World War 2 Talk - View Single Post

Franek · 05-05-2008, 03:09 PM

Thanks Owen;
As I came to our battalion aid station everything was in Chaos. With the Germans but a half mile away,and more wonded coming in we were evacuated to MALMEDY. It too was in panic. Wounded were coming in from all sectors. We who could be moved were shipped to PARIS.
Now the whole front was sending in their wounded. It was found that I had a clean wound,the bullet went through without hitting bone or artery.They sewed me up and sent me to a french town called etamps to recuperate. I stayed there but a couple of days. The order came from above that all able bodied men were to be shipped to the front.. That included the walking wounded.
I rejoined my outfit at a place called Elsenborne.It was located on a high ridge. We called it Elsenborne Ridge
( The Northern Shoulder) With the help of British units and elements of the second division/ We formed a defensive line that could not be moved We had 50 caliber and light machine guns galore. Artillery was hub to hub. There we waite
The Germans had a staging area below us in the woods. To get to us,they had to climb a hill. But flushed with victory they attacked. On a loud speaker a German speaking soldier shouted ( American GI, today you die)YEAH SURE,little did they know what awaited them. As the attacked up the hill,we were ordered to hold our fire. We did. When they came close we were ordered to fire.
It was pure carnage. They dropped like flies. It didnt last but a couple of minutes.The survivors retreated. A little time later they attacked again.Although I never saw it,a lot of GI"S said they saw a lot of Germans crying. Which led us to believe that they attacked against thier will. Again it lasted but a few minutes. It was over we broke the Germans back.We were ordered to advance forward to gather prisoners. We advanced,but with the story of the Malmedy masccre still fresh in our minds.There were a lot of shots fired,but a few prisoners.
I came upon a wounded German soldier holding something in his hand. At first I thought it was a grenade. I was abourt to blow him away ,when I realized it was a book.He held it out to me and said mien mutter then he died. He was one of hitlers youth. He was no more than 13yrs old.I kept the book. It looked like a diary. Remember this book later in my story,you will see where it saved my life Continued

Excuse my typing mistakes. My 83 yr. old are not too good.

05-05-2008, 03:09 PM	#5 (permalink)
Franek WW2 Veteran Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 112	Battle of the Bulge Thanks Owen; As I came to our battalion aid station everything was in Chaos. With the Germans but a half mile away,and more wonded coming in we were evacuated to MALMEDY. It too was in panic. Wounded were coming in from all sectors. We who could be moved were shipped to PARIS. Now the whole front was sending in their wounded. It was found that I had a clean wound,the bullet went through without hitting bone or artery.They sewed me up and sent me to a french town called etamps to recuperate. I stayed there but a couple of days. The order came from above that all able bodied men were to be shipped to the front.. That included the walking wounded. I rejoined my outfit at a place called Elsenborne.It was located on a high ridge. We called it Elsenborne Ridge ( The Northern Shoulder) With the help of British units and elements of the second division/ We formed a defensive line that could not be moved We had 50 caliber and light machine guns galore. Artillery was hub to hub. There we waite The Germans had a staging area below us in the woods. To get to us,they had to climb a hill. But flushed with victory they attacked. On a loud speaker a German speaking soldier shouted ( American GI, today you die)YEAH SURE,little did they know what awaited them. As the attacked up the hill,we were ordered to hold our fire. We did. When they came close we were ordered to fire. It was pure carnage. They dropped like flies. It didnt last but a couple of minutes.The survivors retreated. A little time later they attacked again.Although I never saw it,a lot of GI"S said they saw a lot of Germans crying. Which led us to believe that they attacked against thier will. Again it lasted but a few minutes. It was over we broke the Germans back.We were ordered to advance forward to gather prisoners. We advanced,but with the story of the Malmedy masccre still fresh in our minds.There were a lot of shots fired,but a few prisoners. I came upon a wounded German soldier holding something in his hand. At first I thought it was a grenade. I was abourt to blow him away ,when I realized it was a book.He held it out to me and said mien mutter then he died. He was one of hitlers youth. He was no more than 13yrs old.I kept the book. It looked like a diary. Remember this book later in my story,you will see where it saved my life Continued Excuse my typing mistakes. My 83 yr. old are not too good.