At the reception ceremonies, this young man, Andrew Riczko vowed that he shall always work in behalf of the Association.

After a year or two he got married, and from then on, the two of them attended the meetings together. The children came, and a few years later Andrew Riczko said farewéll to the mining place and came to the big city, Chicago, with his family. They felt quite lost in the big city, everything was new, and they found it difficult at first to get used to the surroundings and working conditions. Often homesickness gripped their hearts and they felt like returning to the mining place where they found their first home.

A few months later they were transferred from the Gary Branch to Branch 164, of Chicago, 111., and soon after they attended the meeting for the first time, the big city lost its strangeness to them, even their new home got somehow warmer, for now they have found new friends in the Verhovay branch.

As the years went by, the five children grew up. The three girls and the older boy got married, grandchildren came, who all joined the \ Verhovay,' increasing the membership of the growing Branch.

Pop Riczko did not come, to the meetings as often as he used to. His health wasn’t what it should have been and, besides, he was replaced by his youngsters who

continued his good work for the Association. But even if he did not often attend the meetings, he never missed a baseball game in which the team of Branch 164 fought under the Verhovay colors. He attended these games mostly with Mrs. Riczko, and his daughter, Mary, then a high-school student, to boost his sons, Andy and Steve, champions of the team.

Then came the war. First young Steve enlisted with the Air Corps, and a few months later Andy bade farewell to his young wife and little daughter, joining a heavy tank corps.

Uncle Riczko does not come to the meetings anymore. The two old people moved to the big farm of their daughter in Wisconsin. He walks with a stick, yet he still is making good his promise of 35 years ago. A true Verhovayan always’ works for his country, and this old, Hungarian- American miner works hard, leaning on his stick, for his two soldier sons and the 6,000 Verhovayans who fight for their country.

The Chicago Daily Tribune, on October 30tli, brought a big article about Sgt. Steve Risko, our Steve, on the occasion that he was awarded the Air Medal with the Oak Leaf Cluster with ten leaves, having fulfilled his 57 th Mission over enemy territory. And while Steve works in the air, his brother, Andy, fights on German soil under the command of Gen. Patton, while his brother-in-law is training recruits in Texas.

Branch 164 is proud of the Riczko family, it honors the old miner and his wife... it prays for its heroes and trusts that the grandchildren also will work for the growth of our Association. For that is the Verhovay Spirit ... as promised by the Verhovayan miner Andrew Riczko 35 years ago in Gary, West Virginia.

A JAP ATROCITY

John Erdossy, manager of Branch 76, Philadelphia, Pa., reports the following story based on newspaper accounts that appeared in the local papers.

At the time the Japs occupied the Philippine Islands, many of the ’’expendables” were captured, among them Henry Schmidt, a member of Branch 76, at Bataan. The Japanese set up a prison camp at Leyte where they treated these prisoners cruelly as has been established beyond any doubt. For years the surviving prisoners hoped for the day when our armed forces will return to make good the promise of General MacArthur. He did return.

When the Japs saw that that island is going to be lost too, they herded some hundred prisoners into a submarine and took it out to the sea. There the submarine was sunk by the Japs. All the prisoners are presumed to be lost.

The heroes of Bataan put up a fight that will be remembered fer ages as the greatest example of self-sacrifice. Henry Schmidt was among them. Japanese prison camps will go down in history as an example of inhuman brutality. Henry Schmidt languished there for nearly three long years. The drowning of hundred prisoners will be remembered for ever as the supreme atrocity. Henry Schmidt was one of the victims. On three counts Henry Schmidt is one of the great heroes whose name will be remembered by Verhovayans.

FLYING BROTHERS

These pictures, and the story, come from Van Nuys, California, where the Matthias family, formerly of Buffalo, N. Y., Branch 383, (Charlie Young, mgr.), resides.

1st Lt. ANDREW MATTHIAS

Andrew Matthias graduated from the Tonawanda, N. Y., High School and then went to work for the Curtiss Wright airplane manufacturing company. He received his wings at Pampa, Texas, and was sent to England in June, 1944, as a Lieutenant. This young man, 22, has since taken part in 13 aerial actions. On the 13th mission the plane was lost, the pilot was wounded, yet with a great presence of mind, and unmindful of his own pains, he managed to save the lives of the entire crew. He was awarded the Purple Heart, and the Distinguished Flying Cross.

A/C JOSEPH G. MATTHIAS

Joe is only 19 years old. He, too, graduated from the Tonawanda High School and then enlisted as an aviation cadet. He receives his training in California. Judging from his brother, we trust that he, too, will make an excellent record that will cnce fill another page of the Verhovay Epic.

❖ * *

Please help us compile the records of Verhovay heroism. Report all important news items concerning our 'soldiers. Do not hesitate to send newspaper clippings as they usually carry all the details. Branch managers ’ are requested to look for such news items and report them. But the families of soldiers who figure in the news are also requested to send their story to the manager of their branch, or directly to the editor of the Journal, if preferred.

IIIS LAST REQUEST

(Continued from Page 4)

OUR SOLDIERS BELIEVE IN THE NECESSITY OF PURCHASING WARBONDS . . . there can he no doubt about that!

They write letters from all the fronts and beg their folks to keep up the good work and to send the ammunition and the blood and to buy War Bonds. Their letters are no propaganda. They are expressions of what they, in the face of death believe, to be true.

For many of them, a letter of this kind, was the last letter ever to reach their beloved one. “BUY WAR BONDS” — was THEIR LAST REQUEST.

Who knows, perhaps your son . . . your husband . . . your brother . . . will be the next one to fall. You know what he wrote you. His words are indelibly written into your heart. You will never forget his last request: “BUY WAR BONDS.”

If you are fortunate enough to get your son, your husband, your brother, back ... he will praise you for having backed him up and he will joyfully share with you in the happiness of Victory because he will know that you, too, had done your part. And if you are as unfortunate as the fathers and mothers, wives and brothers of those who have made the supreme sacrifice, you will find some satisfaction knowing that, at least, YOU had no share in his premature death . . .

But what if you shrink from doing your duty and then receive the dreaded notice that the one whom you tried to save your blood and your time and your money for, will never return? 4s long as you live, your share in his death will persecute you . . .

Remember ... it may be HIS LAST REQUEST . . .

Don’t deny the one who is ready to die for you — HIS LAST REQUEST! ---------v--------Have you heard about the Jap destroyer that intercepted and destroyed five U. S. torpedoes?

TO THE CONTRIBUTORS

The next issue of the Journal will be published on Wednesday, December 27th. Contributions for this issue should be in not later than December 20tli, Wednesday.

Contributions should be typewritten, on one side of the paper only, double-spaced, and not exceed 1200 words, or 6,000 letters. Address contributions to VERHOVAY JOURNAL, ENGLISH SECTION, 345 Fourth Ave., Pittsburgh 22, Pa.