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Post by connie on Jun 24, 2011 11:37:26 GMT -5
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Post by cerri on Sept 11, 2011 9:34:55 GMT -5
Post 2
Here's what I've gathered so far about my uncle Milo, and by proxy, the movements of the 424th up until early January of 45. (This was written for our family reunion) Let me know if I have anything wrong!
Milo Hunter Fish was inducted into the Army in March 1943. He trained and deployed with the 106th Infantry Division, the Golden Lions of the 2nd Army, in the 424th regiment, M company. He trained at Fort Jackson, South Carolina. The division then transferred to Tennessee, but in early 1944 Milo went to Stuttgart Arkansas to train as an aviation cadet. The program was discontinued before Milo could finish (he spent about a month in the program), so he was shipped back to the 106th, which was then at Camp Atterberry in Indiana for advanced training.
In the 106th, Milo trained and was assigned to M Company, a heavy weapons company which was comprised of sustained fire heavy machine gun and mortar platoons) as part of a heavy machine gun team (generally comprised of four men: 1 shooter, 1 to guide ammunition and reload the weapon, and 2 to hump ammunition).
In October of 144, the division transferred to Camp Myles Standish in Massachusetts, then headed to New York to depart for Europe. The 106th shipped out for Europe on October 20, 1944 on the Aquitania.
While aboard the Acquitainia, probably about midway in the voyage, a statement was given to all troops on board. In short it read, "If you die outside the Continental limits of the U.S.A., where do you want to be permanently buried?” In other words, do you want your remains to be shipped home, or left where you die? If a G.I. didn't make a choice, the Army would make it for him.
After a stormy crossing, the division landed in Greenok, Scotland on October 28th. They shipped by train to the South Midlands of England (Chipping Norton), where they were billeted in Quonset huts. The days were spent training, hiking, and working on field problems, and the evenings were generally spent at the local pubs. After about a month at Chipping Norton, the unit traveled by train to Southampton, and crossed the channel on a steamer (New Zealand’s SS Monawai) to the French port city of Le Havre. After spending several days offshore, they landed in LSTs (Landing Ship Tanks) at Le Havre on December 6th, then stopped over in Yerville, in the Normandy Penninsula for two days, before heading out to Belgium. Cutting across northern France and through Belgium, they traveled in 2 ½ ton trucks (called ‘deuce-and-a-halfs), mostly through rain and heavy mist, seeing little of “Sunny France” along the way.
They arrived in St. Vith, Belgium, on December 10th, and reached the front lines on the German-Belgian border on December 11th, relieving the 2nd Infantry Division in the Schnee Eifel, just northeast of Luxembourg. They were told that their position, along 7000 yards of the Belgian-German border, was “a piece of cake”, a ghost front. That held true for only five days.
At around 5:40 am on December 16th of 1944, Field Marshal von Rundstedt launched the offensive that would become known as The Battle of the Bulge. The 106th had only arrived on the front lines five days prior. They had never seen combat, and had only been on the continent for 10 days. The Germans launched an artillery barrage of thousands of shells and rockets along an 80-mile front. The barrage lasted until around 7:00 am and was followed by waves of Volksgrenadiers (German infantry) and Panzer tanks. The 106th was outnumbered 10 to 1.
The 424th was driven back across the Our River, losing most of its equipment, and in St. Vith they joined with the remnants of other divisions and with rear elements such as cooks, clerks, truck drivers and mechanics, who were forced to pick up weapons to hold off the German advance. The 424th was just south of the town along with the 9th Armored Division. By December 19th, the 424th was the last effective division of the 106th (the 422nd and 423rd had been forced to surrender after being surrounded).
On Christmas Eve, 1944, the 424th launched the first counter attack of the Bulge at Manhay. Manhay was one of the most significant turning points of the Ardennes battle.
The weather during the battle was below freezing and close to zero most of the time. Many, if not the majority, of the men suffered from trench foot, caused by feet being constantly wet. Frostbite was also common. Sometime between December 25 and December 29, Milo was evacuated to a field hospital near Liege, Belgium, with severe trench foot. From Liege he was transferred to a hospital in Paris, and then to Yeoville, England. It was several months before he was able to walk again.
Once his feet were healed enough that he could go back on duty, he was transferred to a Replacement Depot. He rejoined his unit at Bad Krueznach, Germany, where they were guarding a Prisoner of War camp, but on June 29th, 1945, he was transferred to the 28th Infantry Division (Keystone Division, otherwise known as The Bucket of Blood Division), 109th Infantry Regiment. He had spent nearly 28 months with the 424th before being transferred to the 109th.
The 28th spent the remainder of the war serving occupation at Julich and Kaiserlautern in Germany. The division began redeploying to the States in July for a furlough. By August, 1945, the remainder of the division had returned to the U.S via Boston, Massachusetts, before hearing to Camp Shelby, Mississippi, to begin training for deployment to the South Pacific. Following Japan’s surrender, Milo returned to Camp Myles Standish in Massachusetts, then was sent to Camp Grant in Illinois for discharge.
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Post by connie on Sept 12, 2011 9:33:48 GMT -5
post 3This is a great piece of history to pass on to your family. Thanks for sharing it with us! As you pointed out it is also a good discussion starter. I have a minute this AM to share notes on the crossing. Most, if not all of the 424th did indeed sail on the Aquatania. But, not counting those advance troops who sailed earlier, it took 3 different ships to transport the whole division: The Queen Elizabeth, the Aquatania, and the Wakefield. For more notes on the Aquatania Sailing: 106thdivision.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=dates&action=display&thread=142Thanks again for posting this summary of Milo's story! Connie
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Post by floydragsdale on Sept 12, 2011 10:20:02 GMT -5
post 4
Aquitania
Part of the 106th Division sailed on the ship, Queen Mary. To my knowledge, many of them were from the 424th Regiment.
The day I boarded the Aquitania, the Queen ships, Queen Elizabeth and Queen Mary were docked in the Port of NY along with the Aquitania.
The Aquitania was almost 900 ft. long, 95 ft. wide at midsection and 5 stories tall, from the waterline to the top and had a speed of 23 knots per hour. That ship was one of the MONSTERS of THE SEA.
All three ships sailed without convoy because each one of them could "out run" the German U Boats.
Floyd
424th Regiment
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Post by 7678ronald on Sept 12, 2011 15:06:39 GMT -5
post 5
great story cerri
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Post by connie on Sept 15, 2011 8:16:11 GMT -5
Post 6Cerri, You, Floyd, and others following the 424th may be interested in the after action report I just posted in the introductory material at the top of this thread. 424th After Action Report located on a 62 Volksgrenadier Div. Site: www.62vgd.de/after_battle_report_424th_infant.htm
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Post by connie on Nov 30, 2011 11:08:30 GMT -5
Post 7Carting Supplies on Foot/initial retreatMorning Floyd, Your discussion in "Generic Transport Units" led to thoughts on the men it took to supply front line troops and that you sometimes ate snow when the water supplies ran out: 106thdivision.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=unit&thread=583&page=1#2271 This got me thinking about other supplies that would be tough to transport on foot. I'm thinking that in those early days of the bulge when you were moving west from your initial position along the front, the ammunition you had with you was not re-supplied for a while. Those ammunition boxes look like they would be heavy to transport on foot, but doing without that ammunition with the Germans on your tails would not be what you'd want either. For your rifles did you carry those straps that held bullets? Did they come in ammunition boxes, too? As you retreated did anyone end up carting those metal boxes? Or did they stuff ammunition inside jackets? And what about rations? I'm assuming these had been re-supplied daily up until the bulge began. Were there some in reserve to pass out to individuals as you moved out? I suppose some of this applies to other foot soldiers for a while, but since the 424th was the only 106th Infantry Regiment was the only one to survive those initial days with the power to fight again, the story of what you carried and what you did without for a while is yours for a much more extended period of time.... Connie
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Post by floydragsdale on Dec 2, 2011 12:04:15 GMT -5
Post 8Good morning Connie: Yes, those ammunition boxes were heavy. Too cumbersome for a hike of any distance. In the evening of the 18th of December, Willard Keeber and myself were stationed at our 60mm mortar position. We received an oral message from the Company Runner to vacate our mortar location and descend the hill to the Company C.P. The entire company (G) was being pulled off the front lines. We were instructed to pull out, one squad at a time. “Travel light, leave all heavy weapons behind”, was the word. So, our side arms and associated ammunition we had is what we carried with us. As our squad left the area, a barrage of screaming memmies (rockets) traversed the area. They exploded, all around us with a deafening blast. All of us escaped that incident without a scratch. Somehow, the Germans must have known we were on the move. Their timing couldn’t have been any better. Wow! What a scary state of affairs that was. Ammunition for our rifles came in bandoleers that were slung over the shoulder. One bandoleer held a respectable supple of ammunition. Enough, that is, to last a soldier through a good days firefight. Rations were scarce! Everyone carried one or two “D” bars for emergency use. The Germans had disrupted our supply lines for several weeks. I recall picking a piece of cheese out of the snow and eating it. That was my “chow” for the entire day. The time we hiked for almost fifty miles I had been without rations for one, maybe two days. That was an eighteen hour march. During that afternoon the word was whispered, from one G.I. to the next, “No coughing, sneezing or talking, you are within fifty yards of the German lines. At the moment, we also picked our way through a minefield, without setting a single mine off. That was a tedious job. When the march ended many of us flopped on the ground in an exhausted condition. Next, the word was, “OK men, off with your boots and socks.” Gee, was it ever cold then. Nevertheless, we obeyed orders. Right then and there, we lost 50% of what was left of our company because of trench foot and frostbite. Our company strength was significantly reduced in numbers after that. None of those men ever returned to front line duty. War, up front, can be a nightmare. Floyd Footnote by Connie: 1. D Bar: You can find a photo and discussion about the D bar on this discussion board in the section under Rations in Wartime Living Conditions: 106thdivision.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=conditions&action=display&thread=610 2. Screaming Meemies: Discussion of the Screaming Meemie can be found at: 106thdivision.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=equipment&action=display&thread=651
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Post by connie on Dec 3, 2011 11:56:16 GMT -5
Post 9
Floyd,
Once again you have transported us back to those early days of the bulge. Thank you! Your words make the picture much clearer than most of what I have read.
Connie
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Post by cerri on Aug 28, 2012 18:37:39 GMT -5
Post 10
I'm very sad to report that Milo passed away on August 24th after a bad fall.
Hard for me to believe he's gone, and am sad that I didn't have more chance to learn from him.
RIP, Uncle Mook.
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Post by connie on Aug 29, 2012 21:16:16 GMT -5
Post 11
cerri,
So sorry for your loss...
Please know you have an extended family here...
Connie
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Post by connie on Mar 18, 2013 17:18:34 GMT -5
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Post by connie on Jun 22, 2014 13:43:20 GMT -5
Post 12INITIAL DAYS OF THE BULGE FOR 424 GIn posts 3-6 under Hugh Cole's book, The Ardennes: Battle of the Bulge, Floyd and I began discussing a segment of that book that mentions Floyd's unit: 424 G 106thdivision.proboards.com/thread/154/ardennes-battle-bulge-coleI'd like to bring that discussion to this Unit Specific Thread and continue it here. The 2 pages we were working with begin at the bottom of this link: ehistory.osu.edu/osu/books/ardennes/pageview.cfm?page=0158 and continue onto the next page. Quoting what Cole says here (underline and bolding added by me): T he 424th Infantry and CCB, 9th Armored
On the morning of 17 December the precarious situation of the 424th Infantry gave Colonel Reid reason to fear encirclement. His extended left flank was in the air. Because communications had failed, Reid did not know that his right flank was still covered by the 112th Infantry. In any case, the enemy in this sector had brought up tanks and was attacking in considerable force. The 424th had its back to the Our River and if the enemy seized the bridge at Steinebruck and spread along the far bank it would be hard put to withdraw westward. Communications with the division command post at St. Vith was limited to the exchange of liaison officers traveling along a road now being shelled by the German guns.
Through the early, dark hours of the 17th the enemy laid mortar and artillery fire on the front-line positions of the 424th. Opposite the right battalion, which thus far had held its ground, German patrols wormed forward to cut the barbed wire and lob hand grenades toward the American foxholes. An hour or so before dawn the German searchlights flickered on, followed by a storm of shells from guns and Werfers. The fusillade actually was directed against the juncture between the 424th and 112th, but Company G, 424th, came under this fire and suffered many dead as day came and the pounding continued. The main German thrust, however, was made farther north, at Winterspelt. A company or more of the 62d Volks Grenadier Division had taken possession of the eastern half of the village during the night and at daybreak reinforcements finally drove the 1st Battalion from Winterspelt.
FLOYD'S RESPONSE:
Hi Connie:
I remember that day very well (17 Dec.) Most of us (G Co. men), at least in our area, stayed in our foxholes, or in bunkers most of the day because of the deadly 88 artillery fire. Now & then an American fighter plane flew under the soupy weather & then a Soldier had an opportunity to run from one spot to another without being fired at by German 88 artillery fire.
Floyd
CONNIE'S RESPONSE
What a horrifying day... The timeline for your being in that spot had not yet sunk into my brain. I assume that the deadly incident with the sniper in the tree came prior to the 17th...?
Connie
FLOYD'S RESPONSE:
Hi Connie:
The “sniper in the tree” incident happened Dec. 16th, 44. A tree was directly behind our mortar position and up that tree there was a person (sniper, spotter or ?). The gunner (Willard Keeber) and I didn’t know that he was there.
One of our riflemen noticed him and thought that the man in the tree was a spotter for our gun.
Several days later it was determined the man up that tree was sending signals to the German forces.
We never knew if he was a local civilian, or a German Soldier, however, it sure gave us something to think about and never forget.
Floyd
CONNIE'S RESPONSE
December 16, 1944
This brings us up to date. This response is new. Obviously the important thing here is Floyd's words. If anyone else has questions to ask. please feel free to jump in.
I'm back on the 16th of December now with an enemy you didn't see, Floyd, up a tree in your positions. Can you tell us more about this incident or what was happening in the position of 424 G on the 16th?
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Post by floydragsdale on Jun 23, 2014 10:57:32 GMT -5
Post 13
INITIAL DAYS OF THE BULGE FOR 424 G- continued
Hello Connie
Our mortar position was not occupied during the night hours, except when a flare was needed to light up an area. Consequently, the mortar crew was used to stand watch in the rifleman’s foxholes at night.
From memory, I recall several private citizen cabins in the Ardennes forest that were located perhaps a mile or so from our frontline battle positions.
It certainly makes sense that a local person could have shimmed up that tree during early morning hours when nobody was on duty at our mortar position.
It had not been many years since that area had been part of Germany. Thus, the person up that tree may have been a Belgian citizen but German sympathizer.
Problem solved???
Floyd,
424th Regiment
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Post by connie on Jun 25, 2014 16:27:06 GMT -5
Post 14
424 G Conversation Continued: Initial location on the Front
Thanks, Floyd,
I have a bit clearer picture.
I was trying to remember the name of the German village that you could see (almost see?) from your foxhole...
Also trying to imagine where the mortar position was. It must have been somewhere behind where your foxhole was... as I recall your foxhole, and others were lined up not far back from the road that ran in front of your positions...
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Post by floydragsdale on Jun 25, 2014 18:42:24 GMT -5
Post 15424 G Conversation Continued: Initial Location at the FrontThe name of the town was Gross Kampenburg (sp). It was located at the 1 o’clock position in front of our Mortor which was right at the edge of the tree line of the forest. When we were there in 2010 I stood in the place where our Mortor was located. I called it my foxhole. Hope this helps. Floyd. PS from Connie: Spelling is correct but 1 word instead of 2: Grosskampenberg, Germany. I'm attaching a link to a map. Großkampenberg, Germany - Google Maps.pdf (459.18 KB) (Note I hit the German version of the spelling on the map. That funny letter after the "o" is the German symbol for a double s.)
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Post by connie on Jun 26, 2014 9:59:11 GMT -5
Post 15
424 G Conversation Continues
The town name returns... It sounds familiar now.
I can picture the spot. I guess I wasn't too inquisitive-- just reveling in the moment of your having found your foxhole. Were you, then part of the Mortar crew? I hardly know what that entails... But I'm interested.
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Post by floydragsdale on Jun 27, 2014 8:52:57 GMT -5
Post 16424 G Conversation Continues:
Floyd's mortar work/ withdrawal from Schnee Eiffel/ weapons laterI was assigned to the Mortar Crew at Camp Atterbury, Indiana & remained in that squad until August of1945. I was the Assistant Gunner. That is to say, I dropped the mortar shells down the tube when the gun was lined up on the target. By order, our mortar was left behind & intact when G Co. pulled off of Schnee Eifel on or about 12/18/44 . From that moment on the men in the Mortar Squad used as riflemen. I had a carbine and it wasn't worth a tinkers damm. A fella had to aim over there with it in order to hit something over here. Christmas Day 1944 General Clark gave me his Springfield 03 rifle & said to me, 'TAKE GOOD CARE OF THAT WEAPON SOLDIER, I USED THAT RIFLE IN WWI. - - - - I left in on a hillside, on a bitter cold day, at Ennal, Belgium, January 15th 1945 Floyd 424th Regiment Note: for further discussion on mortars go to : 106thdivision.proboards.com/thread/962/mortar-crew-mortars
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Post by connie on Jul 2, 2014 10:40:51 GMT -5
Post 17Hi, Floyd, I remember the story of that rifle. I'll try to find the link to the story of that close call at Ennal and paste it here. (Didn't yet locate the full story of the gift of the gun, etc. But the story of what happened at Ennal (and enough to understand why the gun was left behind) is found on this thread, with a link to more on the last post: 106thdivision.proboards.com/thread/749In the meantime, I'm back to your mortar position. You were dug. Teams worked closely together on the mortar. Did you share your foxhole with a team member or was their foxhole very close to yours. Was the mortar on top of the ground or was that dug in a wee bit, too? Connie PS. Back a few posts up where you mentioned the town name (Grosskampenberg), I'm attaching a link to a map.
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Post by floydragsdale on Jul 2, 2014 18:03:14 GMT -5
Post 18
424 G: Mortar Positions/ Connecting trenches/ Gunner/ Assistant Gunner
Hello Connie:
Our mortor position was "dug in" & the sides were reinforced with sandbags. The area that thee 2nd Division covered was stagnant for about six weeks. Thus, the troops who occupied that area had time to "tidy up" their foxholes and bunkers. Example: the frontline foxholes were camouflaged with wheat shocks over them,yet the Soldier in the foxhole had a commanding view of the area in front of him. Also, there was a connecting trench between each foxhole. So, a Soldier could walk from one foxhole to another without being observed by the enemy.I'm estimating that those positions were around twenty-five yards apart. Our mortar was about the same distance from the foxholes and on the tree-line, or edge of the Ardennes Forest. The gunner (Willard Keeber) and assistant gunner (me) were on duty there all day, except when the assistant gunner went to get more ammunition for the mortar.
Floyd
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Post by connie on Jul 4, 2014 10:21:13 GMT -5
Post 19
Floyd,
This is fascinating. I had never heard of the wheat shocks above the foxholes or the trenches between them before...
Connie
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Post by floydragsdale on Jul 5, 2014 17:41:08 GMT -5
Post 20
424 G- Mortar Positions/ Connecting Trenches/ water in foxholes
Connie, I didn't mention that the connecting trench between foxholes was very narrow, about shoulder width. A heavy weight would have a struggle getting through it.
Also, the wheat shocks over the foxholes provided good protection from the rainy, misty weather. However, water would seep into some of them making it mighty uncomfortable for the one who was occupying it. I remember standing in one of those holes, ankle deep in ice water for several hours, until my three hour of watch was over with. For relief, I would brace my feet and back against the side of the foxhole for as long as I could hold that position, which was only a few minutes. After seventy years, I still vividly remember that night.
Brrrrrr, ic water isn't very pleasant to stand in!
Floyd
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Post by connie on Jul 6, 2014 9:33:15 GMT -5
Post 21
Floyd,
Thanks. I can now see those narrow connecting trenches between foxholes... and imagine the standing cold water in the bottom of the foxhole. Too bad the fellows from the 2nd infantry division hadn't gotten around to building a 4 inch high drainage grate in the bottom of the foxhole to lift your feet above the water. .. Aargh! I can picture you bracing yourself in the foxhole to lift your feet out of the water for a few minutes. Can't imagine that once the feet were wet this cold air above the cold water brought much relief, but it must have felt better or you wouldn't have done this more than once... Were you able to dry feet when your watch was over? Did you personally deal with trench foot?
Connie
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Post by floydragsdale on Jul 6, 2014 19:08:48 GMT -5
Post 22
424 G: Trench Foot Prevention
Connie:
As soon as I was back in the Bunker, off came my boots and socks. We had a small gasoline stove that was lit almost constantly & they (socks & Boots) were put as close to that stove as the law wold allow. When it wasn't feasible to do that I buried my feet in my overcoat, blanket or whatever I could lay my hands on, then let my shoe's and socks freeze dry. During Infantry Basic Training we were instructed on how to "keep your feet dry" when exposed to the weather 24/7 for weeks at a time.
Soldiers who were in the Army's A.S.T P. program and were shipped into the 106th Division did not have (at least most of them) Infantry Basic Training. Willard Keeber (our Gunner) was in the A.S.T.P. Program when he was sent to the 424th Regiment. He got trench foot simply because he lacked the training an Infantry Soldier had. It was dangerous to let your feet stay wet for more that three days at a time.
I had frozen feet and hands three or four times during the Bulge Campaign, nevertheless, somehow, I managed to avoid trench foot because of my knowhow about how to "take care of your feet under extreme cold weather and combat conditions".
To avoid being trapped by a German Division, we (part or all) or the 424th Regiment) hiked for over eighteen hours one day. I remember that very well because some of us (me too) hadn't had a bite of food for two days. We were simply exhausted when the hike ended (almost 50 miles). Yet, we were still American Soldiers. The hour was between 1:00 & 1:30 a.m. when the order was OK, men, off with your shoes and socks. IT WAS FOOT INSPECTION TIME.
Right then and there we lost fifty percent of our troops because of frostbite and trench foot. We never saw any of them again. Most of them went to Hospitals in England were many of men lost toes and part or all of their feet.
This tragedy might have been prevented, if only we had overshoes. I am not complaining at all. To supply an Army, the size of the american Army, thousands of miles from home took a miracle, on the home front and overseas, in two theaters of war at that.
Floyd,
424th Regiment
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Post by connie on Jul 7, 2014 23:24:09 GMT -5
Post 23
Floyd,
There's a lot of interesting history here... from the heat source in your bunker and the procedures you used for warming your feet to a few notes on the training points missed by those who came to the division from Army Special Training Programs... Thanks!
Would you be willing to describe your bunker a little more?
Connie
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Post by floydragsdale on Jul 8, 2014 11:24:11 GMT -5
post 24
424 G: Bunker Description
Good Morning Connie:
The Bunkers, on the outside, were shaped like a Midwestern cyclone cellar only they were much larger and partially below ground level. Sandbags, pine logs and dirt fortified the top and sides.
There were twelve bunks.; three stacked 4 high on three sides of the structure. There was one entrance door and about three or four steps down into it with a curtain between the entrance door and the rest of the interior.
A guard was posted near the entrance 24/7.
To sum things up, a Bunker would accommodate twelve soldiers at a time, if necessary. However, I’m estimating that there were only one half to two thirds that many men in it at one time since the rest of them would be out in the foxholes, or doing assigned tasks.
On Dec. 16, 1944 at 5:40 a.m. I had been getting some rest (sleep) when some one opened the Bunker door and shouted “every body to your combat posts, the Germans at attacking ”
Yours truly came out of that Bunker in less time than it takes to tell about it and, that was the beginning of Forty one Days and Nights of Freezing Hell; or more commonly known as the Battle of the Bulge.
Floyd
424th Regiment
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Post by connie on Jul 10, 2014 10:41:54 GMT -5
Post 25
Floyd,
Great description of the bunkers. I didn't realize how many each bunker accommodated or how high you were stacked! The only thing in the description that that isn't clear for me is the shape which you describe as like a midwest cyclone shelter. Never having lived in the midwest, I have no mental reference point for this one...
The image of your first moments of The Bulge is compelling...
Connie
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Post by floydragsdale on Jul 10, 2014 18:53:50 GMT -5
post # 26
424 G- Bunker description Continued
Connie:
Visualize an English Soldier's steel helmut! Remove it from his head and place the helmut on the ground. That represents the shape of the Bunkers we had, except the Bunkers had a bit more of a hump in them.
Floyd
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Post by connie on Jul 11, 2014 8:44:11 GMT -5
post 27
Floyd,
Thanks! That helps!
Now picturing your location. As I recall the woodland in which you were located was relatively flat for quite a ways back into the woods from the road and then sloped down a bit. I believe you pointed out that your kitchen was down in that lower hallow to the rear. Were the bunkers to the back but above that slope-- basically on the same level with your foxhole but further back?
Connie
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Post by floydragsdale on Jul 11, 2014 10:56:10 GMT -5
Post 28
Good Morning Connie:
The Bunkers were just inside the tree-line of the forest and slightly below the crest of the hill (Schnee Eifel.)
In the pre-dawn hours of 12/16/44, when yours truly bolted out of the Bunker for our 60mm mortor position, it only took about a minute to get there.
Artillery missals were exploding in the air, on the ground and in the trees. The heavens were illuminated with an unnatural hue. The entire surroundings were silhouetted against the sky.
The foundations of the earth appeared to be trembling. Everything combined, created a mixture of turmoil that I shall never forget
Had the devil himself unlocked the gates of hell and turned a horde of a quarter of a million stampeding enemy troops against eighty thousand American soldiers?
Little did we realize that we were being introduced to one of the largest battles ever fought and won in the entire history the United States Army.
When battles begin well made plans can melt faster than a snowball in a furnace. Yet, it is the intestinal fortitude of the individual frontline Soldiers who provided the trophy of victory for their country. In the blood stained hills of the Ardennes Forest American Soldiers were victorious in that battle. However, the price they paid was eighty thousand wounded and almost twenty thousand Soldiers who gave their lives in battle
It has been stated that Soldiers of the 106th Division were introduced the art of warfare faster than any other Division in the European Theater of Operations.
This 106th Division Veteran does not dispute that statement.
Floyd
424th Regiment
NOTE: THIS DISCUSSION CONTINUES ON PAGE 2. Please go to the top left corner of this thread to click on "2" or "next."
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