Alamo Scout Is Discharged
Pfc. Louis Belson, who served 32 months in the South Pacific as a member of the Alamo Scouts, under Gen. Walter Krueger of the Sixth army, has arrived home with an honorable discharged. Pvt. Belson makes his home with his mother, Mrs. Orpal Belson at 515 Tenth Street.
Pvt. Belson wears the Silver Star for gallantry in action during the pre-invasion scouting on New Guinea, and Battle Stars for the Paupan, Bismark, southern Philippines and Luzon campaigns.
The Alamo Scouts, Pvt. Belson said, were made up of volunteers, usually in small groups of five or six, who would make landings ahead of the invasion forces to gather information as to the number of men on the island, how armed and to test for suitable landing beaches.
The pre-invasion landing New Guinea, he said, lasted for four days due to the strafing of American planes. The men, he said would row in during the darkest part of the night usually in rubber boats, which they would hide until time for their return trip.
Source: The Sioux City Journal, October 12, 1945 (photo included)
