African Fighter in City
Says Opening of Second Front Came As A Relief to Men
Opening of the second front by United Nations forces in Africa came as a relief rather than a surprise to American fighting men there, declared Fireman First Class David J. Akenson, believed to be the first Sioux Cityan to return from the African war zone.
Fireman Akenson served aboard a United States battleship which took part in an early phase of the battle for French Morocco between Vichy French soldiers and allied forces. He’s here now on a brief leave visiting his 21-year old niece, Miss Norma Landsberg, who is recuperating at the home of her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Albin Landsberg, 3320 Court Street, after a four-month siege of sleeping sickness. Mrs. Landsberg is Akenson’s sister.
Before the allies began their drive in Africa, American soldiers, sailors and other service men “were itching to get into the fight,” asserted Fireman Akenson. “Everyone wanted to open up something to end the war,” he adds, explaining that the “waiting around” caused a feeling of tension among the men.
Tension Eases
“When we found out we really were in it, the men eased up fast and the tension began to go away,” declared the Sioux Cityan.
Fireman Akenson has been in the navy a little less than a year—he enlisted right after Pearl Harbor—but he’s seen more action in that time than did many men who served throughout the last war.
The Sioux Cityan says he was comparatively inactive until early November, when the battleship he was serving on took part in a four-day battle with Vichy French –or, as the Sioux Cityan terms them—“Nazi French” forces in French Morocco.
“Poured It On”
The battleship slipped into the shore near the Vichy French installations at midnight. The Americans waited until morning, broadcasting to the Vichy French forces that they were coming.
With the aid of British and American fighter planes, the battleship “poured it into the installations” after the soldiers there had signified their determination to fight it out. The Vichy French fought hard until they were beaten, declared Fireman Akenson.
During the action, Akenson’s station was below decks – a dangerous place to be when the ship is attacked by air as if it was once by Vichy French planes.
After the French Morocco battle the battleship on which Fireman Akenson was serving went to another port, then headed for the United States. On the way, says the sailor, he heard that the Vichy French forces whom they had engaged had promised the Americans they would offer no resistance—but opened fire when American soldiers began to land.
Source: The Sioux City Journal, December 3, 1942 (photo included)
