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Windy March brought us many new assignments of Armor in Combat leaving all thoughts of gusty winds far away on the plains of Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas. Our mission carried elements over lands between the ROER and RHINE to finally seal a last Boche Bridghead near the gates of WESSEL. In accomplishing each objective, first one combat command, then another and sometimes two pushed forward or passed thru each other to end phase one of the 1945 Western Front series.
Early morning, about 0300 March 1, 'A' Company's 1st platoon moved ahead with Task Force Goodrich to clear a road block near WALDIEL. The block consisted of a blown bridge, a mine field 300 yards in depth with an abatis covering the last 200 yards and entire obstacle terminating at an anti-tank ditch. Sergeant Patterson and squad removed the minefield while remaining platoon men went out to give security. About a half-dozen Krauts helped the situation by coming in with hands over head - thus reducing a portion of small arms fire which had blanketed the entire operation. Two lengths of Treadway installed across the bridge gap using a tank with A Frame, abatis removed and ditch filled by tank dozer, assisted by bulldozer from Headquarters Company, the convoy started thru at noon, however, the bridge and fill were maintained until 1800 hours.
Second platoon and headquarters platoon were to stay in MERBECK, however, orders came thru to send them north for several days. Their convoy moved out after dark but the to be sixteen miles stretched by many lengths as the Dog-faces and tankers kicked Jerry all over the lot. All rolled on thru the nite until, at a short halt in DILPARTH, 88's started dropping to chase the whole gang into a beer parlor, with beer on tap and no cashier. Here, 88's forgotten Private Tony Greco, after holding out for some two years and half way around the globe, quietly took over an excellent piano to give his best in entertainment with selections from 'The Beer Barrel Polka' and 'Dark Town Strutters ball' to 'The Blue Danube' and 'Liebestraum'.
Packed since about noon, Headquarters Company departed from DOVERACK as the hours of the next day made their beginning. Aided by a full moon in all its brilliance and high wall from cuts along the highway, the convoy moved on to pause in AMERN ST GEORGE, Germany at an hour made famous by Ted Louis. Comments of the trip were few and far between, however, LT SHEELEY did well in his first assignment as nite navigator and Russo came thru in grand fashion as he steered his half track, buttoned up in combat dress, down the middle. Also, for those who run around to see, had a lonely nite broken off with a pause of refreshment as LT CANUTESON, Hoff, and singing 'Joe' Stafford, all bundled down with coats, blankets, and a bottle of scotch, advanced to meet each little doubtful nick in the road.
As the morning sun rose many of our boys were up early looking over a village within German boundaries which had escaped all destruction of war. Their reactions were slow at first, but soon the pressure became to great and each found his way looking for loot, whether it be a souvenir, a bicycle, car, radio, or a jug of wine. LT COL PODUFALY was well ahead with decisions in each case, for this 2nd day of March became the 1st and last day of wholesale curiosity. All ideals of looting were forgotten although occasions have since been many to tempt even the best of men.
Enemy resistance was light as 'B' Company moved from ARSBECK to remove three road blocks and build two bypasses during their Combat Commands operation in taking WACHTENDONK. Their rear echelons went into an unexpected predicament when Supply Sergeant Hansen found himself tied up with 10 Germans, who had come from the nearby woods to surrender. Also, since platoons had gone forward the Command half track was commissioned in battle work to push a knocked out vehicle off the road. Second platoon was under battalion control, as all elements went forward, assisting in maintaining a Division MSR.
The day caught LT BAKER, Sgt Krug, and others out with elements of the 7th AIB and 88th Rcn doing a bit of reconnaissance while remaining platoon members placed two lengths of treadway over a bridge south of HERINGEN to keep CCA moving. To close the day all 21 men stuffed into a room 10' x 12' draped over tables, chairs, on the floor an every available inch in all sorts of inter-locking positions. True, discomfort it was, but none were cold, wet, nor hungry. Task Force Goodrich had been slowed down a few minutes in AMERN ST GEORGE as its engineers cleared a road block by hand and with the aid of a tank 'A' Frame. Up the road Buckner, Schoen, and Martin under small arms fire walked down the street of LOBBERICH to blow ten square, hollow, steel posts using M1 chain demolition. Some difficulty was experience in detonating the explosive, but all was complete soon after 2400 hours. To this end 'A' Company closed in HAMES on 3 March to stay busy until 10 March removing 1000 pound aerial bombs from bridges, checking pill boxes, and repairing vehicles damaged at MERBECK.
Toilers B left the streets of WACHTENDONK enroute to ALDERKIRK and continued their drive northeast overcoming many obstacles. An anti-tank ditch was filled by the 3rd platoon with such items as mattresses, doors, window frames, Kraut material, shell cases and all sorts of furniture and clothing. 1st Platoon combined to build a 4 section span of treadway as well as construct and maintain a 2 mile bypass and finally stop for a couple of days to do a little much needed maintenance, both skin and steel.
An hour after breakfast on 4 March, Command Section and Headquarters Company left their home in AMERN ST GEORGE trailing Trains of CCR in a short push north to NEUSTRASZE, in suburbs of HINSBECK. Little oddities are always added to our memories as we go forward and this march could not pass without giving a story. The stage was set something like this: Column stopped, 20 hands on top 10 Boche heads, 50 caliber machine gun of lead half track pointed in right direction and coming, Indian fashion, but at port arms, from a few vehicles back was our Intelligence Officer. All was done in good procedure, but at a moment when the catch was to be evacuated our Captain became alarmed to find one long cartridge and no clip in carbine.
In its search for billets in GREFRATH, Company 'C' choose a local 'pub' to lay each man down in rest, however, weary bones had to wait because pilsener was on tap, and a few bottled liquors of various vintages and flavors were uncovered. Needless to say, 1st Sgt Rajchels complexion turned rosy red when discovery made known facts of a few of the weaker sex sleeping a la natural among the cellars bottles.
Congratulation of the day must go to LT STOUGHTON, who left the ranks of minority and started sending a first looies pay home to wife and kiddies.
On Tuesday, March 6, LT BURCH and his first platoon took off with members of the 88th Reconnaissance to clear minefields around RHEINBERG. Their trip was cut short of city limits as they tried to move a Brockway past several knocked out Sherman tanks of the 36th and much to their surprise, found themselves in ditches for cover as 88's lobbed in front and rear.
Toilers Baker bypassed blown bridges and impassable roads during COLONEL KIMBLES attack enroute to LINTFORT. Stiffened enemy resistance had caused many halts. On such occasions, the Star and Staff usually move up and down the column trying to find what holds up progress and so it was when CG, 35th Inf Div ran into 'Pop Coffee Shop' with a remark 'In all my Army career this is the first time I've seen a mess truck in the spearhead of a drive; get that #*/;-# off the road.' While 1st platoon was repairing a bypass, T/5 Henry who was destroying enemy weapons, accidentally damaged one which was pointed toward himself and when it went off he became Number 6 casualty of the company. While entering LINTFORT ahead of the main body, CAPT CASERIO and Tec 5 Sharkey were forced to dismount as six or seven enemy riflemen and Burp gunners pinned them down. Sharkey, with use of his CO's rifle, knocked out four riflemen and forced the others to take cover long enough for them to withdraw to better cover. Concluding one of their most active days since hitting front lines, CAPT CASERIO stopped to investigate a house which netted 2 Kraut NCO's and six privates.
A couple of days found A Company removing aerial bombs from highway bridges and several road junctions. On 8 March the 2nd platoon of 'B' was attached to 1st Battalion 137th Infantry, 35th Infantry Division to clear a few mines on roads while the remaining elements left LINTFORT at 0600 enroute to a small village outside RHEINBERG. During the move one enemy AT gun was destroyed. Operations concluded as daylite hours passed on to find the 1st platoon extinguishing a fire which threatened to spread throughout the sector. 2nd Platoon of Company 'C' was relieved from attachment to 88th Cav Rcn Sqd Mecz and returned to Company billets in GREFRATH after it had cleared a half hundred Regal mines, filled two craters, removed a road block consisting of vehicles, wagons, stone, and booby trapped Regal mines. During their operation with the reconnaissance boys they lost one dozer due to Regal mines, however, a new one was obtained as it was beyond repair. The following day the second of 'B' was under heavy shelling as they destroyed an enemy artillery observation tower while assisting in the capture of BAUERN & MILLINGEN. LT SAPP and platoon checked a road for mines, assisted in recovering a tank, destroyed a steel tower impeding the progress of tanks, removed a disabled tank from a road, and checked several houses believed to be booby trapped. While checking and coordinating work of his platoon, CAPT CASERIO was caught with a mortar bracket on Death Road, between RHEINBERG and OSSENBEERG, to become our second CO to be slightly wounded. 'Cuz' didn't mind a few pieces of glass in his eye, but was most disheartened to have his G-- D-- windshield broken again.
No doubt the very thought of a few weeks training was enough to bring about unusual decisions because at its start one Sunday afternoon, 11 March, the first was to be made. Charlie's Company's orderly room staff was hard at work at their usual tasks - 1st Sgt Rajchel diligently sewing on chevrons and patches, CAPT RICKARD flexing his mental process with an idea of strolling over to the kitchen and sampling a few wares, and the CQ sweeping a patch of floor at Rajchel's instigation for the fourteenth time.
Suddenly a rap sounded at the door and opened at Sarge's summons to admit an MP and a German girl. The girl, fair of face and neatly stacked, defiantly looked into the inquisitive faces. 'Captain,' the MP began, 'this girl came to us this morning with a story that her house was entered by two soldiers last nite while she was alone. After their departure this girl discovered that 1200 Marks were missing. Now, I was sent up here to see if you would assemble your men so this girl could look them over and see if the guilty party is among them.'
'No', said CAPT R., 'I don't hold with the identification of any soldiers by German civilians.'
'OK Captain, I agree with you', and with that both MP and girl departed. Now this left the company in a quandary. Was the girl interested in the Marks, or if it was the man, did she want him punished or - her money back? Guess it always will be?
A day or so brought back B Company from the battle grounds around our first real barrier, the RHINE, to house them in GREFRATH. In the meantime, CAPT GETTINGS forgot to allow for several mishaps in his calculation of work estimate for 500 ft treadway bridges to lose his months liquor ration. Surely he doesn't fell so because stories that followed were really worth a quart or so. It was one nite when the Division was lined up two deep from the bridge approaches to some miles back waiting their turn to pass over treads and pontoons. Engineers had passed several tanks across in near perfect order when all of a sudden one Joe slid his massive weapon over on an eight inch water main. Immediately a section of road went out and naturally tanks had to be bypassed to clear the scene of action. A few sank to their hilt while the rest made a about face for a return home. Beavers were all over the place directing traffic, closing water flow, building a rubble factory to patch their wound, retrieving tanks and making plan for another engagement. Due to all the commotion, LT SHEELEY finally became curious and upon questioning CAPT BIELECKI was informed that a slightly slippery place existed in the road. Being so well informed of the situation he proceeded to make a personal inspection of the area in question. In a bold pace he unexpectedly stepped into the slightly slippery road section to find himself knee deep in mud. You can imagine his thought - he told us the next day.
From 12 March to 25 March a somewhat routine schedule came upon us. During the period our letter Companies were engaged in training units of their respective combat commands in assault boat crossing, removal of minefields, mined road blocks, and booby traps. For the mine training, live Regal, Teller, and Shu mines were used. Between 14 - 15 March elements of the three combat commands made practice river crossings over the 300 ft treadway bridge constructed over the lake near HINSBECK. All companies assisted in maintenance of bridges and traffic control. On 16 March Company 'C' constructed a 108 ft treadway bridge, laid on land, for use of Division Trains in practice crossing and provide an experimental set-up for the 130th Ordnance Battalion in crossing tank recovery units. Company 'A' demonstrated removal of aerial bombs for use in making training films. Our Battalion Carpenter Shop did its usual bit by constructing water point signs, traffic control signs, and mobile offices for Division Headquarters. On 19 March, Companies 'A', 'B', and 'C' were attached to their respective combat commands for contemplated future operations.
Our stay near HINSBECK, GREFRATH, and WANKUM proved very relaxing because of very comfortable quarters, a week of comparative warm weather and sunshine, afternoon filled with a few not games of baseball, a few kegs of beer and a fair percentage of passes to PARIS, BRUSSELS, and MAASTRICHT. Highlight of baseball came when Headquarters Company and Company 'C' met on the field of honor the evening of March 20. On the mound for Headquarters Company was fireball 'Doc' GARRETT, normally our consultant in medical professions, however, now more commonly believed to be Chief Relations Officers between our more fair sex and Battalion Officer complement and also Chief Inspector of Nazi loot. Pitching for C Company was quiet, slender Mammen. Both windmill style hurlers were in rare form and the game settled into a classical pitchers' duel. MAJOR VICK and a cortege of lesser commissioned lights formed a rooting section for Headquarters while opposing them in the upper brackets were only CAPTAIN RICKARD, LT OLIVER, and one unidentified enlisted man who wasn't in the upper circle no how. In the fifth inning with the score tied nothing to nothing, the Home Team on two walks, a sacrifice, and a hit scored two runs. But undaunted the valiant players from Company 'C' in the first half of the seventh (their last chance to bat) proceeded to get two men on base by dent of a walk and a hit. Then catcher Finestein stepped up to the plate and dusted a two-base hit out into right field scoring two runs and going around to third on the throw home. Finestein scored on a long fly ball and the next man struck out retiring the side. Headquarters Company went down in order 1, 2, 3 and so ended the game, with CAPTAIN RICKARD folding MAJOR VICK's five-sport in his own pocket.
To close our story in our almost garrison pause, all officers brought out their hordes of liquor to dine and dance with a few of the gals of Club Mobile and Nurse experience. CAPT EDDY and crew furnished a neat array of food including venison his boys had knocked down a day prior. Stories were plentiful, as well as rich, but for fear some one may read these pages years to come we will leave them blank for curiosity, imagination, and memories.
The morning after found all up in their best available dress, with Companies lined abreast. GENERAL DEVINE had made his appearance to present many of our ranks a medal of honor or decoration for all individuals who had done more than their share to help speed the day of victory.
Odd as it may seem, the end of March was soon at hand and since we have always started things rolling at such times we were most assuredly in make for a journey over the RHINE. Traffic was heavy on bridges over her high speed water because Doughboy division had crossed only a few days ago. Being some distance from all approaches we sorta parked at ALPSRAY, about 2330, after leaving HINSBECK near the 2030 mark on 26 March. Sleep was a bit brief as we moved again around 0400 on the following day to cross the RHINE RIVER, official time of the historic occasion was 1145 27 March 1945. In case the memory fails our march was over a Heavy Ponton, 'Bridge H', about midpoint between WESSEL and DUISBURG. All the details such as approaches, ballons, etc. we will leave for pages of unwritten form, placed in each of our minds.
All Companies had made their crossing with each Combat Command, excepting one platoon of Company 'A' and one platoon of Company 'B', which were attached to Headquarters Company. However, each platoon was returned to its own company soon after we had paused a few miles East of the water's bank. Road nets in the immediate sector were in need of repair so all three companies began their good work soon after a reconnaissance by LT COL PODUFALY and MAJOR VICK.
On the 28th day, CCA and CCR moved up to contact the enemy and with them went our 'A' and 'C' units. For a couple of days, both plus a part of Company 'B', constructed a bypass, cleared mines, maintained roads, constructed a 48' treadway bridge, filled two craters and a little of everything necessary to keep the division advancing thru Flak Valley.
During the passing moments Headquarters and Headquarters Company had slept on a road one night, moved into woods on fringes of an air strip, and then hit billets again in ZWECKEL, arriving 1545 on 30 March. Company 'A' assisted the 18th Tank Battalion in their advances on POLSUM and supported CCA attack Southeast from DORSTEN. Company 'C' constructed a 24' treadway bridge east of ZWECKEL.
Another month was drawn to an end with each Company doing its normal duties to keep Armor going forward. Company 'A' installed a 24' an 48' treadway bridge, cleared a mined road block while part of Company 'B' was moving east from POLSUM with the 88th Reconnaissance and the rest closed at SCHLOVEN and Company 'C' cleared rubble from a road which had spilled down as a railroad overpass was blown.
Strength of the Battalion 1 March:
33 Officers, 3 Warrant Officers, 624 Enlisted Men
Strength of the Battalion 31 March:
35 Officers, 3 Warrant Officers, 638 Enlisted Men
Officer Changes During March:
LT PARKER appointed 1ST LT - 1 March 1945
LT STOUGHTON appointed 1ST LT - 1 March 1945
LT CAMPOS assigned to Hq Co - 4 March 1945
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