Attempts to Break Out
We knew we were cut off and were looking for our tanks to come through to us. We felt that just as soon as they broke through we would be all right again. But the hours ran into a day and then two. Monday, besides fighting and waiting for the tanks, we started back to Schonberg. We were about in the center of the two infantries as we moved back. Our men set up their guns several times and then we would have to pull out again. The excitement ran high when the word came to us that German tanks were closing in on us. A call for antitank weapons came through and we all made way for them to move up. When in a few minutes the word came back that the tanks were friendly we felt relieved.
The men couldn't take the roads so we had to hit the valley and try crossing a small stream and get back to Schonberg. All night we moved to the sound of burp and machine gun fire. Flares went off every now and then. We didn't have to ask any longer, "Will we ever see combat?" for we were in the very center. About 10:00 A.M. Tuesday, as we were going to chow. Jerry opened up on us. We had moved into the bed of a valley and the enemy had all the high ground about us. We were caught in a blasting barrage which had a demolishing effect. We were "zeroed in" and they cut loose with 88's, artillery, burp guns, and in fact everything they could use. One old boy expressed it when he said, "They threw everything, including the kitchen sink, at us." Another officer, who had seen two years of combat, told me that he saw more fire power that morning than during any other period of his overseas experience.
All I know is that Scho, another fellow, and I did our best to dig in. We had a little valley by the jeep so we just cleaned it out. We would work until they started firing again and then we would hit the dirt. After the shelling we would dig some more. I was carrying some splints for the medics so we piled them beside our hole and felt better protected. One shell hit so close we felt some rocks strike our helmets so during the lull that followed we ran through the grove of trees where Jerry had been shelling. Sure enough his next round landed where we had been.
The men couldn't take the roads so we had to hit the valley and try crossing a small stream and get back to Schonberg. All night we moved to the sound of burp and machine gun fire. Flares went off every now and then. We didn't have to ask any longer, "Will we ever see combat?" for we were in the very center. About 10:00 A.M. Tuesday, as we were going to chow. Jerry opened up on us. We had moved into the bed of a valley and the enemy had all the high ground about us. We were caught in a blasting barrage which had a demolishing effect. We were "zeroed in" and they cut loose with 88's, artillery, burp guns, and in fact everything they could use. One old boy expressed it when he said, "They threw everything, including the kitchen sink, at us." Another officer, who had seen two years of combat, told me that he saw more fire power that morning than during any other period of his overseas experience.
All I know is that Scho, another fellow, and I did our best to dig in. We had a little valley by the jeep so we just cleaned it out. We would work until they started firing again and then we would hit the dirt. After the shelling we would dig some more. I was carrying some splints for the medics so we piled them beside our hole and felt better protected. One shell hit so close we felt some rocks strike our helmets so during the lull that followed we ran through the grove of trees where Jerry had been shelling. Sure enough his next round landed where we had been.
posted by News at 3:13 PM
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