Chapter 4
Entering Germany's Homeland
4-1 Warming up the Tanks
One of the three recollections that I recall from a very young age was “The Field Hospital”. Dad has a limp and ancle problems since the war due to a chipped bone in his leg. This was one of two sequential injuries that landed dad in the field hospital. Like the other three recollections, this memory was associated with emotionally painful events that would be told to completion until decades later. The brief story was that when dad woke up in the field hospital he recognized the guy next to him. They spoke, and dad asked how he felt. His buddy replied that he felt fine except for the itch in his legs. The phenomena is referred to as a phantom itch after limbs have been blown off.
Before Bastogne, advances had been quick. At Bastogne, Patton’s army prevailed in short order, but things changed. Their progress slowed as the Germans defended their homeland.
The three squads of M8’s along with much of the battery were preparing to enter a village several miles past the German border. The destruction of bombardments in France had taken its toll on civilians and infrastructure. The orders were to avoid the destroying of a city before taking occupation. As the division prepared to take the city, the order came for Walson to prepare to lead the drive up the hill into the village.
Walson instructed Tony to recon the path into the city. While the tanks were warming up, Tony took an advance position and checked out the village outskirts through his binoculars. He returned to Walson with a report that he spotted two guns with bearings on the hillside.
Quin connected with the battery command, and Walson explained the situation over the radio. Command informed Walson they had checked out the situation and there were not guns; however, they would do another check.
Five minutes later, Walson was back on the radio with battery command, and Walson was informed that after a thorough inspection, there were no guns along the wall. At that point tone of the conversation encroached on as-yet seen territory, it became quite heated.
A few minutes later, Walson asked Tony if he was sure there were two guns along the wall. Tony replied he was certain. Walson did not like Tony’s response, but experience to date gave him the fortitude to push back harder on command.
Walson was promptly back on the radio; this time with another card to play. As it turned out, it was not his crews one-in-three turns to take the lead. He played the card and won the argument. One of the other two squads was given the order to lead the battalion. However, Walson was given new orders. The new orders were to proceed around the town and take out any forces attempting to leave. This was hardly a victory, since going around the town meant going deeper behind enemy lines where a German presence was known. At this point, the squad was not very happy with Tony.
The M8 tanks kept a good mile distance from the village while flanking to the left. There was no resistance for the first three miles. The squad proceeded to follow a creek along a wooded pasture and approached a main road exiting the Village to the northwest. They stopped to take a break.
It was about 11:00 when they turned south to check out the back side of the village, proceeding for about a half mile. They spotted two German vehicles on the other side of the creek. The Germans also spotted them. Their M8s outgunned the two vehicles and had about the same speed. As the Germans proceeded along a road on the other side of the creek, the squad gave chase.
The tanks pursued while taking ineffective shoots from moving vehicles to moving vehicles a quarter of a mile away. The open terrain on their side became more crowded as trees as they tried to get improved shots at the retreating Germans.
Suddenly, “Wamm”, the tank shook. The squad halted. The tanks main 50 cal gun hit a tree. Walson looked toward Tony, and Tony was pinned between the tree and the tank. The main gun was knocked out of its chassis and lay against Tony’s chest, pinning Tony to the top of the tank. Quin scrambled to help Tony. Tony was unresponsive. Several men moved the gun, and put Tony on the ground. The gun had crushed Tony’s chest, and he was unresponsive.
The squad stared at Tony for a good five minutes. Tony would be the first casualty of the squad.
4-2 The Farm HouseWalson proceeded back to the M8 to radio command, when the unexpected happened.
Amidst groans of pain, Tony began to wake up. By this time the Germans they were chasing were out of site.
After a half hour, Tony indicated that he could continue. The squad was again on the move, south, and around the village when they approached a farm house.
There were no vehicles around the house, and it looked empty. Walson decided to check out the house.
Several of the men rushed the house. Tony was still in pain, and so, Walson told Tony grab a gun and cover them as they rushed the house.
The house was empty, but upon return to the tank, Tony was found on the ground in pain. He had jumped off the tank with the gun and hurt his ankle. Also, the pain in his chest was increasing.
With this additional injury, the scouting trip was ended. Tony was given pain meds and sent to the field hospital.
One of the three recollections that I recall from a very young age was “The Field Hospital”. Dad has a limp and ancle problems since the war due to a chipped bone in his leg. This was one of two sequential injuries that landed dad in the field hospital. Like the other three recollections, this memory was associated with emotionally painful events that would be told to completion until decades later. The brief story was that when dad woke up in the field hospital he recognized the guy next to him. They spoke, and dad asked how he felt. His buddy replied that he felt fine except for the itch in his legs. The phenomena is referred to as a phantom itch after limbs have been blown off.
Before Bastogne, advances had been quick. At Bastogne, Patton’s army prevailed in short order, but things changed. Their progress slowed as the Germans defended their homeland.
The three squads of M8’s along with much of the battery were preparing to enter a village several miles past the German border. The destruction of bombardments in France had taken its toll on civilians and infrastructure. The orders were to avoid the destroying of a city before taking occupation. As the division prepared to take the city, the order came for Walson to prepare to lead the drive up the hill into the village.
Walson instructed Tony to recon the path into the city. While the tanks were warming up, Tony took an advance position and checked out the village outskirts through his binoculars. He returned to Walson with a report that he spotted two guns with bearings on the hillside.
Quin connected with the battery command, and Walson explained the situation over the radio. Command informed Walson they had checked out the situation and there were not guns; however, they would do another check.
Five minutes later, Walson was back on the radio with battery command, and Walson was informed that after a thorough inspection, there were no guns along the wall. At that point tone of the conversation encroached on as-yet seen territory, it became quite heated.
A few minutes later, Walson asked Tony if he was sure there were two guns along the wall. Tony replied he was certain. Walson did not like Tony’s response, but experience to date gave him the fortitude to push back harder on command.
Walson was promptly back on the radio; this time with another card to play. As it turned out, it was not his crews one-in-three turns to take the lead. He played the card and won the argument. One of the other two squads was given the order to lead the battalion. However, Walson was given new orders. The new orders were to proceed around the town and take out any forces attempting to leave. This was hardly a victory, since going around the town meant going deeper behind enemy lines where a German presence was known. At this point, the squad was not very happy with Tony.
The M8 tanks kept a good mile distance from the village while flanking to the left. There was no resistance for the first three miles. The squad proceeded to follow a creek along a wooded pasture and approached a main road exiting the Village to the northwest. They stopped to take a break.
It was about 11:00 when they turned south to check out the back side of the village, proceeding for about a half mile. They spotted two German vehicles on the other side of the creek. The Germans also spotted them. Their M8s outgunned the two vehicles and had about the same speed. As the Germans proceeded along a road on the other side of the creek, the squad gave chase.
The tanks pursued while taking ineffective shoots from moving vehicles to moving vehicles a quarter of a mile away. The open terrain on their side became more crowded as trees as they tried to get improved shots at the retreating Germans.
Suddenly, “Wamm”, the tank shook. The squad halted. The tanks main 50 cal gun hit a tree. Walson looked toward Tony, and Tony was pinned between the tree and the tank. The main gun was knocked out of its chassis and lay against Tony’s chest, pinning Tony to the top of the tank. Quin scrambled to help Tony. Tony was unresponsive. Several men moved the gun, and put Tony on the ground. The gun had crushed Tony’s chest, and he was unresponsive.
The squad stared at Tony for a good five minutes. Tony would be the first casualty of the squad.
4-2 The Farm HouseWalson proceeded back to the M8 to radio command, when the unexpected happened.
Amidst groans of pain, Tony began to wake up. By this time the Germans they were chasing were out of site.
After a half hour, Tony indicated that he could continue. The squad was again on the move, south, and around the village when they approached a farm house.
There were no vehicles around the house, and it looked empty. Walson decided to check out the house.
Several of the men rushed the house. Tony was still in pain, and so, Walson told Tony grab a gun and cover them as they rushed the house.
The house was empty, but upon return to the tank, Tony was found on the ground in pain. He had jumped off the tank with the gun and hurt his ankle. Also, the pain in his chest was increasing.
With this additional injury, the scouting trip was ended. Tony was given pain meds and sent to the field hospital.