6th Machine Gun Battalion
Episodes, Incidents, Tall Tales, Etc.
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SIXTH MACHINE GUN BATTALION NEWS
from THE INDIAN, Volume 1, Number 5
May 13, 1919, Neuwied-on-the-Rhine
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Our well-known Sam, he of motorcycle fame, is now sporting a cigar-holder, and when he has it in use one has to get permission from Henry to speak to him. Poor Sam! And he used to be such a nice fellow!
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Corporal Dern would not trade his job at the message center for a captaincy, because he is the first one to see if his orders are in for his return to his little wife, and also has the first look at the daily bill-of-fare which Mess Sergeant Booth brings in.
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We all miss “Murphy” from the headquarters office. No more filing papers behind the radiator.
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Oh, how Lieutenant Keown likes to jug these Dutchmen!
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We are justly proud of our battalion, for we won two first prizes, one second, and two fourth prizes at the Army Show.
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Our handsome Lieutenant Lucas is back from a leave in Paree. He brought back suits for our baseball team.
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Someone charged Mess Sergeant Booth with putting sugar in the coffee the other day, and it was not April Fools’ day either. We’ll have to investigate that matter of wasting supplies.
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Speaking of celebrities, may I introduce our Damon and Pythias? Meet Corporal Mason and Private Amen.
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Cpl Al Appenheimer, muleskinner with Headquarters Detachment, told of coming
into an area which the Germans had only recently abandoned. In a wrecked house
they found an upright piano. Appenheimer, who had no musical ability
whatsoever, walked over and began pounding mindlessly on the keys with
his knuckles, making a horrible racket. Pretty soon another Marine,
who was well known for his prowess on the keyboard, walked over
and pushed Appenheimer aside, then made ready to give a proper concert.
As he was preparing to play, Appenheimer walked out of the house. With
the first key the pianist struck, there was a violent explosion, and both
piano and pianist were blown to smithereens. The Germans had booby-trapped
one of the keys, and it was by pure chance that, for all his pounding, Appenheimer never struck the one
fatal key, while his talented successor struck it on the first note.
If anyone has any further information regarding this incident, particularly the identity of the Marine pianist who was killed, please contact BJ Omanson at skipper@labyrinth.net)
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