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By "Foreign Legion" it is not meant second generation
Poles from the Chicago area, Swedes from Minnesota, New England
Canucks, Boston or New Orleans Irish, Latinos, Cajuns or naturalized
German immigrants, but the real McCoy -- French and Belgian subjects
incorporated into the division somewhere between Normandy and
the Siegfried line when replacements were slow in coming and
casualties over the period approaching a decimating figure.
Rumors reaching division that the enrollees, all volunteers
and largely coming from the FFI or Armee Blanc, were sent down
to the supply sergeant for basic clothing, furnished a weapon
from a fallen comrade, and paired off with an American soldier
on the buddy system.
Not all of the "Foreign Legion" were French or Belgian.
Major Charlie Kapes, who had a soft spot in his heart for Poles,
had an aide who just might have formerly worn a German uniform
and who went largely unnoticed until he appeared in a pair of
GI trousers with a red stripe sewn down the outside seams.
It was even bruited about that in one of the units - could
it have been the Maintenance Battalion? - there was a French
woman disguised as a GI in coveralls?
As to the numbers in our "Foreign Legion" it is
difficult to say. Perhaps Jack Boulger would know.
I am like one of the players in Abbott's description of baseball
to Costello. "Who's on first. What's on second and I Don't
know is on third," opting for the latter.
Whatever the number, the end came with their "discharge,"
probably in November of 1944 when replacements began to arrive,
with orders from on high for the removal from the division.
Before long came another order, this time to cease using or
wearing foreign weapons, even P 38's.
Militarily, if not bodily, we were being repatriated in all
but speech, by now we having acquired a smattering of "English-style"
French and German words in frequent use.
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