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Perspiring profusely, he stammers, "With all respect, sir, I refuse to obey your order".

He has gained your grudging respect. You know, for certain, you would never have pulled the trigger - the sergeant wasn't so sure.

The sun has set. It's too dark for tank support. We'll try again~ without the tank. Six men (volunteers) are blackening their faces when we get the good news. The Germans have withdrawn from the farm house and the Gig's are coming down the road. For just a moment you think to yourself, "What else could I have done?"

Captain Mizner pulls up in his jeep. Robert Mizner, 'A' Company C.O. (Commanding Officer) is from Pontiac, Michigan, about 27 years old, looks like he is 40, small of stature, crew cut hair, and cigar smoking, pugnacious and tough.

The officers move toward the jeep - close enough to hear, but apart so that a lucky hit from a German 88 wouldn't wipe us out. The 'briefing' we are about to be given is familiar to every infantry officer from the time of the civil war to the present moment. Whether he received his commission from West Point or was commissioned as an O. C. S. (Officer Candidate School) graduate, at some time he will have attended the infantry school at Fort Benning, Georgia and would have learned the battle field 'protocol' which remains unchanged to this day. We listen to the captain.

"Gentlemen, here is the situation. To our front., down this road is the town of Dorsten. We are to attack from here, dismounted, at 06:15 hours tomorrow morning. Prior to attack, artillery support from 15 battalions will lay down a 15 minute barrage from 06:00 to O6:15, approximately 100 rounds per minute. A high air smoke round will signal the end of the barrage. 'A' Company moves out as soon as we see the smoke trail. Our left flank is that high dirt embankment. You can see it to our far left - looks like a road, but it isn't. The road we are looking down is the center of our area. Our front is approximately 1,000 yards wide. 'B' and 'C' Company are on our far right. They will attack along the railroad tracks that lead into Dorsten. (We are the far 1eft flank of taskforce Poinier and part of CCA (Combat Command 'A'). The British are somewhere over there. (He points to our left).

"Once you break the line of departure don't stop. The' krauts' have you covered while you cross these fields (about 1,000 yard.). Get to the houses. They will provide some cover. Watch out for snipers - no stopping! We are to take this portion of the rail line that runs from north to south through the center of the town. (He points to an enlarged map of the town where the rail line becomes an overpass as it crosses the main street). Keep running, don't stop for the wounded - medics will care for them. Once you reach the railroad tracks, station guards at each point where a street comes to the tracks. Prepare for the Krauts to counter attack.

"Line of March (battle) - Pickett (Third Platoon) on the left, Albanese (First Platoon) on the right, Porter (Second Platoon) in reserve, anti-tank and mortar platoons support Pickett and Albanese.