Post by floydragsdale on Dec 22, 2010 12:12:56 GMT -5
As Christmas Eve faded into Christmas day, one lost soldier was trudging through the forest making an effort to locate his outfit (G Co.) that he became separated from hours earlier.
About midmorning he came upon an open field dotted with clusters of G.I’s., as well as several American Sherman Tanks in the vicinity.
He learned that the groups of men were remnants of the Second Battalion, 424th Regiment and that some G Company men were among them.
Before noon a picture began to shed light on the surroundings.
The enemy (Germans) launched a surprise attack early in the morning, which caught American troops completely off guard and they (American Troops) withdrew from their positions.
Brigadier General Bruce Clark, of the 7th Armored Division, was in the process of “restoring order” to this dilemma by giving pep talks to the American Soldiers.
Eventually he assembled the troops for a spirit boosting talk.
This writer distinctly remembers the General saying, “I’ve chased these bastards (Germans) all the way across France and we are not going to run from them now!”
General Clark asked for suggestions and comments from the troops, and he listened, patiently.
That Soldier complained about his inaccurate carbine rifle by telling him, “It was worthless as a weapon on the front lines.” General Clark took a rifle out of his Jeep and said, “Here Soldier, take my rifle (a Springfield 03) and you take care of it; I soldiered with it in WW1.
If the Soldier remembered correctly the sight could be set for a target as far as 2,000 yards away. Later, however, he had problems getting clips for that rifle. “ Nevertheless, it was one heck a weapon”, he said.
The Springfield 03 and that Soldier parted company the 15th of January 1945, at Ennal, Belgium when an Ambulance took him and several other G.I.’s to a Hospital.
That particular soldier was the writer of this story.
Floyd,
424th Regiment
P.S. That Springfield 03 had a kick like a Missouri Mule!
About midmorning he came upon an open field dotted with clusters of G.I’s., as well as several American Sherman Tanks in the vicinity.
He learned that the groups of men were remnants of the Second Battalion, 424th Regiment and that some G Company men were among them.
Before noon a picture began to shed light on the surroundings.
The enemy (Germans) launched a surprise attack early in the morning, which caught American troops completely off guard and they (American Troops) withdrew from their positions.
Brigadier General Bruce Clark, of the 7th Armored Division, was in the process of “restoring order” to this dilemma by giving pep talks to the American Soldiers.
Eventually he assembled the troops for a spirit boosting talk.
This writer distinctly remembers the General saying, “I’ve chased these bastards (Germans) all the way across France and we are not going to run from them now!”
General Clark asked for suggestions and comments from the troops, and he listened, patiently.
That Soldier complained about his inaccurate carbine rifle by telling him, “It was worthless as a weapon on the front lines.” General Clark took a rifle out of his Jeep and said, “Here Soldier, take my rifle (a Springfield 03) and you take care of it; I soldiered with it in WW1.
If the Soldier remembered correctly the sight could be set for a target as far as 2,000 yards away. Later, however, he had problems getting clips for that rifle. “ Nevertheless, it was one heck a weapon”, he said.
The Springfield 03 and that Soldier parted company the 15th of January 1945, at Ennal, Belgium when an Ambulance took him and several other G.I.’s to a Hospital.
That particular soldier was the writer of this story.
Floyd,
424th Regiment
P.S. That Springfield 03 had a kick like a Missouri Mule!
