The Decoy Doughboy

Souvenir Edition -- Printed in Czechoslovakia

May 23, 1945. -- Publishes by and for the men of the 18th Combat Team. -- First Infantry Division, U. S. Army.

An Item Co. Item

When I Company's "old man", 1st Lt. Clifford Chandler entered the buildihg housing his CP in the Harz Mts., he called for all platoon leaders to report for the purpose of discussing map locations. Several civilians stood around the stove.

As Lt. Chandler began his talk, he placed his .45 pistol on a corner of the map to secure it. Instantly the civilians rushed in all directions. One or two ran outside, another began heating watcr, several went up stairs. All of which made the I Co. officers wonder.

In half an hour, the civilians had a table set, steaming hot plates of real old-fashioned, home-cooked chow, and civilians prepared to wait on them. The Americans required no persuasion and the meal was a rousing success.

It seems the mere sight of a pistol was sufficient to convince the civilians that they better put forth with the food. Accustomed to the brutal ways of an SS troop stationed there previously, these people knew only the law of force.