COMPANY A, 276TH INFANTRY

IN WORLD WAR II

FRANK H. LOWRY

Library of Congress Catalogue Card Number 94-072226 Copyright © 1991, 1994,1995 by Frank H Lowry Modesto, California All rights reserved ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This writing was started in 1945 in Europe following the cessation of hostilities that brought about an end to World War II. Many of the contributors were still together and their wartime experiences were fresh in their memories. It is the first hand account of the men of Company A, 276th Infantry Regiment, 70th Infantry Division which made history by living and participating in the bitter combat of the Ardennes-Alsace, Rhineland and Central Europe Campaigns. I humbly acknowledge my gratitude to the many veterans of those campaigns who provided valuable contributions to this book. A special note of appreciation goes to the following former soldiers of Company A who contributed significantly to this work. Without their input and guidance, this book could not have been written.

Richard Armstrong, Hoyt Lakes, Minnesota Russell Causey, Sanford, North Carolina Burton K. Drury, Festus, Missouri John L. Haller, Columbia, South Carolina Daniel W. Jury, Millersburg, Pennsylvania Lloyd A. Patterson, Molalla, Oregon William J. Piper, Veguita, New Mexico Arthur E. Slover, Salem, Oregon Robert I. Wood, Dallas, Texas

The assistance of Edmund C. Arnold, author and Chester F. Garstki, photographer of “The Trailblazers,” was very helpful in making it possible to illustrate and fit the military action of Company A into the overall action of the 70th Infantry Division.

A word of thanks goes to Wolf T. Zoepf of Pinneberg, Germany for providing significant combat information from the point of view of those soldiers who fought on the other side.

Eddie Tsukimura of San Pedro, California and Peter W. (Tex) Bennet of San Antonio, Texas provided the art work and sketches which vividly depict the life, moods and experiences of the combat infantryman.

Frank H Lowry

ii This work is dedicated to my comrades-in-arms, all of those combat infantrymen of Company A, 276th Infantry Regiment, who fought on the distant battlefields of France and Germany in 1944 and 1945. It is especially dedicated to the memory of those thirty-four young men who made the supreme sacrifice by giving their lives for the cause of freedom. They rest forever among their fallen comrades in graves under white crosses and stars at Epinal and St. Avold, France and throughout the United States. May they rest in peace.

iii iv S/Sgt. Frank H. Lowry Germany 1945

v vi CONTENTS

FOREWORD...... 1

1. THE TRAILBLAZERS...... 5

2. PORT OF EMBARKATION...... 15

3. USS WEST POINT...... 21

4. FRANCE -- DELTA BASE CP-2 ...... 31

5. FORTY AND EIGHTS...... 37

6. OUTPOSTING THE RHINE...... 43

7. OPERATION NORDWIND ...... 61

8. WINGEN-SUR-MODER...... 69

9. LES VOSGES - HILLS 403 AND 358 ...... 119.

10. LORRAINE ...... 157

11. OETING...... 175

12. FORBACH...... 181

13. FORAY IN THE FOREST...... 215

14. MARCH INTO THE UNKNOWN ...... 223

15. VICTORY ...... 231

FIFTY YEARS LATER...... 241

vii APPENDIX I MEN OF COMPANY A, 276TH INFANTRY REGIMENT KILLED IN ACTION OR DIED OF WOUNDS ...... 263

APPENDIX II COMPANY A, 276TH INFANTRY REGIMENT COMPANY ROSTER December 31,1944 ...... 265

APPENDIX III Recollections of Wolf T. Zoepf, 12th Regiment, 6th SS Mountain Division (NORD): ...... 271

GLOSSARY ...... 275

INDEX...... 277

BIBLIOGRAPHY...... 283

viii FOREWORD

The brotherhood of COMBAT INFANTRYMEN included a cross section of ordinary young citizens from every corner and crossroads of the United States. They were very young, mostly between the age of nineteen and twenty-three. They were the weary, unshaven, mud-slogging dog face soldiers with sore feet and aching backs. The grunts of the Army. They did not resemble the lads who a short time before were either at home or on the farm wearing civilian clothes and perhaps attending high school dances and football games, going to college, playing sports, or working at their first jobs. Not only their appearances changed but their thinking was transformed from that of paving the way for their future to that of existing in the present. Those young men willingly made many sacrifices and put their freedoms on hold so that they could ensure that future generations of Americans would enjoy the freedoms made possible by the bloodshed of their forefathers.

There were many good ones and some bad ones, smart ones and a few not so smart, doers and goldbricks, and leaders and followers. All were comrades-in-arms, fighting together for the same end. In deadly combat, the infantryman's life depended on the actions of his comrades and that nearly always brought out the good in everyone. That bond or comradery is the primary reason that many an infantryman survived under the tremendous physical and mental tensions that he was obligated to deal with day after day. The bonds that he developed with his fellow men on the battlefield so many years ago remain with him to the grave.

The infantryman was compelled to exist, face death and die on far away battlefields of snow, ice, rain, mud, din and stench. He slept fitfully on the hard cold

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY1 FOREWORD ground or often in a foxhole. He exercised every means at his disposal to kill or maim his enemy, yet he was not nor would he become a killer per se. The man who experienced brutal combat, the smell of gunsmoke and the stench of death does not care to see or participate in violence again. His goals were to carry out his mission to the best of his ability, see the fighting end and return to the life he left behind. He started out hating no one, but when he saw his best friend killed, he hated the men who did it. After it was all over, the hate was gone. Destiny placed him where eyeball to eyeball confrontation with the enemy took place and left him to use his own judgment whether to fight or die, kill or be killed. Perilous situations were commonplace but he rarely avoided them for fear of further jeopardizing the lives of his comrades. He was more disposed to protecting his fellow men than he was to saving his own life.

The Combat Infantryman's experiences were so horrible that when the war was over, he wanted to totally forget about his role in the brutal carnage, death and bloodshed. When he returned home, he refused to talk about his battle experiences because it brought back bitter memories and he felt incapable of adequately relating his experiences. He sensed that no words could make anyone grasp the horror and inhumanity that was commonplace on the battlefield without their actually having been there; not only to witness, but to experience the terror, endure the constant pain, hear the deafening gunfire and cries of the wounded, see friends being blown to pieces, and smell the sickening stench of the dead. Only those who have lived it can ever know what it was truly like. The Combat Infantryman learned to fight and kill, yet as hard as he fought, he did not return home with a chip on his shoulder. He had his share of violence and longed to put it all in the past.

When engaged in combat, the foot soldier was only aware of the military action that took place in his immediate proximity. Most often he had no reliable concept of the "big picture." Seldom did he know how and to what extent his squad, platoon or company fit into the general military objectives of the battalion, regiment, division, corps or army. For all he knew, the entire war was taking place within a few yards of his foxhole. The squad leader, platoon sergeant and platoon leader were cognizant of very little more than were their men. At times those leaders were hardly aware of enough about what was happening to effectively lead their units in executing orders passed down to them from higher military authority.

From the time the combat soldier disembarked on foreign shores, he seldom had access to newspapers or radios; consequently his knowledge of the progress of

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY2 FOREWORD the war was never up to date and was sketchy at best. His main source of information was the Armed Services Newspaper Stars and Stripes. On the front lines, copies were infrequently available and were often received long after they were printed. Author Bill Mauldin's famous cartoons depicting two grubby GIs, Willie and Joe, were very popular with the soldiers. A Mauldin cartoon was often the first thing a man looked for when he got his hands of a copy of Stars and Stripes. Mail from home was by far the most important reading material and morale builder that reached the men at the front. They were starved for something to read and often passed around months-old hometown newspapers.

Most of the time the infantryman did not know where in the world he was, but perhaps later found out where he had been. Troop movements were made by truck or on foot, without advance notice, and usually under the cover of darkness. Thus, the infantryman was nearly always left without the faintest idea of his location or destination. The names of French, Belgium and German villages and locales meant little or nothing to one who was unfamiliar with the geography. Those were, for the most part, "far away places with strange sounding names." He was forever preoccupied with enemy action, the bitter elements, sore feet, aching backs, and countless other discomforts, that he had no time to concern himself with his geographical location.

During World War II, approximately 15 percent of the soldiers in the Army served in line companies of infantry regiments. All other units and service forces directly or indirectly rendered support to the efforts of the combat infantrymen who were charged with meeting, closing and destroying the enemy, and taking and holding ground. This small percentage of men assumed nearly all the risks of the ground forces and sustained most of the casualties. More than 81 percent of the Army ground battle deaths were sustained by the combat infantrymen and medical aid men who served with the infantry companies.

This book is about an infantry rifle company that fought against the armed enemy in the European Theater of Operations during World War II. It is a factual account of the experiences of young American men who bore the brunt of the war on the firing line during the Ardennes-Alsace (Battle of the Bulge and Operation Nordwind), Rhineland, and Central Europe Campaigns. They were the Combat Infantrymen of Company A, who answered the call of "Uncle Sam" and put their lives on the line for a cause the entire country believed in. Those men fought in some of the fiercest and bloodiest battles that American military forces encountered

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY3 FOREWORD during the most devastating war the world had ever known. They confronted a determined, ruthless, powerful, and dedicated enemy on unfamiliar ground in the worst possible weather conditions.

S/Sgt. Arnold “Red Shelander Pfc Odis Brown

T/Sgt. Oliver Galloway Pfc Joseph Kuffersin, Sgt. Carl Earnstauffer and Pfc Odis Brown

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY4 FOREWORD 1. THE TRAILBLAZERS

The 70th Infantry Division was activated at Camp Adair in the Willamette Valley of Oregon on June 15, 1943, appropriately on the date celebrated as Infantry Day. Officers and men were drawn from the 91st Infantry Division stationed at Camp White, Oregon to form the nucleus and cadre of the new division. During April and May 1943, troops arrived by rail from Army installations and reception centers throughout the Country to fill the ranks. The United States War Depart- ment activated the 70th Infantry Division at the time the State of Oregon celebrated the Centennial of the Oregon Trail. It was only fitting that this new division was named the TRAILBLAZER Division. The Oregonians were proud to have an infantry division formed in their State and were quick to claim the 70th as Oregon's Own.

The Trailblazer insignia, which the men proudly wore on their left shoulders, was designed in the shape of an axe head on a red background. Superimposed on the red back- ground were a white axe, a green fir tree, and a white replica of Oregon's snow-covered Mt. Hood. Each element of the insignia portrayed a message. The axe head shape and the white axe were commemorative of the original Oregon Trailblazers, who one hundred years earlier, blazed their way Photo by Garstki over the Oregon Trail from Missouri to the Pacific Northwest.

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY5 THE TRAILBLAZERS A green fir tree was the insignia of the 91st Infantry Division (Fir Tree Division), from which the initial cadre of the Trailblazer Division was drawn. The replica of Mount Hood represented a prominent landmark in the State of Oregon. Mount Hood, 11,245 feet above sea level and clearly visible from Portland, sixty miles to the west, was a beacon for the original Oregon Trailblazers. The 70th Infantry Division's theme song, which the Division Band played while the men marched in parades and reviews, was "Oh! Susanna." Major General John E. Dahlquist, the division’s first commander, loved and respected the infantryman and was responsible for setting up an excellent training program.

The Division's fifteen thousand officers and men comprised three infantry regiments, the 274th (Battle Axe),275th (Eagle), 276th (Bloody Axe) and many essential support battalions and companies. The combat elements of each regiment included an antitank company, a cannon company and three infantry battalions. Each battalion had three rifle companies and a heavy weapons company each of which included 81mm mortars and heavy 30 caliber machine guns. Each rifle company had three rifle platoons and a light weapons platoon and each rifle platoon was made up of three twelve man squads of riflemen.

Company A ("Able Company" or "A Company") was a rifle company in the First Battalion of the 276th Infantry Regiment. The T/O (Table of Organization) of a rifle company called for 187 enlisted men and six officers. The Company Commander was usually a Captain. Company Headquarters staff included an executive officer who was a 1st Lieutenant, a 1st/Sgt., a mess sergeant, four cooks, a supply sergeant, two runners, an armorer-articifer, a communication sergeant, radiomen, two jeep drivers, a mail clerk, and a company clerk. One jeep driver was also the company bugler. Each platoon leader was a 2nd Lieutenant and each platoon sergeant was a Technical Sergeant (T/Sgt.). In the rifle platoons each squad leader was a Staff Sergeant (S/Sgt.) and the assistant squad leader was a Sergeant. Since the squad was the smallest fighting unit in the infantry, the squad leader had the final responsibility for leading the individual infantrymen in combat. He was ultimately responsible for assuring that the men in his squad executed the orders that he received through the chain of command. It was the squad leader who led and directed the riflemen who risked their lives while carrying out the most hazardous duties in the Army. A rifle squad generally included two scouts, a BAR man (Browning Automatic Rifleman), an ammunition bearer for the BAR man, and six other riflemen. One rifleman in each squad carried either a rocket launcher (bazooka), a

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY6 THE TRAILBLAZERS sniper’s rifle, or a rifle grenade launcher. All others, except the BAR man, were armed with M-1 semiautomatic rifles, bayonets and hand grenades.

The weapons platoon included a machine gun section and a mortar section. The machine gun section had two squads of light 30 caliber machine guns and the mortar section had three squads of 60mm mortars. The section leaders were Staff Sergeants and the squad leaders were Sergeants. The men in the weapons platoon were generally armed with M-1 carbines.

Men assigned to Company A came from all parts of the country and from U.S. Possessions and Territo- ries. Included in its ranks were two volunteers of Japanese heritage, Eddy Tsukimura and Hidemaru (Johnnie) Yasutaki, and two native Hawaiians, William Kaimi and Samuel Kalahiki. There were farmers, ranch- hands, merchants, clerks, mechanics, truck drivers, laborers, coal miners, factory workers, teachers, bank tellers, college students, salesmen, young men right out of high school, and many others. They were very young. Pfc William Kaimi - August 1945 The majority were between the ages of eighteen and twenty-three, however there were a few in their late twenties and early thirties. With the exception of the cadre, most men came to the 70th Infantry Division as new recruits. Others came from Infantry Basic Training Camps and various branches of the Army such as Coast Artillery Corps, Air Corps, ASTP (Army Specialized Training Program), and Antiaircraft Artillery. They all became infantrymen through extensive training by the seasoned cadre from the 91st Infantry Division. Included in the original cadre were 1st/Sgt. Palacio, T/Sgt. Galloway, T/Sgt. Ethredge, T/Sgt. Wagger, S/Sgt. Causey, S/Sgt. Powers and a few others. Capt. Curtis A Brooks was Company A's first commanding officer.

For nearly a year, Camp Adair was home to the Trailblazers. During that period, many men received their basic training and became infantrymen. Upon completion of their training, many of those new soldiers were taken from the 70th Division and sent to overseas units as replacements. More than once when the training programs neared completion, the Division received orders to transfer many of its privates to a replacement pool for overseas units. Then, the process of training started anew. For those who remained with the Division from the time of activation, some had the dubious opportunity of going through basic training more than once.

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY7 THE TRAILBLAZERS Several weeks after the first contingent of privates left the 70th Infantry Division, the war was suddenly brought home to the Trailblazers. S/Sgts. Powers, Wiley, Cook and Swagger and others began to receive disturbing letters from the Pacific. Several of their recent trainees were killed, wounded or missing in action. That news brought tears to the eyes of the sergeants.

Infantry training was rigorous. It took place in and around the post and in bivouac areas away from the post in the countryside. The days in garrison began with the bugler sounding reveille at five a.m. and morning chow call an hour later. During the first hour of the day, the men shaved, showered, made up their bunks, scrubbed the floors and cleaned the latrines. After breakfast, the men fell out for calisthenics and close order drill. Running the obstacle course was an exhausting daily routine. The obstacle course was an exercise which involved running and climbing with rifles and packs through a designated course of obstacles such as barricades, truck tires, barbed wire, hurdles, walls, and other ingenious devices. They climbed hand over hand clinging to ropes up walls and over pools of muddy water. They crawled under barbed wire through mud or dust and at the same time learned to keep their weapons clean and dry. The men were indoctrinated to live fire by going through infiltration courses which involved crawling on their bellies or backs through mud and under barbed wire while live machine gun rounds passed barely twenty-four inches over their heads. The flaming tracers whizzing by served as a constant reminder that deadly machine gun bullets were directly overhead. For obvious reasons, everyone was admonished not to rise up or stand when they were going through the infiltration course. They were taught to cope with poison gas by the proper use of gas masks. Everyone had to pass the test by going into a tear gas chamber and at the sound of a warning, stop breathing, shut their mouths and eyes, and put on the masks.

Endless hours were spent on the rifle range where everyone learned to fire the M-1 Rifle with speed and accuracy. No one will ever forget the sergeant shouting "Ready on the right! -- Ready on the left! -- Ready on the firing line! -- Commence firing!" or the infamous red flag (Maggie's Drawers) waving from the pits when one missed the target. Men who never before handled or discharged a firearm of any kind, learned to be highly proficient in the use of the rifle. Every infantryman was required to qualify at least as a Marksman; however, most men of Company A qualified as Sharpshooters and Expert Marksmen. The cadre sergeants taught them to fire with speed and accuracy from the standing, sitting, kneeling and prone positions, and on the run. They were able to field-strip, clean, and reassemble their rifles in the dark or while blindfolded. All had the opportunity to become marksmen

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY8 THE TRAILBLAZERS with the BAR (Browning automatic rifle). The BAR was an excellent weapon but not many men wanted to carry one because it weighed twice as much as the M-1 rifle. Several became expert marksmen with it and some of those received their dubious reward by being presented with a BAR as their basic weapon. Three such experts who be- came BAR men were Lloyd Patterson,

Pfc Brian Ledoux with a BAR at Ft. Leonard Wood, Missouri Bryan Ledoux and Jimmy Piper. In addition to the M-1 Rifle and the BAR, everyone became familiar with the M-1 Carbine, Service 45 pistol, 60 mm mortar and the 30 caliber light machine gun.

The Trailblazers spent many days in the field learning squad, platoon, and company combat tactics. They became indoctrinated to overhead fire from mortars and artillery, and observed air power demonstrations while they maneuvered on the ground. They went on forced marches and endurance marches carrying arms and full field packs. Twenty-five to thirty mile marches were not uncommon. In rocky ground, they learned the fine art of digging foxholes, trenches and gun emplace- ments. In the field, the men learned to accurately throw live hand grenades, fire bazookas and grenade launchers, discharge bangalore torpedoes, and use many other infantry weapons. "Extended Order Drill," was a most exhausting exercise where they learned to effectively use the bayonet to kill. One soon learned to be aggressive and to kill or disable the enemy without fire power by such means as stabbing or executing horizontal and vertical butt strokes with their rifles. Infantry training was mental as well as physical and the cadre sergeants continuously stressed that the rifleman must learn "to kill or be killed."

The trainees went on week-long bivouacs in the woods west of Camp Adair where it seemed to rain most every day. On those bivouacs, they frequently encountered poison oak vines that gave many men some very uncomfortable times. John Haller, a rifleman in the Second Platoon, made the mistake of making a call of nature a little too close to a poison oak patch. He wound up with what he termed the “red ass”. That was not the last time that expression was heard coming from Haller. If things were not going right for him, he would blurt out, "I got the red ass.” From that time on, Haller was known as “Red Ass,” a nickname he was never to live down.

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY9 THE TRAILBLAZERS During July 1944, the Trailblazers moved by rail from Camp Adair, Oregon to Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. Some twenty trains were required to transport the entire 70th Infantry Division in aver- age loads of just under 800 men. The route to Fort Leonard Wood was what one might call a Reverse Oregon Trail. The troops traveled north to Portland then east through Spokane, Butte, Fargo, then south through St. Paul, Springfield, St. Louis then to Fort Leonard Wood. The troop trains were made up largely of troop carri- ers which were box cars with windows, bunks and seats. During the war the na- tion's rolling stock was in high demand and everything on wheels, including many derelicts from the railroad graveyards, such as antiquated Pullman and chair cars, were pressed into service. None of the cars were air-conditioned; consequently, after crossing the Cascades and Rocky 276th Infantry Regimental Crest at Ft. Leonard Wood, Missouri. Mountains the windows were left open Standing: S/Sgt. Wiley, unidentified, and Sgt. Earnstauffer. Sitting: Sgt. Devine, Pfc Austin, S/Sgt Powers and Pfc Kufferson. most of the time. That made for a long, dirty, sooty ride more than half way across the country. When a train passed through a tunnel, coal smoke from the steam locomotive drifted into the cars through the open windows. By the time the windows were closed, the damage was done. To pass the time, the men played poker on makeshift tables and shot craps on the floors of the cars.

Fort Leonard Wood was in the Ozark Mountains 125 miles southwest of St. Louis, near the small town of Waynesville, Missouri. The men found the Ozarks quite different from the gentle hills of Oregon. It was hot and humid in contrast to the cool wet weather at Camp Adair. Even the rain was different. In Oregon the rain was soft and cool, but in Missouri it was hard-driving and often accompanied by thunder and lightning. When an Ozark gully-washer suddenly stopped, the high humidity made the men feel as though they were in a steam bath. Ticks, chiggers, mosquitos and other menacing insects made a soldier's life in the field a great deal less than comfortable.

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY10 THE TRAILBLAZERS At Fort Leonard Wood, the infantry training continued with great intensity. The men engaged in extensive live-fire exercises, and a great deal more emphasis was placed on learning to fight as a team. Many phases of the training program stressed leadership development. That training proved to be invaluable when the men were overseas in combat and in situations where a soldier often had to suddenly and involuntarily “take charge.”

Many thought that the reason for the move to the Ozarks was to train in an atmosphere more like that of the South Pacific and the China-Burma-India Theaters of Operations. Expecting to be destined for a warm climate, they trained vigorously in the hot humid hills of Missouri near the Big Piney River. Before the year was out, they would find themselves locked in combat during the coldest winter Europe had experienced in fifty years.

The final phase of the Division training program, which would have involved combined arms maneuvers with other infantry divisions, armored divisions, tactical air support, heavy artillery, and other support units, was cut short when the infantry elements of the three regiments were suddenly sent overseas. Due to the heavy casualties in France after the Normandy Invasion, infantrymen were desperately needed on the Western Front. While the individual soldiers were all well trained at the line company level, they were not aware that the Division lacked an essential element of combined unit training. The aborted program deprived the higher ranking officers of gaining experience in coordinating their unit operations with the other arms such as armor and artillery.

It was Army policy to place new units in relatively quiet sectors of the front with the more seasoned divisions, but that did not happen with the 70th Infantry Division Regiments. Once in France, the infantry elements of the regiments were formed into a task force, rushed to the front without their supporting units, and were immediately plunged into combat against one of Hitler's most elite mountain infantry divisions. In Northeast France they participated in stopping the last major German offensive of the Ardennes-Alsace Campaign. The Division's casualties amounted to 8,201 officers and men, which represented 58.2 percent of its total ranks, or 85.4 percent of its line companies. Of those casualties, 847 men were killed in action or died of wounds and 666 were missing in action.

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY11 THE TRAILBLAZERS Thirty-four officers and men of Company A were either killed in action or died of wounds. Four of those are buried at the United States Lorraine Military Cemetery at St. Avold, France and eight are buried at the United States Military Cemetery at Epinal, France. Those buried at St. Avold are: Pfc Joseph L. Kufersin, S/Sgt. Wilburn E. Powers, Pfc Paul Robbins and M/Sgt. Neal Waite. Those buried at Epinal are: Pfc William M. Klaeren, 2nd Lt. Richard McClintock, Pfc Walter O. McDaniel, Pfc Arthur F. Peterson, Pvt. Theophil J. Renk, 2nd Lt. Donald Schollander, Pfc Robert J. Shooter and Pvt. Steven Valenzuela. The body of Sgt. John B. Cummings was never recovered. The remains of others killed in action were returned to the United States for burial at the request of the next of kin. One hundred forty-five men of Company A were wounded in action or injured in combat. Several were wounded more than once. Less than a dozen did not receive wounds or injuries that required medical attention or evacuation.

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY12 THE TRAILBLAZERS . M/Sgt. Neal Waite, S/Sgt. Virgil Cook and S/Sgt. Pvt. Bill Carello Wiley

T/Sgt. Jury, Pvt. Mednick, Pfc Johnson, Sgt. Sbrocco, and Pfc Lackey.

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY13 THE TRAILBLAZERS S/Sgt. Ollie Davis and Sgt. Robert McGinn Pfc Carlos Leija and Pfc Eugene Davis

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY14 THE TRAILBLAZERS 2. PORT OF EMBARKATION

The men of the 70th Infantry Division had been undergoing intensive training at Camp Adair and Fort Leonard Wood for more than a year. They participated in hypothetical battles, maneuvers and field problems on the wet forests and green farmlands of Oregon and in the hot humid Ozarks of Missouri. The Trailblazers, having undergone extensive training, were lean and tough, mentally alert, combat qualified, fit to fight and ready to go! They bid farewell to Ft. Leonard Wood, Missouri on November 22, 1944, and set out on troop trains to an undisclosed destination on the Eastern Seaboard. The rifle and heavy weapons companies were fully equipped and the manpower was at T/O strength.

Earlier Captain Brooks was transferred to Battalion Headquarters to fill the position of S-3 (Plans and Training). Captain Dean Hendrickson became the CO and1st Lt. Howard L Arnest became the XO (Executive Officer). Some of the noncommissioned officers were apprehensive about going overseas with a new CO and EO whom no one knew; however, that was the Army way and the men took what came. With the exception of two sergeants, none of the company officers and noncommissioned officers were combat veterans. T/Sgt. Robert Brewer had fought against the Japanese on the Island of Attu in the Aleutian Islands. Sgt. Earl "Stupe" Granger was stationed in The Territory of Hawaii and was wounded when the Japanese attacked the Hawaiian Islands on December 7, 1941. He later fought in the battle for Guadalcanal where he was wounded a second time. Little did he know that he would be wounded a third time in Europe. The line-up of platoon leaders and noncommissioned officers of the four platoons are shown on the following page.

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY15 PORT OF EMBARKATION FIRST PLATOON PLATOON LEADER 2nd Lt. William Doenges PLATOON SERGEANT T/Sgt. Robert Brewer PLATOON GUIDE S/Sgt Richard Armstrong SQUAD LEADER-1st SQUAD S/Sgt. Leon Uczynski SQUAD LEADER-2nd SQUAD S/Sgt. William Hudson SQUAD LEADER-3rd SQUAD S/Sgt. Lester Westcott

SECOND PLATOON PLATOON LEADER 2nd Lt. Donald Schollander PLATOON SERGEANT T/Sgt. Oliver Galloway PLATOON GUIDE S/Sgt Wilburn Powers SQUAD LEADER-1st SQUAD S/Sgt. Virgil Cook SQUAD LEADER-2nd SQUAD S/Sgt. Arnold Shelander SQUAD LEADER-3rd SQUAD S/Sgt. Fred Collins

THIRD PLATOON PLATOON LEADER 2nd Lt. Richard McClintock PLATOON SERGEANT T/Sgt. Harold Wagger PLATOON GUIDE S/Sgt Daniel Jury SQUAD LEADER-1st SQUAD S/Sgt John Steiner SQUAD LEADER-2nd SQUAD S/Sgt Vaughn Chadburn SQUAD LEADER-3rd SQUAD S/Sgt. Wesley Nelker

WEAPONS PLATOON PLATOON LEADER 2nd Lt. Lester Jenkins PLATOON SERGEANT T/Sgt. Edgar Etheredge MORTAR SECTION LEADER S/Sgt Russell Causey MORTAR SQUAD LEADER-1st SQUAD Sgt. Randal Maguire MORTAR SQUAD LEADER-2nd SQUAD Sgt. Gordon Bower MORTAR SQUAD LEADER-3rd SQUAD Sgt. Daniel Micherdzinski MACHINE GUN SECTION LEADER S/Sgt. Judson Harmon MG SQUAD LEADER-1st SQUAD Sgt. Robert Wood MG SQUAD LEADER-2nd SQUAD Sgt. Verlin Kirkham

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY16 PORT OF EMBARKATION A few days before the Trailblazers left Fort Leonard Wood, Sgt. Carl Earn- stauffer, an assistant squad leader in the Second Platoon, was summoned to the Orderly Room. A short time later he returned to the barracks with tears in his eyes. He sat on his foot locker, rested his head in his hands and wept. Captain Hendrickson had given Earnstauffer official orders transferring him from the 70th Division to a replacement depot on the West Coast. He told Carl that regulations precluded his going with the Division to Europe because he was a native of Germany. Carl came to the United States with his parents when he was a youngster and hardly remembered anything about his childhood in Germany. He had been with the Company since the activation at Camp Adair, was as loyal an American as any man in the outfit, and was well liked and respected by his buddies. Everyone in the Second Platoon was shocked to hear that he could not remain with the Trailblazers. S/Sgt. Powers, the Second Platoon Guide, tried his best to persuade Captain Hendrickson to have the orders rescinded, but without success.

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Shortly before midnight, November 24, 1944, 3,200 officers and men of the 276th Infantry Regiment arrived at Camp Myles Standish, a secret staging area, near Boston, Massachusetts. It was a cold, stormy night when the men detrained to the sound of loud speakers blaring forth with marching music. The men were well aware that the garrison at Camp Myles Standish was to be their last home in the U.S. for many months to come.

It was SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) that when troops arrived at a new post, they were subjected to an orientation. Despite the hour or the weather, the orientation took place before anything else. The arrival of the Bloody Axe Regiment at Camp Myles Standish on such a miserable night was no exception. In that instance "secrecy" was the watchword. Camp officers led the troops to believe that no outsider knew that Camp Myles Standish was a staging area for overseas troop movements. Also, no outsider knew that the Trailblazers were there, and no one knew where they were going. After standing in the rain and cold for nearly an hour listening to an orientation on secrecy and post regulations, billeting assignments were at long last made. Barracks were one-story buildings. In the center of each building was a pot-bellied coal burning stove that proved to be quite inadequate to heat the barracks. One could stand near a stove and char his rear-end while his nose froze. The penetrating odor of coal smoke permeated the entire area, including the interior of the barracks, the blankets and the men's clothing.

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY17 PORT OF EMBARKATION The morning after the Regiment's arrival at Camp Myles Standish, the bugler sounded reveille at five and chow call was sounded at six. After a hearty breakfast the men were subjected to more orientation and post regulations. A lieutenant gave the troops explicit instructions not to communicate with anyone outside the post. Until further notice, no one was to make any telephone calls, nor would there be any outgoing mail. He told everyone to remain in the company area and await further orders. For the next three days the men were kept occupied making final preparations for shipment overseas. Clothing and equipment inspections were daily routine. The men underwent last minute medical examinations and received final immunizations. They were issued new gas masks, shoe pacs, ammo bags, wool knit sweaters, and other cold weather clothing and equipment. During those three days an officer repeatedly urged the men who had not purchased the maximum National Service Life Insurance ($10,000) to do so. Another officer made several pitches to encourage the men to authorize or increase monthly pay deductions for the purchase of War Bonds.

After all preparations for overseas shipment were completed, the men were given overnight passes to the neighboring cities of Boston and Providence. When a man was away from the post on a pass, he was under strict orders not to discuss his military activities, where he was from, or where he thought he might be going. Under no circumstances was anyone to reveal to an outsider that his billets were at Camp Myles Standish. It was necessary to learn in advance the bus schedules to and from those cities and the location of the terminals. Buses were available to take the men to Boston. When they were ready to return to camp, they were to look for a bus at the station marked "M-4" and not ask any questions of civilians. Those strict instructions proved to be quite humorous. The men soon discovered that many people in Boston apparently knew that Camp Myles Standish was a staging area for the Boston Port of Embarkation. The new uniforms, without insignia, was a give- away. About the only thing that was kept secret was the fact that the men were 70th Infantry Division Trailblazers. This was the last opportunity for the doughboys of Company A to walk the streets of an American city. It was their last chance to whistle at American girls, frequent the bars to drink American beer and whiskey, and to dance to American music at the USO.

Before Captain Hendrickson issued the first passes, he called the Company together and admonished the men to behave as gentlemen when they were in Boston. He made the point that the residents of New England were refined and dignified. "They were not accustomed to the informalities that were commonplace in other parts of the Country." That evening in Boston some Second Platoon men were making their way to Sculley Square, a place where many men from all branches of

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY18 PORT OF EMBARKATION the service gathered. Sgt. John Haller and Bill Carello were walking on a crowded sidewalk taking in the sights. Their attention was diverted to loud music emanating from an open doorway when Haller accidentally stepped on the shoe of a young lady walking in front of him. Before he could utter a word of apology, she turned around and shouted; "You son of a bitch! Why don't you walk on your own shoes?" So much for New England dignity! Sgt. Dean Mayer and some men from his squad met and were talking to some civilian nurses from a local hospital. One nurse remarked; "You boys must be from Standish and are on your way to the Boston Port to go overseas. God bless you and good luck." The men did not blink an eye.

The food at Camp Myles Standish was very good, the best Army chow that most of the troops were accustomed to eating. During those few days stay at Standish, no one on post ever missed a meal. A popular remark around the camp was "they are fattening us up for the kill."

Routine GI duties such as guard, KP, latrine detail, scrubbing barracks, and policing the areas kept the men partially occupied. Standing guard duty and walking posts was most unpleasant during the cold nights. Men walked posts around warehouse areas, rail heads and motor pools. One night the cold rain turned to snow and, with a little help from the icy wind, a near blizzard developed. A Sergeant of the Guard who was unfamiliar with the camp had trouble locating his posts to relieve the guards. As a result, some guards walked their posts in the wind and snow an extra hour or two before being relieved. There were several pissed off sentries that night.

Each morning the bugler sounded reveille at five. Everyone got out of his bunk, shaved, showered, cleaned the barracks, and ate morning chow. At six-thirty they assembled in formation on the company street with full field packs, duffel bags, rifles, and helmets and were ready to move out. After they stood roll call, they were ordered to return to the barracks and put away their equipment. Next the men par- ticipated in calisthenics then checked the daily duty roster. Those not on details received passes until five a.m. the following morning. That routine went on each day for the next several days. A few men were from Boston, Providence, and other nearby cities and got the opportunity to visit their homes during those last days in the States. Pfc Joseph Ciccarello took Sgts. Waite and Galloway to visit his family in Boston. His sister's last instruction to the sergeants was "take good care of my kid brother." Six weeks later Waite and Galloway were dead and Ciccarello was missing in action, a prisoner of war.

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY19 PORT OF EMBARKATION Most every evening Pvt. Bill Carello, a rifleman in the Second Platoon, took some of his buddies to his home in Providence, Rhode Island. Bill's mother went all out to welcome the men and made them feel as though they had found a home in the Carello home. Each night Mrs. Carello and Bill's younger sisters prepared gourmet Italian dinners that the men relished. In the early evening the fellows would arrive at the Carello home, a stately old two-story house on West Almy Street. The evenings began with snacks of salami, sausage, cheese, pasta and wine or beer; then two hours later the guys would sit down to the finest dinner many had ever eaten. Mrs. Carello was a widow who had raised several older children. Bill was her youngest son, but not the last to enter military service. Two of Bill's brothers would often drop in, presumably to meet and chat with the GIs. Everyone suspected that their presence was most likely due to an attraction to their mother's fine cooking and to impress on Bill’s buddies how proud they were of him. The Carello home soon became a home away from home for a few Second Platoon men. Bill and his brothers took Haller, Lowry, Sheeley and Shooter to some hockey games, a sport that the New Englanders took quite seriously. Those were the first hockey games that some men of the Company had ever attended. Mrs. Carello and her daughters, Ann and Dorothy, helped the GIs wrap Christmas gifts and mailed them to the respective homes after the Company left Boston. To prevent disclosing their location, the men were not allowed to post any mail while they were still stateside. Bill's mother arranged for Pfc Bob Shooter's bride of three weeks to spend a week-end in her home. The Shooters were from Cambridge, Ohio, and were married a few weeks earlier while Bob was last home on leave. Six weeks later, Bob was killed in action in Alsace. He lies buried in the United States Military Cemetery at Epinal, France.

On the afternoon of December 5, the men seemed to sense that they were making their last trip to the New England cities. Though at the time they really had no way of knowing it, twenty-four hours later the Regiment would be at sea. Some took in hockey games, some visited the USO, some had the usual fine dinner at Mrs. Carello's home, some took in the burlesque shows and beverages at Sculley Square, and some painted the town red. Some men had no idea how they got back to camp in the morning, but not one soldier was missing or late for reveille. They assembled in formation just as they did every morning since their arrival at Myles Standish, but, instead of returning their gear to the barracks, they were marched to the railhead. All were present or accounted for with full field packs, duffel bags and weapons.

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY20 PORT OF EMBARKATION 3. USS WEST POINT

SS AMERICA. She was America's newest and largest luxury liner. At the outset of the war, she was converted to a troop transport and renamed USS WEST POINT. On December 6, 1944, the USS West Point put out of Boston Harbor with two regiments of Trailblazers aboard. She sailed alone without escort or protection of any kind. The Trailblazers crossed the Atlantic, passed through the Straits of Gibraltar, and sailed into the Mediterranean Sea. After nine days at sea, the USS West Point put in to the port of Marseilles where the GIs disembarked on the beaches of Southern France. (Photo courtesy of Mac Mc Lain, former crewman, USN)

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY21 USS WEST POINT The long awaited day that the Trailblazers had prepared so long for finally arrived. Before the crack of dawn, one company after another boarded the awaiting rail cars, which would transport them to the port of Boston. When they arrived at the dock, everyone was astounded at the size of the ship that was to take them to their next destination. The men of the 275th and 276th Infantry Regiments spent most of the day climbing the gangplanks of the nation's largest luxury liner, the SS America. The Government converted the SS America to a troop transport, painted her camouflaged gray and renamed her USS West Point. She sailed as a Naval vessel manned by a Navy crew. Her interior showed no resemblance to the luxurious liner that she once was. Her only armaments were a battery of 40mm antiaircraft guns mounted on her forward and aft decks. A few days earlier, the 274th Infantry Regiment sailed aboard the USS Mariposa. Near the gangplanks, American Red Cross girls bid the men farewell. The ladies gave each soldier a cup of coffee, a couple of donuts and a ditty bag. Ditty bags were small olive-drab cloth bags containing cigarettes, matches, playing cards, chocolate bars, chewing gum, reading material, and French and German phrase books. Those ARC ladies were the last American women many of the GIs would ever see. Boarding the ship was an incredibly slow process. Every man carried a forty-pound full field pack and a duffel bag weighing another thirty to forty pounds. In addition he carried his rifle or other weapon, a gas mask, a cartridge belt, an ammunition bag, and wore his steel helmet.

By four in the afternoon of December 6, 1944, the USS West Point was fully loaded with two regiments of Trailblazers and a detachment of Army Nurses. At 1630 she cast off, and at 1700 the world's third largest ship was slowly putting out of Boston Harbor. As the ship steamed out to sea, several hundred inflated condoms were observed drifting skyward from her decks. At Camp Myles Standish, post regulations required that everyone leaving the garrison on a pass must have condoms in his possession. Without them, no one got by the MPs at the gates. When a soldier on deck remembered he was still carrying them, he inflated some and set them adrift. The idea soon caught on, and in just a few moments, hundreds of the balloon-like objects were rising above the wake of the USS West Point. It did not surprise anyone when the Ship's officers and the Army officers failed to manifest any humor in the incident.

The first night at sea was very cold and rough and the huge ship pitched and rolled with the swells. That was the onset of many cases of mal-de-mer that would continue in increasing numbers while the men were at sea. By the next day, the sea became calm and remained that way for the remainder of the journey. Nearly every

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY22 USS WEST POINT GI aboard the West Point fully expected the ship to rendezvous with a convoy or at least pick up a Naval escort, but that did not happen. The West Point sailed alone out into the Atlantic.

Most of the men had never experienced life aboard a troop ship, nor had they given any thought as to what it might be like. Many had never been on a ship of any kind and a few had never seen an ocean. On the top deck the officers and nurses were comfortably quartered in cabins once occupied by passengers who traveled first class. Enlisted men were quartered like sardines in all the compartments of the lower decks. They slept on narrow canvas bunks that were four and five high, and so close together that there was hardly room to walk between them. The tiers of bunks and narrow aisles took up every square foot of available space; consequently, each man had to keep his gear on the bunk with him. There was barely enough vertical clearance between bunks for a man to squeeze in. To keep one's bunk from sagging and crowding the man below, it was frequently necessary to tighten the ropes that held the canvas to the steel frame. From any bunk, a man could reach out and easily touch half a dozen of his buddies in nearby bunks.

Fresh water was available to the troops for drinking and cooking only. The men used sea water for washing, shaving, and showering. The Army provided a special all-purpose saltwater soap because ordinary soap and shaving cream would not lather in the sea water. Saltwater soap had the appearance of black sandstone, and felt the same when rubbed with saltwater on one's body. Shaving and showering with sea water was one of many shipboard experiences that the men would never forget. One could not easily rinse the soapy brine from his body and it left him with a sticky feeling as though he had not bathed.

The design of the latrines, or as the sailors called them "heads," presented another novel experience for the GIs. They consisted of about a dozen toilet seats secured side by side to the top of a metal trough. Sea water was pumped into one end of the trough and a continuous stream flushed the waste out the opposite end through a pipe to the sea below. The rolling of the ship sometimes sucked frigid air through the pipe onto the bare posteriors of those seated on the stools. That encouraged a man to drastically cut short the business at hand. When the sea was calm, the latrine functioned with no particular problems, but if the ship was rolling (as it usually was) the water and contents would sometimes wash over the seats. That would often result in some getting more out of the trough than was put in. More than once, someone floated a flaming, crumpled paper soaked in lighter fluid down the trough. That gave

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY23 USS WEST POINT the GIs downstream unexpected and startling hot-seats. It may have been humorous to the perpetrator but proved to be no laughing matter to the recipients of the floating flames. It became a serious matter when 1st/Sgt. Palacio got the "hot seat." By the time he felt the heat, there was no one other than himself anywhere near the latrine.

Hot chow was served twice a day in a huge mess hall down in the hold of the ship. Each of the forty-eight companies aboard the USS West Point was designated specific times to eat. The chow lines were long and it usually took an hour or more to sweat them out. Unappetizing sustenance was dispensed at one end of the huge compartment. Each man carried his individual mess gear and ate standing at long narrow tables that ran the full length of the mess hall. As one tried to eat his meal, he moved down the table. By the time he got to the end, he was either through eating, gave it up as a bad job, or got weak at the stomach and let it go! Next he went to an area aft of the hold where he washed his mess gear in waist high garbage cans filled with boiling, soapy water. The stench of the boiling brine and GI soap in the hot hold frequently made a strong stomach weaken. (GI soap was an all purpose soap which came in unwrapped yellow-brown bars about the size of common bricks and was used for cleaning anything and everything. The GIs used it to scrub barracks floors, clean latrines, wash dishes, mess gear, and clothing.) After washing their mess gear, it was essential to rinse it in a similar can filled with boiling water. If the mess gear was not thoroughly rinsed, one was sure to get a severe case of the GIs (diarrhea). The steel deck was always wet and slippery with spilled food and lost meals. Frequently men were unable to retain their meals long enough to get out of the hold; consequently, most did not linger while they were eating or washing their mess gear. When they were finished, they made their way as quickly as possible up the endless flights of ladders and out to the open deck to get fresh air. It was a common sight after meals to see the rails lined with seasick GIs. They hung on for dear life, wrenched and fed their recently consumed meal to the fish.

Many men suffered from severe cases of mal-de-mer, which discouraged them from going down the long hot ladders and passages to the mess. There was supposedly a strict rule against taking food from the mess hall to the sleeping quarters, which nearly everyone openly ignored. Sandwiches and other items which could be readily carried were brought to the men who were too sick to leave their bunks. One of the most afflicted men on the ship was 1st/Sgt. Palacio, who did not object when someone violated the rule and brought him a morsel.

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY24 USS WEST POINT Fatigue details, such as KP and scrubbing the decks and latrines, were everyday routine, but no one was overworked and everyone managed to get plenty of sack time (sleep). There were no written duty rosters such as the men were accustomed to in garrison. Each day the 1st Sergeant would seek out KP and latrine details and put the finger on whomever he could catch. Dodging work details was the norm. It became a game that the men of Company A played with 1st/Sgt. Palacio. At the sight of the "Top Kick," a man would quickly and quietly make himself scarce and hide out in a lifeboat or another well-concealed place on deck.

One afternoon, after pulling KP in the officers mess which was situated on the top deck, Pvt. Bill Carello returned to the squad area with a large canned ham and two loaves of bread. For supper that evening, several Second Platoon GIs feasted on ham sandwiches on the open deck. That was far more pleasant than making the onerous trip down to the reeking hold. Company A was fortunate in having been quartered on the Promenade Deck, only one deck below the officers' mess. That strategic location of the Company made it possible for other men in the Second Platoon to make similar unauthorized requisitions during the journey.

Daily abandon ship drills were SOP. To keep the men occupied, the Company officers attempted to hold training sessions on the usual military topics such as instruction on the care and cleaning of equipment in ocean environment, first aid, how to survive in combat, what to do and say if captured, etc, etc. The training sessions never seriously got underway, and after a day or two the brass hats abandoned the idea. There really was not sufficient space on the crowded ship to hold the sessions and seasickness caught up with many officers and NCOs. Previously, the men had sat through many sessions on those subjects, so nothing was lost.

Federal Regulations allowed each man to bring not more than $5.00 in saltwater currency aboard the ship to spend in the ship's store. Other than for the purchase of cigarettes, the money was mainly used to finance the poker and crap games that took place day and night. Some men found themselves in games of chance with the sailors and frequently came out second best, usually because the sailors had much more money to back them up. Though no one wanted to admit it, the sailors were probably the better poker players, which resulted in most of the soldiers' money remaining at sea. Even if a man was lucky enough to win a few bucks, he could not send any of it home. Saltwater currency was a special currency

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY25 USS WEST POINT used aboard ships at sea. It was not legal tender in the US nor could it be spent in foreign countries.

The ship's officers constantly reminded the troops that the USS West Point was sailing alone without escort or protection of any kind. To avoid detection by the Nazi U-boats, the ship sailed across the open sea at full speed. Frequently its course was changed, making a clearly visible zigzag wake. Naval personnel informed the troops that at 29 knots or better, the USS West Point could outrun any Nazi U-boat that it sighted. At night she sailed under strict blackout conditions, which meant that after dark the men were forbidden to light a match or smoke on deck. Standing orders were to never throw anything overboard, not even a match or a cigarette butt. Trash of any kind, no matter how small, could leave a trail detectible by well-trained surface or air spotters. Life jackets were required to be worn at all times when the men were away from their bunks. They were clumsy, awkward to wear, and smelled as though seasick troops used them many times in the past.

On two occasions during the voyage, the Navy gunners engaged in target practice with the 40mm antiaircraft guns. They dropped targets in the water then went on to circle and fire at the targets. After they practiced for a short while, the ship turned back to retrieve the targets. The soldiers never learned whether or not the Navy gun crews hit their marks.

Everywhere men could be seen sitting and standing around the open decks, leaning against the rails and bulkheads, or on their bunks reading the pocket books given to them by the Red Cross girls. Other common reading material were phrase books on the French and German languages. In the evenings men would often gather around in small groups and sing. A few of the fellows provided some accompani- ment with harmonicas. Among the most popular songs with the troops were "Meet Me in St. Louis," "Don't Fence Me in," "The Last Time I Saw Paris," "The White Cliffs of Dover," "Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition," and "Into Each Life Some Rain Must Fall" . . . and, of course, the ever popular cowboy and hillbilly songs, which made for good group singing. Bill Carello put together a verse for the men of Company A that went:

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY26 USS WEST POINT Company A two seven six infantry We are all Yankee boys can't you see When we get to France We will make Hitler dance Company A two seven six infantry

The long evenings between chow and retreat provided a great deal of time for chatting and just general shooting the breeze. Men talked at length about their homes, wives, kids, sweethearts, families, what they did before the war, and what they planned to do after the war. During the ten days the regiments were at sea, the men learned more about each other than they did during the entire time that they were in training together. For some strange reason, on very few occasions did anyone bring up the subject that many would not be making the return trip home.. Pfc George Sheeley recalled: "I was sitting in a circle on the deck with six or eight of my Company A comrades. We were discussing what the future held for us. My buddies were very confident that nothing bad would happen and we would all go home when the war was over. Those GIs were later killed." One night Sgt. John Cummings and Pfc Brian Ledoux were leaning on the rail and chatting as they watched the stars. Sgt. Cummings commented that one or possibly both of them would be killed before it was over. A month later John Cummings was killed near the Rhine River. Brian Ledoux was one of those very few in the Company who was never wounded.

Frequent topics of discussion were speculation about where the USS West Point was bound and what mission was in store for the Trailblazers. From nowhere rumors spread that had the Trailblazers bound for every conceivable destination. One day the "scuttlebutt" would be that the ship was bound for Liverpool, the next day Morocco, the next day Greenland, the next day Italy, etc. The most palatable, yet the most unlikely, rumor was that they were going to Liverpool then to Paris. In Paris, a special cadre would retrain the men to be Military Police for future occupation duty. That rumor went as far as to report that seamen down in the hold saw cases of white helmets, white leggings, white belts, and other MP gear. Anyway, passing these rumors along with a little embellishment at each repetition helped pass the time of day. Everyone knew that the many crates in the hold contained machine guns, mortars, spare parts, and other weapons of war. As for the ship's destination, the crew had many convinced that it would be Liverpool. The West Point had made other trips across the Atlantic and most often to that port city. The other ports in Europe were either too small or too badly damaged to accommodate a vessel as large as the USS West Point. How wrong they were!

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY27 USS WEST POINT Every night men lined the rails in the darkness. They simply gazed at the stars or watched the bright phosphorescent waves roll by as the huge ship plowed through the sea. The salty aroma of the ocean was ever in the air. Crossing the Atlantic turned out to be uneventful, restful and moderately pleasant for those who did not suffer from seasickness. Most of those recovered after a few days; however, some spent nearly the entire trip in the sack or on the rail. For the most part the weather was calm and because the ship took a southern route, most of the days were warm and pleasant. Several men got suntans, and others got mild cases of sunburn.

Pfc Eddie Tsukimura, Company A, 276th Infantry, drew this and other sketches on American Red Cross stationery while he was hospitalized in France after being severely wounded during Operation Nordwind.

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY28 USS WEST POINT During the midmorning hours of December 13, 1944, for the first time in eight days, the soldiers sighted land on the distant horizon. They thought for sure that what they saw were the British Isles and the ship would soon dock at Liverpool. A few hours later when the USS West Point sailed through the Straits of Gibraltar, the men discovered that the land they saw was not England but Spain. For most of the day one could clearly see the coast of Spain from the port side and faintly the coast of Africa from the starboard side. Rock of Gibraltar Seeing the Rock of Gibraltar, which everyone immediately recognized, shattered all hopes that the regiments were destined for Liverpool. There was so much air activity over and around Gibraltar that the rock took on the appearance of a massive bee hive. That morning the USS West Point picked up a destroyer escort, which remained with her for the rest of the journey. Watching the destroyer and the aircraft over Gibraltar reassured the troops that they were no longer alone in a world of nothing but ocean. After passing Gibraltar, the weather ceased to be sunny and balmy and there was a decided chill in the air. Other than that, sailing on the Mediterranean was in many respects more pleasant than the Atlantic crossing. The ship's Captain lifted all blackout restrictions and the GIs had the comfort of knowing that their ship had some protection from the nearby destroyer, though the men still had no idea where they were going. No one gave much thought to the fact that the closer they got to the war zone, the greater the danger. At night the entire ship was lit up with running lights and for the first time since leaving Boston Harbor, the men were allowed to smoke on deck after dark. At that point in time, the United States and Great Briton had air supremacy in the Mediterranean. Any vessel sailing in those waters without running lights was in danger of being blown out of the sea.

On the morning of December 15, after two days of peaceful sailing on the Mediterranean, the USS West Point reached her destination. She lowered her anchors a few miles offshore from the French Port of Marseilles. Bombed-out wreckage

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY29 USS WEST POINT littered the harbor and docks, making it impossible for a ship of that size to sail into the port to dock. British and American bombings and total destruction by the retreating Germans, left the Port in shambles. The superstructures of many scuttled French naval vessels and cargo ships were protruding through the surface of the bay. It was very unlikely that any GI aboard the transport would soon forget his first sight of Europe. That massive destruction was a small sample of the warfare that he would soon be a part of.

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY30 USS WEST POINT 4. FRANCE -- DELTA BASE CP-2

Delta Base CP-2, Marseilles, France – December 1944 (Photo by Garstki)

Disembarking began in the early afternoon and was extremely slow and tedious. The troops, carrying all of their gear, lumbered down the ladders to a lower level, where they left the ship through openings a few feet above water level. From there they walked down outside gangways to landing barges that transported them

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY31 FRANCE-DELTA BASE CP-2 to the beach. The weather turned cold and a biting rain fell as the craft hit the beach with a jolt so severe that it threw the men off their feet.

Sentries on the beach directed troops to big six-by-six Army trucks waiting to transport them to a bivouac area at Delta Base CP-2, a large staging area sixteen miles north of Marseilles. As the trucks rolled through the narrow, hilly, cobblestone streets of Marseilles, the residents came out by the hundreds and stood in the downpour to welcome the American troops. Women and children were leaning out of windows and stood on their balconies shouting and waving American and French flags. This was an unexpected surprise to climax what had been a wretched, wet day. No one knew what to expect when he went ashore and that spontaneous display of welcome by a grateful French populous was a total surprise. It was well after dark and pouring rain when the men arrived at the staging area.

“From the West Point to CP-2" by Pfc Eddie Tsukimura

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY32 FRANCE-DELTA BASE CP-2 CP-2 was on a desolate, rocky, treeless, windswept plateau. It did not appear that the area was ever cultivated. The barren muddy ground was nearly without vegetation and could not have provided grazing land for mountain goats. A row of wooden storage sheds, about fifty yards apart, stood along the north side of the plateau. There were no other structures except a row of latrine facilities along the south side. The sheds were located about two-hundred yards upwind from the latrines and were used to store food, supplies and ammunition. They also served as shelters for the company kitchens. Latrine facilities were merely slit trenches surrounded by five or six foot posts covered with burlap. Each company was assigned a storage shed and a latrine.

The men pitched pup-tents in company street formation between the sheds and the latrines. After several hours in the cold rain, their clothing was soaked and they were chilled to the bones. Getting into the tents and out of the rain did not help much. Some began to realize that there was a lot of truth to the stories they heard from their fathers and uncles about the rain and mud in France. There was no hot chow for the GIs that first night at CP-2, but there was an inspection of the bivouac areas. Word came down from the Battalion Commander that the tents were not in straight lines, and for everyone to take them down and realign them. That “chicken shit” order brought on much groaning, moaning, bitching and an old familiar drawn out GI chant "All together men, and not too loud . . . Soooome Shiiiiit!" It was a miserable job in the rain and mud, but not having a choice, the men took down the shelter-halves and realigned the tents. The mud was so soft and deep that the tent stakes would not hold so large stones were used to keep the stakes in place. Some two hours later, the tent realigning was complete, sentries were walking their posts, and the men hit the sacks. Soft cold mud began to seep between their blankets. No one could get very much sleep that first night in the ETO (European Theater of Operations). Long before morning most of the Regiment was seen gathered around many smoldering campfires trying to thaw their aching bones. With smoke getting in their eyes, some were heating Nescafe in their canteen cups and many were attempting to dry their wet clothes. No soldier of the 276th Infantry will ever forget his first bivouac in France with a severe winter setting in to greet him.

Many men spent the first day at CP-2 on fatigue details. Some helped set up the kitchen area, some dug slit trenches, and others went back to the landing beaches of Marseilles to bring up equipment, rations and supplies. Those on the latter detail managed to pick up extra rations, fresh eggs, frozen milk and everything worthwhile that they could carry back to camp. Many pulled guard duty. The sentries walked

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY33 FRANCE-DELTA BASE CP-2 posts around the company perimeters twenty-four hours a day. At night the number of sentries walking posts was doubled. Everyone was issued live ammunition for the first time since leaving the States.

The encampment at CP-2 lasted a week, during which time the weather got progressively colder. An icy wind from the Alps, called the Mistral, blew continu- ously down the Rhone River Valley and seemed to dump its fury on the encampment. What was slush and mud when the troops arrived, turned to frozen ground and ice before they departed. The men spent their spare time on search parties looking for fire wood and wine. Everything in sight that was combustible, including the wooden posts used for the latrine areas, was gathered up and used to feed the evening camp- fires. The men exercised great care in attempting to safeguard the scarce firewood scrounged from the surrounding area. While scouting for firewood, some Second Platoon men found a source of wine. A group of Italian refugees who were squatted about a mile north of the bivouac area came up with a supply of red vino. The quality was not good but the price was right. A few cigarettes or a bar of soap was the purchase price for a bottle. The men perceived that the quality of the wine seemed to improve as the days went by.

Nearly everyone had the opportunity to go into the City of Marseilles for a few hours. The men were told to go in groups of twelve (squad strength) and always remain together. That was for their own protection, as Marseilles was reputed to be the roughest international port in the world. There were some sections of the City, particularly along the waterfront, that were cordoned off and completely off limits to GIs. In those areas there were dives and whorehouses frequented by smugglers, thugs, cutthroats, and foreign agents from all over Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. French Police, squads of American Military Police and Navy Shore Patrol maintained a close watch over the perimeters of those sections of the City. On the streets one saw soldiers, sailors, mercenaries, and seamen from just about everywhere in the world. There were French Foreign Legionnaires, Turks, Russians, Arabs, Senegalese, Algerians, and Moroccans; many clad in native attire and carrying long intimidating sabers. It was difficult to tell friend from foe as none looked overly friendly.

The port and waterfront buildings suffered intense damage from bombings, but away from the waterfront, the damage was less severe. There were sunken ships in the harbor, railroad tracks were twisted grotesquely upward, and the warehouses typical of a port were gutted. High piles of rubble were everywhere along the

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY34 FRANCE-DELTA BASE CP-2 waterfront. In the City, there were people on the streets and in the bistros, but very few stores or shops were open for business. One could purchase red wine in the bistros but the only food available was a mustard sandwich made on heavy moist black bread. Wine cost the equivalent of four or five cents a glass. It tasted a little better than wine the men were getting from the Italians near CP-2. In spite of the language barrier, the GIs got along fairly very well with the French civilians. It did not take the troops long to learn some of the more important French words, such as "vin," "mademoiselle!" and "cheri!." They soon noticed that the French girls did not seem to object to their whistles.

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY35 FRANCE-DELTA BASE CP-2 “Staging Area,” “Letter from loved one” and “40 & 8" – by Pfc Eddie Tsukimura

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY36 FRANCE-DELTA BASE CP-2 5. FORTY AND EIGHTS

FORTY AND EIGHT -- World War I French freight car (Photo by Garstki)

The Trailblazers were supposed to have remained at Delta Base CP-2 until all the components of the Division assembled at the staging area. Regimental and battalion headquarters companies and the line companies that sailed on the USS West

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY37 FORTY AND EIGHTS Point and the USS Mariposa were the first to arrive in France. All other essential support units, including Field Artillery and Engineers, were to follow other vessels. Without those units, the regimental line companies lacked the logistical support necessary to go into action as a combat unit.

Of the 15,000 officers and men in an infantry division, approxi- mately 6,000 were line company infantrymen. The others were assigned to the various essential support units. An infantry regiment, or regimental combat team, was the Army's smallest complete self-contained fighting unit. It included a regimental headquarters company and three infantry battalions. The Support units were a 105mm Field Artillery battalion, an Anti-tank company, an Engineer battalion, Medical detachments, Service companies, an Ammunition and Pioneering platoon, an Ordnance company, a Quarter- master company, Transportation companies, a Chemical Warfare company, a Reconnaissance troop, Military Police Detachments, and an Army Post Office.

It was standard procedure in the Army that a man was told only what he needed to know. It was not surprising that no one at Company level seemed to be aware of the fact that all the support units were not present. CP-2 covered such a large area that a person hardly knew who was in the tent fifty feet away, let alone be aware of what units were present. Before the 70th Infantry Division's support troops arrived in France, the Trailblazers got word of a huge enemy attack on the Western Front. The German Army had launched a surprise offensive through the Ardennes forest in Belgium, had pushed back the U.S. First Army lines, and was driving headlong toward France. It appeared that the entire Western Front was in danger of collapse. Heavy panzer divisions spearheaded the enemy blitzkrieg that crashed through the American winter defenses in the Ardennes. Hitler appeared absolutely confident of the ultimate success of the Nazi onslaught. He announced to the world that Paris and Antwerp would be in German hands by the New Year.

With that disturbing news, the regiments of the 70th Infantry Division were alerted to move up immediately and not wait for the supporting units. On December 23, the foot elements of the 276th Infantry boarded freight trains made up of World War I French box cars called Forty and Eights and were on their way to the front. The officers rode in antiquated unheated coaches at the front of each train. Motor elements, mainly jeeps, trailers and trucks, departed the same day by highway.

None of the officers at company level knew or let on that they knew where the Regiment was going. Wherever their destination might be, the men hoped that the

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY38 FORTY AND EIGHTS trip would take them through Paris, with perhaps a short stopover. Though they were all aware of the German breakthrough in the Ardennes, most of the Trailblazers could not conceive of the American Forces taking such a severe setback. Consequently, a goodly number were inclined not to take the news too seriously.

Many men recalled the veterans of World War I speaking of the French Forty and Eights; however, none thought that in the year 1944 the antiquated railroad cars of pre-1917 could possibly still be in use. The troops were shocked when they saw how primitive the cars were. They were short stubby boxcars mounted only on two axles and four wheels. Some wheels were not solid but were wire spoke wheels. Unlike American boxcars, none had eight wheels. Some had solid wooden sides and some had partially open sides similar to cars used for hauling livestock. Prominently printed on the side of some cars were the words "HOMMES 40--CHEVAUX 8," denoting the car's capacity as forty men or eight horses. Couplings were large iron hooks and eyes; the hook was on one car and the eye on another. Two round bumpers, about ten or twelve inches in diameter, were attached to the ends of each car to keep the cars properly spaced. Many cars were damaged from shell fire, and others were worn out and beat up after many years of hard use and two wars. In war- ravaged France, they were the only means of transportation that the retreating Germans left behind. The men were convinced that the cars used to transport the 276th Infantry were often used to carry livestock but there was very little to suggest that those particular relics ever carried human cargo. When twenty men with full gear piled into a car, there was hardly enough room to move around. It amazed the GIs to see that the railroads were not equipped with electric block signals. The signals were mechanical and were operated by hand levers. Many block signal cables were a tangled mass of heavy wires resembling spaghetti, making them totally inoperative. Switches were hand operated by levers at the switch sites. The train always started with one or more startling jolts. The locomotive would slowly move in reverse until there was slack in the couplings between the cars, then it would plunge forward with enough force to knock anyone standing off his feet.

As the journey got under way, the weather grew colder and the icy wind and snow came through the cracks in the cars. Sleeping was nearly impossible as the train jerked along as though it were moving without springs on square wheels. Crowded conditions and freezing weather were not conducive to a comfortable ride. Before departing, the men were told that the train would not stop for meals but would stop once each day so that they could stretch their legs and do calisthenics. Actually it stopped many times during the day and night for various reasons, many of which

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY39 FORTY AND EIGHTS were unknown to the GIs. There was a Coleman burner in each car that the men used to heat "Ten-in-One" Army field rations. They ate most of their meals either lukewarm or cold due to the difficulty of heating rations on a rough moving freight train. The latrine facility was a large sand box placed near the door of each car. The boxes, if used, had to be emptied and the sand changed daily. To avoid that distaste- ful detail, no one made use the sand boxes. They took advantage of the frequent stops and the fact that the train was very slow in starting up after each stop. Fortunately, no one that detrained to make a call of nature was left behind.

For four long cold days and nights, the men endured the misery of living, eating and sleeping in the crowded Forty and Eights. In spite of their many discomforts, the trip proved to be an interesting and enlightening adventure. Many were curious about the countryside, small farms, villages and sights of that foreign land. Much of the farm land resembled the Midwestern US, except that the farms in France were much smaller. The towns and hamlets with their towering church steeples were very different from those in America. Everyone was so anxious to see what was coming up next, that he did not always dwell on the rough, cold ride. Nearly all grew up during the Great Depression, and world travel was never a part of their lives. Before entering the Army, many had never traveled more than a few hundred miles from their homes. France was not like home! As one might expect, not one mademoiselle escaped the eyes and whistles of the GIs. Whenever the train stopped, which was several times each day, French women and children crowded along the rails to exchange wine for cigarettes and chocolate bars. Back in Marseilles, the GIs began to realize how deprived the victims of war really were. As they rode the Forty and Eights past the war-ravaged towns, the deprivation became more prevalent.

At a town somewhere near Lyon, France, the train transporting the First Battalion stopped for several hours in the railroad yard. There was a string of small tank cars on an adjacent track, which the men soon discovered to be a wine train. Using improvised syphons, it was not long before the GIs had the red wine pouring from the tanks into their canteen cups. After drinking all they could hold, they filled their canteens and steel helmets. When the troop train started to pull out, many encountered some unsteadiness and experienced a little difficulty in getting aboard, which resulted in a lot of spilt wine and a few minor injuries. As one might expect, the officers were not too pleased with the whole situation that afternoon. Some officers made threats of punishment for the perpetrators who were easily identifiable by their wine-stained uniforms. Many thought that the officers were more unhappy

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY40 FORTY AND EIGHTS about not having shared in the GI treasure than they were about having a battalion of half-drunk GIs in the Forty and Eights.

Christmas Day was spent traveling north through the Rhone Valley. The train stopped long enough in the afternoon for the men to unload and participate in Catholic and Protestant Nativity Services. Two Army chaplains conducted the rites by the side of the freight cars. It was cold and windy with a light snow falling; however, the men had a warm feeling as they attended Mass and Protestant Services and sang Christmas hymns while standing in the snow. The chaplains attempted to cheer the men up and encourage them to look at the brighter side because they were on a good and honorable mission. A padre about to begin Mass told the men, "Don't kneel, the ground is damp and keep your helmets on, the air is cold; God will understand.... because you may be experiencing a Christmas Day much different from any Christmas you have had in the past, it needn't be looked upon as the most unhappy.” After the brief services, which lasted about twenty to thirty minutes, the men climbed back into the freight cars and got underway. Christmas dinner was meat and vegetable hash and hard biscuits from the familiar ten-in-one Army field rations. That meal, being no different from the others, was barely lukewarm.

Each day the weather got colder as the train inched its way at a snail's pace. The soldiers learned later that the Rhone Valley was known in Europe for its severe winter winds that blew from the Swiss and French Alps. The train made frequent stops due to wreckage on the tracks, mechanical failures, derailments, frequent air alerts. Fortunately, the air alerts were nearly all false alarms. Sometimes the stops would last several hours and often the train commander told the men to stay aboard, so that enemy air observers would not detect troop movements. The Allies had air supremacy over France, but one or two Nazi planes could slip by and raise havoc with a troop train.

On the morning of December 26, the train carrying the First Battalion of the 276th Infantry arrived at its destination, Brumath, France. Since leaving Marseilles, the troops had traveled north past Avignon, Lyon, Dijon, and to Brumath (Map 1, pg. 42). Brumath is a village near the Rhine River in the Alsace Province of Northeast France. The men had no idea how far they had traveled, nor did they have the foggiest notion as to where they were.

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY41 FORTY AND EIGHTS COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY42 FORTY AND EIGHTS 6. OUTPOSTING THE RHINE

The long string of decrepit Forty and Eights, carrying their GI cargo, came to a stop in the snow-blanketed countryside near Brumath, France. The men shouldered their packs, grabbed their rifles and gear, and climbed down from the cars for the last time. Not a man was sorry to bid farewell to the Forty and Eights. They quickly spread out away from the cars leaving no less than the usual five yard intervals between any two men and began what seemed like a long wait for marching orders. That morning was extremely cold, the sky was gray, and it was exceedingly quiet except for the rumble of heavy artillery in the distance. Brumath was less than twenty miles from the front lines, and if there were any shreds of hopes remaining for a stopover in Paris, they were completely extinguished. While they waited and shivered in the snow, the officers assembled in the battalion headquarters car for a briefing. The wait in that field seemed like forever before the company officers returned to their respective units to pass down the poop. The Platoon Leaders did not have much to say except; "Prepare to move out. The next leg of the journey will be on foot." The rifle companies lined up on in single files on each side of a road The lead company sent scouts forward and the last company in the column posted rear guards. Squad leaders posted air guards and instructed their men to maintain five yard intervals and to not fall behind.

As the columns moved out the troops began the most arduous and agonizing forced march that any of them had ever experienced. During their training days at Camp Adair and Fort Leonard Wood, the men went on many forced and endurance marches. Some were as long as thirty miles with field packs, but none was nearly as brutal and punishing as the march that day in the frigid Alsace Plain. Several men were in weakened conditions after the long voyage across the Atlantic and no routine

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY43 OUTPOSTING THE RHINE exercise since leaving Camp Myles Standish. No one got enough sleep on the Forty and Eights, some caught colds, and some had the GIs (dysentery). Everyone was chilled to the bone and wore his long, wool overcoat as the march got underway. There was no transportation other than foot-power, so no one could be excused from the march. Though it was bitter cold, in less than an hour ev- eryone had worked up a good sweat and took off the over- coats. The rank and file had no idea where they were going or how far and how long they would have to walk. The pace was so fast that nearly one Brumath to Bischwiller by Pfc Eddie Tsukimura fourth of the men were unable to keep up and had to drop back and straggle in at the rear. The squad leaders did everything they could to keep the ranks closed, but the pace was simply too fast. Ten minute breaks were taken every hour which gave many of the stragglers an opportunity to catch up, but then they got no rest and soon fell behind again. The Battalion marched sixteen miles to the town of Bischwiller.

In order to lighten their heavy loads, some men discarded everything in their packs that they felt that they would not need. Some even threw away their gas masks and ammunition bags which found their way into ditches and gullies at the sides of the road. Countless bottles of wine and ration cans from ten-in-one field rations were reluctantly tossed into the ditches as the men moved along toward their unknown destination. Blisters soon developed on many a weary foot as the men were not accustomed to walking in the rubber shoe pacs issued at Camp Myles Standish. While on the march, the shoe pacs helped to keep the men's feet warm; however they were ill-fitting, provided very little foot support and caused the feet to sweat.

Feet were sore, stomachs and backs ached, packs got heavier, artillery got louder, and everyone was exhausted from the killing pace of the march. "Ohhhhhhh My Aching Back! My Poor Aching Back!, " an old familiar complaint, could be heard chanted for miles around. If those companies were an example of what the

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY44 OUTPOSTING THE RHINE newspapers described as "fresh American troops moving up to the front,” the men wondered what the hell they would look like in a few more weeks. Late that afternoon, the First Battalion arrived at Bischwiller, a little town near the Rhine River a few miles north of the City of Strasbourg, the Capital of Alsace. Bischwiller was only a mile from the American MLR (Main Line of Resistance) which was at that time on the west bank of the Rhine River.

At Bischwiller, the rifle companies were billeted in empty factory buildings and warehouses. The men were exhausted and their feet were sore, damp and cold. The warehouse assigned to Company A, like all of the other buildings, was unheated and frigid enough to use as an ice house. It was only a matter of a few minutes before the sweaty soldiers with their sore wet feet began to really feel the cold. They desperately needed a complete change of clothing but all their extra clothes were in their duffel bags somewhere in the rear. Everyone was told that the duffel bags were supposed to catch up with them at the end of the line. (Actually no one saw his duffel bag again until late in May, after the war.) All they could do was remove their boots and wet socks, massage their feet, tape up the blisters, and put on dry socks. The men were taught to carry extra pairs of socks tucked in under their shirts where they could stay warm and dry. The medics, who also made the march, were as exhausted as the rest of the company, yet they worked well into the night helping the men with tape and bandages for their blisters. Their biggest job was tending to the stragglers, as many of them needed minor medical attention. Everyone cursed the damned shoe pacs that were not intended for long distance hiking. Many wished that they had kept their combat boots in their packs, rather than leave them in their duffel bags.

After caring for their feet and checking and cleaning their weapons, the men attempted to settle down for some rest. In their early training they learned that an infantryman’s most important possessions were his feet and his weapon and his life depended on both. At every opportunity, the care of those precious possessions took priority. Another thing that he soon learned was to take advantage of every free moment to get some rest or sleep. He never knew how many grueling hours would pass before he would have another opportunity to shut his eyes.

The last of those who did not keep up the pace, came in about an hour or so after the main body. No one ever found out why the men were pushed so hard in getting from the train to Bischwiller as there was no apparent reason for the hurry up and wait. When everyone in Company A was in the warehouse and accounted for, the supply sergeant issued each man extra bandoleers of rifle ammunition, two hand

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY45 OUTPOSTING THE RHINE grenades, a day's supply of K rations, a pair of waterproof trousers, and a waterproof jacket. Due to the extremely cold weather, the men were weighted down with clothing and equipment. Under his ODs (regulation wool uniform), each soldier wore his dog tags, wool long-johns, and wool socks. Over his uniform, he wore a wool knit sweater, waterproof trousers and jacket, a wool overcoat, wool knit gloves, a wool knit cap, wool scarf, steel helmet and a full cartridge belt. Attached to the cartridge belt was a canteen, first aid pack, bayonet, trench knife, and sometimes a pair of wire cutters. He carried his rifle, 160 rounds of ammunition, hand grenades, a gas mask, and a pack. In his pack was a shelter-half, two blankets, an entrenching tool, a rain coat, mess gear, rations, extra socks, and a few personal items. With all his equipment, the combat infantryman carried about eighty-five pounds.

After the supply sergeant issued the ammunition and rations, Capt. Hendrick- son called the Company together at one end of the warehouse and attempted to orient the men as to the situation. He told them that shortly they would be going into combat as "TASK FORCE HERREN,” not as the 276th Infantry or the 70th Division. It was then that everyone learned that only the line companies had arrived at the front. The three regiments would have to depend on other infantry divisions for logistical and tactical support. This meant that the regiments, in whole or in part, would be temporarily attached to other divisions or regiments. They would engage the enemy without the support of their own artillery, cannon companies, anti-tank companies, or other support units. Corps Headquarters would send the rifle companies and heavy weapons companies to whatever outfit that was in need of warm bodies. At that time Task Force Herren was assigned to VI Corps reserve. (There were two Corps in the Seventh Army, the VI and the XV) The Captain told everyone to destroy all letters and any other form of identification that they had on their persons except dog tags. No one was to wear the Trailblazer shoulder patch, or any other insignia except that designating rank. Wearing the later was optional. The men all knew their officers and NCOs well so very few chose to wear their stripes or bars, lest the enemy might single them out as prime targets. Except the CO, the officers and NCOs asked the men to call them by their first names or nicknames, and not refer to their rank. The men were reminded again that in the event anyone was captured, to give only the information that was on his dog tags. Name, rank and serial number. No one was to reveal, even to friendly or allied troops, that they were other than Task Force Herren. The Task Force was under the command of the Assistant Division Commander, Brig. General Thomas R Herren. The new Division Commander, Major General Allison J Barnett was still with the support units in the U.S. Captain Hendrickson did not mention the mission of Task Force Herren other

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY46 OUTPOSTING THE RHINE than what he said earlier about being in Corps Reserve. For the next several minutes the men grumbled and muttered such things as: "What the hell is a task force?"... "What kind of shit does a task force get thrown at it?" ... " I don't like this task force stuff!"... "Oh my aching back!"... “What the hell is happening to the Trailblazer Division?”

They went to sleep that night wrapped in blankets and overcoats, but even then it was near impossible to stay warm on the cold cement floor. Some men started to build fires, but they extinguished them quickly when the warehouse began to fill with smoke. In spite of the cold air and cement floors, that warehouse was not nearly as miserable as the mud at Delta Base CP-2 or the long cold, sleepless ride on the Forty and Eights.

The next morning, the mess sergeant gave each man more K rations, a half dozen packs of cigarettes, some matches and a few tropical Hershey bars. The Hershey bars were small thick chocolate bars that contained paraffin so that they would not melt in hot weather. They were as hard as blocks of oak-wood and were probably intended for the Pacific, but due to a military supply SNAFU (Situation Normal All F—ed Up) they wound up in Europe in the dead of winter. What a hell of a time and place for tropical Hershey bars, but most were consumed after a great deal of gnawing. They were so hard that they were practically tasteless. S/Sgt. Pupinski and the cooks traveled to Bischwiller with the motor elements of the Bat- talion and arrived early enough to set up a field kitchen so that the men could have hot chow that evening. It was the first really hot meal they had since leaving CP-2.

The officers and men of Company A knew very little about the big picture on the Western Front. The German offensive continued to drive south through Belgium toward France; however, it was encountering considerable resistance from American reinforcements that were being rushed to the Ardennes Forest. Task Force Herren joined General Alexander Patch's Seventh US Army that faced the Western Front between General de Lattre's First French Army on the right (south) and General George Patton's US Third Army on the left (west). In the Seventh Army sector, the MLR (Main Line of Resistance) was on the west bank of the Rhine River. It ran in a north by northeasterly direction to Lauterbourg, which was about thirty miles north of Bischwiller. There the MLR turned west to St. Avold, France south of Saarbrucken, Germany (Map 2, pg. 48). The sparsely manned lines were mainly outposts and foxholes along the west bank of the river facing the enemy who were in the bunkers and pill boxes of the Siegfried Line. Beyond the bunkers was the

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY47 OUTPOSTING THE RHINE COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY48 OUTPOSTING THE RHINE Black Forest of Germany. Near Lauterbourg, where the lines turned sharply to the west, some villages were changing hands between the Americans and the Germans from day to day.

Due to heavy casualties sustained by the divisions in the Ardennes, the 276th Infantry was called upon to transfer 219 riflemen to the 28th Infantry Division. This created a lot of bitching, as no one wanted to leave Company A or see any of his comrades leave. It was like a blow being struck before the combat began and reduced the combat strength of the outfit by nearly 10 percent. Nevertheless orders were orders, and Sgt. Palacio selected one man from each squad, and sent them off to Battalion Headquarters. Among those who went to the 28th Division was Pvt. Bill Carello, the Second Platoon rifleman from Providence, Rhode Island. After the war some of his buddies learned that Bill survived bitter combat near Bastogne where he suffered severely with frozen feet.

On December 29, 1944, two days after arriving at Bischwiller, the 276th Infantry Regiment moved northeast to a sector along the Rhine River near the villages of Seltz and Roschwoog. (Map 2, pg. 48) The Regiment's mission was to man defensive positions on the west bank of the river. The First Battalion took up positions on the right, the Second Battalion took up positions on the left, and the Third Battalion was in mobile reserve. Company A occupied a very small hamlet about fifty yards from the river. Captain Hendrickson assembled the men inside a school house for a hot meal and an orientation. He told the GIs that the enemy had not been very active on that sector of the front in the past several days, but the Germans were believed to be capable of attacking across the river in force. They occupied concrete fortifications and bunkers and could easily come out at night and cross the river in sizeable patrols and infiltrate the American lines. The primary mission of Task Force Herren was to deny the enemy access to the west bank of the Rhine. After appraising the men of the Company’s mission, the Captain added “this is the last time the men of Able Company will assemble in one group of this sort. From now on the Company will be separated by platoons and squads, and you will receive all orders from your platoon leaders, platoon sergeants and squad leaders. Stay alert, especially at night. Dismissed!" That was the last word that many men of Company A would ever hear the Captain utter.

After chow, the platoons moved out to take over the outposts on the Rhine. When the men saw what they were up against, everyone was shocked to learn how dreadfully thin the American lines were. Those undermanned outposts were the

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY49 OUTPOSTING THE RHINE Seventh Army's MLR which the Germans could have penetrated at will, had they known how weak the defenses were. No wonder the primary mission was: "to deny the Germans access to the west bank." It could have been a disaster if the enemy were to discover how few American soldiers there were to defend that sector.

From the time the battalion detrained at Brumath until it took over the positions on the Rhine, the men saw very few other American Forces. The units that the battalion relieved had moved out before the Trailblazers arrived, leaving the latter to find and take over the vacated positions. At first everyone thought that the positions they were to occupy were forward outposts, but they soon learned those positions were the MLR. That perilous situation gave everyone an eerie feeling of being alone to face a numerically and logistically superior enemy force on the other side of the river. At night the men spent two hours on guard in the outposts, then were relieved for four hours, then back on guard for two hours. That routine went on for twenty-four hours a day. When they were relieved from guard duty, the men climbed into hay lofts or any place that they could find to get out of the cold and catch a little shut-eye. Besides pulling duty as sentries in the outposts, everyone had to take his turn at internal security as well. Internal security was protecting the Company Headquarters and the houses or barns used as billets from attack or sabotage by enemy infiltrators or German sympathizers. John "Red Ass" Haller described his first night in an outpost on the Rhine; "I was assigned guard duty in a foxhole looking out toward the Rhine River. Sgt. Galloway, my platoon sergeant, left me alone in the darkness and told me to stay alert for any German activity across the Rhine. I would be relieved in two hours. It was a bitter cold night and very dark but I could see smoke coming out of the German fortifications. I was getting colder by the minute and I kept thinking how bad our positions were. The next thing someone grabbed me from behind and I thought a German patrol had me. Here it was Sgt. Galloway who had snuck up on me and gave me a good scare and chewed me out for not being more alert."

The French village where the company was billeted was very small with not more than fifty or sixty houses which were mostly two-storied on narrow winding cobblestone streets. Each house had a basement and a hayloft. The occupants lived in one part of each house and kept their cows, goats, and sheep in the other. None of the streets ran parallel to one another and several streets converged at a square in the center of the village. Facing the village square was the church (the tallest build- ing), a school, and the town hall. In the center of the square was a large statue and next to it was a hand operated water pump. During the day one could see the towns-

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY50 OUTPOSTING THE RHINE people going to the pump for water, both for themselves and their livestock. In the evenings the town crier was heard ringing his bell, and when the people were assembled, he read the news of the day. Typical of many small French and German villages, there were no newspa- pers, no running water, and no plumbing. It seemed to the men that church bells were ringing at all hours. The area was predomi- nately Catholic and they rang the

Rhine River Outposts by Pfc Eddie Tsukimura bells for the Angelus at six a.m., noon, and six p.m. daily and also before and during Masses and funerals.

Early on, some of the men were a little edgy about the church bells, thinking that they could be some sort of signal to the enemy. After all they were in the Alsace, which territory had changed hands between the French and the Germans several times in modern history. From 1870 to 1918 the provinces were under German rule. The Germans took the territory again in 1940. The Alsatians spoke both German and French, which tended to make the doughboys more apprehensive. Some Alsace families were perhaps more loyal to Germany than to France and some of those had men fighting in the German Wehrmacht and in the SS.

Twenty-four hours after taking up positions on the Rhine, the Regiment was moved a few miles north to the town of Newhousen, France to occupy similar positions. At the time no one was aware that the purpose of the move was to further thin out the already thin lines in order to make more men available for movement to the Ardennes front. The new positions were foxholes and dugouts thirty to forty yards apart, and were occupied by one or two men each. They continued to man the positions for two hours at a time. That routine went on around the clock, and the men got very little sleep in the bitter cold. On the plus side, the cooks managed to bring up one hot meal each day. During daylight hours, one could observe the enemy soldiers entering and leaving their fortified positions on the Siegfried Line across the river. Occasionally the men exchanged small arms fire with the enemy, but due to

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY51 OUTPOSTING THE RHINE Alsace-Lorraine was originally neither French nor German, but had been fought over for centuries. In 1648, Louis XIV made Alsace-Lorraine part of France. For more than 200 years the region remained French until the Franco-Prussian war when Germany annexed Alsace and part of Lorraine by force. German became the official language, and French was forbidden by law. The men were conscripted into the German Army. Following World War I in 1918, Alsace-Lorraine was returned to France, again by force. After the fall of France in 1940, the region was reincorporated into the German Reich. The German Government resettled thousands of ethnic Germans in the region, gave them land, and urged them to intermarry with the Alsatians. The men were drafted into the Wehrmacht and sent to fight against the Red Army on the Eastern Front where they would be less inclined to desert to the enemy. Some men who believed in the German cause, enlisted in the Wehrmacht and the Waffen SS. Many families in Alsace had someone, voluntarily or involuntarily, serving in the German Army the great distance, the fire was not effective. Everyone was constantly plagued by the thought that the Germans would eventually discover that they could come across the Rhine in force and easily penetrate the meager defenses.

During that period, the First Platoon was designated to patrol a section of the west bank that was not visible from the MLR. Its mission was to observe the actions of the Germans in and around their pill boxes and to attempt to pinpoint possible weak points in their defenses and locate the areas that they would most likely use to send patrols across the river. While a detail was patrolling the area, the men suddenly heard aircraft overhead and dove into the woods. An ME 109 and a Folkwolf 190 passed over so low that the GIs could look into the cockpits and see the pilots. Fortunately, neither pilot seemed to have spotted the patrol. Lt. Doenges told the men later that two German planes were shot down just a few miles away. That night the patrol was ordered to deploy along the river and keep the pillboxes under observation. Digging in was out of the question on the rocky riverbank so the men had to use folds and depressions in the ground for shelter. They ate cold K rations, observed total blackout conditions, and kept the under observation the Germans who slept in warm bunkers and probably ate hot chow.

The vigil on the Rhine River front was a crash learning experience for the green troops. They were exposed to some of the hardships of war such as spending the nights exposed to frigid weather, the constant fear that the enemy would sneak up on them in the dark, getting used to confusion and not knowing what was going on, not being able to smoke during the hours in the dugouts, and hearing real or imaginary sounds in the forests. The men learned how to distinguish German

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY52 OUTPOSTING THE RHINE artillery and mortar fire from their own. There is a distinct difference in sound between incoming mail and outgoing mail. During their stint at manning the defensive positions and patrolling the west bank of the Rhine, very few men in the company came in close contact with enemy soldiers. They were not seen crossing the river during the daylight hours; however, there was evidence that German patrols, came across the river at night and infiltrated past the MLR. Those patrols gave the men on the outposts some anxious moments. It was there on the Rhine that Company A suffered its first casualty of the war.

Home on the Rhine by Pfc Eddie Tsukimura

Several hours after dark on New Years Eve, a German patrol crossed the river and attacked a forward outpost, manned by Sgt. John Cummings. Cummings, armed with a BAR, was alone in his foxhole when the enemy patrol attacked and sprayed the area with automatic weapons. The men heard his BAR return the hostile fire, but by the time his buddies got near the outpost, they found his foxhole empty. All that remained was his bloody steel helmet with one bullet hole in the center. There was

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY53 OUTPOSTING THE RHINE blood in the foxhole and more blood on the ground about twenty feet away, which suggested that Sgt. Cummings may have hit at least one enemy soldier before he fell. No bodies were found, nor were Cummings' BAR and other equipment ever recov- ered. Everyone hoped and prayed that he was only wounded and captured, but that was doubtful as there was too much blood in the hole. That was Company A's first casualty and first bitter taste of real war. New Year's Eve 1944 was the most distressful ushering in of a new year ever spent by those GIs, and they had a hell of a year to look forward to.

Sketch by Peter “Tex” Bennet, HQ 2nd Battalion 276th Infantry

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY54 OUTPOSTING THE RHINE The attack on Sgt. John Cummings' position not only alerted the men in the other nearby dugouts, but also awakened those that were asleep in the village. For the next few hours, everyone was on guard, tense and peering into the blackness with the expectation that the enemy would strike again. The rifle platoon sergeants, Wagger, Galloway and Brewer, maintained constant contact with their squad leaders while the latter repeatedly checked on their men in the foxholes. Everyone was on edge, and no one shut his eyes the rest of the night.

An hour before dawn on New Years Day-1945, the platoon leaders sent their runners out to the squad leaders with orders to prepare to "move out." They told the sergeants to pull the men back from the outposts and have them assemble in Newhousen. It was essential that the withdrawal from the dugouts be absolutely silent and under cover so that the Germans would not become aware that a troop movement was taking place. In Newhousen, the men were quickly loaded into waiting DUKWs known to the GIs as "DUCKS." DUKW was the acronym for a two and one-half ton six-by-six amphibious military vehicle. The cargo body was watertight and it was equipped with a propeller and a rudder for use when traveling on water. When the men of Company A first saw their mode of transportation, they were shocked and were sure that their destination was to be somewhere on the other side of the river. It would be daylight soon so why in the hell would they cross the wide river when they could easily be seen? They had neither the logistical capability nor the manpower to go up against the German pill boxes on the Siegfried Line. As the fully loaded DUCKS were starting to pull out, they drove up on the levee in clear view of the Germans. The caravan rode on the levee for about a quarter of a mile before turning off. None of the rank and file was ever told the reason for that very strange maneuver. It may have been intentional to give the Germans the impression that the Americans were equipped to make an amphibious assault or it may have been a stupid mistake. All were greatly relieved when they eventually discovered that they would not be making an attempt to cross the Rhine that morning. That unusual mode of transportation took them a few miles north to the recently liberated Alsace town of Oberhoffen. Company A and the other First Battalion companies were billeted in former German Army barracks at Kamp d'Oberhoffen.

At Kamp d'Oberhoffen, each man was issued additional rifle ammunition and hand grenades, two days supply of K rations, cigarettes and tropical Hershey bars. The platoon leaders ordered their men to stand by and remain in close contact with their squad leaders. They were to check and clean their weapons, put on dry socks if necessary, and get some rest. The squad leaders told everyone to remain fully

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY55 OUTPOSTING THE RHINE clothed and ready to move out at a moment's notice. If one wanted to leave the area for any reason, he first had to have the permission of his squad leader. Conversely, the squad leader had to know the whereabouts of each of his men at all times. To make a call of nature, one had to take a buddy with him, and not be away from the squad area for more than ten minutes. There was no lack of security. At any given time, nearly one-fourth of the men were standing guard and walking posts. The atmosphere at Kamp d'Oberhoffen with the tight internal and external security could only be described as extremely tense.

The inexplicable tight security led many to ask: "What the hell is going on?" "What's going to happen next?" There were no answers forthcoming to either of those questions. Neither the Company Commander nor the Platoon Leaders knew any more about the situation than did the enlisted men. The sudden and frequent moves during the previous week, without apparent reasons or objectives, led the troops to speculate that confusion and panic had taken over those in command. To the men, everything was completely SNAFU.

It was rumored that the enemy was advancing in force toward the garrison at Oberhoffen and was threatening to recapture Alsace-Lorraine. Rumors were prevalent that the entire Western Front was in danger of collapse and that it would be only a matter of hours before the battalion would face the might of the advancing German Army. Some men who spoke German or French learned that the local population was just as nervous and perhaps more confused than the GIs. After conversing with some Alsatians, Sgt. John Haller remarked, "Hell, these people say that we are losing this damn war." The civilian population feared reprisals if the Nazis returned. Further, they did nothing to dispel the rumors that the enemy was probably coming back. (After the Trailblazers moved on, the Germans did return and attack Oberhoffen, recapture the village and cause severe destruction.) The Alsatians had good reason to be concerned. Hitler did not regard the Alsace-Lorraine as French territory but as an integral part of Germany. He would view those who might have aided the Americans as traitors to the Third Reich and treat them accordingly.

That evening S/Sgt. Pupinski and his crew fixed a well needed and well received hot meal. The meal was nothing more than fried spam, boiled dehydrated potatoes, canned beets, GI bread and coffee. There was a time back in the States when most of the men would bitch at such fare, but to those cold and hungry troops, it was a hot meal and far superior to cold K rations. Pupinski was a hero, where under different circumstances he would have been considered a bum.

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY56 OUTPOSTING THE RHINE At Kamp d'Oberhoffen, another hero came on the scene. Not many men were well acquainted with Pfc Don Carroll, Able Company's Mail Clerk, but his outstanding work was well known to them all. He worked quietly behind the scenes bringing up the letters and packages and getting the troops' letters safely on their way to the U.S. That day some men got their first mail from home, which was received with more enthusiasm than Pupinski's hot chow. When it came to a choice of going to chow or to mail call, very often mail call got the nod. There was something about a letter from home that lifted the spirits of the doughboy as nothing else could. A letter from home took a man completely away from his hardships. For a few minutes he was in another world, where he seemed to forget everything that was going on around him. His thoughts drifted back to his loved ones thousands of miles away. He was forever starved for mail from home. He read the letters again and again, and frequently read parts of letters to his buddies. On occasion, he would pass a letter around for others to read.

The night of January 1, 1945 at Kamp d'Oberhoffen, everyone pulled his share of guard duty and got what rest he could. During the night, one would see an occasional flare in the northern sky. The rumble of artillery was also heard coming from the north. In the morning rumors circulated that the German troops started an offensive action and were attacking American defenses near the town of Bitche, France. None of the men had ever heard of the place nor did they know where it was. To most American soldiers, the names of remote French towns were new and meaningless. In that instance, the men chose to deliberately mispronounce the name Bitche. The platoon leaders assembled their respective platoons and told the men that they would be moving out shortly, they would continue in VI Corps reserve, and they could expect to be committed to action in a moment's notice. Hardly anyone in the outfit knew that the 276th Infantry was then attached to the 79th Infantry Division.

Reports of intense fighting in the villages and towns to the north were no longer mere rumors. They had become reality. Taking full advantage of the element of surprise, German spearheads broke through the American lines near the towns of Bitche and Saareguemines. The enemy was threatening to encircle and annihilate the outnumbered American Divisions in that sector (Map 2, pg 48).

In the midmorning of January 2, 1945, under dark grey skies, the three battalions of the 276th Infantry Regiment climbed aboard the familiar canvas- covered six-by-six Army trucks. They were soon on their way to another unknown destination. The low overcast, which at times turned to an icy fog, made it

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY57 OUTPOSTING THE RHINE impossible for the men to even guess in what direction they were going. The convoy crossed the Alsace Plain and turned northwest into Les Vosges mountains. They traveled on winding roads so narrow that frequently pine boughs scraped the sides of the trucks. When a branch scraped against the ribs that held the canvas covers in place, it sounded like machine gun fire strafing the truck. The first time that happened to the truck hauling two squads of the Second Platoon, every man bailed out and hit the ground. Often the trucks slid and skidded on the frozen roadway. More than once the men were sure that their conveyance was going to slip off a steep embankment. For several hours the caravan of olive drab GI trucks loaded with freezing infantrymen made its way into Les Vosges mountains. The men got colder and had to keep moving their toes and hands to keep them from getting numb. In the late afternoon they arrived at Zittersheim, France, a very small hamlet near the Moder River. The men were used to jumping from the beds of GI trucks, but this time they had to be very careful and slowly climb out. With the weight of their full field packs, ammunition and equipment, it would be very easy to break or sprain a cold, numb ankle.

The mission of the 276th Infantry was to occupy and defend positions from Volksberg to Ingwiller in Les Vosges mountains. The First Battalion was deployed in reserve positions south of the village of Wingen-sur-Moder (Map 3, pg. 59). Again, without the men knowing it, the Regiment was reassigned and attached to the 45th Infantry Division. That repeated movement from place to place with no advance notice nor real engagement with the enemy, always with a sense of urgency, made the men most apprehensive. They would have been more troubled had they known that Task Force Herren was reassigned to two different divisions in two days time. More than ever, nearly everyone was under the impression that the high ranking officers making the decisions did not know what they were doing, and perhaps were reacting to panic. Those days and many more to follow, could best be described as times of utter CONFUSION. The doughboys of Company A were learning very rapidly that the life of a combat infantryman was one of day to day continuous, never-ending confusion. The men at the front were taught to obey orders and not to question the reason why. Real war was definitely different than Stateside maneuvers and field problems.

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY58 OUTPOSTING THE RHINE COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY59 OUTPOSTING THE RHINE The rifleman fights without promise of either reward or relief. Behind every river there's another hill - and behind that hill another river.

After weeks or months in the line, only a wound can offer him the comfort of safety, shelter, and a bed.

Those who are left to fight, fight on, evading death but knowing that with each day of evasion they have exhausted one more chance for survival. Sooner or later, unless victory comes this chase must end on the litter or in the grave.

General Omar Bradley

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY60 OPERATION NORDWIND

7. OPERATION NORDWIND

To comprehend the combat activities of Company A during the Ardennes- Alsace Campaign, one would need to know a little about the campaign and how the Company fit into the total military operation. The 70th Infantry Division was one of a dozen or more divisions that made up the U.S. Seventh Army, commanded by Lt. General Alexander Patch. The Seventh Army was in turn part of the Sixth Army Group, commanded by Lt. Gen. Jacob L Devers. One other army in the Sixth Army Group was the French First Army under the command of General de Tassigny.

Late in December 1944, the Western Front extended from Basal, Switzerland to the North Sea; however, the precise locations of the various sectors of the front were changing from day to day. Except for a large German salient west of the Rhine River in the area of Colmar, the Western Front extended north-northeast along the Rhine to Lauterbourg, France. There, the front turned sharply westward to St. Avold, France, which is a few miles south of the German city of Saarbrucken. From St. Avold, the front ran northwest to Luxembourg, then north through Belgium, Holland and west to the North Sea. The Seventh Army sector of the MLR extended 124 miles from Strasbourg (the capital city of Alsace) through Lauterbourg to St. Avold (Map 2, pg. 48). On the Seventh Army's right flank, the First French Army defended the MLR south of Strasbourg to the Swiss Border. On the Seventh Army's left flank, General George Patton's Third Army was moving northwest to counterattack the enemy forces that were advancing into the Belgian Ardennes. Earlier, the Third Army sector included the front between Bitche and St. Avold. General Patton vacated that large sector of the front when he turned the Third Army to the northwest

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY61 OPERATION NORDWIND to help stem the Nazi onslaught. Meanwhile, the First Army under the command of Lt. Gen. Courtney Hodges, was engaged in a bitter conflict in the area of Bastogne, Belgium and was in desperate need of reinforcements. General Eisenhower ordered the Seventh Army to extend its already desperately thin lines westward to fill the huge gap in the MLR left undefended by the Third Army.

The Nazi winter offensive was Adolf Hitler's brainchild, which he did not reveal to his generals until as late as September 1944. Field Martial Gerd von Rundstedt was recalled from retirement for the second time and given command of the entire operation. Hitler named the first phase of that winter offensive "WACHT AM RHEIN." The Americans dubbed it the "Battle of the Bulge," but officially the Allies considered it as one phase of the Ardennes-Alsace campaign. On December 16, 1944, von Rundstedt launched "Wacht Am Rhein." It was a major blitzkrieg across a 45-mile front against the U.S. First Army in the Belgian Ardennes. More than a dozen German infantry divisions with four panzer divisions, participated in the initial thrust. It took the entire Allied high command completely by surprise. The attack came through heavily forested snow covered mountains at a time when the weather was at its worst. A very low and dense overcast diminished visibility, the temperature was freezing, and sleet and snow flurries denied the Allies the use of air reconnaissance and air support. Initially, the Nazi spearheads drove six to eight miles a day into the American lines. Wherever possible, they isolated and bypassed strong points of resistance and overran many rear echelon support units. When the German Panzers overran the area, they literally drove General Hodges, the commanding general of the U.S. First Army, out of his headquarters at Spa, Belgium.

The Nazi objectives of "Wacht Am Rhein" were to penetrate the U.S. First Army defenses, capture Bastogne, break out into the open country, and drive to Antwerp, Belgium. Once in Antwerp, the Germans would be in a position to regain their rocket launching sites and resume the devastating V-2 bombardment of England. Loss of the seaport facilities at Antwerp would be a devastating blow to the Americans and British because most of the Allied shipments of war matériel arrived in Europe through Antwerp.

On December 22, 1944, General Eisenhower ordered General Patton to turn the Third Army northwest to the Ardennes. The mission of the Third Army was to lend support to the besieged troops at Bastogne and to help stem the German blitzkrieg into Belgium and Luxembourg. The fighting in the Ardennes was fierce

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY62 OPERATION NORDWIND and Bastogne was under siege; however, the Nazi offensive began to falter in face of the Third Army counterattack.

As a result of the Seventh Army assuming defensive responsibility for a large part of the Third Army sector, the lines of defense from Strasbourg to St. Avold were dreadfully thin. In many places along the Rhine River, the MLR was maned merely by outposts and patrols. Some sectors of the line were defended only by patrolling formations. Many positions were manned by untested troops who had recently arrived in France and had not fired a shot in combat. There were many gaps in the MLR, through which German infantry and armor could have penetrated with very little opposition from the American troops. In the area of Colmar, in what was known as the "Colmar Pocket," the German 19th Army maintained substantial forces west of the Rhine. They were ardently defending and reinforcing that salient. Concrete and steel fortifications ran next to the east bank of the Rhine River. Heinrich Himmler's Oberrhein Army Group occupied the bunkers and defended Germany from Allied invasion of the Black Forest.

"OPERATION NORDWIND" was the official name given by Hitler to the second phase of his winter offensive. Its mission was to launch a series of surprise attacks into Les Vosges mountains of Alsace-Lorraine and the Alsace Plain (Map 4, pg. 64). The strategy was for the German First Army to strike south from the vicinity of Saareguemines, Rimling, and Bitche in Les Vosges mountains. It was to capture and hold the village of Wingen-sur-Moder and the mountain exit at Ingwiller, then continue south to Saverne. The next attack was to be launched south from the village of Wassembourg to Haguenau. Next, Himmler's Oberrhein Army Group was to attack from the Black Forest westward across the Rhine River at Gambsheim. One column would drive north to envelop Haguenau and another would turn south and attack Strasbourg. Finally, two columns were to attack northward from the Colmar Pocket. One column was to advance to Saverne and the other was to link up with the forces from the Black Forest driving toward Strasbourg. German First Army troops attacking from the north were to meet at Saverne with German 19th Army troops attacking northward from the Colmar Pocket. Saverne was a strategically important crossroads that controlled the main supply routes to the U.S. Seventh Army and the French First Army. If the two German Armies were successful in closing the trap at Saverne, they would sever the vital Allied supply routes. The result would be the isolation of all American and French troops west of Les Vosges mountains, and the Germans would obtain a mountain exit to the Alsace Plain to accommodate awaiting panzer divisions.

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY63 OPERATION NORDWIND COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY64 OPERATION NORDWIND The second priority of Operation Nordwind was to capture the City of Stras- bourg, the capital of Alsace and the largest city in the region. Hitler was well aware that Strasbourg was the symbol of French patriotism and dear to the hearts of the French people. He reasoned that the attack into Alsace-Lorraine, coupled with the fall of Strasbourg, would be a horrible embarrassment for General de Gaulle. Those events would most likely result in the collapse of de Gaulle's fragile provisional government and in all probability take France out of the war.

The overall objective of Operation Nordwind was to draw American forces out of the Ardennes. Hitler rationalized that a successful attack into Alsace-Lorraine and the capture of Saverne would compel the Americans to shift forces from the north to Alsace. That would greatly minimize the allied resistance to von Rundstedt's drive into Belgium and enable the Germans to regain the offensive initiative in the Ardennes. That would make it possible to continue their drive to Antwerp. Hitler's last desperate hope of the war was to recapture Antwerp. There Germany would be in a position to resume the rocket bombardment against England with new and improved V-2 rocketry, and, with any luck at all, force England to sue for peace. The Fuehrer relied heavily on Germany's being able to destroy the sometimes weak coalition that existed between the Americans, British and French.

The success of Operation Nordwind depended on the element of surprise. There could be no advance artillery barrages. The attacks at the various points of departure had to be made with sufficient strength to ensure breaking through the American lines and getting to their objectives. In preparation for Operation Nordwind, the Germans took advantage of the dense cloud cover to reinforce their armies at the key points north of Bitche and in the Black Forest. They also poured troops across the Rhine to reinforce their divisions in the Colmar Pocket. When planning Operation Nordwind, the German High Command was certain that the operation could only succeed if utmost secrecy were maintained until the last minute. The divisions and regiments poised for the attacks kept forward reconnaissance to a minimum. As a result, it is probable that gaps in the American MLR went undetected by the Germans. The restriction on reconnaissance did not adversely affect the German 361st Volks Grenadier Division in the Bitche area as that unit already had a thorough knowledge of the terrain.

Les Vosges were extremely rugged and inhospitable mountains, with very few improved roads. Hamlets in valleys and ravines, were all very small, quite primitive and lacked most modern conveniences. Roads connecting the hamlets were little

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY65 OPERATION NORDWIND more than what Americans would term wagon trails or logging roads. The weather was bitter cold, well below the freezing point, with abundant snow and ice. The sky was continuously dark and overcast, and frequently fog and clouds blanketed the mountains and valleys. It was not uncommon to encounter a snow storm during a dense fog.

On December 27, 1944, Adolph Hitler summoned his First Army Command- ing Generals to his Headquarters where he emphasized the utmost importance of Operation Nordwind. He was apparently confident of its certain success against the extremely thin American lines. Besides springing the trap on the U.S. Seventh and the French First Armies, the U.S. Third Army would cease to be a formidable threat to the German offensive through the Ardennes. Some German Generals did not share Hitler's enthusiasm for the ambitious operation, but refrained from expressing their opinions for fear of inciting the Fuhrer's wrath. They clearly recalled that some of their peers recently faced firing squads because Hitler suspected that they took part in the nearly successful assassination attempt on his life.

As the last day of the year drew to a close, there was very little activity in Alsace-Lorraine, yet all along the front from Strasbourg to St. Avold the troops were very restless and stayed on the alert. Many seemed to sense that something was going to happen to break the uneasy calm that prevailed. Intense fighting continued in the Ardennes Forest, but the Seventh Army troops on the line had very little knowledge of what was going on in that sector. There were rumors that another German blitzkrieg was about to take place. The local civilians appeared jittery, and many were seen evacuating their villages with whatever personal possessions they could carry or pull in crude hand carts. Though the Alsatians were nominally French, many spoke German and most were bilingual. There was a definite German feel to the province. It was not surprising that early on the GIs felt uneasy in the presence of the natives, even though most of them were loyal French citizens.

Shortly before midnight on December 31, 1944, near Bitche, the second and final phase of the Nazi winter offensive suddenly began. An enormous surprise attack was launched by German Generalmajor Alfred Philippi's 361st Volks Grenadier Division and seven other German divisions, three of them elite SS divisions. Operation Nordwind, the last major German offensive of World War II, was a reality. The troops defending the MLR at Saareguemines, Rimling, Bitche and Wassembourg suddenly found themselves engaged in vicious combat with the enemy hordes that descended from the north. In the midnight blackness, the German

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY66 OPERATION NORDWIND infantrymen, clad in white camouflage uniforms, charged the American positions. They came in droves, firing automatic weapons and screaming and yelling. In the darkness of the night, the troops defending the sparsely manned MLR were a little disoriented and in a state of confusion. Many Americans were forced to fall back from their positions under intense enemy machine gun and automatic weapons fire.

That was the grim situation on the Seventh Army Sector of the Western Front when the Trailblazers were moving from the Rhine River to Les Vosges mountains. The men of Company A had no idea what was going on around them. They heard many rumors of intense fighting but that was all. They did not know where they were, but they did know that it was damn cold!

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY67 OPERATION NORDWIND It is the soldier Author Unknown It is the Soldier who salutes the flag serves under the flag and whose coffin is draped by the flag who gives the protester the right to burn the flag

It is the soldier not the reporter who has given us freedom of the press

It is the soldier not the lawyer who has given us the right to a fair trial

It is the soldier not the campus organizer who has given us freedom to demonstrate

It is the soldier not the poet that has given us freedom of speech

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY68 OPERATION NORDWIND 8. WINGEN-SUR-MODER

Wingen-sur-Moder after the fighting–Catholic Church spire in center (Photo by Garstki) A light snow was falling when Company A arrived at Zittersheim on January 2,1945. The little village in Les Vosges Mountains was buzzing with military activi- ty as it was the site of two regimental command posts: the 276th Infantry and 179th Infantry (45th Division). Following a short wait on the side of the road, the men

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY69 WINGEN-SUR-MODER were told to fall in, pick up their packs, shoulder their weapons, and move out. For once they were glad to be on the march as it allowed them to limber up and get a little circulation and warmth in their near frozen feet and numb limbs. They had been sitting much too long on the benches of the six-by-sixes. At that stage of the game, they did not even think about how far they might have to walk or what might be in store for them.

The Company marched a little over three miles through deep snow to a forest south of the village of Wingen-sur-Moder where it bivouacked for the night. Again no one had the faintest idea where he was. Snow continued to fall that afternoon and early evening but the night turned clear and bitter cold. When the men took up their positions, they set about caring for their feet and checking their weapons. Before dark they made preparations for all-around security and posted sentries in and around the company perimeter. Everything was deathly quiet until about midnight when a Third Platoon outpost guard saw a German patrol moving in the clearing to the north of the bivouac area. A German soldier (presumably a scout) entered the woods but was frightened away by a single rifle shot from the sentry. The patrol quickly disap- peared into the darkness. Pfc Ollie Davis reported that he really didn't think that he could hit the German in the dark, but he fired the shot because he wanted to be sure that he was not the only one awake in case something happened. The rest of the night was quiet and uneventful. Since they were aware that there were German patrols in the woods, everyone was doubly alert.

The following day, January 3, Company A was ordered to move from the woods and establish defensive positions two hundred yards south of Wingen (Map 5, pg. 72). As the Company emerged from the forest, the men saw a peaceful appearing hamlet nestled in a snow covered valley. The village and the surrounding area looked very much like a winter scene one might expect to find on a Christmas card back home. Smoke rising from a few chimneys made the houses appear warm and inviting, but the men did not have the opportunity to enter the town. Wingen sat in a small valley in Les Vosges mountains on the Moder River between Bitche to the north and Saverne to the south. Densely forested mountains descended to the north edge of the village. Gentle sloping snow covered fields rose from the south and extended for two to three hundred yards. The open fields extended to the Kirchberg, a heavily forested area. Beyond the Kirchberg, the mountains ascended abruptly. A railroad on a high steep embankment ran from east to west on the north edge of the village. The Moder River, which was in reality a small stream, flowed from west to

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY70 WINGEN-SUR-MODER east on the south edge of town. The railroad embankment and the Moder's icy water later proved to be formidable barriers.

The other companies of the First Battalion were spread out over the countryside for about a mile and a half. Most men of Company A did not know where any of the other units were situated and some did not know where anyone was located except the members of their own squads and platoons. Company D (heavy weapons company) was positioned in the woods about 500 yards west of Company A. Company B was deployed across the Moder Valley in the wooded area northeast of the village, about one mile from Company A. Company C was positioned about 500 yards southeast of Company A. None of the companies of the First Battalion were close enough to one another to maintain physical contact.

The 276th Infantry Regiment continued in Corps Reserve, supposedly four or five kilometers behind the front lines. Its mission was to prepare supplemental defense positions from Volksberg to Ingwiller (Map 3, pg. 59), a distance of approximately eleven miles. The men of Company A were totally unaware of the strategic importance of Wingen to the American and French Armies and also its importance to the Germans. Wingen was critical to the Allies because through it passed the MSR (Main Supply Route) to the Seventh Army troops on the Saaregue- mines-Rimling-Bitche sector of the front.

When the Company reached the edge of the forest, Captain Hendrickson deployed his platoons and the men were ordered to dig in. Lt. Schollander's Second Platoon faced the south edge of the village with the platoon's exposed left flank overlooking the Zittersheim road that ran out of town to the southwest. Lt. McClintock's Third Platoon also fronted the village about fifty yards to the right of the Second Platoon. Both forward platoons were positioned about one hundred yards from the south edge of the village in an exposed snow covered area between the village and the Kirchberg Forest. Each squad leader positioned the one and two man foxholes in irregular patterns about five yards apart. Lt. Doenges' First Platoon was in the reserve position back at the edge of the woods. The Company CP was in the woods near the First Platoon as was Lt. Jenkins' Fourth (Weapons) Platoon. There was a small cemetery inside a five foot stone wall at the south edge of the village. Directly beyond the cemetery was the Protestant Church with its towering steeple that commanded an excellent view of all Company A's positions.

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY71 WINGEN-SUR-MODER From time to time light Army vehicles from other units were observed on the Zittersheim Road going in and out of Wingen, so the Company A men knew that there were friendly troops nearby.

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY72 WINGEN-SUR-MODER When the men began to dig in, many of them encountered a startling new ex- perience --- trying to dig in frozen ground. Those accustomed to warm climates such as in California, Hawaii and Florida, had not previously given any thought to the notion that ground could freeze. The entrenching tools ricocheted off the terra firma as though they were striking concrete. As the men laboriously chopped away, frag- ments of frozen earth repeatedly flew up and struck them in the face and blisters formed on their hands. To everyone it seemed like a real exercise in futility; however, once they broke through the foot of frozen crust, the digging was a little less arduous. The entire afternoon and part of that night were spent at that backbreaking chore. A few resourceful individuals attempted to blast their way down with hand grenades but even that did not work very well. Besides it was very dangerous because the irregular shrapnel from a grenade does not travel in straight lines so it was anybody's guess where the fragments would end up. The platoon sergeants soon called a halt to that ingenious method of excavating. By nightfall, many had barely gotten through the frozen crust, and very few had dug deep enough to afford them much protection if they should need it. Besides, their hearts were not really into digging foxholes that they thought they would never use.

After darkness set in, T/Sgts. Galloway and Wagger were told that the Second and Third Platoons could move their men back into the Kirchberg and bivouac in the woods with the rest of the Company. No one, including the sergeants, could under- stand why the CO ordered them to deploy in that open exposed field in the first place, so when they were told to move back to cover, they were more than willing to pack up their collapsible entrenching tools and follow orders.

The first order of business after moving back to the Kirchberg was to care for their feet and weapons. Fires were strictly out of the question, so chow that night was cold K rations with no hot coffee. They took off their boots, rubbed their cold feet, put on dry socks and took care of their rifles. The men filled their canteens with ice cold water from the lister bags, threw in a few halazone tablets to kill the bacteria and picked up some extra K rations. Squad leaders posted the guards and finally the men, fully-clothed, got into their newly issued sleeping bags. Their bones ached from the backbreaking task of picking away at the frozen ground during the long dreary sunless day. The sleeping bags were warm enough, but due to their peculiar shape (tapered at the top and bottom like the outline of coffins), it was difficult to get in and out of them. Once a guy was inside and zipped up, it was a chore getting the bag unzipped. Thus the troops were quick to label them mummy bags. The cloud cover shut off the light from the moon and stars, which made the night so dark that one

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY73 WINGEN-SUR-MODER could not see his hand in front of his face. Moving about to change guards and to make calls of nature was next to impossible in the total blackness. To smoke a cigarette, one had to get under a blanket or shelter-half so that no light could be seen. Smoking under those conditions should have been enough to make any man give up the habit. The stale smoke trapped under the blanket developed a foul nauseating odor and made one's eyes water and burn, but the soldier’s addiction was not easy to overcome. Though everyone thought that the nearest enemy was a few miles distant, the men had to be constantly on the alert for unfriendly patrols. A cigarette, match or any flash of light was visible for several hundred yards.

Shortly before the crack of dawn the following morning, January 4, those who were asleep were suddenly awakened by the most intensive machine gun and automatic weapon fire that any had ever heard. It sounded like a small arms ammunition dump had been put to the torch. Machine gun tracers sprayed the open snow covered fields between the bivouac area and the village. Enemy flares slowly drifted down illuminating the area and cast eerie shadows in the forest. Initially many GIs were somewhat disoriented and confused when they awoke to that sudden outburst of fire, flares and tracers. A few had trouble getting out of the damn mummy bags which caused some concern; however, other than that there was no panic. No one knew for sure what was happening but everyone knew that it definitely was not what they might have expected. One thing was evident at first awakening. The "Brrrrrrrruup brrrrrrrrrup" of the automatic weapons was not coming from American machine guns. The men were very familiar with the sound of their own guns. Everyone fully expected that they would soon be engaged in combat, but no one expected it to start so abruptly when half the Company was "sacked out." Where did the Germans come from? When they broke through the MLR, why were the troops in reserve not alerted? Were there not communications between the front lines and the reserves? It did not take long for the men of Company A to realize that the "front" had moved to Wingen-sur-Moder.

It was there at Wingen-sur-Moder that those GIs quickly learned to recognize the difference between the sound of American and German automatic weapons. Earlier on the Rhine River, they learned to tell the difference between the sounds of American and German artillery. The American machine gun was a rapid fire weapon, but the German burp-gun or machine pistol fired much faster than any American weapon. Later the Trailblazers learned that the burp-gun (MP-40), an extraordinarily intimidating submachine gun, was a new weapon for the German soldier. The MP-40 fired three times as fast as their former machine pistol; thus, it put out three times

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY74 WINGEN-SUR-MODER more rounds and literally filled the air with lead. At close range a squad of German infantrymen, armed with burp-guns, had more than ten times the firepower than a squad of American infantry. Each German squad carried two or more MP-40s whereas the American squad was armed with rifles and one BAR.

Much earlier that morning, some men standing guard heard sounds of small arms fire coming from the woods north of the village. After about forty-five minutes the firing stopped and everything was silent. Other than for those few who heard that earlier gun fire, the German attack on Wingen came as a total surprise. German soldiers, armed with automatic weapons, came out of the forest and hit Wingen from the north. They took full advantage of the element of surprise and caught the townspeople and the American troops in the village fast asleep. During the attack, they laid down a field of fire that was far more intense than the GIs ever thought possible. The Germans were on the streets of Wingen before the troops occupying the town responded to the attack.

In the confusion that followed, Company A lost communications with Companies B and C, and for a time the Company was without radio contact with the Battalion CP in the Kirchberg. The CO relied on his runner, Pfc Eddie Tsukimura, who a few years earlier ran the marathon in high school. Within the company area, the darkness and confusion made it difficult for the platoon leaders and platoon ser- geants to get their men organized. They passed the word from man to man to be as quiet as possible until it could be determined what they were up against. For a short period, nearly every squad was on its own. Their reaction to the sudden attack was left to the judgment of the individual squad leaders. Without exception, the squad leaders and their assistants reacted to the turmoil in an exemplary manner. They maintained some semblance of order in a situation that might have resulted in utter chaos. With the first light of day, it became possible for the CO to regain contact with the platoons and restore the chain of command. The Company was exposed on all sides, front, rear, and both flanks. No one had the slightest idea of the enemy's strength and precise locations except that some were obviously in Wingen. Were they attacking in force, or were they a large combat patrol? Were they attacking on a broad front, or was this a single spearhead? Though no one needed to be reminded, everyone was alerted to the fact that there was a very real danger of enemy envelop- ment.

From the village, the men heard women and children screaming and crying, dogs barking, the shrill noise of screeching roosters, and of course, the rapid

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY75 WINGEN-SUR-MODER brrrrrrrrrrrruup! brrrrrrrrrrrrruup! of the Nazi machine pistols. Since there was no telephone communication, Captain Hendrickson dispatched Tsukimura to Battalion Headquarters to report the enemy attack. He returned in less than an hour with a message ordering the Company to dig in, hold the line and establish contact with Company B. To add to the confusion, a short time later a major (who some recog- nized as the Battalion Exec. Officer) ran into the company area, waving his Service 45 pistol in the air and hysterically shouting, "Take to the hills, men; the Germans are coming!" He was pursued by Major Curtis Brooks, Battalion S-3, who admonished everyone to hold their positions and ignore what they heard. The major was later picked up at a roadblock and evacuated, a victim of Extreme Shock. No one was aware that for a short time the First Battalion was without a CO or XO. Fortunately, only a few men observed the major's actions; thus, the Company A officers and noncoms were able to prevent any panic or disorder among the troops. No one in Company A took the major seriously and no one "took to the hills."

The attacking enemy forces struck Wingen at the first light of day and rapidly moved through the village. By nine in the morning the Germans had captured and occupied the town, the high ground to the northeast of town, and established a bridgehead on the south bank of the Moder River. They immediately went about establishing a perimeter defense around the village then prepared to continue their attack southward toward Saverne. Though no one in the outfit was aware of it at the time, Company A was face to face with a determined German spearhead. In order for the attackers to occupy the high ground in the wooded area south of Wingen, it was necessary that they go through or around Company A. Regimental S-2 (Intelligence) reported that there were no more than thirty to fifty German soldiers in the attack. They were very likely short of ammunition and food, and they were presumably willing to surrender if given the opportunity. The CO ordered the rifle platoons to move up to the positions that they started to dig the previous day and hold the enemy from those positions.

The First and Fourth Platoons encountered very little difficulty in reoccupying their positions since they were at the fringe of the woods near bivouac area. It was a much different story for the Second and Third Platoons since their positions were about one hundred yards forward in the exposed area. Their attempts to reoccupy the partially dug foxholes were thwarted by fierce opposition from machine gun and rifle fire from the village and cemetery. Two of the Second Platoon's forward foxholes were taken and occupied by the Germans. When the enemy fire became too intense for the men to remain on their feet, they continued toward their positions by

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY76 WINGEN-SUR-MODER burrowing through the soft snow like moles. While the deep snow afforded no protection from the enemy fire, it did impair to some extent the Germans’ ability to observe and track the GIs’ movements. Using his walkie-talkie, Lt. Schollander called for mortar support from the Weapons Platoon. S/Sgt. Russell Causey responded by ordering his three mortar squads to commence lobbing 60mm mortar shells over the Second Platoon men and at the enemy positions. While Causey's squad leaders, Sgts. Maguire, Bower and Micherdzinski were zeroing in on their targets, Lt. Schollander ordered S/Sgt. Cook and S/Sgt. "Red" Shelander to move their squads out to their respective positions. Cook sent his two scouts, Frank Lowry and Gene Bambrick, and two riflemen, Don Dubose who was armed with a grenade launcher and Eugene Davis, to retake the two enemy held foxholes. The four men ran, crept, and crawled through the snow to within thirty yards of the nearest enemy. Meanwhile, Causey's mortar shells passed overhead and burst very close to the Second Platoon's objective. Dubose, while under fire, placed a rifle grenade on the parapet of a Second Platoon foxhole, which only a few seconds before was occupied by two Germans. When the mortar bursts got closer to their targets and when Dubose's grenade nearly made a direct hit, the enemy abandoned both foxholes. They made a hasty retreat to join their comrades near the cemetery, but two never made it to cover. When the two Germans turned tail and started to run, Lowry and Davis dove into their shallow foxholes and started digging.

Taking advantage of the lull in German fire while Causey's mortars kept the enemy pinned down, the rest of Cook's squad moved forward in short dashes through the snow and took over the foxholes they started to dig the day before. Shelander and Haller assembled their squad at the edge of the woods and started to work their way down to their foxholes. When they approached the clearing, Sgt. Haller gave the arm signal for the men to double time across the open field. Haller was the first one to jump into his foxhole and when he looked around, he found that he was alone. None of the men had followed. He stepped out of his hole, retraced his route and found the rest of the squad still in the underbrush. The man next to Haller had missed his arm signal; thus, the squad failed to follow. On the next signal, everyone made it across the field to the positions and started to dig. Jim Skalitzky ran through the snow to his foxhole only to find it occupied by two other GIs who had beaten him to it. They had jumped into the first hole they saw when snipers bullets nearly got them. Skalitzky took the only cover that he could find, which was behind a pile of dirt near the foxhole. A sniper in the church tower fired a couple of shots that were near-misses and kept him pinned down. A sergeant ran out from the woods, was nearly hit, got behind the pile of dirt with Skalitzky, and asked where the sniper was. He told the

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY77 WINGEN-SUR-MODER sergeant he thought the fire was coming from the church tower and to keep his head down. He was sure by that time the sniper had zeroed in on them and he would not miss again. The sergeant wanted to see for himself and started to raise his head when a shot rang out from the tower. The sniper's bullet pierced his helmet and grazed his scalp. It then passed through the steel helmet and dropped on the sergeant's back. He was bleeding profusely when Skalitzky turned on his side, opened a first aid packet and tied a bandage to his head. There was a lot of blood and Skalitzky thought that it was all from the sergeant's head wound until he discovered that he had a cut on his thumb, which later became infected. Three other Second Platoon men were wounded in the attempt to regain the positions.

Without accurate, close support from Causey's mortars and Harmon's machine guns, the Second Platoon probably would not have recaptured its positions without suffering many more casualties than it did. That interaction was the first opportunity for a Company A rifle platoon to coordinate with the Weapons Platoon in actual combat. Except for one mishap, the results were successful and that’s what counted. The first mortar round was fired by Cameron Boyd, a mortar gunner in Sgt. Daniel "Sgt. Thirteen" Micherdzinski's squad. (Micherdzinski was called Sgt. Thirteen because there were thirteen letters in his name and also because Thirteen was much easier to pronounce.) That first round was a little high and resulted in a tree burst over the heads of the Mortar Section. Fortunately, no one was injured by the concus- sion, descending shrapnel and sharp chunks of wood; however, none of the GIs in the Company would ever let Causey forget the incident. It was one of those events that was serious when it happened, but brought on much laughter later on.

An enemy machine gun in the cemetery at the edge of the village commanded a field of fire that prevented the Third Platoon from moving forward. Every attempt to cross the open area between the woods and the foxholes met with devastating fire. The Third Platoon Leader, Lt. Richard McClintock, decided to silence the machine gun himself. He told S/Sgt. Wesley Nelker to have his squad fire like hell into the enemy position while he made a run for it. If Nelker's men could keep the enemy gunner pinned down for a few minutes, McClintock thought that he could knock him out with a grenade. He dashed into the open and moved as fast as he could through the deep snow, going one way then another while Nelker's riflemen pinned down the gunner. They laid down a solid field of fire, but soon two other Germans were responding with burp-guns from the cemetery. McClintock kept right on plodding through the snow toward the enemy, but by the time he realized that he was caught in a crossfire it was too late to turn back. The lieutenant was dead before he was able

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY78 WINGEN-SUR-MODER to get close enough to throw his grenade. The fighting had hardly begun when Company A lost its first officer. T/Sgt. Harold Wagger assumed leadership of the Third Platoon and told his platoon guide, S/Sgt Jury to take over the position of Platoon Sergeant. S/Sgt. Dan "Chief" Jury at age 35, was the oldest and perhaps the most respected NCO in the Company. He was one of those rare men with the ability to do well most anything he attempted. More than once, Jury was offered a battlefield commission, but each time he turned it down. He wanted to lead a platoon, but not as a commis- sioned officer.

Just as Lt. Schollander did a half hour earlier, Wagger T/ Sgt. Daniel “Chief” Jury called upon the Weapons Platoon for mortar and machine gun support and Causey's mortar squads immediately went into action again; however, that time without a tree burst. The enemy machine guns were positioned in such a way that it was difficult for the 60mm mortars to get to them, but the shell bursts were close enough to make the enemy take notice. The high trajectory mortar fire reached down and exploded between the huge cemetery monuments, and in a few minutes the machine guns in the graveyard were silent. Wagger took advantage of the lull and sent Jury with S/Sgts. John Steiner’s and Vaughn Chadbourn’s squads across the open area. Both squads made it to the positions without mishap, and without wasting any precious time the digging got under way. Half the men kept the enemy occupied while the other half dug with every ounce of strength they had. After the two squads were deployed, Jury made his way back to the edge of the Kirchberg to send S/Sgt Wesley Nelker’s squad forward.

While Jury was on his way back, he barely escaped being hit by a shot fired by someone in the area of the Weapons Platoon. He recognized the culprit at once as the Weapons Platoon Sergeant, T/Sgt. Edgar Etheredge, and wasted no time getting to Etheredge and gave him an ass chewing in front of his men like no man ever got. Etheredge was a head taller than Jury and outranked him, but that made no difference to Jury who shouted at him in plain, GI English that any private would know better than to shoot without identifying his target when there were riflemen out front. "The next time you better not miss because there sure as hell will be no more second chances!” Jury plodded away through the snow and for the first time the Weapons Platoon men saw Etheredge without anything to say.

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY79 WINGEN-SUR-MODER When all the Second and Third Platoon riflemen were in their positions, no one had to remind them to get the entrenching tools out and go to work on the foxholes. The laborious process was continuously interrupted by burp-gun fire, but it was amazing how much faster they could dig that morning than they could the day before. When there is a real purpose for the digging and when under fire, one could do the near impossible. The painful process of retaking and holding the positions resulted in many casualties. The men were compelled to concentrate more on using their entrenching tools than their rifles. Digging foxholes while in the prone position and under fire was no easy chore. John Haller recalled he and "Red" Shelander digging their two-man foxhole. “It was a typical hole, about three feet wide, four feet long and four and a half feet deep. Little did we know that hole in the ground was to be our home for the next fifty-four hours.” Other nearby foxholes would be the last for several riflemen in their squad. Digging was constantly interrupted as the enemy made repeated attempts to penetrate Company A's positions in order to expand his bridgehead and get to the high ground in the Kirchberg. With supporting fire from the Weapons Platoon, each German attack was effectively repelled. The GIs on the line were determined to hold out, while the enemy was determined to drive them out. That first exposure to fire and bloodshed ushered in the "baptism of fire" for the men of Company A. They were green, but they were not slow learners.

The big question on everybody's mind and lips was, "Why the hell are we out here fighting from this exposed field?" Strategically, it would have made far more sense to have moved back with the other two platoons and make a stand at the edge of the forest. When the Germans were ready to make their move, they could fight in the open, not the GIs. An answer to that question never came. The men just chalked it up to a case of battlefield SNAFU.

Toward mid afternoon, the Second and Third Platoons began to run short of rifle ammunition and hand grenades. Until then, it never occurred to anyone that there would not always be an ample supply. The squad leaders told their men to exercise caution in the expenditure of ammunition because the supply was reported to be limited and may not be replenished for a while. Several men had used all their grenades in the bloody process of retaking their positions. Rations were also running low and the men were without water as the canteens were frozen. It was too much of a risk to attempt to bring ammunition and rations to the men during the daylight hours as the enemy snipers had zeroed in on every Second and Third Platoon position.

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY80 WINGEN-SUR-MODER Lt. Arnest sent Pfc John Welte back to the Battalion CP to draw rations and ammunition and deliver them to the First Platoon at the edge of the woods. Welte was a jeep driver who took great pride in keeping his jeep in tip top condition. In the States he took care of it like a baby. When he got back, Welte went as far forward as he dared and quickly unloaded the jeep and trailer. As he was going around to the drivers side to take off, he heard a burp gun and saw tracers go over their heads, one missing Lt. Doenges by inches. He shouted "Hit the dirt!" as several bullets went through the empty trailer, killing Pfc Calvin Corbel. Doenges told Welte to get the jeep and trailer the hell out of there because he was drawing fire. He peeked over the hood as a German bullet stopped in the thermostat cover on top of the radiator. When he found that he could not get in the jeep, he reached in from the ground, put it in neutral and started the engine. He then put it in gear and crawled along the side until he could safely get in and drive.

A little earlier in the day while the men were alternately digging in and returning fire, a jeep carrying four communications men sped down the Zittersheim Road toward Wingen. The occupants were apparently unaware that the Germans were occupying the town. Some Second Platoon men shouted at them to stop, but they continued into the village, apparently not hearing the shouts of the riflemen. At the edge of the village, the jeep appeared to slow a little but it was too late. It disappeared between the houses. Two of the men managed to escape, but the fate of the others was unknown. Later another jeep load of men came hell bent for election down the Zittersheim Road. In that instance, the jeep driver stopped when he heard the riflemen shouting. A corporal asked "How far to the front lines?" Sgt. Jaros shouted "You're here, can't you rear echelon guys recognize gunfire?" About that time German machine gun tracers were beginning to zero in on the jeep, which went into reverse and backed up the road faster it came down. Jaros added "Next time you better knock before you enter."

Later that night, under cover of darkness, some First Platoon men helped carry rations, grenades and rifle ammunition to the Second and Third Platoon forward positions. On the return trips, they helped the casualties make their way back to the rear area. The medics, Pfc Moore and Pfc Roberts brought up stretchers to carry out the more seriously wounded who were unable to walk.

After dark, the men worked in shifts. Half kept their eyes peeled for infiltrators, while the others labored to finish the holes. About an hour after dark, while some were still shoveling dirt, an enemy patrol attempted to breach a gap

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY81 WINGEN-SUR-MODER between the Second and Third Platoons. Pfc Gene Davis noticed the movement of enemy soldiers in the snow. In the darkness Davis could not tell how far away they were but he took a chance and threw a hand grenade in their direction. The grenade hit the mark and then exploded. He immediately pulled the pin from another and let it fly in the same place. The detonations got everyone's attention and instantly most of Davis' buddies were spraying the area with rifle fire. The Germans returned a few bursts of burp-gun fire; then there was silence. At least two enemy soldiers were down and the others hightailed it back to cover. One German rifleman got lucky and Gene Davis took a round in the shoulder. His foxhole buddy patched him up with a first-aid packet and some sulfa powder. He was evacuated during the night and did not return to the Company until after the war.

It was nearly midnight when all were dug in well enough to put aside their entrenching tools and give their full attention to the enemy. Sporadic fire from the houses and the cemetery continued throughout the night while the Germans did everything they could to unnerve the GIs. They fired machine guns in the dark when there were obviously no clear targets in view. They fired signal pistols that made an eerie whistling sound. They shouted at the GIs, sometimes in English and sometimes in German. Often during the night, the men heard the Germans shouting "HEIL HITLER," "ON YOUR FEET, AMERICAN BASTARDS," and similar epithets. Pfc Gene Bambrick and Pfc George Sheeley shared a foxhole on the left flank of the Second Platoon overlooking a draw. Sheeley was worried that the Germans would sneak up the draw in the dark, so he spent a good part of the night firing down the draw and at Germans crossing the railroad tracks. The next morning, Sheeley found that there were a few dead Germans near the railroad. Many years later, he was still wondering if he was responsible for their demise.

After the snow flurries, the weather grew colder and many men suffered from frostbitten hands, feet, and ears. Canteens were frozen and the men were forced to eat snow to quench their thirst. The mechanism on the GI's semiautomatic rifles frequently froze up, which made it necessary to operate the bolt by hand. Most often one's hands were too cold and numb to perform that normally easy operation so the mechanism then had to be freed up by placing the rifle butt on the ground and forcing the receiver back with one's foot. With that clumsy operation, the round in the chamber would eject and a new live round would be inserted. Hopefully, the semiautomatic rifle would function properly after the round in the chamber was fired. At Wingen the riflemen learned very quickly that when they were not engaged in a firefight to keep their rifles warm and dry by keeping them as close to their bodies as

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY82 WINGEN-SUR-MODER possible. When they slept, they slept with their rifles inside their overcoats. A jammed rifle in combat was worthless and was a sure ticket to another world.

Though the men took turns trying to get a little shut-eye, most of them were so tense and preoccupied with reflecting back on the day's events that sleep was impossible. Even when one did manage to doze off, he was periodically jolted from his sleep by the sounds of gunfire and grenades. It had been a long miserable day of bloody fighting. Nearly twenty-four hours had passed since the sudden predawn attack and everyone was still in a state of shock. The men asked many questions; some were audible to anyone who was listening and others never left the soldiers' lips. The answers were few and slow in coming. Most never came. "How many German soldiers are we up against?" "If we are in reserve like they told us, why in the hell didn't someone warn us that the Jerrys were coming?" "Where are the other American troops?" "Where is the rest of our battalion?" "Are we going to get help?" "Are we in this damn war all alone?" "Are the wounded men being evacuated?" "What are we expected to do next?" "Why don't we have any artillery to knock the hell out of those Krauts?" "Am I going to get out of this alive?" "Who were the American soldiers in Wingen when the Germans took the town?" "What happened to them?" "Why in the hell didn't they put up more of a fight?" "Are they dead or alive?" The one thing the men knew for sure was that the village was in German hands and was held by a much larger force than fifty enemy troops. Everyone seemed to sense that Company A would play a big role in its liberation. That day, January 4, 1945, was a day that no Trailblazer in Company A would ever forget. It had been the longest day in his life. Every minute of every torturous hour was filled with indescribable misery.

That night the First Platoon leader, Lt. William "Dogears" Doenges, led a reconnaissance patrol around the east and north of Wingen. The patrol's mission was to make contact with Company B and find out what was happening on the other side of the valley. Doenges expected to find Company B in defensive positions in the forested mountain north of the town. His patrol was out most of the night and into the morning of January 5, but it failed to make contact with any friendly troops. He found German troops occupying the forested area where he expected to find Company B. Company B seemed to have vanished into Les Vosges. What Lt. Doenges did not know and did not find out was that the German attack on Wingen came out of the night from the north. Without warning, the enemy struck Company B from the rear with such ferocity that the company was nearly decimated. In its attempt to regroup and repel the enemy in the darkness, the company suffered heavy

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY83 WINGEN-SUR-MODER casualties. Those who were not killed or captured, scattered into the mountains. Finding no trace of Company B nor evidence of its fate, the patrol returned to the Company sector the following morning. The men of Company A were to find out later that the predawn machine gun fire that some men heard before the Germans attacked Wingen was directed at Company B. Company B's absence from where it was supposed to be, created a horrible gap in the Battalion's defense.

German forces of unknown strength had captured Wingen and the high ground north and northwest of the town. Lt. Doenges estimated that there was at least a company of German infantry in the hills north of the village, and perhaps more than a company. Meanwhile, Company A was desperately trying to hold its defensive positions and keep the Germans out of its company area. The men had no idea what was happening in the areas surrounding them. They were aware that German troops had somehow driven a wedge between them and Company B and that Company B was missing. Beyond that, they knew nothing of the situation. Many wondered if the brass hats at Battalion, Regiment or Division Headquarters knew what the hell was going on.

It was not until after the war that the men found out that they were not alone in their thinking that something was awry in higher headquarters. Lt. Colonel Wallace Robert Cheves, Commander of the Second Battalion, 274th Infantry, also had some serious doubts as to the awareness of the situation in the various headquarters. A few days later Brig. General Herren put Cheves in command of the entire Wingen Operation. Years later Cheves wrote a book entitled "L'Operation Nordwind et Wingen-Sur-Moder" in which he wrote:

"...... Meanwhile, at the 276th Infantry CP in Zittersheim, Colonel Al Morgan and his Executive Officer, Lt. Colonel Dan Russell were stunned by the nerve- wracking reports. It was a bewildering situation, totally unexpected.

"The 179th Infantry (45th Infantry Division) CP, located nearby, was also shocked by the developments and very concerned about its 1st Battalion Headquar- ters and other troops cut off in the village. The strength of the enemy forces was not known, but it was estimated that only a small group, perhaps 50, had infiltrated through the woods.

"It was urgent that a counterattack be launched at once to eliminate the Germans and rescue the American prisoners. There were no troops available from

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY84 WINGEN-SUR-MODER the 45th Division (to which Task Force Herren was attached). Its regiments were already involved in defending against enemy attacks to the north of Wingen.

"The 276th Infantry forces were spread over a wide area, extending from Volksberg, where Company K was in Corps reserve, to Wimmenau where the 2nd Battalion was committed. The First Battalion was divided and disorganized. Company B was reportedly wiped out and the Battalion CO was missing.

"That left only the 3rd Battalion (with Company L and part of Company I) available for the counterattack. 1330 (5 January 1945) was the time set for the attack. "Lt. Colonel Sidney Iverson, CO of Third Battalion, 276th, recalls: 'At the time my CP was with the Third Battalion, 179th Infantry, 45th Division (near Hochberg) but no one seemed to know the situation. I was told that there were only a few Germans.'"

Had the men of Company A been aware of what was occurring in the various battalion and regimental command posts, they would have been convinced that the state of "CONFUSION" was not restricted to the front line doughboys.

Word came down again from Regimental S-2 (Intelligence) reiterating their earlier information that the enemy strength was not more than fifty hungry German infantrymen. They were nearly out of ammunition and food and would probably be willing to surrender. Company A was ordered to continue putting pressure on the enemy and under no circumstances give an inch from their present positions. The men had no way of knowing how many Germans were holding Wingen nor did they know how much food and ammunition they had. They did have first-hand knowledge that the enemy was expending ammunition like there was no end to the supply, and they definitely showed no indications of being willing to surrender. One would have expected that Captain Hendrickson must have been aware of the fact that S-2's appraisal of the enemy strength was woefully underestimated, yet he apparently chose to accept it at face value and acted accordingly. On the other hand, Hendrickson may have known that there were far more enemy troops in Wingen than was reported by S-2, but was acting under orders from Battalion Headquarters.

That night Captain Hendrickson called T/Sgt Bob Brewer and the other First Platoon NCOs to the CP. He told them that Company A was going to get the Germans out of Wingen in the morning. His plan of attack was for the Second and

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY85 WINGEN-SUR-MODER Third Platoons to hold their present positions and keep the enemy occupied. The First Platoon was to go around the left flank of the Company and attack the enemy in Wingen from the southwest via the Zittersheim Road. They would surprise the Germans by hitting them on their right flank at daybreak. The Platoon Leader, Lt. Doenges and one of his squads were out on a patrol, but the Captain expected them back in plenty of time for the attack. He ordered Brewer to have the platoon ready to move out at 0800 hours. The following morning, Brewer and two squads of the First Platoon were ready at "H-Hour" but Lt. Doenges and his patrol had not returned. In the absence of Doenges, Captain Hendrickson sent his executive officer, 1st Lt. Howard L Arnest, to lead the attack. Lt. Arnest, T/Sgt. Brewer, S/Sgt. Richard Armstrong, and two squads of the First Platoon led by S/Sgt. Leon Uczynski and S/Sgt. Lester Westcott departed from the Company CP. The platoon approached the village on the Zittersheim Road to the southwest and went in a northeasterly direction passing only a few houses before meeting serious opposition. S/Sgt. Dick Armstrong, Platoon Guide, later related the First Platoon's initial action that morning.

"Proceeding up the road, we met no opposition of fire but in passing the first house on the left we heard noises in the cellar. We called for those inside to surrender and come out, and receiving no reply threw two grenades in and continued on. When the scouts were within a hundred yards from a house, a half block down the street, we received two shots fired from an upper window, which hit no one. Lt. Arnest took the rifle grenade launcher from Burton Drury and put a grenade in the suspected window. Pieces of glass, furniture and plaster came flying out. We immediately moved out again. It began to look like a picnic. I thought to myself, I bet they pulled out last night."

As the scouts, Pfc David Pierotti and Pvt. De Witt Barefield, approached the first intersection south of a railroad underpass, they received intense close range rifle and burp-gun fire from three directions. The Germans had both squads in a cross fire from cellar and second story windows. Brewer's men threw hand grenades through the windows of the nearest buildings, then burst in with blazing rifles. They occupied one house on each side of the street near the intersection, while the German fire was hitting all around them. Lt. Arnest, Uczynski and six riflemen went into the house on the right side of the street and Brewer entered the house on the left side of the street with Westcott's squad. Six of Uczynski's men led by Sgt. Arthur Slover remained outside and fought from the icy cobblestone streets and shallow ditches. Upon taking the houses, the men quickly positioned themselves in the cellars and upper floors and started to respond to the enemy fire.

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY86 WINGEN-SUR-MODER When Brewer was satisfied that the building was secure, he sent Armstrong to check on Westcott and his squad. Westcott reported that two men, one a medic, and the other a rifleman were hit on the street and were not able to make it to cover. They were badly wounded outside the building and he needed help to get them in. The first burst of enemy fire hit James Gossage near the steps of the house. He was wounded in both legs, could not walk or crawl and was bleeding badly. Pfc William "Doc" Moore went out to see what he could do for Gossage and as he knelt over him "Doc" was shot at close range from the building across the road. Large red crosses stenciled on the front and back of his helmet and his red cross brassards worn on his arms, clearly identified Moore as a noncombatant medical aid man. Drury and Arm- strong went out and dragged Gossage up the steps then enemy fire forced them back inside the building. Moore managed to crawl close enough to the doorway that Armstrong and Drury were able to drag him inside, but Gossage remained out of reach and lay bleeding on the stone steps. By disconnecting the sling from the upper sling swivel of his rifle and by holding on to the barrel, Armstrong threw the sling out to Gossage. As Drury and Armstrong pulled Gossage inside he remarked "Sarge, I guess you can recommend me for the purple heart now" and then he passed out.

The enemy soldiers were strategically located in basements and windows which gave them a decided advantage over the GIs who were limited in their choice of positions. From their vantage points, they could keep Slover and the GIs on the streets pinned down, thus severely restricting their movements and ability to fight. The First Platoon was split, with Westcott's squad in the building on the southwest corner of the intersection and a few men of Uczynski's squad in a building near the intersection on the east side of the street. Slover and half of Uczynski’s squad were spread out in a ditch parallel to the street. The slightest movement by Slover's men brought intensive fire from German machine guns. From the outset, casualties on both sides mounted rapidly. Neither squad could advance past the intersection nor get further into the town. The number of Germans confronting the GIs in the village, added to those confronting the Second and Third Platoon positions outside the village, thoroughly convinced Arnest and Brewer that they were up against a hell of a lot more than a handful of enemy troops. Lt. Arnest sent a runner to the CP to inform the CO that there were definitely many more Germans in Wingen than was reported by regimental intelligence. He estimated that there was at least a battalion of enemy infantry, mostly armed with automatic weapons, and that it was impossible for two squads to go any further. It was imperative that he get reinforcements soon. The CO must have thought that regimental S-2 was infallible, so before relaying Lt. Arnest’s appraisal of enemy strength, he wanted to see for himself. The Captain

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY87 WINGEN-SUR-MODER Wingen-sur-Moder under attack. Hotel Wenk is burning in the center. The Catholic Church is in the upper left. (Photo by Garstki) apparently continued to believe that there were only a few Germans inside the village, and most of them were involved in exchanging fire with the Second and Third Pla- toons. Earlier, Lt. Doenges had reported that there was at least a company of German Infantry in the hills north of Wingen. Those added to Arnest's estimate of a battalion of infantry in Wingen amounted to a far greater force than one rifle company could handle. Nevertheless, he expected Arnest and his men to move in, hit the Germans in their right flank, and recapture Wingen while the enemy was busy with the frontal attack against the main body of Company A. That might have been a successful tactic had there been no more than fifty enemy troops in the village, but in reality their numbers far exceeded that estimate.

Probably due to pressure from above, the CO grew impatient with the First Platoon's slow progress and went out to the Second Platoon forward positions near the south edge of the town to attempt to observe the action. The Second Platoon was dug in nearest to the village and it was taking fire from the houses and bridgehead

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY88 WINGEN-SUR-MODER south of the Moder River. Those positions did not afford a good vantage point for observation because from there one could see nothing of the fighting on the streets. The GIs were either pinned down or were hidden from view by buildings and other structures. The Captain then ordered S/Sgt Virgil Cook's squad to go with him into the village, adding "I came over here to fight a war, and I'm going to fight it!" About that time he stood up and unloaded his carbine toward the village without any apparent target in his sights. All he accomplished was to draw more enemy fire and a shout from a rifleman; "Get your ass down before you get it shot off." Cook’s squad had taken five casualties, including the squad leader and his assistant, leaving only six riflemen to go in with the CO. He also had his runner (messenger), Pfc Eddie Tsukimura.

Tsukimura was a young man of Japanese descent who was born in a small fishing village on the island of Oahu, Territory of Hawaii. When he was seven years old, his family moved to California. He was drafted into the Army in 1941, before the US entered the war. While his family and other West Coast Americans of Japanese descent were placed in relocation camps following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Tsukimura opted to remain in the Army and fight for his country.

The Captain, Tsukimura and the squad from the Second Platoon made their way west in a ditch to the road that ran between Zittersheim and Wingen. When they reached the road, they went to the right about 200 yards to the west edge of town. As they approached the first houses, the squad separated into two teams and entered the village on both sides of the street. The scouts led the way with Lowry on the right side and Bambrick on the left. They took advantage of what little cover they could find, which was mainly shallow ditches and small depressions. The Captain and Tsukimura followed the three men on the left side of the street. As they approached the intersection where the First Platoon was exchanging fire with the hostile forces, they received automatic weapon fire from buildings on both sides of the street. The Second Platoon riflemen on the right side of the street joined Sgt. Slover's squad that was then engaged in a fierce firefight. They moved slowly and cautiously down a ditch on the side of the street, and returned the fire that came from enemy positioned in nearby buildings. They soon became aware that they were outnumbered, outgunned, and pinned down more often than not. Making any appreciable progress into the town was virtually impossible with so few men and so little firepower. After a period of bitter fighting at close range, the advance came to a grinding halt as nearly everyone was pinned down.

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY89 WINGEN-SUR-MODER Captain Hendrickson was upset with the lack of progress and demanded to know what was holding things up ahead. The response from the First Platoon was "Germans and machine guns," which response was not what the CO wanted to hear. He ordered Sgt. Slover to get his squad out of the ditches, take the initiative, and make a frontal attack down the street, but the riflemen were unable to move from their pinned down positions without facing close range devastating fire. Sgt. Slover attempted to reason with the Captain and explain in his mild-mannered mid-western way that the men were up against impossible odds. To make a frontal attack down the street where the air was filled with lead would result in certain death for the GIs without any chance for success. His pleas were ignored. Without saying another word, Captain Hendrickson ran about twenty paces into the street toward the corner where the First Platoon was held up and signaled for the men to follow. When Lt. Arnest spotted Hendrickson on the street below, he instructed his men to lay down all the firepower they had so as to keep the Germans occupied until the Captain reached cover. Hendrickson continued on as though none of the slugs that filled the air were meant for him. The GIs in the buildings and on the street were firing at every visible German position in an attempt to make it possible for him to take cover. Almost as soon as he was on the street, machine gun fire hit him in the chest. His dash came to a sudden halt as he went down on the cobblestone street. Tsukimura, without giving any thought to his own safety, rushed out to help the wounded officer. Under a shower of burp-gun fire, he calmly opened his first aid packet, poured some sulfa powder on his chest wounds and bandaged them up as best he possibly could. While he was taking care of the Captain's wounds, Tsukimura narrowly missed being cut down. Lloyd Patterson later recalled, “His action was one of pure bravery and care for a fellow human being.” Not a man who witnessed that heroic act will ever forget little Eddie, who undoubtedly saved Captain Hendrickson's life and could well have lost his own. Fifty years later, Tsukimura recalled "I did what I could for him and I told him that I was going to go get the tanks and get him out of where we were pinned down. When I was running back into the woods where I saw our tanks, I was thinking of only a few years ago I was in high school in Japan and for two years I was in the long distance marathon team. I used to run through the city but mostly through the countryside in Japan. I rode back to Wingen on the tank."

The tank was a welcome sight to the riflemen, who until then did not know that there were tanks in the area. They were assigned to the Company by the 781st Tank Battalion, 14th Armored Division, and took up positions that morning in the woods directly behind the Company CP. Before he entered Wingen, the tank commander made it clear that he would not go ahead unless accompanied by foot

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY90 WINGEN-SUR-MODER soldiers, and threatened to withdraw if the infantrymen did not give his tank adequate protection. He was concerned about the possibility of being hit with antitank fire and panzerfaust missiles. While the tank moved ahead, Eddie stayed with the Captain.

Burton Drury was still in the same house where earlier he and Armstrong dragged Moore and Gossage through the front entrance. He was in an upstairs window firing rifle grenades at the enemy across the street. "From the house we fired antitank grenades into several houses where we could hear and see the German soldiers. We ran them from the upstairs to the downstairs, and then to the basement. During this time Captain Hendrickson was hit directly under our firing. I then moved from upstairs to the only neutral house between us and the enemy, where I yelled to the Captain and he said he was OK. From there I moved along the front edge of the house with my grenade launcher ready to put a grenade into the basement window where we knew there were German soldiers. Just as I put my rifle around the corner of the building, I saw the German under the porch. I saw the muzzle blast from his rifle and I fell like a ton of bricks. The last time I saw my rifle (with grenade intact) it was 10 feet in the air. I started crawling back to the barn portion of the house from where I had just been a few minutes before, and the German fired two more shots at me. One hit the house above me, and the other, I thought, hit my left ear. I even felt my ear to see if it was bleeding. Sergeant Armstrong reached out of the little barn and pulled me inside. It was only then I realized I was hit pretty hard in the left hip."

When Captain Hendrickson and Eddie Tsukimura were pinned down on the street, Sgt. Earl "Stupe" Granger, who was near the intersection, made an end run down the right side of the street then cut across to the left. He made a desperate effort to reach the Captain and Eddie to get them out of the direct fire. As he started across the street, he shouted over his shoulder to BAR Man, Lloyd Patterson, and ammunition bearer, Laylen McGriff, to cover him. They did their best until a mortar burst knocked a shell-weakened wall on their BAR, and temporarily put both men out of action. Neither was seriously injured, just shaken up and bruised a little. Granger crossed the street through a hail of machine gun bullets and leaped into a ditch where the Germans pinned him down but good. Meanwhile, Lowry and Dubose were making their way up the ditch on the opposite side of the street. Dubose was keeping an eye on the basement windows and Lowry the upper level windows. An enemy rifleman got off two shots at Sgt. Granger from a second story window, one shattered the stock of his rifle next to his cheek and the second bullet got him in the leg. He lay half frozen and partially exposed and pinned down tight in the ditch playing dead, praying that the German would not finish him off. From the ditch on the opposite

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY91 WINGEN-SUR-MODER side of the street, Lowry fired a full clip (eight rounds) into the second story window. No more enemy fire came from the window. That was the third time that Granger was wounded. He came to the 70th Division after having served in combat in the Pacific. On December 7, 1941, he was wounded during the Japanese attack at Pearl Harbor. His second wound occurred while he was fighting at Guadalcanal and he earned his third Purple Heart at Wingen.

No sooner was the sniper out of action, when machine gun fire started coming from a cellar window in the next building. It fired point blank at Lowry and Dubose. The Germans had them both pinned to the bottom of the shallow ditch where they were fending off dirt, snow, ice and cobblestone fragments. Pfc George Sheeley, a rifleman in their squad, was about twenty yards from the two pinned GIs when he saw their predicament. Without hesitating, he dashed across the street between machine gun bursts, pulling the pin from a hand grenade as he ran. When he was within a few feet of the machine gun position, he lobbed the grenade through the narrow opening. Sheeley silenced the machine gun.

After Armstrong managed to drag Drury to cover, he picked up Drury's rifle with the grenade launcher and fired at the narrow basement opening. The grenade struck an iron fence and went off six feet short of the target. Armstrong recalled having seen a dead GI with a grenade bag and went back to look for it. He retrieved it, but in doing so he had to dodge a few enemy bullets. He pulled the pin from a grenade, tossed it into the basement where the machine gun position was set up, but the damned thing was a dud and did not detonate. From the nearby ditch, "Stupe" Granger hollered "You damn recruit, pull the pin from the next one!" Until that time Armstrong presumed that Granger was dead because he had been laying in the ditch for several minutes without moving a muscle. On the second try, the grenade exploded and drove out thirteen Germans. They were out of ammunition, some were wounded, their uniforms were torn and most were dazed by the grenade blast. The Germans were not out of the building a minute when the tank, guided by Bambrick and Sheeley, fired its 75mm gun into the embrasure and blew away the front the structure. What was left of the house was smoldering ruins. The tank commander opened his hatch and shouted to Sheeley to get him a Luger from one of the prisoners, but Sheeley was too busy dodging bullets to be picking up any German pistols; also, he did not want to chance being captured with a Luger in his possession.

Later in the day, shielded by the tank, Captain Hendrickson and Burton Drury were taken out of the village on a jeep. Walking along the side of the jeep, Pfc

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY92 WINGEN-SUR-MODER Tsukimura held bandages on the Captain's chest wound. Those men never returned to the outfit. For them the war was over, but not the suffering. Burton Drury spent the next twenty-seven months in Army hospitals, where he underwent thirteen major surgeries on his wounded hip and leg. He and many other men of Company A who were wounded that day would pay the rest of their lives for their bravery.

With the loss of the CO, 1st Lt. Howard L Arnest took command of the Company. He was a capable leader and a rugged outdoorsman with considerable infantry experience. Before entering the Army, he was a foreman in lumber mills in Oregon and other parts of the Pacific Northwest and was accustomed to working with men under difficult conditions. Before the day was over, he won the respect of the GIs in Wingen by proving his leadership abilities. He was cool and collected, kept a level head, and knew what fear was. He did not expect his men to do anything that he was not willing to do himself. From the very start as “Acting CO," he was at a disadvantage. His company was spread out and split. Three squads were engaged in fierce offensive action inside the village while the rest of the company was fighting from the defensive positions outside the village. He did not have adequate communication with his platoon leaders and the CP as both were out of range of the walkie-talkies and the wires were broken. From inside the village, he had no command control over three of the four platoons. Further, he had no information as to casualties except those who fell on the streets of Wingen. The first decision he had to make was whether to return to the CP and take command of the Company or remain with the men in Wingen. If he went back to the CP, the men in Wingen would be without an officer, so he opted to stay where he was. He sent a runner back with orders to Lt. Doenges to take over the Company and get word to Battalion of their desperate situation in Wingen. With the few men from the Second Platoon, the medium tank and the two squads of the First Platoon, Lt. Arnest continued the attack. The men on the street provided cover for the tank, which continued to blast the enemy positions. Every time they silenced a machine gun, another took its place in a different window. Westcott's squad fought its way across the street at the intersection and assaulted one of two buildings that provided shelter for an enemy machine gun position that covered the crossroads. Westcott was successful in silenc- ing one machine gun, but almost immediately another was in action. That mobility with light machine guns and burp-guns enabled the enemy to keep the GIs on the streets pinned down most of the time.

Gene Bambrick voluntarily took over directing the tank fire, and did an outstanding job by repeatedly leaving his cover to run out to the tank and point his

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY93 WINGEN-SUR-MODER rifle to the windows from which enemy fire was coming. He probably dodged more bullets that day than anyone else in the Company but never got a scratch. His only disability was the temporary loss of his voice and hearing after an afternoon of shouting to the tank commander "Hey Tank, over there!" In one instance he pointed to a window from where a machine gun was firing. The tanker turned the turret so that the muzzle was directly over Lowry’s head and fired his 75mm gun through the window. For the rest of the day, Lowry thought that he would never hear again.

The bloody street fighting in the bitter cold from ditch to gutter and from doorway to doorway was a tremendous challenge to the men's endurance. Early in the fighting it became obvious to everyone, except perhaps the intelligence wizards at Battalion and Regiment, that the GIs were up against a huge determined force. Not only that, the Germans were seasoned experts who knew what to do and how and when to do it. On the other hand the Trailblazers, though well trained, were uninitiated troops experiencing their first taste of battle. Seasoned troops under fire generally know how each of their comrades will act in difficult situations. The uninitiated facing death never knows how he, his buddies, or his leaders will react when under fire and smelling gunsmoke for the first time. Perhaps due to their extensive training over a long period, most of the men of Company A performed well during their first days of facing the enemy at close range. The doughboys at Wingen would have been the first to acknowledge that the Germans were excellent soldiers and they obviously had far more experience than the Trailblazers. One man frequently remarked "If we live through this damned war and ever fight another, let's hope that the Germans are on our side." By the time the baptism of fire was over, those who lived to tell of it were also battle-wise veterans who learned a lot about themselves and their comrades-in-arms.

Earlier, Brig. General Herren ordered the 276th Infantry to attack Wingen, liberate the town, and free the American prisoners held in the village. In reality, the Regiment was in a poor position to make an immediate attack because its battalions were spread over a wide area from Volksberg to Wimmenau. The First Battalion was split and Company A was locked in bitter combat on the streets and in the immediate vicinity of Wingen. The Second Battalion was already committed to battle east of Wingen near the village of Wimmenau. That left the Third Battalion, which had but one company and part of another available for the counterattack. Shortly after 1330 the afternoon of January 5, while the platoon of Company A was on the streets, the hastily planned attack got underway. Lt. Colonel Sidney Iverson, CO Third Battalion, 276th Infantry recalls:

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY94 WINGEN-SUR-MODER "I was told that there were only a few Germans, and we were prohibited from using heavy weapons and artillery on the town itself.

"The only direct route into the town was to break through an underpass which was covered by heavy enemy fire from the east and south; so it was decided to move through the west part of the town and attack the hill north of the railroad tracks. At the same time, infantry troops would accompany tanks on the road below in an attempt to enter the town through the RR underpass.

"Company L was committed toward the hill without a preceding artillery preparation, and made good progress at first, cleared the houses to the woods, and then started up the hill. Everything seemed OK, but the Germans were waiting in the trees, and all Hell broke loose! The Company CO and a Lieutenant were killed along with several others. The Germans really had Company L pinned down, but we managed to hold on through the night."

While Company L was engaged in the attack toward the hill, Company I was committed to enter Wingen. The few remaining men of Company B, led by 1st/Sgt. Woodrow Barnett, joined Company I in the attack. With the support of a tank platoon from Company B, 781st Tank Battalion, the two under-strength rifle companies attempted to attack the village from the northwest through the railroad underpass. The hastily ill-planned attack resulted in total disaster. The well-entrenched German troops were on the steep hill north of Wingen. Their positions commanded a clear view of the north entrance to the underpass. The Germans in Wingen placed machine guns and snipers in houses that gave them unobstructed fields of fire to the south entrance of the underpass. One tank made it through the underpass but was destroyed by a German panzerfaust team that waited under cover until the lead tank came into close range. The tank company and Companies B and I were ambushed and took intensive machine gun, mortar and panzerfaust fire on both sides of the underpass. The Germans destroyed both tanks and inflicted heavy casualties before the attacking companies could withdraw. John Hartman, a Company B rifleman later commented "The Krauts saw us coming a mile away and waited until we were all in range, then blasted the hell out of us from both sides. No one told us that there were Krauts holding the hills. We didn't have a chance." Lt. Arnest and his men who were locked in combat on the streets of Wingen did not know and were not informed that any other units would attack the village that afternoon. At that time they were so preoccupied with the house-to-house fighting that very few, if any, of the Company A GIs even noticed that the ill-fated attack had taken place.

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY95 WINGEN-SUR-MODER As the street fighting raged on, the supply of rifle ammunition and grenades began to dwindle. The last of the rifle grenades were used earlier when Armstrong fired Drury's grenade launcher. The men had only a few hand grenades left, and some had none. Since rifle ammunition was running desperately low, they started using it with great care. That was definitely not the way to carry out a successful attack. Weapons and ammunition were scrounged from the dead and those who were too seriously wounded to use them. Armstrong sent a messenger back to the CP to secure more ammunition and when he did not return, Armstrong started back to look for him. On the Zittersheim road he met 1st/Sgt. Palacio who informed him that machine gun fire from the cemetery killed the messenger and that he would get ammunition to the men pronto. A short time later a jeep and trailer driven by Pfc Connon Clements came into the village with a supply of ammunition. Clements was driving by kneeling on the floor and peeking around the side. He came down the Zittersheim road under fire and crashed into the building that Westcott's squad was holding. Other than being shaken up from a blow on the head and a few bruises, he hardly had a scratch. The jeep was another story. It was shot full of holes and was a total wreck. As Clements crawled away from the wreckage, a wise guy in Westcott's squad shouted "Sergeant Wilson will sure as hell make you sign a 'Statement of Charges' for that jeep." (S/Sgt. Vernon Wilson was the supply sergeant.)

The prisoners taken earlier proved to be a problem. At that time it would have been almost impossible to take them back to the CP, and Lt. Arnest did not want to spare the men to guard them. Nevertheless, two men were assigned the dubious honor of keeping them corralled with orders from Brewer to shoot to kill if any of them tried to escape. They surrendered only after having faced certain death and were out of ammunition. Most of them were wounded, but all were confident and arrogant and some replied with "Heil Hitler!" when interrogated. One snarled and appeared to swear at Lowry when he tried to put a first aid pack on a shoulder wound. Not one would acknowledge speaking English, but the men suspected that some understood everything that was said. Those prisoners were no ordinary Wehrmacht (Regular German soldiers). They were extremely well disciplined, well trained and thoroughly experienced soldiers.

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It was not until the battle for Wingen was over that the GIs learned that the German troops who launched the ferocious attack from the north, decimated

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY96 WINGEN-SUR-MODER Company B, and recaptured Wingen were not Wehrmacht soldiers. They were two battalions of the elite 12th Mountain Regiment of the 6th SS Mountain Division (Nord). They were not fifty hungry soldiers, nearly out of ammunition and ready to surrender but more than 900 confident, seasoned SS Mountain Infantrymen ready to fight and die. The SS troops were the elite of the German Army and the 12th Mountain Regiment was one of the best. Those were highly-trained and battle-wise soldiers who had been in combat since 1941. They fought their first battles in the Northern Lapland Campaign where they aided the Finns in their desperate stand against the invading Red Army. Until their arrival on the Western Front, all of their combat experience was on the Eastern Front against the Soviet troops and they had never faced defeat. Much of their fighting was under extreme adverse climatical conditions north of the Arctic Circle. They were trained, equipped, and extensively experienced in winter mountain fighting, which made them right at home in Les Vosges mountains. At Wingen, the Trailblazers soon learned that they were up against a tough hardened foe. Their adversary included "dyed in the wool Nazis" who appeared to know no fear and were ready to die for the Fuehrer, and fearless young German patriots who stood ready to die trying to carry out the mission of the German High Command. They were the toughest, smartest, most experienced soldiers the Third Reich had to throw against the men on the Western Front. They came all the way from the Eastern Front for the specific purpose of playing a leading role in "Operation Nordwind."

The enemy invaded Wingen without armor or artillery, but they were armed to the teeth with rifles, automatic weapons, panzerfausts, and grenades. Their only other weapons were a few light mortars, assorted arms, and two tank destroyers which they captured at Wingen. They infiltrated through the rugged snow covered Vosges without vehicles, fought and took prisoners, and made their way to Wingen where they captured some four hundred more prisoners, GI equipment, clothing and rations. Late in the afternoon of January 1, the 12th Regiment, 6th SS Mountain Division arrived at the German First Army zone after a long journey from the Eastern Front. Immediately upon arriving, Colonel Franz Schreiber, Commander of the 12th Regiment, reported to the 361st Volks Grenadier Command Post for attachment to that Division. Only two of Schreiber's battalions had arrived; however, the rest of the Regiment was expected on the following day. Three hours after their arrival on the Western Front, the two battalions of the 12th Mountain Regiment were ordered to launch an immediate attack on Wingen and aim for the mountain exit at Ingwiller (Map 4, pg. 64). Their orders were to depart at once and not wait until the Regiment was completely assembled. The two battalions of SS Mountain Troops were the

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY97 WINGEN-SUR-MODER spearhead of a major attack. It was extremely urgent that they capture Wingen and Ingwiller and establish a breakthrough route, through which reserve panzer forces could exit into the Alsace Plains.1

It appeared that destiny was to bring two Divisions together in armed conflict on the battlefields of Alsace, France. In mid-November, 1944, the 70th Infantry Division was at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, making final preparations to go to France. Simultaneously, half way around the world on the Russian Front, the 6th SS Mountain Division (Nord) was also preparing for a long journey to France. 6th SS Mt. Div. Each Division included a good cross-section of the young men of their 70th Inf. Div respective countries: artisans, clerks, laborers, businessmen, students, professionals. Some volunteered, most were drafted, but almost all served willingly.

The Trailblazers, in Missouri, had never heard a shot fired in anger; the Mountain Troops in Finland were battle-tempered veterans of Germany's two-front war. But their destinies were identical: They would engage in a battle that may decide the outcome of the war. They would die side by side on the snows of Les Vosges and on the ridges of the Saarland.

While the Trailblazers journeyed from Fort Leonard Wood to Camp Myles Standish to France to Alsace, the 6th Mountain troops left Finland, crossed over to Norway into Denmark, back to Germany and then to Alsace. There the two infantry divisions were to meet in deadly combat. Elements of both divisions were rushed into battle without waiting for their supporting units to arrive. It was infantrymen against infantrymen.

Wolf T. Zoepf, Former Adjutant, 3rd Battalion, 12th SS Mountain Regiment (German) made this account of his Regiment’s movements starting on the afternoon of January 2, 1945:

"2 Jan- Late in the afternoon, our march with pack animals continues. Bypassing MELCH, we move westward on mountain paths to the forest road connecting WILDENGUTH and KOHLHUTTE (Map 6, pg. 99). With the 3rd Bn. leading, we advance over the forest road toward KOHLHUTTE. Our vanguard contacts the enemy at approximately 2300.

1Cheves, Colonel Wallace Robert; L'Operation Nordwind et Wingen-Sur-Moder; pgs 18-21

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY98 WINGEN-SUR-MODER Map 6. Route of the German 1st and 3rd Battalions,12th Mountain Regiment, 6th SS Mountain Division (Nord) to Wingen-sur-Moder, January 2-4, 1945.

"The enemy (1st Bn, 179th Inf, 45th Div) is in position on both sides of the forest road, commanding the heights with good control over the road. Our 3rd Bn

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY99 WINGEN-SUR-MODER advances and attacks in front, and from the hills to the south. The attack succeeds, positions taken, and our first prisoners captured.

"We are without our supporting heavy weapons, artillery and mortars, which are still in transport, and we have no steel helmets (only ski caps). However, we employ signal pistols loaded with "whistling rounds" which have good "morale" effect on the enemy.

"3 Jan- Before daybreak, the attack continues and our count of prisoners is mounting. The enemy fights with delaying action, and retreats southward under the protection of his artillery.

"0900- Another attack by our 3rd Bn in a southerly direction is stopped by heavy enemy artillery. Both battalions dig in, facing south; 3rd Bn on the right, 1st Bn on the left.

"Whereas we had almost no casualties during our nightly advance, we start suffering now under constant enemy artillery and mortar fire.

" 1300- We receive orders from Corps:

'1st and 3rd battalions attack south via HUHNERSCHERR on both sides of the road. Capture HEIDENECK (1st Bn) and WINGEN (3rd Bn).

'After the two towns have been taken, including bridge heads south of the Moder, the battalions will be reinforced with a self-propelled Assault Gun Battalion for further advance to the south.'

"Both Battalion Commanders confer on the action to be taken after receiving these orders. A frontal attack against the well entrenched enemy would result in heavy losses. It was my suggestion that we bypass the entrenched enemy by detouring through the wooded mountains east of KOHLHUTTE. This proposal was accepted by CORPS Headquarters. (Map 6, pg. 99)

"Our pack train arrives with ammunition and rations (half a loaf of bread and some spreading for each man) and takes back the wounded and the prisoners. Our men are told: 'to get their next rations from the enemy; no further supply!'

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY100 WINGEN-SUR-MODER "1800, 3 Jan - Units from both battalions detach themselves carefully from the enemy and assemble in the forest north of Road D.12 (5 km northerly from Wimmenau). The 1st Bn takes the lead, followed by the 3rd. We march in a long, single file with the least possible noise. Enemy maps, captured last night, assist us. First we march east to the enemy positions we took last night; then we head south over the wooded heights on the eastern side of the D.12 Road; then southwest to the D.12 Road which we reach at a distance of app. 1.5 km south of KOHLHUTTE.

" We are exhausted from the lack of sleep. Every little stop on our march is immediately used for sleep, leaning on a tree, crouching, or sitting.

"We start crossing the D.12 Road in single file, then down through the woods into the valley, and wade across the cold Fischbach creek. Our crossing of the road is suddenly stopped as we hear the noise of an engine motor from the southeast. Everyone crouches down in the wood. A jeep with three passengers stops at the track marks we left on the paved road, which was otherwise covered with some inches of fresh snow. They probably suspected mines on the road. But after a short inspection, they resume travel northerly in high gear.

"About 0400, 4 Jan, we enter the forest on the west side of the creek, and continue the approach toward our objectives, HEIDENECK and WINGEN.

"0430, 4 Jan- The vanguard of the 1st Bn encounters an enemy outpost (Co B, 276th Inf) while moving through the woods, and is successful in overwhelming them in short time.

"0600- Both battalions reach their assembly areas for the attack: 1st Bn to the right opposite HEIDENECK; 3RD Bn opposite WINGEN in the woods north of WINGEN RR-Station. There is not much time for reconnaissance because enemy mortars are closing in on our assembly positions, probably alarmed by the firefight with the outpost.

"0700- Both battalions advance and attack simultaneously. The 3RD Bn advances in a width of some 300 meters from the edge of the woods, down the steep slope to the railroad, crossing the multi-tracks, with concentration on the RR-Station and the main (Catholic) church.

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY101 WINGEN-SUR-MODER "0900- After two hours of heavy house to house fighting, we hold WINGEN. We have reached the downs and snowy meadows of MODER Creek. Our attack to the south comes to a halt, as the enemy employs several self-propelled cannons on the KIRCHBERG, facing Wingen.

"0930- Two companies of the 3RD Bn cross the MODER, dig themselves in, and prepare defense positions in the buildings on the southern rim of Wingen.

"Surprised by our attacks were a headquarters and a supply company of the U.S. 45th Infantry Division, with all installations and repair facilities, total strength appr. 10 officers and 400 Enlisted Men. We quarter them separately; the officers in the parson's house east of the church (Catholic); the enlisted men in the basement of the church."

"Besides other supplies and weapons we capture two self-propelled guns and one recovery vehicle. Our men 'feast' on captured U.S. rations, resupply their losses in clothing (underwear and socks), and some take American rifles to supplement their weapons."1

Since Wingen was terra incognita for the advancing enemy troops, they planned to launch their final assault with first daylight so that they could see what they were attacking. They had made no reconnaissance of the area. Before 0400, while on their way to Wingen, the point of the SS column unexpectedly encountered Company B, 276th Infantry in the woods north of Wingen. The Germans desperately wanted to make their way to Wingen without a confrontation with American Troops. A firefight could well have destroyed their element of surprise and alert the troops occupying the village. They suddenly found themselves too far into Company B's positions to attempt a bypass. The fight was on.

On the previous day, when Company B first arrived at its sector and was deployed in the forest north of Wingen, the men were ordered not to dig in. Their Company Commander was concerned that any noise caused by the digging might have been heard by German patrols. Consequently, the Company was not well prepared to defend itself against the unexpected enemy attack. Many men were asleep when the SS Mountain Troops came on the scene and cut through and around

1Cheves, Wallace Robert; L'Operation Nordwind et Wingen-Sur-Moder; pg. 21

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY102 WINGEN-SUR-MODER the stunned GIs. In the firefight that followed, Company B was literally cut to pieces. As the firefight with Company B progressed, the Germans became increasingly concerned that the sounds of gunfire had alerted the troops in Wingen. That would have destroyed the element of surprise upon which they were so dependent. How astonished they must have been to find Wingen and its garri- son asleep when they attacked at daybreak some three hours later.

Some 45th Infantry Division Units were billeted in Wingen when the Germans attacked the morning of January 4. Comfortably bedded down in The Hotel Wenk, Hotel de la Gare, and some

St. Felix Catholic Church - 1993 French houses were personnel of the 1st Battalion, 179th Infantry CP, a Battalion Aid Station, a Headquarters Company, a Service Company and other assorted service units. There were approximately four hundred 45th Infantry Division troops in all. They possibly felt secure since they were supposedly a few miles behind the front lines and perhaps knew that American units were positioned near the town. When the Germans broke in and found civilian residents, they demanded that the occupants tell them if there were any American Soldiers remaining inside. They threatened that if residents lied, their houses and everyone inside would be destroyed.2 By using that threat they forced many GIs to surrender without a fight. The residents of Wingen were terrified and the German threats were effective in getting the GIs out of the houses. In short, the SS Mountain Troops literally caught the American troops billeted in Wingen with their pants down. Less than two hours later, the Germans captured, wounded, or killed all the Americans occupying the village and held the prisoners in the basement of the Catholic Church. They gave the GIs no food and very little water. Except for a few buckets, there were no latrine or other sanitary facilities. They made the GIs surrender their weapons, rations, watches, equipment, and in some cases their boots and extra socks. While the Germans herded the prisoners into the church, one stopped to tie a shoelace. A German soldier shot and killed him on the spot.

2Operation Nordwind, by Francis Rittgen, 1984, pg. 170

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY103 WINGEN-SUR-MODER ********************

While the close combat continued on the streets of Wingen, Company A's Second and Third Platoons continued the firefight with the enemy troops who were entrenched on the south bank of the Moder River. The enemy directed continuous sniper fire at the GIs from the taller houses and the spire of the Protestant Church. Perhaps every man in the Second and Third Platoon left his mark in the form of bullet scars on the church tower. The enemy relentlessly probed at Company A's exposed positions, and with each attack came more casualties. The Second Platoon, with one squad on the counterattack in the village and two squads on the defensive, took the most severe pulverizing of any platoon in the Company. Several men were picked off by sniper fire, most of which came from the Church tower. The below freezing weather also took a heavy toll. S/Sgt. Arnold "Red" Shelander's squad was pinned down in icy foxholes without food or water the entire day. Seven members of his squad were killed or wounded in a matter of just a few hours. One man froze to death, and some wounded men had frozen ears, hands, and feet. Shelander, John Haller and BAR Man, Pfc Bryan Ledoux were the only ones in the squad that were not wounded. Ledoux and Pfc Robert Shooter shared the same foxhole. One minute they were talking and the next minute Shooter was dead from an enemy sniper's bullet that pierced his helmet and entered his forehead. It was a devastating ex- perience for Ledoux to witness the sudden death of his foxhole buddy. But the news of his death must have been far more devastating to Bob Shooter's wife of only five weeks. Since the Weapons Platoon was about 150 yards to the rear of the rifle platoons it did not take as much intense fire as the riflemen, however it was plagued with occasional sniper fire. That afternoon T/Sgt. Edgar Etheredge was shot in the foot, presumably by a sniper while he was in the woods behind the mortar positions. No one was near enough to Etheredge to witness his being shot, nor was anyone able to tell from where the shot came. Etheredge got out of the war with one of those million dollar wounds and a Purple Heart. His wound was serious enough that he never returned to the Company.

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The fierce fighting on the streets of Wingen continued but no further gains were made by the GIs. One platoon was not enough strength to conduct a successful attack against numerically superior forces that were firmly entrenched in nearly every important building and house. Except for one medium tank, the GI's heaviest firepower was two BARS. The Third Squad BAR man, Pfc Jimmy Piper, positioned

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY104 WINGEN-SUR-MODER himself in a cellar at the intersection where he could fire down the street from a small window at the street level. Piper was an excellent BAR man who had qualified as an Expert Marksman with both the M-1 Rifle and the BAR. He was worth his salt that day in Wingen where he killed more than his share of enemy soldiers. He also showed his ability to satisfy his hunger and thirst In the basement of the building where he set up his BAR position, he discovered some home canned sour cherries and green apples, which he relished though they puckered him up a little. He also found a cache of cognac that he used to wash down the cherries and apples. Like the other riflemen, Piper too ran short of ammunition and had to fire fewer rounds and attempt to make every shot count. On the ground floor of the same building his Squad Leader, S/Sgt. Les Westcott lay seriously wounded with a bullet in his chest. He was hit by an enemy rifleman who picked him off from an upper floor of a nearby building.

As the day began to draw to a close, Lt. Arnest was faced with the problems of deploying the men for the night, getting the wounded evacuated, and replenishing the ammunition and ration supplies. Several times that afternoon, attempts were made to bring in more ammunition, but with very little success. The German fields of fire were so well placed on the road leading into Wingen that it was extremely hazardous to get in and out of the village. Only the ammunition brought in by Clements that morning made its way to the men in the village.

Shortly before dusk machine gun and rifle fire were heard entering the scene from the west. Two Sherman tanks surrounded by riflemen of Company G, 274th Infantry Regiment were seen approaching through the din and smoke. They were a welcome sight, though it took some doing for the GIs of Company A to satisfy the approaching infantrymen that they were Yanks, not Germans. The Second Battalion, 274th Infantry came to attack Wingen from the west and apparently the forward elements did not know that Company A had a platoon locked in combat inside the town. They ceased firing only after GIs on the street swore at them in colorful English, using terminology that only a GI could use and recognize. Fortunately there were no casualties from the friendly fire! Lt. Colonel Wallace Robert Cheves' 2nd Battalion, 274th Infantry (Companies E, F, and G) moved into positions west of the village in preparation for an attack in battalion strength. No one could ever adequate- ly put into words what those weary men felt as they watched the reinforcements arrive. It was their prayers answered. Without help, Arnest could no longer sustain the attack nor would it be possible to withdraw. His men were so deeply committed

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY105 WINGEN-SUR-MODER that it would have been unable for them to disengage themselves from the enemy and at the same time evacuate the wounded.

An hour later, Lt. Arnest received orders from Battalion Headquarters to move his men from the streets of Wingen to their original positions south of the village. The Company A men in the village were replaced by elements of the 274th Infantry. With covering fire from the two tanks and the 274th riflemen, the Company A men managed to get their wounded off the blood stained streets and to the forward aid station. They took their SS prisoners with them and left many SS corpses and wounded Germans behind. As the German prisoners were taken out of the village, some of the Second Platoon men got on their feet and started to follow. Bambrick jumped up and shouted, "Stay down, the war's not over!" It was for his leadership abilities and his concern for the men that later got Bambrick a battlefield commission. Late in the day, when the men were out of the village, the 274th Infantry set up defensive positions and made preparations to resume the attack the following morning.

The exhausted, blood stained and battered riflemen rejoined their company, which was making a desperate stand against the relentless onslaught of the SS Mountain Troops. Lt. Arnest returned to the CP to take command of the Company, and to make provisions to evacuate the many wounded men. T/Sgt. Brewer took the First Platoon back to the company reserve where Lt. Doenges told the men to reoccupy the same positions they were in early that morning. The Second Platoon men returned to their positions in the open area facing the southwest edge of Wingen. Lt. Schollander told the First Scout, Pfc Frank Lowry to take charge because both the squad leader and the assistant squad leader were wounded and evacuated. The exhausted men had hoped for a little rest that night, but there were no reserve forces to relieve them. Their ranks were depleted to the extent that no one dared to close his eyes for fear of waking up to an enemy bayonet or a potato masher.(A potato masher was a German grenade on the end of a hammer like handle that resembled an old fashioned potato masher.) Darkness came early to usher in another long and bitter cold night. All night long the enemy probed at the Company A positions in repeated attempts to get through the lines and to the high ground in the forest behind. Sometime after midnight while Jury was making the rounds of the Third Platoon positions, discovered two of his men dead in their foxhole. Pfc Robert E Groce and Pfc John E Lackey were both killed by small arms fire. John Lackey was from California, was married and had a year old daughter. "Chief" was sick when he saw

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY106 WINGEN-SUR-MODER the two frozen bodies in that foxhole. He said a short prayer, then continued checking on the rest of his men.

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The horrors of nights such as that are virtually indescribable, yet were very much a part of the combat infantryman's life. One who has never experienced a cold miserable night in a frozen foxhole following a long day of intense fighting, cannot possibly fathom the excruciating agony and suffering of the rifleman in that small hole. His foxhole was often stained with his blood or the blood of a buddy. He has seen his friends die horrible deaths. The sounds of those crying out in pain and calling "Aid Man! Aid Man!" keep ringing in his ears. Only the infantryman who has lived through it, really knows how it was. All night long a man is tense, scared, and spends the endless hours on the alert staring into the darkness. Often he hears sounds and sees movement, when there may be nothing out there to see or hear. With a grenade in one near-frozen hand, the other hand on his rifle and a prayer on his lips, he watches, listens and waits. His bruised body aches from hitting the frozen ground and rubble and his stomach is in knots from the pangs of dysentery. His ears ache and his hearing is impaired from mortar, tank, and machine gun fire. He is tortured by the intense cold, and his fear is genuine. Not only are his hands and feet near frozen, the extreme cold burns his eyes, ears, lips and cheeks. It burns his throat all the way down to his lungs. He is dead tired and weary but stays alert, and dares not fall asleep. Some were in too much misery to sleep and some were afraid to go to sleep. But everyone knew that his life and the lives of his buddies depended on his staying awake and on guard. He would give anything for a cup of hot coffee and a smoke.

After a few days and nights on the battlefield, there were no Sundays, Mondays, Tuesdays or other days of the week. The days did not begin or end. No one knew what date it was and no one cared. They were engaged in a confrontation with both the enemy and with nature in a catastrophic winter, the likes of which few of them had ever encountered. Frequently when a guy was pinned down, he was unable to get out of his foxhole to make a "call of nature." He sometimes urinated in his helmet and pitched the contents out of the hole. Sometimes he had to defecate in the foxhole and shovel it out with his entrenching tool. He soon learned to always carry some toilet paper folded up in an inside pocket to keep it dry. Toilet paper was nearly as precious as dry socks and ammunition.

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY107 WINGEN-SUR-MODER In those frozen holes in foreign soil thousands of miles from home, young men faced challenges that in their wildest dreams they never thought would confront them. There was living proof that "There are no atheists in foxholes." Though a man may not have uttered a prayer in his life, he quickly learned to pray in those miserable holes and he was not afraid to admit it. They prayed to stay alive, they prayed for courage, and they prayed for the strength to hold up under the stresses of combat. They probably prayed more that they would not let their buddies down or do anything to further jeopardize their lives. Each prayed in his own way. Some carried miniature bibles, prayer books and rosaries on their persons, and many wore medals and crosses on neck chains or on the chain with their dog tags.

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At the crack of dawn on January 6, the sounds of gun fire in the village intensified as Company F, 274th Infantry resumed the attack inside Wingen where Company A left off the night before. At the same time elements of the 276th Infantry started clearing the forest north of Wingen adjacent to the railroad. About mid-day Lt. Col Cheves found it necessary to commit Lt. Fred "Casey" Cassidy's Company G to the fighting. By then there should have been no question in anyone's mind that the Americans were up against a much larger force than earlier reports suggested. New information from S-2 indicated that perhaps there were 200 enemy troops in the area, whereas in reality there were more than 900 SS Mountain troops in and immediately adjacent to Wingen. The GIs continued to wonder where S-2 got its information, which to that point in time was not even close. One sure thing was that they did not get their information from the officers and men on the firing line. As Brewer described the S-2 information: "It was no damn good and as worthless as tits on a bull. The Army should put all intelligence officers on the front line."

Like the opposition that Company A encountered the day before, the 274th men met savage resistance. The two companies of riflemen fought their way from shell hole, to ditch, to house to barn with close support from the tanks. Company F suffered heavy casualties including the loss of its company commander, executive officer and most of its senior noncommissioned officers. That caliber of SS soldier did not give ground easily, and never without a fight to the end.

While the men of the 274th Infantry continued the attack on the streets of Wingen, the fierce fighting and mounting casualties intensified in Company A's sector. The German mountain infantry made repeated efforts to drive a wedge in

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY108 WINGEN-SUR-MODER Company A's defenses and break out of the town to the south. That afternoon, heavy mortar barrages and intensive machine gun fire inflicted many more casualties in the Second Platoon. Until that time, most of the enemy fire was from automatic weapons and light mortars, but none was from heavy mortars. During a mortar barrage, there was absolutely no way that men could fight back. They were forced to sit on the bottom of their holes, pinned down and frustrated, and pray that none of the incoming mail was addressed to them. Whenever the mortar fire would let up and the men attempted to lift their heads and look around, machine gun fire poured in. A man did not dare attempt to get out of his hole or stick his head up for so much as a minute for fear of getting it blown off. While the Second Platoon was taking a pounding, the mortar fire zeroed in on its First Squad with three shells exploding directly on its positions. From several foxholes shouts of pain and "HELP-HELP-AID MAN!" pierced the frigid winter air.

There were no aid men available because the two company medics, Pfc Moore and Pfc Roberts were severely wounded, having been shot the day before while tending wounded riflemen. That made the GIs madder than hell, as the medics were clearly identified by large red crosses on their helmets and arm brassards, and according to the rules of the Geneva Convention, the aid men were unarmed. Moore was shot at close range while in the village with the First Platoon. Roberts was shot through the neck, making it appear as though the red cross painted on his helmet was used as a target. Later that day, Moore died of the gunshot wounds and that night Roberts was evacuated in very serious condition. Everyone had grave concerns that the rules of the Geneva Convention may not be worth a damn.

A heavy mortar shell exploded on the right parapet of the hole occupied by the Second Platoon guide, S/Sgt. Bill Powers and Frank Lowry. There was nothing they could do while mortar shells were coming in except get to the bottom of the hole and wait it out. They sat side by side, Powers on the left and Lowry on the right. Seeing blood dripping from Lowry's hand, Powers asked "Where did it get you old man?" then he slumped forward. A piece of shrapnel tore through his helmet and entered his head at the right temple. Lowry, while calling in vain for help, removed Powers' helmet and applied the usual first aid packet and sulfa to the gaping wound in his head. No matter what he did, he was unable to stem the flow of blood, which was gushing profusely from his nose and mouth with every gasp. Lowry was stunned to see the size of the wound in Powers' right temple caused by a piece of shrapnel that did not even graze his own helmet while he was sitting directly to Powers' right. Their heads could not have been more than fifteen or eighteen inches apart. A few

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY109 WINGEN-SUR-MODER minutes later, which seemed like hours to Lowry, Bill Powers was dead; his battered head in the sticky blood soaked arms of a buddy. Company A lost another fine soldier and one of it's most respected sergeants. Ironically, Powers should never have been in that forward position where he died. He had come out to the exposed area to take over for the Second Platoon Sergeant who was back at the CP, a victim of shock and unable to carry out his responsibilities. Shortly before the mortar barrage that killed him, Powers was talking about his wife and little boy back in Kansas. "He is the best looking kid in town, and when he gets a little older all the girls will stand up and take notice. When he goes to college, he'll play football for Notre Dame."

Pfc. Gerald Stonehouse, a husky, seemingly fearless young man from Cicero (suburb of Chi- cago), heard the un- heeded calls for aid men. He dashed across the open field through a rain of ma- chine gun fire and made his way into the hole where Bill Pow- ers was dying. Being unable to help, he ran to the next foxhole where he heard the cry This sketch by Eddie Tsukimura portrays the horror he felt when he first saw the bodies of Powers and Stonehouse after the fighting at Wingen-sur-Moder - January 1945 "HELP! HELP!" Pfc Hidemaru "John- nie" Yasutake, a Second Platoon rifleman, was alone in that foxhole when he was hit in the elbow by shrapnel. Like Eddie Tsukimura, Johnnie was also a GI of Japanese descent from California who had voluntarily enlisted in the Army. After tending Johnnie's shrapnel wounds, Stonehouse ran forward to check on Powers, who by that time was dead. He started to make a run for the CP to get a liter and more first aid packets when machine gun fire got him in the head, chest and stomach. He never had a chance. Lowry tried to give him covering fire, but he got off only one round when burp-gun fire blasted the rifle from his hands, splintered the stock and sheared off the rear sight. Snow and dirt hit him in the face, but miraculously he was untouched by

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY110 WINGEN-SUR-MODER the bullets. A brave man met death because of voluntary actions far beyond the call of duty. He could have remained in his own foxhole further back, but he chose to go out to the forward positions to help his buddies. For those brave deeds at Wingen, Pfc Gerald Stonehouse was posthumously awarded the Silver Star Medal. The heavy mortar barrage continued for several minutes and resulted in many casualties. No one could tell from which direction the mortars came. When mortar and artillery shells burst that close, one never hears them coming. The men in the foxholes assumed that the Germans had gotten reinforcements, but they later learned that was not the case. The Germans at Wingen had no heavy mortars, but there were two American heavy weapons companies with 81mm mortars within range of Company A. No one ever learned for sure, but it is quite possible that the forward platoons of Company A were the targets of "friendly fire." That afternoon many prayers were said in those foxholes. During a mortar or artillery barrage, when a man cannot see his enemy, he cannot fight back. He sits in the bottom of his hole and does a lot of praying.

For the rest of the day the remaining men of the two forward platoons were virtually prisoners in their foxholes. All that they could see was the grey sky above and occasionally clouds of black smoke from bursting mortar shells. The thought occurred to everyone in those holes that eventually he would look up and see a German bayonet or grenade. For that reason he often sat crouched in the bottom of his hole, with his rifle pointed upward with a fixed bayonet ready to greet any hostile intruder. The whole area reeked with the acrid smell of stale gunpowder and the nauseating metallic stench of blood.

Evening approached and the battle for Wingen appeared to be far from over. The Second Battalion of the 274th Infantry fought its way into the interior of the village and made substantial progress, but it was unable to claim a victory. At dusk the enemy counterattacked. Lt. Wolf Zoepf, the German Third Battalion Adjutant, led the attack. From the vicinity of the railroad station, the SS Mountain Troops came at the GIs running, leaping fences, yelling and shooting. They were seemingly blind to the angry response of the American fire. The German counterattack forced the GIs in the village to withdraw to the west edge of town, losing everything they gained that day. After dark, the men of the 274th set up defensive positions and made preparations for another counterattack during the night. There was no way for the GIs to know if the Germans had received reinforcements or if the attack that hit them on the left flank was made by troops already in the area. In preparing their defenses, they prepared for the worst, but the Germans attempted no further hostile action that night.

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY111 WINGEN-SUR-MODER On the following morning after another miserable night, the GIs resumed the offensive. In the village, the men of the 274th advanced against less enemy opposition, and Company A received very little enemy fire. The German positions south of the Moder were all but deserted. The Trailblazers had badly beaten the two battalions of SS Mountain troops. They retreated during the night and slipped through the American lines and into the dense forest. They were forced to leave some 100 severely wounded troops in their aid station and another 100 lighter wounded who were not fit to join the retreating troops on their escape route into Les Vosges mountains. There were still some German troops in Wingen attempting to hold the town, but many of them were wounded, hungry, and nearly out of ammunition. The fighting continued until midmorning when the Trailblazers at long last occupied Wingen and all that remained to be done was the mopping up action. The SS Mountain Battalions were beaten back and the Trailblazers stopped Operation Nordwind's deepest penetration into Allied Lines. It was a victory for the Trailblazers but at the time the men did not know the importance of Wingen. For them it was a disaster because many of their buddies had made the supreme sacrifice and would no longer be with them. Men of Company E, 274th Infantry freed more than three-hundred GIs held captive in the Catholic Church. Most of those liberated were soldiers of the 45th Infantry Division. A few were Company B Trailblazers who were captured the morning of January 4, when the 12th SS Mountain Regiment attacked and took Wingen. Many were wounded and all were cold, sick and damn hungry after having had nothing to eat for three days. The Germans had very little chow for themselves, so it was no surprise that the prisoners got no food. Fortu- nately, the medical attention given the wounded prisoners by the Germans was reported to have been equivalent to that given to their own wounded men. The captured American medical personnel and the German medics appeared to have cooperated with each other in taking care of the wounded of both sides. Both American and German doctors treated all the wounded soldiers as human beings rather than as friend or enemy.

Later in the day, when Wingen was securely in Trailblazer hands, Lt. Arnest had the Second and Third Platoon men in the forward positions vacate their foxholes and pull back to edge of the woods near the Company CP. Due to the intense cold and some frostbitten limbs, several men required help in getting out of their foxholes. Sgt. Robert Wood, a machine gun squad leader had both feet frozen and was evacuated. He spent the next month in a field hospital. The late afternoon was spent around some fires where the near-frozen GIs heated Nescafe and K rations, took care of their feet and cleaned their rifles. They exchanged information about the week's

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY112 WINGEN-SUR-MODER painful experiences and searched out missing buddies. When Sgt. "Red Ass" Haller saw Lowry carrying the remains of his rifle in one hand and Powers’ rifle in the other, he shouted: "Good God Lowry, where in the hell you been, in a slaughter house?" It seemed like everyone was looking for or asking about somebody. All too often the answer was "he got it" or "he's dead" or "he didn't make it" or "the bastards killed him." Sgt. Palacio, who had managed to avoid the worst of the fighting, came on the scene looking for S/Sgt. Bill Powers. When someone told him that Bill was killed the day before, he would not believe it and wanted to see the body. Lowry pointed out the direction of the foxhole where he could find Bill’s body and told Palacio to walk about one hundred yards. Palacio was visibly shaken up and not wanting to go alone, he told Lowry to lead the way. When they got within a few feet from where Gerald Stonehouse's bloody bullet riddled body lay frozen on the parapet and Bill Powers' body in the bottom of the foxhole, Palacio took one look, did an about face, and wasted no time in getting back to the CP. The tough loud "top-kick" who in the past had taken pleasure in trying to scare the hell out of the men, was as meek as a lamb.

For two or three hours, the men lingered around the fires stomping their feet, moving their fingers and toes in an attempt to warm their numb bodies and limbs. In retrospect, they could hardly believe the horrors that they had experienced in just a few days. Everyone found it hard to believe that they were permanently separated from so many friends that they would never again see in this life. "Why not me?" or "How did I escape?" or "For the grace of God and a tiny fraction of an inch, I could be laying out there stiff and cold," or some similar comment was audibly uttered by nearly all of the survivors. There were many tears in the eyes of those young men. As miserable as they felt, they all thanked God to be alive. "WAR IS HELL!"

The rumor circulated that the outfit would not immediately pursue the enemy but would hold back for some rest, a change of clothing, hot chow, and badly needed medical attention. Many were suffering from the "GIs" (dysentery) which was believed to have been caused by eating frozen rations and snow. There were many cases of frostbitten hands and feet that were excruciatingly painful. The trench foot that was so prevalent had taken a heavy toll. In some cases, feet were swollen to the extent that shoe pacs had to be cut off. Some feet were clammy white and in extreme cases, blue and black. Those men were taken along with the wounded to an evacuation station that was set up at Zittersheim, a few miles to the rear.

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY113 WINGEN-SUR-MODER For Company A's GIs, the BAPTISM OF FIRE was over. By their confrontation with the best troops that Hitler had to throw against them, the men of Company A were initiated into the ranks of combat veterans, and were entitled to proudly wear the badge of the COMBAT INFANTRYMAN (The most coveted award in the Army). As the men sipped their coffee, they were haunted by thoughts of their wounded and fallen comrades who were either dead in and around Wingen or were on their way to the evacuation station. A little more than a week before, they were together. The shooting part of the war was not yet a reality in their lives.

Company A paid dearly for it's part in the liberation of Wingen and stopping the enemy spearhead. Everyone wondered why such a high price for such a little town in those remote mountains of Northeastern France. Though they played a major role in the campaign to stop the Nazi war machine, the men had not yet heard of Operation Nordwind. They knew very little about the Ardennes Offensive, or Battle of the Bulge as it was later known. It was there on the streets of Wingen-sur-Moder and in the bloody foxholes south of Wingen that Hitler's last major offensive of World War II was beaten back. By stopping the German offensive at Wingen, the supply lines to the north were held in tact, resulting in that major phase of Operation Nordwind to be a failure for the Nazis. Unfortunately, the men did not learn of the strategic importance of their victory at Wingen until long after the fighting was over.

More than fifty men of Company A were casualties in the warfare in and around Wingen and for many of those the war was over. They would not fight again and some would wear their battle scars for the rest of their lives. One officer and twelve enlisted men were dead. Killed in the action at Wingen-sur-Moder in Les Vosges mountains of Alsace were:

Pfc Calvin Corbell, Pfc Robert Elam, Pfc Robert Groce, Pfc John Lackey, Pvt. Pablo Martinez, 2nd Lt. Richard McClintock, Pfc Walter McDaniel, Pfc William Moore, Pfc Ar- thur Peterson, S/Sgt. Wilburn Powers, Pfc Robert Shooter, Pfc Gerald Stone- house, Pvt. Steven Valenzuela, and Pvt. Eugene Wilson.

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY114 WINGEN-SUR-MODER Those men saw only a few days combat, some experienced only a few hours, but for them it was the rest of their lives. The combat infantrymen of Company A would soon learn that Wingen-sur-Moder was just the beginning. In the months that were to follow, many more close friendships would be ended by casualties on the battlefields of Europe.

Sketch by Pfc Eddie Tsukimura - January 1945

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY115 WINGEN-SUR-MODER The fighting at Wingen-sur-Moder - January 1945 by Pfc Eddie Tsukimura

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY116 WINGEN-SUR-MODER After the Battle at Wingen-sur-Moder - January 7, 1945 (Photo by Garstki)

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY117 WINGEN-SUR-MODER John Haller and Frank Lowry at the hand carved monument erected by the people of Wingen-sur-Moder at the Town Square in front of the Catholic Church. Inscribed on the plaque is: “IN TRIBUTE to the men of the 274th and 276th Infantry Regiments US who won the freedom of Wingen-sur-Moder and in memory of those who gave their lives in the battle. Dedicated September 22, 1991"

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY118 WINGEN-SUR-MODER 9. LES VOSGES - HILLS 403 AND 358

The battle at Wingen-Sur-Moder would soon become a dismal memory of a nightmare that the men would not soon forget but would have very little time to dwell on. In the afternoon of January 7, after gathering at the edge of the woods south of the village, Company A was ordered to the town of Mulhausen about ten miles to the east (Map 7, pg. 120). Before leaving the Moder Valley, the men went from foxhole to foxhole and gathered up the rifles and grenades left behind by the wounded. There were not many to be found because most of them were sought out and used during the fighting. At the command of "on your feet!", they finished off their coffee, put out their cigarettes, picked up their packs and equipment, and fell into company formation by platoons. The men slowly marched away from the snow covered valley with the usual five yard intervals between each soldier. Hardly a word was uttered to break the deep silence that came over the entire area. Only a few hours earlier, all one could hear were the repetitious sounds of warfare. A crescendo of rifle and machine-gun fire, mortar bursts, grenades, potato mashers, screeching tank tracks, cannon fire, burp-guns, bazookas, panzerfausts, sergeants shouting orders, and cries for help and for aid men. Then there was silence, but the stench and smoke remained and ears were ringing from the din of battle.

While walking away from Wingen, occasionally a man looked back on the scene of his "baptism of fire" and the place where the bodies of many of his comrades still lay. What was a quaint hamlet in a peaceful appearing snow-covered valley just a few days earlier, had become a village of demolished smoldering houses in a valley scarred with bloody foxholes and black shell craters. It was a field littered with abandoned equipment, shell casings, debris, ration covers, mangled bodies and parts

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY119 LES VOSGES -HILLS 403 AND 358 of bodies. Many men left their sleeping bags and gas masks behind. Somehow they felt that there would be little or no need for gas masks, and they considered the mummy bags to be death traps. Undoubtedly the homeless villagers of Wingen made good use of the mummy bags. Many of their houses were in ruins and their possessions destroyed. In spite of their own hardships, the GIs could not avoid

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY120 LES VOSGES -HILLS 403 AND 358 reflecting on the misery and suffering that the people of Wingen, particularly the women and children, were forced to endure. As miserable as the men were, they could not help but think of their own families and thank God that their homeland and loved ones were spared the carnage that was taking place in Europe.

For more than two hours the totally exhausted battle weary men trod and stumbled over the frozen roadway. Vehicle tracks had become ice, which resulted in a slippery rutted surface. Feet would often slide out from under a man and he would go down with a crash. Even with the help of his buddies, getting back on his feet after a fall took what little strength a weary man could muster. When the company arrived at the hamlet of Zittersheim, trucks were waiting to transport the men to Mulhausen. They were used to climbing in and out of the beds of Army trucks with ease, but that evening they found it a real chore. Everyone was simply sapped of all his energy and drowsy from lack of sleep. Their bodies ached from head to toe. Frequently one had to have a boost from a buddy in order to get aboard. The temperature was below zero and the ride on the trucks was unbearably cold. At their destination the men again had to exercise great care in climbing down from the truck beds. A broken or sprained ankle did not get one the Purple Heart.

They arrived at Mul hausen late that night and took advantage of vacant houses, barns and haylofts for billets. It was a real treat to get in out of the freezing weather for a few hours. Guards were posted at various strategic points throughout the village to provide absolute interior and exterior security. The men had not forgotten what happened to those men of the 45th Division that were in Wingen when the 6th SS Mountain troops burst in and disrupted their sleep. Enemy troops were reportedly in the area, so that sort of disaster was not going to happen to the Trailblazers. Next the GIs set about their primary responsibilities of caring for their feet and weapons. Foremost on their minds was a hot meal, but they settled for C rations and hot coffee. In less than an hour all "necessities" and "musts" were taken care of, and the men sacked out on the floors and in the straw. In France they learned what the expression

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY121 LES VOSGES -HILLS 403 AND 358 "hit the hay" really meant. Sleeping on straw or in a hay loft was a luxury that they did not come by often. Although the houses were not heated, it was not nearly as cold in the buildings as it was out in the foxholes. No one noticed that the floors were hard and drafty.

The next morning, for the first time in a week, the men shed their overcoats, jackets and sweaters and cleaned up a little. The cooks provided hot water and the men used their steel helmets for basins. They washed their grimy hands and faces and took turns shaving with a few razors that some of the men managed to stow away in their packs. They cleaned up as best they could under the circumstances, but had to remain in their filthy uniforms as no change of clothing was available. Those who were not standing guard took advantage of the opportunity to grab a few more winks while Pupinski and Scopp were busy cooking up some hot chow. Shortly after noon, the men were awakened for chow call and they took turns eating and relieving the guards. After several days of eating nothing but cold and often frozen K and C rations, the hot meal was like a banquet. While the men were eating, the mail clerk, Pfc Don Carroll, came up with letters and packages that had accumulated for more than a week. Some received belated Christmas parcels containing homemade cookies and candy, which they readily shared with their buddies. What a treat it was to receive those parcels from home! Whenever Lowry received a package of cookies or home made fudge, the parcel always contained two or three pairs of heavy wool socks his mother knitted with olive drab yarn. He shared the cookies and candy, but not the socks which were far superior to the GI issue.

After chow, Lt. Arnest called the platoon leaders together and told them to have their men ready to move out at a moments notice. The Company would be committed to the attack early the next morning and they could expect to leave for the line of departure sometime that night. The CO had no idea where they were going or what to expect. The men had their hearts set on a few days of much needed rest but they were beginning to learn that warfare was full of disappointments. They were thankful for having slept for a few hours out of the foxholes. Each man made a final check on the operation of his rifle, drew extra bandoleers of ammunition and hand grenades, then hit the deck for a little more shut-eye. No one had the foggiest idea what Company A's mission was to be, however it really did not matter to the men as they were learning to live with confusion and sudden moves. After having fought one hell of a battle at a time when they were supposed to have been in Corps Reserve, against what was termed "a few hungry Germans," nothing could surprise them.

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY122 LES VOSGES -HILLS 403 AND 358 Like most troops on the front, the men of Company A knew very little about the general situation of the war in Europe. Since arriving on the Western Front, Company A had been mostly in a defensive posture. To them it appeared that the Germans were in control and calling all the shots. In reality, the Battle of The Bulge continued in an indecisive stage. With the First and Third Armies counterattacking to the northwest, the Germans no longer held the offensive initiative in that sector. In the immediate vicinity, the Germans held the initiative from Bitche to Haguenau. The desperately thin American lines were breached in several places and were pushed back five miles in the area of Wingen. The lines were continuously probed and infiltrated, and the real estate frequently changed hands. The rank and file on the front lines knew that things were not going well, but they had no idea of the real impact of The Battle of The Bulge and Operation Nordwind. They were too close to the forest to see the trees.

Shortly after dark, everyone was awakened for another chow call. One platoon at a time lined up on a dark street in Mulhausen with their mess gear and canteen cups. As each man finished eating, he hurried to relieve a sentry so that everyone would have an opportunity to grab some chow. Shortly after the last platoon passed through the chow line, the squad leaders were instructed to get their men on the road and prepare to move out. In the Army, everything is "hurry up and wait,” which certainly applied to the situation that night. The troops were on the street and ready to go at 2100 but it was midnight before trucks arrived to take them to their next destination. By that time the comforting effects of the hot meal had long since worn off and the men were chilled to the bone from sitting around for three hours in freezing weather on the cold cobble stone. There was an old army adage that said that when a guy joined the Army he gave up all rights except his right to "Bitch." That night on the streets of Mulhausen, the men exercised that sole right to the fullest extent.

While the men waited on the streets, the platoon leaders and platoon sergeants met with the CO for a final briefing before departure. Lt. Arnest oriented his officers and NCOs as to the situation that would confront the Company in the early morning. The Regiment was ordered to attack a designated area in Les Vosges mountains, block any enemy advances then clear the mountains of enemy troops. A report from S-2 suggested that there were only a few enemy soldiers holding the area and threatening to break out. They were short of supplies and probably ready to surrender. When the men heard that bit of intelligence, they burst forth with spontaneous expletives of disbelief. They could not help but recall the S-2 appraisal

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY123 LES VOSGES -HILLS 403 AND 358 of the situation at Wingen. No one believed what he heard, but each had something to say such as; "Not again!" or "Some Shit!." Pfc Joe Kufersin burst into song with "Seems to me I've heard that song before!"

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY124 LES VOSGES -HILLS 403 AND 358 Early in the morning of January 9, Company A was trucked from Mulhausen ten miles north to the town of Zinswiller (Map 8, pg. 124). Under cover of darkness, the Company went on foot about five miles northwest on the Zinswiller-Baerenthal Road to the line of departure. The unimproved mountain road was narrow and winding. The LD (line of departure) was a winding stretch of road about a quarter of a mile southeast of Obermuhlthal, a small hamlet situated in a very mountainous region of Les Vosges. The going was exceedingly slow and tough as the frozen compacted snow on the uneven road surface was very slippery. In the darkness, the men repeatedly slipped and lost their footing. When a man stumbled, he often caused several men behind him to collide, piercing the silence with a clash of steel helmets and rifle barrels.

After the "hurry-up and wait" routine and sitting around in the cold half the night, the Company was under extreme pressure to arrive at the LD before 0800 H- hour. They reached the designated assembly area with a mere fifteen minutes to spare, which was hardly enough time for the men to grab a quick K ration, put on a change of socks, and make a call of nature.

At daybreak, two companies of the First Battalion, 276th Infantry, were poised on the line of departure, Company A was on the left and Company C on the right. They were prepared to launch an attack westward into a dense forest. (Map 8, pg. 124). Companies B and D of the First Battalion were in reserve and would follow forward companies. The Second Battalion was to the left of Company A and units of the 275th Infantry were near the town of Baerenthal to the right of Company C. The units were widely spaced along the LD. There were several hundred yards between some companies.

At the first light of day and as "H-hour" approached, the men saw for the first time the nature of the terrain they had to traverse. On both sides of the winding road, the mountains rose precipitously and were covered with timber, dense underbrush, and a foot or more of snow. Jagged rocks protruded everywhere and the entire area appeared totally uninhabitable. Everyone wondered what in the hell Germans would be doing in a place such as that in the dead of winter, and why was it so damned important to sacrifice GI lives to go after them?. In their wildest imaginations, they could not conceive of anything in those mountains that could be worth fighting for. The men had visions of brass hats sitting around a table in a warm room, far from the battlefield, drinking hot coffee and brandy as they moved pawns on a map. The pawns representing companies of foot-slogging "dog face" infantrymen. That was

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY125 LES VOSGES - HILLS 403 AND 358 not the case, of course, but the GIs were not aware of the fact that the Germans were attempting to control the roads through Les Vosges to Zinswiller where they planned to break out into the Alsatian Plain with two awaiting panzer divisions. Like the situation at Wingen where the enemy had to be denied access to the mountain outlet at Saverne, they had to be denied an outlet at Zinswiller. One of the many unfortunate things about warfare is that the men at the front who endure the brunt of the fighting seldom know the reasons behind the orders passed down from higher authority. Theirs is not to reason why, but to do or die!

At exactly 0800, Company A started forward from the line of departure. Lt. Schollander's Second Platoon was on the left and T/Sgt Wagger's Third Platoon was on the right. Lt. Doenges' First Platoon and Lt. Jenkins' Weapons Platoon followed in support. Due to the precipitous terrain and a thick blanket of snow, the going was extremely slow and torturous. To make matters worse, everyone was still exhausted from the ordeal at Wingen. Hour after hour, in squad columns, the men climbed higher and deeper into the mountains. They could not keep their rifles in a ready position but had to sling them over their shoulders or across their backs as they needed their arms and hands free for climbing. That made for a very precarious situation in case of an ambush. The ruggedness of the terrain and the broad area that each company had to cover made it virtually impossible for the advancing companies to maintain contact with each other.

About ten that morning, the forward scouts observed disturbances and fresh footprints in the snow. The CO held up the advance while the scouts reconnoitered the area but they did not see any enemy troops. The pace became slower and slower, and at times the columns came to a near standstill. The men were hoping, that after not seeing any Wehrmacht soldiers, the seemingly stupid exercise in futility would soon be called off. In reality, they all knew that such good luck was not coming their way and that they were only dreaming. Shortly before noon, after four hours of trudging through the forest and in and out of ravines, Company A reached its first objective. The men were beginning to believe that they were on a wild goose chase. Then they heard the unmistakable sounds of small arms fire emanating from their right rear (northeast). That was a strong indication that Company C was engaged in a firefight somewhere in the area of the village of Obermuhlthal. If that were the case, Company A was well out in front of Company C and Company A's right flank was fully exposed. To make a bad situation worse, the CO was not able to contact Company C on the radio. Having received no orders to the contrary, Lt. Arnest

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY126 LES VOSGES - HILLS 403 AND 358 Les Vosges Mountains, January 1945 during “Operation Nordwind.” Infantry moving out from the line of departure under gray skies in sub-zero weather. (Photo by Garstki) ordered the Company to continue toward its next objective that was further west into the mountains.

In the early afternoon, Armstrong, who was rear security for the First Platoon, observed three enemy soldiers pass behind the Company. They were moving in a southerly direction and they appeared surprised at seeing GI footprints in the snow. They paused for a moment, eyeballed the area, then continued south. Armstrong decided against opening fire and hurried forward to alert Lt. Doenges, who in turn sent a runner to pass the word to the Company Commander. He told Armstrong to return to the rear and keep a sharp lookout for more Germans. Lt. Arnest opted to keep the Company slowly moving forward and cautioned the platoon leaders to watch their flanks.

An hour later, the Second Platoon scouts reported enemy soldiers to their front and immediately the forward platoons spread out and took cover in depressions and behind rocks and trees. Company A faced what might be a large patrol of twenty- five to thirty enemy troops. The Germans were deployed in a densely wooded area

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY127 LES VOSGES - HILLS 403 AND 358 on the opposite side of a small clearing and were wearing white parkas, which made it very difficult to pick them out in the snow covered terrain. For a few seconds neither the GIs nor the Germans fired a shot and for a moment it appeared as though each side was waiting for the other to open fire. Two enemy soldiers came out of the woods and one was waving what appeared to be a white flag. Apparently they wanted to negotiate, possibly surrender or demand that the GIs surrender, then suddenly a shot rang out and the battle was on. Lt. Donald Schollander made a dash out to his forward scouts who were about twelve yards ahead of the riflemen and was hit point blank by enemy rifle fire. His men knew that he was badly wounded or dead because he never made a move after he fell. Bullets and machine gun tracers came at the Second and Third Platoons from everywhere in the forest ahead. Splinters, chunks of bark, snow, dirt and rocks sprayed into the men's faces as the enemy fire poured in. The German infantrymen in their white parkas blended well with the white terrain, which made it most difficult for the GIs to find their targets. Occasionally, the men emptied clips of ammunition into areas where they thought the enemy might be or where they saw any movement. The weather continued to be extremely cold and some of the M-1 rifles were frozen and had to be hand operated.

Two well-concealed enemy machine guns commenced firing from across a clearing. The clearing made it difficult for the riflemen to get close enough to silence the guns with hand grenades and rifle fire alone was not doing the job. The dense woods made it difficult to launch rifle grenades into the machine gun positions as the grenades were deflected from their targets by overhanging trees. Lt. Jenkins and S/Sgt. Jud Harmon maneuvered one machine gun squad up close to the edge of the clearing to bolster the riflemen's fire power but the gunners were at a disadvantage in not being dug in. Meanwhile the enemy machine guns kept one squad of the Second Platoon and all of the Third Platoon pinned down. Armstrong, who up to that time was securing the rear of the Company, slipped around the left flank of the Second Platoon to do a little scouting of his own. He crawled within ten yards of the left gun position without being detected and got off three or four carefully aimed shots at the gunners. The machine gun went out of action, then Armstrong quickly got out of there before the enemy figured out where the shots came from. The fierce fighting raged for three hours and it began to look like a shootout to see who would be the first to run out of ammunition. Finally, one by one the enemy began to slowly move back and disengage themselves from the firefight. To make sure that the Germans were not falling back in preparation for a counterattack, Lt. Arnest ordered Lt. "Dog Ears" Doenges to move the First Platoon through the Second and Third Platoons and attack the retreating Wehrmacht. Simultaneously S/Sgt. Russ Causey

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY128 LES VOSGES - HILLS 403 AND 358 moved his mortar squads up to the edge of the clearing that separated the GIs from the Germans. From that position, the mortar gunners started lobbing 60mm mortar shells over the heads of Doenges' riflemen. The Second and Third Platoons were ordered to hold fast to their positions in the event the First Platoon met a counterat- tack and was forced to fall back. The enemy eventually fell back into the mountains, leaving behind several dead and four wounded. Company A riflemen took twelve prisoners including the wounded Germans. Lt. Donald Schollander laid in the snow the entire time that the exchange of fire took place. It was not until the first Platoon made its move to go through the Second and Third Platoons that anyone could get near him. He was unconscious and nearly frozen to death when "Red" Shelander and Lowry tried to help him. They took an overcoat from a prisoner and were starting to make a stretcher when they noticed that the Germans were using a litter to carry one of their own wounded. In short order, the wounded German was on the improvised stretcher and Don Schollander was on the real thing.

When the fighting in the woods subsided, the men quickly regrouped, secured the area and set up temporary defensive positions. They took care of the wounded and scouted the immediate vicinity for any enemy troops that may have remained. It was incredible that after a three hour exchange of small arms fire, Company A suffered only three casualties. The GIs wanted to think that they learned their survival lesson well at Wingen. The two riflemen were not seriously wounded, but Lt. Schollander was in very grave condition, having been shot in the stomach and appeared to be bleeding internally. The bitter cold was not helping his condition.

Since midmorning, the Company had no physical nor radio contact with the units on either flank. Sometime after the encounter with the Germans began, the CO also lost radio contact with Battalion Headquarters due to weak batteries and mountainous terrain. Company A was virtually isolated in the rugged Vosges mountains. Its officers had no way of knowing how many enemy troops were in the area and where they might be deployed. Lt. Arnest was not sure of the Company's precise position, but after he and the other officers studied a crude topographical map, they concluded that the Company was on the lower slope of a hill designated as "Hill 403."

As darkness began to set in, the CO ordered the men to form a perimeter defense, dig in, and stay doubly alert. He established the forward CP in the small clearing next to a huge boulder that offered some protection from the north. Like the situation at Wingen, the tired troops once again found themselves attempting to dig

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY129 LES VOSGES - HILLS 403 AND 358 foxholes in frozen earth. In those hills, they also had sizeable rocks and roots to impede their progress. The platoon leaders told their men to go easy on the rations, water, rifle ammunition, and grenades until it was determined how and when more supplies would reach the Company. It was not difficult to conserve water because there was none to worry about. The canteens had been frozen solid since early in the morning. The rifle platoons established outpost positions on all sides of the company perimeter so that the men would detect enemy patrols before they could get in close. From time to time, they took a breather from the digging to check out their rifles and remove their boots to massage their painfully cold feet. The temperature was ten degrees below zero.

Lt. Arnest dispatched two patrols, one to the north and one to the south. Their missions were to make contact with Company C on the right and Second Battalion on the left. The patrols were out more than an hour but they were unable to find either unit. A platoon runner, Pfc Millis Griffey, volunteered to go out alone and attempt to locate Company C. He felt that one man alone could move faster than a patrol and had a better chance of avoiding the enemy. Griffey took off in the direction of Obermuhlthal and two hours later he located a Company C outpost south of the village. When he was challenged, he had a tough time convincing the "Charlie" Company men that he too, was an American soldier from "Able" Company. They were very suspicious of anyone approaching their outpost from the west, which they considered "Jerryland." Finally they let him through, gave him the password and showed him the way to their CP. The CO, Captain Greenwalt, was relieved to learn the location of Company A, but he appeared concerned that there was such a great distance between the two companies. He told Griffey that earlier in the afternoon, Company C had encountered severe enemy opposition in and around Obermuhlthal. That prevented his company from taking the town and getting to their planned objective on schedule. It would be sometime the following day before Company C could move up abreast of Company A. Griffey also learned that Company B was in its reserve position about a quarter of a mile south of the town. Captain Greenwalt made radio contact with Major Edward Joyce at Battalion HQ and obtained orders for Griffey to relay to Lt. Arnest. After accomplishing his mission, Griffey made his way back to the Company positions in little more than an hour. He reported the locations of Companies B and C and the orders from Battalion to Lt. Arnest. Griffey's message confirmed Lt. Arnest's suspicion that Company A was virtually isolated nearly a mile ahead of the rest of the battalion and was exposed on all sides. Company A's orders were to hold its present position until the units on either flank moved up on line.

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY130 LES VOSGES - HILLS 403 AND 358 Shortly after Griffey set out to locate Company C, Lt. Arnest ordered T/Sgt. Galloway to organize a patrol from the Second Platoon to go out and locate the Battalion CP, secure ammunition, rations and batteries and also get Lt. Schollander and the other wounded men to an aid station. Galloway picked S/Sgt. Arnold "Red" Shelander to lead the patrol and "Red" in turn detailed Haller, Ledoux, Bambrick and Lowry. They took the prisoners for litter bearers and moved out at once. With the prisoners, two walking wounded GIs, and Lt. Schollander; the men spent four hours in the darkness making their way through the mountains to the CP. Haller warned the prisoners carrying the litter bearing Lt. Schollander that if they dropped him or harmed him in any way, they would be shot. He spoke their language fluently and had no trouble at all in getting the message across. Haller, Bambrick and Ledoux spent most of the time with the wounded men and watching the prisoners while Shelander and Lowry went ahead to scout out the route. The going was extremely rough and very slow, and the temperature that night was well below zero Fahrenheit. The GIs were exhausted after the previous twenty-four hours of marching, climbing through the woods, and fighting. They had no idea where the enemy might be located so they had to be constantly on the alert for a possible ambush. Worse yet, they really did not know for sure where they were heading or what they would find when they got there. The First Battalion CP was supposed to have moved up to Obermuhlthal, but the men in the patrol did not know if the move was actually made. They expected that eventually they would encounter elements of a reserve company by attempting to follow the same route that the Company took in getting into the mountains. Finding their direction back was very difficult as nothing appeared the same at night as it did during the daylight hours. Neither "Red" Shelander nor his men had any idea that Company A was isolated far ahead of the rest of the battalion. As a result, they became quite uneasy and frustrated when they did not contact any of the other units while hopefully moving in the direction of the rear. The patrol would have been difficult enough, but caring for the wounded men and guarding the prisoners in the darkness did not make it any easier.

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While Shelander’s detail slowly made their way through the snow and brush, the Company was busy making preparations for a possible enemy counterattack. They strengthened their perimeter positions and improved their fields of fire so that every possible approach to the company area was covered by interlocking fields of fire. In the event of a counterattack, the Company could expect no help as there were no friendly units in the immediate vicinity.

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY131 LES VOSGES - HILLS 403 AND 358 When the positions were in place and the men were dug in, they took turns at trying to get a little sleep during that long, cold, miserable and restless night. They were all nearly frozen and exhausted as they had been unable to get much sleep after the fighting at Wingen. Their canteens were frozen, as was the meat and vegetable hash in the K and C rations. Their hands were cold and numb making it was extremely difficult to load rifles, open rations, or pull pins from hand grenades. A man could not button or unbutton his pockets or fly, so once they were opened, they generally remained that way. Wet and cold feet continued to be one of the men's biggest concerns and they required constant attention to prevent frost bite and trench foot. One did not linger while making a call of nature for fear of literally getting his ass frozen. That below zero weather showed absolutely no mercy on a bare rear-end. The men were not only attempting to fight a war but were endeavoring to survive the elements in what was reported to be Europe's coldest and most severe winter in fifty years. Not since Washington's Army suffered the harsh winter at Valley Forge, had American soldiers had to fight in such brutal weather. For several days, the temperature in that part of Les Vosges mountains remained between zero and ten below. If there was any consolation, the Germans in those mountains had to be just as cold as the GIs. In spite of the bitter cold, German patrols continued to be active at night.

Just before daybreak, a German patrol attacked an outpost in the First Platoon sector of the company perimeter defenses. A German threw a potato masher grenade into the foxhole occupied by BAR man, Pfc Connon Clements. Clements, not yet being ready to die, retrieved the grenade and in a split second threw it back to the Germans. He opened fire with his BAR while he sprayed the area, he shouted, "You bastards can't kill me!" The explosion of their own grenade in their midst and the firepower of Clement's BAR encouraged the intruders to depart post haste.

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About two in the morning, Red Shelander and the patrol were nearing the last ridge before reaching Obermuhlthal when they heard the sounds of shovels digging in stony earth. The big question was, were they friend or foe? With the wounded officer and the German prisoners to look after, the men were in no position to get into a firefight. Haller and Ledoux kept guard over the prisoners and Bambrick looked after the wounded lieutenant while Shelander and Lowry went forward to reconnoiter the area. They prayed hard that they would encounter GIs and not Germans. After getting as close as possible to the sounds and listening for a minute or two, "Red"

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY132 LES VOSGES - HILLS 403 AND 358 whispered, "They gotta be Americans, Krauts are too smart to make that damn much noise." The men were in constant fear that the prisoners would cry out or make some effort to give them away, but Haller managed to convinced them in their own language that if they made any movement or noise, they would be the first ones to die. As Shelander and Lowry attempted to get closer to the source of the digging, they were challenged in English by sentries from the 275th Infantry Regiment. They thanked God that the sentries did not fire on the patrol before they challenged them. It took some doing to satisfy the sentries that they were American GIs and not Germans. Not knowing the password for that day made for a lot of fast explaining in good unmistakable GI English laced with colorful phrases that only an American soldier could use. Once they were satisfied that "Red" and his men were not enemy soldiers, the sentries let the patrol with their wounded officer and prisoners pass through. A runner led the patrol to the nearest bivouac area and CP, which was about three hundred yards away. At the CP, a lieutenant provided a jeep and driver to take Schollander to an aid station. As soon as the litter was placed on the jeep, the lieutenant took his last breath. One of the Germans placed his ear to Lt. Schollander's chest, then told Haller that he was dead. Company A lost another competent and well respected young leader. He remained unconscious from the time he was wounded on Hill 403 until he died in the remote Vosges mountains of France. Silently, the GIs bid farewell to their lieutenant and continued on their mission. The two wounded men were left at the CP to be taken to an aid station. Their next chore was finding an outfit that would take the German prisoners off their hands. They were told that Americans were in Obermuhlthal and that was where they would probably locate their battalion CP.

The patrol made its way to Obermuhlthal and First Battalion Headquarters without incident. The first thing they did was get their prisoners to a temporary stockade, then report to 1st/Sgt. Palacio at Company A's rear CP. There they got some hot coffee, changed their socks and rested for a couple of hours. After that, they made their way back to the forward CP with as many rations and as much ammuni- tion as they could carry. Since Obermuhlthal was in GI hands, the route back to the Company was shorter and less arduous than the trip through the mountains. After looking at a map, the men decided to follow an unimproved road that ran west from Obermuhlthal for about a mile. From there they turned south and continued for five- hundred yards across a snow covered valley, then went west up the mountain to where the company was dug in. It took the patrol nearly two hours to get back as they had to pass through some enemy held territory. It was so cold that the lower parts of their long overcoats were frozen stiff as boards. When they attempted to run

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY133 LES VOSGES - HILLS 403 AND 358 across five-hundred yards of open valley, the frozen front of the coats literally pounded at their knees. If it were not for four layers of clothing, their knees would probably have been badly bruised. Dog tired and ready to collapse, they reached the Company forward CP about ten that morning. They gave Lt. Arnest the radio batteries, put the ammunition and K rations on the ground, then dropped in the snow. Most of the Company had already taken off on patrols into the mountains.

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Forward positions in Les Vosges Mountains during Operation Nordwind, January 1945 (Photo by Garstki) At first light on January 10, the 276th Infantry line companies resumed the attack along the regimental sector of the front. Since Company A was already well ahead of the units on either side, its mission that day was to hold its present position and reestablish contact with the units on either flank. The CO was also ordered to dispatch patrols into the mountains to determine the location and strength of the enemy. Meanwhile, Company C on the right and Second Battalion on the left would continue to advance westward and straighten out the line.

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY134 LES VOSGES - HILLS 403 AND 358 At 0900, Lt. Arnest sent The First and Third Platoons into the mountains to the west and southeast. Their missions were to reconnoiter the area, seek out enemy positions and watch for Second Battalion units. The Second Platoon and a mortar squad manned the defensive positions around the company perimeter and engaged in active patrolling to the northeast to prevent enemy forces from infiltrating through the gap that existed between Companies A and C. While they did not succeed in contacting the flanking units, they had no difficulty in finding the enemy.

The Third Platoon with a machine gun squad and a mortar squad set out to the northwest through the dense forest. The men moved slowly and searched the area for signs of the enemy, but found no tracks in the foot or more of snow that blanketed the forest. After an hour of trudging through the snow and rocks, they heard the unmistakable whining sound of "incoming mail." Heavy concentrations of artillery fire from German 105s descended on Wagger's platoon. The men spread out and crawled into every hollow and depression in the ground that was in sight. Many of the detonations were tree bursts that were more deadly than ground explosions because splinters and jagged chunks of wood propelled earthward with the shrapnel and concussion. That made it virtually impossible to find cover. When the shelling abated, the men got on their feet and started to move forward again. They advanced about a hundred yards when German machine guns from well-placed positions sprayed the area. In spite of the enemy artillery and machine guns, the Third Platoon kept pushing ahead to get out from under the artillery bursts. By outflanking the enemy positions, the GIs were able to root out some of the Germans, but not for long. When a second barrage of devastating artillery came in, the enemy quickly regrouped, counterattacked and forced the Third Platoon to fall back to the company perimeter defense. Some of the men were wounded and could not walk on their own. The most serious casualty was Pvt. James Hamlin, a machine gunner who took shrapnel in the shoulder and arm. The wounded men were in a lot of pain but the Company had no medics nor morphine. All anyone could do was apply sulfa powder and bandages from the first aid packets and hope for early evacuation. The sulfa may have helped prevent infection but it did nothing to ease the pain.

Meanwhile, Lt. Doenges took the First Platoon west up the lower slope of a mountain designated as "Hill 403." A machine gun squad and a mortar squad from the Weapons Platoon accompanied them. The terrain was rocky, heavily forested and blanketed with a foot of snow. Pfc Dave Pierotti, the first scout, stayed between fifty and one hundred yards ahead of the Platoon. They encountered no enemy until they reached a clearing at the top of a rise where the slope leveled out. The scouts

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY135 LES VOSGES - HILLS 403 AND 358 reported fresh boot prints in the snow, but they neither saw nor heard any enemy soldiers but they knew that they were there. Brewer told the men to spread out and take cover while the scouts reconnoitered the area. Armstrong circled behind the clearing and discovered a machine gun position directly in the path of the platoon. It was a perfect setup for an ambush. He fired all eight rounds at the gunners then returned to the patrol. The First Squad, led by S/Sgt. Leon Uczynski, followed Armstrong's foot tracks to the enemy machine gun site, where they found two dead and two wounded Germans. They also discovered sixteen partially dug foxholes, packs, helmets, rifles and belts. Some Germans tried to reclaim their positions and arms, but they were taken by surprise when Doenges' men attacked from the front and the right flank. That persuaded all but three who were captured, to beat a hasty retreat back into the hills.

The Platoon cautiously moved forward when suddenly the men came under intense rifle and machine gun fire. They faced a counterattack by at least a company of enemy troops. The German soldiers came darting through the trees, from behind boulders, and around snowdrifts. They came from everywhere. The men took cover wherever they could find it. They fired at the oncoming enemy from behind rocks, logs, trees, in holes and in depressions in the ground. Because it was fruitless for one platoon to continue the probing action against such odds, Lt. Doenges ordered the men to fall back.

Sgt. Slover, while leading a squad up Hill 403 on the right flank of the First Platoon, went over a ridge and started down the forward slope. At that point he encountered more Germans than he ever cared to see. As the Germans counterat- tacked with small arms and automatic weapons, Slover got the word from Lt. Doenges to withdraw. He ordered his men to move back and take cover on the reverse slope of the hill while he kept the enemy occupied. While firing at the enemy and getting his men over the crest of the hill, he suddenly found that he and his BAR Man, Jimmy Piper, were alone and pinned down. Each took his turn firing and falling back until both Slover and Piper were back on the reverse slope with the rest of the squad. Piper made it back a little bruised but a German rifleman got Slover in the left arm and put him out of action. All he had to say in his even tempered mild mannered way was: "that damned German must have been a lousy shot to only hit me in the arm." Radioman Pfc James Blume was behind the prisoners coming off the hill and was killed by a potato masher that exploded at his feet. Not one German prisoner was injured by that blast. As the First Platoon was withdrawing down the lower slope of Hill 403, the Germans brought in their artillery. Shells were bursting

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY136 LES VOSGES - HILLS 403 AND 358 everywhere, in the air and on the ground. The Germans enjoyed excellent support from their artillery batteries, which displayed fantastic accuracy in laying in shells that exploded directly over the heads of the GIs and claimed more casualties. There was no way to take cover from the tree bursts that came directly down and could reach to the bottoms of any hole or depression. Shrapnel from one tree burst struck the Weapons Platoon Sergeant, S/Sgt. Russell Causey, cutting through his boot and into his foot. Sgt. Randal McGuire, one of Causey's Mortar Squad Leaders was also wounded in the barrage. He was unconscious when he was taken from Hill 403, and did not wake up until the next day when he was in a 179th Infantry Aid Station. The barrage followed the men most of the way down the hill to the Company perimeter. When they were down from Hill 403, the men were relieved to find that the German shells were not hitting the area of the forward CP.

The GIs were not up against a small group of weary, hungry Wehrmacht, willing to surrender but, once again, a force much larger than S-2 led them to believe. Company A could ill afford to lose many more men and remain an effective fighting unit. The men also grew increasingly concerned that they were going to have one hell of a time ever getting their wounded men out of those mountains. Clearly the Germans were not going to give up any more real estate without extracting a heavy price in American blood. "Why in the hell?" they asked, "were those damned godforsaken mountains so all important to lose so many lives over?" As indicated earlier, the men on the firing line were not privy to the “big picture” nor the reasons why.

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Earlier in the day, when "Red" Shelander's patrol returned from Obermuhlthal with the ammunition and rations, he and his men hoped that they could grab a little rest at the forward CP. They were dead tired after their long overnight ordeal in the mountains. They were only back about a half hour when Lt. Arnest decided to send another patrol to Obermuhlthal for more ammunition and rations. Sgt. Francis "Andy" Devine was chosen to lead the patrol and Lowry was sent as the Scout because he had been through the mountains and probably knew the way better than anyone else. Lowry guided that six-man patrol down the mountain, then across the snow covered valley, following the same trail in the snow that he made earlier that morning. The patrol crossed the valley as fast as they could move through the foot or more of snow, then climbed up on the roadbed and got next to the steep bank where they would be out of sight of the enemy in the mountains. The enemy had

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY137 LES VOSGES - HILLS 403 AND 358 plenty of time to establish a road block since Shelander’s patrol got through earlier; however, they encountered neither road blocks nor mines.

Devine’s patrol made its way to Obermuhlthal and to the Battalion CP where the men drew as much ammunition, grenades and rations as they could carry. At Company A’s CP, S/Sgt. Pupinski had a pleasant surprise awaiting them. He had prepared a hot meal for the Company and had four huge cooking kettles ready to go. One contained creamed turkey, another beets, another toast and one was filled with hot coffee. All the men had to do was get the chow up to the Company. Sgt. Skopp, the 1st Cook, rounded up a few men including Pfc John Welte and his jeep. The kettles of chow and the ammunition were loaded on the jeep and trailer and the small group got on it's way. The scout led off and remained about a hundred yards ahead of the men and the jeep. They slowly and cautiously went along the winding road to a point four hundred yards from where they would have to cross the valley. That was as far as Welte dared take the jeep and trailer. From there on, the road was exposed to possible enemy positions and the men did not want to become targets any sooner than necessary. The fact that they made it down to the CP without being detected, was no assurance that they could make it back. Lowry calculated that if they stayed on the right side of the road near the mountain, they could make it to the crossing point without being seen. There was no likelihood that the jeep could cross the valley in the deep snow without getting hung up on rocks or getting stuck in a snow drift, so there was no point in bringing it any further. The jeeps were damn good little vehicles and could traverse some really rugged terrain, but that valley could have been too much. If they were to get stuck or hung up out there in the open, the Germans would have a field day blowing it and everyone around it to hell.

With dozens of bandoleers and bags of grenades hung over their shoulders, each man grabbed a kettle handle and the group moved up the road. When they reached the point where they were to cross the valley, the men quickly got off the road and climbed down from the road bed. When everyone was off the road, they started to cross the valley. Lowry and Scopp, carrying a kettle of beets, led the way. Sgt. Devine remained at the rear of the column to keep the men moving. To make the going less difficult through the deep snow, Lowry followed the same tracks that he and others had used twice before. Trying to cross the five-hundred yards in a foot of snow, loaded down with bandoleers, grenades and chow, took every ounce of strength that the men had. They slipped and stumbled in the deep snow, and it seemed as though they would never make it to the other side without spilling their precious loads. They thought they had it made as they crossed a small stream more

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY138 LES VOSGES - HILLS 403 AND 358 than half way across the valley. Suddenly the Germans in the mountains to their right rear began firing at them with rifles and machine guns. There was no protective cover in the open field and the men were too loaded down with ammunition, supplies and chow, to use their weapons. They had no choice but to keep plodding forward as fast as they were able. To lie down in the snow would only make them stationary targets and a shooting gallery for the enemy. Their only other option was to abandon their loads and make a run for it, but somehow that alternative was never considered. Every time that someone slowed or stopped, Devine or Lowry shouted: "Get the lead out of your ass and keep going; we don't want to die before chow!" They knew that the Germans had artillery in the hills and would soon be using it. At first they received only rifle and machine gun fire, which fortunately was not very accurate at that great distance. But it was only a matter of minutes before the artillery shells came crashing in, making black craters in the snow while machine gun tracers were everywhere.

Soon they heard machine gun fire from their front but it was friendly fire as Lt. Jenkins' Weapons Platoon had gone into action. S/Sgt. Jud Harmon, the MG Section Leader, had both of his light machine guns firing at the Nazi positions on the other side of the valley. Shelander and Haller with a detail from the Second Platoon were also laying down rifle and BAR fire at the enemy across the valley. Skopp and Lowry were carrying a large kettle of beats and each time they stumbled, beat juice spilled and left red stains in the snow that looked like blood. They left a trail of red stains half way across the valley. It finally occurred to them that they could lighten their load if they drained the liquid from the kettle. When some men further behind them saw the red stains in the snow, they were sure that somebody up ahead was hit and losing a lot of blood. That served to unnerve them but good. What seemed like an eternity, the totally exhausted GIs, amid a hail of machine gun fire and artillery bursts, finally made it across the great white expanse.

As they approached the edge of the woods and started up the rocky embank- ment, they saw Lt. Jenkins standing near a large boulder, waving his carbine. He was laughing so hard that his helmet fell off and rolled down the hill into the snow, rocks and brush. Skopp, who was under fire for the first time, demanded to know: "What the hell was so damned funny?" The lieutenant gesturing with his thumb and finger spread about four inches apart yelled back: "You, your face is as white as the snow; what are you scared of? They're missing you by this much!” At that point in time Scopp failed to see any humor in the lieutenant's remarks, but it did bring on a few chuckles from the guys on the hill. It was the first laugh they had in a week. Most

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY139 LES VOSGES - HILLS 403 AND 358 of the tracers went a little higher, perhaps about two or three feet over their heads but that was damn close enough. In the confusion and gunfire that took place, Lt. Jenkins did not retrieve his helmet. After the men with their ammo and chow reached cover in the forest, the German fire subsided. The men safely crossed the valley through a rain of lead and shrapnel without losing any food or ammunition, but Sgt. "Andy" Devine got a nasty shrapnel wound in the shoulder and had to be evacuated that night.

At long last, it was chow time for the weary, battle-torn, famished company. After several days of confusion and combat, many men lost their mess gear and had to share with others. Some merely scooped the creamed turkey over the dry hard toast and ate it in their hands. Others piled the beets on top of the toast and turkey and tackled it that way. Some men tried to think of that meal of creamed turkey as their belated Christmas dinner. The food had been off the field stoves for over two hours and was barely warm, but the men thought that it was great in that sub-zero weather. The coffee was cold but no one complained. It beat the hell out of frozen C rations and eating snow for liquid. There was more than enough chow, but somehow the men were unable to eat as much as they thought they could. They all surmised that their stomachs had shrunk from the lack of regular meals and from the frequent attacks of dysentery. It was not until most of the men had helped themselves to the food, that Armstrong discovered bullet holes in two kettles, including the one with the beets. That discovery again caused the blood to drain from Scopp's face.

After dark, Scopp, his crew and the dozen wounded men, including Devine, Causey, Slover, McGuire and Hamlin, returned to the rear CP. Silently, they made their way out by following the same route as they were led in, but without encounter- ing enemy fire. Before leaving, Sgt. Slover took off his helmet and gave it to Lt. Jenkins saying "Here, take this and hang on to it, I won't need it anymore and I'm sure you will."

Under a tight ring of security, the men spent the remainder of the evening caring for their near frozen feet, cleaning their weapons, improving their positions, pulling sentry duty, and trying to stay as warm as they could by huddling together. In that below zero temperature, one had to constantly keep moving his feet and limbs and rubbing his hands to prevent frostbite and freezing. That precluded everyone from getting any real sleep and left the men more exhausted than ever. No one could sleep much more than an hour at a time for fear of freezing to death. During the night they also had to be on constant alert for enemy patrols. They definitely did not

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY140 LES VOSGES - HILLS 403 AND 358 want a repeat of Clements' experience of that morning, as everyone was aware that the Company was surrounded by enemy.

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Earlier that day, the men belatedly learned from Scopp of the outrageous Nazi atrocity that took place at Malmady, Belgium. There, SS guards marched more than a hundred unarmed GI prisoners to a clearing in the forest and machine-gunned them to death in cold blood. While the men stood in the clearing, thinking that they were going to be transported to a POW camp, the Nazi SS deliberately slaughtered them with close range machine gun fire. It was pure calculated, unadulterated murder, not the result of action in the heat of battle. Some Americans attempted to run for cover in the forest, some fell and attempted to play dead, but nearly all were slain. Those who were not killed outright were systematically shot to death where they lay wounded in the snow. Miraculously, a few played dead and escaped through the forest and made their way to American lines to tell the story. In no time at all, word spread all over the Western Front about the appalling massacre at Malmady. It was a terrible tragedy for the American prisoners, and stupid savagery on the part of the Nazis. Since the GIs at the front had no way of knowing whether that incident was an isolated occurrence or was a routine practice of the SS, no American soldier was going to surrender while he was still able to draw a breath. News of the slaughter made the men madder than hell and more determined than ever to fight all the harder to destroy the enemy. Many that heard about the executions avowed that they would die fighting before they would let the Germans take them as prisoners. They swore that if they were going to die, they would take as many Germans with them as possible, and not die at the hands of Nazi executioners. Fortunately, there were no other reports of such incidents involving American prisoners, but nevertheless the damage was done and the event was not forgotten, even to the end of the war.

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The morning of January 11, as dawn came through the fog and snow flurries, the Company with fixed bayonets prepared to resume its attack on Hill 403. Lt. Doenges’ First Platoon and T/Sgt Wagger’s Third Platoon formed a skirmish line and the few remaining men of the Second Platoon followed in support. Following the same procedure as the day before, one machine gun squad and one mortar squad was attached to each of the forward platoons. The going was incredibly rough on the slick snow covered slope and often a man would lose his footing and stumble.

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY141 LES VOSGES - HILLS 403 AND 358 Frequently, it was necessary to pull oneself up by clinging to pine boughs and protruding rocks. When the fog cleared and the snow flurries stopped that morning, it seemed to the men that the frigid weather was more severe than ever. It was later reported by Donald C. Pence in Ordeal in the Vosges that the temperature that day, January 11, was between -13 and -6 degrees Fahrenheit.

As the scouts approached the clearing where the firefight took place the day before, the First and Third Platoons encountered intense automatic weapon fire and became locked in a bloody stalemate. The First Squad was pinned down and could not move without attracting the attention of the enemy who practically had them in their sights. It was then that the Germans threw in the artillery barrage with deadly accuracy and wiped out most of the men in the squad. Laylen McGriff, Connon Clements and several others were wounded or killed. Lloyd Patterson was unscratched because he was pinned down too far forward for the German shell bursts to get him, he was in a depression where the enemy machine gun could not reach him, and as he put it "saved by the fact that I am not an atheist." Simultaneously, barrages started striking the treetops behind the Company, and slowly moved up to where the men were deployed. To deliver artillery fire with such deadly accuracy, the German FO (forward artillery observer) had to be looking down the throats of the advancing GIs. As Lloyd Patterson later commented: "The men of Company A were soon convinced that German gunners could literally shoot the buttons off a man’s jacket." The men took cover behind rocks and trees, which provided some protection from the machine gun and small arms fire but afforded no protection from the deadly tree bursts. Lt. Arnest ordered both platoons to attack and drive the Germans back so that they could move forward enough to get out from under the bursting artillery shells. As they pressed forward, the casualties mounted rapidly. Wounded and dead were everywhere. Then he ordered the Second Platoon to swing around and hit the enemy from the right flank.

By then, the Second Platoon had little more than the strength of a squad. The only men that remained were M/Sgt. Wait, S/Sgt. Shelander, Sgt. Haller, Frank Lowry, Bryan Ledoux, Don Dubois, Gene Bambrick, Ed Skalitzsky, Otis Brown, Harold Jaros, George Sheeley, Steve Yannias and a few others, no more than fifteen in all. The others were dead, wounded or missing. The platoon sergeant was ineffec- tive and suffering from battle fatigue so the responsibility of leading the Platoon passed to M/Sgt. Neal Waite. Waite had not been with the Company long and had very little training in infantry tactics but he was a good leader and commanded

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY142 LES VOSGES - HILLS 403 AND 358 respect. He sought out and listened to the advice of the other sergeants who were his junior. That day in Les Vosges he relied heavily on Shelander.

Waite sent Lowry forward to reconnoiter the area, then ordered the Second Platoon to follow the scout up the hill around the right flank of the Company. They then cut sharply left toward the sound of the rapid firing enemy machine gun. They crawled through the rocks and snow until the scout was within forty yards of the German positions. He signaled M/Sgt. Waite who then brought the Second Platoon up on line with the scout. While the German gunners were occupied keeping the First and Third Platoons pinned down, Waite's men attacked and knocked out the first machine gun, then moved closer to the other enemy positions. The Germans apparently were not expecting nor were they prepared to be hit from the flank and were obviously taken by surprise when the Second Platoon hit them hard with rifle fire and grenades. The First and Third Platoons immediately pressed ahead and overran the German positions. Company A was finally successful in driving the Germans back and capturing its objective, Hill 403. As the troops moved forward on Hill 403, they got out from under the artillery fire that was then exploding harmlessly on the hill to their rear.

In taking Hill 403, the men of Company A captured several more prisoners. On interrogating them, the men learned a little about the enemy troops that made up their opposition. They were facing formations of their foes at Wingen, the 6th SS Mountain Division, but mostly Wehrmacht troops (Regular German Army)of the 256th Volks-Grenadier Division. Some Wehrmacht prisoners were quick to tell their captors that they were not Nazis nor Germans. Some claimed to be Polish who were conscripted into the German Army and forced to fight for Hitler's Third Reich. The latter appeared relieved to be out of the war and did not attempt to escape. Neverthe- less, immediately before their capture they were armed, wore German uniforms and shot at American GIs. Consequently they were given the same treatment that was given to all other German prisoners.

With the capture of Hill 403, the Company prepared to move on to its next objective, Hill 358, which was further into the mountains. Lt. Arnest assembled the platoon leaders and senior NCOs (Lt. Doenges, Lt. Jenkins, M/Sgt. Neal Waite, T/Sgt. Harold Wagger, S/Sgt. Dan Jury, S/Sgt Jud Harmon and S/Sgt Red Shelander) and showed them a map of the area. He pointed out what he thought was the location of Company A and where he thought the Germans would make a stand on Hill 358. He told them that he would call for artillery preparation before they jumped off and

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY143 LES VOSGES - HILLS 403 AND 358 showed them on the map where he would direct the fire, then he called the coordinates to Battalion. There was no Field Artillery FO on the mountain to verify the coordinates and call for two or three rounds before firing for effect. That was probably due to Task Force Herren not having its own artillery and having to depend on the 45th Infantry Division for artillery support. In a very few moments incoming mail descended on Company A, and sent everybody scrambling for cover. At first the men thought that they were receiving German 88s, but by then the platoon leaders knew better. It was a total SNAFU. The shelling was so accurate that no one could hear the projectiles coming before they burst in the trees. It took several minutes for Lt. Arnest to call off the artillery that had successfully zeroed in on the wrong mountain, but not before more Company A men were wounded by the "friendly fire." Everyone that was able, got the hell out of there and started toward the Company's next objective -- Hill 358. The attack got underway sooner than Lt. Arnest had expected and without artillery preparation. (In a letter to the author forty-five years later Dan Jury stated that at the time he had some second thoughts about the coordinates that were used by Arnest and he thought maybe he was directing the artillery to the wrong hill.) To misread a topographical map of an area where there were no identifiable terrain features nor landmarks was very easy to do.

The Company formed a skirmish line and started to move up the slope of the hill. All three rifle platoons were committed to the attack. The Second Platoon was on the right, the First Platoon was in the center and the Third Platoon was on the left. The Weapons Platoon continued to support the rifle platoons, while one mortar squad provided security at the Company CP. Forward scouts, Lowry, Leija and Pierotti, formed the points about fifty yards in front of the Company. The terrain was so rugged and rocky that the squad leaders had a difficult time keeping in visual contact with the scouts. Silence was extremely important, so communication between the scouts and squad leaders was entirely by hand and arm signals. About half a mile up the slope of Hill 358, Pierotti signaled that German troops were deployed to his immediate front. They were wearing white parkas, which again made them difficult to see. Before the lead squads were in a position to attack, enemy machine gunners and riflemen opened fire. The men encountered well placed German machine gun positions that kept the Company from advancing any further. Then came the shelling from the familiar enemy artillery. Shells exploded everywhere except on the German positions. With terrifying accuracy enemy 88s began to cut the Company to pieces. Armstrong saw one of his riflemen, Laylen McGriff hit by a piece of shrapnel. He told McGriff to get started toward the CP. If he could not make it alone, someone would be along to help him.

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY144 LES VOSGES - HILLS 403 AND 358 Sgt. Haller recalled that he was ordered to bring up the rear of the Second Platoon. "We were walking through snow and heavy underbrush when a German machine gun suddenly opened fire. Everyone hit the ground and then the 88s started coming in. I could see the shrapnel flying all around me, cutting branches and trees and could hear people calling for help. When I saw the wounded trying to make their way back down the hill to the forward CP, I noticed Pfc Dave Pierotti (First Platoon Scout) staggering toward me. He had been hit with shrapnel in the jaw. I took him to the bottom of the hill and started to dress his wound. He was wearing a knitted hood cap and his jaw was one mass of blood, flesh, bones and wool kiting. I put some sulfa powder on the wound and bandaged him up the best I could, then left him with the other wounded men."

The casualties mounted rapidly, and among them was the Company Commander. Lt. Arnest was hit by shrapnel and badly wounded in the face, stomach and lower legs. He told Lt. Doenges, one of the two remaining officers, to take command of the Company. Sgt. Verlin Kirkham took a direct hit from an eighty- eight and was blown to pieces.

After about fifteen minutes, the artillery barrage stopped and the Germans initiated a counterattack against the Second Platoon on the right flank of the Company. Shrapnel hit T/Sgt. Galloway in the back and stomach and made horrible wounds. Pfc Ledoux went over to help him, but there was nothing that he could do. Galloway was in shock, bleeding profusely and dying. Before he passed out, he started crying and begged the men not to leave him. In a very few minutes he was dead. M/Sgt. Waite and Ledoux went forward with a BAR to attempt to knock out a machine gun position that had stopped the Second Platoon and was also holding up the advance of the entire Company. The machine gun had an excellent field of fire across a large snow covered meadow and it kept everyone in its range pinned down. Some Second Platoon men were attempting to keep the machine gunner's attention while Waite and Ledoux crawled toward the emplacement. When they got about as close to the German machine gun as they could without giving away their position, Waite said “Everything copasetic? Let em have it!” The BAR was frozen and would not fire then Waite shouted, "Let's get the hell out of here." Ledoux turned around to follow the sergeant only to find him mortally wounded. In short dashes through the snow, he made it back to where his platoon was deployed and tried desperately to get his BAR to function. He reported to Shelander that Waite was dead.

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY145 LES VOSGES - HILLS 403 AND 358 After Waite was hit, "Red" Shelander took charge of the Second Platoon. It was actu- ally no longer a platoon as there were not enough men to make up a squad. Those remaining Sec- ond Platoon men continued to exchange fire with the hostile machine gun and temporarily repelled the enemy counterat- tack. Pfc Steve Yannias was wounded and Shelander told him to follow the other wounded down the hill to the CP. Sheeley and Brown were both wounded in the savage barrage, and "Red" Shelander told them that if they could walk or crawl to get the hell down the hill to the forward CP. Sheeley had a shrapnel wound in the shoulder and while he was crawling away, he was wounded again in the left thigh. To compound their prob- “4 Jerry came half way up the hill ...pretending (acting) like they going to surrender and then they start firing. . . . .you dirty @#$%&@#$” ( Sketch by lems, the men were running low Pfc Eddie Tsukimura) on ammunition. There was no more firing a clip of eight shells at a time or unloading a rifle at anything that moved. For the most part, the men started to fire only when they had a clear target in view.

When Lt. Arnest finally made radio contact with Battalion Headquarters, he was advised that the Third Battalion was committed to the First Battalion sector, with the First Battalion reverting to regimental reserve. At that point in time the company radio man was hit by automatic weapons fire. The projectile went through his chest and the radio, killing him instantly and destroying the radio. At that juncture, Lt. Arnest ordered Lt. Doenges to disengage the Company from the enemy, and get the able-bodied men and the walking wounded off the mountain and rendevous at the rear CP in Obermuhlthal. The survivors and the walking wounded were reluctant to

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY146 LES VOSGES - HILLS 403 AND 358 leave the more seriously wounded behind, but they had no choice. Arnest ordered them to get the hell out or they would either die or become wounded prisoners on that sub zero mountain. Some promised to return or send back help but that was never possible. Even those who were not wounded were so exhausted and cold that it was amazing that they could even walk, let alone assist their wounded buddies. As some men were leaving the hill, through the din and smoke, they could hear Lt. Arnest's carbine firing, then suddenly it was silent. Most of the men who were lucky enough to come down from hills 403 and 358 thought that the CO was dead, though the Army officially listed him as missing in action. After the war was over the survivors of Company A were happy to learn that Lt. Arnest was alive. He was seriously wounded and captured on Hill 358, taken to a German aid station, and survived. Several months later he was liberated, by other American troops, from a POW camp at Limberg, Germany.

In some instances, trying to disengage from the enemy on Hill 358 was nearly impossible. S/Sgt. Wesley Nelker, a Third Platoon squad leader was wounded and turned the remaining men in his squad over to Jury. Nelker took off crawling down the hill while Jury, Pfc Ells "Kentucky" Smith, and Pfc Elbert Arter jumped into a nearby crater. The hole was shallow and it afforded very little cover but it was better than no cover at all. A German soldier was laying in the woods a few yards away and indicated that he was wounded and wanted to surrender. When Jury told him in German to throw out his rifle and put his hands up, he suddenly rolled over and fired several rounds point blank at the three GIs. All three instantly opened fire and killed the German before he could fire another shot. One of the enemy rounds struck a pair of wire cutters Jury was wearing on his cartridge belt and left a piece of metal in his leg and bruised his hip. The wire cutters saved him from being one more serious casualty, though he was a little sore and had a stiff hip for a few days. About that time all hell broke loose and for the first time Jury became aware that Lt. Arnest ordered the Company to fall back from the forward positions. Nearly everyone was getting wounded or killed. Sheeley came down the hill badly wounded and Jury pulled him into the hole. Pfc Robert Brenner and Cpl. Alan Lightner were laying in the snow near the crater. Brenner was wounded in the shoulder and foot, and Lightner was hit in the neck and died on that miserable, battle-scarred, blood stained, snow-covered mountain. Brenner was officially listed as missing in action but somehow survived. He was taken prisoner and liberated several months later at Stalag IX-B at Limberg, Germany.

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY147 LES VOSGES - HILLS 403 AND 358 The four GIs wondered if or how they were ever going to get out of that hole and make their way back to the CP. "Kentucky" Smith said, "Chief, What are we going to do? I'll never surrender." Jury responded, "Nor will I." Then Jury came up with an idea. He had noticed that there was always a lull in the machine gun firing when the artillery shells came in, so he told the men to be ready to make a run for it when the next artillery barrage starts. He figured that they had a better chance with the shell blasts than against the machine gun, though neither option was a very good. A few moments later when the next barrage came in, Jury grabbed Sheeley and made a run for it and the others followed and moved as fast as they could. Just as they heard the machine gun start to fire again, they hit the ground behind some trees. After another barrage and another dash, they made it to the top of the ridge and off the forward slope of the hill. As they went over the crest, Arter was hit by the machine gunner. A single bullet struck him in the hip and he was in intense pain, but they kept on going. Once on the reverse slope of the hill, where they were out of the German's sights, they came upon S/Sgt. Fred Collins who had a flesh wound in the leg and could barely walk. Jury, himself wounded, helped Sheeley down the hill to the forward CP, while "Kentucky" Smith helped the others. "Kentucky" Smith was the only man in the group who was not wounded.

The entire area where Company A engaged the enemy on Hill 403 and on the slope of Hill 358 was a scene of total devastation. The tree bursts from the German and the American artillery littered the snow covered hills of Les Vosges with broken branches, splintered timber and pine boughs. Trees were scarred and their bark torn off from artillery bursts, machine gun, and other small arms fire. The blanket of snow that had covered the trees and ground was no longer white. It was stained with blood, dirt, rocks and black gun powder. The acrid stench of stale burnt gunpowder and the smell of death that hung in the forest permeated the air. The area was littered with bodies, both American and German, parts of bodies, the severely wounded and the dying. Piercing the air through the din and smoke of the battlefield was heard the blood curdling cries of the wounded “HELP!” “AID MAN!” “DON'T LEAVE ME!” “HELP ME!” “I'M DYING!” “I’M HURT!” “HELP!” “GOD, GET US OUT OF HERE!”

Many years after the war, Pfc Joseph Ciccarello, a Second Platoon Rifleman recalled the events of January 11, 1945: "What I remember of that day was that our platoon was attacking what we thought were small pockets of resistance. I recall going up a hill and suddenly being fired at by mortar and machine gun fire. The Germans had zeroed in on our unit and the command came to us to withdraw back

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY148 LES VOSGES - HILLS 403 AND 358 to the Company CP. As I started back down the hill I came across Sgts. Waite and Galloway who were seriously wounded. Sgt. Waite was calling for water and I went to him and found that he had a huge stomach wound. I knew I couldn't give him water but I remembered that as I was coming down the hill I had seen a blanket on the ground. All I wanted to do was cover him and his wound. I got to the blanket (the firing had stopped by then) and bent down to pick it up when I heard someone say something. When I looked up I was staring into the muzzle of a German rifle and that was my undoing. I was marched back to the enemy lines where I realized that the 'small pockets of resistance' turned out to be an army of German infantry and artillery." After Ciccarello was captured, he was taken to Stalag IX-B at Bad Orb, Germany (about 32 miles east of Frankfurt).

Pfc Cameron Boyd, a Fourth Platoon Mortar Gunner, was near the place where Waite was gunned down. He and Pvt. James Etherington were helping a wounded buddy when he heard someone hollering for help. Nearly fifty years later Boyd recalled: "I made a decision on the morning of January 11, 1945, to check on someone who was hollering for help. Private Etherington was there with a wounded buddy of his. I went over to the person doing the hollering. It was Sgt. Neal Waite. Another GI came along. I don't know his name but he spoke Dutch. We came face to face with five German soldiers. The other GI talked to the Germans. While we were standing there, Lt. Jenkins took a shot at them from cover. When things quieted down, Lt. Jenkins had disappeared. They took myself and Sgt. Waite with one guard. We half carried Sgt. Waite and ended up carrying him at least two miles behind German lines. There I put him in a wagon, covered his lower part with a blanket, gave him a pack of cigarettes and some matches and said good-by to him. He was wounded in the stomach and some of his small intestines were hanging out, but he seemed cheerful. And that's the last I saw of him" (Cameron Boyd was initially reported as killed in action, but was after the war it was found out that he was captured on Hill 358 and taken to Stalag IX-B at Bad Orb, Germany.)

Who were the "WALKING WOUNDED?" What did Lt. Arnest mean when he ordered the men to take the “walking wounded” and get the hell off the mountain? The men interpreted “walking wounded” to mean anyone that they could possibly help, carry or drag out of the mountains. A big problem was that there were many more wounded than not wounded, and as a result some were left with Lt. Arnest.

Pfc Eddie Tsukimura recalled: "I remember huffing and puffing through the woods covered with snow and climbing up through the heavy forest. Just before we

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY149 LES VOSGES - HILLS 403 AND 358 came to a clearing in front of where the enemy was dug in, I saw a flare go up into the sky. We no sooner caught our breath when whistling 88s started to burst overhead -- tree bursts. Branches and hunks of shrapnel hit the snow while the enemy opened fire from across the clearing. We hit the ground and I got a mouth full of snow and pine needles. Seems like forever. I saw a guy sitting up on my left with his bloody jaw hanging down. Sgt. Galloway was in front of me on the ground and his butt was blown up. Jerry kept on firing on us while the whistling 88s kept on bursting on our left, right, front, rear and right into us. I was flat on the snow hanging on to my helmet and kept calling for 'Sallie.' Then I felt my leg burn --- It felt like my right leg was blown off."

Dick Armstrong started to make his way down the hill when he met one of his squad leaders, S/Sgt. Leon Uczynski, who had a piece of shrapnel in his right leg. Armstrong got him on his feet and helped him hobble down the hill. They passed Piper who was unable to walk and was crawling. Armstrong told Piper that he would return for him, but that was never to be. They passed other buddies whom he would have liked to help but could not. Everyone who was not seriously wounded was in the same predicament and was forced to make some very difficult decisions concerning who to help and who to leave.

A half hour earlier, Piper was in the First Platoon sector firing his BAR at a German machine gun position. When he was nearly out of ammunition he discovered that he was apparently the only GI left in the area. All he could see was dead and wounded GIs behind him and German helmets in front. He kept firing and seeking cover behind stumps, rocks and fallen timber as he withdrew and tried to locate his platoon. He came across Eddie Tsukimura who had been hit on the left thigh and right knee. He yelled "Hey Eddie, lets get out of here!" but Tsukimura told him that he couldn't go because he was hit. Piper picked him up and carried him a short distance then they were knocked down by a tree burst. A piece of shrapnel severely wounded Piper's right knee and Tsukimura was hit again, this time in the rear end. Two GIs saw the men in trouble went over to help. There was no way that they could carry both wounded men, so Piper told them to take Tsukimura as he was wounded in both legs. They put some sulfa and a bandage on Piper's knee and left with Tsukimura, thinking that some one else would come by and help him. In spite of the painful shattered knee that prevented him from standing or walking, he kept firing at the enemy until he was out of ammunition. Since he could not stand or walk, he started to crawl down the mountainside. Three days later, nearly frozen and starved,

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY150 LES VOSGES - HILLS 403 AND 358 more dead than alive, Jimmy Piper was found by some GIs from another outfit and taken to an aid station.

As the few remaining men of the Second Platoon went down the slope from Hill 358 and approached Hill 403, they picked up the twelve German prisoners whom they captured earlier that day. With the prisoners and wounded, they half walked and half slid down the mountain through one artillery barrage after another. A prisoner, who claimed to be Polish, reached into his pack and took out a small loaf of black bread. As he offered a piece of it to one of the GIs, his arm caught a snow laden pine bough that whipped back and hit "Red" Shelander in the face. "Red's" nerves were more than a little frayed and he reacted to that gesture and with one stroke of his rifle butt in the German's back, which sent him sliding down the hill. He got up unharmed and fell back into ranks with the rest of the prisoners just as an artillery shell burst in the trees above. A fragment of shrapnel caught Jim Skalitzky in the upper back, knocking him off his feet. The shrapnel cut through his overcoat, field jacket, sweater, shirt and wool undershirt and gave him a bad bruise but did not break the skin. He had a sore shoulder for a few days.

Earlier, when Doenges ordered the withdrawal from Hill 358, he told the men to rendevous at the forward CP where the Fourth Platoon was manning the perimeter defense. The fatigued and hurting GIs straggled and limped into the area a few at a time. Some were delayed because they were engaged in firefights and some were pinned down. Disengaging from the enemy in battle was a complicated maneuver. It had to be done in such a way so as to prevent the enemy from becoming aware that a "tactical withdrawal" was taking place and that took time. After waiting some two hours at the forward CP, Lt. Doenges concluded that everyone who was going to make it down from the hills had done so. Knowing that the Company was surrounded, he took a few moments to brief his one officer and the NCOs as to his plan for withdrawal. He chose to use the same route that was used to bring in the chow and ammunition the day before. It was the shortest and most direct route to Obermuhlthal. If the Company were successful in getting across the open valley to the road on the other side, the rest of the way would be less difficult on the wounded. His plan of withdrawal was for one scout to lead off, followed by the prisoners and two guards, the three rifle platoons, and finally the weapons platoon would form the rear guard. He told the men to get across the valley as quickly as possible, climb up on the road and get in a single file close to the shelter of the mountain. With a little luck, they would make it across to the other side without being spotted by the

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY151 LES VOSGES - HILLS 403 AND 358 Germans who were dug in on the mountain across the valley. If discovered, hopefully the enemy would not fire if the German prisoners were in front.

When the Company was ready to move out, Doenges told Lowry to take the point. The twelve prisoners were sent out next and were told to stay in two columns ten meters behind the scout. They were also told what to do when they got to the other side. Pvt. Joel Friedman and another rifleman were assigned to guard the prisoners and were told to stay behind the Germans. The main body would follow and the machine gun section stood by to lay down covering fire if needed.

In order to move as fast as possible, Lowry started out by following the tracks in the snow that the men made the day before. It was easier and faster to follow a trail partially compacted by their own foot traffic than to trod through a foot of snow. Fortunately there was very little new snow from the flurries early that morning. When he was about 150 yards into the valley, the enemy machine gun and rifle fire commenced. It came at him from the same general area where the Germans attacked his patrol the previous day. He had the advantage of seeing where the machine gun tracers were coming from, whereas the day before they were shooting at his back. As near as he could tell, there were two machine gun positions on the hill at eleven o'clock some fifty feet above the road. In addition there was perhaps a squad of enemy riflemen shooting from the hill. Tracers from the machine guns were coming at him some ten feet above the ground as he attempted to run through the knee-deep snow. From the rear came the sound of Sgt. Harmon's machine guns that were responding to the enemy fire. The GI machine gun fire diverted some enemy attention from Lowry, which undoubtedly prevented him from being hit. When the tracers started getting too close for comfort, he hit the snow. He got up and made a short dash, hit the snow again, made another short dash, hit the snow, and slipped into the stream while attempting to jump across. Icy water seeped into his shoe pacs and through the lower part of his water repellent trousers. He knew only too well that the wet socks would have to come off at the first opportunity or his feet and lower limbs would freeze. When he got up, he continued through the snow as fast as he could move. Every minute or two, he hit the ground and rolled over a time or two while he did a lot of praying. Each time, getting on his feet again was a greater chore. Every bone in his body ached, he was cold, exhausted and dizzy from lack of sleep.

He was so preoccupied with getting across the valley without being killed that he nearly forgot about the prisoners behind him. Then the idea struck him that if he

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY152 LES VOSGES - HILLS 403 AND 358 attempted to keep himself positioned between the enemy in the hills and the prisoners, the Germans would not shoot in the direction their own men. He was dead wrong. The machine gun and rifle fire kept coming and to Lowry's surprise the German soldiers did not hesitate to fire at their own troops. Tracers kept coming at him from the left front and his equipment got heavier and heavier. To lighten the load, he attempted to undo and discard his cartridge belt, but his hands were too cold and numb to perform the otherwise simple task. In the confusion that followed, the prisoners broke from their column and scattered over the area. They were all around him and a few had gotten out in front of him. The two guards were nowhere in sight. They and the rest of the Company had been forced to turn back when the hostile fire made it too perilous to continue across the valley. The wounded could never have made it. He wondered what was in store for him if he lived to get across to the other side. They would no doubt attempt to overpower him and either make him the prisoner or kill him. Twelve to one were not very good odds, except that he had the rifle.

When he reached the far side of the valley, he climbed over some large rocks and got up on the road. He crossed the road and took shelter from the enemy fire by getting close to the steep mountain. As the prisoners reached the roadway he used arm gestures to get them to also climb up on the road. For a moment or two, he did not really know for sure whether he was the prisoner or still the captor. He was totally exhausted and was unable to tell whether he was shaking from the frigid weather or from the prospect of being at the mercy of the twelve Germans. Each deep breath seemed to burn all the way down to his lungs. If they received no help from their kamerads on the hill, he hoped that he had the edge on them by having eight rounds in his rifle. He also had one hand grenade left hanging on a near empty bandoleer. He knew that he had to keep them all in front of him, and not allow any to get behind him. With the news of the Malmady massacre still vividly in his memory, Lowry had already determined that he would in no way let them take him prisoner. To convince his prisoners that he was still in control, he removed his bayonet from its scabbard and affixed it to his rifle, then attempted to fire a shot over their heads. All he heard was a click and his heart sank. His rifle was jammed with a ruptured cartridge in the chamber. That changed his odds but good. Fortunately, the prisoners did not appear to notice the misfire, but climbed up on the road with their hands clasped behind their heads and lined up next to the hill. They appeared ready to follow orders and made no attempted to escape. In all the confusion, and without Lowry being aware of it, three of their kamerads came out of the hills, quit the war, and joined the prisoners. To his surprise and amazement, Lowry then had

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY153 LES VOSGES - HILLS 403 AND 358 fifteen prisoners but started out with only twelve. He had no idea when or how the added three slipped in. They must have somehow joined the group of prisoners during the confusion that occurred when they were climbing up on the roadway. He was about to dismiss the three new prisoners from his mind and concentrate on more urgent matters when a startling thought occurred to him. “Those three guys hadn’t been searched! What if they have concealed weapons? Which ones are the three newcomers? The bastards all look alike!” Again his heart sank, but he did his best to conceal his anxiety and carry on. By using arm signals and pointing with his rifle and fixed bayonet, he got the prisoners to move down the road toward Obermuhlthal. They remained in a single file and kept their hands clasped behind their heads. They were smart enough to stay close to the embankment that protected them from the German fields of fire.

Shortly before reaching Obermuhlthal, they rounded a bend in the road and came upon a GI roadblock. The two soldiers on guard were more than a little apprehensive when they saw the column of Germans coming around the bend and had to be convinced that Lowry was not one of them in a GI uniform. Not knowing the current sign or countersign did not help the situation. They suspected Nazi treachery and kept him and the prisoners at a distance while one engaged in a telephone conversation with their CP while giving him the third degree. Finally the guards let him and the prisoners pass. The delay enabled Lowry to have sufficient time to put on dry socks and get his rifle functioning properly. Nearly frozen, dead tired, hungry, thirsty, and dirty, he finally arrived at Obermuhlthal with his fifteen equally dirty prisoners. He turned them over to the first outfit that would take them. He located the Battalion CP and reported in. The place was in chaos and no one seemed to have a clear picture of what was going on up in the mountains.

Noticing that Lowry was exhausted and suffering from the cold, a sergeant directed him to a house next to the aid station where several GIs were sitting around massaging their bare feet. A medic was on hand helping the men and making sure that none of them got near the stove which threw off very little heat. Near frozen or frostbitten feet must be warmed up very slowly. It was extremely dangerous to expose frostbitten feet to heat too rapidly. After about an hour and a half the medic looked at his feet and told him to put on his dry socks and shoe pacs and to wait in another building until he could rejoin his company. His trousers and long johns were still a bit damp from falling in the creek but he was glad to get out of the place because most of the guys there had feet in far worse shape than his. In the next building a GI from Battalion Headquarters gave him all the C rations that he cared

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY154 LES VOSGES - HILLS 403 AND 358 to eat and hot water for instant coffee. It was nearly six hours later when the first men of the Company began to arrive from the forward CP.

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Earlier in the afternoon, when the enemy machine guns blocked the Company from crossing the valley, Doenges selected an alternate route through the forest to the east. That was a much longer and more torturous route, but it was their only alternative. Harmon's machine gun section kept the Germans occupied while Lowry and the prisoners went across the valley, then they provided the rear guard as the Company took the alternate route. Some walking wounded were in no shape to make the long hard hike through the mountains, but the alternative did not offer much hope for survival. Every step was a painful one. Some men, because of the seriousness of their wounds, required a great deal of assistance. One GI literally dragged Pfc Tsukimura through the snow by his coat collar. Pfc Theo Renk died on the way from what at first appeared to be a superficial wound. "Red" Shelander practically carried him from the slope of Hill 358 until he died. Jury, Collins, "Kentucky" Smith, Sheeley, and Arter stayed together until they reached the aid station in Obermuhlthal. Of that little group, only “Kentucky” Smith escaped being wounded, but he was totally beat and every bone in his body ached. The five managed to find an aid station where they got patched up. A medic put a bandage and some sulfa powder on Jury's hip, gave him a couple of APC tablets then released him to rejoin the Company. Arter, Sheeley, and Collins were in very bad shape and were kept at the aid station until they could be evacuated. When the Company left the forward CP, Lt. Doenges tried to keep everyone together but that effort proved to be futile. Each man or small group had to go at its own pace. It became impossible for the men to keep in contact, and some succeeded in getting lost. Several walked the rest of the day and all that night trying to find Obermuhlthal. One by one, utterly exhausted, hungry, and some in great pain, the men got out of the desolate mountains and to the rear CP. They straggled in the rest of that day, that night, and into the next day, January 12.

Sometime after dark, Gene Bambrick became separated from the Company. "The next morning, I was nowhere near the Company. In my vicinity, there were about 40 men from a number of other units. They, too, had become separated from their units. I did not recognize anyone. We made our presence known to a Captain. The Captain told us to stack our arms. When we had done so, he said: ' Now you have laid down your arms. You will be court-martialed.' I said: 'Nonsense, we were

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY155 LES VOSGES - HILLS 403 AND 358 ordered to stack our arms. We did so. That is not laying down our arms.' Talk of court-martial was dropped. We were sorted out and transported to our various units."

Near the Battalion CP, 1st/Sgt. Polacio was wounded by a shot through the foot that presumably came from a sniper. He received what was called the "million dollar wound" a few steps from an aid station. That was the last anyone in the Company saw of Polacio.

As the wounded arrived at the rear CP, they were directed to the Battalion Aid Station for immediate medical attention and were later evacuated to the rear. The others found shelter in vacant houses where they heated C rations and tried to thaw out their chilled bones. They were able to get a little rest, get their boots off, get the blood circulating in their feet, and their weapons field stripped and cleaned. They had an opportunity to wash up a little and shave, but no change of clothing was available except the socks that they carried under their shirts.

The battle of Hills 403 and 358 was over for the men of Company A. Of the 187 men of the Company who landed in France less than a month before, a mere TWENTY-SIX including walking wounded, came out of those mountains. The others were dead, wounded, missing in action, or otherwise unaccounted for. Those known to have been killed in that action were:

Pfc Connon U Clements, Pfc Vinson F Comer, T/Sgt. Oliver Galloway, Sgt. Verlin P Kirkham, Pfc Joseph L Kufersin, Cpl. Alan W Lightner, Sgt. Doloreo M Maldonado, Pvt. Theophil J Renk, Pfc Paul Robbins, 2nd Lt. Donald A Schollander, and M/Sgt. Neal M Waite.

Many of the twenty-six that made it out of Les Vosges mountains were wounded and did not fight again.

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY156 LES VOSGES - HILLS 403 AND 358

10. LORRAINE

After dark on January 13, the Company was trucked a short distance from Obermuhlthal to a sector of the MLR near the famed Maginot Line, and, as usual, no one knew where they were going. When the few remaining GIs of Company A rode away from that village in Les Vosges mountains, once again they harbored the hope that they were going to the rear to get a little rest, a hot meal, a bath and some clean clothes. They had not bathed nor had a change of clothing since they left the USS West Point nearly a month before. After living like animals and fighting day and night on the ground and in foxholes, they were a sorry lot that resembled Bill Mauldin's grubby cartoon characters, "Willie" and g108 Besides being filthy, their uniforms were ripped and torn and they must have stunk like barnyard animals.

The ride that night on the six-by-sixes was as cold and as miserable as any ride the men experienced since arriving in France. The temperature was below zero and the men were bruised, tired, stiff and cold. It was still dark when they arrived at their destination and somehow it did not surprise them to learn that they were not in a rest area. Company A was assigned to defensive positions thirty kilometers east of Bitche between the villages of Jaegerthal and Lembach (Map 4, pg. 64). Some foxholes were only a few yards from the deserted concrete and steel bunkers of the Maginot Line. Presumably due to their inappropriate positioning, the "Brass" did not choose to use the bunkers for defensive positions. Again, the lines were dreadfully thin with about ten to twelve yards between foxholes. Company A was so desperately short of manpower that every available body had to be on the line, which meant that they could not put even a squad in reserve. Some positions were clearly visible to the Germans and accessible only at night.

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY157 LORRAINE Since the German troops had plenty of time to prepare their defenses, their positions were elaborate dugouts roughly two hundred yards north of the American MLR. A snow-blanketed "no-man's-land" protected by concealed mine fields and coils of concertina wire separated the foes. The enemy dugouts were at the edge of the woods, which afforded their troops some cover, and the dense woods allowed them to move about freely during the day without being detected. Their positions were well camouflaged, which made them very difficult for the GIs to locate. They used smokeless powder which enabled them to snipe at the Americans at will, and as long as they did not use tracers, their positions remained concealed.

The men had long since learned that one big disadvantage of being a task force was that they were frequently shoved from place to place. Task forces were used to fill gaps and to reinforce whatever unit that happened to be in trouble at the time. Every outfit, to which a task force was attached, treated the attached unit as though they were fresh troops and used them for some of their toughest assignments. As a result, the task force GIs got very little rest, damn few hot meals, no changes of clothing, and more than their share of dirty, bloody combat. The unit, to which the task force was attached, claimed credit for all victories and got all the citations. Frequently no mention was made of Task Force Herren nor the 276th Infantry.

The below-zero weather persisted. Water in the canteens continued to be solid ice, hands and feet ached, C and K rations froze, and weapons required continuous attention to prevent malfunctioning. Everyone was totally exhausted from the ordeals at Wingen and Les Vosges, which made it extremely difficult for them to remain alert for any extended period. During the long nights in those lonely foxholes, everyone was very much on edge and was startled by the slightest sound. Enemy reconnais- sance and combat patrols were very active, so the men believed that the Germans had a good idea where every GI position was located. Each night the men moved the trip- flares that were in place in front of their foxholes. If the enemy discovered them, they would not be in the same locations the next time they came back. For two nights in a row the men were plagued by the low, hollow cries of hoot owls. They had not heard those sounds before and some thought that the hoots may have been enemy signals or the enemy's deliberate attempts to unnerve the men. Whatever the source, the eerie sounds in the dead of night were effective in keeping many GIs on a ragged edge. Company A's mission was to contain the enemy at the present MLR by repelling any attempts to infiltrate or break through the American Lines and to engage in active reconnaissance to determine the German's strength and movements.

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY158 LORRAINE Each night Lt. Doenges sent out a patrol to attempt to bring back prisoners for interrogation. For several reasons, most of the patrols were not successful. In crossing the "no-man's-land," the men had to cut their way through concertina wire, which made enough noise to arouse the Germans. Also, the area was heavily mined and booby trapped, and finally the men were just dog tired. In addition to patrolling, the next three days of active combat was mainly an exchange of small arms and light mortar fire.

Shortly after dark the second night on the Maginot Line, the company runner, Millis Griffey, came out to the positions with messages for Wager and Bambrick to report to the Battalion CP. Both men were offered battlefield commissions, which they accepted. Bambrick was transferred to the 36th Infantry Division and Wagger later returned to Company A to replace Lt. Schollander as Second Platoon Leader.

The next morning , January 15, Pupinski, Scopp and Carroll came out to the MLR with hot chow and mail from home. To avoid being detected and drawing enemy fire, Pfc John Welte brought his jeep and trailer to a sheltered ravine about a hundred yards from the foxholes. The men took turns, four and five at a time, going back in the woods for a breakfast of scrambled dehydrated eggs, bacon, oatmeal, toast and hot coffee. It was the first really hot meal that the men had in several days and they ate like they would never see another. Pupinski really overdid it. He brought up enough food for a hundred men but there were less than twenty men left in the Company. Most of the early morning was spent going back for seconds and thirds, until no one could eat another bite. The men had to share mess gear, but that was not a problem as only five could safely leave the positions at a time. The next day, everyone's misery was compounded by several new cases of the GIs, which they attributed to eating too much food and greasy bacon too fast on shrunken stomachs.

Late in the afternoon of January 16, Lt. Doenges received orders from Battalion Headquarters to get the Company prepared to move out. The 410th Infantry would relieve the 276th Infantry on that sector of the MLR, and as usual no one seemed to know what was going on. The men did not like the positions near the Maginot Line, but they did not like the idea of another cold ride either. It was another of those sudden moves that the men could never get accustomed to. That night under the cover of darkness, the entire Regiment moved by truck several miles west to the vicinity of Farebersviller. Again the men climbed aboard the familiar six- by-sixes and were on their way to another undisclosed destination. Where it normally took seven or eight trucks to transport a rifle company, the entire company crowded

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY159 LORRAINE into one six-by-six. As the men expected, it was another cold miserable ride in below zero weather. The 276th Infantry took up positions fronting the enemy between Emmersweiler and Buschbach in the Lorraine Province of northeast France. Company A was deployed in and around the village of Rosbruck, France (Map 9, below).

Rosbruck was a small village that was virtually evacuated before Company A’s arrival. Like in many of the other villages, the houses that lined the narrow cobblestone streets were small, lacked indoor plumbing, and housed both humans and livestock under the same roof. In most houses, the attics were the haylofts. For the

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY160 LORRAINE first time since going into combat, the men were able to spend part of their time under cover. The houses were without heat and due to the extremely low temperature, the inside walls were covered with frost, but the men found them a better shelter than the alternative. Like most villages in that part of France, many dwellings were severely damaged or destroyed by shell fire and no glass remained in the windows. Lt. Doenges ordered the Company to establish and dig defensive positions at the edge of some woods a short distance to the north of the village. The three rifle platoons and two machine gun squads were on line. The Second Platoon dug in on the right, the First Platoon dug in in the center and the Third Platoon dug in on the left flank. Machine gun squads were placed between the rifle platoons. In reality the three rifle platoons were no more than squads. The positions at the edge of the woods overlooked a broad expanse of brush covered land. About five hundred yards out, there were more forests and hills and the German border was one mile to the northwest. The front in that area was extremely fluid and there was apparently no defined MLR. Again the men found themselves faced with frozen ground. They spent the next two or three days digging and improving their foxholes. Each Platoon Sergeant had his own system for manning the positions. Usually a man would spend three or four hours in the positions then spend three or four hours in Rosbruck. When they were in the village, they took turns providing internal security and, when time permitted, they got a little rest. Those in the village were responsible for manning road blocks on the three routes leading in and out of the village. One was at a bridge north of the town and the others were about a quarter of a mile south and southeast of town.

Enemy forces had been operating in that sector for more than a month and were believed to have been strengthening their positions. No one seemed to know whether the Germans were building up defenses, or were preparing for another offen- sive. It was up to the Trailblazers to find out. The Germans had taken the Allies by surprise in the Ardennes and Les Vosges, so it was probable that they were capable of attempting it again. Each night reconnaissance patrols were sent into enemy territory to obtain information regarding enemy strength and troop movements. Some were dispatched for the sole purpose of bringing back German prisoners.

Night reconnaissance patrolling was the most risky and detested duty that infantrymen were required to undertake. The patrols often went deep into enemy territory to seek out troops and positions, to look for weak spots in their defenses, to attempt to estimate their numbers and precise locations, and to locate the positions of their armor and artillery. Those missions were usually accomplished under the

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY161 LORRAINE cover of darkness and in absolute silence. Reconnaissance patrols numbered from two or three men up to a dozen, however seldom more than five or six. The men carried as little equipment as possible and absolutely nothing that could reflect light or make noise. Often steel helmets were left behind to lighten the load, to prevent the outline from being silhouetted against the background, and to eliminate the pos- sibility of accidental noise. The men would sometimes blacken their faces with charcoal or mud. The going was nearly always slow because absolute silence was essential, and booby traps, mines, signal wires, and barb wire had to be sought out and avoided. In the dead of night, the slightest noise, such as the rattle of barb wire rang out louder than church bells. Often one would imagine that his heart beat could be heard for a mile. The longer he listened, the louder it got. Patrol leaders communicated with their men strictly by sign language and touch. The freezing temperatures became more unbearable than usual due to the inability of one to freely move about without making any noise. The single most unnerving part of night patrols was the continued suspense of never knowing if the enemy was watching the patrol and was sucking it into an ambush.

There were times when a patrol started on a reconnaissance mission, but turned into a combat patrol before completing its mission and getting back through the lines. That was often the case when the patrol's mission was to bring back German prisoners for interrogation. It was extremely difficult, and most of the time impossible, to capture an enemy soldier without alerting the enemy or engaging in gunfire. Often a patrol was detected by the enemy either before or after having ac- complished its mission. It would then have to fight its way back to American lines. Such instances were the most risky of all situations because in the dark the GIs manning outposts or positions on the MLR could not tell GIs from Germans. In some instances English speaking German soldiers, particularly the SS, wore American uniforms, which enabled them to more easily infiltrate the American lines. When captured, they were shot on the spot. The men manning the outposts were compelled to be extremely cautious, and unless they knew in advance that an American patrol was to come through the lines at a precise time, they fired at anything in front of them that moved.

While at Rosbruck, the men got their first change of clothing and their first opportunity to shower since leaving the ship. The field shower was an engineering marvel. It was a GI lister bag (canvas water bag about three feet high and twenty inches in diameter) with a shower head attached to the bottom. It was filled with warm water and hung five feet from the ground. After striping to his dog tags and

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY162 LORRAINE discarding his clothing, each man had his opportunity to get wet, soap his body, get rinsed and make room for the next guy. Next he grabbed his boots and towel and ran a short distance over the frozen ground to a tent where he got into clean underwear, shirt, socks and trousers. The entire procedure was accomplished in freezing weather in a very few minutes. It proved to be an invigorating experience, not soon to be forgotten, but all would agree that it was well worth the few minutes of torture. The men were at long last able to get rid of the mucky, filthy, bloody, smelly, grimy underwear, shirts, and trousers. To be clean and have clean clothing gave everyone a new lease on life. Some of the clothing did not fit very well, but no one cared. It was clean, dry and did not smell and that was all that mattered.

Soon after taking up positions at Rosbruck, a reorganization of the Company started to take shape. Some men who were evacuated from Wingen and Les Vosges, whose wounds were not serious, came back to the Company. 1st Lt. Jackson Matthews, a former anti-tank officer, was the new CO who replaced Lt. Arnest. Lt. Matthews was a slight, soft-spoken, conservative individual with very little rifle company experience. He readily admitted to the other officers and some noncommis- sioned officers that while he learned, he would be "going along for the ride." Shortly after his arrival, he was promoted to captain. Second Lt. Doenges was promoted to 1st Lt. and became the Company Exec. Officer.

T/Sgt. Robert "Bob" Brewer returned to duty after being slightly wounded on Hill 358. He received a battle field commission and came back to the Company as a 2nd Lt. and took over the Third Platoon. He replaced Lt. McClintock who was killed in action at Wingen. Bob Brewer came to the 70th Infantry Division while the Trailblazers were stationed at Ft. Leonard Wood. He was in the Regular Army before the war and served in action against the Japanese in the Aleutian Islands during the early days of the war. A few weeks before the Division left Ft. Leonard Wood, Brewer requested a furlough, which was denied because he had already used his leave time. He then went AWOL to his home in Idaho. A week later he was picked up by the MPs, escorted back to Ft. Leonard Wood, court-martialed, and reduced in rank to Pvt. Just before the Division moved to the Port of Embarkation, Brewer was given back his stripes and went overseas at his former rank of T/Sgt.

S/Sgts. Richard Armstrong, Daniel Jury, John Steiner, and Judson Harmon were promoted to T/Sgts. and became the platoon sergeants of the First, Second, Third and Weapons Platoons. Sgt. John Haller, Sgt. William Schmitz, Pvt. Lloyd Finney and Pfcs Frank Lowry, Oliver Davis, Lloyd Patterson, Edward Skalitzky,

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY163 LORRAINE Harold Jaros and Jack Mussler were made squad leaders and promoted to Staff Sergeants. The rifle platoons were completely reorganized. All had new platoon sergeants and nearly every squad had a new squad leader. The noncommissioned officers were reassigned to different platoons to provide a more even distribution of the battle experienced leaders. The Supply Sergeant, S/Sgt. Vernon Wilson was assigned the duties of the First Sergeant, and was later promoted to 1st/Sgt. On January 31, 1945, the officers and noncommissioned officers of the platoons were:

FIRST PLATOON PLATOON LEADER 2nd Lt. Kerber PLATOON SERGEANT T/Sgt. Richard Armstrong PLATOON GUIDE S/Sgt. Arnold Shelander SQUAD LEADER--1st SQUAD S/Sgt. Lloyd Patterson SQUAD LEADER--2nd SQUAD S/Sgt. Earl Granger SQUAD LEADER--3rd SQUAD S/Sgt. William Hudson

SECOND PLATOON PLATOON LEADER 2nd Lt. Harold Wagger PLATOON SERGEANT T/Sgt. Daniel Jury PLATOON GUIDE S/Sgt. John Haller SQUAD LEADER--1st SQUAD S/Sgt. Edward Skalitzky SQUAD LEADER--2nd SQUAD S/Sgt. Harold Jaros SQUAD LEADER--3rd SQUAD S/Sgt. William Schmitz

THIRD PLATOON PLATOON LEADER 2nd Lt. Robert Brewer PLATOON SERGEANT T/Sgt. John Steiner PLATOON GUIDE S/Sgt. Jack Mussler SQUAD LEADER--1st SQUAD S/Sgt. Oliver Davis SQUAD LEADER--2nd SQUAD S/Sgt. Lloyd Finney SQUAD LEADER--3rd SQUAD S/Sgt. Frank Lowry

WEAPONS PLATOON PLATOON LEADER 2nd Lt. Lester Jenkins PLATOON SERGEANT T/Sgt. Judson Harmon MORTAR SECTION LEADER S/Sgt. Russell Causey MORTAR SQUAD LEADER--1st SQUAD Sgt. Herbert O'Banion MORTAR SQUAD LEADER--2nd SQUAD Sgt. Gordon Bowar MORTAR SQUAD LEADER--3rd SQUAD Sgt. Daniel Micherdzinski Machine gun SECTION LEADER Sgt. Robert Wood MG SQUAD LEADER--1st SQUAD Sgt. Robert Wood MG SQUAD LEADER--2nd SQUAD Sgt. Dean Mayer

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY164 LORRAINE Many much needed replacements started to arrive in late January and early February, which enabled the Company to start rebuilding the rifle platoons that were so badly decimated during the first two weeks of January. The replacements helped fill the ranks but Company A was far from being up to T/O (full) strength. Many replacements were green troops, fresh from the replacement training centers in the ZI (Zone Of The Interior). Some were fresh out of basic training and had been in the Army only a few months. Others transferred in from various branches of the Army and were not trained to be infantrymen. Many lacked adequate training to face the enemy under conditions that the Trailblazers had experienced during the preceding weeks. The NCOs made a real effort to integrate the new men into the Company and give them as much training as possible under extremely adverse conditions. In spite of their lack of sufficient infantry training, nearly all of the new men were good soldiers with positive attitudes and were willing and able to learn. There were very, very few exceptions.

In one instance a private came to the Third Platoon and T/Sgt. Steiner assigned him to S/Sgt. Lowry's squad. He was quick to inform his squad leader in a decidedly English accent that he was a man with considerable military experience. He claimed to have served five years in the British Army as "Personal messenger for the Brigadier." He told the men that he was honorably discharged from the British Army, went to the US, and was drafted into the Army because one of his parents was an American citizen. No one in the squad was the least bit impressed. Later that night when he was assigned to stand guard at the bridge west of the village, the new man asked to be excused. His reason was that he was exhausted from the trip from the rear up to the Company. That was the wrong remark to make to men who knew what being exhausted really meant. All responded in unison and very loudly, “No shit!” There was no way that man was going to be excused so the squad leader led him to his post and gave him his special orders. Two hours later the squad leader sent Pfc Ted Kucmerosky to relieve the Brit. Ted had just arrived at the front after a long trip from the U.S. to Italy, then to Marseilles and on Forty and Eights to Alsace-Lorraine. After looking around for a few minutes and being unable to find the man he was supposed to relieve, Ted took his post and stood guard until his relief came a couple of hours later. It was a few days later when the squad leader and platoon sergeant learned that the Brit had deserted his post and went into a building to escape the bitter cold. He should have been sent back to the rear and court-martialed, but the outfit was short of men and no one wanted to let him off that easy. They all thanked God that his kind of replacement was the rare exception rather than the rule.

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY165 LORRAINE The NCOs were all well trained and skilled leaders and above all they were combat tested. They and the other survivors of Wingen-sur-Moder and Les Vosges evolved into a closely knit group. Most started out with Company A at Camp Adair, so they had been through a lot of training together, drank a lot of beer together and knew each other well. That enabled them to form a sound nucleus for rebuilding the Company, but they needed time which they did not have. They saw so many of their friends killed and wounded that some were very slow in getting to know the new replacements. Everyone knew that they would see a lot more death before the war would end, consequently many of the older men were subconsciously reluctant to make new friends only to see them killed.

For a while after the replacements started to fill the Company's ranks, the night patrols continued to include mostly the veterans of Wingen and Les Vosges. Gradually the newer men were included, one or two at a time. The real danger was that none of the new men had been tested under enemy fire and no one knew how they would react to the extreme pressures of a night patrol behind enemy lines. The mistake of one man could cause the annihilation of the entire patrol. On one occasion, shortly after a patrol had passed through the OPLR, a man told the sergeant that he could not continue. He said he had to turn back because he had a cold and was afraid he might cough and alert the Germans of the patrol's presence. The patrol leader did not buy the man's story and threatened to cut the sleeve off his shirt and gag him with it if he even gave another thought to coughing or making any kind of noise. In many similar incidents where combat veterans had colds, they buried their faces in snow and dirt to refrain from audibly coughing. Colds and coughing spells were not unusual in those winter months, and it was no easy job to suppress a coughing spasm.

While the Company was undergoing reorganization at Rosbruck, hot chow became more frequent and mail from home began to arrive more regularly. One evening Dick Armstrong told Brewer, Steiner, Jury, Haller, Lowry, Patterson and a few other old timers that he received a package from home that he wanted to share with the guys. The package contained two one-quart cans labeled "Tomato juice." Patterson was quick to tell Armstrong "Thanks, but no thanks!" He did not like tomatoes or tomato juice. When Armstrong opened a can with the tip of his bayonet, the men got a whiff of the contents. The can contained one-hundred proof straight bourbon whiskey. When Patterson smelled the bourbon he quickly changed his mind and joined the party. It was the first whiskey that the fellows tasted since they were in Boston. That night they polished off one tin and saved the other for the next

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY166 LORRAINE evening. It was a very fine treat on a bitter cold and snowy night. After that incident, every time Armstrong received a package from home, his old buddies kept an eye on it, and him, until it was opened and appropriate disposition was made of the contents. To everyone's joy, Armstrong's receipt of similar packages became a regular occurrence.

On February 3, 1945, Captain Matthews got word that Task Force Herren was dissolved, and that the 70th Infantry Division (Trailblazers) would again function as a self-contained unit. The headquarters staff, Division Artillery, Engineers and all other support units arrived in France from the United States. Major Gen. Allison J Barnett, who led the Division from the time of its arrival at Ft. Leonard Wood until its departure for the ETO, also arrived in Europe and resumed command. The old familiar Trailblazer insignia started to show up on the left shoulders of the men's jackets and every infantryman who was engaged in combat against the armed enemy received the coveted blue and silver "Combat Infantry Badge." The sudden troop movements from one sector of the fighting front to another were expected to became less frequent. No longer were the Trailblazers to be fragmented and its units attached to other divisions. While troop movements under the cover of darkness necessarily continued, they were made with some semblance of order.

On February 5, the Regiment was reassigned to new defensive positions on the MLR south of Oeting, Behren, and Kerbach, France. (Map 10, pg. 168). That sector of the front was only a few miles from the Saar River and the international border separating France and Germany. Late in the afternoon, Company A marched from Rosbruck to Gaubiving and dug in south of the heavily defended village of Oeting (Oetingen). At that point in time, approximately three-fourths of the men in Company A were new reinforcements and most of the men, except for the old timers, were not acquainted with one another.

Shortly after Company A took up the positions south of Oeting, the weather suddenly changed from ice and snow to cold rain and sleet. In a few days, nearly two feet of snow melted. The ground thawed and the foxholes became sticky, muddy pits with a foot of water and mud in the bottoms. The men used their steel helmets and C ration cans to bail water from the holes. Pfc Ignace Matla and Pfc Ted Kucmerosky were sharing a foxhole when the walls gave away and caved in on them. No one was hurt but they and their weapons were muddy messes. Even with rain coats, it was virtually impossible to keep one's clothing dry. The shoe pacs helped

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY167 LORRAINE keep their feet dry, but they did very little to keep them warm. Although the temperature rose above freezing, the rain and cold mud did nothing to take the chill out of the men's bones. They were nearly as miserable as they were when the temperature was ten degrees below zero.

As the snow melted, the landscape changed drastically and many surprises were uncovered. The unpaved roads became massive pools of mire and numerous land mines became visible. In the village, the men discovered that the mounds in front of the houses were actually manure piles. When they were frozen and covered with snow, the men thought nothing of them. But when the snow was gone and piles began to thaw, they spewed forth the unmistakable barnyard odor. On the

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY168 LORRAINE countryside and in forests, many items of military equipment and supplies came into view. In the more remote areas of the forests, reeking remains of German and GI corpses emerged from under the melting snow.

The First and Third Battalions were deployed along the MLR. The Second Battalion was in a ready position to the rear, preparatory to making a raid in battalion strength. Its objective was the town of Oeting and the high ground surrounding the village. The first element of the Second Battalion raid went through the MLR at midnight and crossed the line of departure at 0001 on February 6. Elements of the Second Battalion reached the high ground to the east, south, and west of the town and encountered extremely heavy enemy resistance. After two days of fierce fighting facing severe artillery, mortar and tank fire, the attacking forces were withdrawn to reserve positions behind the MLR. Both the Germans and the GIs suffered heavy losses in the action, but no ground was taken nor given. Company A's sector of the front facing Oeting was situated on the forward slope of a broad hill about six hundred yards north of the village of Gaubiving (Map 10, pg 168). Captain Matthews set up the Company CP in a house on the north part of the village. S/Sgt. Patterson's squad from the First Platoon and S/Sgt. Lowry's squad from the Third Platoon manned the outposts that were about one hundred yards forward of the MLR. Those were extremely sensitive and vulnerable positions and were only accessible at night.

The broad hill was devoid of timber and was completely exposed to the enemy. Though the weather was still cold, only a few patches of snow remained on the ground, but there was an abundance of mud. Heavy brush from three to five feet high extended from about twenty yards in front of the outposts, down to the bottom of the hill and up the mountains on the other side toward Oeting. German positions in the brush and timber on the other side of the canyon were observed and monitored from the outpost positions, while the enemy in turn monitored the US positions. Any movement by the GIs, brought on enemy fire. Consequently, the men manning the outposts were virtually pinned down during the day. The men on the OPLR were instructed not to fire on the distant enemy positions because their responsibility was to observe and report by field telephone any German troop movements. They were to fire only at enemy approaching their positions and to stop any attempt by the enemy to come through the OPLR. The other rifle squads and the machine gun squads were dug in on the MLR on the crest of the hill. The Weapons Platoon mortar squads were positioned on the reverse slope of the hill out of sight of the enemy.

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY169 LORRAINE On a few occasions at night, enemy patrols attempted to infiltrate through the OPLR. The men on the outpost positions were ordered to shoot anything in front of them that moved unless they were told that a friendly patrol would pass through a particular place at a specific hour. For that reason it was extremely critical that a patrol leader maintain a tight schedule and it was helpful to be aware of the current password. Some patrols were combat patrols and their sole mission was to kill as many enemy soldiers as possible. When they accomplished their mission, the men returned to their positions on the MLR as quickly as possible. Those combat patrols became known as "The Oeting Raids." Also, several patrols were sent into enemy territory at night to capture and bring back prisoners for interrogation.

Except for the combat patrols and raids, the front facing the Saarland remained static until the middle of February. Neither side gained nor lost a great deal of ground. Each night the men manning the outposts on the OPLR were relieved and exchanged positions with some of those manning positions on the MLR. It gave those on the OPLR a chance to move around a bit, and an opportunity to eat at least one hot meal every other day or so.

One evening, a few days after Company A took up positions on the MLR overlooking Oeting, T/Sgt. Steiner was making the rounds of Third Platoon positions. He came out from the CP in Gaubiving just when S/Sgt. Lowry was taking some men out to relieve the men on the OPLR. After looking around the Third Platoon sector, he told Lowry that he intended to spend the night on the MLR and not go back to the CP until morning. Lowry suggested that Steiner join him in a position on the OPLR to which he agreed. In total darkness, they went over the crest of the hill and down the forward slope to a foxhole on the left flank of the Third Platoon sector. Lowry told Steiner to be prepared for a long cold and hopefully uneventful night. It was long and cold but not exactly uneventful. Shortly before midnight, against a moonlit background, they saw the silhouette of a man standing about fifty yards to their right, lighting a cigarette. The fire from the cigarette lighter was so bright that it could have been seen a mile away. Steiner whispered: "Who in the hell is that dumb son-of-a-bitch?" The smoker did not go unnoticed by the Germans as they instantly sprayed the area with machine gun fire. Some enemy bullets came close enough to Steiner to splash mud on him. When the machine gun ceased, Lowry got out of the foxhole and went over to the area where the man had been standing. Fortunately he found that no one had been hit and the men used great restraint in not firing when they had no visible targets to shoot at. That would only have given the rest of their positions away. It did not take long for the squad leader to discover that the culprit was the new man, who supposedly spent five years(?) in the British Army.

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY170 LORRAINE The squad leader took him back to the hole where Steiner was waiting and shoved him in saying, "Sarge, This is the second time this guy has f___ed up and damn near got us all killed. How about taking the good for nothing bastard away and shanghai him?" Steiner retorted, "You bet your ass I will. Don’t worry, you won't have to put up with him any longer." Then he jokingly added, "Lowry, how come every time I get near you, I get shot at?" That episode was an effective demonstration about how much attention one cigarette or match could attract. The next morning Captain Matthews sent the Brit back to the Battalion CP.

The 884th Field Artillery Battalion sent a FO (Forward Observer) to establish an observation post on the MLR with Company A. Captain Matthews placed the FO at the First Platoon CP, which was located in a small building near the right flank of the Company's sector. After dark one night some First Platoon men heard Germans digging in front of their outposts. They were either moving an outpost position or were attempting to improve a position. One of the new replacements, a fellow from West Virginia, was manning a position on the OPLR when he heard the digging. He contacted the FO by telephone and called for a few rounds of artillery on the German position. It took some persuasion to convince the FO to call for fire, but finally the FO felt confident and called for one round. He instructed the man in the outpost to observe the strike of the round and be prepared to correct the fire. Fortunately the man's squad leader, S/Sgt. Patterson, was listening in on the conversation. When the first shot came in and struck much too close to the OPLR, Patterson was more than a little concerned. He listened carefully for the correction, trusting that the man in the outpost could observe the round better than he. The FO asked, "How was it?" The man's reply was, "Good, but move 'er up the holler uh piece." "Up the holler uh piece" could have put the next round or rounds directly into the OPLR positions, or at least too damn close for Patterson's comfort. In a split second Patterson was on the line telling the FO to "Hold your fire" and threatened him with more than bodily harm if he followed the hillbilly's correction. Later when the First Platoon men talked about the incident, they began to see the humor in it, but at the time it was not a bit funny. For a long time after the incident, the expression "up the holler uh piece" was repeated often by the men of the First Platoon.

T/Sgt. Armstrong had some very anxious moments one night while he was checking on the OPLR positions by telephone. When he called the outpost, he got an answer from a foreign sounding voice that he definitely did not recognize. The man in the outpost spoke such broken English that Armstrong was convinced that he had a German on the line in one of his positions. As it turned out, the man in the

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY171 LORRAINE position was Pvt. Ted Kadjer, a new replacement with whom Armstrong had not become acquainted. Kadjer spoke English with a decided accent, but he spoke excellent Polish, which became useful to the Company later on.

Mines and booby traps were always serious problems. Many casualties resulted from AP(anti personnel) mines and many vehicles and tanks were put out of action by land mines. Men in the attack or on patrol had to always be on the alert for shu mines, trip wires, or anything that could set off flares or booby traps. One evening shortly after dark, John Welte was driving Sgt. Herbert O'Banion and two others to the Company CP for supplies. When they were directly in front of the CP, the left front wheel of the jeep struck and detonated a land mine. The jeep was destroyed and Welte's three passengers were seriously injured and had to be evacuated. John Welte got the hell scared out of him as did everyone in the CP, but he pulled himself together and walked away from the remains of his jeep. He was bruised a little and had a slight concussion, but he never reported to the Aid Station.

About a half hour after Welte struck the mine, Lowry left the CP at Gaubiving to return to the OPLR positions. On the way he heard rifle fire in the direction of the reverse slope of the hill where the Weapons Platoon was dug in. Rather than go directly to the OPLR, he made his way in the darkness toward the mortar positions where he heard the firing. He wanted to find out what was happening, and he did not want to go past them and catch some "friendly fire" in his backside. When he reached the mortars, Harmon told him that a new man in Sgt. Mayer's machine gun squad saw something moving near one of the mortar emplacements. Five or ten minutes earlier, they had heard rifle fire on the left flank of the OPLR some 100 yards to their left front. The new man fired several carbine rounds in the direction where he thought he saw a German carrying something on his back, but there was no return fire. After scouting the area, Harmon found no sign of a German but did find that the new man had shot up a 60mm mortar. Some were inclined to dismiss the incident as resulting from a bad case of the jitters but others were convinced that enemy infiltra- tors were on the scene. Once he was assured that he would not be shot by any of Harmon's men, Lowry continued over the crest of the hill and down the reverse slope to the OPLR. When he reached the outposts, Pfc Matla told him that an enemy patrol came within five yards of one of the positions. Two new men opened fire in the direction where they saw movement. Like the incident at the mortar positions, the GIs received no return fire. Lowry would like to have chalked it up as another case of the jitters, but he could not take the chance. Without any encouragement at all, everyone remained doubly alert that night. Except a few sporadic 88mm bursts, the

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY172 LORRAINE rest of the night was quiet but no one slept. When daylight came, a very dead German soldier was found not more than ten feet in front of the Third Platoon's left flank position. A new replacement got his first German. Both Pfc Matla and Pvt. Moore claimed credit. Those episodes that night in the Weapons Platoon area and on the OPLR were indications that the new replacements were learning very fast. The incidents also served to instill in the veterans more confidence in the new arrivals. Had those men not fired when they did, an enemy patrol could have gotten through the lines or the GIs might have gotten a potato-masher in one of their holes. Both men followed orders well and used good split-second judgment when they fired at something that moved in front of them. However, several men questioned the theory that the mortar may have moved.

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY173 LORRAINE COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY174 LORRAINE 11. OETING

In the afternoon of February 16, all that the rank and file of Company A knew was that they were alerted to go into the attack the following morning. What they did not know was that on February 15, the 70th Infantry Division received orders to attack and seize the high ground along the south bank of the Saar River opposite the City of Saarbrucken, Germany. In the most elaborate attack preparations yet drawn up for the Bloody Axe Regiment, the 276th Infantry was to seize the high ground dominating the town of Oeting, then move in and capture the town. From the heights beyond Oeting, the Regiment would then pivot to the north-northwest to take the French city of Forbach. After securing Forbach the Regiment would continue to attack northwest through the Forbach Forest to the final objective overlooking the Saar River between Wehrden and Krugutte.3

The attack began in the early morning hours of February 17. The first units crossed the line of departure at midnight in the typical two forward one back formation, with the First Battalion on the right, the Third Battalion on the left and the Second Battalion in reserve. In the First Battalion sector, Company B and Company C were on line with Company A in mobile support. A reinforced field artillery battalion, the 276th Cannon Company, two tank platoons, the 270th Engineer Battalion, and the 99th Chemical Battalion supported the Bloody Axe Regiment. That kind of support was a first for the 276th Infantry since the Regiment’s arrival in France. As Task Force Herren, they did not enjoy such luxury but had to rely on

3Narrative Report, 276th Infantry Regiment, 29 February 1945

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY175 OETING the supporting units of the division to which that they were attached, which never seemed to be available to the Task Force when they were needed.

The rifle companies moved forward to the assault positions and from those positions they launched the main attack just before daybreak. Most of the snow had melted but the ground was slippery and muddy, which made the going extremely rigorous. The men had to advance through thick brush and forests, over rugged terrain and through a very dense fog. They encountered no German infantry, but going into the attack was no secret as the German artillery continuously pounded them. The Battalion's initial objective was the Kleinwald-Fahrbert-Kelsberg Hills surrounding Oeting, which it reached by nine that morning (Map 10, pg. 168). For most of the day, Company B tried desperately to gain a foothold in Oeting. But late in the afternoon the intense, deadly accurate fire from 88s drove the Company back. The entire First Battalion, after its initial success in taking the hills at Oeting, was pinned down by a battery of four self-propelled 88s. Everyone was covered with mud from hitting the ground and sliding into holes and depressions to avoid the artillery bursts. It was a extremely difficult chore to keep the mud from fouling up the rifles. Some men put their precious extra socks over the muzzles and some even wrapped them around the receivers. They frequently fired their rifles into the air just to make sure that the automatic mechanism would function.

Company A received frequent shelling. Some shells were duds, and others miraculously exploded between the well-spaced troops causing very few casualties. While moving down a defile leading into Oeting, Patterson and Pvt. Kennedy heard 88s screaming in; both leaped into a defile to take cover. The first round was close, but the second exploded next to the hole a split second after they jumped in. The explosion nearly buried them and their weapons in mud and both experienced a temporary loss of hearing. They could speak but they could not hear each other. Each looked the other over carefully and was pleased to find no holes or blood. Later in the day they regained their hearing, but they spent several anxious hours using sign language. Temporary loss of hearing was a very common occurrence. Every infantryman experienced it more than once.

The Germans exercised a great deal of ingenuity in preparing the way for the Trailblazers. A deep anti-tank ditch made it impossible for vehicles of any kind to enter Oeting. For the rest of the day and most of the night, the ditch was effective in preventing the Regiment from using tanks and self propelled anti-tank guns. The roadways were heavily mined with both land and anti-personnel mines, which caused

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY176 OETING some casualties and considerable delays. The village itself was well defended by the strategic location of mortars and machine guns with interlocking fields of fire. At dusk, Company A reached its initial objective and the men dug in on the high ground to the southeast of Oeting. Company B, having lost its foothold in Oeting, dug in a short distance south of the town. Company C, after encountering bitter resistance during the afternoon, dug in on the east edge of the town. Bazooka teams were placed in strategic locations because enemy tanks were active in the area. Later when the squeaking sounds of Tiger tanks were heard moving between Company A's positions and the village, every bazooka in the Company was trained on the road leading into Oeting. During the night mortar and artillery fire accounted for several casualties including one man killed, T/5 Jack P McDaniels

Before daylight the following morning, February 18, they resumed the attack in pouring rain. Companies A and C advanced northwest across the hills to the east of Oeting. Company A's objective for the day was to capture and hold the high ground in the northeast corner of the Kleinwaldchen overlooking Forbach, about a mile from Oeting (Map 11, pg. 180). Company B and Company L were ordered to enter and clear the main part of Oeting and Company A was ordered to attack the southeast section of town. Lt. Wagger took the Second Platoon into the town shortly after 0800, then Lt. Brewer went in with the Third Platoon. Meanwhile, Companies B and L attacked down either side of the main street. As the Second Platoon passed the first few houses, T/Sgt. Jury walked around a stone house in time to spot a Tiger Tank starting to back down a road. The tank fired point blank at Jury but his aim was low and the shell hit the mud twenty-five feet short. "Chief" later said, "I went around the building so fast that my shadow was still on the other side." S/Sgt. Harold Jaros took his squad into the woods in an attempt to get in a bazooka shot but the tank did not stay around. As the Third Platoon entered the village, Sgt. Mario Sbrocco and Pfc Ted Kucmerosky were making their way along a fence when a mortar burst threw them to the ground. Neither was badly hurt, but Sbrocco was mad as hell because shrapnel tore the netting that he had just put on his helmet. The Second and Third Platoons continued through the southeast section of the village while the First and Weapons Platoons advanced through the woods to the east. It was house to house fighting from one edge of the little hamlet to the other, but Company A's casualties were light. The GIs took several prisoners and captured an ammunition cache in what looked to be a small warehouse. The place was stacked with artillery shells, panzerfausts, grenades and rifle ammunition. After they sent the prisoners back, the Second and Third Platoons rejoined the rest of the Company in the woods north of Oeting.

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY177 OETING About 1330, the attack continued in the rain with Company A deployed on the left and Company C on the right. Company B finished clearing the enemy from Oeting and went in battalion reserve behind Companies A and C. When Company A was about a thousand yards past Oeting and receiving sporadic 88mm artillery fire, the forward scouts came upon an elaborate trench line. While the scouts looked around the area for Germans, Captain Matthews attempted to contact Company C by radio but all he got was static. He decided to hold up the advance and dispatch a patrol from the First Platoon to reestablish physical contact with Company C before going on. Armstrong told Patterson to get the patrol together and report to the CO. After instructing the platoon leaders to have their men dig in and establish a perimeter defense, he told Patterson that the Companies lost contact with each other shortly after they left Oeting. He feared that Company C may have gone in a direction too far to the right, thus creating a serious gap between them. He told Patterson to go down the trench line until he found Company C then report back its location. While the Company took cover and was starting to dig in, Patterson took three men and went eastward along the trench line. They had walked but a short distance when they came across the bodies of some GIs. The bodies were not Company C men as they appeared to have been there for some time. They were very possibly the remains of GIs who were in one of the raids or combat patrols that were active in the area during the previous three weeks. The sight of the dead GIs unnerved the new men to some extent, but Patterson quickly got them to move along and get on with their mission. They continued to walk in an easterly direction in search of Charley Company, but without success. The sound of a distant 88mm artillery battery became increasingly louder as the patrol kept moving toward its emplacements. Patterson was very thankful that they were not firing at his patrol and had some other target in mind. The howls of the shells passing overhead were a little unnerving, particularly to the new men in the patrol. Patterson reminded them that the shells a guy hears will never hit him.

Finally it became obvious to Patterson that they had missed Company C and were getting too darn close to the 88s. After an hour of looking, he turned the patrol around and headed back the way they had come. When they reached the trench lines, they walked along one side of the trenches rather than through them. As the patrol was about to cross an intersecting trench, the four GIs suddenly came face to face with five men moving toward them from the right (north). With a "hold your fire" signal to his men and all fingers on the triggers, Patterson challenged the five. He was simultaneously challenged by the Charley's CO. There were about nine long sighs of relief. After they made a quick exchange of information, Patterson and his

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY178 OETING patrol made their way back to the Company. Four very thankful GIs returned to their platoon, a little tired but relieved.

When the CO was satisfied that Company C was not far away, he told the Platoon Leaders to get their men in formation and ready to move out. The scouts were sent out and the forward platoons formed skirmish lines. Company A continued its advance toward its objective in the northeast corner of the Kleinwaldchen overlooking the City of Forbach (Map 11, pg. 180). Two hours after dark the men of Company A reached their objective and dug in for the night. They checked and cleaned their rifles, took care of their feet and changed their socks. Rations were in short supply as transportation of supplies was hampered by craters in the road, mud, land mines, trenches, and the necessity of crossing the deep anti-tank ditch in front of Oeting. The men had an ample supply of ammunition because one does not use much ammo against artillery barrages and an enemy that he is unable to see. Their only close contact with the enemy was in and around Oeting.

Map courtesy of Captain Donald “Charlie” Pence, Company B, 275th Infantry

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY179 OETING Cartography by Captain Donald “Charlie” Pence, Company B, 275th Infantry

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY180 FORBACH 12. FORBACH

With Oeting cleared of enemy forces, the next objective of the Bloody Axe Regiment on its advance to the Saar River was Forbach, France, an industrial and mining city a few miles from the German border. Forbach, the largest French city in the area, was just a few hundred yards north of the hills where Company A dug in the previous night. There were three imposing terrain barriers between the 276th Infan- try and Forbach. There was the high ground of the Kleinwald covered by thick woods, the an- cient Schlossberg Castle towering above a steep hill overlooking Forbach, and to the left of the high ground was a flat, narrow valley. The Germans used the four-hundred year old tower of Schlossberg Castle for an observation post. From the tower, Schlossberg Castle - Tower of Forbach (Photo by Garstki)

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY181 FORBACH they directed artillery and mortar fire against the advancing Trailblazers. Automatic weapons covered the narrow valley almost the entire distance between Oeting and Forbach. The First Battalion captured two hills of the Kleinwald before digging in on the night of February 18.

On the morning of February 19, units of the Third Battalion stormed the hill and cas- tle and by 1335 the cas- tle was surrounded. In the mid-afternoon under a barrage of mortar fire, Company A went down the forward slope of the Kleinwald and dug in in a cedar thicket at the edge of town. A short

Marie Madeleine Hospital (Photo courtesy of Joseph Zeller, Forbach, France) time later, Lt. Wagger’s Second Platoon assaulted the southeast edge of the city and occupied the first building in its path which by chance was a hospital. There were no visible exterior markings to indicate that the building was the Marie Madeleine Hospital. S/Sgt. Harold Jaros and S/Sgt. William Schmitz led their squads through the courtyard into the building and met very little enemy resistance. The Germans in the hospital were caught by surprise and beat a hasty retreat through the front entrance as the GIs entered from the rear. Though the Germans did not appear prepared to defend the hospital, they were exceptionally well prepared to keep the Americans out of the city. S/Sgt Jim Skalitzky's squad, which brought up the rear, had a much tougher time getting into the hospital than Wagger's first two squads. His riflemen encountered heavy machine gun and mortar fire before they could get near the courtyard. Part of his squad took cover in a small graveyard and the rest tried to get into the main building. When Jaros' and Schmitz' squads were inside the building the German machine gun and mortar fire increased in intensity. Skalitzky's scouts, Joseph Miller and John Wagoner, positioned themselves at the end of the building where they saw seven or eight Germans exiting from the front entrance. They fired at the Germans as they left the building to take cover on the opposite side of a seven-foot wall. Miller and Wagoner started down the wall to the courtyard when Germans fired at them with

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY182 FORBACH panzerfausts. One projectile exploded on the wall above Miller wounding and knocking him out. Pfc John Wagoner, who had joined the Company five days before and had been in the army only six months, was killed by the first blast. He was starting down some steps that led into the courtyard when the shell exploded at his feet. The terrific blast of the armor-piercing projectile blew off his left leg just above the boot. He crawled up to the rear of the building and cried for an aid man. Pfc Edgar Keane tried to get to him, but he was hit by a potato masher. Keane stag- gered into the building bleeding from all over his body. Jury and Skalitzky went out to get Wagoner but they found him dead near the side of the building.

From his vantage point on the

Courtyard of Marie Madeleine Hospital (Photo courtesy of Joseph side of the hill, Captain Matthews was Zeller) unable to observe what was happening in the hospital courtyard and apparently did not realize how intense the enemy fire was. He ordered Lt. Brewer to move the Third Platoon into the town and establish a foothold in an adjacent building. Lt. Brewer told S/Sgt Lowry to have his squad ready to move out when the mortar fire subsided. "Make a run for the hospital and take it from there. When you reach cover, I'll send in the other two squads. If it looks like you can grab and occupy another building before dark, go ahead but use your own judgment.” Lt. Brewer really did not think that Lowry's squad could take another building that night without more men. If that were at all possible, Lt. Wagger and Jury would have already done it. After a few minutes the shelling eased up and Lowry took his squad down the hillside, through the courtyard, and into the hospital with the Second Platoon. There was a lot of blood on the wet cobblestone and John Wagoner's body was just a few feet from the doorway. It was a miracle that Lowry's squad made it to the hospital without a man being hit, as the air was full of lead and mortar shells were exploding

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY183 FORBACH everywhere. There were many very near misses. When it started to get dark, the Captain reconsidered and decided that it would be better to wait until morning for the Third Platoon to follow the Second Platoon into the town. An attempt to occupy other buildings in the dark could result in an unnecessary costly night fight. When Brewer was about to have Finney take his squad and follow Lowry, the Cap- tain told him that there were too many troops in the one building. The Third Platoon had better dig in where they were and go into Forbach in the morning. Brewer's retort was: "Tough shit, I already have a squad in that damned building, and I'm sure as hell not pulling them out through all that fire." That was the end of the conver- sation. For several days Steiner and the squad leaders of the Third Platoon, Front view of Marie Madeleine Hospital - Forbach, France Lowry, Finney and Davis, noticed (Photo courtesy of Joseph Zeller) some friction developing between Lt. Brewer and Captain Matthews. Brewer did not attempt to hide his growing impatience with what he called Captain Matthews' indecisiveness.

When all his men were in the hospital, Jury wasted no time deploying them to prepare for a counterattack. Simultaneously the nuns and nurses were busy moving their patients away from the windows. A nurse told Jury that the Germans were going to return and attack the hospital and drive the Americans out. "Chief" told her in his rusty German (Pennsylvania Dutch) "Let them come." She told Jury that she did not think that he understood her, but he assured her that he did. A few minutes later some Germans attempted to enter through a door at the end of a hallway. They plunged directly into the automatic fire from Pfc Alfred Bousquet's BAR. Those that did not die in the doorway disappeared into the darkness. Bousquet was a French Canadian who spoke French, so between he and Jury, they had the language bases pretty well covered. Bousquet stayed at his position guarding the door with orders

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY184 FORBACH from Jury to shoot at anyone or anything that tries to enter. "If what’s left of the door even moves an inch, shoot the hell out of it before the Krauts can throw in a grenade."

Pfc Ed Kimmle was a new replacement who joined the Trailblazers at Rosbruck and was assigned to the Second Platoon as a runner. He was kept busy that night in Forbach running messages back and forth between Lt. Wagger and the Company CP located in the cedar thicket where two platoons were dug in. On one run, as he made his way from the CP to the hospital, he called out that one of Jury's men was firing at him with a 30-caliber machine gun. Jury told him that his men had no machine guns and that it must have been a German machine gun that he heard. Kimmle replied, "That was no Kraut machine gun! I damn well knew an American machine gun when I hear one." Jaros also thought he heard a GI machine gun and went to an upper floor to check it out from there. He very quietly opened a window shutter, looked around the grounds below, pulled the pin from a hand grenade and let it drop. The next morning the disabled American machine gun was laying on the ground next to the building along with a dead Wehrmacht gunner.

Some thirty GIs had taken cover in the Marie Madeleine Hospital, which was under siege the entire night. Several times during the night, the enemy tried to get back into the hospital, and frequently small arms and mortar fire struck the building and the outside wall. Skalitzky's squad secured the courtyard and his men patrolled the porches and threw hand grenades at several Germans as they attempted to gain access to the grounds. Intense mortar and artillery fire was also directed against Company A's dug in positions on the side of the hill. Continuous heavy mortar and artillery fire was also directed at the castle and at all positions of the 276th Infantry overlooking Forbach. It was the Germans' last desperate attempt to stop the Trailblazers from getting a foothold in the city. That was anything but a quiet night and no one slept a wink.

Occupying the Marie Madeleine Hospital presented some serious problems for the Trailblazers. The hospital building with its thick stone walls provided an excellent toehold in the city. It was a sturdy building that could well have served as a bunker. It was operated by the Sisters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul, an order of Catholic nuns, and the lower floor was more than full to capacity with patients. Two cadavers wrapped in blankets were on the floor in the hallway waiting to be taken to the graveyard. On the ground floor, blackout curtains covered the windows. They could not be removed because it was necessary for the hospital personnel to

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY185 FORBACH have candle light to care for their patients. In order for the men to observe what was going on outside, they took up positions at windows on the upper floors where there was no light inside the building. Worst of all, the mere presence of the GIs drew German fire on the hospital and endangered the lives of the sisters and the patients. Some nuns and nurses were terrified when German mortar shells struck the outside walls of the building and exploded near the windows. The GIs wished that they were in another building, but there was nothing they could do about it until daylight. Everyone was uneasy and Lt. Wagger had reservations about making aggressive moves against the enemy. He did not want to put the civilians in the overcrowded hospital in greater danger. In spite of their cramped and perilous situation, the nuns made a small ward available for the temporary care of the wounded GIs. One sister made hot tea for the wounded men and heated water on a coal stove so that the GIs could make some Nescafe. There was no doctor available and the nurses were out of medical supplies.

The main building was surrounded on three sides by a seven-foot stone wall. The wall enclosed a courtyard on the south and the remains of a garden and a cobblestone alley on the north. A stone and wood fence with an iron gate extended across the front of the building. The wall was effective in keeping the Germans at a distance; nevertheless, they could still get close enough to it without being seen to throw potato-mashers over into the courtyard and against the building. As long as the GIs avoided the grounds next to the building and stayed out of the courtyard, the German grenades exploded harmlessly outside. Frequently during the night mortar shells exploded near and against the building, but none penetrated the thick walls or came through the shuttered windows. That night a German threw several grenades over the wall. Every few minutes, one exploded near the north door. After four or five grenades exploded, a man in Skalitzky's squad figured out where they came from and quietly went out the rear entrance. He went around the building, eased up to the wall and lobbed three or four grenades over the wall into the area where he thought the German was. He wounded at least one German who spent the next hour moaning and crying out "Heil Hitler." He must have been an SS soldier as the Wehrmacht troops were rarely that fanatical.

Later that night, Haller and Lowry were told to take a patrol into the city with a mission to reconnoiter the area and attempt to find out which nearby buildings were not occupied by the enemy. They were instructed to locate suitable buildings for the Second and Third Platoons to attack and occupy the following morning. With Lowry leading off as the forward scout, the patrol went slowly and silently through the

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY186 FORBACH seemingly deserted streets for more than two hours but accomplished very little. Except for the severely shelled buildings with the outside walls partially blown away, there was no way to tell if a building was occupied. There were no lights of any kind, which made it very doubtful that many of the buildings would be recognizable in the daylight. It was still raining and there was no starlight. About the time Haller and Lowry decided to turn the patrol around and head back, a man stepped on some broken glass or rubble and instantly alerted the Germans. The enemy opened fire and sprayed the street with machine gun bullets from three positions, prompting the men to spread out, seek cover and hug the ground. Haller told the men to remain spread out and not to return fire as it would only serve to pinpoint their locations. After a few very long minutes, they started to crawl back toward the hospital. The German machine gun tracers did not come close to anyone, which suggested that the enemy really did not know exactly where the GIs were, but for a while they thought that they were dead ducks. When it was safe to move, the men got on their feet and quietly made their way back and entered the courtyard through an iron gate at the front of the building. Fortunately no one took any German rounds but the men had a few anxious moments where their heartbeats were pounding at double time. They thanked God that the Germans did not use flares, fire any mortar shells or throw grenades into the street.

At daybreak the following morning, February 20, the CO ordered the First and Third Platoons to jump off and take the buildings on either side of the hospital. A few minutes after the men cleared their foxholes and started to attack, the German mortar shells began to burst all around them. As the shelling commenced, the men made a dash for their objectives, but they were stopped in their tracks by intensive burp-gun fire from both houses. T/Sgt. Jud Harmon moved the Weapons Platoon forward to a position where he pounded the enemy positions with 60mm mortars which kept them pinned down long enough for the GIs to seek cover in the hospital. Sgt. Wilbert Kollenbaum, a mortar squad leader, was wounded, "Doc" Haas bandaged him up, then he continued to lead his squad. There was no place to go but into the overcrowded hospital. While getting everyone into the building, the Company sustained four more casualties. Among them was Armstrong who was wounded while he was kneeling and firing his rifle over a low brick fence. Mortar shrapnel hit him in the back and legs; however, his wounds were not so serious as to require evacuation. Ten days later he was back on the line. Meanwhile, S/Sgt. "Red" Shelander took charge as acting Platoon Leader of the First Platoon. By 0900 the entire Company was in the hospital building and the other companies of the First Battalion had also gained toe holds in houses further to the left and right of Company

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY187 FORBACH A. Fierce enemy resistance prevented all of the units from breaking out into the town. It was like all the German soldiers in Europe were concentrated around Marie Madeleine Hospital.

On rare occasions in the heat of battle, when everyone was under extreme pressure, weary, edgy and nothing was going as expected, friction would develop between some officers and noncommissioned officers. The other GIs would seldom be aware of it because the parties to the disagreements would rarely air their differences within earshot of the men. Right or wrong, like it or not, orders from higher authority were ultimately complied with if humanly possible. Such was the situation in the courtyard of Marie Madeleine Hospital on the morning of February 20, when the enemy was keeping the Company pinned down in the hospital. Major Edward Joyce came on the scene from the Battalion CP to find out what was holding up the attack and to get the ball rolling. The officers held an impromptu get together to formulate a plan to break out into the city. Regimental Headquarters was putting the pressure on the First Battalion to “get moving.” Major Joyce told Captain Matthews that the Command- ing General had ordered the 276th Infantry to attack at once and to take Forbach without delay. General Barnett directed that the Bloody Axe Regiment was to "Cut, Slash and Drive!" The Major suggested that the CO get the engineers to blow a hole in the wall, so that the men could move out into the town. T/Sgt. Jury told the Major that he did not think that would be the best way to go. He wanted to take the Second Platoon out the front gate to an apparently unoccupied yellow house north- east of the hospital and jump off from there. From that point the houses were close together, which afforded them a better opportunity to move from house to house into town. Also, the men would not have to cross the open space between the hospital and the next row of buildings. The idea of Jury making an alternative suggestion to the Major without going through channels infuriated Captain Mat- thews. The slow brewing friction between the CO and one of his pla- toon sergeants turned to sparks. Jury was not only on the Captain's "shit list," but probably on the Ma- jor's as well, but that did not bother him. Captain Matthews reminded Jury that Lt. Wagger was the pla-

House NE of Marie Madeleine Hospital (Photo Courtesy of Joseph Zeller) toon leader, not Jury. He could

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY188 FORBACH forget the yellow house idea because the attack would be through a hole in the wall as the Major suggested.

The fierce enemy resistance continued and mortar shells exploded inside the wall every time the men of Company A exposed themselves. Attempts to break out into the city by the other companies of the Regiment were also repelled by small arms, automatic weapon, mortar and artillery fire. Finally Captain Matthews ordered Lt. Brewer to get the Third Platoon through the wall and get into the first row of houses on the other side of what was once lawn and gardens. Brewer did not like the idea of attacking without first having artillery support to soften up the enemy machine gun and heavy mortar positions facing the Company. The Weapons Platoon 60mm mortars were too small to be effective in that instance. The CO said that the company could not wait for artillery support because the artillery battalion had not arrived in the area and was therefore not yet in place. He then told Brewer to "get on with it without the support of artillery." With that command, Brewer and Steiner moved the Third Platoon up to the wall and without wasting any time they started the men through the gap. Lowry's squad formed the point. He told the men to spread out when they were on the other side of the wall and try not to give the enemy a chance to shoot at more than one moving target at a time. Lowry led off and at once faced crossfire from two enemy positions. He signaled to the men not to stop because moving targets were much harder to zero in on than stationary ones. The squad had only gone about fifteen or twenty yards when a mortar shell landed behind the sergeant and exploded in the middle of their skirmish line. Everyone behind him was forced to hit the ground. Lowry, a little deaf and dazed from the concussion of the mortar blast but lucky to be alive, continued to run forward. When he looked back, all he could see was the smoke and the lethal flashes of several bursting shells. For fear that the enemy shells would soon catch up with him, he did not stop running until he reached cover in the shell of a bombed-out house. Fortunately it was not occupied by the enemy and apparently they did not observe him enter. Continued mortar bursts and small arms fire gave his men no choice but to get back through the wall to the hospital. The determined defensive action of the Germans indicated that Jury was probably right when he expressed the belief that a frontal attack through the hole was not the way to go.

It was the next day before Lowry learned that only two of his men were wounded, but not seriously. He thanked God that it was not worse. When he did not return to the hospital with his squad, Capt. Matthews was sure that Lowry was killed in the mortar barrage. The Captain acted as though he had seen a ghost when he and

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY189 FORBACH Lowry met face to face the following day on a street in Forbach. All he said was: "I thought you were dead! They told me you were dead! I saw the shells explode"

After coming close to losing his Third Squad, Lt. Brewer told the Captain that he did not want to attempt another frontal attack against the row of houses until the machine gun positions and mortars were neutralized. "We got to have some 105mm artillery support and we need it now!" Captain Matthews then ordered Lt. Wagger to take the Second Platoon through the wall and across the grassy area to the row of houses. Wagger no sooner got two squads started through the gap when all hell broke loose. One man was killed going through the breach and several were wounded, including the lieutenant who was shot in the arm. He came back into the courtyard with a shattered, bleeding arm and shouted to Jury “Take over.” From the looks of his bloody arm, he was out of the war. Jury told the First Squad to stand fast in the courtyard then dashed through the wall to the other two squads who were in a bad way. Haller, the Platoon Guide, took shrapnel in the right upper arm, the right elbow, and the right buttock while he waited in the courtyard with Skalitzky's men. He, Skalitzky and five members of the squad were ready to jump off through the wall when an enemy dropped a mortar shell behind them. Haller later remarked, “If I had kept my damned arm down, I wouldn't have been wounded” but he had no explanation for the shrapnel in his rear end. He had the "Red Ass" for sure. The impact knocked everyone in the squad off their feet but Haller was the only one hit from that burst. However, a few minutes later several more mortar shells exploded in the garden area as Skalitzky and his men were about to go through the wall. Pfc William Klaeren, who was standing directly behind Skalitzky, was killed instantly. Every other man in the squad with the exception of Pfc Serenc Marsh, Skalitzky's Assistant Squad Leader, was wounded. About that time Captain Matthews and Major Joyce came on the scene. The Major urged the CO to get his men away from the hospital, through the wall and to get on with the attack before the entire company was wiped out. Haller, laying in a slight depression next to the wall, heard the major remark in a low voice something like "If I carried a rifle, I'd . . . .” On hearing that "Red-Ass" rolled over and with his good arm he raised his rifle and said “Here Major, you're welcome to mine!” Haller never heard an acceptance to his offer.

Jury knew that his two squads would never be able to move across the open area because several men were wounded and the rest were pinned down. Pfc Robert Arballo's rifle was shot from his hands and he lost his trigger finger. While he crawled back toward the wall, a bullet pierced his helmet, cut his scull and left him unconscious. Harold Jaros ran out, picked him up, and carried him back to cover.

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY190 FORBACH Pvt. Leon Marlow was hit in the buttocks and upper thigh and started to crawl back. When he reached the wall, he was several yards from the opening. He got on his feet and struggled over the seven-foot wall while the blood ran off the bottom of his boot. Pfc Duncan Lee and Pfc Milton Martin were killed in the exposed area between the hospital and the row of houses. Several others were badly wounded before Jury could get the platoon back through the wall. When he got back to the hospital, he could count only eleven men of the Second Platoon who were not killed or wounded. He was convinced more than ever that he should have taken his men via the yellow house where they would have had some cover. Jury was madder than hell and went looking for Major Joyce and Captain Matthews, but he found neither officer. Had he found them, there might have been a full-blown confrontation.

Casualties were extremely heavy that day with no ground gained to show for the men's efforts and bloodshed. The Company had only two aidmen, Pfc "Doc" Sykes and Pfc "Doc" Haas who took care of the wounded in a small ward of the hospital. They had no blood plasma nor medical supplies other than those that the aidmen normally carried in their packs, and that supply was nearly exhausted. The hospital personnel could offer no assistance because they had no medical supplies themselves. Sixteen seriously wounded men needed urgent medical attention and had to be evacuated, but there was no transportation. Pvt. Bill Nisnke had his arm nearly blown off and S/Sgt. William Schmitz had suffered four gunshot wounds and was bleeding badly. "Doc" Sikes sent the first platoon runner, Ed Kimmle back to the Battalion Aid Station to get medical supplies and plasma, while Jury went out to look for anything with wheels to transport the wounded men to an aid station. He located a sergeant from Company D (Heavy weapons company) who volunteered to provide a truck to help evacuate Company A's wounded. About two o'clock the following morning Jury and the weapons company sergeant got the wounded soldiers out the back of the building, across a wooded area, and into the truck. The casualties were soon on their way to the rear. Jury was exhausted and more than a little pissed-off as he considered it the responsibility of the CO, Exec. Officer or First Sergeant to see to it that the wounded were cared for and evacuated, not a platoon sergeant.

Company A received orders to jump off into Forbach at 0800 the following morning regardless of the enemy opposition. There was still no artillery support, but the Exec. Officer, Lt. Doenges thought that they would have it before "H Hour." At dawn, Jury went out to the wall and noticed two Germans carrying a machine gun from one of their positions. It appeared that the Germans were changing the locations of their machine gun positions. While they were moving the guns, Jury

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY191 FORBACH took advantage of the situation and led his remaining eleven men into the first house to the right of the opening. Not a shot was fired at them. Meanwhile, "Red" Shelander took the First Platoon and Steiner took the Third Platoon through the wall Pushing into Forbach from Marie Madeleine Hospital and caught the Germans by surprise. They crossed the open garden area and attacked the buildings with rapid fire and threw grenades into the windows. As quick as lightning the First and Third Platoon GIs burst into three houses and captured eight wounded Wehrmacht. All three rifle platoons of Company A were finally out of the hospital and were fighting for more than a foothold in the city. The battle for Forbach was taking shape but the Germans fought bitterly to hold their positions and not give ground. "Red" Shelander had taken over the First Platoon because Lt. Kerber was transferred to Division Headquarters and Armstrong was wounded two days earlier. Harmon had taken over the Fourth Platoon as Lt. Jenkins was also wounded and back at the Marie Madeleine Hospital. Sgt. Gordon Bower, one of Harmon's Mortar Squad Leaders attempted to set up a mortar in the courtyard, when he was hit in the leg by shrapnel from a German mortar. A short time later, Sgt. Dean Mayer, a Machine gun Squad Leader who was looking down the street from a window in the hospital building, saw a German run across an intersection over a block away. He had just missed getting off a shot, when another German carrying a high backpack started across the same intersection. Dean gave him a little lead and dropped him in his tracks. For several minutes after that, the enemy mortar fire stopped, and later it was discovered that the German Mayer dropped was carrying the mortar base plate in his pack. Sgt. Kollenbaum's squad surprised a platoon of German infantrymen waiting for their morning chow. As they stood in line at a chow wagon with their mess gear in their hands and their rifles slung over their shoulders, Kollenbaum's men surrounded them. All twenty-seven dropped their mess gear and rifles and put their hands up.

Company A, on line with the rest of the Regiment, fought its way out from its toehold at the edge of the city. Slowly and methodically, the men cleared most of the

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY192 FORBACH houses in the southeast section of town. Breaking out from the hospital and entering the city was costly. It was a bloody ordeal and the number of casualties was astounding. Among the Company's many casualties was Sgt. Erman Lyles who was killed by machine gun fire near the hospital wall.

After Jenkins and Armstrong were patched up, they spent that night in the temporary aid station in the hospital and the next morning they were taken to the battalion aid station. There they received further medical attention and because their wounds were not serious, they were billeted in a house near the Battalion CP. When they entered the one-room house, they were nearly blown over by a stench coming from a wood stove used to heat the room. The only occupant of the building was a lieutenant who was catching some sack time on a cot. It seemed that the poor guy was suffering from an uncontrollable case of the GIs and had placed his messed up long johns in the oven to dry out. Armstrong removed his bayonet from its scabbard and fixed it to his rifle. He very cautiously removed the stinking mess on the tip of the bayonet and pitched it out the nearest window. Jenkins was released to go back to the Company the following morning, but Armstrong spent another week recuperating at the aid station.

City fighting was a new and different experience for the Trailblazers. Before their attack on Forbach, their warfare had been entirely in small villages, forests, and mountains. The multi-storied buildings presented different types of obstacles than did the small houses of Wingen. Each building was like a huge bunker, with basement windows that opened onto the streets like pillbox embrasures. The solid stone walls varied from several inches to more than three feet thick. Many would withstand the shells from 105mm artillery. The Germans knew every building, every street, every alley, and every neighborhood square. They positioned themselves at strategic locations throughout the city where they established strong points. With a minimum of manpower, they defended their lines with rifles, light mortars and automatic weapons. Their forward observers directed mortar and artillery fire on the advancing GIs with unbelievable accuracy. Often three or four enemy soldiers, strategically located, were easily able to hold up an entire attacking platoon. Their snipers could spot the attackers a block away and pick them off one at a time. In the confusion and noise, it was often impossible to detect from where the sniper's shot or shots came. Once he fired a single shot, the sniper most often would simply disappear. The Germans were extremely skillful in taking every precaution to prevent giving away their positions. A sniper often exercised extreme patience in waiting until he had a GI in his sights before firing. If the GI were a scout, the enemy

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY193 FORBACH would often let him pass, then shoot him in the back. Some- times they would not bother with the scouts and simply wait it out for more targets. The forward scout's life and the lives of the men in his squad or platoon often depended upon his spotting the enemy before the enemy spotted him. An added difficulty that the Trailblazers encountered was that the city was not completely evac- uated, perhaps due to its size. The men made every effort to The two GIs in the building to the right appear to be reconnoitering the area (Source of photo unknown) avoid placing civilians in more danger than they were already in, which occasionally resulted in slowing the advance. Nevertheless there were civilian casualties, which in combat could never be entirely avoided.

Obviously, the enemy could not occupy every building in the city, nor could the GIs attack and search every building. The riflemen did not always know which houses and buildings were used for defenses; consequently, it was necessary for them to enter and clear as many buildings as possible. Sometimes when the men bypassed a building, the enemy hiding in it held their fire and later hit the GIs from the rear. That happened more than once as the Company A men worked their way through Forbach. Many buildings were badly damaged or destroyed by artillery and appeared unoccupied, but occasionally the cellars could be and were used as bunkers. To clear the town, initially each squad was assigned one side of a street. Half the squad assaulted a building, while the other men laid down covering fire. The men on one side of the street would also provide fire cover for the men advancing on the other side. Squad leaders usually assigned men to watch and fire on anything that moved in the upper floors, while the others would attack the lower floors. When assaulting a building, the men would toss hand grenades in the basements and lower floors and then bust in while firing their weapons. If there were only civilians in a building, they would generally hang out a white flag. Sometimes the enemy would hang out a white flag when he was ready to surrender. That occurred only when he was badly wounded, out of ammunition, or his situation was hopeless.

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY194 FORBACH The street and building-to-building fight- ing continued until darkness made it extremely hazardous for the GIs to continue the attack. When the men could no longer see what they were attacking, the Com- pany made preparations to hold up for the night and defend the real estate it paid so dearly to get. They were Street fighting through rubble in Forbach, France - (Photo by Garstki) dog-tired from the grueling day of storming and fighting for buildings, running through and climbing over rubble, and from being on the attack for more than a week with no rest. That night the Company was alerted to expect a major German counterattack as the enemy had reportedly received reinforcements with armor and self-propelled assault guns. If there was anything the men did not need at the time, it was a night fight. The Company prepared itself as well as it could for the impending counterattack. Men cleaned their weapons, took care of their feet, and posted sentries. Wounded soldiers who could walk on their own, made their way back to the aid station, but the more seriously wounded were carried back on liters. After dark the platoon leaders moved some positions to different locations in order to improve their fields of fire down the streets.

A short time before midnight, 88mm artillery and nebelwerfer rockets, better known to the troops as screaming-meemies, started pounding the southeast section of the city. After a thirty minute bombardment, the counterattack was under way. The Germans attacked the Trailblazer positions with small arms, grenades, and panzerfausts, and demonstrated that they had a good fix on some of the GI positions. The exchange of fire continued periodically through the night. Company A held its positions in the buildings and the men shot at anything that moved on the dark streets. During a lull in the attack, the German artillery and screaming-meemies again pounded the liberated section of the city. Screaming-meemies were extremely powerful German rockets. They made terrifying, eerie, rasping howls like the legs of a heavy table being dragged over a marble floor, amplified a thousand times. Merely the sound of those rockets going through the air, particularly at night, was enough to send chills up and down an alligator's spine. It was a sound that one did

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY195 FORBACH not soon forget. The explosions and concussion were terrific. The screaming- meemies were fired from rocket launchers, five at a time in rapid succession. Whenever the GIs heard one, they knew that four more would quickly follow.

Chow was the usual K and C rations that the men carried in their pockets and frequently ate on the run. Whenever the opportunity pre- sented itself, the GIs supplemented their diet with red wine. They found wine in cellars of vacated buildings and some was given to them by the very grateful residents of Forbach. Earlier that evening an elderly Frenchman came out into the street while the Third Platoon was firing into enemy positions. He held up a bottle of wine and handed it to Sgt. Mario Sbrocco and said that it was his last bottle of wine and that he had saved Nebelwerfer - German rocket launcher used to fire five it for the first Americans to pass his house. The screaming-meemies. Frenchman was oblivious to the fact that both GIs and Germans were firing small arms and machine guns on the street.

With the dawn of February 22, the struggle continued for possession of Forbach. The counterattack during the night was successfully repelled; however, the enemy resisted more stubbornly than ever. All three battalions continued to pursue their slow and painful building-to-building advance toward the downtown area. The primary resistance continued to be strong-points in well situated positions that commanded a clear view of every square foot the advancing Trailblazers had to traverse. German troops manning those strong-points seldom surrendered until they were completely overwhelmed. Mortar and artillery fire continued to come in sporadically day and night all along the regimental front. For some unknown reason, the Germans saved their screaming-meemies for night shelling. Perhaps they figured that the spine chilling sound of the screaming-meemies had a more devastating effect on the GIs' morale at night. If that were the case, they were dead right. Another possibly was that they did not want to reveal the locations of their launching sites, however that probably was not the case as the nebelwerfer launchers were highly mobile. The defenders also used some assault guns, the usual small arms, automatic weapons, and many panzerfausts. Casualties continued to mount and the evacuation of the wounded became more difficult. When a man was down on the street it was never easy to get him out, and frequently rescue attempts would result in more

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY196 FORBACH casualties. The unarmed medics continued to do an outstanding job in rendering first aid to the wounded and helping with their evacuation. Though they did not carry arms and were unable to return fire, they were often fired on, and like any other foot soldier, they were the victims of mortar and artillery fire. No one will ever know how many lives they saved while putting their own on the line. There was not an infantryman alive who would not take his hat off to the Combat Medic.

Much of the fighting in the battle for Forbach was at very close range. The men of Company A fought in residential districts, in cemeteries, in the larger buildings of the commercial section of town, in the town square, and in the railroad yard. Shortly after entering the city, Lt. Brewer's platoon had to cross a cemetery. About half way through the cemetery, the advancing GIs were raked with fire from a machine gun that was set up in the shelter of some massive tomb stones. The tomb stones and monuments provided good cover from small arms fire. By crawling behind the tomb stones and elevated graves, the forward squads made their way undetected to within a few yards of the enemy machine gun. With the help of a few well placed 60mm mortar shots, the enemy gun was silenced and Lloyd Finney's squad overran the position. In retaliation, the enemy started lobbing mortar shells into the cemetery behind the Third Platoon GIs, compelling them to either continue forward or fall back. Lt. Brewer calculated that while they were in the cemetery, the men had a better chance against machine guns than against mortars. He ordered two of his squads to move forward, Finney's squad on the right and Lowry's squad on the left. In short rushes between tomb stones and monuments, the squads moved rapidly through the cemetery and took cover in two bombed-out houses that were in such a state of destruction that it was understandable why the enemy was not defending them. There were no Germans in the demolished buildings but they could tell from the fire they received that there were several enemy troops in a building between the two squads. For several minutes, Finney and Lowry's men exchanged fire with the Germans in the house between them and it became apparent that they were in a standoff situation and rifle fire alone from those distances was not going to get them out.

They were too close to the enemy to call for artillery and they did not want to pull back and give up what little cover they had. Lowry sent Pfc Carlos Leija to the platoon CP to get the Weapons Platoon to direct 60mm mortar fire on the building for exactly five minutes. The stone building was too solid for their shells to penetrate but they would keep the Germans pinned down and unable to observe while the GIs prepared to make their next move. Lowry then split his squad and left five men to

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY197 FORBACH continue firing into the windows. He took three men and went out through the front of the rubble while the GIs in both houses and the mortars kept the Germans pretty well pinned. The instant the mortar shelling stopped, they ran to the building, threw hand grenades in a front window, and burst in firing their rifles. Eight Wehrmacht soldiers, three of them wounded, stood in a corner with their hands raised and shouted: "KAMARAD KAMARAD!" Others escaped out a rear exit. Their machine guns were still in place at the windows from which they were firing just moments before. Pfc Matla, tossed a grenade up the staircase and took a man with him to clear out the second floor. Meanwhile, a GI was about to toss a grenade down the staircase into the cellar when one of the Germans shouted something like, "Halt! halt! civil!" Five scared French civilians came up from below. When they indicated that there was no one else in the basement, the grenade was tossed down the staircase and exploded. To their surprise, the squad had captured a German command post with its radio and telephone communications intact. A valise containing several maps, charts, and miscellaneous other papers was laying on a table. The prisoners were searched, and lined up facing a wall with their hands behind their heads. One officer had a small coin purse in his pocket that contained some old German coins and several small 25 calibre shells. That led the GIs to again search their prisoners for a concealed weapon to match the shells, but none was found. Mario Sbrocco, Finney's assistant squad leader, amused himself by introducing the Germans on the other end of the telephone line to some very vivid and colorful English while expressing his opinion of Adolf Hitler. He then gave them a similar oration in Italian, and perhaps would have done the same in German if he had been able to speak the language. After a few minutes of listening to Sbrocco, there should have been no doubt at the German Headquarters that one of their command posts had been overrun and captured.

A pot of potato soup was cooking on a coal burning stove in the kitchen. As tempting as it was, the men left it for the civilians who were more desperate for something hot to eat than the GIs. Later while moving through the city, the Trail- blazers learned that the townspeople were desperately short of food. One lady told Steiner in German, "Thank God you Americans are here. We are all out of potatoes." Steiner did not have the heart to tell her that the GIs had no potatoes but handed her a K ration, which she looked at suspiciously. He finally opened it for her, so that she could see that it was really food.

Finny and Lowry deployed their men, secured the three buildings, and prepared to continue the attack. Shortly, Lt. Brewer showed up with Davis and his

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY198 FORBACH squad. Lowry gave Brewer the German briefcase with the maps and papers and turned the prisoners over to Steiner, who spoke German. Without wasting any time, the squad leaders took off with their men and continued the attack toward the next buildings. After capturing the German command post, the men were eager and ready to get the Germans on the run. As long as the Germans were being pushed, the more difficult it was for them to stop, regroup and set up new defensive positions.

Company A continued its slow and determined drive through the city. The three rifle platoons were on line, each fighting house to house down different streets, with the Weapons Platoon in close support. The machine gun and mortar squads were kept busy firing at targets pointed out by the riflemen.

The platoon leaders kept the platoons on the move employing what Lt. Brewer called the "leap frog" attack. While one squad was attacking a building, another squad would lay down covering fire on the street. Meanwhile another squad would watch and fire at targets in the upper floors of the buildings. Once a squad captured and occupied a house, its men would lay down fire so the next squad could attack another building. In that manner each squad changed its role in the attack every time they took a building. Lt. Brewer's "leap frog" system worked well for attacking houses and small buildings, but larger multi-storied buildings required more than a squad to take and search out. Usually two squads would enter and search out a building, while one squad would cover the street and upper floors of the nearby buildings. In those instances, part of the supporting squad would take cover on the opposite side of the street to get a better view of the front of the building.

After taking and occupying a large five-story building, the Third Platoon was held up while attacking an adjacent bank building. The Germans had securely barricaded the ground floor doors and windows from the inside, while they laid down a blanket of fire at the GIs as they approached the bank. The bank was about ten feet from the building occupied by the Third Platoon and there was no way to get over the rooftops. They would have to break into the massive front doors, but first they had to neutralize the enemy troops that were firing at them from the upper floors. Lt. Brewer told Finney to send a man with a grenade launcher across the street and find a place where he could fire grenades into the upper windows. Meanwhile Lowry's squad threw grenades into the upper floor of the bank from the adjacent building. That method of attack did not prove to be too effective as the Germans disappeared from the windows and reappeared and fired from others. Lt. Brewer sent his runner, Pfc Ted Kucmerosky, to tell Lowry that he was sending up a flame thrower and he

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY199 FORBACH hoped to hell he knew how to use it. Brewer's plan was for Lowry to set the upper floors of the bank on fire with the flame thrower, while Finney's men fired a bazooka round at the front door from the building across the street. Simultaneously, Dean Mayer's machine gun squad sprayed the upper floors with machine gun fire. As soon as the door was blown in, Davis' squad was set to rush in. When the flame thrower arrived, the men got it in place a few feet from the window, and pumped flaming napalm (thick jelled gasoline) through the window into the bank. More of the flaming jelly seemed to flow down the outside of the bank building than went inside but there was a lot of black smoke billowing out of its windows. In the process, some flaming napalm fell inside the building with the GIs and started a damn hot fire in that building as well as in the bank. The top floor was like a ballroom with high ceilings. Draperies hung from the ceiling to the floor. When the flames leaped up the drapes, it was high time for the squad to vacate the room and find a cooler place from which to engage the enemy. Finney's bazooka man successfully blew a hole in the front door and Mayer's men poured machine gun fire into the upper windows. Before Davis' squad could get in the bank, a white flag appeared in a window. Seven Wehrmacht soldiers came through the hole in the splintered front door and climbed over the rubble with their hands up. They apparently preferred to become prisoners rather than be roasted alive. Steiner sent the prisoners to the rear and the platoon left the burning buildings and pushed on over the rubble-strewn cobblestone streets.

Broken glass, stone, bricks, splintered timbers, pieces of roofing slate, and corpses of dead civilians and Germans littered the streets of Forbach. More than ever, the musty damp air, acrid stench of gunsmoke and the foul odor of decompos- ing corpses was overwhelming.

By early afternoon the Company had slowly progressed through the streets and was nearing the center of town and the main square. At the square several streets converged on the main east-west artery, the Rue Nationale (Metz Highway). There the enemy was well established in cellars commanding clear fields of fire down all the intersecting streets. As the GIs approached the square, they were met with a rain of machine gun bullets, sniper fire and mortar shells. The closer the men got to Rue Nationale, the more intense and bitter the fighting became.

As a squad of Third Platoon riflemen approached the square and Rue Nationale, snipers succeeded in pinning down the forward scouts so they could neither advance nor withdraw. After some delay, Brewer sent Steiner forward by way of the rear of the buildings to see what he could do to get things moving. Steiner

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY200 FORBACH found the squad leader and asked him what they were up against. Lowry told him that machine gun positions and snipers were in the buildings facing the square from the opposite other side of the main street (Rue Nationale). Steiner and Lowry were standing inside the doorway of a large commercial building and when Steiner started to look toward the square, a sniper's shot rang out and struck the marble entrance behind him, missing his nose by only a few inches. The German bullet hit the marble and dropped harm lessly to the floor. Steiner's first comment was, "Goddammit Low- ry, every time I get near you I get shot at!" After that familiar re- mark that Lowry had heard from him on other occasions, Steiner

Forbach, France (Photo source unknown) said to “hold on, we’ll get some big stuff,”then went out the rear door and back to the radioman to secure artillery and heavy (81mm) mortar support. Fifteen minutes later, 105mm artillery shells screeched over the mens' heads and crashed into the enemy occupied buildings, then came a few 81mm mortar shells that burst in front of the lower floors. The shells exploded so close to the GIs that they hardly heard them going over, but they felt the concussion of the blasts. The barrage lasted only a few minutes and the moment it stopped the GIs, who were poised and ready to go, dashed across the square. There was very little time to throw their grenades before bursting into the buildings with rifles blazing. At last they had a foothold on the north side of the street. With the continued mortar support, the men fought their way east on Rue Nationale. They captured building after building and by nightfall all three of Company A's rifle platoons converged at the town square. The artillery barrages did not destroy the enemy, but temporarily drove them under- ground, affording the infantrymen an opportunity to move in close and destroy them as they surfaced.

Most of the buildings along the Rue Nationale were retail stores with the plate glass windows blown out. Above many stores were dwellings of the proprietors and on the upper floors were apartments. In some stores, merchandise had been jolted off the shelves and strewn about the floors. In others, proprietors were attempting to protect what remained of their assets. Two young ladies and an old Frenchman came

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY201 FORBACH up from the basement of a shell damaged stationery store and begged Lowry not to let the soldiers loot their store. "Please, no loot! no loot!" they begged over and over again. Lowry had Pfc Irvin Toups, a Cajun from Thibodaux, Louisiana who spoke fluent French, assure them that American soldiers had no interest in looting. Only looking for Boche soldats (German soldiers).

Before leaving the square to push north to the railroad tracks that divided the

Town Square in the center of Forbach after it was cleared of enemy soldiers. Lt. Brewer’s sign “IDAHO AVE” (white) appears on the street sign in the lower right corner. (Photo by Garstki) town, Lt. Bob Brewer posted a sign "IDAHO AVE" on Rue Nationale at the town square. Later, a Signal Corps photograph of Brewer's sign appeared in the Armed Forces Publication, Stars and Stripes.

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY202 FORBACH After crossing the square, the Third Platoon continued clearing the buildings on the north side of the street to the end of the block, then turned left (North) until they got to the railroad tracks and the Forbach Railroad Station. The only resistance between Rue Nationale and the railroad were a few snipers who harassed the lead squad. The tracks and adjacent railroad yards were about three-fourths of the way through the City and they provided an impos- ing barrier to the advancing Trailblazers. It appeared that the enemy had withdrawn its main forces to the northernmost section of the city and would make their next stand at the railroad. Except for a few disabled freight cars, the station in front of the main line and the marshalling yard beyond appeared deserted. There were no signs of enemy sol- diers, but the men did not take that to mean that there were none lurking about as there were many places for them to hide. Lt. Brewer detailed Lowry's squad to establish two out- posts a block apart in buildings across the street from the railroad station. Initially the outposts had no radio or telephone contact with the Platoon or Company CP, but depended on runners for communications.

Lt. Robert Brewer at the town square in Forbach Brewer deployed the other squads on Rue Nationale.

The CO ordered the platoon leaders to set up temporary defensive positions on both sides of Rue Nationale and as usual to prepare for a possible counterattack. After sentries were posted, weapons and equipment had to be cleaned, and the feet had to be cared for. Unlike fighting in the forests and mountains, the men did not have to dig in every time they stopped and they were able to find more shelter from the elements. Mopping up operations were to start at the first light of day since some isolated German positions and snipers were by-passed as the GIs advanced through the city. No one had any idea as to the number of Germans that remained lurking in the dark city streets, alleys and vacant buildings. During the night German artillery, mortar fire, and screaming-meemies continued to pound the Trailblazer positions.

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY203 FORBACH Night patrols were dispatched across the railroad into the enemy-held section of Forbach to attempt to find the locations and strength of enemy positions. Night reconnaissance in a city was extremely dangerous and tricky because there were so many places for the enemy to hide. One patrol, including Sgts. Herb O'Banion and Dean Mayer, chose to go through the basements of the buildings in order to be off the streets as much as possible. They climbed through the narrow cellar windows on one side of the buildings and out the windows on the other side. While making one such entry, Dean Mayer landed on something soft that he thought was a sleeping bag. A stench hit him and he realized that he had landed in a bin of rotten potatoes. The odor was so bad that for the rest of the mission the men thought that Mayer was going to give away their position. Those men, especially Mayer, took a lot of ribbing over the "Rotten Potato Incident."

The following morning, the rifle platoons set out to clear any enemy resis- tance between Rue Nationale and the outposts on the railroad. There were Ger- man defenders in some of the buildings, whose sniper fire frequently held them up, but before noon, the enemy resistance south of the railroad was neutralized. Company A captured more than twenty German soldiers between Rue Nationale and the outposts. When the entire Com- pany reached the row of buildings across the street from the railroad, it was pre- pared and poised to attack. About an hour before H hour, Company A and the other assault companies were ordered to stand fast and not pursue the enemy at that time.

While the 276th Infantry was liber- ating Forbach, the 274th Infantry, advanc- Pfc Ignace Matla and Pfc Merrill Moore ing through the forests and mountain ridges toward Stiring-Wendel east of Forbach, met strong enemy opposition.(Map 11.pg. 180). So as not to create a wider gap between the regiments, the 276th Infantry was ordered to hold fast until the sectors of the front were realigned and the gaps between the units were closed. To hasten the closure of the gap, Company E,

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY204 FORBACH 276th Infantry was taken off the line in Forbach and sent to the mountain ridges to reinforce the 274th Infantry.

The men of Company A spent the afternoon of February 23 establishing and strengthening defensive positions in buildings between Rue Nationale and the railroad. During the next few days, the men mopped up most of the remaining pockets of enemy resistance on the south side of Forbach. Except for mortar and artillery fire, it was safe to establish supply lines to within a block or two of the railroad.

The weather remained cold but not below freezing, which was far more bearable than the ten below zero weather of January. Most of the mornings were foggy, the days were gray and overcast, and the ground was wet from the sudden thaw and recent rains. Inclement weather and frequent rain continued to be the cause of a great deal of misery for the troops. Stale gunsmoke that settled in the narrow streets, alleys and passageways between the buildings, emitted an undescribable, nauseating stench. There were still cases of trench foot, most everyone caught cold, and some were evacuated with the wounded due to stomach disorders and pneumo- nia. Sgt. Robert Wood, who was evacuated at Wingen with frozen feet and later returned to the Company, was again evacuated with an infection and blood poisoning in one foot.

In spite of the steady arrival of replacements, the Company continued to be under strength. Reinforcements never arrived in sufficient numbers to offset the vacancies created by the casualties. While the rate of casualties remained high, fortunately the rate of battle deaths dropped considerably from what it was at Wingen and Les Vosges Mountains. The Company was also short two officers and nine or ten sergeants. Half of the squad leaders did not have assistant squad leaders. Most squads were made up of nearly all new men and included very few men who went overseas on the USS West Point. Lowry's squad had one experienced scout, Pfc Carlos Leija, one experienced rifleman, Pfc Don Dubose, and eight new replace- ments. In a ten-day period, Jury received twenty replacements in the Second Platoon. They all arrived while the Company was fighting in Forbach. During that period he lost his platoon guide, John Haller, and two squad leaders, Edward Skalitzky and William Schmitz. The replacements were more than welcome but the remaining sergeants had no time to indoctrinate them properly to the cruel facts of life on the front. That general shortage of manpower was typical throughout the Company.

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY205 FORBACH Replacement troops came mainly from two sources. Some were recent arrivals to the ETO from Infantry Replacement Training Centers and others came from other branches of the Army. Most were alert and willing to do their best including the transferees from other branches even though for many it was a letdown to be transferred to the Infantry from safe rear echelon outfits. For others it was purely voluntary. When the Battle of the Bulge erupted in December 1944, many Antiaircraft Artillerymen and others volunteered for front-line duty. One was Sgt. Wilbert Kollenbaum, a Weapons Platoon squad leader. He made the invasions of North Africa, Sicily, Salerno and Southern France. When the Germans broke through in Belgium, he requested a transfer to the Infantry. There were, however, some goldbricks whom the men often suspected were transferred from the rear echelon to the front lines for disciplinary reasons. That was supposedly contrary to Army policy, but everyone knew that it happened. The fighting men resented those incidents and considered them insults to the combat infantryman who was proud of his comrades and proud of his outfit. To even suggest that the infantry was a place to send "fuckups" from the rear was deplorable and totally disgusting to brave and honorable men whose lives continuously depended upon the integrity of their comrades. The combat infantrymen had neither the time nor the patience to attempt to make soldiers out of guys who could not be useful in the rear for non-combat duty.

Company A's position in Forbach remained relatively unchanged until March 3. The fighting was mainly an exchange of rifle, machine gun and mortar fire across the railroad yards. Most of the time was devoted to maintaining the positions, manning and moving outposts, and continuous active patrolling. To keep abreast of enemy activities and troop movements, reconnaissance patrols were sent across the railroad yard into the enemy section of the city every night.

Some men who were not seriously wounded returned to the Company. T/Sgt. Armstrong who was hit near the hospital eight days earlier, rejoined his platoon and Sgt. "Stupe" Granger who was hit and played dead in a ditch at Wingen also returned to the First Platoon. Granger's speedy recovery and return was a real surprise to everyone. Neither the Nips nor the Germans could take him out of the war.

During those few days, enemy patrols were also active. Heavy artillery shells hit Forbach, both day and night, and screaming-meemies came in regularly. On the brighter side, Pupinski and Scopp began to show up quite often with hot chow. They managed to get to each platoon about every other day, dependent on how active the German artillery was. It was uncanny how the incoming mail would arrive at the

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY206 FORBACH time the men were ready to chow-down. Some snipers remained active in various parts of the city and were difficult to flush out. Many of them were fanatics who eventually ended up dead, but while they were active they were hazards to be reckoned with. On several occasions civilians asked for weapons and offered to help seek out and kill the snipers, but no one wanted to take the chance that a volunteer was not a Nazi sympathizer. Sometimes Frenchmen led GIs up staircases, over rooftops, and through buildings to enable them to get to positions where they could take out the menacing snipers. In a city like Forbach, it was easy for snipers to remain hidden from the GIs but it was unlikely that they could hide from the French Citizens for any length of time.

For several days a company of infantry from the Lorraine Division of the First French Army was attached to the First Battalion and was assigned to a sector on the right flank of Company A. Some of those French soldiers were previously engaged in combat against the hated Boche in the Colmar Pocket area of the Alsace, while others had experienced little or no combat. In Forbach, they were engaged in clearing buildings and patrolling, and were extremely eager to drive the Germans out of their homeland. Sometimes their over zealousness led to disaster. On their first daylight patrol seven riflemen attempted to cross the railroad yards and penetrate enemy territory in front of Company A's outpost positions. They did not attempt to seek cover while they advanced and the patrol was soon discovered and ambushed. They were forced to withdraw under cover of fire laid down by GIs who were manning an outpost overlooking the railroad. Fortunately Matla, Toups and Dubose observed the French patrol start across the tracks and could help when they got in trouble. One French soldier was killed and three were wounded in the bold attempt at a daylight patrol. The next time they tried to cross into no man’s land, they did it at night.

On March 2, elements of the 274th Infantry were successful in capturing the mountain ridges east of Forbach, and the units on each flank of the 276th Infantry were on line. The Regiment was alerted to go into the attack the following morning. That night Captain Matthews assembled the platoon leaders and filled them in on the attack plans for the next morning. The three rifle platoons were to jump off together. The Third Platoon would be responsible for maintaining contact with Company K on the left and the First Platoon would be responsible for maintaining contact with Company C on the right. Considerable scouting and patrolling had been done for the past few nights so the platoon leaders and platoon sergeants had a fair idea of the layout of the buildings in their respective sectors. Each platoon was given two or

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY207 FORBACH three rows of buildings and houses on the north side of the railroad to clear of enemy troops. That night between eleven and midnight, Jury walked to the railroad to take one last look at what they could expect in the morning. He also wanted to figure out how his platoon could best reach its initial objective. There was a lot of open space and very few places to take cover between the line of departure and the buildings beyond the rail yard. When he got back his squad leaders and "Doc" Sykes were waiting for him with six new replacements that had just arrived. He sure did not relish the idea of going into the attack with that many new men whom no one had an opportunity to get to know.

The morning of March 3 was foggy, cold and a light rain was falling. The line of departure was the railroad bisecting the city. At 0800 the 882nd Field Artillery Battalion laid in a heavy concentration of 105s in the area north of the railroad yards. The Regiment, with the company of French forces attached to the First Battalion, stormed across the line of departure at 0815. Their mission was to occupy the remainder of Forbach and continue the attack to the Division objec- tive, which was the high ground over- looking the Saar River and the City of Saarbrucken five miles distant. Company A and Company C were the assault com- panies for the First Battalion. The French company helped to clear part of the city next to the First Battalion's right boundary. Riflemen of Company A en- tered and captured houses in their respective sectors less than ten minutes after crossing the line of departure. Jury's platoon ran across the tracks through machine gun and mortar fire and took four houses without losing a man; then all hell broke loose. One 88mm barrage after another zeroed in on the company. The men took cover, secured themselves in the houses and prepared to continue the attack before the enemy could initiate a counterattack. The Second Platoon attempted to get out of the houses and away from the artillery bursts, but ran head on into two strategically located machine guns that covered the open space between the rows of houses. The

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY208 FORBACH machine guns were about 100 yards to their front. In an attempt to get away from the 88s and also bypass the machine gun positions, Jury moved his platoon out of the houses and up a street to the right of his assigned sector. They no sooner got away from the houses when the 88s bombarded them, making direct hits on three houses. While the German artillery was shelling the houses, Jury maneuvered his men behind the machine guns and silenced them from their rear with grenades.

After crossing the railroad tracks, Lt. Jenkins moved his machine gun squads forward to enhance the Second Platoon's fire power. Sgt. Dean Mayer, machine gun Squad Leader, and Pfc Frank Ingram ran up a street and into an unoccupied house to set up a 30-caliber machine gun position. Seeing Germans on the other side of the street, they slammed the door just when a panzerfaust exploded in the doorway and threw both men down a flight of stairs. Ingram came out without a scratch but Mayer took a piece of shrapnel in the shoulder and bruised a knee. Ingram patched up his wound as best he could then proceeded to get the machine gun set up. Mayer was evacuated that evening; however, his wound was not serious and he was able to rejoin the Company a few weeks later.

Company K and Lt. Brewer's Third Platoon went through a railroad underpass and met small arms and automatic weapons fire from straight up the road. Land mines prevented the attached tank platoon from passing through the underpass and an engineer mine platoon was summoned to clear the way for the tankers. Attacking through the underpass reminded the men of the deathtrap Companies B and I encountered at Wingen, and no one was very eager for a repeat of that disaster. Besides small arms fire, the enemy greeted the assault companies with plenty of artillery fire. Lt. Doenges called for artillery support but it was not very effective against the extremely well-placed positions of the enemy defense. Company C to the right of Company A was pinned down by automatic weapons, and elements of two of its platoons had not gotten across the railroad yard. The French forces slowly advanced across the railroad and reached their objective and occupied a few buildings in their sector. Company K to the left was making no more headway than was Company A. Both companies continued to receive intense automatic fire from the basements of buildings and were stopped dead in their tracks. Several men of both companies were wounded in and around the underpass. Communications between the companies, and between the companies and battalion, were frequently down as the wires were repeatedly severed by the artillery and mortar bombardments. Two tanks finally got through the underpass but were lost to land mines shortly after they emerged on the north side. Evening came and Company A was still held up by

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY209 FORBACH machine gun and artillery fire. The Company also sustained many more casualties and encountered a great deal of difficulty in getting them back to the rear. The cries: "HELP! HELP!" "AID MAN" were heard repeatedly. As darkness approached, the enemy fire subsided and the platoons posted all-around security and made the necessary preparations to hold and defend. Everyone was cold, wet and exhausted but did not need to be reminded to shoot anything in front of them that moved. They checked and cleaned their weapons, changed their socks, and cracked the C rations. They fully expected a counterattack, but fortunately nothing more than probing actions took place, all of which were successfully repelled.

After dark the last of the wounded were taken back across the railroad tracks and then to the battalion aid station for care and evacuation. The men never ceased to be amazed at how much punishment the human body could take and yet survive. Some wounded men were in such horrible condition that no one expected them to survive, but they were patched up and sent to the rear. Some were cut up so badly that they were bleeding from a dozen places through rips and tears in their uniforms. If they even looked like they were breathing, they were placed on liters and sent back to a clearing station.

The battle for Forbach resumed at first light the following morning with four assault companies on line. Companies A and K were again side by side in the center of the Regimental Sector. The going was nearly impossible because the enemy was deeply entrenched in well fortified base- ments. The Artillery Forward Observer coordinated the fire of all batteries of the 884th Field Artillery Battalion which laid in devastating artillery fire on the German 81mm mortar crew in Forbach (Source of photo unknown) positions, enabling Companies A and K to finally move forward. Like in similar situations earlier, the artillery fire did not destroy the enemy because of the thickness of the stone walls on the buildings used as bunkers. Shelling only served to drive the enemy underground and when it stopped, the GIs took advantage of a very brief opportunity to rush the buildings harboring the defenders. With small arms and hand grenades, supported by machine guns and bazookas, the men chipped away at the German defenses. It was an agonizing process that depended upon coordination, speed, accuracy, and a lot of

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY210 FORBACH luck. Attempting to run from house to house on rubble strewn, wet cobblestone streets while firing into the enemy positions was extremely difficult and a physical drain. At times, the progress was painfully slow. Frequently the tank support was ineffective because of heavily-mined areas and the difficulty of the infantry-tank teams to maneuver on some narrow streets. Mine clearing crews were exposed to small arms fire and several men were wounded and killed trying to locate and disarm the mines to make way for the tanks.

Occasionally in the heat of battle when it was not possible for the men of one unit to have visual contact with the men of another, the coordination of their efforts would be thwarted. Streets and lanes of French towns frequently ran in irregular patterns that were seldom parallel. Attacking infantrymen rarely had detailed maps at their disposal and units would sometimes converge when they least expected. Such was the case in a north section of Forbach when the CO ordered Jenkins and Harmon to move the Weapons Platoon up a small stream bed to set up machine gun and mortar positions near a row of houses. The houses were directly in the path of the Jury's Platoon which was advancing from a different angle. The enemy had the stream bed covered and saw Harmon's scouts as they moved up the draw. In a vicious firefight, the Weapons Platoon was temporarily pinned down, two of Harmon's men were wounded and Pfc Walter McDaniel was killed. When Harmon was getting one of his machine guns in position to fire up the draw, Jury was moving his platoon forward to attack the houses, unaware that both platoons were going for the same objective. He ordered two of his squads to open fire and prepare to rush the enemy and sent the third squad around the right flank to strike from that position. Meanwhile Harmon's machine gun opened fire up the draw spraying the enemy positions and the area where two Second Platoon squads were about to enter. After a short exchange of fire the Germans withdrew, Harmon's fire stopped and both platoons moved up. It was a close call.

In the early afternoon, Company A again lost telephonic communication with the others companies and with Battalion so the Company Commander had to depend exclusively on the use of runners to communicate with the other units. The Third Battalion, on the Company's left, encountered the same communication problems. German artillery and mortars severed wires faster than wire crews could repair them. As the attack ground to a halt, the forward companies were ordered to pull back to the vicinity of the railroad so that a concentration of 155mm artillery could be fired on enemy strong points. The men listened with great pleasure to the howling of the big shells passing over their heads, and to the terrific blasts up ahead. 155mm

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY211 FORBACH artillery shells were powerful "Outgoing Mail" that packed plenty of wallop. When the shelling ceased, Companies A and K launched another coordinated attack from the railroad tracks. The softening-up of the enemy caused by the massive explosions from the big guns enabled the second attack to be more successful than its earlier attempt. Engineers came right in to clear the area of mines so the anti-tank guns could move forward, and by late afternoon the railroad underpass and part of the road beyond were cleared of mines. The Company continued the attack from door to door, building to building, and block to block toward the University area. It was the same tedious and dangerous business of rushing buildings, throwing hand grenades in windows and cellar embrasures, climbing and stumbling over rubble, and bursting into buildings. Frequently the enemy would greet the rushing GIs with potato masher grenades, compelling the attackers to scatter and take cover in doorways, gutters, or whatever shelter was available. Sometimes, in a split second, a GI would scoop up the grenade and throw it back to the enemy or more often than not just throw it as far as he could.

Company A, with three rifle platoons on line and the Weapons Platoon in close support, continued northward through Forbach. The First and Second Platoons, coordinating their advance, took house after house and all the while kept physical contact with Company C to the right. Just before dusk the Company reached the University area of the city. Captain Matthews ordered the platoons to hold up their advance for the night, set up defenses, and prepare to continue the attack the following morning. By that time the men were totally exhausted from many days of close combat in the miserable cold rain. They were bruised and cut from running and falling in rubble and broken glass that littered the pot-holed cobblestone streets. Scaling and jumping from the many stone walls that separated the houses and buildings did nothing to comfort their bruised bodies and aching backs. When they settled in and established all around security, the men set about cleaning their weapons and taking care of their tired cold feet. A change of socks came out from under the men's shirts and the wet ones were tucked away next to the skin to dry out. Each platoon sent details a short distance to the rear where they met John Welte and Lloyd Ramagos who had brought up two loads of ammunition and K rations. The drivers also brought six replacements for the Company. They quickly unloaded the trailers and placed the litter cases across the hoods and backs of the jeeps. Welte and Ramagos took the wounded men back to the aid station, while the replacements were brought up to join the Company. The new men were visibly shaken up when they saw so many wounded soldiers going the other way. The sad part was that in a few

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY212 FORBACH hours some of those new replacements would become casualties themselves. They never expected to be introduced to bloody combat in that manner.

One replacement was the Brit who was kicked out of the outfit three weeks earlier because his squad leader and platoon sergeant found him unfit for front-line duty. The man had screwed up just about everything he was ordered to do, including desertion and drawing unnecessary fire by lighting a cigarette at night. Not only was he back, but 1st/Sgt. Vernon Wilson assigned him to the same squad that got rid of him earlier. The officers and NCOs always looked forward to getting new reinforcements, but Brewer, Steiner and Lowry were not pleased to see that particular one back. They were all damned pissed-off!

At 0600 the following morning, March 5, Welte and Scopp came out with hot chow which was a welcome surprise. That morning started off with the men feasting on an old Army standby, SOS (Shit on the shingle) and hot coffee. SOS was creamed chipped beef on toast. It was often said with authority that a skillful cook could feed a hundred men with only a pound of chipped beef, two gallons of water, powdered milk, cornstarch, flour, and a few loaves of toasted bread. As much as the men used to complain and joke about SOS back in the States, on the fighting front they it was a rare treat.

At 0700 the First Battalion with all three rifle companies abreast, launched an attack on the University area of Forbach. Company A pushed steadily northward to the outskirts of the city and met only moderate but harassing resistance. The area was cleared of all organized enemy opposition at 0945 and the battle for Forbach was virtually over.

The liberation of Forbach was solely a 276th Infantry action. Company A, by forging its way through the heart of the city, played a major role in that action, but again paid a big price. More than forty-five infantrymen were wounded and six men were killed. Some young riflemen saw their first combat at Oeting and Forbach, earned their Combat Infantry Badge, became casualties, and were evacuated. Sadly, those men were not around long enough for the men in their platoons to even learn their names.

Company A men killed at Forbach were: Pfc William M Klaeren, Pfc Duncan O Lee, Sgt. Erman L Lyles, Pfc Milton M Martin, Pfc Walter O McDaniel, and Pfc John H Wagoner.

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY213 FORBACH Like many other men of Company A before them, those brave combat infantrymen made the supreme sacrifice.

Forbach, France after the city was liberated by the 276th Infantry

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY214 FORBACH 13. FORAY IN THE FOREST

Before the GIs of Company A cleared the last houses on the northern outskirts of Forbach, Captain Matthews ordered the platoon leaders to forge ahead and not give the Germans an opportunity to stop and dig in. Accordingly, the liberation of Forbach did nothing to slow the attack that had gained momentum that morning. The men did not stop at the edge of the city but continued to pursue the enemy into the Forbach Forest north of the city.

The Company formed a skirmish line on both sides of an unimproved road. Armstrong's platoon was on the right, Brewer's platoon was on the left and the other two platoons were in support. Each of the forward platoons had four scouts out about fifty yards in front of their squads. Other than being slippery and muddy, the hills north of Forbach were more gentle than the rugged mountains of Les Vosges. The enemy resistance was mainly a series of delaying actions in which they took full advantage of the terrain features that were in their favor with occasional artillery fire. Encounters with enemy infantrymen were mostly short lived and over soon after a few 60mm mortar shells were directed on their positions. The dense woods and high ground made it possible for the Germans to maneuver about and set up temporary defense positions and ambushes. Rain continued to fall throughout the day, and in addition to the roads being muddy, they were heavily mined. Artillery shells occasionally burst in the trees over the heads of the advancing GIs, bringing down the usual splinters and broken branches with the shrapnel.

Besides land mines and anti-personnel mines, the Germans left in their wake many ingenious booby traps. They stretched sturdy steel wires (similar to piano wire)

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY215 FORAY IN THE FOREST across the roadway four or five feet above the ground, securely fastened to the trees on each side of the road. Their purpose was to decapitate the drivers and passengers riding in jeeps or other open vehicles. To protect the men in the vehicles, each jeep was equipped with a vertical five-foot length of three-inch angle iron that was securely braced and welded to center of the front bumper and frame. The sharp front edge of the angle iron was intended to snap the wire before the GIs lost their heads. Abandoned vehicles were booby-trapped so that explosive charges would detonate by merely opening a door or touching a control. So as to avoid unnecessary casualties, the sergeants frequently reminded the newer replacements not to touch any German equipment that was laying around. Dynamite charges were placed at the base of trees so that when detonated, the trees fell across the roads and delayed the advance of pursuing vehicles.

Early in the afternoon the Third Platoon came upon a prison compound used to confine slave laborers who were forced to work in a nearby coal mine. The concentration camp was virtually deserted; however, in their hasty departure, the Nazis left a single prisoner in one of many filthy bunks. The man was so emaciated and starved that he was unable to move or speak and was very near death. The barracks were filthy and the stench so nauseating, that the GIs could hardly bear to enter the buildings. Jury discovered some large vats of thin green soup that were still warm. It was the first time that the men of Company A witnessed the deplorable way the Nazis could treat their fellow human beings. Sgts. Steiner and Lowry wanted to burn the place but time would not permit. They had to get on with pursuing the enemy, but the men could not get the haunting filthy place out of their minds. The Germans did not attempt to defend or hold the concentration camp. They left the camp without putting up a fight but continued their resistance in the Forbach Forest. Perhaps none wanted to be captured anywhere near the place. The GIs were unable to discover how the Germans had moved their prisoners or where they had taken them.

Late that afternoon, the Third Platoon's forward scout spotted a German machine gun position directly to their front. Without the enemy gunners seeing him, Pfc Carlos Leija took cover and gave a hand signal to his squad leader. While he kept a sharp lookout on the German position, Lowry moved forward to join his scout. Leija whispered that he could move in close enough to take out the machine gun if given the chance. Lowry was concerned that there were other Germans in the area, so he told Leija to hold off until he got the squad close enough to give him some cover. As he was moving the squad up, Leija crawled closer to the machine gun.

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY216 FORAY IN THE FOREST The machine gunners were apparently concentrating on the road and were not watching the forest west of the road. Without making a sound, Leija got within a few yards of the Germans and threw a hand grenade into the position. All other riflemen in the squad opened fire and there was nothing left of the menacing machine gun position but three kaput Germans. They saw no other German positions in the immediate area nor did the grenade and rifle fire attract any other enemy fire. Apparently the gun position was only intended to delay the advance of American troops that were expected to use roadway. Until they were sure that no other Germans were around, Lt. Brewer kept the platoon deployed while Davis, Finney and Lowry each sent scouts out to reconnoiter the area. Armstrong moved the First Platoon abreast of the Third Platoon and deployed his squads to the right of the road. Jury's Platoon moved further to the right to maintain contact with Company C. The scouts returned at dark and reported that there was no evidence of enemy troops in the immediate area so the Company dug in for the night. The ground was rocky and wet, but the men were thankful that they did not have to dig through frozen soil. There was very little rest for the men that night because many of them were engaged in active and aggressive patrolling. Captain Matthews dispatched patrols to attempt to find out where the Germans were establishing their next line of defense. As usual those positions were difficult to locate on a dark overcast night. Ollie Davis returned to the Third Platoon and reported that his men heard the Germans digging-in about a quarter of a mile to the north but he was unable to determine in the dark how many enemy troops were out there.

Captain Matthews told the platoon leaders to prepare their men to move out at daylight and attack immediately when they sighted the first Germans. About 0530 well before daylight, the Germans launched a counterattack against the Second Battalion, on the right. The Battalion CO postponed the daylight departure and sent Company B to reinforce the Second Battalion. With the assistance of Company B, they repelled the enemy attack and by 1330 both battalions were ready to push ahead. Companies A and C launched an attack to the northwest toward Petite Rosselle (Map 9, pg. 160). They met the same kind of delaying action and resistance that they encountered the day before. Meanwhile, the Second Battalion on the right, encountered formidable obstacles including a twenty-foot railroad embankment, an anti-personnel ditch, a tank trap, bunkers, and the heavily defended Simon Mine. The Second Battalion was forced to withdraw 400 yards where it dug in for the night. That withdrawal isolated Companies A and C and left them ahead of the rest of the Regiment with their right flank exposed. Both companies were ordered to pull back to their former positions and set up defenses for the night. The men hated to give up

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY217 FORAY IN THE FOREST ground, but they remembered too well that they were in a similar situation on Hill 403 in Les Vosges mountains.

The following day, March 7, orders came down from Regiment postponing all attack plans because the right flank of the 276th Infantry was exposed by a large gap between it and the 274th Infantry. Company A continued to probe for weak spots and improve its positions overlooking Petite Rosselle. Patrol activities continued during the night of March 7. The lines remained fairly static from March 8 to March 13, while the units to the right of the 276th Infantry were moving into position and closing gaps in the lines. Day and night, the Company sent patrols into the German-held territory. Some were reconnaissance patrols sent to gather information regarding the enemy's numerical strength, locations of their strong points, and indications of their intentions. Others were combat patrols that probed the enemy lines to draw fire. Enemy artillery and mortar shells fell on the Company positions sporadically day and night. That encouraged the men to continue to improve the positions from mere foxholes to elaborate dugouts covered with timber and dirt. Each night enemy patrols attempted to infiltrate the 276th lines. Usually after a short firefight, the Germans would pull back.

Shortly before dawn one morning, two Third Platoon sentries heard movement in front of their dugout. Instantly they started shooting in the direction of the noise. By the sounds that followed, they became aware that they had not shot an enemy soldier, but the wounded intruder was a cow. That morning a butchering operation, under the direction of Ollie Davis, took place and the Company had fresh beef for a few days. Occasionally, some men would "liberate" a chicken or two, but that was the first and only time for a cow. The most skillful chicken thief in the Company was Pvt. Irving Toups, a Third Platoon rifleman. He could spot a chicken, capture it, pluck and clean it, and have it roasting before the rest of the squad got their rifles cleaned. Toups became known as the "Louisiana chicken thief."

Everyone was well aware that the positions overlooking Petite Rosselle were under constant observation by the enemy. It was virtually impossible to drive a jeep to any of the platoon CPs without drawing mortar or artillery fire. Because of that, the men had to carry all of the ammunition and supplies to the forward positions. Frequently the supply details drew the attention of the enemy forward observers. On one such occasion when Patterson’s squad was returning with supplies, a German forward observer spotted them and proceeded to drop mortar rounds near them as they ran from cover to cover. As Patterson later put it: "We returned safely to the

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY218 FORAY IN THE FOREST forward CP with the supplies, with no hits, many runs, and very few errors, but damned perturbed with the Heinie mortar that had given us such a bad time."

The nights were always unnerving. That was especially true when the lines were fluid and there was no clearly defined MLR. Active enemy patrolling made it essential that the men in the dugouts remain awake and on their toes. Two or three men were positioned in each dugout and at least one had to be on guard day and night. The squad leaders got very little sleep at night because they were continuously making the rounds to their positions. The life of every man in the Company depended entirely on the alertness of the sentries, most of whom were new replacements. On one occasion when Lowry was checking the outposts and noticed that a man who was supposedly on guard was slumped over the parapet of his hole. Not knowing whether the man was dead or alive, he crept up to the edge of the hole, heard the man snoring, then quietly removed the man's rifle and climbed in the dugout with the snoring GI. It was the Brit who earlier deserted his post, lit up at night, and was kicked out of the Company once before. He woke up when the cold muzzle of a rifle touched his neck. The squad leader, not wanting to make any noise, quietly whispered to him to "Get out of the hole before you get us all killed and haul ass to the CP and report to Lt. Brewer.” The sergeant really wanted to scare the hell out of him but that did not work as his only comment was an unruffled, "Sorry 'ole chap." Brewer chewed him unmercifully and took him to the Company CP where he awakened the CO and the First Sergeant. He made it damn clear that he would not tolerate the goof-off any longer. "Court-martial the sonofabitch or shoot the son- ofabitch but we don't want to see the sonofabitch near my platoon again!" It was the last time anyone in Company A saw the goldbricking poor excuse for a soldier.

The cold wet weather continued until March 12, when it began to clear and the sun came out for a few hours. The men stopped wearing their overcoats, which they were glad to shed; however, they continued wearing their wool knit sweaters and field jackets. When it rained, they wore their rain coats. Some men started wearing their combat boots and did away with the shoe pacs. The combat boots were worthless in wet weather as the exposed unfinished leather absorbed the moisture where smooth leather might have repelled it. The regulation Army shoe and canvass leggings would have served the men much better than the combat boot. Those that switched from shoe pacs to combat boots were gambling on dry weather in the days to come. As bad as the shoe pacs were, they were at least waterproof.

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY219 FORAY IN THE FOREST During the night of March 12, the Captain had all four platoons of Company A sending out patrols. The instructions to each patrol were the same; “Keep an eye on all known enemy positions and report immediately any movements or anything else that looks unusual.” Some anti-aircraft battalions moved in near Forbach and set up their many searchlights on high ground and at night pointed them in the direction of the enemy. That innovation called "artificial moonlight" made it possible for the men to better spot enemy movement. Also it made it difficult for the enemy to see anything when looking into the glaring light. In a strange way there was some comfort for the infantryman when he looked back at the bright lights. It gave him a feeling that the foot soldiers were not alone in the war and that others were behind him. That night the enemy shelling and mortar fire was far more intense than it had been for several days. That led the men to believe that the enemy was up to something because very often before an attack, the Germans would lay in heavy artillery barrages. That night was different from the others in that there was no real letup. The shelling continued intermittently all night. The reconnaissance patrols confirmed that the enemy positions were still fully manned, and there was no indication of either a counterattack or a withdrawal. At night the suspense of not knowing what the enemy was going to do next, when everyone knew that he was up to something, sent chills up and down the men's spines.

Shortly before noon on March 13, a scout reported that a group of enemy soldiers in full field packs were seen moving around in Petite Rosselle. Company A was ordered to send a daylight patrol to that village immediately to find out what was going on in the enemy camp. Captain Matthews told Lt. Brewer to get a patrol together and take off at once. He selected Steiner, Mussler, Finney, and Sbrocco, all Third Platoon NCOs to accompany him. He left Lowry in charge of the Platoon, with only one other veteran NCO. The patrol took off at noon and was out all afternoon. Shortly before dusk, Capt. Matthews became very uneasy when Brewer did not return and he discovered that one of his platoons had no officer and only two NCOs. He became downright upset when he got orders that the Company, along with the rest of the Battalion, was going into a night attack at 2100 hours. He became damn mad when the patrol returned shortly before H Hour, more than slightly under the influence of a few too many belts of schnapps. Brewer's report was simple; “There are no Krauts in Petite Rosselle.” The Captain, a teetotaler, threatened to have the lot of them court-martialed, but realizing he could never get along without them, he let the issue rest.

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY220 FORAY IN THE FOREST The effects of the schnapps wore off rather quickly when Lt. Brewer and Steiner learned that the Company was preparing to go into a night attack. Captain Matthews and Lt. Brewer went back to the Company CP where the Battalion Exec. Officer was waiting for a report from the patrol. Brewer's report to the Exec. was very brief because he and his men encountered no Germans troops in the town of Petite Rosselle, nor did they see any German soldiers while going there or returning. All the patrol encountered were friendly civilians, schnapps and wine which the lieutenant chose not mention. After making his report, he returned to his platoon and for obvious reasons, he kept as much distance as possible between himself and Captain Matthews.

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY221 FORAY IN THE FOREST COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY222 FORAY IN THE FOREST 14. MARCH INTO THE UNKNOWN

After the patrol returned from Petite Rosselle and Lt. Brewer made his report to the First Battalion Exec. Officer, Captain Matthews called the Platoon Leaders together for a briefing. He told them that General Barnett ordered the 276th Infantry Regiment to attack and pursue the enemy in force. The First Battalion would lead the attack and jump off in less than an hour and get as close to each unit’s objective as possible before engaging the enemy in a firefight. “Have your men ready to go, we will move out in absolute silence, and no one is to fire a shot until the enemy goes into action. Company C will take the point, followed by Able, Baker and Dog.”

At 1930 on March 13, Company C's scouts, Pfc William Hines and Sgt. James Roy, with CO Capt. William Greenwalt and the men of Charlie Company, crossed the line of departure. There were no skirmish lines. The men silently marched into "no-mans-land" in a column of twos. Soon all four companies of the battalion were one long column. The march through enemy territory was so silent and well conducted that over six-hundred men walked five miles and occupied a German town on the Saar River without being discovered. Twelve hours elapsed before the Germans, manning fortified positions on the Saar, became aware of their presence. Trailblazer patrols made no previous reconnaissance that deep in German territory, so the Battalion had to start blind from their positions in the hills north of Forbach. Heavy fortifications were in front and German troops were reported all over the area. During the previous week, at least six Company A patrols had encountered the enemy and were fired on within a half mile of their defensive positions. Most NCOs in Company A knew that the roads in the area were covered by machine-guns in all directions. To avoid the fields of fire and to avoid detection, the Battalion started its

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY223 MARCH INTO THE UNKNOWN march through the woods. Not a sound was made that might arouse the Germans to the GIs' presence behind their lines. As it got darker the men encountered some difficulty in maintaining the usual five yard intervals and still keep in contact with one another. Soon it became impossible to maintain those intervals and the troops were forced to close their ranks. In order not to lose contact, a man often had to hold on to the cartridge belt of the man in front of him. The GIs termed that "marching a-hole-to-belly-button." One had to be extremely cautious not to walk into the man ahead for fear that their helmets would bump, or a rifle barrel would strike a helmet. The delays and stops were frequent and sometimes lengthy. While standing and waiting in the dark, some men fell asleep on their feet. In the dark, it was very difficult for the squad leaders to go up and down the moving column to make sure that their men stayed together and that each squad maintained contact with the squad in front.

Along the way, the scouts discovered a road block of felled trees and found the area around it mined. To avoid the mined area, the entire column crawled over the road block, which resulted in a long delay. They could hear artillery to the front, on both flanks and exploding on their former positions. A few well placed shells could have wiped out half the outfit. It was incredible that so many men were behind the German lines and not discovered. More than once while the men were at a standstill, some heard voices in the night. Since civilians were never out after dark and no GIs were in the area, it could only be assumed that the voices they heard came from enemy soldiers. The stillness of the night and the suspense of not know- ing whether they had been detected and were being watched kept everyone alert and on his toes.

Shortly after passing the line of departure, the entire battalion had to go down a cable to negotiate a sheer twenty- -foot drop. The men slung their rifles across their backs and hand over hand they let themselves down on a forty-five degree angle in total darkness. The cable was once a high tension line whose towers

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY224 MARCH INTO THE UNKNOWN had been toppled. That hand over hand test of endurance reminded everyone of the obstacle courses back at Camp Adair and Fort Leonard Wood. It was just one of several obstacles that created long delays in the advance.

After sliding down the cable, the Battalion was in the outskirts of Petite Rosselle. From there it continued its march toward an unknown objective north of Forbach. No one was apparently aware of the destination except the Battalion Com- mander and perhaps a few other battalion officers. If any one else knew, they kept it a well-guarded military secret. After drifting around the outskirts of Petite Rosselle and encountering no resistance, the men moved silently in a column of twos in the general direction of the Saar River. Though no one was apparently aware of it at the time, not far from Petite Rosselle, the troops crossed the prewar border between France and Germany. At long last, the Trailblazers were to fight on German soil. From that point on, it was to be a war of conquest and liberation in the Germans' fatherland and no longer a war of liberation only. Unfortunately, it was unlikely that anyone in the ranks knew that the Trailblazers were actually in Germany.

The longest delay that the column of troops encountered was at a minefield in their path. A squad of Engineers sought out the mines and as they located one, a man was assigned to straddle it. The column was then very carefully guided around the mines and through the field. As each man cautiously made his way through the minefield, he hoped and prayed that the Engineers did not overlook any. Fortunately, the entire battalion made it through the mine field without detonating one mine.

Many wondered, as they did earlier when letting themselves down the cable and crossing the roadblock, what they would do if ambushed and forced to fight in the darkness. Worse than an ambush would have been a well-placed artillery barrage. The NCOs had nightmares thinking about how they would deploy their squads and platoons in such an event. The location of the roadblock, the cable and the minefield, were definitely "points of no return."

The column snaked its way forward without any indication of being detected, but it was a certainty that Germans were bypassed. It was very possible that enemy soldiers spotted or heard the GIs, but took them to be their own troops. At no time did the enemy challenge the men in the column. If the column had been a patrol of eight or ten men rather than a few hundred, more than likely they would have been challenged. No German would expect to find that many Yanks so far behind their lines. The fact that the Battalion bypassed many enemy troops became evident the

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY225 MARCH INTO THE UNKNOWN next day when units of the Second Battalion, following the same route as the First Battalion, encountered the enemy in a vicious firefight that went on for seven hours.

Without further incident, the column of infantrymen slowly made its way to the edge of the German town of Firstenhausen overlooking the Saar River. The companies were deployed and everyone fully expected and prepared himself to do battle. After carefully reconnoitering the area, the troops silently entered the town. They very carefully and quietly made their way down the entire length of the main street and entered some side streets. They broke into a number of houses, then spread out through the town where each company was assigned a sector to secure. They encountered no enemy troops. By 0345 the morning of March 14, eight hours after crossing the line of departure, the men of Company A were in possession of their first piece of German real estate. Each platoon took up positions in houses and warehouses near the Saar River and quickly established local security and perimeter defense. The men set about cleaning and checking their weapons, and those who were not standing guard settled down for a little much needed sleep.

In the morning when the civilians stirred they were amazed to find American soldiers in their town guarding their doorways; however, the Trailblazers were not surprised to see Germans occupying defensive positions a few hundred yards away on both sides of the river. From the upper floors of some houses, the GIs could see the enemy moving around in their trenches unaware that the Yanks were there. They were seen riding bicycles, walking about on the streets, and going about their busi- ness as though the American soldiers were many miles away. Sgt. Dean Mayer later remarked, "Watching out through the cracks of a barn while German soldiers walked around quite near was really unique." That blatant manifestation of a false sense of security indicated that the GIs were successful in marching several miles behind enemy lines without being detected, but there was a great deal of concern that the Germans might have sucked the Battalion into a trap. As the hours passed it appeared more evident that the Battalion of Trailblazers had entered Germany and virtually captured its first German town without firing a shot.4

It was not until early afternoon that the Germans discovered that the Yanks had slipped in and occupied the greater part of Firstenhausen. It was then that all hell broke loose and the fight was on. The Bloody Axe doughboys took full advantage

4 The Trailblazers, 1945

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY226 MARCH INTO THE UNKNOWN of the element of surprise, which was clearly in their favor. As long as they remained inside the buildings and stayed off the streets, they did not reveal their locations any sooner than necessary. Thus they were able to hold the initiative and take out enemy troops as they came into their sights. The GIs had a fair idea which buildings the enemy occupied but at first the Germans did not know exactly where the GIs had positioned themselves. The firefight continued for the rest of the afternoon as the Germans were slowly forced to retreat across the river where they took cover in the pillboxes and elaborate trench system of the Siegfried Line. At first the enemy did not use artillery or mortars, possi- bly because they feared hitting their own troops. It was not until the last of them re- treated across the Saar River to the safety of the Siegfried Line that the shelling commenced. They directed most of the artil- lery and mortar fire at the houses and build- ings where the GIs set up their positions, thus driving the Americans into the basements. Fighting at Firstenhausen, Germany. S/Sgt Lowry throwing a grenade before entering. After dark the men set up new positions in different buildings, where hopefully the Ger- mans would not know their locations.

The First Battalion was firmly in control of Firstenhausen and most of the German troops were killed, captured or driven across the river. Surprisingly, Company A's casualties were light with no battle deaths. At one point when Lt. Jenkins was running between two houses, an enemy machine gun bullet grazed his nose. He was not seriously injured but the scratch on the nose made him eligible for his third purple heart without ever having lost more than a day or two on the line. No one ever let him live it down.

That situation was similar in some respects to the German 6th SS Mountain Division's attack when they captured Wingen-sur-Moder, only in reverse. At Firsten- hausen, it was the GIs who slipped through the forests in the dead of night and

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY227 MARCH INTO THE UNKNOWN captured the town. The Germans, not the Americans, were caught off guard with their pants down.

Each company sent patrols to the river to attempt to locate the enemy's strong positions and to seek out crossing points, however they could find no likely places to attempt a crossing. The Siegfried Line was one massive series of concrete and steel fortifications that appeared to be impregnable. When it was constructed, the Germans took full advantage of the natural barrier provided by the Saar River. Expansive open areas covered by interlocking fields of fire and enormous strands of coiled concertina wire were located in front of the massive concrete and steel bunkers. Tank traps and reinforced concrete dragon teeth were everywhere. Both sides of the river were heavily mined and the men drew intensive small arms and machine gun fire whenever they came in view of the Germans.

Company A was assigned a broad sector of the newly established MLR facing the Saar. Outposts were set up in buildings along the river front where the men had unobstructed views of the enemy fortifications. Those manning the outposts had to be extremely careful not to give away their positions as the Germans could easily have wiped them out with point blank artillery and rockets. Fortunately the enemy, as close as they were, did not fire on a single Company A outpost. The following morning the shelling continued but it was all directed into the buildings that the Company vacated during the night.

Regimental Headquarters ordered the companies facing the Siegfried Line to provide detailed information about the German fortifications. Armstrong gave Patterson an assignment to prepare a map of the pill boxes and other fortifications across the river. To do that he had to get as close to the river as possible so he chose a Second Platoon outpost. He spent most of the day at the chore that had to be accomplished without the enemy seeing him. He was so amazed at the elaborate for- tifications and trench system that he had some difficulty in getting it down on paper. Later he was very much relieved and quite thankful that he was busy sketching and not among those selected to take a patrol across the river.

During the nights of March 15 and 16 the Company attempted to send patrols across in inflatable rafts. Each effort was thwarted by small arms, heavy machine guns, and mortar fire. Patrols from the other companies also attempted to make crossings but met the same fate. There was simply no way to conceal a raft full of

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY228 MARCH INTO THE UNKNOWN men, even in the dark of night. The Germans must have had listening posts along the north bank of the river, or else they had the uncanny ability to see in the dark.

The entire north bank of the river in Company A's sector was one massive fortification. A small enemy force in those defensive positions could have held off a much superior force. Then there was the river with its steep banks that provided a natural barrier against assaulting forces. The men were well aware of the fact that a frontal assault against those defenses would lead to countless casualties and bloodshed, with little or no expectation of success. Small arms fire, artillery fire and mortar fire continued to come in but most of the time the GIs did not return the fire. It would have been foolhardy to reveal their positions by firing at an enemy who was protected by concrete bunkers. For the next two nights, the Company attempted to get patrols across the river but the German defenders fought fiercely to prevent the Americans from invading the Reich, and they did it with determination.

On the morning of March 19, Company A's positions on the south bank of the Saar were expanded to take over the defensive positions of the entire Regimental front. The men were spread so thin that there was frequently no visible contact between one squad and another. Each defensive position on the MLR was manned by two or three men to form islands of defense. Never before had the men on the MLR been spread out as thin as they were that night. Though the GIs in Company A were unaware of it, the other companies of the battalion and the other battalions of the 276th Infantry were moved to assembly areas at the towns of Geislautern, Werbeln, Klarenthal, and Petite Rosselle. Preparations were made for a massive offensive against the Siegfried Line and heavy artillery was moved into place at strategic locations. Bright yellow banners were placed on the ground in front of the MLR, so that the Army Air Corps would know where to strafe and bomb when they provided tactical air support.

At 2200 there was an unexpected turn of events. Company C was successful in getting a patrol across the Saar. Two boats made it to the north side of the river without being fired on. They met no small arms opposition but ran into a minefield and detonated two or three mines. The mine explosions did not draw any enemy fire so Engineers were sent across the river to clear a path for the Infantry. They worked diligently for more than four hours disarming the mines while other Engineers built a pontoon foot bridge. The Germans did not attempt to stop the crossing, and the GIs began to fear that they were being sucked into a trap. By 0300 in the morning of March 20, the Engineer's mission was accomplished. A path was cleared through the

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY229 MARCH INTO THE UNKNOWN mine field, and Company C crossed the river on rubber boats and entered an unoccupied bunker. Other troops proceeded northward past the mines in pursuit of the enemy. Company A continued to hold the line along the Regimental front, while the rest of the Battalion and Regiment crossed over the water on hastily constructed foot bridges.

Shortly after seven that morning, Company A was replaced on the MLR by elements of the 65th Infantry Division and it too moved across the river and set up defensive positions northwest of Voklingen, Germany (Map 9, pg 160). The men were totally astonished to learn that the German defenders of the famed Siegfried Line had withdrawn from their elaborate positions on the Saar River without making more of a stand. Everyone thanked God for their good fortune in not having had to engage the enemy in what was shaping up to be a potentially endless, bloody encounter. On reaching the other side of the river, the GIs of Company A could not help but notice the many stacks of disarmed mines on the riverbank. Thanks went out to the Engineers for an unsavory task well done. After digging in, the men Sgt. Matla and S/Sgt. Lowry grabbing a quick K ration in a dugout north of the Saar River. took the usual care of their arms and equipment, heated some C rations and Nescafe, and grabbed little rest while they waited for orders to shove off again. The entire Bloody Axe Regiment was across the Saar River, through the Siegfried Line, and ready to plunge into the Rhineland.

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY230 MARCH INTO THE UNKNOWN 15. VICTORY

At long last the Nazis were on the run west of the Rhine River and the Allies were driving them back into Germany. The armored divisions of General George Patton's Third Army broke through the German resistance on the west flank of the Seventh Army. They plunged deep into the Rhineland, turned east and advanced along the Rhine River some fifty miles north of the Saar. The German divisions retreated from their positions on the Saar in a last desperate attempt to avoid being trapped between the Seventh Army Infantry Divisions and the Third Army Armored Divi- sions. The Trailblazers spent the next few days mopping up enemy resistance and clearing the many pill boxes in the area. For three nights, the men of Company A slept in relative comfort in the mas- sive concrete and steel bunkers on the invincible Siegfried Line. A few days later the Company moved to Eulenbis, near the private hunt- Third Squad, Third Platoon. Top row: Frank Lowry, Don Dubose, Al ing grounds of Hermann Goering. Maston, Merrill Moore, Carlos Leija, Zuloski, Gene Davis, Front Row: Some GIs got in a little hunting and William Luscatoff, Irving Toups, George Sheeley and Ignace Matla. fishing while not on patrols or rounding up straggling enemy troops. Fishing without rods and reels turned out to be a very simple process. Jack Mussler found that a hand

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY231 VICTORY grenade exploded in a stream brought several nice trout to the surface. Pupinski's kitchen crew took over from there and everyone in the Company had fried trout for dinner.

On April 1, 1945, the Trailblazers reached the plateaus above the Rhine River. The troops were amazed at the beauty of the magnificent river that wound its way to the west several hundred feet below. For as far as one could see on both sides of the river, grape vines and grape stakes covered the terraces on the steep embankments. Many coal barges, some afloat and some sunk, were moored to damaged wharfs along the river banks. There were no moving boats or other navigational activities on the river. Company A rode in six-by-sixes down the mountain side to the river then northwest about ten Rhine River at St. Goar, Germany - April 1, 1945 miles to the town of St. Goar. At St. Goar, the Company crossed the Rhine on a pontoon bridge erected by the Corps of Engineers, then took up new positions at St. Goarshausen. The Company's mission was to guard the bridge that was to become an essential element of the MSR. There on the banks of the Rhine, the GIs watched a seemingly endless column of Sherman tanks cross the river on their way into the heart of the Reich. The German Army in the west was all but defeated and the enemy soldiers, who did not retreat before the advancing Allied Armies, surrendered by the thousands.

For about a week, the GIs of Company A occupied several small towns and villages near Goldbach, Germany. They mopped up islands of resistance and searched out enemy soldiers and enemy arms caches. In just a few days, the Company captured several hundred prisoners that were hiding in the villages. None put up a fight. In the town of Goldbach, some GIs of Company A took time out to celebrate with a group of recently liberated Polish Nationals who had been enslaved to labor on German farms and in mines. The Polish men provided vintage wines, cognac and other liquors that they "liberated" from the cellars of the castle of their former master, a German baron. The men spent most of the night drinking and watching the Polish peasants engaged in folk dancing to the accompaniment of an

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY232 VICTORY accordion that was also taken from the castle. Pupinski, Matla, Kucmerosky, Gerowski, Micherdzinski, and several other GIs of Polish descent soon joined in the folk dancing. The celebrating continued until the Poles were no longer able to drink, dance, or stand on their feet. There were many big heads the following morning.

On April 30 Company A suffered its last fatal casualty of the war. In some hills near the small village of Strass-Bessenbach, Germany, Pfc Alfred Bousquet was leading a patrol searching for German holdouts when he picked up a booby-trapped panzerfaust. The explosion blew his hand off and made a hole in his right side about the size of a canteen. Jury had the men make a stretcher with a couple of jackets and rifles. They carried Bosquet down the hill to Strass-Bessenbach and sent him to an Army field hospital. He died May 3, three days later.

After the men left the Saar River and were clearing the towns and searching for German soldiers and weapons, the Company A GIs came across plentiful supplies of Moselle and Rhine wine. Whenever a man was seen carrying two canteens on his belt, one could be sure that the extra canteen was not for drinking water. Pupinski and Scopp managed to keep up with the troops and pre- pare hot chow for the men nearly every day. They were afforded the opportunity to take more showers and they got complete changes of clothing once every week or ten days.

V-E Day, May 8, 1945, found Company A in Lorheim, Germany. The war was over in Europe and the Trailblazers became a part of the Army of Occupation of Germany. The 70th Division was billeted in S/Sgt. Arnold “Red” Shelander, T/Sgt. Richard “Dick” many small towns throughout the American Armstrong and S/Sgt. John Haller. Nauborn, Germany, August 1945 Occupation Zone. Company A's first occu- pation assignment was in the town of Lohrheim. Lorheim was a small hamlet where none of the houses had running water or indoor plumbing. Like many other villages throughout Europe, the primitive houses sheltered both their residents and livestock under the same roof. The cus-

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY233 VICTORY tomary manure piles were always evident in front of nearly every house. "Honey wagons" were frequently seen and smelled as they rolled out of town carrying the material pumped from the out- houses and later used to fertilize the crops. "Hon- ey wagons" were pulled by livestock, sometimes by teams of oxen, horses, or cows. It was not uncommon to see a "honey wagon" being pulled by a mixed team of a horse and a cow. The same was true of the primitive plows used to till the small plots of farmland. Lohrheim displayed none of the scars of war because it was not in the path of defending or invading armies nor was it a target for bombing because it was merely an agricultural hamlet and had no indus- tries. Such was the case with many small towns in Pfc Ted Kucmerosky, Second Platoon Runner Germany. Once the German Army was in full retreat, the Wehrmacht did not stop to defend the small strategically unimportant villages like they did in northeastern France where countless small villages were left in ruins.

On the other hand, the ravages of war did not spare any of the larger German cities. Most were bombed repeatedly by the Army Air Corps and the RAF, which reduced the cores of many cities to vast fields of rubble. Hardly a building was left standing in Saarbrucken, the first German city taken by the Trailblazers. In Kassel, the liberating armies had to go around the city as there was no way to get through the rubble. In Cologne, only the huge Cathedral remained standing in the center of acres of complete destruction. Not one German city, including the Capital City of Berlin escaped near total destruction. The German populace was bled white. In the cities and in the villages, one saw only women, children, old men and cripples. The younger men were all victims of the Nazi war machine. Those that survived were dejected and beaten. Others were in prisoner-of-war camps in the Soviet Union and in the West. Many German soldiers were taken to prisoner of war camps in the United States.

While the war was over in Europe, it seemed far from over in Asia and the Pacific so no time was lost in getting prepared for further combat. Intensive training

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY234 VICTORY programs got underway immediately, and at least half of each day was de- voted to running squad, platoon, and company field problems.

In early June 1945, the Company moved to the village of Nauborn, a town similar to Lohrheim but larger and not as isolated. Nauborn was near the city

The Dom (Cathedral) at Cologne, Germany - 1945 of Wetzlar, the site of the Zeiss factory that manufac- tured Leica cameras and the Hensholdt factory that manufactured lenses and field glasses. Part of the Company's occupation duty was to guard those factories, but none of the Leica cameras was available to the GIs.

At Nauborn, the training and field problems were continued with greater intensity. At that point in time it appeared to be a sure thing that the Trailblazers were destined for the Pacific or possibly the China-Burma-India Theater. Rumors were prevalent that the Trailblazers would participate in the forthcoming invasion of Japan, most likely from Okinawa. Shortly after the Company's arrival at Nauborn, several men who were wounded at Wingen, Les Vosges, and Forbach returned to the Company from Army hospitals in France and England. First to return to Company A were S/Sgts. Skalitzky, Cook, Causey and Haller, Sgt. Slover and Pfcs George Sheeley and Gene Davis, followed by a few more each week. Everyone was excited and glad to welcome them, as no one expected to see them again. In addition, replacements and transferees from other units came to the Company. Company A was up to full strength for the first time since it arrived in France and it had a strong battle tested cadre of officers and NCOs. That made it an ideal fighting unit to send into combat in another theater of operations.

While Company A was billeted in Nauborn, Regimental Headquarters directed that each company establish an I & E (Information and Education) program. The purpose was to keep the men informed of current events, particularly the progress of the newly formed United Nations. Classes in the German language and other timely

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY235 VICTORY subjects were started. Company NCOs assigned the responsibility for carrying out the program were Sergeants Cook, Lowry and Slover. Nearly everyone participated in the program, either as an instructor or by attending classes. The I & E program went very well, in spite of the fact that the courses were not structured and there were no in- structional materials. One of the first in- structors was Haller who taught a class in German, and one of his students was Dan Jury. After a few days Jury went around telling everyone, "Old 'Red Ass' kicked me out of his German class." The truth of the I & E NCOs Frank Lowry and Virgil Cook - Nauborn, Germany - 1945 matter was that Jury was Pennsylvania Dutch and already spoke good German and Haller did not think that he could teach him any- thing.

In addition to their official duties, the I & E NCOs established an Enlisted Men's Club in a former tavern. There, the men could spend their evenings over a few beers or some Rhineland wine. They also had a reading room where they were able to sit around, read magazines, write letters, and speculate as to the destiny of the men of Company A and the Trailblazers.

On Memorial Day, May 30, 1945, nearly two years after the activation of the Trailblazer Division, the 276th Infantry Regi- Enlisted Mens Club - Nauborn, Germany - 1945 ment assembled in a former Nazi stadium at the Rock of Lorelei. Lorelei was in a beautiful setting, four hundred feet above a bend in the Rhine River. As far as one could see, upstream and downstream, vineyards covered the steep hills that rose from both sides of the river. It was a scene of absolute tranquility that did not appear to belong in the heart of the nation whose leaders brought the world into the most devastating conflict in history. The

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY236 VICTORY Color Guard at 276th Infantry Regiment Memorial Service at Lorelei Stadium above the Rhine River - Memorial Day, 1945

Regimental Commander, Col. Albert Morgan, assembled the troops to honor the men of the 276th Infantry Regiment who made the supreme sacrifice and gave their lives for the cause of freedom. A representative from each Company called the final roll of those that perished in the war. S/Sgt Virgil C. Cook called the roll for Company A. As he named each of the thirty-four men who were killed in action, a designated comrade responded "Here." While Cook made the final roll call of those comrades- in-arms who were killed the war, the troops stood at attention with lumps in their throats, tears in their eyes, and prayers in their hearts. Many fallen comrades were later laid to rest forever in the United States Military Cemeteries at St. Avold and Epinal, France. They rest not far from where they perished.

With news of the dropping of the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the resultant capitulation of Japan, the big question was, "When do we go home?" A large Army of Occupation was needed in Europe and many men would have to remain in Germany until replacements were brought over from the States. In short, the war was over but the job was not done. Also, it would be several

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY237 VICTORY months before sufficient ocean vessels could be available to transport millions of men back across the sea.

To determine priorities for returning to the States, the Army devised a point system. Each man got one point for each month that he served in the Armed Services, one point for each month he served overseas, five points for each battle campaign, five points for each medal, twelve points if married, and twelve points for each child. Anyone having eighty- five or more points was eligible to depart from the ETO. Only Captain Matthews, Lt. Brewer, S/Sgts. Pupinski, Sgt. "Stupe" Gran- ger and Sgt. Holland had sufficient points to go home with the first shipment. After that, a few men left the Company each month on the Lt. Robert (Bob) Brewer and T/Sgt. John Steiner point system.

After VJ Day, the Division began receiving many transferees possessing high points mainly from the Third and 78th Infantry Divisions. 1st Lt. Hyman Pergament came to the Company as CO to replace Capt. Matthews. Those 70th Infantry Division men who did not have sufficient points to return home were transferred to the Third Infantry Division. After a short tour with the Third Division, many Trail- blazers were transferred to the 78th Division for occupation duty in Berlin, Bremen and Bremerhaven. While they waited their turn to return to the States, several Company A men, including S/Sgt. Haller, T/Sgt. Armstrong, and S/Sgt. Lowry served with the 78th Infantry Division in Berlin until early 1946. S/Sgt. Patterson and Bryan Ledoux served with the same division in Bremerhaven.

One morning while S/Sgt. Skalitzky's squad was on guard duty at the Zeiss Camera Factory in Wetzlar, Pfc Frank Mitchell accidentally dropped his rifle. When the rifle butt struck the cement floor, the rifle discharged and sent a thirty-caliber bullet through his head, killing him instantly. Mitchell had only been with the Company a short time. He was a high point transferee from the Third Infantry Division and had fought in several European campaigns. He was slated to go back to the States with the 70th Infantry Division.

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY238 VICTORY Before the end of hostilities in Europe, Sergeants Armstrong, Micherdzinski and Lowry were offered direct commissions which Armstrong and Lowry declined to accept at that time. Later Armstrong and Lowry opted to accept commissions in the Officer Reserve Corps. Four years later, both men were recalled to serve as officers during the Korean War.

On September 1, the 70th Infantry Division, with very few familiar faces, sailed for New York on the HMS Queen Elizabeth. The soldiers who returned to the United States on the HMS Queen Elizabeth were not the same Trailblazers who sailed to France the year before on the USS West Point nor were they the men who fought with the 70th Infantry Division.

On September 11, 1945, the 70th Infantry Division was unceremoniously deactivated at Camp Joyce Kilmer, New Jersey. Its men were sent to Army posts near their homes where they were processed for separation from the United States Army.

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY239 VICTORY JUST A SIMPLE SOLDIER Author Unknown The politician's stipend He was getting old and paunchy And the style in which he lives His hair was falling fast Are sometimes disproportionate He sat around the Legion, To the service which he gives. Telling stories of the past. While the ordinary soldier Of a war that he had fought in Who offered up his all And the deeds that he had done Is paid off with a medal In his exploits with his buddies And perhaps a pension, very small. They were heroes, everyone. It's so easy to forget them And 'tho sometimes, to his neighbors For it was so long ago, His tales became a joke That our Bob's and Jim's and Johnny's All his buddies listened Went to battle, but we know. For they knew whereof he spoke. It was not the politicians But we'll hear his tales no longer With their compromise and ploys, For ol' George has passed away Who won for us the freedom And the world's a little poorer That our Country now enjoys. For a soldier died today. Should you find yourself in danger He won't be mourned by many With your enemies at hand Just his children and his wife. Would you really want some cop-out For he lived an ordinary, With his ever waffling stand? Very quiet sort of life. Or would you want a Soldier He held a job and raised a family Who has sworn to protect and defend Quietly going on his way. His home, his kin, and Country And the world won't note his passing And would fight until the end? 'tho a Soldier died today. He was just a common Soldier When politicians leave this earth And his ranks are growing thin Their bodies lie in state But his presence should remind us While thousands note their passing We may need his likes again. And proclaim that they were great. For when countries are in conflict Papers tell of their life stories, Then we find the Soldier's part From the time that they were young, Is to clean up all the troubles But the passing of a soldier, That the politicians start. Goes unnoticed, and unsung. If we cannot do him honor Is the greatest contribution While he's here to hear the praise To the welfare of our land, Then at least let's give him homage Some jerk who breaks his promise At the ending of his days. And cons his fellow man? Perhaps just a simple headline Or the ordinary fellow in the paper that might say: Who in times of war and strife "OUR COUNTRY IS IN MOURNING, Goes off to serve his Country FOR A SOLDIER DIED TODAY." And offers up his life?

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY240 FIFTY YEARS LATER FIFTY YEARS LATER

Former soldiers of Company A, 276th Infantry Regiment at a Trailblazer reunion held at Las Vegas, Nevada, September 19, 1990, forty -five years after World War II. Some of these veterans had not seen or heard from one another since the war. Front row: John L Haller, John A Welte, Daniel W Jury, Robert L Wood, Frank H Lowry and William J Piper. Back row: Lloyd A Patterson, Earl D Granger, Burton K Drury, Edward J Skalitzky, Arthur E Slover, Edward E Kimmle, Russell E Causey and Richard R Armstrong.

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY241 FIFTY YEARS LATER Half a century has gone by and a great deal of water passed under the bridge since the young men of Company A fought and died on the battlefields of France and Germany. Many men who were wounded and evacuated did not recover sufficiently to return to Company A. They were suddenly taken from the battlefield under circumstances that rarely gave them the opportunity to say farewell to their comrades. When the war was over, the men who were still with the Company did not remain together for long. Those who earned the highest number of rotation points were the first to leave for the U.S.A. Every day or two a few more men departed. Some were homeward bound and others were sent to different units to serve in the Army of Occupation. Eventually when the men returned to the Zone of the Interior, each went his separate way. Their attentions were directed to putting the war behind them and picking up where they left off. During those times of warfare and subsequent periods of readjustment, most of the men lost contact with their wartime comrades-in-arms. In recent years, some former Trailblazers of Company A became reacquainted through the 70th Infantry Division Association, but there are many out there who do not know the Association exists. The following is an update on those that the author was able to locate.

ARMSTRONG, RICHARD R

Richard "Dick" Armstrong was the Platoon Guide of the First Platoon and later succeeded Robert Brewer as the Platoon Sergeant. After the war, Dick transferred to the 78th Infantry Division for Army of Occupation duty in Berlin. Early in 1946, he returned to his home in Duluth, Minnesota. Dick and his wife Rose were married in Duluth and made their home in Hoyt Lakes, Minnesota, where they raised three children. Dick worked as a foreman in the Minnesota iron mines and his life long hobbies were hunting and fishing. He was recalled to active duty during the Korean War and served for two years as an infantry officer. Dick remained in the Minnesota National Guard and retired with the rank of Captain. For many years he was active in the American Legion and VFW. After his retirement, he did volunteer work by driving disabled senior citizens to hospitals and medical clinics. Dick passed away in August 1992, less than a year after the death of his wife Rose.

AVERY, QUINTEN R

Quinten Avery and his wife Elizabeth reside in Greenville, North Carolina.

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY242 FIFTY YEARS LATER BAMBRICK, EUGENE P

Eugene "Gene" Bambrick joined the 70th Infantry Division in March, 1944 after a year studying mechanical engineering in the Army Specialized Training Program at Oregon State College. He went overseas as a scout in the Second Platoon. After the fighting in Les Vosges mountains, Gene received a battlefield commission and was transferred to the 36th Infantry Division. On March 22, 1945, Gene was wounded in the shoulder, head, and back while going through the Siegfried Line. He was evacuated to a field hospital, then to hospitals in Nancy and Aix. On July 2, 1945, he returned to New York on a hospital ship and was sent to Holloran Hospital. Gene was released from the hospital in May of 1946, after losing a kidney, losing the short ribs on his left side, and having a plate put in his head. He enrolled in St. John's Law School, Brooklyn, New York, and was admitted to the New York Bar in November 1948. Gene also has a B.S. degree in Economics from St. John's College and a B.S. in mechanical engineering from Oregon State College. He pursued a career in Law and in 1990 he retired as a Justice of the New York State Supreme Court. Gene and his wife Mary Ann were married in May of 1949 and made their home in Rosedale (Queens), New York. They have six children and seven grandchildren. Over the years, Gene has been active in community affairs and for ten years he was Counsel of the Community Civic Association. He is an active member of St. Clare's Catholic Church and served as president of the Holy Name Society.

BOYD, CAMERON

Cameron "Cam" Boyd was a Mortar-Gunner in the Fourth Platoon. He came to Company A in the Spring of 1944, after serving in the 91st Infantry Division and in the Army Air Corps as an Aviation Cadet. Cameron was officially listed as "Killed in Action" on Hill 358 in Les Vosges mountains on January 12, 1945. It was many years later when some former members of Company A learned that Cameron did not die in the war. He was captured while attempting to help a wounded buddy, Neal Waite. Cameron helped carry Neal about two miles behind the German Lines where he placed him on a wagon, covered him with a blanket, gave him a pack of cigarettes, and said "goodby." Cameron was taken to Stalag IX-B at Bad Orb, Germany where he was interned for the remainder of the war. After the war he returned to his home in the Pacific-Northwest. He followed careers as a Logger, Mill Worker and a Pawn Broker. Cam and his wife Janet, whom he married in 1973, reside in Sutherlin, Oregon. They have nine children and eighteen grandchildren.

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY243 FIFTY YEARS LATER BUNDICK, WILLIAM F

William Bundick and his wife Eula made their home in Albany, Oregon. William died on November 2, 1988.

CARROLL, DON E

Don Carroll was the Company Mail Clerk (The man that frequently put smiles on the faces of his buddies). He joined the Company at Camp Adair after serving in the Medical Corps and ASTP. After hostilities ended in Europe, Don went to Austria where he was assigned to the Adjutant General's Office in General Mark Clark's Headquarters. In April 1946, he returned to the US and civilian life. He attended college at the University of Southern California where he earned a degree in Civil Engineering. Don and his wife Myrna were married in St. George, Utah in 1949. They made their home in Sacramento, California where he worked for the State of California for thirty-eight years. He retired in 1987. Don volunteers his services one day each week to the Latter Day Saints(Mormon) Church. He and Myrna have five children, Donna, Richard, Philip, Roger and David, and thirteen grandchildren.

CARELLO, WILLIAM

William (Bill) Carello returned to Providence, Rhode Island where he worked for the Postal Service and Providence Police Department. Bill passed away in 1989.

CAUSEY, RUSSELL E

Russell Causey was a member of the original cadre that came to Camp Adair from the 91st Infantry Division to activate the 70th Infantry Division. He served as the Mortar Section Leader and as the Platoon Sergeant of the Weapons Platoon. On January 10, 1945, while fighting on "Hill 403" in Les Vosges mountains of France, Russell was wounded in the foot by 88mm shrapnel. He returned to the Company in late February. In August 1945, he transferred to the Third Division for Army of Occupation duty, then in December he returned to the States with the 12th Armored Division. In February 1946, he went to work as a printer for Sanford, N.C. Herald and retired as the Production Manager in 1986. He and his wife Barbara were married

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY244 FIFTY YEARS LATER in 1942 and have one son and two grandchildren. Russell is a Deacon in the Sanford First Baptist Church. He is also an active member of the VFW and American Legion. He served as President and Secretary of the Sanford Optimist Club. Their home in Sanford, N.C. is on a lake, so it is not surprising that fishing is Russell's hobby. Yard work is another. Since retirement they travel and keep in touch with several of his wartime buddies.

CICCARELLO, JOSEPH A

Joseph Ciccarello served as a rifleman in the Second Platoon. He was captured by the enemy on January 11, 1945 while Company A was attempting to take Hill 358 in the Vosges mountains and was taken to Stalag IX-B, Bad Orb, Germany. Joe was among 3300 GIs who were liberated near the end of the war by Company B, 772nd Tank Battalion, Third Army. Coincidentally, Joe Greco, one of the tank commanders, was a boyhood friend of Joe's from the south side of Boston. After the war, Joe returned to his home in Boston and took up where he left off as a printer. He was married in 1954 and has three daughters. His wife passed away with cancer in 1978. He remarried in 1987. Joe is retired from State of Massachusetts, Public Works Department where he was a photographer. He and his wife Jean reside in West Peabody, Massachusetts.

COOK, VIRGIL C

Virgil Cook was a Squad Leader in the Second Platoon. He was severely wounded in the arm at Wingen-sur-Moder on January 5, 1945 and was unable to return to the Company until after VE Day. Virgil served as a Company Information & Education NCO until he was rotated back to the States. He returned to his home in Daniels, West Virginia where he and his wife Nellie continue to reside. He enrolled at Beckley College, through the Board of Ministerial Training of the United Methodist Church, and also received a degree from Emory University. For twenty- seven years, Virgil was a clergyman in the United Methodist Church, twenty of those as Superintendent of a United Methodist Children's Home in Beckley. In 1986, the Governor of West Virginia appointed Virgil to the State Board of Education for a term of eight years. He was elected Secretary in 1988 and President in 1989. He also served two terms on the Raleigh County Board of Education. He served as President of the County School Board and the School Boards Association. Virgil is a member

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY245 FIFTY YEARS LATER of the West Virginia School Building Authority and is president of the State Joint Commission of Vocational-Technical-Occupational Education.

DAVIS, EUGENE C

Eugene "Gene" Davis was a rifleman in the Third Platoon. He joined Company A while the Division was training at Camp Adair. Gene was wounded at Wingen-sur-Moder on January 5, 1945 and returned to duty several months later when the Company was at Nauborn, Germany. He later served as an assistant squad leader in the Third Platoon. Gene returned to his home Bruneau, Idaho where he continues to reside.

DARSEY, FRANK E

Frank Darsey and his wife Bobbie reside in Shreveport, Louisiana.

DRURY, BURTON K

Burton Drury served as a rifleman in the First Platoon. He joined Company A in the fall of 1944 at Fort Leonard Wood. He was seriously wounded in the left hip while fighting at Wingen on January 5, 1945. Burton was evacuated to a field hospital at Epinal, France where he underwent the first of many surgeries. When he came out from under the anaesthetic, the first person he saw was a tall German soldier and thought for sure that he was a prisoner of war. An Army nurse assured him that he was in good hands. The German soldier was a prisoner helping in the hospital. From Epinal, he went to the 23rd General Hospital in Vitel, France. There he was put into traction and underwent several more surgeries. On April 20, 1945, he was put in a cast and flown to the United States. Burton went to Winter General Hospital, Topeka, Kansas where he was again placed in traction and underwent several more surgeries. After refusing to consent of an amputation, the medical authorities transferred him to Percy Jones Hospital at Battle Creek, Michigan where he spent eighteen months. In April 1947, after twenty-seven months in various hospitals, thirteen major surgeries, and his leg saved, Burton was discharged and returned to Festus, Missouri. He and Mary Ann were married in Ozora, Missouri on November 8, 1947, and raised five children, one daughter, Gale Ann and four sons,

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY246 FIFTY YEARS LATER Delray, Ronald, Kem and Kelly. Burton and Mary Ann have twelve grandchildren, seven girls and five boys. On January 30, 1982, Burton retired after working thirty years in the offices of P.P.G. Industries at Crystal City, Missouri. He was active in union affairs and served three years as president of his Local Union. His hobbies are fishing and traveling. Burton won the 1981 Community Service Award from P.P.G. Industries for outstanding work in Conservation.

GRANGER, EARL D

Earl Granger entered the Army through the State of Washington National Guard in 1940. He was wounded at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, and was again wounded while fighting on Guadalcanal. He joined the 70th Division at Fort Leonard Wood, and served as a squad leader in the First Platoon. On January 5, 1945, at Wingen-sur-Moder, he was wounded for the third time. Earl returned to the Company during the battle for Forbach. Earl was the first man in Company A with enough points to go home after the war. He returned to his home in Washington. He and his wife, Donna, reside on Lummi Island, Washington.

GREEN, RUBAN J

Ruben Green and his wife Ilsedora reside in Willingboro, New Jersey.

HALLER, JOHN L

John Haller served as a Squad Leader and Platoon Guide in the Second Platoon. John joined Company A at Camp Adair, Oregon, April 18, 1944. He previously served seven months in the 44th Infantry Division at Ft. Lewis, Washington and seven months in the 317th College Detachment of the Air Cadet Program. John was wounded at Forbach, France, February 27, 1945, and returned to duty with the Company May 15, 1945. In August 1945 he transferred to the Third Infantry Division where he taught German at Eschewge, Germany. He later served in the Army of Occupation with the 78th Infantry Division at Berlin. He returned to the US from Bremerhaven, Germany on January 25, 1946. Before entering military service, John had earned a Degree in Accounting from Spencerian College, Cleveland, Ohio. After the War he was the Production and Inventory Manager of

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY247 FIFTY YEARS LATER Rotor Tool Company at Euclid, Ohio. He retired in 1982. John and his wife Lillian were married on June 1, 1946 in Cleveland, Ohio. They have two children, Peter and Nancy, and one granddaughter. In 1984 John and Lillian moved to Columbia, South Carolina where their daughter is a school teacher. John took an active interest in Scouting and served as both a Cub Scout Leader and a Boy Scout Leader. He is an active member of the Methodist Church, having served as Chairman of the Board of Trustees and as the Church Treasurer. He is also a member of the DAV and the American Production and Inventory Control Society. John and Lillian are frequent travelers and have been all over the United States and Europe. John is an active Master Gardener, an avid reader and he hooks rugs in his spare time. His claim to fame is a circular rug with a three-foot replica of the Trailblazer insignia. The rug is hooked with 11,670 hand-tied two and one-half inch pieces of red, white and green wool yarn.

HAMLIN, JAMES C

James Hamlin joined Company A in the fall of 1954 at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. He served as a machine gunner in the Fourth Platoon. James was wounded in the shoulder and arm from enemy artillery fire in Les Vosges mountains of France on January 10, 1945. He was evacuated to the 51st Station Hospital and later taken to the 43rd General Hospital in Southern France. On April 7, 1945, he returned to the US on the Hospital Ship Algonquin. He then went to Ashford General Hospital, White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia. After his hospitalization, he went to Fort George G Mead, Maryland where he remained until he was discharged on March 22, 1946. James returned to Blacksburg, Virginia where he took mechanical training with General Motors through the GI BILL and worked for Blacksburg Chevrolet Motor Company until 1960. Subsequently he worked at the Virginia Polytechnic Institute as a mechanic until he retired in January 1985. James and Viola were married on December 26, 1942. Viola passed away in 1970. James and his present wife, Phoebe Smith Hamlin, continue to live in Blacksburg. He is a member of the Blacksburg, Virginia VFW Post-9898 and a life member of the DAV.

INGRAM, FRANK

Frank Ingram lives in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY248 FIFTY YEARS LATER JURY, DANIEL W

Daniel "Chief" Jury joined Company A on July 6, 1943. He went overseas as a platoon guide then later became the Platoon Sergeant of the Second Platoon. After the war, Dan went to the Third Infantry Division where he served in the Army of Occupation. On September 20, 1945, Dan returned to the United States and to his home in Millersburg, Pennsylvania. Dan and his wife Sarah "Sally" were married on March 26, 1932, nearly a dozen years before he went overseas. Dan and Sarah had a son who died at eight weeks of age and a daughter who was born a year before Dan went into the Army. Their daughter Doris is a nurse in Millersburg and they have one granddaughter, Marcia. Dan worked as a Lasting Foremen in the shoe manufacturing industry for twenty-nine years. He is an active member of St. Paul's Lutheran Church. He taught Sunday School for sixty-two years and was the Sexton of St. Paul's for 27 years. He is active in both the VFW and the American Legion. He organized a Firing Squad in the VFW and was its Captain for many years. Dan served as a Volunteer Fireman until he gave it up when he was eighty years old. He was president of the Millersburg Volunteer Fire Department for sixteen years, during which time he helped organize an ambulance club. Dan served as president of the Church Soft-ball League, Church Dart Baseball League, and the local Fast-pitch softball League. He was also instrumental in forming a twilight baseball league.

KALAHIKI, SAMUEL

Samuel "Sammy" Kalahiki served in the Weapons Platoon. After the war, Sammy returned to his home in Hawaii and went to work for the Honolulu Power Company. He and his wife have seven sons. He is retired and they are living at Kailua on the Big Island of Hawaii.

KELLY, JOSEPH F

Joseph "Joe" Kelly joined Company A in February 1945 at Folklingen while the Company was manning the MLR south of Oeting. He was a rifleman assigned to the Second Platoon. After the war, Joe served in the Army of Occupation with the 29th Infantry Regiment at Frankfurt, Germany. In July 1946 Joe returned to the United States and to his home in Kirkwood, Missouri. He went to college and earned a B.S. degree in Sociology and an M.S. in Social Work. Joe's career in counseling

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY249 FIFTY YEARS LATER was that of an Adoption Specialist. In 1963 Joe and his wife Marlene were married in Long Beach, California and they now live in Omaha, Nebraska. Joe and Marlene raised six children: Kathleen, John, Michael, Mark, Kevin and Ann. They have three grandchildren. Having had eighteen years of Catholic Education (Grammar School through Graduate School), Joe is an active member of the Catholic Church. His lifelong hobbies are hunting and fishing. He is also active in civic affairs and has worked on many Adoption-Related bills in the Nebraska Legislature.

KIMMLE, EDWARD A

Edward Kimmle served as a riflemen and messenger in the Second Platoon. He came to Company A in January 1945 via Italy, while the Company was at Ros- bruck, France. He was one of many Antiaircraft Artillerymen that suddenly found themselves in the Infantry during the Ardennes-Alsace Campaign. After VE day, Ed served in the Army of Occupation with the 29th Infantry near Frankfurt, Germany. In April 1946 he sailed to the U.S. from Bremerhaven, Germany and was discharged in May 1946. After the war, Ed returned to his home in O'Fallon, Illinois and to Mc- Kendree College at Lebanon, Illinois where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics. Ed earned a Master of Science Degree in Education and Supervision from Southern Illinois University in 1955. He pursued a career as an educator and as an Elementary School Principal, retiring in 1985 after 36 years in education. Edward and Mildred were married in 1946 at O'Fallon, Illinois and raised four chil- dren: Kay Lynn, Karen, Kent, and Kendall. They have eight grandchildren. They enjoyed traveling and have made two trips to Germany since the war. At the time Company A was fighting in Forbach, France, Edward was not aware that he had relatives living in Bad Bergzabern just 35 miles away. A winery started by the Kimmle family in Dorrenbach in 1880 is still operating under the Kimmle name. Edward and Mildred made O'Fallon their lifelong home. Edward passed away December, 1995.

KOLLENBAUM, WILBERT

Wilbert Kollenbaum joined the Company in France on December 28, 1944, after serving in Antiaircraft Artillery batteries since 1939. He arrived in England in September 1942 with the 62nd AAA Gun Battalion and made the invasions of North Africa, Sicily, Italy and Southern France. When the Ardennes-Alsace campaign got

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY250 FIFTY YEARS LATER under way, Wilbert volunteered for the Infantry and was sent to Company A. He served as a squad leader in the 4th Platoon and was wounded at Forbach. In March 1945 Wilbert transferred to Marseilles to serve as an interpreter aboard a Liberty Ship bound for Virginia. He and his wife Marion were married in June of 1945 and have two sons. Wilbert was an inspector for Pan Am until his retirement in 1980. He and Marion reside at Bayonet Point, Florida where he is a member of FAM, Scottish Rite, Shrines, Moose, Eagles, American Legion and VFW.

KORNACEWICZ, FRED M

Fred Kornacewicz and his wife Helen reside in Rome, New York.

KUCMEROSKY, THEODORE

Theodore "Ted" Kucmerosky joined Company A in January 1945 at Rosbruck, France. He spent Christmas in Italy, then sailed on a British ship to Marseilles, and rode 40 & 8's to Alsace-Lorraine. Ted served as a Runner in the Third Platoon. After the war, he transferred to a unit slated to go to the Pacific, but like many others, he never made it. He served several months in the Army of Occupation before returning to his home in Elmira, New York. He went back to college and earned a degree as a Mechanical Engineer and pursued a career as a Senior Design Engineer. Since his retirement, Ted and his wife Ruth spend the summers in Connecticut and the winters in Florida. They spend much of their leisure time fishing and traveling. Ted and Ruth have five children and eight grandchildren.

LEDOUX, BRYAN

Bryan Ledoux joined the 70th Division at Camp Adair early in 1944. He served as a BAR Man in the Second Platoon. After the war, Brian returned to his home in Opelousas, Louisiana where he and his wife Rita raised their family. For many years, he was the proprietor of the Ford Tractor Agency in Opelousas. In his retirement, Brian keeps occupied as an auctioneer.

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY251 FIFTY YEARS LATER LOWRY, FRANK H

Frank Lowry enlisted in the Army at Fort Douglas, Utah, December 2, 1942, and took his basic training in Antiaircraft Artillery at Camp Callan, California. He served in the ASTP Engineering program at Loyola University and as an aviation cadet at Buckley Field, Colorado. Frank joined Company A at Camp Adair in March 1944. In Europe he served as a squad leader in the Third Platoon. Between VE Day and VJ Day, he was a Company Information & Education NCO. After VJ day, he served in the Army of Occupation with the Third Division and with the 78th Division in Berlin. In April 1946 he returned to the US and was separated at Fort Bliss, Texas, as a 2nd Lieutenant. He returned to his home in Glendale, California and enrolled at Loyola University of Los Angeles where he obtained a BS degree in Accounting. He and Dorothy were married at Holy Family Church in Glendale, November 23, 1946. They have four children, Frank, Geri Ann, Teresa, and Susan and nine grandchildren. On September 8, 1950, Frank returned to active duty and served in the Infantry and Finance Corps during the Korean War. He was separated as a 1st. Lieutenant in January 1953. After the Korean War, they made their home in Modesto, California where Frank established a C.P.A. firm. He retired as Managing Partner in 1985. He was a member of the Parish Councils of Our Lady of Fatima and St. Joseph Catholic Churches. He is a Past Grand Knight and Past District Deputy of the Knights of Columbus and is Past President of Serra Club of Modesto. He served as president of Stanislaus County Estate Planning Council, and the California Society of Certified Public Accountants (San Joaquin Chapter). He was the Treasurer of Sportsmen of Stanislaus Club and a member of Central Catholic High School Board. He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, American Legion, VFW, Modesto Chamber of Commerce and Modesto Rotary Club. In 1967-1968 he served on the U.S. Federal Grand Jury and in 1989 he received an award from the City of Modesto for meritorious service and leadership.

MAGUIRE, RANDAL

Randal "Randy" Maguire joined Company A at Camp Adair in April 1944, and served as a Machine gun squad leader in the Weapons Platoon. He had previously served in the 291st Infantry and as an Aviation Cadet. He was wounded in January 1945 during an 88mm barrage in Les Vosges mountains. When he regained consciousness, he was in a 179th Infantry aid station, not knowing how he got there. Besides his wounds, he had a severe case of trench foot. He was

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY252 FIFTY YEARS LATER evacuated to a hospital in France and then to another in England. He left the hospital in June 1945 and went to the 3rd. Military Government Regiment in the Army of Occupation. In April 1946 Randy returned to his home in Illinois and enrolled in Western Illinois University where he earned a Bachelor of Science Degree. He and Doris were married in June 1949 and raised three sons. They also have three grandchildren. Randy retired as a Branch Manager of Morton Buildings, Inc. He and Doris now reside in Horseshoe Bend, Arizona, where he is active in civic affairs. He is a member of the City Planning Commission, Auxiliary Police, Board of Zoning Adjustment and Horseshoe Bend Kiwanis Club. His hobbies are Golfing and Square Dancing.

MAYER, DEAN L

Dean Mayer joined the 70th Division at Camp Adair in February 1944, and was assigned to Company G, 276th Infantry. He transferred to Company A in January 1945, where he was a machine gun squad leader. Previously, Dean was an Aviation Cadet and served in the ASTP program. He was wounded by shrapnel at Forbach, France in February, 1945. In August 1945 Dean went to the Third Infantry Division for duty in the Army of Occupation, after which he served with the 78th Infantry Division at Bremerhaven, Germany. After the war, Dean returned to his home in Alliance, Ohio and enrolled in college to pursue a degree in Mechanical Engineering. He spent thirty-six years in many fields of research including Hydraulic, Nuclear, Metallurgical, Metal forming, and new product development. Dean has to his credit seven U.S. patents and many foreign patents. Dean and Marjorie were married March 10, 1951, at Pleasant Lake, Indiana and raised five children: Norm, Russ, Steve, Lynne, and Rog. They have eleven grandchildren. They now reside at Fremont, Indiana. Dean is active in Church affairs and in the Boy Scouts. He served as Vice-Chairman of his Church Board and for twenty-two years he was a Boy Scout Leader. He is a member of the Elks and Moose Lodges, the American Legion, VFW, American Society of Mechanical Engineers, and American Society for Metals.

MCGRIFF, LAYLEN M

Laylen McGriff joined Company A at Camp Adair in April 1944. He served as a rifleman in the First Squad of the First Platoon. Laylen was wounded in January

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY253 FIFTY YEARS LATER 1945 by a German 88 while fighting on "Hill 358" in Les Vosges mountains. After his hospitalization he returned to his home in Brookville, Ohio, then went to work as a Tool Grinder for General Motors Corporation in Dayton, Ohio. Laylen and his wife Virginia were married in Kentucky in 1940. They raised two children, a daughter Carolyn and a son Larry. They have six grandchildren and three great- grandchildren. Laylen and Virginia continue to reside in Brookville.

MILLER, JOSEPH E

Joe Miller served as a rifleman in the Third Platoon. He came to Company A from Company E as a reinforcement while the Company was at Rosbruck. He was wounded at Forbach, France in February and returned to the Company in April at St. Goarshausen on the Rhine River. Following the war, Joe returned to his home in Jasonville, Indiana, where he went to work in the trucking industry. Joe and Mary were married in Jasonville on August 20, 1965. He has two sons, three stepchildren, and five grandchildren. Joe retired from the Teamsters in 1983 and in 1991 moved to Searing, Florida where he and Mary now reside.

NEWBERRY, ANDREW B

Andrew Newberry and his wife Elizabeth reside in Silver Springs, Maryland.

O'BANION, HERBERT

Herbert O'Banion was a squad leader in the 4th Platoon. He lived in Cincinnati, Ohio. Herbert died November 23, 1989.

PATTERSON, LLOYD A

Lloyd Patterson came to the 70th Division in March of 1943. He spent a year in the 70th Quartermaster Company before transfer to Company A in the Spring of 1944. In Europe, he was a squad leader in the First Platoon. When the hostilities ended, he served in the Army of Occupation in the Third Infantry Division and the 78th Infantry Division in Bremerhaven, Germany. Lloyd was separated from the

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY254 FIFTY YEARS LATER service at Ft. Lewis, Washington on March 6, 1946, and returned to his home at Salem, Oregon. He remained active in the Army Reserve and National Guard for 37 years, and was discharged with the rank of Major. Lloyd and Doris were married at Silverton, Oregon in June of 1950 and have one son. He is a member of the Elks Lodge, Moose Lodge, American Legion and VFW.

PIPER, WILLIAM J

William "Jimmy" Piper was stationed at Camp Adair at the time the 70th Division was activated and served as a BAR man in the First Platoon. On January 11, 1945, he was wounded in the knee by 88mm artillery on "Hill 358" in Les Vosges mountains. He was alone and crawled for three days before some GIs picked him up and took him to an Aid Station. He was evacuated to Nancy, France where he underwent the first of many surgeries. From Nancy he went to Paris General Hospital, was put in a shipping cast and was flown in a C-47 to Mitchell Field, New York. He was then taken to Billings General Hospital at Ft. Benjamin Harrison, Indiana for more surgery. Upon discharge, Jimmy returned to his home in Iron River, Michigan, but after a year he went to Southern California to escape from the cold winters. He enrolled at Cal-Aero Tech where he earned diplomas in Aeronautical Engineering and Aircraft Master Mechanics. Jimmy and LaVerne were married in Los Angeles, May 15, 1948. They have one daughter. Jimmy worked as a Manufacturing Engineer in the Los Angeles area and in Albuquerque until his war wounds forced him to retire in 1980. He and LaVerne now reside in Veguita, New Mexico where his hobbies are restoring antique autos and hunting. He is a life member in the DAV and a long time member of the Elks Lodge.

PUPINSKI, CHESTER

Chester Pupinski was the Company A, 276th Infantry Mess Sergeant. Chester lives in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

RAMAGOS, LLOYD J

Lloyd Ramagos was the Company bugler and a jeep driver. Lloyd lives in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY255 FIFTY YEARS LATER SBROCCO, MARIO

Mario Sbrocco was an assistant squad leader in the Third Platoon. He is retired from the construction industry and lives in Geneva, New York.

SHEELEY, GEORGE H

George Sheeley came to Company A at Ft. Leonard Wood in August 1944 after completing basic training at Camp Robinson, Arkansas. He served as both a rifleman and BAR man in the Second Platoon. On January 11, 1945, George was wounded in the shoulder and thigh by 88mm artillery shrapnel on "Hill 358." He spent over two months in a general hospital at Vitel, France, then returned to the Company at St. Goarshausen on the Rhine River. In August 1945 George went to the Third Division to serve in the Army of Occupation at Kassel, Germany. After the war he returned to his home in Raymore, Missouri and started on a life long career with the United States Postal Service. For 17 years, he worked part time as a clerk- typist for the Veterans Administration and the Weather Bureau. George and Dorothy were married on August 30, 1946, in the Methodist Church in Raymore. They have two daughters, Sheila and Jennifer, and three grandchildren. George is an Elder in the Methodist Church, the Church Treasurer, and also teaches Sunday School. He is a member of the VFW, American Legion, Order of the Purple Heart, and Raymore Lions Club.

SHELANDER, ARNOLD G

Arnold "Red" Shelander was a Squad Leader in the Second Platoon and later served as the Platoon Guide in the First Platoon. After the war he returned to his home in Big Falls, Minnesota where he and his wife Betty were married in 1946. They have one daughter and two grandchildren. "Red" and Dick Armstrong remained lifelong friends and spent countless hours together in the North Woods hunting and fishing. Arnold passed away in the Spring of 1993.

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY256 FIFTY YEARS LATER SKALITZKY, EDWARD J

Edward "Jim" Skalitzky joined Company A in the fall of 1944 at Fort Leonard Wood. In Europe he served as a squad leader in the Second Platoon. He was wounded by a mortar blast at Forbach, France in February 1945 and spent three months in a hospital at Nancy, France. For a year after leaving the 70th Division, he had various assignments in the Army of Occupation. He first went to Eschwege, Germany where he was in charge of 42 GIs who were attending an I & E(Information and Education) school. From Eschwege, he went to Kassel, Germany where he had the Regimental Driver & Mechanic School. Next he became the Provost Sergeant of a large prison at Weisbaden. Jim's next assignment was to take 2500 Polish Displaced Persons to Krackaw, Poland. On January 1, 1947 he sailed for New York and was discharged from Fort Sheridan, Illinois. He returned to Remus, Michigan and after a year on the farm, he went to work in the Oil Industry as an Operations Manager. He and his wife Bonnie were married on October 9, 1954 in Remus. Jim and Bonnie have three daughters and three grandchildren. He is retired and enjoys fishing, boating, and traveling. He is an active member of the American Legion, VFW and DAV. His hobby is collecting antique tractors.

SLOVER, ARTHUR E

Arthur "Art" Slover joined Company A at Camp Adair and served as an Assistant Squad Leader in the First Platoon. Before his entry in the Army, he was a country school teacher in the State of Iowa. Arthur was wounded in January 1945 on "Hill 403" in Les Vosges mountains of France and returned to the Company later in the year. After VE Day, Art served as a Company Information & Education NCO. In September 1945 he returned to the United States. Initially, Art made his home in Los Angeles where he and his wife Ruby were married in 1950. Arthur went to work for the United States Postal Service and was later transferred to Washington, D.C. where he spent the greater part of his carrier. After his retirement from Government Service and Ruby's death, Art moved to Salem, Oregon. Art remained in the Active Reserve for many years and retired from the U. S. Army Reserve as a Chief Warrant Officer. Art and Ruby have one daughter, Cindy, and two grandsons. Cindy is a registered nurse in the State of Louisiana. Art died on August 15, 1995. He and Ruby rest in Arlington National Cemetery.

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY257 FIFTY YEARS LATER STEINER, JOHN JOSEPH

John Steiner joined Company A when the 70th Division moved to Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. He was a squad leader in the First Platoon and later the Platoon Sergeant of the Third Platoon. John was born on January 8, 1916, in Mineral Springs, North Dakota. When he was 17, he joined the Civilian Conserva- tion Corps for three years, then later he joined the Army. Following his discharge in 1946, he moved to Amidon, North Dakota where he and his brother owned a filling station and bar. He later moved to Belfield, North Dakota where on January 23, 1951, he married Patricia Kessel in St. Bernard's Catholic Church. John and Patricia raised five sons and three daughters. John was an active member of St. Bernard's Church. He was also active in the Knights of Columbus, American Legion, Chamber of Commerce and Elks Club. He was the Fire Chief of the Belfield Volunteer Fire Department. In 1986 the American Legion Baseball Field in Belfield was dedicated to John for his service as manager of the Junior Legion Baseball Team. John died on August 2, 1988 and was buried from St. Bernard's Church.

TOUPS, IRVIN B

Irvin Toups came to Company A as a replacement in January 1945. He served as a rifleman in the Third Squad of the Third Platoon. After the hostilities ended, Irvin went to the Third Infantry Division where he served in the Army of Occupation. He returned to his home and family in Thibodaux, Louisiana where he was a furniture salesman for 47 years. He and his wife Vivian were married in June 1940 and continue to reside in Thibodaux. They have two sons and five grandchildren.

TREMONTE, VETO

Veto Tremonte was the Company A bugler and also a jeep driver. Veto lives in Lake Charles, Louisiana.

TSUKIMURA, EDDIE

Eddie Tsukimura joined Company A in the fall of 1944 at Ft. Leonard Wood and served as a Company runner. Eddie was born in a small fishing village in Hawaii

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY258 FIFTY YEARS LATER in 1920. At the age of eight, his family followed tradition and sent him to Japan for study and discipline, where in high school near Hiroshima he was a marathon runner. At seventeen, he returned to the U.S. and in 1941 (before Pearl Harbor) he was drafted into the Army. Eddie was wounded in Les Vosges mountains in January 1945. After six months in hospitals in France and England, he was sent to a camp in Arizona where he remained for the duration. For a few years Eddie pursued a joint career in working for Douglas Aircraft and commercial fishing. He built his first boat, "Aloha I" in 1949 and in 1950 got his first charter boat license. From 1960 to 1988 he was owner and skipper of the "Golden Doubloon" which was a charter SCUBA diving boat he operated from the 22nd Street landing in San Pedro, California. In addition to teaching and leading thousands of divers on adventures to Catalina and the Channel Islands, his first voyage was to take the "Golden Doubloon" through the Panama Canal into the Caribbean in search for lost shipwrecks. They found rusty cannons and hurricanes but no treasure. Captain Eddie's years at San Pedro have given him the status of Master Skipper to the crews of the other boats and he was affectionately known as the "Skipper's Skipper." A bout with pneumonia in 1988 caused Captain Eddie to trade his dive boat for artist's brushes, gardening tools and his motorcycles. Eddie and his wife, Masako, retired in San Pedro, California where he maintained a Koi pond with many tropical fish and a Japanese garden. Eddie and Masako have one daughter, Naomi. Eddie passed away July 13, 1997.

WAGGER, HAROLD J

Harold Wagger came to the 70th Infantry Division at Camp Adair with the original cadre from the 91st Infantry Division. He served as the Platoon Sergeant of the Third Platoon. After the fighting in Les Vosges mountains, Harold was awarded a battle field commission and was made the Platoon Leader of the Second Platoon. He was seriously wounded in the arm at Forbach in February 1945 and was never able to return to the Company. After nearly two years in hospitals, Harold returned to his home in North Carolina. He and his wife Renee were married shortly after the war. They moved to New York in the early 1950's where Harold went into the office furniture business. He is still and active partner in his firm. Harold and Renee have two sons and a daughter.

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY259 FIFTY YEARS LATER WAKEFIELD, JAMES

James Wakefield lives in Bixby, Oklahoma

WELTE, JOHN A

John Welte joined Company A at Camp Adair in July 1943. After Basic Training, he was assigned to Company Headquarters as a jeep driver. He continued in that capacity until the war ended in Europe, then was assigned to the Third Infantry Division where he served in the Military Police. John was discharged from the Army on April 1, 1946, and returned to his home in St. Louis, Missouri. He and LaVerne were married in St. Louis in 1975. They have four children and ten grandchildren. John was a meat cutter in St. Louis for 46 years and a member of the Meat Cutters Local No. 88 for 57 years. John died on December 27, 1995.

WESTCOTT, LESTER E

Lester Westcott was a squad leader in the First Platoon. He was seriously wounded at Wingen-sur-Moder by a gun shot wound in the chest. Lester died at Boca Raton, Florida on August 20, 1988.

WISEMAN, ARVILLE

Arville Wiseman and his wife Jean reside in Croydon, Indiana.

WOOD, ROBERT L

Robert Wood joined the 70th Division at Camp Adair on August 9, 1943. He had a prior tour of duty in the 18th Field Artillery at Fort Sill, Oklahoma from July 1938 until July 1941. He was as a Machine gun Squad Leader in the Weapons Platoon. After the battle for Wingen, he was evacuated with frozen feet. He returned to the Company a month later at Oeting only to be evacuated again at Forbach with blood poisoning in a foot. He rejoined the Company in the Forbach Forest. In October 1945, he transferred to the Third Division in the Army of Occupation. He

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY260 FIFTY YEARS LATER returned to his home in Dallas, Texas and resumed his career as a machinist. He was a Machinist-Supervisor for Texas Instruments for twenty-five years. Robert and his wife Alma were married at Paris, Texas on June 21, 1941. They have one son, William Robert Wood, and two granddaughters. Robert and Alma reside in Dallas where they are active members of the Methodist Church.

YANNIAS, STEVE C

Steve Yannias entered the Army from Chicago and joined the 70th Division at Camp Adair. He served as a rifleman in the Third Platoon. He was wounded in January 1945 on "Hill 403" in Les Vosges mountains and later returned to the Company. Steve and his wife Elaine reside in Addison, Illinois where he is a retired pharmacist. They have two children.

YASUTAKE, HIDEMARU

Hidemaru "Johnnie" Yasutake joined Company A in the fall of 1944 at Ft. Leonard Wood and served as a rifleman in the Second Platoon. Johnnie was a Nisei, born in Sebastopal, California, who voluntarily enlisted in the Army. He was seriously wounded during an enemy mortar attack at Wingen-sur-Moder on January 6, 1945 and was discharged from McGuire General Hospital, Richmond, Virginia on February 28, 1946. Johnnie and his wife, Sachiko, were married in 1946 at Gila River, Arizona Relocation Center. They have a son, Jimmy and a daughter, June. After the war they lived in Chicago for a while, then moved back to the West Coast where Johnnie opened a barber shop in Gardena, California. Johnnie died in the Long Beach, California Veterans Hospital, June 27, 1993.

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY261 FIFTY YEARS LATER U. S. Army Lorraine Military Cemetery - St. Avold, France

THE HILLS OF LORRAINE

In the verdant Lorraine hills, On a bright spring morn, Marked by stars and crosses, I made there my pilgrimage There is a place And raised my hand Where legions of honored dead lie To my brow in deepest homage, In eternal peace and grace. Taps resounding in my memory While tears coursed down my visage. No more the boom of guns, The flash, the crash of incoming mail, 0, Comrade, if you can with dry eye The staccato machine gun chatter. Render this salute, All is now still, quiet does prevail. You are made of sterner stuff than I.

B K

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY262 APPENDIX I APPENDIX I

MEN OF COMPANY A, 276TH INFANTRY REGIMENT KILLED IN ACTION OR DIED OF WOUNDS

NAME ASN PLAT00N DATE BOUSQUET, ALFRED J, Pfc 11106758 2nd May 3,1945 CLEMENTS, CONNON U, Pfc 38327844 1st Jan 12,1945 COMER, VINSON F, Pfc 13016919 3rd Jan 12,1945 CORBELL, CALVIN J, Pfc 39563351 1st Jan 4,1945 CUMMINGS, JOHN B, Sgt. 36275466 2nd Dec 31,1944 ELAM, ROBERT C, Pfc 35086666 3rd Jan 5,1945 GALLOWAY JR, OLIVER J, T/Sgt. 34456074 2nd Jan 12,1945 GENTRY, OBLE, Pvt. 38544897 4th Mar 16,1945 GROCE, ROBERT E, Pfc 35705657 3rd Jan 5,1945 KIRKHAM, VERLIN P, Sgt. 36052955 4th Jan 12,1945 KLAEREN, WILLIAM M, Pfc 36970731 2nd Feb 20,1945 KUFERSIN, JOSEPH L, Pfc 32500377 2nd Jan 12,1945 LACKEY, JOHN E, Pfc 39568184 3rd Jan 5,1945 LEE, DUNCAN O, Pfc 34864615 2nd Feb 20,1945 LIGHTNER, ALAN W, Cpl. 39319197 3rd Jan 12, 1945 LYLES, ERMAN L, Sgt. 34813489 1st Feb 20,1945 MALDONADO JR, DOLORES M, Sgt. 39157513 2nd Jan 12,1945 MARTIN, MILTON M, Pfc 34974611 2nd Feb 20,1945 MARTINEZ, PABLO R, Pvt 18154359 2nd Jan 5,1945 MCCLINTOCK, RICHARD C, 2nd Lt. 01062247 3rd Jan 5,1945 MCDANIEL, WALTER O, Pfc 44036625 4th Mar 3,1945 MCDANIELS, JACK P, T/5 39322312 4th Feb 17,1945 MOORE JR, WILLIAM L, Pfc 20733014 Med Jan 7,1945 PETERSON, ARTHUR F, Pfc 13022351 2nd Jan 5,1945 POWERS, WILBURN E, S/Sgt. 17000812 2nd Jan 6,1945 RENK, THEOPHIL J, Pvt. 39218167 2nd Jan 12,1945 ROBBINS, PAUL, Pfc 42115373 1st Jan 12,1945 SCHOLLANDER, DONALD A, 2nd Lt. 0552164 2nd Jan 10,1945 SHOOTER, ROBERT J, Pfc 35602516 2nd Jan 5,1945 STONEHOUSE, GERALD D, Pfc 36956964 2nd Jan 6,1945 VALENZUELA, STEVEN G, Pvt. 39865003 3rd Jan 5,1945 WAGONER, JOHN H, Pfc 33663835 2nd Feb 20,1945 WAITE, NEAL M, M/Sgt. 39155559 2nd Jan 12,1945 WILSON, EUGENE D, Pvt. 35789169 2nd Jan 5,1945

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY263 APPENDIX I COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY264 APPENDIX I APPENDIX II

COMPANY A, 276TH INFANTRY REGIMENT COMPANY ROSTER December 31,19445

ADAMS, PAUL H, Pvt. 18099033 ARMSTRONG, RICHARD R, S/Sgt. 37573198 ARNEST, HOWARD L, 1st Lt. 0455092 ARTER, ELBERT D, Pfc 38699550 AUSTIN, WELTON E, Sgt. 33757032 BALL, RAY A Sr, Pvt. 34926321 BAMBRICK, EUGENE P, Pfc 32799004 BAREFIELD, DE WITT, Pvt. 39075994 BARK, LAURENCE D, Pvt. 17176849 BASEGIO, GUIDO, Pfc. 19185040 BLUME, JAMES T JR, Pfc 36683357 BOWER, GORDON J, Sgt. 36830503 BOYD, CAMERON, Pfc 39199321 BRENNER, ROBERT L, Pfc 37564633 BREWER, ROBERT, T/Sgt. 6569526 BRISTEL, ALBERT E Jr, Pfc 35076547 BROEK, JOHN H, T/4 32769161 BROWN, ODIS L, Pfc 37501069 BRUCE, DONALD S, Cpl. 31281585 BURRELL, GILBERT E, Pfc 33933137 CAIN, ROBERT M, Pfc 37696852 CAMPFIELD, DAVID R, Pfc 37639628 CARELLO, WILLIAM, Pvt. CARPENTER, NATHAN L, Pfc 35077204 CARROLL, DON E, Pfc 39556266 CAUSEY, RUSSELL E, S/Sgt. 34456480 CHADBOURN, VAUGHN, S/Sgt. CICCARELLO, JOSEPH A, Pfc 11133405

5 The author compiled this roster from General Orders that listed those men who were awarded the Combat Infantry Badge, accordingly it is possible that some names may have been inadvertently omitted. It includes only the names of those who were members of Company A when it arrived overseas and does not include the many replacements who joined the Company at later dates.

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY265 APPENDIX II CLEMENTS, CONNON U, Pfc 38327844 CLINE, DONALD C, Pfc 35903724 COLLINS, FRED, S/Sgt. 34434473 COMER, VINSON F, Pfc 13016919 CONRADES, STANLEY A, Pvt. 33888322 CONTENTA, PETER A, Pvt. 31465990 COOK, VIRGIL C, S/Sgt. 35771320 CORBELL, CALVIN J, Pfc 39563351 COSTINEW, ALEXANDER A, Pfc 36961652 CUMMINGS, JOHN B, Sgt. 36275466 DARSEY, FRANK E, Pfc 38656114 DAVIS, EUGENE C, Pfc 39465492 DAVIS, OLLIE, Pfc 38656201 DEVINE, FRANCIS T, Sgt. 36227565 DICKEY, HOWARD D, Pfc 15402212 DOBBINS, WILLIAM W, Pfc 33843830 DOENGES, WILLIAM D, 2nd Lt. 01321890 DORNER, EDWARD J, Pfc 36643184 DROZDOWSKI, HENRY J, Pvt. 36975538 DRURY, BURTON K, Pvt. 37640926 DUBOSE, DON L, Pvt. 38655718 EAKER, JEAN M, Pvt. 37640457 EBERHARDT, ALFRED F, Pfc 33835606 EDDY, CHARLES E, Pvt. 37743337 ELAM, ROBERT E, Pfc 35086666 ETHEREDGE, EDGAR E, T/Sgt. 6268856 ETHRINGTON, JAMES L, Pvt. 38478799 FINNEY, LLOYD R, Pvt. 36726452 FRIEDMAN, JOEL E, Pfc 42135110 GALLOWAY, OLIVER JR, T/Sgt. 34456074 GENTRY, OBLE, Pvt. 38544897 GIERSZEWSKI, HARRY S, Pfc 36746030 GODAIRE, ARTHUR J, Pfc 31408799 GOINS, WILLIAM O, Pfc 34191969 GOSSAGE, JAMES E, Pvt. 38666813 GRANGER, EARL D, Sgt. 20944369 GRIFFEY, MILLIS A, Pfc 38688735 GROCE, ROBERT E, Pfc 35705657 GROVE, RICHARD E, Pvt. 16190239 HALLER, JOHN L, Sgt. 35536379 HAMLIN, JAMES C, Pvt. 33217260

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY266 APPENDIX II HARMON, JUDSON L, S/Sgt. 34434473 HASTINGS, JAMES S 42117899 HENDRICKSON, DEAN M, Capt. 0392078 HIGGS, ARTHUR C, Cpl. 33745695 HOCKWATER, EDWARD J, Pfc 42116806 HOWE, WILLIAM M, T/5 36683214 JAROS, HAROLD J, Pfc 36023160 JENKINS, LESTER N, 2nd Lt. 0556313 JOHNSON, ALBERT E, Pfc 39147713 JOHNSON, THOMAS E, Pvt. 39211317 JOHNSON, RAYMOND F JR, Pvt. 12241686 JOHNSON, GEORGE A, Pvt. 37111273 JORDAN, HAROLD J 34980957 JURY, DANIEL W, S/Sgt. 33514333 KADUBIK, HARRY, Pfc 33939803 KAIMI, WILLIAM W, Pfc 30110970 KALAHIKI, SAMUEL, Pfc 30111260 KESSLER, ELMER N, Pvt. 37595546 KIRKHAM, VERLIN P, Sgt. 36052955 KLAEREN, WILLIAM M, Pfc 36970731 KOHLER, CHARLES F, Pfc 37614522 KRUEGER, ROBERT H, Pfc` 36729487 KUFERSIN, JOSEPH L, Pfc 32500377 LACKEY, JOHN E, Pfc 39568184 LACLAIR, RAYMOND G, Pvt. 36974238 LEBRECHT, JACK L, Pvt. 6292322 LEDOUX, BRYAN J, Pfc 38653216 LEE, JAMES, Pfc 34800686 LEE, DUNCAN O, Pfc 34864615 LEIJA, CARLOS, Pfc 38561566 LEISURE, JAMES E, Pfc 35833224 LEMONIE, MICHAEL J, Pfc 42140641 LEWELLYN, WILLIAM E, Pvt. 35076909 LIGHTNER, ALAN W, Cpl. 39319197 LOWE, BILLY G SR, Pfc 37744259 LOWRY, FRANK H, Pfc 19153195 LYLES, ERMAN L, Sgt. 34813489 MALDONADO, DOLORES M JR, Sgt. 39157513 MARTIN, MILTON M, Pfc 34974611 MARTINEZ, PABLO R, Pvt. 18154329 MARTYNIUK, ERNEST T, Pfc 36891911

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY267 APPENDIX II MASTIN, HOLTON H, Pfc 35087020 MCCLINTOCK, RICHARD L, 2nd Lt. 01062247 MCDANIEL, WALTER O, Pfc 44036625 MCDANIELS, JACK P, T/5 39322312 MCDOWELL, EDWARD L, Pfc 38066353 MCGINN, ROBERT J, Cpl. 36370506 MCGRIFF, LAYLEN M, Pfc 35076736 MCGUIRE RANDAL, Sgt. 36479361 MEYER, WALTER E, Pfc 32518362 MICHERDZINSKI, DANIEL F, Sgt. 42021413 MOLINARI, PATRICK A 42129885 MOORE, WILLIAM L JR, Pfc 20733014 MOTE, CLYDE A, Pfc 18243216 MUSSLER, JOHN R, Pfc 35530701 NELKER, WESLEY W, S/Sgt 33731251 O'BANION, HERBERT JR, Pfc 35077216 PALACIO, ALBERT D, 1st/Sgt. 18017526 PATTERSON, LLOYD A, Pfc 39328526 PERACHIO, THOMAS P, Pfc 33927329 PETERSON, ARTHUR F, Pfc 13022351 PETSCHE, MARVIN A, Pfc 37683600 PHELAN, GEORGE F, Pfc 12091886 PIEROTTI, DAVID, Pfc 39127338 PIPER, WILLIAM J, Pfc 36835910 POWERS, WILBURN E, S/Sgt. 17000812 PUPINSKI, CHESTER, S/Sgt 7071198 RAMAGOS, LLOYD J, Pfc 38487757 REBMAN, JOHN L, Pfc 36961671 RENK, THEOPHIL J, Pvt. 39218167 RICE, MILLARD S, Pvt. 6861461 RIGGS, ROBERT C, Pfc 37532141 ROBBINS, PAUL, Pfc 42115373 ROLLS, GEORGE W, Sgt. 39563588 RUSSELL, ODE E JR, Pfc 35559653 SADLER, CLYDE F, Pfc 19184879 SBROCCO, MARIO A, Pvt. 32734769 SCHMITZ, WILLIAM R JR, Sgt. 16132970 SCHOLLANDER, DONALD A, 2nd Lt. 0552164 SZCZAWINSKI, MELVIN J, Sgt. 36274869 SHEELEY, GEORGE H, Pfc 37743431 SHELANDER, ARNOLD G, S/Sgt. 37024321

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY268 APPENDIX II SHELLEY, JENNINGS, Pvt. 35081268 SHOOTER, ROBERT J, Pfc 35602516 STITES, LEROY B, Pfc 36418132 SKALITZKY, EDWARD J, Pfc 36980955 SKOPP, GERVASE D, Sgt. 36683780 SLOVER, ARTHUR E, Sgt. 37033160 SMITH, WHEELER E, Pfc 34925731 SMITH, ELLIS M, Pfc 35248313 STEINER, JOHN J, S/Sgt. 37096812 STONEHOUSE, GERALD D, Pfc 36956964 STORTS, DALE J, Pfc 36559991 TREMONTE, VITO, Pfc TRIER, DEAN R, Pfc 37696993 TSUKIMURA, EDDIE S, Pfc 39166885 UCZYNSKI, LEON V, S/Sgt. 33366567 VALENZUELA, STEVEN G, Pvt. 39865003 WAGGER, HAROLD J, T/Sgt. 34434415 WAGONER, JOHN H, Pfc 33663835 WAITE, NEAL M, M/Sgt. 39155559 WAKEFIELD, JAMES W, Pfc 38663640 WELTE, JOHN A, Pfc 37620755 WESTCOTT, LESTER E, S/Sgt. 37571660 WESTERMAN, WILLIAM R, Pvt. 36982096 WHELAN, WILLIAM K, Pfc 32830062 WICKIZER, JAMES H, Pvt. 35901224 WIEHE, KARL W, Pvt. 37345621 WIELAND, MILTON J, Pfc 37573443 WIENEKE, EARL B, Pfc 35839544 WIERCHOWSKI, EDWIN A, Pfc 6980577 WILSON, VERNON V, S/Sgt. 38065423 WILSON, EUGENE D, Pvt. 35789169 WISEMAN, ARVILLE, Pfc 35833499 WITHROW, MORGAN F, Pvt. 33704297 WOLINSKI, LEONARD T, Pvt. 36982990 WOOD, ROBERT L, Sgt. 38532191 YANNIAS, STEVE C, Pfc 36644451 YASUTAKE, HIDEMARU, Pfc 19082526

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY269 APPENDIX II This sketch of the Catholic Church where the American POWs were held was provided by Wolf T. Zoepf

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY270 APPENDIX III APPENDIX III

Recollections of Wolf T. Zoepf, former Adjutant and Headquarters Company Commander of the 3rd Battalion, 12th Regiment, 6th SS Mountain Division (NORD), in a letter to the author:

WINGEN-sur-MODER : 45 Years Ago January 6th 1945 January 6th 1990

There are events you will hardly forget, not in 45 years, never in your life. . .

Such as the night and early morning of January 6, 1945. Dead tired after another day of defending Wingen, we were trying to get some sleep in the vaulted cellar of the three-storied building that until recently used to be the "Hotel de la Gare" next to the railroad station, two days ago elected as the command post of the 3rd Battalion. We had moved into the cellar after most of the windows had been shot out, the walls of the "Hotel" damaged by direct hits from tanks firing from the Kirchberg, which borders the Moder valley south of the town. We: that is the battalion commander Kreuzinger, a few messenger-runners maintaining the communication to our companies, a man from our signal platoon trying in vain to establish a radio link to whatever radioman may hear him behind the German lines seemingly so far away; he tries that for the third day now, his battery power is running dangerously low: no success. And myself, the battalion adjutant and CO of the headquarters company. In addition three aged villagers, two women and one man who share the cellar with us since yesterday: their house had been so badly damaged by enemy artillery that they took refuge in "our" cellar.

"It is quiet outside, treacherously quiet, but for the occasional harassing artillery fire from American guns in the south. I try to snatch a few minutes of sleep. "Our food is getting scarce. Our last regular supply was three days ago on the evening before we marched to Wingen; it consisted of a half loaf of bread per man, period. "You will have to get your next food from the Americans!" was the last message on this subject. Well, we found some K-rations (the waxed brown boxes looked like dynamite charges to some of out men at first), we marvelled at the quality of the contents. But, hungry as we were, there was not much left after two days. So we started on a unique diet: sweet preserves and American cigarettes ... The preserves from the storerooms of the village.

"But not only our food is getting scarce, also our ammunition. Some idiots higher up had decided to change our machine guns from the familiar MG34 to the ultrafast MG42 during our few days in Denmark. The result: we are using three times more rounds per unit of time,

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY271 APPENDIX III our gunners are running out of ammo and already had to be ordered to shoot only when targets can be clearly identified. Everybody knows that there will be no resupply, unless through reinforcements from the outside. We still hope that some energetic unit will succeed in breaking the ring that cuts us off from the outside, succeed in establishing a corridor to the German MLR in the North that could be used to resupply our two battalions and -even more urgent - to evacuate speedily our wounded. When receiving our attack orders for Wingen we were promised a battalion of selfpropelled assault guns as soon as Wingen is in our hands. With those assault guns and further reinforcements we were to carry our push further to the Saverne Gap...

"I must have dozed off, but am wide awake in a moment: There is a commotion at the entrance where we have a guard. Enters Oldenburg, our regimental signal officer. He is the first (accompanied by two noncoms) who found a gap in the American lines encircling Wingen. What news is he carrying from higher headquarters, where is our reinforcements, where are those assault guns? Instead, the orders from General Philippi (CG, 361st Volks Grenadier Division) for our two battalions are to withdraw from Wingen, move north and occupy lines somewhere in the Rotbach Valley... We are dumbfounded and seriously shocked! Shall all our sacrifices be in vain? What will happen with our wounded?

"Also in our command post is now the CO of the 1st Battalion, Burgstaller and his adjutant Carlau. It is past 0600 hrs already and there will be daylight soon; any thought of withdrawal now is out of question. We will have to hold Wingen for another day, putting up a delaying defense, save as many lives as possible. We will have to wait for the mercy of darkness, for the coming night to have even a bit of a chance to withdraw unrecognized by the enemy from here... We will have to take care that no exposed elements are being cut off during the American attacks which we anticipate will start again shortly. To this effect Burgstaller and Carlau with their little staff move into our command post, so as to avoid communication problems between our two battalions.

"As expected the preparatory artillery and mortar fire starts shortly after 0700 hrs, now directed more to the church and its vicinity. Soon we hear machine gun and small arms fire, American, and ours responding. We wait in vain for reports from our attacked companies. The battle noise is getting stronger by the hour, we also hear American tanks move up the road, shooting into the houses to soften up our defense.

"Shortly after 1300 hrs the American attack is gaining momentum, it is coming dangerously nearer. It is high time for us to leave the cellar if we want to avoid getting smoked out. Carlau and I rally all available men not already wounded, but find only a bare handful, perhaps a dozen. We move out of the cellar, move directly right around the corner, running up the road to the railroad station. It is getting dark, the only occasional light comes from burning houses. Now the battle noise is directly below us, between the houses facing the Rue

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY272 APPENDIX III de la Gare. If we cannot fend off the enemy now, he will succeed in cutting off the companies of the 1st Battalion, and - if allowed to reach the church - liberate the prisoners- of-war we keep there.

"We are getting a bit of reinforcement from elements of our 15th company now withdrawing from their exposed emplacements on the wooded high ground north of the railroad, Together we start a counterattack, yelling and shooting with all we can muster, mindless of our ammo shortage. We just run down from the railroad station, jumping fences, blind to the angry response of the American machine guns. It is as if we have caught the enemy by surprise, at least he did not seem to have expected us from this direction. We seemed to have stopped his advance (we only now know that at the time we had Casey67 and his braves of G/274 in front of us). We feel utterly exhausted, the same seems to be true for the enemy . The noise has abruptly quieted down except for some occasional small arms fire. It is pitch dark but for the flickering light from the burning houses. It is as if the battle of the day is over...

"Carlau and I return to our unified command post in the cellar. It is high time for planning the withdrawal out of our present emplacements, the darkness we have waited for is here. We have no connections, no news from the 3rd company (1st Bn), last at the road fork in the "Blue House"; they must have been overwhelmed by today's attack. From other companies at least remnants are left. A problem by itself are our wounded: we will have to leave not only our severe wounded in Wingen at the mercy of the enemy, but also all lighter wounded that will not be able to walk and climb the wooded mountains on our retreat route. It is a bit of comfort to know that they will be cared for by Dr. Lautenschlager, the medical officer of the 1st Bn, in charge of the make-shift medical station in Wingen, assisted by our own and American medics; they volunteered to stay behind with the wounded of both sides.

"We decide against taking the American prisoners-of-war (256 is their last count) from the Catholic church with us: we would not have enough men to guard them, they will only impede our quiet retreat. But we will take the eight American officers with us (they are permitted to escape next morning when we have the encounter with the 180th Inf/45th Division).

"When detaching from the enemy now it is of utmost importance that our movement is not detected! The companies exposed farthest have to quietly disengage themselves first, passing through the lines of the companies further back, and then sneak through the rest of the town towards the eastern RR underpass. We will assemble beyond this underpass on the NE outskirts of the town.

6Lt. Fred J “Casey” Cassidy, CO Company G, 276th Infantry

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY273 APPENDIX III "I still see myself standing in the underpass, hurrying the men on to the assembly point, waiting for the last ones to pass through. It has started to snow again. My thoughts are back in the town: it is utterly incredible for me that all our heavy losses should have been in vain. What have we gained? Groups of dead tired men stumble through the underpass, not more than half a dozen at a time, minutes apart, too tired to speak. Every few minutes or so the American artillery is firing a round into the wooded hills behind me. Another small group of men: 'Are you the last ones?' 'We don't know, sir' is their tired answer. It is hard for me to believe that our retreat will continue undetected by the enemy. I give our action at best a chance of 50:50. Who will come next? Our own men, or already Americans on reconnais- sance, or in pursuit? It is past midnight when a platoon sergeant with the rest of his men believes that he is the last, is quite sure that nobody of ours follow him. I go finally with them. - Twelve hours later the war is over for me; but that is another story..."

Wolf T. ZOEPF

Frank Lowry, Willie Grottenstroeder, Arthur Slover and Wolf Zoepf, former adversaries at the battle of Wingen-sur-Moder, meet in Las Vegas, Nevada, September 8, 1990.

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY274 APPENDIX III GLOSSARY

Army Two or more corps plus headquarters, etc ASN Army serial number AT Anti-tank gun; Anti-tank Company BAR Browning automatic rifle Bazooka Anti-tank rocket launcher Burp-gun German MG-40 submachine gun C Ration Field ration packed in two small cans CG Commanding General CO Commanding Officer, Company, Battalion or Regiment Corps Two or more divisions plus headquarters and other units CP Command post Dog tags Metal identification tags on a chain worn around a soldiers neck denoting his name, serial number, blood type and religion. DUKW (or Duck) Amphibious truck ETO European Theater of Operations FA Field Artillery Corps FO Forward Observer (Field Artillery) GI Government Issue; American soldier GIs Diarrhea: Plural of GI Goldbrick Lazy slob HQ Headquarters Incoming mail Incoming artillery IP Initial point (Start of a march) Jerry can 5 gallon water or gasoline can K Ration Field ration packed in waxed container KIA Killed in action LD Line of Departure (Starting point for an attack) Lister bag Large canvas bag used to store fresh water M1 30 cal Garand rifle (Standard weapon for infantry riflemen) MG Machine gun MIA Missing in Action MLR Main Line of Resistence (Defensive force) Mortar High trajectory weapon (generally 60 mm or 81 mm) NCO Noncommissioned Officer OD Olive drab; ODs - GI wool uniform OP Observation Post OPLR Outpost line of resistance (Defensive force) Outgoing mail Artillery directed at the enemy Panzerfaust German antitank rocket launcher POE Port of Embarkation Potato masher German hand grenade on the end of a handle Rank and file A body of soldiers as distinguished from officers Ranks: Pvt. Private Pfc Private First Class

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY275 GLOSSARY Cpl. Corporal T-5 Technician 5th Grade Sgt. Sergeant T-4 Technician 4th Grade S/Sgt. Staff Sergeant T/Sgt. Technical Sergeant 1st Sgt. First Sergeant M/Sgt. Master Sergeant 2nd Lt. 2nd Lieutenant Capt. Captain Maj. Major Lt. Col Lieutenant Colonel Col. Colonel Brig. Gen. Brigadier General Maj. Gen. Major General Lt. Gen. Lieutenant General Gen. General Regt. Regiment S-1 Adjutant (Bn. or Regt. level) S-2 Intelligence Officer (Bn. or Regt.) S-3 Operations Officer (Bn. or Regt.) S-4 Supply Officer (Bn. or Regt.) Sack time Sleep or shut-eye SNAFU Situation Normal - All fucked up SOP Standard operating procedure SOS Shit on the Shingle (Creamed chipped beef on toast) TD Self propelled anti-tank gun TE Table of Equipment TO Table of Organization Unit A group of soldiers such as a squad, platoon, company, etc. U.S. Infantry Units: Rifle Squad Twelve riflemen Rifle Platoon Three squads Rifle Company Three rifle platoons plus one light weapons platoon Battalion Three rifle companies plus one heavy weapons company Regiment Three battalions Division Three regiments WIA Wounded in Action XO, Exec. Executive Officer

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY276 GLOSSARY INDEX

105mm artillery ...... 190, 193, 201 179th Infantry ...... 70, 84, 85, 137, 252 274th Infantry ...... 22, 84, 106, 108, 109, 112, 113, 204, 207, 218 275th Infantry ...... 125, 133, 179 276th infantry ...... ii, iii, 6, 10, 17, 22, 28, 33, 38, 39, 41, 46, 49, 54, 57, 58, 69, 71, 84, 85, 95, 103, 108, 118, 125, 134, 158-160, 175, 185, 188, 204, 207, 213-215, 218, 223, 229, 237, 238, 241, 253, 255, 263, 265, 273 45th Infantry Division...... 58, 84, 102, 103, 113, 144 6th SS Mountain Division...... 97-99, 143, 271 88mm artillery ...... 178, 195, 254, 255 Alsace...... ii, 3, 11, 20, 41, 43, 45, 51, 52, 55, 56, 58, 61-63, 65, 66, 98, 115, 165, 207, 250, 251 Alsace-Lorraine...... 52, 56, 63, 65, 66, 115, 165, 251 Alsatians...... 51, 52, 56, 66 Armstrong, T/Sgt Richard ...... ii, 16, 86, 87, 91, 96, 127, 136, 140, 144, 150, 163, 166, 171, 172, 178, 187, 192, 193, 206, 217, 228,233, 239-242, 256, 265 Arnest, 1st Lt. Howard L...... 15, 81, 86-88, 90, 93, 96, 105-107, 113, 122, 123, 126-131, 134-137, 142-147, 149, 163, 265 Arter, Pfc Elbert...... 147, 148, 155, 265 Austin Sgt. Welton...... 10, 265 Avery, Quinten ...... 242 Bambrick Pfc Eugene ...... 77, 82, 89, 93, 94, 106, 131, 132, 142, 155, 159, 243, 265 Barefield, De Witt...... 86, 265 Barnett, Major Gen. Allison J ...... 47, 167, 188, 223 Barnett, 1st Sgt Woodrow Behren, France...... 167 Bischwiller, France ...... 44-47, 49 Bitche, France ...... 57, 61, 63, 65-67, 70, 71, 123, 157 Bloody Axe ...... 6, 17, 175, 181, 188, 226, 230 Blume, James...... 136, 265 Bousquet, Alfred...... 184, 233, 263 Bower, Sgt. Gordon Boyd, Cameron ...... 78, 149, 243, 265 Brenner, Robert...... 147, 265 Brewer, 2nd Lt. Robert...... 15, 16, 55, 86, 87, 97, 107, 109, 136, 163, 166, 177, 183, 189, 197-200, 202, 203, 213, 217, 219-221, 223, 238, 239, 242, 265 Brooks, Maj. Curtis A...... 7, 15, 76 Brown, Odis ...... 4, 265 Brumath, France ...... 41, 43, 44, 50 Bundick, William ...... 244 Camp Adair...... 5, 7, 9, 10, 15, 17, 43, 166, 224, 244, 246, 247, 251-254, 257, 259, 260 Camp Joyce Kilmer...... 240 Camp Myles Standish ...... 17-19, 22, 44, 98 Carello, Mrs...... 20 Carello, Pvt. William ...... 13, 19, 20, 25, 26, 49, 244, 265 Carroll, Don...... 57, 122, 159, 244, 265 Cassidy, Capt. Fred...... 108, 273 Causey, S/Sgt. Russell E ...... ii, 7, 16, 77, 78, 128, 137, 140, 164, 236, 241, 244, 265 Cheves, Lt. Col Wallace R...... 84, 98, 102, 108 Christmas Day 1944 ...... 40 Ciccarello, Joseph ...... 19, 148, 149, 245, 265 Clements, Connon ...... 96, 106, 132, 142, 156, 263, 265 Colmar, France ...... 61, 63, 65, 207 Combat Infantrymen...... iii, 1, 3, 115, 206, 213 Comer, Vinson...... 156, 263, 265 Company B, 276th Infantry ...... 71, 76, 83-85, 95-97, 103, 113, 130, 175-177, 179, 217, 245 Company C, 276th Infantry ...... 71, 125, 126, 130, 131, 134, 175, 177-179, 207-209, 212, 217, 223, 229 Company D, 276th Infantry...... 71, 19 Company G, 274th Infantry...... 106 Cook, S/Sgt. Virgil ...... 8, 13, 16, 77, 138, 213, 236, 238, 245, 265

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY277 INDEX Corbel, Calvin...... 81 Cummings, Sgt. John...... 12, 27,53, 54, 263, 266 Darsey, Frank ...... 246, 266 Davis, Eugene ...... 82, 231, 236 Davis, S/Sgt Ollie ...... 14,70,217,218 de Gaulle, General Charales...... 65 de Tassigny, General ...... 61 Delta Base CP-2 ...... 31, 32, 37, 47 Devers, Lt. General Jacob...... 61 Devine, Sgt. Francis (Andy) ...... 10, 137-140, 266 Dijon, France...... 41 Doenges, 1st Lt William ...... 16, 52, 81, 83, 84, 86, 88, 93, 107, 127, 128, 135, 136, 143, 145, 146, 148, 151, 152, 155, 159, 161, 163, 191, 209, 266 Drury, Burton ...... ii, 86, 87, 91-93, 241, 246, 266 Dubose, Don ...... 77, 92, 205, 207, 231, 266 DUKWS...... 55 Earnstauffer, Sgt. Carl...... 4, 10, 17 Eisenhower, Gen Dwight ...... 62 Elam, Robert ...... 115, 263, 266 Etheredge, T/Sgt Edgar...... 16, 79, 105, 266 Finney, S/Sgt. Lloyd ...... 163, 164, 184, 197, 199, 217, 220, 266 First French Army...... 47, 61, 65, 207 Firstenhausen, Germany ...... 226, 227 Forbach, France...... 175, 177, 179, 181-185, 188, 190-194, 196, 197, 200-208, 210-216, 220, 223, 225, 236, 247, 250, 253, 256, 259, 260 Fort Leonard Wood...... 10, 11, 15, 17, 43, 98, 225, 246-248, 256, 257 Friedman, Joel...... 152, 266 Galloway, T/Sgt. Oliver ...... 4, 7, 16, 19, 50, 55, 73, 131, 145, 149, 150, 156, 263, 266 Gaubiving, France...... 167, 169, 170, 172 Gentry, Oble ...... 263, 266 Gossage, James ...... 87, 91, 266 Granger, S/Sgt. Earl...... 15, 91, 92, 164, 206, 239, 241, 247, 266 Green, Ruban...... 5, 15, 53, 80, 105, 165, 216, 247, 248 Greenwalt, Capt. William ...... 130, 223 Griffey, Millis ...... 130, 131, 159, 266 Groce, Robert...... 107, 115, 263, 266 Haas, “Doc”...... 187, 191 Haller, S/Sgt. John L ...... ii, 9, 10, 12, 19, 20, 50, 56, 77, 80, 104, 113, 118, 131-133, 139, 142, 145, 163, 164, 166, 186, 187, 190, 205, 233, 236, 237, 239, 241, 247, 266 Hamlin, James...... 135, 140, 248, 266 Harmon, T/Sgt Judson...... 16, 128, 139, 143, 163, 164, 172, 187, 192, 211, 266 Hartman, John...... 96 Hendrickson, Capt Dean...... 15, 17, 18, 46, 47, 49, 71, 75, 85, 86, 88, 90, 91, 93, 266 Herren, Brig. Gen. Thomas, R ...... 46, 47, 49, 58, 84, 85, 95, 144, 158, 167, 175 Hill 358 ...... 143, 144, 147-149, 151, 155, 163, 243, 245, 253-255 Hitler, Adolf ...... 27, 38, 56, 62, 63, 65, 66, 82, 97, 114, 186, 198 Holland, Sgt...... 61, 239 Ingram, Frank ...... 209, 248 Ingwiller, France ...... 58, 63, 71, 98 Iverson, Lt. Col. Sidney...... 85, 95 Jaros, S/Sgt Harold ...... 81, 142, 164, 177, 182, 185, 190, 266 Jenkins, 2nd Lt Lester...... 16, 128, 139, 140, 143, 149, 164, 192, 193, 209, 227, 266 Jury, T/Sgt Daniel...... ii, 12, 13, 16, 79, 107, 143, 144, 147, 148, 155, 163, 164, 166, 177, 183-185, 188-191, 205, 207- 209, 211, 216, 233, 237, 241, 248, 252, 267 Kaimi, William ...... 7, 267 Kalahiki, Samuel...... 7, 249, 267 Keane, Edgar...... 183 Kelly, Joseph...... 246, 249 Kerber, 2nd Lt...... 164, 192 Kimmle, Edward...... 185, 191, 241, 250 Kirchberg Forest ...... 70, 71, 73, 75, 79, 80, 102, 271

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY278 INDEX Kirkham, Sgt. Verlin...... 16, 145, 156, 263, 267 Klaeren, William ...... 12, 190, 213, 263, 267 Kollenbaum, Sgt. Wilbert ...... 187, 206, 250 Kornacewicz, Fred...... 251 Kucmerosky, Theodore ...... 165, 167, 177, 199, 233, 234, 251 Kufferson, Joseph...... 10 Lackey, John ...... 13, 107, 115, 263, 267 Lauterbourg, France ...... 47, 49, 61 Ledoux, Brian ...... 8, 9, 27, 104, 105, 131, 132, 142, 145, 239, 251, 267 Lee, Duncan...... 191, 213, 263, 267 Leija, Carlos...... 14, 144, 197, 205, 216, 217, 231, 267 Les Vosges...... 58, 63, 65-67, 69, 70, 83, 97, 98, 112, 115, 119, 123, 125-127, 132, 134, 143, 148, 156-158, 161, 163, 166, 205, 215, 218, 236, 243, 244, 248, 252-254, 257-260 Lightner, Cpl. Alan ...... 147, 156, 263, 267 Line of Departure (LD)...... 122, 125-127, 169, 175, 207, 208, 223, 224, 226, 275 Lorelei ...... 237, 238 Lorheim, Germany...... 233 Lowry, S/Sgt. Frank ...... 77, 89, 92, 110, 122, 129, 131-133, 137, 164, 186, 254, 251,274 Luscatoff, William ...... 231 Lyles, Sgt. Erman ...... 193, 213, 263, 267 Lyon, France ...... 40, 41 Maginot Line...... 157, 159 Maldonado, Sgt. Dolores ...... 156, 263, 267 Malmady, Belgium ...... 141, 153 Marie Madeleine Hospital...... 182, 183, 185, 188, 192 Marlow, Leon ...... 191 Marseilles, France ...... 21, 29, 31, 32, 34, 40, 41, 165, 250, 251 Marsh, Serenc ...... 190 Martin, Milton ...... 191, 213, 263, 267 Martinez, Pablo...... 115, 263, 267 Mastin, Alex...... 267 Matla, Ignace...... 167, 172, 173, 198, 204, 207, 230, 231, 233 Matthews, Capt. Jackson...... 163, 167, 169, 171, 178, 183, 184, 188-191, 207, 212, 215, 217, 220, 221, 223, 239 Mayer, Sgt. Dean...... 19, 164, 192, 203, 204, 209, 226, 253 McClintock, 2nd Lt. Richard ...... 12, 16, 78, 115, 163, 263, 267 McDaniels, Walter...... 177, 263, 267 McGinn, Cpl. Robert...... 14, 267 McGriff, Laylen...... 91, 142, 144, 253, 267 McGuire, Sgt. Randal ...... 137, 140, 261, 267 Metz Highway...... 200 Micherdzinski, Sgt. Daniel ...... 16, 77, 78, 164, 233, 240, 268 Miller, Joseph ...... 182, 183, 253 Mistral ...... 34 Mitchell, Frank ...... 239, 254 MLR...... 45, 47, 49, 50, 52, 54, 61-63, 65, 67, 74, 157-159, 161, 162, 167, 169-171, 219, 228-230, 249, 272, 275 Moder River...... 58, 70, 76, 89, 104 Moder Valley...... 71, 119, 271 Moore, “Doc”...... 81, 85, 87, 91, 109, 110, 115 Moore, Merrill...... 204, 231, 263, 268 Morgan, Col Albert...... 84, 237, 269 Main Supply Route (MSR)...... 71, 232 Mulhausen, France ...... 119, 121, 123, 125 Mussler, S/Sgt. Jack ...... 164, 220, 231, 268 Nauborn, Germany ...... 233, 236, 237, 246 Nelker, S/Sgt. Wesley...... 16, 78, 147, 268 New Years Eve 1944 ...... 54 Newberry, Andrew P...... 254 Newhousen, France...... 52, 55 Nisnke, William ...... 191 O’Banion, Sgt. Herbert ...... 163, 171, 201, 252

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY279 INDEX Oberhoffen, France ...... 55, 56 Obermuhlthal, France ...... 125, 126, 130-133, 137, 138, 146, 151, 154, 155, 157 Oeting, France...... 167, 169, 170, 175-179, 181, 182, 213, 249, 260 Operation Nordwind ...... 3, 28, 61, 63, 65, 66, 97, 103, 114, 115, 123, 134 OPLR...... 166, 169-173, 275 Palacio, 1st Sgt. Albert...... 7, 24, 25, 49, 96, 113, 133, 268 Patch, Lt. Gen. Alexander...... 9, 46, 61 Patterson, S/Sgt. Lloyd ...... ii, 9, 91, 142, 163, 164, 166, 171, 176, 178, 218, 228, 239, 241, 254, 255, 268 Patton, General George...... 61, 62 Peterson, Arthur...... 12, 115, 263, 268 Petite Rosselle, France ...... 217, 218, 220, 221, 223, 225, 229 Philippi, Generalmajor Alfred (German) ...... 272 Pierotti, David ...... 86, 135, 144, 145, 268 Piper, William (Jimmy) ...... ii, 9, 105, 136, 150, 151, 241, 254, 268 Powers, S/Sgt Wilburn ...... 7, 8, 10, 12, 16, 17, 110, 111, 113, 115, 263, 268 Providence, RI...... 18-20, 49, 244 Pupinski, S/Sgt. Chester ...... 47, 56, 57, 122, 138, 159, 206, 233, 239, 255, 268 Ramagos, Lloyd...... 212, 255, 268 Renk, Theophil ...... 12, 155, 156, 263, 268 Rhone River, France ...... 34 Robbins, Paul ...... 12, 156, 263, 268 Rosbruck, France...... 160-163, 166, 167, 185, 250, 251, 253 Rue Nationale ...... 200-204 Saarbrucken, Germany ...... 49, 61, 175, 208, 234 Saareguemines, France ...... 57, 63, 67, 71 Saverne, France...... 63, 65, 70, 76, 126, 272 Sbrocco, Mario ...... 13, 177, 196, 198, 220, 255, 268 Schlossberg Castle, Forbach, France...... 181 Schmitz, S/Sgt. William ...... 163, 164, 182, 191, 205, 268 Schollander, 2nd Lt. Donald...... 12, 16, 76, 77, 79, 107, 128, 129, 131, 133, 156, 159, 263, 268 Schreiber, Col. Franz (German) ...... 98 Seltz, France...... 49 Seventh Army ...... 46, 47, 49, 61-63, 65-67, 71, 231 Sheeley, George...... 20, 27, 82, 92, 93, 142, 146-148, 155, 231, 236, 255, 268 Shelander, S/Sgt. Arnold “Red” ...... 4, 16, 77, 80, 104, 129, 131-133, 139, 142, 143, 145, 146, 151, 155, 164, 187, 192, 233, 256, 268 Shooter, Robert ...... 12, 20, 104, 105, 115, 263, 268 Siegfried Line...... 49, 52, 55, 227-231, 243 Skalitzky, S/Sgt Edward ...... 77, 78, 151, 163, 164, 183, 190, 205, 236, 241, 256, 268 Skopp, Sgt. Gervais ...... 138, 139, 268 Slover, Sgt. Arthur...... ii, 87, 90, 136, 140, 236, 241, 257, 268, 274 Smith, Ellis “Kentucky” ...... 147, 148, 155, 248, 268 Schutzstaffel (SS) ...... 21, 22, 51, 52, 66, 97-99, 103, 104, 106, 109, 112, 113, 121, 141, 143, 162, 186, 227, 271 SS America ...... 21, 22 St. Goar ...... 232 St. Goarshausen, Germany ...... 232, 254, 255 Stars and Stripes ...... 3, 202 Steiner, T/Sgt. John...... 16, 79, 163-166, 170, 171, 184, 189, 192, 198, 200, 201, 213, 216, 220, 221, 238, 257, 268 Stonehouse, Gerald ...... 110, 111, 115, 263, 268 Strass-Bessenbach, Germany...... 233 Sykes, “Doc”...... 191, 208 Task Force Herren...... 46, 47, 49, 58, 85, 144, 158, 167, 175 Third Army ...... 47, 61-63, 66, 231, 245 Toups, Irvin...... 201, 207, 218, 231, 257 Tremonte, Veto ...... 258, 269 Tsukimura, Eddie ...... ii, 7, 28, 32, 36, 44, 50, 53, 75, 89-91, 93, 111, 115, 116, 146, 149, 150, 155, 258, 269 Uczynski, S/Sgt. Leon...... 16, 86, 136, 150, 269 USS West Point...... 21, 22, 24, 26, 27, 29, 37, 157, 205, 240 Valenzuela, Steven ...... 12, 115, 263, 269 Volksberg, Germany...... 58, 71, 85, 95 Wacht Am Rhein...... 62

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY280 INDEX Wagger, 2nd Lt. Harold ...... 7, 16, 55, 73, 79, 143, 159, 164, 177, 185, 186, 188, 190, 259, 269 Wagoner, John ...... 182, 183, 213, 263, 269 Waite, M/Sgt. Neal ...... 12, 13, 19, 142, 143, 145, 146, 149, 156, 243, 263, 269 Wakefield, James...... 259, 269 Welte, T/5 John...... 81, 138, 159, 172, 212, 213, 241, 259, 269 Westcott, S/Sgt. Lester...... 16, 86, 87, 94, 105, 259, 269 Wetzlar, Germany...... 236, 239 Wilson, Eugene...... 115, 256, 269 Wilson, 1st Sgt. Vernon ...... 96, 164, 213, 269 Wimmenau, France...... 85, 95, 101 Wingen-sur-Moder, France...... 58, 63, 69, 70, 74, 84, 88, 98, 99, 102, 115-119, 166, 227, 245, 246, 259, 261, 271, 274, Wiseman, Arville ...... 260, 269 Wood, Sgt. Robert ...... ii, 8, 10, 11, 15-17, 34, 43, 47, 78, 98, 101, 113, 135, 163, 164, 167, 186, 193, 205, 225, 241, 246- 248, 255-258, 260, 261, 269 Yannias, Steve...... 142, 146, 260, 269 Yasutake, Hidemaru “Johnnie” ...... 111, 261, 269 Zinswiller, France ...... 125, 126 Zittersheim, France ...... 58, 69, 71, 72, 81, 84, 86, 89, 96, 114, 121 Zoepf, Oberleutnant Wolf T. Zoepf (German)...... ii, 99, 112, 270, 271, 274 Zuloski, Cpl...... 231

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY281 INDEX COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY282 BIBLIOGRAPHY BIBLIOGRAPHY

"Narrative Reports, 276th Infantry Regiment", 31 January, 29 February, 31 March, and 30 April 1945.

"The Trailblazers", The story of the 70th Infantry Division, by Edmund C. Arnold and Chester F. Garstki, 1989.

"L'Operation Nordwind et Wingen-Sur-Moder", by Colonel Wallace Robert Cheves, 1978.

"An Able Story", by Joel E. Friedman, Germany, 1945.

"Operation Nordwind", by Francis Rittgen, France, 1984.

"The Other Battle Of The Bulge - Operation Nordwind" by Charles Whiting, Great Britain, 1986.

“Ordeal in the Vosges” by Capt. Donald C Pence and Cpl. Eugene J Petersen, 1981.

COMPANY A 276TH INFANTRY283 BIBLIOGRAPHY