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December 16, 1944:
We have heard that the Germans have just begun some heavy action.
We are told to get packed and get ready to move out on a minute's
notice. Our radio, which has been silent for over two months,
becomes heavy with messages. The messages were trying to determine
where the main thrust of the German attack was. Finally on December
20th we were told to move out. We picked up our tracks in a hurry.
We were told over our radio that the Germans were shooting the
works. Intelligence informed us that it was all or nothing. The
Germans planned to take NO prisoners -- it was kill or be killed.
So, we were forewarned.
As we left Breinig and headed westward in
retreat, it was a nightmare of muddy roads, bitter cold and heavy
fog which limited visibility so that Carl Kieffer needed Tex
and me to help him along the road. On many occasions we had to
stop until vehicles in front of us were either winched back onto
the road or, if mired too deep, they were left for the following
maintenance crews to handle.
Tex and I being on the radio were hearing
things we weren't pleased to hear. Adding to the fog and pitch
black night, hundreds of German buzz bombs were being sent our
way. Several crashed nearby. We later heard from Captain Woods
that one missed General Roses's jeep by 100 yards and knocked
his driver out of his vehicle.
There was an icy, paralyzing mist over the
entire battle front, a cloud of fine driving snow that glazed
the roads to slippery ribbons and many tanks, trucks, and half-tracks
skidded off the roads.
Snowdrifts covered extensive fields of anti-tank
mines and hard frozen ground made digging foxholes a nightmare.
The Ardennes look like a Christmas card, but it is agony all
the way.
We have just learned about Company G being
surrounded by Germans. After using up all their fuel and ammunition,
General Rose ordered them to destroy their vehicles and, on Christmas
night were advised to infiltrate back to friendly lines as best
they could.
NOTE: This action was later called "Hogan's
400" and is in war movies today.
My diary here was written in January once
we got a breather and the German attack finally was coming to
a screeching halt. The diary says: When we left Breining on December
20th, we retreated westward to Theaux, Belgium. Here we bivouacked,
using a textile mill wall as a windbreak. What a change. After
being used to a warm bed indoors, here we are freezing as we
try to get a little shuteye. There is so much fog we really don't
know what's happening. Tex and I take turns manning the radio.
Early next morning we take off, still foggy, cold and unsettled.
We entered Spa, Belgium, and stayed in the "Casino de Spa",
a very ritzy place, which used to be one of the favorite gambling
resorts in Europe.
I will never forget this place. Here we are,
a war going on all around us, one big state of confusion and
it's Christmas Eve. The morale was a little low and someone found
a whole truck load of champagne. Our Mess Sergeant, John Barclay,
was preparing a nice turkey dinner. He started this about midnight,
Christmas Eve.
By 2:00 a.m. we got orders to move out. The
Germans were attacking. Unfortunately, most of the guys had been
drinking champagne all night and weren't in a position to perform
their duties. Our Company Commander, Captain Paul Woods, was
in a dilemma. How can I move all these vehicles when no one is
in a position to drive. He asked us to radio Headquarters and
explain the situation. We were given two hours to shape up. About
4:00 a.m. we were all ready to leave. Our mess sergeant had put
the partially roasted turkeys in the truck. We got a message
to unload. We did. The mess sergeant got the field kitchen going
again. An hour later we were told to load again. Finally, by
8:00 a.m. we were told that we were safe, the German's were knocked
out by a company of our tanks.
We managed to enjoy our Christmas turkey.
We left Spa about 3:00 p.m., December 25th. This day was the
first clear day since the German's started their attack. Our
planes, for the first time, had an opportunity to fly their sorties.
It was cold and crisp (about 10 degrees) and bombers left their
vapor trails. Fighter planes all around us. Somehow, I felt the
spirit of Christmas. Somehow, I felt this to be a beautiful day.
Being so far away from home and under these unusual circumstances
I had the Christmas Spirit.
About 6:00 p.m. Christmas evening we entered
Louvigne, Belgium. (We came through this town in September.)
We parked our half-track near the side of a Belgian house and
immediately a man and woman invited us into their home for the
evening. They not only wanted to show us their appreciation,
but knew with us around they had protection. So here we spent
Christmas night. They gave us supper consisting of bean soup
and steak. (They went all out.) Steak was hard to come by. They
wanted us to know they were treating us as if we were royalty.
The radio reports began to sound encouraging
and we were now getting the upper hand of the Von Rundstedt counterattack.
After supper we spent some time talking with
this Belgian couple and later that evening they offered us a
shot or two of Cognac. My, what treatment!
I had to stand guard at midnight. The night
was clear, crisp, and beautiful. As I stood guard and looked
at the moon, my thoughts were on home and wondering how my folks
were spending Christmas. With the picture card setting I described
earlier, I still was in the Christmas Spirit.
December 26, 1944:
We left this Belgian family about noon, and traveled twenty miles
farther south to a little town called Toughne. Here again as
we parked the half-track along side a house, we were invited
to stay inside by another Belgian family. This family consisted
of an elderly lady, and her son, who was an artist, and also
a member of the Belgian underground. I will never forget this
family. This little old 75-year old woman walked around the house
constantly fingering her rosary beads. She was deathly afraid
of the constant booming sounds of the nearby artillery guns.
She and her 40-year old son (Lucien Dumont) couldn't do enough
for us. The lady was afraid the Germans would pick up her son.
He had a radio transmitter in the attic and was tuned into Paris
and London.
NOTE: To my children. It was this stop
that I saw and admired the picture that Lucien had painted. He
gave it to me and I eventually mailed it to Lale. It has been
in our living room at Pinney Drive and here at the farm. It's
the picture of the water wheel and the line of trees. He signed
this picture with the following comment: "Bien Amiealement
a la fianice Le William. Mai Eulalia. Avec mon meilleur bonjour
mon eternelle reconnaisance." Translated this means: The
good friendship I have made with Eulaila's fiance. With my many
good remembrances, I will be eternally grateful.
December 29, 1944:
We left Tohogne about 1:30 p.m. We headed northeast for about
twelve miles to a village called Bois Borsue. Here we stayed
at a farmhouse which showed no signs of the war nor did this
seemingly well to do family seem to be war weary. They were not
as congenial as other Belgians. Their name was Genon. We spent
the New Year Holidays here. There is a nice little church here
and I attended and heard my first High Mass in many a day.
January 4, 1945:
We left Bois Borsue and went back to Tohogne. I believe our Captain
Woods felt this town wasn't as friendly, that's why we left.
We didn't stay at the same place but today paid the elderly lady
and son Lucien a visit.
NOTE: I have all the letters I wrote to
Lale. Maybe I should say she has them and is allowing me to use
them to add to this story. The letters up to this date have very
little information relative to the war because our mail was censored
and we couldn't say anything for fear it would fall into enemy
hands. The contents of these letters consisted mainly of talking
about our families and friends. A letter I wrote Lale on January
13, 1945, contains some information that I believe is noteworthy
to record.
I quote a paragraph: "My latest news
from home hasn't been too encouraging. John getting ready to
ship out; Bob being called into the service; my kid brother Paul
about ready to enlist. It's really unbelievable, but I guess
we have to face reality. I know the Good Lord will watch over
my brothers as He has done with me. I have the faith He will
watch over us in the future."
The letter continues: "Dad's new idea
of V-mails is really working good. I received letters he wrote
every day in December and he is keeping his promise and writing
daily. (Even though Dad writes them daily, I get them in bunches.)
Sure is a faithful dad, isn't he?"
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Before I left for overseas,
Dad and I figured out a code that would tell him where I was
and any other brief message I wanted to relay. The code was this.
I would spell out my message by using the first capital letter
in a sentence. Then my second sentence, the first capital letter
would be the second letter of my message. The first capital letter
in the third sentence would be the third letter of my message
and so on. Our code worked very effectively.
January 16, 1945:
We left Tohogne and traveled about 15 miles to a little settlement
called Grand-Trixhe. Here we are staying for a few days and expect
to pull out tomorrow. Here we made friends with a lady and her
daughter, who published a magazine. The lady's hobby was spinning
wool. It was very interesting to watch her. Took a picture of
her spinning. They were a jovial pair. The group and I played
Rummy and Casino with them. The elderly lady was quite a joker.
She had a little dog called Fifi. Fifi was a playful little mutt.
We witnessed some of the coldest weather yet. The scenery is
beautiful. The radio reports the Russians are making a big push
at present.
January 17, 1945:
We left Grand-Trixhe and headed back to Boiset Borsu. I asked
the Captain why these last several days we kept going back to
previous locations. He said "This is the bitter battle for
billets in the Belgian Bulge." Then with a smile he said,
"George Herman, there are spies around and we must continually
move so the German's can't get a fix on our supplies with their
artillery." This got me to thinking. As Tex and I manned
the radio, we knew of the Hogan 400 retreat. We were well aware
of the Malmady Massacre, where the Germans shot a complete company
as they were being taken as prisoners. And to think I could have
been assigned to this company (Reconnissance Company). We were
aware the 33rd Armored Regiment had been operating in the hottest
sectors of the Ardennes offensive (Battle of the Bulge). We were
assigned to the most important routes of advance in the early
stages of Von Rundstedt's drive. And as the reports trickle in,
the 3rd Armored was doing a full part to pinch off and eliminate
this salient. Men of the "Spearhead", the real victors
of this campaign, were coming out of a triumphant campaign, were
coming out of action with weariness steeped in their bones and
pain in their quiet eyes. We felt an abiding hate for the enemy.
Well, here we are again at Boiset Borsu. The
three little Genon kids were glad to see us again. We stayed
at a different home this time, but made frequent visits to the
Genon family.
We are told that we will be here for a week
or ten days, unless the Germans pull off something else. Our
captain doesn't think so. He feels the Germans have shot their
wad. We are noticing fewer robot bombs, the incoming artillery
shelling have diminished and the Luftwaffe seems to be non-existent.
There's busy work around these days. Many
of our trucks that have been carrying ammunition, gasoline and
rations have returned to join us. They have been following their
respective tank companies to be on the spot to re-supply them
as they run out of supplies. The orders were to refit, repair,
and replace, in order to start a spring offensive. There seems
to be a new feeling in the air.
While here two things have happened with me.
One, I had a surprise visit from Warren Griffith. Warren lived
on Bentwood Street in Geistown, Pa. and was a friend of the family.
He was John's friend. They did a lot of singing together. Warren
was with a field artillery unit and heard the 33rd Armored Regiment
was nearby. Being a lieutenant, he was able to track me down.
We spent an afternoon together. Naturally, we talked about what
had just happened this past month. We talked about home, our
families, and just shared a great afternoon together. He left
me, heading for Luxembourg.
The other thing that happened was quite unusual
and painful. While standing in chow line our Warrant Officer,
Buster Dodson was standing behind me. Buster was a big robust
man who weighed about 250 pounds and stood about 6 feet 4 inches.
He grabbed me in a bear hug, and raised me off the ground. As
he did this, I heard something crack. After being in pain for
several days, I went to the medics. I learned that I had two
cracked ribs. They taped me up so that I looked and felt like
I was wearing a corset. It was very uncomfortable and limited
my mobility. My buddies, Tex and Carl, got quite a kick out of
this.
As it turned out, maybe this incident wasn't
all that bad. Captain Woods had a quota to sent to Verviers on
R and R (Rest and Rehabilitation). He felt the rest would do
me good. So on January 28th I departed for Verviers. I spent
three days here chumming around with Joe Orient. Joe was from
Imperial, Pennsylvania (near Pittsburgh). This is not the first
time I visited Verviers. In fact, I was quite familiar with this
town. We liberated the town back in September. We stayed overnight
here. A family treated us to a nice breakfast that time. I looked
them up and visited with them. It was a very awakening experience
for Joe and I.
They were so glad to see us. They, as many
other French and Belgians, had adopted us. They knew our patch,
they knew who the Third Armored was. They worried about us. They
knew some of our units took a shellacking. They knew about Hogan's
400 (G Company), Bastogne, Malmady, and others. They were saddened
to know that we suffered heavy casualties. They were so grateful
to realize that we Americans, not once, but twice, drove the
Germans from their country and town. They overwhelmed us with
kindness. Yes, this was quite an eye-opening and sobering experience.
While here we saw Marlene Deitrich in person.
We were impressed with her personality and her down to earth
demure. We also attended a dance at the USO. All in all, I had
a pleasant time here. I attended a few shows, and had my first
ice cream since I left the States, and bought some souvenirs.
When I got back from Verviers, I learned that
Warren Griffith was here to see me again. He left a note. I had
a hunch he would return. Sure enough, yesterday about 10:00 a.m.,
Griff showed up. We spent several hours together. Another nice
visit.
After Griff left, Tex, Carl Kieffer, and I
went to Huy. We had a nice time.
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