Hide Article Text (OCR)
Sunday, May 25CROSSE TRIBUNE ANDCOMPANY believes there ought to be a special niche in Armory llull. or somewhere, devoted to the individual memory of Private Thomas Rooney. 14* CroBdg man, w!k died in the Argonne after having «*tablisbed j.r himself the repntation of being the-moat reaklessly brace of any soldier in the first battalion of the 128th i: fantry. When one stofs to think that the 128th was part of the “Bri-pade Terrible*”. as the Frenchafter two joint offenidves came to 4 all the Wiroosin 64th brigade. Tom Rooney’s reputation appears unique.It is six months sineo 141 Crosse beard of Tom Rooney's death. Therewere many others killed in the Ar-p.nne. But to B company the loss of Torn Rooney is a thing apart. Kvery man agrees that Rooney was in a class by himself when it came tobravery and dash in action. Company B men a^ho came home this week are not boast.fn 1 With their remarkable record as a fighting shock unit, they ran affonri to confess that i-ortain fire shakes the nerves, andthat it takes supreme will pow’er to p» over the top against machine gunnests.Roonev Never AfraidNEVER KNEW FEARTom Rooney, Killed in Actkm Oct.^ horn B Company Declares to Have Been Moat Recklessly Paring of Any Man in Battalion.captain as he lay dying, as an f the battalion maior'* hirhmention Tom RooneyPerry to a R com paheart. He never showed a tremor.I,outwardly, I know. He never ducked when the shelling got heavy, althoughof course he obeyed the ordinary precautions of keeping in a dug-out anddropping when one came near. All Ton will hear the greatest praise of the rest of us showed the strain, a soldier ran bestow. “There more or less. Rooney never did. I think he liked it.“There never was a call for volunteers for a dangerous job that wasn't answered first b.v Roonev. Trenchtwofear* *company is* «strong for its kjfehen gang. “We got chow whenthe other comnanies rouldn’r.” ther™‘j«7“ “O”' dfuai sut Uu-ouKhwere the joy of his heart. He loved regardlessto mix It with the boches, and heAnd yet there was once that B mpany’a rations failed them. It was“ rr- aD^;lv on Uif SOIJSODS (root The rationlt;* » *°r“1.r.,lr?.“ * Ger^“- irtven. trot lost. Thev»only had to tell Rooney! go out that night and get whatever was wanted, from an officer's helmet to an iron cross.’*c d clear over to the British Somme front.Rooney’s particular pal wasThey were gone 48 hours before they found ont their mistake—18 hours of bumping over shell-holes, wondering where the devil the company had gottenant Petry. son of the Wisconsin to. And then they turned aroundstare senator. He was assigned to j lt;*ame back for a fresh 1 B company after the Lisne-Marne of- B company frisked the lt;] fejndve. He, like Rooney, loved action. | serve rations and cussed They nsed to hunt together, going party. B company fought at Juvigny J out night after night to haunt No; for three 1 Man’s Latnd in search of a Heinie.TOM ROOVTCYi I Jeateoant Perry had discarded all 1 insignia of rank. He toted a rifle | and pack like the doughboys.Rooney and Lieutenant Perry fell together on their last hunt. It was in the Argonne, October 1.1. 1918. rhey were.Lea TerriWes* * * *I tan_t They came to a machine gun nest _i Hiey couldn’t flank it because ofexcuse. Tom Rooney—he*s the (others around it. They charged it •Til admix I wa* scared.” said a]0”1? man 1 *ver kuew who was not! frontally — snicidally. Rooney wascompany B man at Camp Grant. lt;*ver _ killed on the spot. IJenXenant Perrv•Scared pale, lots of times. 1 don’t' “* don 1 believe Tom Rooney knew wa* riddled, hut left alive. He livrri like it. Hardly anybody like* It. It not secretly, down in his ten days in the hostatal. and was protakes superhuman nerves to stand it without showing* it. 'Most any fellow would beat it back from the front lines when an attack was due if liecould square it with himself to makeNarrow escapes? Meet “Heinie” Kehr. B company comedian, and rnn-....... nor « ** be calls it, “galloper”. Getas always, out ahead. | “Heinie” to show yon his tin hat. IPsgot a neat littlq hole through thebrim, jnst alongside the temple. TheVT 13*T, «ftiw thn
Newspaper Details
La Crosse Tribune and Leader Press
La Crosse, Wisconsin, US
Sun, May 25, 1919
Page 11
Full Page
Clipped by
Kris K.
CA, USA 26 Nov 2018
Other Publications Near La Crosse, Wisconsin
La Crosse Daily Badger
La Crosse Weekly Appeal
Amerika
La Crosse National Democrat
La Crosse Democrat
