TROOP "B"
88TH CAVALRY RECONNAISSANCE SQUADRON MECHANIZED

SUBJECT: Activity of Troop From 18 February 1945 To 11 March 1945
(Account taken from Troop Diary).

Often a reconnaissance troop, such as ours, is detached from its parent squadron and attached elsewhere for some special purpose or mission. This became our role and on Feb. 18th we were officially operating as attached to C.C.B. and on the 19th we submitted our first daily report to C.C.B. instead of to squadron. We were told we would move out the following morning. All was prepared but by evening a message came saying there would be a 24 hour delay. Everyone took advantage of this chance to enjoy this last days stay in the hospitable little village of Heek where we had been so warmly welcomed and kindly and generously treated.

We arose at 0300 the morning of the 21st and at 0700 we moved out. This we knew was the beginning of that for which we had come overseas. It was not a great distance to our destination but because of congested traffic and bad roads the going was slow. We traveled near the German border and at one point where Germany juts into Holland like a peninsula we crossed enemy territory for the first time. Our destination was Posterholt in Holland.

The countryside and town through which we passed had been scenes of considerable combat activities and there were grim reminders on all sides. Each man was impressed by the almost complete destruction in many of these border towns and villages. The sight of battered and burned out American vehicles brought reality even closer and clearer.

We reached our destination about 1100 in the morning of the 21st and found it a pathetic little rural community which had suffered seriously from enemy fire. The English troops whom we were relieving were already in the process of preparing to move out. Our troop was split up and quartered in several widely spread out farmhouses. Our welcome here as elsewhere in Holland, was cordial.

Our mission was to protect the right flank of the combat command and maintain liaison with friendly unit on our right. A platoon of M-18 tank destroyers was attached to us for protection. We relieved the Ninth Durham Light Infantry Battalion of the 7th British Armored Division. Troop Headquarters moved into the quarters vacated by the English and the Second and Third Platoons with T.Ds. attached, took over the defense of nearby Borg, Holland. The first platoon established outposts generally South of Posterholt. The T.D. platoon, under Lt. Todd, moved into Hq. where the British were shot up by some Germans just a few days before. Lt. Collins established his C.P. in the Eastern most building of Borg, this building being a hundred yards inside Germany. This was the first troop installation inside Germany.

The entire relief of the British in our area was accomplished this night of February 21 by 2100.

The day of the 22nd was spent in getting settled and oriented to being in the midst of artillery and mortar fire. The men became used to this new atmosphere quickly and by nightfall showed considerable coolness and good fire discipline under trying conditions, as friendly troops of infantry were constantly moving up through our outpost area.

The next day, the 23rd, was uneventful but the night was important as we sent out our first patrol. Sergeant Schmiedeler took Cpl. Wilkerson, Tec 5 Gutzeit and Pvt. Miller to reconnoiter a route towards Vlodrop, and enemy strongpoint in our zone West of the Roer River.

The patrols mission was as follows.
1. Check suitability of route for tanks.
2. Check mine fields and other obstacles.
3. Make note of defenses along route.

The patrol accomplished its mission traveling four thousand yards in 2hrs. and 30 minutes, the information was reported to Major Van Houten task force commander, who praised the patrol for its work.

The next day was quiet, many of the men resting and getting organized in the new surroundings. One interesting fact was noted, this being that the Germans had apparently found out our feeding habits, as mortar fire was dropped near the chow line at Berg each time it formed. At night, by division order, a combat patrol was sent out toward Vlodrop with the following mission.

1. Reconnoiter defenses in the SouthWest Vlodrop.
2. Bring back prisoners.
3. Check mine fields.

This patrol was made up of men from the first platoon under Lt. Ryan as follows. Cpl. Healy, Puts Buschmann, DaPonte, Jordan, DellaPuca, Perillo, Ferris and Vollmer, also three men from the second platoon who had been out the night before, and two engineers. The patrol left Borg at 2030 the 24th, to return by 0200, and moved towards Vlodrop. They encountered resistance about 2345, 500 yards outside Vlodrop. Each time they tried to move away a machine gun would open fire, making movement impossible. The entire patrol was pinned down for a least an hour by fire from four machine guns and scattered riflemen on the flanks. Lt. Ryan called for Artillery fire and got it. With this protection the men began to move out. Upon arriving at the assembly area eight men were missing. Lt. Ryan accompanied by second in command Cpl. Healy, Radio operator Perillo and Pfc. Denend returned to the area where they had been pinned down to search for the missing men. In the meantime the outpost checked in that the eight men had missed the assembly area and had come on in.

There were many words of praise and commendation for Lt. Ryan's leadership and for his and other three men's returning to help the eight temporarily missing men.

The patrol accomplished No. 1 and 3 of its mission. The men in the Observation Post, helping direct the Artillery fire had the experience of receiving one round of fire, believed to be 105, close enough to shake the building violently, knock Lt. Smith over backwards, severly jar Sgt. Sullivan and Sgt. Flannery, and tip over a table. The O.P. was disrupted for several minutes. All the men on patrol returned safely and had hot coffee and food and were questioned. They were disappointed in not having taken any prisoners. The rest of the mission accomplished was appreciated by S-2.

The next day, the 25th, was quiet and the patrol had a chance to rest.

At 0200 on the 26th Lt. Ryan took out another patrol including three more of his men Sgts. Acherman, Harms, and Renko, but less the three second platoon men who were with him the night before. This patrol took off towards the S.E. part of Vlodrop with the following mission.

1. To get prisoners.
2. Check defenses in the Southern part of town.
3. Observe, aided by 60mm illuminous mortar flares of the third platoon, defences which had held them up by fire the night before.

The patrol reconnoitered the entire area and found no enemy defenses in the Southern part of town. With the assistance of the flares they saw nothing in the area where operating the previous night. The patrol returned through the second platoon outpost at 0645 with no casualties.

The 26th was a quiet day with no particular activity. There was a certain tenseness in the air however as word came down we were again about to move. The necessary packing was done and the men assumed in an expected air. We did not move the 26th as thought possible, and that night the third platoon under Lt. Collins sent out a patrol. There mission was to enter and reconnoiter Vlodrop. Completion of the mission was made impossible because of enemy fire. Near the town the patrol was pinned to the ground by a machine gun fired from a house. It was out of the question for members of the patrol to get near enough the house to put the gun out of action. Shortly another gun opened up making cross fire. Lt. Collins called for Arty. Fire and got it. The first round hit the house and the patrol put the machine gun out of action. The firing attracted mortar fire from friendly infantry adding to the heat of the situation. The patrol was forced to withdraw without completing its mission. There was no casualties.

The 27th was another quiet day but by early afternoon most everyone knew that sometime that evening or during the night we would move. It had been thought our move would be toward Vlodrop, where the various patrols had been working, but we found quite a different venture in store for us. The whole division was to move back, then South, then East and North, finally after such a round about route, reaching a point only about eight miles East of Posterholt and across the Roer. This movement to the South and across the Roer was made possible by the 35th Infantry having broken through and being in the process of clearing the way.

By early evening we were ready so that when the order came to move out about 0100 the 28th, we were in formation in a very few minutes. We, as a small part of a great convoy, moved out under blackout and proceeded slowly over the rough rutted and muddy road. We traveled all night and on into the next day with frequent stops and delays caused by the tremendous quantities of men, equipment and supplies being moved into Germany. As we left Holland and entered Germany it was at once evident what stiff resistence had been met with as the German were pushed out of the border towns and villages. Every building was either partially or totally demolished. Not a civilian was in sight and each town was occupied by American soldiers. The going was tough with the roads broken and almost impassable in spots because of shell holes, heavy traffic and soft spring terrain. Were it not for the excellent work of the engineers in making road repairs and replacing bridges no progress would have been possible.

The crossing of the Roer was a great disappointment to everyone. It seemed that each man had expected an impressive expanse of water with signs of great barriers and fortifications. At our point of crossing however it was such an unobtrusive little stream that half the men never noticed it. The area into which we were moving was so recently penetrated and not yet cleared of all Germans, that it was necessary for us to send forward patrols to make our way. During this forward movement we captured our first prisoners. Three German soldiers without any resistance surrendered to Cpl. Healy.

By the middle of the afternoon of the 28th we had reached Wilderath, only three of four miles short of our original destination Arsbeck. Here we pulled off the road, had supper and spent the night. During our stay here there was an endless procession of vehicles passing by with their loads of men and equipment moving on into Germany. At this time our role seemed to be that of awaiting our Q for joining the parade.

By the evening of March 1st Hqs. was still at the side of the road while the Recon platoons had gone forward to the next few neighboring towns. Shortly after dark we moved up nearer and put our vehicles in a courtyard behind two houses which we occupied for the night. The houses had been completely ransacked and looted so all we could do was fire the remaining debris out the windows, unrole our sleeping bags and catch some much needed sleep. In the morning the recon platoons came back for breakfast after which the troop was organized again for taking its part in the steady stream moving into Germany.

Our mission was to proceed to Orsay on the Rhine. We were told we would meet opposition and this was no exaggeration. The convoy moved slowly with many stops and delays, over muddy, pitted and rutted roads, choked with vehicles passing and repassing. In the middle of the afternoon as we were approaching a village, we heard distant mortar fire. In no time at all we realized our route was the target. The rounds were falling in the middle of the town between some curves in the road which the convoy was following. This was the troops first experience under fire while traveling in convoy. Vehicles of other units were often mixed in with ours during the constant passing and repassing. A half-track of the 49th Infantry, carrying twelve men, immediate in front of one of our supply half-tracks, was hit by a round of mortar. By a stroke of luck it hit the extreme front end of the vehicle destroying the wheel tire, axle and related parts, but leaving the occupants in their section of the vehicle unharmed. Part of the flying debris cracked our supply half-tracks windshield. Three other rounds fell close by during the two or three minute interval this section of the convoy was halted. Not one of our vehicles was hit and the rest of the march was made without similar incident. We spent the night in a little German village where the civilians were either moved out or upstairs to make room for us.

So far one of the most impressive parts of the march was the elaborate and well planned system of fortifications on all sides, but all unmanned. As yet the explanation for this was not clear. Whether it meant there was a shortage of men, or a lack of desire to hold out, was still to be learned.

The following morning, March 3rd, we moved out and progressed a little farther to a town called Aldekerk. The first platoon as point and third platoon as flank guard had moved on ahead and met with some opposition. The first platoon was the first unit of C.C.B. to reach Aldekerk. The lead scout Sgt. Harms, was shot at several times by snipers and the whole platoon returned fire with more or less accuracy. A number of prisoners were taken that day. Thus far most of the houses were flying white flags and the German soldiers encountered surrendered willingly. In this area many of the towns had not been scenes of combat or resistance so the buildings were undamaged and civilians were still living in the houses. After our troop took over Aldekerk we moved into several of the houses making the civilians move upstairs. Their attitudes were varied. In some there were sullen resentment while in others merely meek obedience.

Natural curiosity led to a somewhat general desire for investigation on the part of the men which in a few instance could have been called looting. But for the most part no real change in policy had to be adopted to conform with Gen. Bradley's Special orders FOR GERMAN AMERCIAN RELATIONS which we all received at this time. It was strongly impressed that we take nothing we didn't need and avoid acts of violence except when required by military necessity.

The 4th of March found us still in Aldekerk, in a reserve position due to the rapid advance of infantry on our flanks, which wedged us out.

Thus far the troop had seemingly done well. The recon. platoons had performed their missions quickly, efficiently and without casualties, and a number of prisoners had been taken. All during the night of the third heavy fire from positions about us was being poured into the parts of Germany ahead of us. Many more tanks, heavy guns and vehicles rumbled on into this rapidly surrendering section. The lack of stiff resistance was amazing. One couldn't help wondering whether and if so where, the enemy could be gathering or regrouping for some stiff defense. During the night of the fourth we were again put on the alert. The vehicles were stowed and equipment packed under cover of a particularly black night.

Here begins the account of our first real combat, it being where we suffered our first battle casualties. Our mission was to move out as part of a task force from the 35th Infantry division with our first objective the town of Lintfort. This was to be taken if the opposition was light and bypassed if heavy and our next objective Rheinberg, be taken. We moved out from Aldekerk about 0400 progressing slowly until about one and one half miles South West of Lintfort where we were held up by a blown out bridge. After this we repaired the advance guard, infantry and tank companies, went on to Lintfort. The first and third platoons followed in after them, passed through Lintfort and started to reconnoiter routes to Rheinberg from the South and Southwest.

During this period the third platoon activity was illustrative of part of our troubles they had moved on toward Lintfort in the lead position after having furnished protection for the 53rd engineers while they rebuilt the blown out bridge. After the town was taken by tanks and infantry, the platoon supported by the 809 T.D. moved to the right of the town and on toward the next objective Rheinberg. Just out of Lintfort they were engaged in a fight with German infantry which resulted in several of the enemy being killed and a dozen or so being captured. After this our men moved on and advanced ahead of the tanks until pinned down in an open field by sniper, machine gun and burp gun fire from the three sides. It was during this struggle Cpl. McConnell was shot and killed and Pvt. Caccia wounded. Several Germans were killed and some prisoners taken. The platoon then advanced a little beyond this point and stopped and waited along the road to Rheinberg.

In the meantime the first platoon was having its difficulties which resulted in most of our serious casualties. The first platoon had gone over with the third, the latter to give protection from the East, and the former from the South. The infantry and the tanks had gone forward to take Lintfort. The first platoon went through the town afterwards, drawing some sniper fire, and from here on ran into trouble. On the way out Sgt Harms was hit twice by enemy fire, fortunately not seriously. All eight or ten Germans causing this trouble were shot. Shortly after this the platoon took several more prisoners and a number of German soldiers were shot.

Later in the day the troop started to assemble in the vicinity of Klein Vongardt. In moving here Major Van Houten called the first platoon to assist in evacuating some tank casualties. Lt. Ryan and Pfc. Buschmann made a dismounted reconnaissance of the area and found none alive. This was reported but it was insisted some were still there, so Lt. Ryan led his men back into the hit spot. It was here Lt. Ryan was hit. In attempting to get forward, his armored car had bogged down next to a burning tank. They were pinned down by machine gun fire. Lt. Ryan was killed almost instantly. Pfc. Kowalczyk was struck in the arm by a ricochet, and after this, loaded and fired his 37 three or four times by himself into the machine gun nest. Cpl. Healy under fire dismounted from his car, hooked the cable to Lt. Ryans armored car, and pulled it loose, returned the vehicle to the assembly area where Lt. Ryan was placed in and ambulance. As the platoon was attempting to reorganize it was found that Pfc. Denend and Pvt. Marino were missing. They both had been shot in the leg. Cpl. Healy went back and got them out. Later in the evening with some help from the second platoon and a tank from the 49th the first platoon captured some prisoners. The first platoon pulled back to reorganize and the third platoon was left as flank guard.

It seemed fitting to mention here again the high esteem in which Lt. Ryan was held by all his men from the moment they first saw combat near Posterholt. This added to the sadness and regret felt by the whole troop at his death during the struggle near Lintfort. Similarly the troop felt the loss of Cpl. McConnell who was admired and respected by everyone.

After this day, the toughest the troop had ever had, everyone was exhausted, dirty, and sadly and realistically sobered. Supply, which was back in Lintfort, brought up ammunition, gasoline and rations to the area where the troop was assembled. It was a grim and chilly night that followed. The vehicles were dispersed and arranged in a muddy field within a circle of tanks for protection and fire power. The guns on all vehicles were manned and the men got what little sleep they could in or near their vehicles.

The next day was comparatively quiet and the rest of the troop moved up to the point on the route to Rheinberg to which the third platoon had advanced. The kitcheon moved up and fed the men a hot breakfast considerably added to by dozens of confiscated German eggs. By night the troop was settled in and about several farm building and getting some much needed rest.

Supply had moved over near C.C.B. S-4 in Lintfort to become familiar with sources of supply and to be replenished. The next day the 7th found the balance of the troop still resting, supply spent the day collecting ammunition, gasoline, C and K rations and water and then moved out of town to join the troop on the road to Rheinberg. By nightfall the troop was again together for the first time in several days. What was to come next none of us knew. There were many rumors as to what had happened ahead of us along the Rhine and what our next mission was to be. Grim tales came back from the front as vehicles returning were halted temporarily where we rested. Tanks of the 36th had suffered severe casualties as had the 49th inf. There was considerable artillery fire directed ahead of us, particularly at night. The day of the eighth was spent in the same location and opportunity was given for supply to replace many articles of clothing or equipment lost or destroyed in combat.

We remained in this assembly area outside of Rheinberg through March 9th and 10th. At midnight of the 10th we were relieved by the 75th Inf. and on Sunday the 11th we moved out in quite a different direction from that expected by most of the men. We retraced some of our recent route when advancing, went back through Aldekerk and finally arrived at Grefrath, Germany. Today finds us here resting and reorganizing.