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3MBER 30, 1943W« Is Just Like A Game, And He’s Forgotten It“It’s just like a game and Tve forgotten it; already, said Maurice J* Mossing, navy machinists' mate petty - officer secondclass, about major battles in which he has participated in ■ the. Mediterranean theater. Petty Officer Mossing, who spent six 'months in all the'large ports of North Africa and took part in the invasions of Sicily and Italy, unlike, most returned veterans, says fighting to him.is like going to work and hack, and preferred not; to talk about it, .He is now spending a leave with his wife and parents, Mr. and Mrs. Forrest Mossing of 423 East Hunt Street.Describing the Arabs of North Africa as “a bunch, of beggars, Petty Officer Mossing told how the American sailors and * soldiers have fun bickering with them. “You can’t leave the ship without having ten or 12 Arab children mob you, , he sai'd. “They even go into restaurants and pick newspapers up from the tables and then sell them to the Americans. Petty Officer Mossing was once approached on an African street and offered $2 for a package of American cigarettes he was carrying in his pocket but he saved them and made an exchange for an embossed leather pocketbook for - his wife. “The Arabs drive you nuts trying to cheat you,, he said, but added that the Americans often drive an equally hard bargain. Men on his ship sold such articles of clothing as worn-out dungarees and shoes with holes in the soles to the Arabs and got up to S10 for the latter.Although Arabs take everyORDER RESCINDEDMayor Clarke W. Baldwin issued an order stating that .store window lights may be left on until 10 o’clock at night, becoming effective yesterday, at the weekly’' meeting of the city commission yesterday afternoon.With the consent and approval of CapL Donald S. Leonard of the Michigan Civilian Defense office and Karl B. Hoch and L. B. Kuney, officials of the Adrian Civilian Defense organization, the order rescinded an old ruling under power conservation program which prohibited window lights after the 5:30 o’clock closing time unless a person was on the premises to see that they were out at 10 o’clock on in the event of an air raid alarm.A letter of acceptance was read by E. A. Ballenberger, city clerk, from L. W. Smith, who last week was appointed to fill the unexpired term of W. H. Barrett on the water board. Commissioner Louis Garmond was absent from yesterday’s meeting.Petty Officer Maurice J, Mossingchance to capitalize on the Americans, Americans rate high in their esteem. They compare the Germans and Americans by saying that the Germans came through and'took everything they had and the Americans came and gave them bon-bons and chewing gum.Soap is a luxury in North Africa, Petty Officer Mossing says, and the Arabs follow filthy habits accordingly, even disposing of their garbage in the streets. If the American sailors eat in Arabian restaurants, which are not clean, they must forfeit their pay if they get sick and have to be confined to sick bay.The sailors didn’t get off • ship when they were in the Sicilian and Italian ports but that didn’t keep them from talking with Italians because often k whole family of poverty-stricken people would row out to the transport in a bum boat, similar to an American row boat, and beg for food. Some of the Sicilians Petty Officer Mossing talked with had lived in Brooklyn at one time, going back to their home country when war hroke out. “They were glad to see us come and drive out the Germans,” he said-Hamburgers in-Africa“The best meal I had in those six months was when I ate with an army tank unit in Africa and had fried hamburgers. The food onboard ship was good and we had meat, too, but the cooks always steamed it.”His most lasting impression from those six months was steaming back through the Straits of Gibraltar because he knew he was coming home. Petty Officer Mossing said. His wife will accompany him to New York where he reports December 7 for further sea duty.
Newspaper Details
Adrian Daily Telegram
Adrian, Michigan, US
Tue, Nov 30, 1943
Page 6
Full Page
Clipped by
Dallas G.
TX, USA 26 Dec 2021
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Adrian Daily Telegram
