143rd AAA Gun Battalion - World War II
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143rd AAA Gun Battalion - Page 49

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D BATTERY

Recreation facilities played a great part throughout the career of Battery D. We had our table tennis stars, volley-ball players, and the other sports enthusiasts. Evenings and other off time periods were dedicated to every form of card playing in the book of Hoyle. By far the greatest portion of our free time was occupied by the major American Sports; baseball and basketball.

With Frank Dahlquist buzzing 'em past the opposition, with the potent bats of George Wilson, Ray Hedrik and with the support that Wickierak, Dobos, Stafford, Wojtas, Hurley, Randall, Fluharty, Ledley, and Mariner gave, our baseball team was a constant threat to all comers. While in the States, this team played as many as three games a week and their losses can be counted on one hand. Probably their best performance came in the game with the Peris All Stars of Peris, California. The men from D soundly trounced the Stars by the score of 6 to 1; a single by a member of the opposition prevented Dahlquist's bid for a no-hit game. Overseas, this same team had the unusual record of 21 victories against 6 defeats. Spurred to great efforts by the 1st Sergeant (a rabid baseball fan), the team feared the consequences of a loss. "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned"? You should have seen Sgt Mulliner when the team lost a game.

Our basketball team was even more impressive. Centered around the team's mainstay - big, lanky, six feet two George Wilson, the Five spread terror through the ranks of their opponets. A look at the records will verify our claims to superiority. With 23 wins and 2 loses there is hardly an organization that can laud its team more than Battery D. We were truly proud of them and enjoyed watching them in action. Close on the heels of Wilson, our high point man, were Hedrick, Hiles, Wickierak, Tait, and Randall. Battery D was fast company for any ETO team.

 

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