THE PON(
MAY 19, 1983
PAGE EIGHT
Poetry, Art, Music, Photography, Literature, Reviews
The last hero: Wild Bill Donovan
A book
By BERNARD VINCENT
McMAHON
PART THREE
No German formations of any size
lay between the beachhead and
Rome .... But sadly, something went
wrong with Lucas at the beachhead.
A gentleman, he lost his nerve,
thought the Germans were about to
launch an overwhelming counter-
attack that would catapult his army
back into the sea, and ordered his
troops not to strike for Rome but to
dig in and prepare for the German
attack," Stunned by this cowardice,
the Germans slammed the 14th
army into the beachhead, turning it
into another Verdun with 2000
casualties a week
"'In April 1944 with D-Day in Eur-
ope only eight weeks away and much
to be done to make the OSS ready
for the supreme venture of World
War II. Donovan elected to go out to
the Pacific theater for the invasion of
Hollanda. Dutch New Guinea, by the
forces of General Douglas Mac-
Arthur The purpose of the journey is
clear from the Donovan papers. Ever
since 1942 Wild Bill and his agency
had been excluded from the Pacific
operations by MacArthur. not be-
cause Donovan's old World War I
commander and co-founder of the
American Legion had anything
against Donovan and the OSS, but
because his intelligence staff led by
General Charles Willoughby and
Festival
rs
ramed
Past Posters For Sale
iCharlotte's Webb00
135 S.W. Railroad Ave.
Colonel R.k Merle-Smith believed
there was nothing the OSS could do
in the Pacific that their own organi-
zation could not do better." (p. 515)
"The greateast test would be the
greatest operation of the world war.
Neptune. and its associated opera-
tion in the south of France.
Dragoon" (p 528)
Donovan and Bruce ignored Gen-
eral Omar Bradley's order that they
were not to land in Normandy during
the battle. While lying in the sand.
Donovan remarked to Bruce: "By the
way, David, have you arranged to be
buried in Arlington Cemetery?"
Bruce replied, "Why no." "Well."
said Donovan. as he was getting up
and brushing off the sand, "'I have,
that's where I want to be buried
David. you've got to get a plot next to
mine, then we can start an under-
ground together,"
Now came up the Vessel Affair, a
big embarrassment to Donovan.
Vessel proved to be Virgilio Scatto-
lino. a short fat Socratic journalist
and writer whose principal claim to
fame, until now, was a pornographic
book, who later became very reli-
gious due to his wife. Next he turned
to inventing news out of the Vatican
and guess who fell for it but The New
"Certainly Hitler believed there had
been treachery. He relieved Runstedt
of command and flying court mar-
tials shot everyone involved whom
they could get their hands on. Stalin
then made a statement that was not
correct but fairly close to the truth:
"And so what we have at the moment
is that the Germans on the western
front have in fact ceased the war
against Britain and America. At the
same time they continue the war
against Russia the ally of Britain and
the U.S A." (pp 732-3)
"'At 1:15 pm central war time on
April 12, 1945. while sitting for
Elizabeth Shoumatoff for an oil por-
trait and wearing a heavy naval
cape. Roosevelt was seen to slump
forward slightly. He exclaimed to his
girl friend Lucy Rutherford: "'I have a
terrific headache." Then the presi-
dent began to collapse. Dr. Com-
mander Bruenn had begun artificial
respiration It was useless and at
3:35 he announced, "'The President is
dead"
Donovan was well aware that he
lost the principal source of his power
in Washington at the worst possible
time.
"The end of Donovan's career in
intelligence came while he was at
van's attack. What is evident is that
Truman had aver s'long memory and
was well capable of harboring in-
tense dislikes formed even a quarter
of a century before." (p. 790) To
quote James Murphy. "Truman
didn't like Donovan and Donovan
didn't like Truman period."
Now it turns out "Truman had been
excluded by FDR while vice-presi-
dent from the inner circles of the war
.... and during his few visits to the
White House--he was only consulted
twice by FDR.'" (p. 791)
"Thus the Soviet Union gained a
decade to expand its intelligence
services, penetrating all the principal
citadels of its ideological adversar-
ies. undermining their institutions
and their confidence in themselves
This irresponsible and dangerous
state of affairs was directly traceable
to Truman's decision to fire Donovan
and dissolve the OSS, and. having
done so. his failure to provide the
country with effective substitutes."
p 804J
On December 31. 1951. a dinner
part s ' for 60 people at the Chapel Hill
Farm celebrating Donovan's sixty-
ninth birthday. One of
brought a cup of silver
silverware and left it in
room. Sheilah.
grandchild, found it
of the poison.
Eisenhower. whom he
refused like Hoover to
cabinet appointment or
the CIA but when
desperate in the Orient.
Bill ambassador to
irrational conduct
ascribed to his age and
climate The g
wife Ruth out to calm hir
doctors found he was
minor strokes. Chief
erick M Vinson died a[
was told that he
appointment if Earl
down When the FrenCh
feated at Dienbienphu
blame squarely on
Dulles On June I. 1954
Sheilah's mother. Mary
daughter in-law became
over her daughter's
E
gFF pAG !
York Times and The Times of Lon- Nonquitt, Connecticut. On August
don. and Donovan's OSS, and all the 14. 1945. Japan surrendered uncon-
intojail, he spent his time editing his diary. "'whole nation gone made."
articles into a book called. "The Despite a last minute attempl by the
Secret Documents of Vatican Diplo- joint chiefs to rescue Donovan and
macy." He was tossed into an Italian OSS, at 3 p.m. on September 20.
clink for seven months, freed and 1945. budget director Smith pre-
disappeared, sented President Truman with an
"In March of 1945. Donovan's
movements, which were always diffi-
cult to track, became exceedingly
mysterious at a time when the
German general staff was indicating
its desire to open the western front to
the western allies and allow them to
occupy all Germany before the red
army." (p. 728)
"On March 7 there occurred one of
the most dramatic and inexplicable
incidents of the campaign in north-
western Europe. This was the failure
of the German general staff to des-
troy the Lundendoriff Bridge over the
Thine at Remagen--the bridge over
which the U.S. First Arms, flowed to
take over vast areas of central
Germany before they were occupied
l>v the Russians." (p. 751)
"Grand Closing Celebration'"
LINDA'S FALLACIES
Ponchatoula, La.
Saturday May 28th
Saturday May 28th Linda's Fallacies
Restaurant will close its doors on a
Regular Scheduled Basis.
After May 28th The Restaurant ,w.i
available for Banquets only. Regular d,n I/be
hours will be the same as usual until
May 28th.
On closing night at 10 P.M. everyone
in attendance will be served Free
Champagne.
"Alden Hewitt & The Nashville Express"
will be on stage from 8:00p.m. untill Midnight
To our regular customers who
supported The Restaurant we would
really hke to express our deep
i appreciation-It has been a pleasure
|
i serving you.
,i Thanks again,
|
I
: Linda, Stanley &
I
|
I
|
_ our faithful Employees
executive order abolishing the
OSS. '" ip 783) Donovan was for-
really relieved from duty by the
adjutant general 0n January 12.
1946.
"Why did Truman dissolve it? Why
did he not preserve the organization?
We do not know whether this
stemmed from the incident in 1918
when Donovan was deprived of
artillery support, his units attacking
the Hendenburg Line suffered severe
casualties,, and he made a vigorous
complaint when he came out of the
line. All we know is that Truman and
his artillery batters, were providing
that sector of the front with artillery
support on the night before Dana-
l garden secrets !
Well. friends, at last it seems ,
the drouth of the past several
weeks has ended. It has been
quite a chore to keep our flower
beds watered. Everything ¶
looked fresh and beautiful Mon-
day morning. I'm sure the ftow-
q
ers were dancing with glee.
Now that the rain has come
and freshened everything up, we
now have a job waiting for
us--the weeding of our flower q
beds. The grass and weeds will
V really start to grow! If you have
all
to a narrow hoe. you can cut them
q/ down and chip the soil around
your plants, Do not cut too close
iD to them. Stoop down and pull
q/ then, cut. This is good for the
e
IP plants and will also help you
q/ lose the bulge around the waist-
q
(p line---. 1
We still have time to put in
some more annuals if you have •
(o not done so. I planted Amaran-
thus and Celosia this past week.
(0 They can be seen in beds by the
q/ Guaranty Bank and the Country
Market. There's still time to get ¶
I your Salvia plants in the {
ground. The hummingbirds love
I the bright red Salvia and will I
surely pay your yard a visit if you
have some planted, Get your 1
I beds ready to put in your Peri-
winkles. They are ideal for
q
10
summer show. They can stand
q/ the heat and dry summer
months. Your shady flower beds
are the ideal place for Coleus
and Impatiens.
Another good thing to remem-
ber is if you plan to cut a fresh
I
bouquet be sure to cut them in ,
early morning. Put them in a
q
pail of fresh water as you cut
them. They will last much
longer in your arrangement.
The kiss of the sun for pardon
The song of birds for mirth
One is nearer God's heart in
l,, a garden
Slush
000
Come as you are,
eat in your car.
,.qlNIC;
386-8817
735 WEST PINE
Huey H
Owner Of
The Mule's
Lounge
NOW OPEN Stop By And EnioY
Unique Atmosphere and the superb
"CHO0 -CHO0
Friday - Satarday, (9 - 1)
Offering The Finest in Piano-Bar
FEATURING
"'The Proper Author|ty
WITH
Deware Walker & Tareva Henderso
(Currently playing at The Ramada Inn, B.R.)
TriaminicX Syrup
Triaminicin Tablets
or
Triaminic-12 Tablets
For Allerg 7 Relief
that s noming to
sneeze at.
HOSPITALITY HOUR 7"
Draft Beer 25 cents-Mixed Drinks
Be Sure To Ask For The
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386 9570
RD.
