The American Traveler
SPECIAL-EDITION   PUBLISHED DAILY BY 1st U. S. INFANTRY-DIVISION   June 6, 1945.

First Division Men Like Their General
By HAL BOYLE

IN GERMANY --(AP)-- The famous First Infantry Division's new commander is a pipe-smoking, coffee-drinking, chessplaying former artilleryman with one chief battle fetish - complete co-operation between doughboys and the men who back them up with the big guns.

Kansas-born Maj. Gen. Clift Andrus is the third man to lead the "Red One" division since it landed in North Africa in the fall of xxxx. He knows the value of infantry and artillery teamwork. Before becoming division commander he served as the division's artillery general in all of its World War II campaigns--in Tunisia, Sicily, France, Belgium and Germany.

At 54 he is perhaps the army's most experienced artilleryman and some military critics have rated his First Division artillery the finest under the American flag.

He commanded the 24th division artillery at Peral Harbor when Japanese attack. His unit was the first to roll. Within 35 minutes after the first bomb dropped, his artillery was in place ready to defend the beaches.

Andrus is friendly and approachable--the kind of an officer an enlisted man can talk to without self-consiousness. He is a man of average height with graying, sandy hair, gray eyes and small moustache--a "Mister Chips" in uniform.

Every man long in the First Division is familier with Andrus and his jeep when he rides daily about the frontline positions.

"Once in Africa he took off his raincoat and gave it to a soldier who needed it badly" said Pfc. Lawrence Herman, 23, of Allentown, a military policeman who helps guard the division cammand post, adding:

"It was raining like hell that day, to but I bet you the general doesn't even remember giving him the coat. He's that kind of a guy. I don't know anyone that doesn't like him."

Andrus keeps a farmer's hours, getting up with the sun--as late as seven in the winter; as early as four in the summer. He likes to chat, likes to work, keeps his pipe lit almost constantly, drinks at least a dozen cups of coffee a day. When he thinks he has been smoking too much he slows up by "rolling his own." He xxx xxx 10-cent pipe tobacco. His military beliefs are simple and direct.

1--That the only way to whip the Germans is to sock them hard, get them on the run and never allow them time to get a rest, get set or dig in.

2--That the American doughboy is a better man and a better fighter than the German infantryman.

3--That you use less ammunition in the long run and kill more Germans by massed artillery fire when suitable targets are available.

No division has had greater success with moblie masses of artillery than the First Infantry under Andrus. Typical was the speed with which his gunners broke up a German counterattack northeast of Aachen. The Nazis struck by night, trying for a surprise, but exactly 6 minutes after they were sighted Andrus' artillery was plastering them with 96 guns--eight full battalions. The counterattack broke up immediately.

Andrus has had phenomenal success with the 105 mm, guns but his favorite field piece is the new 155 mm howitzer because it can "plunk them into a rain barrel."

When his battlefield worries are over for the day, the general likes to read his much-thumbed copy of Mark Twain or a current periodical. He also relaxes by working crossword puzzles or playing solitare, cribbage and chess. He is a crack cribbage player.

"Under weather conditions from favorable to appalling; through desert, forest, mountains, plains, heat, drought, rain, and blizzards, on the offensive most of the time, holding the post of honor when the defense was meccessary, The Division lived up to its motto No Mission Too Difficult, No Sacrifice Too Great, Duty First!"