There were many minor repairs and adjustments to be made on the vehicles. This was the maintenance crew's first chance to really check them for a long time and they gave them 'the works'. Due to a change in T. O. the '509' radios from the mortar platoon was to be turned in to Signal Supply, to be replaced by '536's, or 'handy talkies'. In addition to removing these, Sgt. Bebb made an inventory of the other sets and submitted a battle loss report of the missing items. Remaining sets were checked and retuned at this time. A clothing and equipment check of the company was made during the early part of our stay and Koutnik, Pfiffner, and Handwerker worked faithfully on requisitions and records. Much of the equipment was received a few days later and was issued to the troops. Our two trucks, driven by Hegwood and Asbury, and accompanied by Pfiffner went to Grefrath, Germany, and picked up the equipment we had placed in storage.

The kitchen staff had their task complicated by the fact that the Dutch, who were on the verge of starvation, almost mobbed the kitchen at every meal. Food that remained after the company was fed was parceled out to the civilians, many of whom were small children. A change in the kitchen staff was made at this time. Maliszewski was transferred to the assault ,gun platoon, and Pvt. Malaney, transferred from Service company, assumed the job of baker.

On the recommendations of the Company Commander several promotions were made in the section on March 16. Bebb was promoted to S/Sgt., Roberts to T/4, and G. C. Smith to T/5. A few days later we received maps covering southern Germany and on March 25 we received our march orders.

We left Venlo and proceeded straight to the Rhine river, which we crossed on a pontoon bridge, and then angled southward. We passed through the towns of Heikenskrath, where we bivouacked overnight, thence through Bruckhausen, Dorsten, Gladbeck, Selm and Neuhaus. The march was interrupted only as traffic condition and nightly billeting necessitated. In some places there were small local actions and there were a number of prisoners taken.

From Neuhaus we proceeded through Geseke and on to Bad Sassendorf, which we reached the morning of April 7th. The rifle companies, supported by our heavy weapons, began an approach march on Wer!. Headquarters section's vehicles were moved to Hellweg and established a CP which we occupied during the siege and capture of Werl and Unna. Here again the section's task evolved into getting food and ammunition to the weapons platoons, maintaining radio contact, and performing emergency repairs. As usual Beardsley with his Weasel and Nick Altamura 'and Jerry Cherubino with their peeps did an excellent job delivering food and ammunition to the front.

On the completion of the action we were relieved and moved out late one afternoon, travelling northward. We travelled all night in a black-out and over some of the most difficult terrain yet encountered, crossing the Weser River on a tread-way bridge and negotiating the hair-pin turns of a mountain range in pitch blackness. We finally bivouacked at Derenburg on March 14. One tread of the Weasel was breaking, and Beardsley could not cross the tread-way bridge with it. He was forced to detour some distance and cross at another point. He rejoined the company at Derenburg the next day. Here the Weasel was reluctantly abandoned as we could not secure the necessary repairs.

At Derenburg the entire company was billeted in a public utilities building. Here out-posts were established and patrols gathered in a number of wandering enemy soldiers and a vast amount of enemy guns and equipment. The maintenance crew found a gasoline driven pump, which they set up on the bank of a nearby canal, and all the vehicles in the company were washed. This was followed by the usual checking and repair work.

There were a number of British and Polish soldiers who had been prisoners of the Germans billeted here and they messed with us. In return they performed KP duties and helped with the police. They were extremely grateful for the food and loath to see us leave. One Pole insisted on remaining with us and has become a familiar figure in the kitchen.

From Derenburg our way led to Blankenburg, where our short stay was high-lighted by an entire, horse-drawn train surrendering to the company. There was a great amount of all kinds of German equipment abandoned in the city and it was a field day for souvenir hounds. We then moved to Elbingerode where we spent an uneventful two days and then proceeded to the village of Rubeland, in the Harz Mountains. This was reported to be one of the strongholds of the 'Werewolves'. Road blocks were established on all the roads leading into the town and patrols covered the surrounding territory gathering in prisoners. A P. W. cage was established in the railroad station and did a rushing business. Altamura, Cherubino, and Hegwood worked with our newly created security platoon. Cherubino bagged himself a captain on one patrol and it is reported the "superman" was somewhat the worse for wear due to Jerry herding him through the brush.

In addition to working on our own vehicles the maitenance crew towed in a large number of abandoned enemy vehicles which were pooled just outside ot town. Several of these were repaired and put into our service.

Military Government was established with Lt. Shuford as Town Major. Schumer was transferred to battalion to as interperter for Capt. King, and his place as mail clerk taken by John Long. S/Sgt. Bebb had telephone lines to the out..posts, as well as the guard house, company billets, and motor pool. These were constantly being broken by vehicles and required much repair work. In addition, he located and helped repair a Ford panel truck for use in hauling signal equipment.

A model road block was designed by Lt. Werner and built by the enlisted men, with the help of some PW labor. This included. a stop sign and two lights for vehicle inspection purposes which were wired by Bebb. Nick Altamura did considerable carpenter work on the project. After things were well organized and duties becoming more or less routine, we were relieved and moved to the village of Uslar on May 8th.

This village was out of the zone of action and quite peaceful. With the exception of several out-posts to check civilian travel the company reverted to almost garrison status. VE day came as an anti-climax to us.

We were ordered to turn all vehicles over T. O. and all enemy vehicles we had over to Ordnance and this was accomplished. A motor pool was established with Hegwood as dispatcher. Main emphasis was placed on the repair and maintenance of vehicles, signal equipment, and armament. We turned in a large amount of ammunition qnd grenades we had over our T. O. loads. Here we received a large amount of personal equipment that was badly needed. Clothing that was back-ordered from Venlo arrived, and with the exception of an unfortunate few the company was well dressed again.

On June 4th we were relieved by the British and marched to Rokycany, Czechoslovakia, where we arrived on June 5th. Here Headquarters Section's duties continued on a garrison level and here our tale should end but the picture is not complete.

No mention has been of the innumerable times the maintenance crew made emergency repairs under the worst conditions - darkness, mud, snow, freezing temperatures, and under artillery fire. No mention has been made of the long and faithful work of the kitchen staff, part of it done where the slightest gleam of light might lead to a shelling. They were the only kitchen crew in the battalion to furnish hot meals throughout the campaign to the platoons in action.

Left out of the picture also were: the long hours spent on guard and charge of quarters after a hard days work; of continuous watch maintained regardless of weather; the supplies and mail distributed to the field under all conditions; and of the amount of work done on report and records, often by the shaded light of a candle.

Gifted indeed would be the writer who could put the entire picture on paper, for in the minds of all of us are memories of incidents known to but a few. Not one of us know what the future holds, but regardless of what orders we get they will receive the same old response: