Let Us Tell It , livre ebook

TURNER PUBLISHING COMPANY
Author: G.P. Kotzur
Turner Publishing Company Staff: Chief Editor: Robert J. Martin
Copyright G.P. Kotzur 1996. Publishing Rights: Turner Publishing Company. All Rights Reserved. Limited Edition. Additional copies may be purchased directly from Turner Publishing Company.
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number 95-60323
ISBN: 978-1-56311-187-7
This book or any part thereof may not be reproduced without the written consent of Turner Publishing Company. This publication was produced using available material. The publisher regrets it cannot assume liability for errors or omissions.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
BIOGRAPHY
NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR
PUBLISHER S MESSAGE
INTRODUCTION
THE DEPRESSION, 1929 - 1941
MOVIES
MUSIC
WWII
TRAINING
MOVEMENT OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY OVERSEAS
WORLD WAR II IN AMERICA: A NATION IN ACTION
MAXIMUM SIMPLICITY EQUALS MAXIMUM EFFICIENCY
GOOD, HARD TRAINING PRODUCED GOOD, BRAVE MEN
SICK CALL
THE NORMANDY INVASION
THE LARGEST BATTLE IN THE HISTORY OF MANKIND
THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE
THE BRITISH IN THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE
KEY PERSONNEL IN A MILITARY UNIT
THE 2ND INFANTRY DIVISION IN THE BULGE FIGHT
THE ARMY AIR CORPS
NOTES TO PONDER
SURRENDER
THE NAVY AND THE BUILDUP IN EUROPE
THE KOREAN WAR
UNITED STATES TROOPS IN JAPAN
THE 24TH INFANTRY DIVISION
THE 25TH INFANTRY DIVISION
THE PUSAN PERIMETER
THE INCHON INVASION
MILITARY INTELLIGENCE AND WAR PLANNING
SHOOTING ON THE BATTLEFIELD
PRESIDENT SYNGMAN RHEE OF SOUTH KOREA
THE UNITED STATES TOOK THE BRUNT OF THE WAR
MAJOR CONTRIBUTIONS TO UN FORCES IN KOREA
THE THIRTY-EIGHTH PARALLEL WAR
CHRISTMAS DAY AND MAIL
THE MILITARY DOCTORS AND NURSES
BEER FOR THE TROOPS ON THE BATTLEFIELD; ONE BEER PER DAY PER MAN
THE DRAFT FOR MILITARY SERVICE AND DIVORCES
NO BATTALION OR DIVISION BOOKS FOR THE FIGHTING MEN IN KOREA
A WAR WITHOUT VICTORY
THE VIETNAM WAR 1964 - 1973
THE UNITED STATES MILITARY RESERVES
THE AMERICAN NEWS MEDIA
THE PEACE TALKS
WHEN MILITARY PERSONNEL WERE RETURNING HOME AND THE FINAL RETURN HOME FROM THE WAR
THE ADVISOR MISSION
GENERAL DOUGLAS MACARTHUR
PROPAGANDA
PLANNING AND FIGHTING OF THE WAR
SCAPEGOATS
EXCESSIVE DRIFT FROM STATESIDE
ON THE BUILDUP IN 1965
FIGHTING THE WAR
SEARCH AND DESTROY MISSIONS
BRIEFINGS AND WEATHER FORECASTS
THE DESERT WAR
THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA IN WARS
AMERICA AND THE WORLD REJOICED
FREEDOM AND PEACE: THE NEED TO PROTECT
WARS ARE STUPID - WARS ARE DUMB: A PERSONAL VIEWPOINT
DISABLED VETERANS IN AMERICA
MEMORIAL DAYS AND VETERANS DAYS
CLOSING THE MILITARY COMMISSARY SYSTEM
PRISONERS OF WAR
THE WAR VETERANS
AMERICAN TROOPS OVERSEAS
AFTER WWII ENDED
COST OF MILITARY HARDWARE
MILITARY RETIREES
WISHFUL THINKING
BIG GOVERNMENT
FOREIGN AID
THE TAKE DOWN OF THE BERLIN WALL
WASHINGTON PARTIES
CONGRESSIONAL PAY RAISES
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY
SOCIAL SECURITY
COALITIONS
SNOOPING ON OTHERS
THE CONGRESS AND THE SENATE
CONGRESSIONAL TERM LIMITS
BOTH PARTIES (DUPLICATE NAME)
BALANCING THE BUDGET
COMPLETING PROJECTS ON TIME
GOVERNMENT INSPECTORS, SNOOPS, AND SNIFFERS
AMERICAN WOMEN
AMERICAN MOTHERS
THE GRANDMOTHERS
AMERICAN SINGLE WOMEN
BABIES BORN IN AMERICA
AMERICAN MERCHANTS, SALES , AND SET PRICES
REBATES
THE HIGH COST OF NASA
MARRIAGES
THE AMERICAN SPORTS SYSTEM
THE U.S. POSTAL SERVICE
HIGH COST OF DENTAL CARE
HEALTH CARE INSURANCE
THE ECONOMY
PAY RAISES AND COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENTS (COLA)
JOBS FOR AMERICANS THAT ONCE WERE
UNITED STATES AMBASSADORS
SECRETARIES OF LABOR
THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE
SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION
CAR INSURANCE
PROPERTY INSURANCE
HIGH COST OF SUPPLEMENTAL INSURANCE TO MEDICARE
AMERICAN LABOR UNIONS
SECRETARY OF EDUCATION
TEACHERS
DRESS CODES
STUDENT TROUBLE MAKERS
BUSSING STUDENTS
CARS AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS
SEX EDUCATION IN SCHOOLS
LYING TO STUDENTS
SCHOLARSHIPS
PEOPLE IN WASHINGTON
SPORTS IN HIGH SCHOOLS
AMERICAN LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSONNEL
POSITIVE POLICY AND PROCEDURE AS A GUIDE FOR ALL AMERICANS
NORTH AMERICAN FREE TRADE AGREEMENT (NAFTA)
IMMIGRANTS
ANCESTORS
THE FUTURE OF AMERICA
THE PRESIDENT
FIRST LADIES
STATE GOVERNORS
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
G.P. Kotzur served in World War II, Korea, and Vietnam. He retired as a Command Sergeant Major from the U.S. Army after 33 years of service to his country. In his own words, I am proud to be an American. He shares some brief history and personal memories in this narrative on World War II.

Last re-up for U.S. Army Dec., 1970 at reveille, Darmstadt, Germany. (L to R) BG Joseph F.H. Cutrona administrating oath to CSM G.P. Kotzur.
BIOGRAPHY
CSM (Ret) G.P. Kotzur, was born in March 1917. He enlisted in the United States Army in October 1940 when WWII was being forced upon the United States. He fought for his country and helped bring the WWII conflagration to an end.
Kotzur received the best training the Army had to offer. This training included: many hours of field duty, shooting of weapons, and participation in two of the Louisiana maneuvers. He took Airborne training with the Division in November 1942, then moved with the division to Camp McCoy, Wisconsin.
The Division soldiers at Camp McCoy were committed to rigorous sub-arctic training which culminated in a winter maneuver in Michigan where temperatures dropped as low as 40 degrees below zero. During this sub-arctic training there were no tents or stoves for warmth. This was not a place or time for softies. Kotzur liked the training because all tasks were completed using minimum time and peak efficiency.
Kotzur fought for the Allies in Normandy for 71 consecutive days (a record for his division). Since the fighting had begun, his first hot meal was June 28 and his first river bath followed in August. Here he was fighting for Brest, France.
The efforts of Kotzur during WWII included the Battle of the Bulge. During the Big Fight, 16-19 December, there was no rest or sleep for the soldiers. The ground was covered with snow, red stained by the blood of American soldiers and blackened by the exploding gun shells. He also fought in Leipzig, another German stronghold. The German 88 s had a pretty good bite to them. Positioned in Leipzig were hundreds of German Ack-Ack weapons, so the allied pilots nicknamed the area Ack-Ack Alley.
On May 7th Kotzur s division ended up in Pelsin, Czechoslovakia. Then on May 8th the Unconditional Surrender of the Axis forces was signed at Reims, Germany. Europe, America and all its Armed Forces rejoiced.
Kotzur s division had set a record for the most number of days on line in Normandy and on the Siegried Line. For many of the soldiers in his division there were 320 consecutive days of combat, with not one second spent under a roof. Kotzur was one that had to rough it, and he is proud to be listed among those soldiers.
In July, 1945, Kotzur returned to the United States. Although many of his friends told him he was crazy for doing so, he reenlisted in the U.S. Army. His mission after the war was to enjoy hot food, hot showers, a cot, and possibly catching a wife. As it turned out, he was able to complete his mission in all categories.
Kotzur was in Japan, assigned to the 25th Infantry Division, when the Korean War broke out. This division was the second to arrive in South Korea to repel the North Korean Army. After arrival in South Korea, Kotzur s division was ordered to remain and hold Pusan until help arrived. These division soldiers had 65 days of fierce battles to contend with before their help came. It was so rough in Pusan that even the military chaplains found it safer to have a pistol on their hip rather than a prayer on their lip.
Kotzur s division was already in North Korea when the Chinese entered the war. Here the temperatures dropped as low as 75 degrees below zero. Mess sergeants warmed the troops with coffee that was pure as an angel, strong as love, black as the devil, and hot as hell .
As the fighting in Korea wore on, the war became like a poker game; win some today and lose it back to the opponents on the next. The win/lose situation put an end to the thought of the soldiers going home by Christmas. Instead, a rotation policy was established for the troops. In August, 1951, Kotzur finally left Korea and returned to the United States.
Kotzur arrived in Vietnam in 1965 only to find more young American soldiers giving their lives for nothing. In 1966 he returned to the United States from Vietnam; it was the last war he would fight in for the United States.
Kotzur served with 9 U.S. Army divisions during his military service. His assignments have included an artillery group, a missile command, an armored calvary regiment, and (3 1/2 years) basic training centers. He has also been an advisor to the U.S. National Guard, as well as Advisor to a Foreign Army.
Kotzur marched with the United States Army for 33 years, 2 months, and 15 days. Over 30 years of his career was spent directly with his troops. He had 34 total assignments and served as First Sergeant under 22 Commanders and as Sergeant Major under 20 commanders. He took his last re-enlistment oath (administered by a general officer) at 0600 hours by the flagpole in Germany.
Effective January 1, 1974, at the age of 57, Kotzur retired ( with no regrets ) from the United States Army. To him the garrison duty had been a vacation and he looked upon combat duty as the rough spots in his military life. In either situation, he had seen it through.
Throughout his military career Kotzur fought in three wars, earning 13 battle stars and 22 awards and decorations, including decorations for bravery in combat. He compiled over 35 months of combat duty. His name has appeared in four books, the American Stars and Stripes and in several American newspapers reflecting on his actions in combat. He has received numerous C