0 | | { «* Battle of the e0 & oe ) Fo— win $750 Details on page 12 vB Dallas, Pennsylvania Great Performances Tara Ann Shevock, left, playing an angel, admired the Baby Jesus held by Mary, played by Brittany Hillard during last Sunday's Christmas play by the kindergarten and first grade classes at Gate of Heaven School. More photos on page 12. POST PHOTO/CHARLOTTE BARTIZEK By JACK HILSHER Post Correspondent Fifty years ago Allied forces fighting in Germany believed the war was just about over and the German army almost washed up. It was so quiet, at times some troops tended to doze off. It was bitter cold and six inches of snow covered the ground. Came dawn December 16, and a rude awakening. New Goss Manor's Al Baloga's 87th division was one of the ones caught nap- ping. A surprise enemy offensive, carefully planned and carried out, erupted along an 85-mile front, and not a very well-defended front at that. Troops were spread thin, and the “Battle of the Bulge” was about to begin. This sudden engagement shook Allied forces all the way up to the very top, in fact, Baloga'’s division was pulled back to defend SHAEF, the nearby Supreme Headquar- ters, Allied Expeditionary Force. It was then the only division in reserve. | The ensuing “Battle of the Bulge” is being commemorated now by a veterans group called the “Battle of Bulge Veterans Association.” A 50th anniversary celebration is being held jointly in Bastogne, Belgium and St. Louis, Missouri. .Representatives of the Belgian and Luxembourg govern- Lo2 7th Sieg 1 assault BACK TO BASICS - Al Baloga recently visited Ft. Jackson, South Carolna where he trained for service in Europe during World War II. ments will be participating as well this country's Secretary of De- fense William Perry. Al Baloga is tempted, but he just returned from a trip to his old camp at Ft. Jackson, South Caro- lina. Ex-Sergeant Baloga, who retired in 1983 after almost 30 years with the Social Security Administration, began his mili- tary career about as early as it was possible to do so. At the age of 17 he and some high school buddies enlisted in something the army called a Specialized Train- ing Program, ASTP for short. They were immediately sent down to the University of Florida to be trained as sanitary engineers. Young Al thought he had it » » Mossback's search for Santa Things look bleak in the forest, as the flies run out By T.T. CRATCHIT Special to The Post Mossback awoke shortly after dawn, determined ‘o make some time in his journey to confront Santa Claus. He quickly rolled up his lily pad sleeping bag, hur- riedly ate a freeze-dried fly, and hopped on his way. He had hopped half the day away when he realized the scen- ery seemed to be repeating itself. He pulled out his little green compass and had a look at it and saw to his horror that he had been hopping in circles. “I'll never find Santa Claus at this rate,” Mossback fretted. He reoriented himself to due north and carefully hopped in the cor- rect direction. But he had lost half a day. When he stopped for lunch, Mossback saw he had only one puny freeze-dried fly remaining in his sack. “Maybe I should try to ration this last one and stretch it over a few days or evena week,” he said to himself. But his hunger got the best of him and he gobbled down the last fly with relish. After See MOSSBACK, pg 8 Bulge surprised Baloga's unit made but the army knew better. The program was cancelled and Al and his buddies were all sent to the 87th Infantry Division for 13 weeks of basic training. So much for specialization! First as a squad leader, later a platoon leader, Al has an insight into the workings of the U.S. mili- tary machine one gets only by being there. The 87th was a National Guard unit from Missis- sippi, full of “greenies” as Al calls them. “They knew absolutely nothing,” he says. “Even such simple basics as keeping a pair of dry socks they were never taught. As a result, there was an awful lot of trenchfoot. Then, combat itself. Al says, “13 lousy weeks didn't hack it. Two of our platoons had a half- hour firefight with each other because one was flanking the other and wasn't supposed to be there, and it took that long to discover each other.” “As for the Bulge thing,” Al re- flects, “They must really have been worried. Replacements filling holes in the line were mechanics rushed over from air bases in England. None of them had even loaded a rifle before, let alone fired it." Baloga was wounded twice, the See BALOGA, pg 8 State spurns request for lower speed Most drivers on Rt. 29 speed now, so PennDOT won't lower limit By GRACE R. DOVE Post Staff When Jackson Township ap- plied for a state highway occu- pancy permit for Bonko Drive at Route 29, the Pennsylvania De- partment * of Transportation (PennDOT) said the township should request a traffic study to get the highway's speed limit lowered at the intersection. The township dutifully asked PennDOT's permits division to do a traffic speed study, and received a report on it November 15. No way, said PennDOT. The study, consisting of radar timing of 200 cars using a 1.3- mile section of Rte. 29 between Smith Pond Road and Chase Road, indicated that 25 percent of the vehicles were travelling more than 50 miles per hour (mph). Some had been clocked at 71 mph. The allowed speed limit for this stretch is 40 mph, with 25 mph advisories posted at the sharp curve between Bonko Drive and Mizdail Road. : “If motorists are not obeying the existing 40 mph speed limit signs, then it is safe to assume they will not obey any other lower See SPEED, pg 8 Students ask raise for track coach Bring petition with 230 signatures to school board By GRACE R. DOVE Post Staff Three members of the Dallas High School winter track team asked the school board at their meeting Dec. 12 to give winter track coach William Kvashay a raise. The students brought a peti- tion containing 230 signatures to the school board meeting. Kvashay had resigned at the board's November meeting, after being turned down when he asked for an increase in his $600 per “They don’t pay the teachers less if they have fewer students.” Joy Morgan Track team member season salary. Kvashay had been paid $600 each winter track season since 1989 and had worked for free when starting the team in 1988. He had asked the board for a raise after a swimming coach had been hired for $1,200. His position has not been filled. See COACH, pg 10 School boards elect officers The Dallas and Lake-Lehman school boards appointed new officers at their annual reorganization meetings, held December 5 and 6 respectively. Dallas school board: Dr. Richard Coslett was elected president, replacing Ellen Nagy, while Thomas Landon was named vice-president. Ernest Ashbridge will be the representative to West Side Tech. All other committee chairpersons will be selected at the December 12 meeting. Lake-Lehman school board: Jeffrey Fritzen was elected president, replacing Joseph “Red” Jones, with Dr. John Presper as first vice- president and Edwin Kern as second vice-president. Committee chairpersons are: athletics and activities, Elizabeth Sichler; buildings and grounds, Edwin Kern; transportation, Patricia Gold; finance, Thomas Williams; education, Dr. John Presper; support services, Karen Whipple, and school board, Joseph “Red” Jones. A new treasurer will be appointed at the December 13 meeting. . Fritzen had served as treasurer until he was elected president. HB Tree time. Family families pick this time of year. Page 3. H Girls roundball. Lake-Lehman and Dallas coaches look ahead to the '94-95 season. Page 9 16 Pages 2 Sections tree farms raise the trees that The Dallas Post MAILING LABEL- Please enclose this label with any address changes, and mail to The Dallas Post, P.O. Box 366, Dallas PA 18612-0366 Calendar................. 16 Classified........... 14-15 Crossword.............. 16 Editorials................... 4 Obituaries............... 14 School............... 11-13 SPONS........c.ou0000: 9-10 CALL 675-5211 FOR HOME DELIVERY, NEWS OR ADVERTISING
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