Battered Bastards of Bastogne
Page 62
Due to the fact that airborne divisions are not as well equipped with motorized transport as are infantry and armored units, many of the men had to return to Mourmelon via 40 et 8 box cars attached to slow moving steam engines.
During the month of March at Mourmelon, after having been involved in front line actions for the better part of three months with little relaxation, and with the Division once more demanding spit and polish, there was a marked show of resentment on the part of many of the troops. The various regimental stockades found 139 members confined for “activities unbecoming a soldier”.
On March 15, the entire division assembled on a large parade ground near Mourmelon where they were presented the Presidential Unit Citation by General Dwight D. Eisenhower, the first full division ever to receive this prestigious award.
Much Traveling
At the end of March, the Division was sent north to the Ruhr Pocket to participate in an action to secure the surrender of 350,000 enemy troops who no longer had egress to flee deeper into Germany.
The 501st Parachute Regiment did not participate in this move. They were held back at Mourmelon and closeby marshaling areas with the intent of parachuting combat teams into Nazi prisoner of war camps to rescue soldiers who might be in danger of being liquidated by their captors before they, too, fled into the heartland of Germany. That mission was never undertaken.
On April 20, the Division was ordered to move south from the Ruhr Pocket. They were to rejoin 7th Army in Southern Germany. Again, many of the men had to board 40 et 8 box cars pulled by the same type of cranky engines as was their experience of the earlier ride. The trains detoured and backtracked as those operating them hunted for usable sections of track which headed in a southerly direction.
From then on, it was a race into Bavaria with as much as two hundred miles between the advance elements and those following in the rear with the heavier equipment.
During the trip south, the convoys passed hundreds of thin bedraggled concentration camp victims, trudging toward their homelands, wearing nothing more than their striped camp uniforms but lacking footwear.
Still remembering his experience of witnessing these victims of war, so happy to be liberated, T/3 George Koskimaki wrote:
I remember seeing hundreds of those concentration camp victims and displaced people, with thighs no bigger around than our arms, plodding down the roads near the numerous camps we passed. We tossed out cases of 10-in-One rations to them. We knew we’d pick up additional supplies down the road. I’m sure many of them became very ill, putting all that rich food into their shrunken stomachs.
As “Charley” Company of the 506th Regiment arrived at the site of one of the concentration camps, they were ordered to stop. They mounted a guard on the nearby town and the concentration camp. After General Taylor inspected the camp with its dead piled in ditches and scattered about the grounds, he viewed the gas ovens. Returning to the “C” Company command post, he gave orders to the commander to have his men round up all the citizens of the town, young and old. These German people were then forced to march through the camp, viewing the remains of the decomposing victims. Hundreds of them came out, vomiting, visibly upset at what they had seen, shaking their heads at what was witnessed—man’s inhumanity to man. The troops guarding them wondered how many of these people had known what was taking place on the outskirts of their town. They were sure many of the adults had known what was going on.
Further down the road, as the troops approached “Hitler’s Hideout” near Berchtesgaden, T/3 George Koskimaki remembered sending a message to the 506th Regiment, which was leading the chase. He wrote:
In keeping a diary of all my days in the war, my memories of certain incidents has stayed with me. I recall a message Division Headquarters had me transmit to the 506th troops out in front of us. The commend for May 6 was ‘The German army group in front of our division has surrendered. I sent the 506th a message to stop their advance.’
The remnant of German Army Group “G” expressed the wish to surrender to the 101st. That surrender was taken by troops of Colonel Robert F. Sink’s 506th Parachute Regiment.
On May 7th, the day the war was officially ended in Europe, the Screaming Eagles were perched at Hitler’s Hideout, the “Eagles Nest” overlooking the beautiful little city of Berchtesgaden.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The material provided by 530 individuals in this Battered Bastards of Bastogne account gives us a well-rounded narrative of the many military formations which participated at Bastogne during the month-long fighting on its perimeter. I want to thank all those airborne troopers, troop carrier crewmen and glider pilots and armored force personnel for sending their accounts and those of their comrades.
Special thanks go to the following:
I am so appreciative of the prodding provided by Alex Andros, Col. John T. Cooper, Jr., Michael Finn and Dick Winters. With their assistance, the stories of many former troopers appear in this account which would not otherwise have been included.
Troop carrier group commanders, Colonels William Parkhill, Frank Krebs and Charles H. Young provided materials from their group histories which give us an added aspect of the battle. The P-38 Association, through its newsletter, located the pilot who dropped maps and aerial photos to the troops at Bastogne on Christmas Day. Glider Pilot and author, H. Rex Shama (Operation REPULSE) provided valuable information on the glider pilots involved in the December 26 and 27 resupply missions.
Valuable pathfinder materials were provided by Jack Agnew, Glenn Braddock, Gordon DeRamus, George McMillan and Shrable Williams.
Pictures used in the account were provided by Jack Agnew, Herbert Ballinger, my friend Roger Bell in London, John W. Gibson, Carmen Gisi, Cleto Leone, George Rosie, Ben Rous, Richard Rowles and Dick Winters. Some of the photos are rare and were never before used in historical accounts.
The Don F. Pratt Airborne Museum at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, provided photocopies of clippings from newspapers and Yank Magazine, copies of small unit after-action reports and the Narrative—December 1944 which had been prepared by 101st Airborne Division Headquarters at Bastogne.
Excellent excerpts and sections of personal histories were provided by Henry Barnes, H. Lincoln Bethel, Layton Black (deceased before he had an opportunity to publish his memoirs), Richard Bostwick and Donald B. Straith.
Extensive individual and unit accounts were provided by Robert M. Bowen, John Gibson and Bernard J. Ryan who put their experiences on paper while recuperating from wounds suffered in the Bastogne fighting.
Former American Red Cross “Donut Dolly” Helen Briggs Ramsey sent copies of letters exchanged between wartime friends who were recuperating from wounds, and the story of Robert F. Harwick which had appeared in a Gulf Petroleum Corporation newsletter published in late 1945.
Morning reports were provided for “Dog” and “Easy” Companies of the 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment by Robert P. O’Connell while former company commander Wallace A. Swanson provided a similar report for “Able” Company of the 502nd Parachute Regiment.
Sketch maps of action areas were provided by Layton Black, Jr., Robert Bowen, Erminio Calderan, Edward Carowick, William McMahon, Andre Meurisse, Jim Robinson and Ben Stapelfeld.
Diaries kept during combat situations provided excellent recall for Austin Buchanan, George Koskimaki, Donald Woodland and Gerald Zimmerman.
As was the case in our second account, Hell’s Highway, I am so pleased with the quality of work provided by Sonia Kurtyka of Graphic Touch in preparing the material for the printer.
Many readers wrote to compliment Peter Barnette for the quality of his maps in Hell’s Highway. I am happy he was able to provide his talents for this third segment of the 101st history.
I may have missed others who had a hand in the preparation of this book and I am truly sorry. The omission was unintended.
CONTRIBUTORS
PFC. Jerald Abrahamson (Div Arty)
CPL. Paul V. Abroze (HQ1/506)
PFC. George E. Adams (A/321)
PFC. John Agnew (Pfdr/506)
1Lt. Roger Airgood (79TCS)
Sgt. James H. Alley (E/506)
Sgt. Thomas H. Alley (F/506)
PFC. Amos J. Almeida (B/502)
Capt. Charles Althoff (Med/502)
T/5 Sam J. Amico (326Med)
Pvt. Carl R. Anderson (HQ1/501)
1Lt. Everett Andrews (HQ/377)
1Lt. Alex Andros (H/506)
PFC. Park Appler (G/506)
Sgt. Charles Asay (A/502)
P-38 Association
LTC. Richard W. Ayars (USAF)
PFC. Douglas M. Bailey (B/463)
T/4 Rod Bain (E/506)
T/5 Albert S. Baker (C/377)
F/O Herbert W. Ballinger (439/93)
PFC. Robert Barger (326Med)
1Lt. Henry Barnes (326Med)
Sgt. Robert F. Barnes (A/502)
SSgt. Clive B. Barney (C/501)
PFC. Luther E. Barrick (B/907)
T/4 Joe W. Barringer (502/Band)
F/O Albert S. Barton (439/93)
PFC. Allen D. Bastian (F/327)
Sgt. Paul Bebout (HQ1/501)
SSgt. Earl M. Bedwell (B/907)
Roger Bell (Brit Hist)
Pvt. Nicholas Bellezza (B/463)
1Lt. Harry Begle (H/506)
Sgt. Jack C. Behringer (HQ/502)
PFC. Wayne Bengel (E/501)
PFC. James M. Beresford (B/401)
Pvt. Gordon M. Bernhardt (B/463)
Pvt. Albert Bemier (HQ2/502)
Cpl. Joseph Berra (HQ/326Eng)
PFC. Seth O. Berry (HQ1/501)
PFC. H. Lincoln Bethel (HQ/502)
Pvt. John Bettencourt (C/501)
Cpl. Bruce M. Beyer (HQ2/501)
Pvt. Roy H. Biffle (B/501)
SSgt. Arthur Bittner (A/326Eng)
Sgt. Layton Black, Jr. (C/502)
T/5 George Blain (Pfdr/506)
PFC. Ray Blasingame (F/502)
F/O Fred E. Bliss (438/88)
Capt. Gordon Block (326Med)
Cpl. Wilson Boback (G/501)
2Lt. Charles Boggess (C/37Armd)
Sgt. John Boitano (B/506)
SSgt. Michael Bokesch (HQ1/327)
Pvt. John Bortolon (A/327)
PFC. Richard V. Bostwick (B/401)
Pvt. John J. Bouska (E/501)
SSgt. Robert M. Bowen (C/401)
T/5 Glenn Braddock (Pfdr/502)
Pvt. Lloyd Brazell (HQ1/502)
1Lt. Eugene D. Brierne (F/501)
Sgt. Donald Brininstool (A/506)
PFC. Ottie Brock (C/81AT)
1Lt. Raymond Brock (HQ3/502)
PFC. Charles R. Brookman (HQ/501)
Sgt. Chester Brooks (HQ1/501)
Pvt. Charles E. Brown (B/501)
Maj. William E. Brubaker (HQ/377)
1Lt. Austin J. Buchanan (438/90)
PFC. Donald Burgett (A/506)
PFC. Lawrence Burgoon (I/501)
PFC. James Cadden (C/506)
PFC. Samuel R. Caiazzo (A/463)
SSgt. Erminio Calderan (I/501)
Pvt. Joseph Callahan (B/463)
1Lt. Derwood Cann (G/506)
Pvt. Albert P. Cappelli (I/506)
Pvt. Michael J. Caprara (HQ/501)
Capt. Charles Carlsen (Svc/501)
F/O Pershing Y. Carlson (439/94)
PFC. Edward Carowick (B/326Eng)
PFC. Keith L. Carpenter (HQ/506)
2Lt. Vincent Carroll (HQ2/501)
PFC. Carl H. Cartledge (HQ/501)
Sgt. Donald Castona (G/501)
Pvt. John G. Cavaluzzo (D/501)
T/3 Charles D. Chapman (101Sig)
Pvt. William Chivvis (I/506)
PFC. Joseph N. Christman (I/501)
PFC. Leonard Cinquanta (HQ/501)
Doug Clanin (Ind His Soc)
SSgt. William E. Clark (DivHQ)
SSgt. Stanley Clever (G/506)
Jan Coolen (Dutch)
LTC. John T. Cooper, Jr. (HQ/463)
Capt. Charles H. Corwin (440/96)
SSgt. Earl L. Cox (F/501)
PFC. Charles D. Cram (HQ2/506)
1Lt. R. W. Creamer (435TCG)
1Lt. Laurence Critchell (HQ/501)
PFC. Robert A. Crowe (HQ3/501)
Pvt. Harold Curry (A/502)
Capt. Lewis A. Curtis (HQ/435TCG)
Sgt. Anthony D’Angelo (705TD)
PFC. Everett M. Daugherty (I/501)
T/5 Reginald E. Davies (HQ2/502)
Pvt. Walter E. Davis (G/501)
SSgt. William G. Davis (HQ1/501)
F/O Warren deBeauclair (440/95)Pvt. Patrick DePerna (Med/501)
1Lt. Gordon DeRamus (Pfdr/502)
T/5 Glen A. Derber (HQ2/501)
PFC. Raymond Derosier (C/377)
Pvt. Henry DeSimone (E/501)
Maj. William R. Desobry (10CCB)
SSgt. Carl E. Dickinson (F/327)
Capt. Robert S. Dickson (E/502)
Sgt. Frank A. Digaetano (C/326Eng)
Capt. Anthony A. DiGiovanni (Div Arty)
1Lt. Charles A. Disney (HQ1/502)
Pvt. Joseph Dominquez (E/506)
Pvt. William Druback (D/501)
PFC. Angelo Dukelis (HQ1/506)
PFC. Robert Dunning (HQ3/506)
Sgt. Edward C. Eaton (B/326Eng)
PFC. Bert Ellard (F/502)
Pvt. Carroll Ellis (A/501)
Cpl. James L. Evans (DivArty)
1Lt. Jim D. Ferguson (E/81)
Maj. William A. Ferguson (HQ/326Eng)
Pvt. Angelo Ferrera (HQ2/502)
Sgt. Michael Finn (I/501)
PFC. Charles H. Fisher (HQ2/327)
1Lt. Frank Fitter (HQ1/501)
PFC. John E. Fitzgerald (HQ3/502)
Pvt. James W. Flanagan (C/502)
Cpl. Robert A. Flory (B/506)
Sgt. Edward E. Ford (C/81AT)
PFC. Albert C. Foster (A/907)
Cpl. Willis Fowler (A/502)
PFC. Willie Ray Fox (C/501)
PFC. Donald E. Frederick (Med/327)
PFC. Bradford C. Freeman (E/506)
2Lt. Joseph Fry (439/91)
1Lt. Everett Fuchs (A/377)
PFC. Charles Galvin (I/501)
Sgt. Joseph Gambino (101Sig)
Sgt. William D. Gammon (B/377)
PFC. Anthony C. Garcia (E/506)
PFC. James T. Gardner (B/401)
Pvt. Warren H. Gardner (A/506)
Maj. Victor E. Garrett (HQ/463)
PFC. John R. Garrigan (B/506)
SSgt. Kenneth Garrity (HQ/502)
LTC. Robert Gates (438/85)
SSgt. John L. Ghiardi (HQ2/501)
Cpl. John W. Gibson (Med3/506)
1Lt. Howard Gielow (I/501)
Sgt. Donald Gill (101Sig)
T/5 Richard E. Gilmore (Svc/501)
Pvt. Carmen Gisi (B/401)
PFC. Donald P. Glaspey (G/501)
Sgt. James A. Goble (C/327)
Pvt. George Goldberg (DivHQ)
PFC. Ted Goldmann (A/502)
Pvt. Kenneth Gong (HQ3/501)
Cpl. Walter S. Gordon (E/506)
1Lt. Henry B. Gorman (HQ/326Eng)
Pvt. John M. Graham (326Med)
Pvt. Albert Gramme (A/377)
PFC. James O. Grant (HQ/326Eng)
PFC. Wilford J. Grant (HQ2/506)
T/5 Charles R. Grauel (HQ/321)
Cpl. Millard B. Green (101Sig)
Capt. Frank Gregg (E/501)
Countess Rene Greindl (Bastogne)
PFC. Marshall Griffith (B/401)
Capt. Alphonse G. Gueymard (B/81AT)
PFC. Frank Guzy (I/501)
Capt. David Habif (326Med)
Pvt. Richard Hahlbohm (I/501)
F/O David Hakala (435/75)
Cpl. Donald B. Hall (101Sig)
PFC. Edward Hallo (A/501)
Capt. W. L. Hamilton (440/95)
&nbs
p; F/O Jack Hamm (436/80)
Sgt. Jack Hampton (D/501)
Maj. John Hanlon (HQ1/502)
Capt. Fred Hancock (HQ/a502)
Pvt. Harold R. Hanson (A/401)
PFC. Russell Hardeman (HQ1/327)
1Lt. William Hardie (HQ/377)
PFC. Leslie Harris (I/501)
Pvt. Alfred K. Harrison (E/502)
PFC. Robert T. Harrison (HQ3/502)
PFC. Robert J. Hartzell (I/502)
Pvt. Duane K. Harvey (HQ1/501)
Maj. Robert Harwick (HQ1/a506)
LTC. Carl Hash (438/88)
Pvt. Lester E. Hashey (E/506)
1Lt. Albert M. Hassenzahl (C/506)
Capt. James J. Hatch (HQ/502)
PFC. Hargus Haygood (C/463)
PFC. Gus Hazzard (B/463)
Sgt. Sam D. Hefner (H/506)
1Lt. Clark Heggeness (H/506)
PFC. Louis F. Henson (HQ1/501)
PFC. Kenneth Hesler (D/463)
Cpl. Leonard Hicks (F/506)
2Lt. John D. Hill (439/91)
PFC. John B. Himelrick (F/506)
PFC. Jack W. Hinton (G/327)
Sgt. Ted C. Hintz (C/506)
Pvt. Morris Hoffman (101Sig)
PFC. Charles W. Hogan (B/907)
F/O E. H. Hohman (434/74)
Capt. Jean Holstein (I/506)
Sgt. Tom Holmes (10CCB)
F/O William K. Horn (435/78)
SSgt. Robert Houston (I/501)
Pvt. Bobby G. Hunter (D/501)
PFC. Emest C. Hurt (HQ1/501)
Pvt. Lester D. Smith (326Med)
Sgt. Raymond Smith (Med/502)
PFC. Robert W. Smith (Medl/501)
Pvt. Peter A. Sorci (I/501)
Capt. Robert Speer (HQ/502)
2Lt. Ben Stapelfeld (F/506)
PFC. Stanley Stasica (H/506)
Pvt. Edward H. Stein (E/506)
Cpl. Bernard A. Stevens (D/501)
Neil Stevens (British)PFC. William J. Stone (B/321)
Cpl. Clayton E. Storeby (C/326Eng)
Pvt. Donald B. Straith (A/506)
LTC. Robert L. Strayer (HQ2/506)
1Lt. Wallace Strobel (HQ/502)
1Lt. Robert Stroud (H/506)
F/O Charles F. Sutton (440/98)
Capt. Wallace A. Swanson (A/502)
PFC. Leonard Swartz (HQ/502)
SSgt. John H. Taylor (E/506)
Cpl. Ted Teach (101Sig)