John Burroughs Middle School - Burr Yearbook (Los Angeles, CA)

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THE FIRST WAVE By non LAM11-2 It was early morning on August 7th, when Corporal Ted Bronson climbed out of his bunk on a troop-transport somewhere in the Solomon Islands. A tenseness hung over the ship as he quickly made his way out onto the deck. All that could be heard was the Navy guns blasting their objective on one of the islands. He stood by the rail turning over in his mind the happenings of the past year. The clatter of boots on the steel deck made him look up just in time to see the bugler sound reveille. It was. just a few minutes later when the first men stumbled out on to the still dark decks. At breakfast the men were told that they were to invade Tulagi, a small island in the Solomons group. At about 6:45 the first landing barges were lowered and the men were lined up to climb down into them. Spud Gilbert, one of Ted's closest friends, had joined Ted right after breakfast and they had been together since. The Navy was letting up the shelling when the boys dropped into their boat. The boat filled rapidly and soon they were under way. They had five miles to go to get there: it would take twenty minutes, probably the longest twenty minutes of their lives. Ted kept wondering if this would be his last day in the world, and if it was he won- dered how he would get it, fast and pain- less or slow and painful. He was brought to his senses by Spud, who had been watching the shore with field glasses. lt looks like we'll meet resistance all right, Spud said. just then the machine guns opened up along the beach. The bullets began ham- mering on the side of the boat, which wasn't so bad, but when the guy in front of Ted got hit, it made him feel sick all over. f f LJ jfs A' 'i.-Bird if 1 A - ax 'dl Ewvsgel ,, fI Q 4.1 I sip gh 7.50. t Jr, 5.2. 'p V D In .,f. .Zu k.. -f liih. Ab .3 . ,IAVZ A Q The bottom scraped the sand and the first boys jumped out into the surf. Ted jumped out into the knee-deep water and made his way to shore. Once on the beach, he dropped his pack and charged across the sand toward the jungle, opening up with hismachine gun as he ran. But then it came, it hit him like a hammer in the side. No pain, just the throbbing of gushing blood. He crumpled to the sand and lay there a minute torgvet his breath After a short restihe-looked around nim: he had forgottezr-about Spud, but there was no sight of him now. .With a last effort he raised himself and habbled forward raking the jungle with bullets. He was mad now and he wanted a Iap. Ted, tried to go on but it was useless and he collapsed un- conscious. ' When Ted 'awoke he was in atent alone. Beforehe could try and recall anything a Marine doctor came in to see if hefawas resting well. The'doctor told him thatgtheyj had established a bridgehead. But he was sorry to say that Spud had been kiiled. Three days later, Ted was removed to Australia and still later to the U. S. A. Now when Ted walks down the street, he holds his head a little higher because he was with the first wave of .Marines at Tulagi. .. THE RED CROSS ' By MILDRED KLIMAN Every man, woman and child has been affected by this war in some way or an- other. Many of us have sisters, brothers, and fathers overseas in the armed forces. Some are missing, some haven't been heard from by their parents or relatives, others are being wounded or killed on the battlefields. But thanks to the Red Cross, many of them have been located. The Red Cross has done and is doing so much for humanity. They help the boys in prison camps so that they may have a little American food on special occasions: also medical care, and letters from home. They make it possible for you to give them things they need. They go where the actual fight- ing is, to help the wounded and give blood to those who need. it. This is only half of what the Red Cross does. We honor them for their heroism and sacrifices, also for the many lives that have been given for the great cause we are fight- ing for and the great work they are doing.

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WHAT A UNIFCRM WEL DO By umm: DOUGHTY lt was one of those satisfactory days, with a blue sky, alight breeze, and the afternoon off duty. Thoughts of home and family were uppermost in his mind. San Diego is a city where a young sailor can have a tremendous time on an afternoon's leave, but for an older officer such as he, it be- comes a little lonesome. A sudden decision to cross the bay to North Island and have a look at the planes and activity at the air field brought him eventually to the pier. The old boatman in charge informed him that there were no boats plying back and forth that day, but that his rank entitled him to a boat of his own. With some sur- prise and a certain amount of reluctance he availed himself of this happy privilege. You understand, this officer hadn't been in the Navy very long, and the consideration and prestige afforded an officer was a source of constant amazement to him. Crossing the bay was pleasant, but other- wise uneventful, and upon arriving at the air field he found it teeming with action. Everyone in sight seemed to be in fever- ish haste to be off to unguessed destina- tions, and he realized suddenly that could he secure a plane he would be in Los Angeles in a few minutes and have the afternoon with his family. He was at first disappointed to learn that the L. A. plane had just left, but he was offered instead a ride as far as San Pedro in a scout plane. He was told to run out on the field like mad lo - . 1- -Na. - is ., S.- as that plane was already warming up to take off. The pilot inquired of the officer if he had any luggage and when informed that our hero was going as is, told him to hop in. Twenty minutes later he was taxiing smoothly down the field at San Pedro. He was faced with the problem of reaching Los Angeles. No taxis are available for aimless traveling in war time, and upon inquiring of the gentleman in charge at the air field, he was told he could be driven up by station wagon to Los Angeles. But this officer wasn't traveling under orders and refused to take advantage of this offer. A ride in a dive bomber being delivered to Burbank was then offered as the next best arrangement, and was eagerly accepted by the officer. He was told to strap on a para- chute and climb in. The pilot made a good deal of conversation to the effect that he was just testing out this old crate and that he'd never seen one of these things before and he hoped the trip wouldn't prove altogether disastrous, but our hero looked him in the eye and asked him if by any chance he had a pilot's license, and when he received an affirmative answer, replied, Let's go. In ten minutes the plane was in Burbank, and our hero was in a taxi on his Way home. The taxi fare was the entire outlay in cash for the whole exciting afternoon. It just goes to show what a uniform will do!

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EVANS T- i 'tt.?-I A.. i f QP B N M -3. .1-sg 5, .., .- 41 , lg .,.4. ' r-. I, 1 G. -3 -- -, , ,,t -'.h.. 5' .1 'lit - ta,-'..r tifff.-a.Ti1,,t. - . - .5 ip- , yi tt.. I - THE FOUNDER OF THE AMERICAN RED CROSS By GEORGE SHAFFER It was a woman who opened the eyes of America to the idea of founding a Red Cross to help its suffering people. How- ever, it took a war to show America the great need of a Red Cross. . As the Civil War broke out, it found Clara Barton, a young lady from Massachu- setts, working as a nurse in a Washington hospital. She worked long and tiresome hours tending the wounded. Miss Barton saw the needtof a nurse at the firing lines was essential, and volunteered for the job. This determined lady fought desperately to get permission to go to the battlefields, and when permission was granted her, she lost no time in getting her equipment to- gether. ln August, the year of 1826, Miss Barton descended on her first battlefield, during the battle of Cedar Mountain. As the war continued more helpers came to the aid of Clara Barton, who was doing a marvelous job. She never left a battlefield until the last wounded man was cared for, although he wore the'Northern Blue or the Confederate Gray. After the Civil War, Miss Barton went to Europe, where she worked and studied their Red Cross, and finally after nine years she persuaded the United States to sign the Red Cross Agreement. Also, Miss Bar- ton made the American Amendment, which stated to help people in need of care and not only wartime victims. Clara Barton's ninetieth birthday was a happy one, but her last. For she died later in the year on April 12, 1912, two years before the first World War. The great work of the American National Red Cross during World Wars I and ll is a fitting monument to Clara Barton. THOUGHTS OF A SOLDIER ly Gnoncmn slum: A young lad, about nineteen years ot age, lay in a hospital bed staring into the empty space. He remembered that he had been hovering between life and death a few days ago, but through the efforts of doctors and nurses he had pulled through. He had a lot. of time now to think about what he was fighting, and almost died for. He thought maybe it was for his parents, they had done so much for him. Raised him with fervent love. They had dreamed and saved every spare penny in order that he might go to college. Their dreams had been .shattered like many other parents' by that horrible menace, war. Maybe he was fighting for the cute little trick that lived down the street. He remembered the swell time they had had together, sipping sodas at the corner drug store, and cutting a mean rug to the latest tunes on the juke- box. Still, it might be fore those thrilling football games, having snow fights, munch- ing on a big juicy hot dog, Sunday after- noon picnics, or those brisk hikes in the country. Surely those things he had loved and wanted to preserve. However, th real reason he was fighting was that he and all the other little guys in the world may walk down the street, undisturbed by harassing bullies near by. That everyone may have just what is said in our Pledge of Allegi- ance- Liberty and Iustice for all. The young fellow dropped off to sleep, confi- dent that tomorrow's world would bring Peace on earth, good will towards men. DID HE DIE IN VAIN? By MARILYN Mor-in A spark of light could be seen as a lap bullet whizzed in the air. There was a ghastly quiet for a moment and then a groan. The bullet hit its mark. The kid turned over, clutching his side and gasping for breath. Blood soaked his shirt, and as he lay there a prayer formed on his lips. A prayer that he was not dying in vain and that in years to come kids his age would have the freedom they so rightly deserved. The freedom that was dear enough to thou- sands of men to give their life for. . Let's prove to these men who every min- ute, every second, are dying on the far- flung battlefields of the world, that the blood they are shedding is not in vain, and that in giving their lives for the children of America it will become better than ever before.