History of the 81st Tank Battalion
During September, 1943, Albert Speer assumed the leadership of all German war efforts. General Eisenhower reported Italy had signed a secret surrender five days earlier. The French began fighting against the Axis on Corsica and the Nazis wrecked the port of Naples, leaving many ships sunk.
In sports during 1944, 2:04 was the winning time for Count Fleet to win the Kentucky Derby. Detroit beat Boston to capture the Stanley Cup in Hockey and New York won 4 games to 1 over St. Louis to win the World Series. The American League beat the National League 5-3 to win the All-Star game and Wyoming defeated Georgetown to win the N.C.A.A. Championship game.
If you had a girl (and who didn't) then you were probably listening to tunes like:
Paper Doll - Mills Brothers
You'll Never Know - Dick Haymes
Velvet Moon - Harry James
There are Such Things - Tommy Dorsey
Brazil - Xavier Cugat...or
Pistol Packin' Mama - Al Dexter
You might have even taken her to see:
Casablanca with Humphrey Bogart,
Watch on the Rhine with Paul Likas, ...or
The Song of Bernadette with Jennifer Jones
That new car would have cost you the handsome sum of $1,100.00 and you were filling it up with $0.16 a gallon gas. Didn't have a new car? Well, you could probably still afford to spend $0.62 for a gallon of milk or $0.09 for a loaf of bread.
They cut off all your hair, handed you clothes that didn't fit, and fed you chow you wouldn't feed your dog. On top of that, they tried their best to work you in the ground. You suddenly found yourself in a strange place called boot camp and despite the fact there were hundreds of guys in the same boat as you, you were definately all alone. Yep, those were the good old days!
The following accounts are taken directly from the book VooDoo published by the
81st Tank Battalion Association. Copyright 1947. Charles P. DeBevoise
"It has been a pleasue to serve with the officers and men of the 81st Tank Battalion, and it has been a high privilege to lead the battalion, first in its months and years of training, and then in combat from Normandy in France to the Elbe River in Germany. Every company, every tank crew, every man, has done his job in an outstanding manner. Because of your unswerving loyalty and mutual faith, the battalion has been able to accomplish every mission assigned to it, and there were many difficult ones during the trying months of combat.
Because every man has succeeded in doing his job well, however hard, however thankless, however perilous, we have done much to further the high cause for which we fought. We were a part of the first troops in modern warfare to operate dozens, and even over a hundred miles behind the enemy's lines, and we always fought aggresively. We were the first troops to invade Germany in this Second World War, and we advanced through Germany so that at the cessation of hostilities we were the closest of the Allied troops, on the Western Front, to Berlin.
These accomplishments have not been made without considerable loss of life and blood, a loss which I feel most bitterly, even though I know the herioc and unselfish spirit of those who made that sacrifice. Let us try to be worthy to these to whom we own so much, our honored and noble dead.
This book is intended to be a precise and accurate history of the 81st Tank Battalion. The facts forming the basis of the book have been taken from the official After Action Reports, the S-3 Record of Events, Morning Reports, and the S-2 and S-3 Journals. There are a thousand interesting tales which could have been included had space permitted. The central facts are here, and perhaps the personal stories that you know, may be the better as you fit them into this framework and tell them in the years to come.
May this book help to keep alive the friendships made in these years of hard work and months of peril. I hope that in the years to come, when you turn these pages, you will again feel the warmth of our fellowship in arms, and the glow that accompanies knowledge of a difficult job well done."
Chapter I
Training
So it was on this cloudy day, 1 October 1941, that the Fifth Armored Division was born. The nucleus fro the division was formed from small cadres from the Third and Fourth Armored Divisions and was put under the command of Major General Jack W. Heard. The division then consisted of two light armored regiments, one medium regiment, three field artillery regiments, one engineer battalion, one reconnaisance battalion, and the necessary headquarters and service units.
The medium armored regiment, under command of Colonel Vernon Evans, was designated as the 81st Armored Regiment (M). The second battalion of this regiment, commanded by Lietenant Colonel Hoyt, wa the actual start of the present 81st Tank Battalion.
Armored Unit Reoganized
Camp Cooke Military Reservation (now Vandenberg Air Force Base) was constructed on a portion of the old Will Rogers Ranch near Lompoc, California. The reservation boundary included roughly 15,000 acres of land, to be used for training purposes, along several miles of the Pacific Coast line. Camp Cooke was a rather pleasant camp and was very well planned and constructed to accomodate an armored division. Very little effort had been made to beautify the camp; grass, shrubs and flowers were conspicuous in their abscence. On dry days sand storms were frequent, as the afternoons were usually windy. Often dense fog would roll in from the ocean at night and not lift until nearly noon the next day.
War with Japan
An observation post was established north of the camp at Port Petrol and an officer's observation post, west of the camp on the beach at Parisimea Point, was manned during the night to keep a constant watch for possible hostile naval action. Santa Barbara, only about sixty miles to the south, had been fired upon from the sea and it was conceivable that small marauding parties might attempt to come ashore at any point along the coast. To meet this possibility it was deemed necessary to have a battalion of tanks on the alert at all times.
Work and Play
Concurrent with the security duties was the major task of training the Battalion to form a tough and effective fighting force. New men to bring the unit up to its T/O strength arrived during the months of March and April, 1942, and were started on their thirteen weeks basic training program. Quite naturally, the greatest emphasis of the training was placed on tank warfare, but infantry drill, phusical conditioning and small arms instruction became daily routine. Small arms ranges were constructed, where the men, aftger days of "dry shooting," fired prescribed courses for qualification in the use of their personal arms. Tank driving courses were laid out whereby the potential drivers soon became proficient tank drivers.
It is said that "all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy," so all the time was not devoted to working and training. A program or organized athletics was established, with company competition in softball, basketball, et. USO shows with many prominent Hollywood stars were frequent. The post theaters operated daily to show some of the latest pictures. A rodeo was brought to the camp one Sunday, starring Leo Carrillo, riding Will Roger's famous horse. The Post Exchanges were always in operation, where is was possible to buy large cholcolate mile shakes, so thick it was almost necessary to eat them with a spoon, and of course cigarettes, candy, light drinks, magazines and many other articles were always available. Passes were issued to small quotas of men who wished to visit the small towns in the vicinity.
In July, Major LeRoy H. Anderson assumed command of the Battalion when Major Hawkins, who previously commanded the Battalion, took over the duties of S-3 at Regimental Headquarters.
Out in the Desert
At this time industry had not been completely geared to war-time production and could not produce the necessary equipment fast enough to bring all the units of the rapidly expanding army up to their required strength. Therefore the vehicular status of the division was still poor and there were not sufficient vehicles for all the men to be mounted in their proper positions. In order that those men who initially could not participate in maneuvers, in their proper mounted role, a dismounted detachment was formed at Camp Young, headquarters for the Desert Training Center. All men who could not be mounted were sent to this dismounted detachment.
Through a system of rotation, at the end of each phase of the maneuvers, it was possible to exchange groups of men from Camp Young to take part in the exercises. During the maneuvers about half of the men of the battalion spent part of their time at Camp YOung, so that all the men were able to participate in part of teh maneuvers and learn something of the tectics and technique of desert warfare.
The first two weeks in the desert were spent becoming acclimated and getting the vehicles and equipment ready for the coming exercises. The contrast between the cool damp climate of Camp Cooke and the hot dry climate of the desert was so great that during the first few days in the desert many men were hospitalized with heat exhaustion. Until the men became accustomed to the desert, a policy was established of working ten minutes and resting twenty. After about one week of taking it easy, eating at least two salt tablets per meal, always wearing helmets when in the sun, etc., the men were capable of performing a full day's work.
The temperature in the afternoons often reached as high as 137 degrees Fahrenheit, and inside the tanks it was even hotter. The iron tank hulls became so hot in the sun that they cound not be touched without gloves. One hot afternoon Sergeant Diaz of Company "D" (now Company "A") accidentally dropped an egg on the deck of his tank. Much to his surprise, the egg fried.
The Desert Maneuver exercises were so planned that it required bold and aggressive action on the part of the armored division. DUring the first few exercises the opposing forces were usually infantry. The primary enemy defenses encountered were mountain passes in which a mine field was laid and covered with anti-tank weapons, machine guns and infantrymen with small arms.
Of the tactics that were tried and developed during this maneuver period, the major accomplishment was a system of defense while in a static position in open country. Major Anderson felt that it was necessary to have a standard operating procedure so that it would be possible to have defense from an attack coming from any quarter, particularly when the Battalion was bivouaced for a night, or other long periods.
This system was based on the old covered wagon tactics in the days of the old West. A complete ring of the heaviest and least vulnerable vehicles was made, with the lighter vehicles and supplies within this ring. The old pioneers used their covered wagons for the periphery, but now medium tanks were used, each one facing away from the area. In front of each tank a machine gun from the tank was set up on a ground mount, and used as a guard post. Between each tank, and twenty-five yards behind, was a half-track, or another tank. This was another complete ring, and would be used as a second line of defense. Still further back were supply trucks and the Battalion headquarters.
In order to facilitate the placement of the vehicles the area was likened to the face of a clock, and each company, platoon, tank, and individual knew his place on the imaginary dial. When setting up the bivouac area, the Battalion Command half-track was always assumed to point to "12 o'clock" and be the center of the area. Although direct infantry support was not then used, the defensive system was sufficiently flexible to permit its use, should infantry, or other organizations be attached to the Battalion. During the night the vehicles were drawn in toward the center of the area, leaving a distance of twenty-five yards between vehicles, but in the daytime this distance was extended to 100 yards. Constant use of this bivouac soon made it possible to move into positions without undue confusion.
Click Here to view a
layout of the bivouac plan.Getting In Trim
Sun bathing became a daily routine, starting with a few minutes daily and gradually increasing the time until it was possible to spend several hours in the desert sun without burning. This sun bathing policy was a direct reversal of all existing rules, regulations and directives, for until this time appearing in the sun without helmet liner or shirt, or even having a sleeve rolled up, was prohibited for fear someone would be overcome with the heat.
The dust, sand, rocks and extreme heat of the desert were very hard on the vehicles. It was therefore necessary to devote a great deal of time painting and reconditioning them, in preparation for the training period wihch was to follow. Great difficulty was experienced in the painting of the vehicles due to the intense heat, which caused the paint to become powdery and rub off. Most of the painting had to be done in the evening or early morning, while there was no sunshine and it was comparatively cool.
During the stay at Needles, a fourteen-day leave and furlough schedule was started, with about fifteen per cent of the command leaving each two weeks, and continuing on through Christmas, until everyhone had an opportunity to take advantage of it. Through a change in assignments, Colonel John T. Cole assumed command of the Regiment, relieving Colonel Evans.
On 23 November 1942 the Battalion moved by rail and highway back to its permanent station at Camp Cooke with the feeling that the maneuver period had been profitably spent. The battalion was now considered, at least by its own members, to consist of skilled technicians, well versed in the proper use of its equipment of war.
Learning New Tricks
The once approved tactics of lining the tanks up and charging forward over such terrain as might be in front of the force was no longer considered as the best means of employing the great fire-power, mobility and armor protection the tank battalion now possessed. Many theories were advanced on how to best employ armor and lessons were learned about the tactics and techniques of modern warfare.
Sand tables and other training aids were devised to enable personnel to learn to manuever individual tanks and small groups of tanks to take advantage of all possible terrain features in combat operations. A great amount of time was devoted to practical work in the field, in the employment of the individiual tank, tanks sections and tank platoons, with the view of developing procedures that would reduce the enemy positions in the shortest possible time with the lowest possible loss of friendly troops. Small arms ranges, tank ranges, and combat ranges were utilized to the fullest advantage to give the men the maximum amount of experience with their weapons.
Fort Knox, Kentucky, had been designated as the home of the Armored Command (then called the Armored School), which organized many courses of instruction applicable to this relatively new unit within the Army Ground Force. Some of the most important courses were those designated to train tank mechanics, wheeled vehicles mechanics, radio operators, radio technicians, gunners, motorcyclists, clerks, tacticians, and many other specialists. The school emphasized modern methods of instruction, combined with much practical work, and therefore was very successful in accomplishing its mission.
Because of the fact that a large percentage of the personnel of a tank battalion are technicians or specialists in their particular duties, fullest advantage was taken of the opportunity to send personnel to the Armored School. Of course all personnel could not be sent to school, so those who did go became a valuable asset upon their return and were used as instructors to teach the balance of the command. This specialized training later proved its worth when the battalion engaged in its combat operations.
Chapter II
Manuevers
Soon after General Oliver assumed command, the Division received orders tomove to Tennessee to participate in the Second Army Maneuvers. Preparations were immediately made to vacate Camp Cooke, realizing that the Division would not again return to its home station. An advanced detachment from the Sixth Armored Division soon arrived to take over all vehicles and equipment which were to be left behind.
About the middle of March, 1943, the Battalion, under the command of Major Anderson entrained for the trip nearly across the continent. This move, with the entire Battalion on one train, proved to be a very interesting six day trip, with a variety of experiences. One of the baggage cars developed a hot-box and caught fire, which necessitated the transfer of baggage to another car.
At Camp Forest
After six days and nights of riding, eating, sleeping, and sightseeing in the day coaches and tourist sleepers, on a devious course across the United States, the Battalion finally arrived at the detraining point at Camp Forrest, Tullahoma, Tennessee. The arrival was in the late evening with cold and rainy weather. The tired personnel mounted waiting trucks and proceeded to their new home in the woods near McMinnville.
After spending several days getting the camp established and the pup-tent home made as comfortable as possible, the Battalion settled down in earnest to the task of drawing its vehicles and equipment, and preparing for the start of the maneuver exercises. An advanced detachment had preceeded the unit to Tennessee to sign for and check all vehicles, so they were assembled and waiting at CAmp Forrest when the balance fo the unit arrived to drive them to the bivouac area. Most of these new tanks were equipped with steel tracks and, as the Tennessee Highway Department would not permit the operation of the steel tracked tanks on their roads, it was necessary to change over to rubber tracks before the tanks could be moved to the bivouac area.
For this maneuver the Battalion was fortunate enough to receive, for the first time, it full quota of tanks and nearly all of its other vehicles. The tanks were the new M-4 series with the new and untried Ford V-8 gasoline engines. Throughout the maneuvers this new tank proved to be far superior in many respects to any tanks of the older series. The new engine was more powerful, required less maintenance and was considered by the tankers to be a great improvement over those previously used.
Ready to Move
The maneuvers, unlike the desert maneuvers, greatly emphasized proper communications and control of units of all echelons, employment of proper weapons, by-passing local strongpoints of resistance, the use of road-blocks, movement into assembly areas under cover of darkness in order to launch a surprise attack at dawn and, of course, the personal endurance of physical hardships.
The principal dangers to the tanks were considered to be anti-tank guns and mine fields. It was believed the best defense against the anti-tank guns was the great fire-power and mobility possessed by the tank battalion. The tactics taught and developed here were the immediate deployment of the force when the hostile guns were located. Part of the force would then keep the enemy under fire while the balance maneuvered to the flank to deliver the knock-out blow and overrun the enemy position as soon as the friendly fire was lifted. On some occasions the mortars were used to lay fire on difficult targets. It was generally belived that this was the best method of neutralizing hostile anti-tank guns. Although the mine fields presented a serious problem to the tankers, they were not used to any great extend and no satsfactory means were developed to overcome this hazard.
During the actual combat exercise periods, an SOP was developed and used. It was customary to have the Battalion start an advance in battalion column. As the Battalion passed important lateral roads, small detachments of tanks were left at the roads to provide security against any flank attack. Initially infantry was used (mounted) to find the way and provide security for the tanks. This proved to be very costly, as small machine gun ambush parties would soon dispose of the infantry. It then became apparent that the tanks had to take the lead, as they were not considered to be vulnerable to anything except AT guns and mines.
"Coiling" Tactics Developed
br> Major Anderson, feeling that it was not desireable to have his battalion stretched out in column formation on the road while the head of the column was engaged in a fight, devised a system of moving off the reoads into small bivouac areas. March units, usually of company size, would move into a field and set up a small defensive bivouac. This left the roads clear for the movement of required reinforcements to the front, and also provided an opportunity for the vehicles to refuel. As movement delays of several hours would frequently occur, this coiling provided the maximum amount of time for resupply and rest. It also provided a much greater security from flank and rear attacks while the head of the column was engaged.
Commanders of all echelons were kept informed by lower echelon commanders. This type of action meant that just one platoon of tanks would be "committed" in one day. In order to give the maximum amount of training to all platoons, the platoon in the leading position was changed daily. This gave each platoon at least one chance to be out in front and gain such knowledge and experience that they could in dealing with small armed parties, road-blocks, and local strong points. On some occassions it was necessary or desireable to employ more than one column. At such time the Battalion was able to make even greater advances in the course of a day and more troops could benefit from the exercises.
During the course of the exercises the weather had gotten very much more pleasant. During the first days in Tennessee it was cold and damp. Even a little snow fell. The tops of water containers would be frozen and it was jokingly stated that you had to break the ice off the top of the water in the mornings in order to shave. From this wet, muddy stage, the weather progressively got better, so that at the end of the maneuvers in late June it was very warm.
At the conclusion of the training exercises in the field, the Battalion bivouaced near Gordonsville, Tennessee, and prepared for movement to a new station. The vehicles and equipment were loaded on flat cars and once again the Battalion was on the move.
The trip farther north to Pine Camp, with its invigorating climate, was very welcome, as the days in Tennessee had become so warm that they were even oppressive and the flies in particular had multiplied. On 4 July the Battalion arrived at its new station and immediately embarked on an intensive training period. The high state of morale and training had to be maintained and the training further augmented by intensive work with weapons.
Shooting Gets Priority
After several weeks of dry practice, ranges were made available. Rifles were fired, at close range, and at long range. Pistol ranges were active. All machine gun firing courses were fired, and then fired again. Machine guns were fired from the ground, from half-tracks, and from tanks. Tanks connons were fired.
A uniform system was developed, stressing brevity and accuracy. Gunners learned to hit the targets with the first rounds. Gunners and tank commanders learned how to bracket a target. Creeping was forbidden. Rapidity of motion and accuracy of fire greatly increased. An anti- aircraft firing range was utilized. Gunners fired thousands of rounds a cal. 30 and .50 ammunition at tragets towed by an airplane. At first the bullets passed behind the towed targets but after more practice and observation the proper leads were taken, and the Battalion became proficient at firing at aircraft.
The vehicles had been exposed to very rough driving for months and it became necessary to have them in the best possible condition. A portion of each day was devoted to maintenance of the vehicles in the motor park. All vehicular equipment was cleaned, repaired and stored. The regimental maintenance company overhauled the vehicles as rapidly as possible. Each company repainted its own equipment. Tracks were changed. The rubber tracks, used in Tennessee, had worn out and were replaced with new steel tracks. The new steel tracks were very much heavier than the rubber tracks and some trouble was encountered, as track support rollers were not strong enough to hold them. Steering was more difficult. The noise increased two-fold. Cross country mobility was partially restricted but the steel tracks were servicable, which the old rubber tracks no longer were.
A program of physical conditioning was inaugurated. Daily physical conditioning in the form of calistenics became routine. Long marches around the reservation were frequent. Marches against time were made. The stadard was set at four miles in fifty minutes, marching in company formation, and with all personnel remaining in the formation.
Aircraft Recognition
During this period of intensive training, a small number of leaves and furloughs was granted. It was understood that these leaves and furloughs were to be considered the last before departing for overseas service. A fifteen-day furlough wasn't very long, especially if you lived a long way from the camp.
The War Department, in keeping close contact with modern trends in the use of armor, considered that the armored divisions were still too cumbersome. A new T/O for an armored division was approved and, on 21 September, once again the Battalion was reorganized. The 2nd Battalion of the 81st Armored Regiment was redesignated the 81st Tank Battalion. Lieutenant Colonel LeRoy H. Anderson, having been promoted just a few days before the reorganization, remained in command. The changes effected are listed in the table form below:
OLD DESIGNATION NEW DESIGNATION Hq. & Hq. Co., 2nd Bn., Hq. & Hq. Co., 81st Tank Bn. "D" Co. (Medium Tanks) "A" Co. "E" Co. (Medium Tanks) "B" Co. "F" Co. (Meduim Tanks) "C" Co. (Not formerly a part of the Battalion) "B" Co. (Light Tanks) "D" Co. Service Co. } (Part of Each) Service Co. Maintenance Co. } Medical Detachment (Part only) Medical Detachment
Nearing Training's End
Headquarters Company was selected to represent the Battalion in the physical fitness test. The most difficult phase of the test was the requirement of making a company march four miles in less than fifty minutes. The company very creditably completed the march in forty-seven minutes. The performance of the company for the series of these tests was very gratifying and all the tests were passed with flying colors.
The principal test, though, and the most important, was the training status of the actual tank platoons and individiual tank crews. The fine points of crew drill were practiced. Control and precision of movemment was perfected. Tank gunnery was at its highest level and the Battalion made a fine showing in the test. It was now time to test the Battalion as a whole. A small battalion problem was drawn up but, before the test could be made, orders were received by the Division to prepare to move to Indian Town Gap Military Reservation, in Pennsylvania.
Once again the vehicles were loaded on flat cars and on 11 December, the Battalion departed for its new station.
AT 1815 on the evening of 9 December 1943, the command left Pine Camp for Indiantown Gap Military Reservation, arriving at the new station at 2000 on the 10th. The total distance traveled was 375 miles. The next few days were spent in getting situated at the new station and then the extensive training program was resumed.
Battalion, Company, and Platoon Tactics were stressed and much time was spent on the ranges. This period of training was climaxed on 10 January when the XIII Corps tested the Battalion in a Reinforced Tank Battalion Proficiency Test. In performing the operation the training the members of the command had received proved itself as well as it could short of combat.
Chapter III
Overseas
There the Battalion had the most hectic four days it had ever experienced. The personnel were examined and re-examined, inspected and re-inspected, and all equipment other than Government Issue was disposed of. Finally on 8 February 1944, the weary but "shaken down" members of the Battalion boarded a train and went to the New Jersey shore of the Hudson River.
While crossing the river in an old Pensylvania Railroad ferry to Pier 14 in Manhatten, a glimpse of the lower Hudson and of the skyline of New York City was caught. The ferry bumped softly against the end of the pier and the men, loaded with all their equipment, scrambled up and into the long dark shed. While standing in line, an old Army custom, waiting to be checked aboard, the unit met for the first time Red Cross girls serving coffee and doughnuts.
Destination Unknown
The crossing was relatively uneventful and quite smooth. Some of the men and officers were seasick, but after the first few days everyone settled down for the voyage. Aboard ship blackout was SOP. The food was apparently the standard British sea ration, and was prepared by ship's cooks, but it left much to be desired by the American palate.
Traveling in convoy, particularly along the erratic course of the northern wartime shipping lanes, required a much longer time than one would expect. After fifteen days of life on a ship, the approximately 6,000 troops on board were happy to debark when, at last, the Athlone Castle moved up the Mersey and was warped into the dock at Liverpool. At 1515 on the 25th of February, the gangplank was lowered, and the 81st Tank Battalion led the troops off the ship, along the dock to the railway station and, after again being served coffee and doughnuts by the Red Cross girls, entrained and traveled through the night to Ogborne St. Geoge.
Billets in England
After a good night's sleep on beds instead of ship's hammocks, it was much easier to set about organizing the new station. Ogborne St. George was a British installation, a sub-camp of Cheseldon Camp, and was located a few miles east of Swindon in Wiltshire. The buildings were primarily of brick and concrete construction, but several older buildings of wood frame construction had to be utilized to house everyone. There was a small theatre at the camp and Captain McPherson was able to arrange for nightly showings of the latest American movies.
February in the interior of England is not a lovely month and the unusually damp cold air caused many running noses. It was only a few days before the entire Battalion developed a case of the "ETO sniffles." The area itself was rather like a combination of American camps and the country was quite favorable for the use of tanks. The small villages throughout the area were promptly characterized as quaint but the city of Swindon was similar to any small city.
The principal task now was to draw vehicles and make them combat serviceable. The tanks, half-tracks, peeps, and trucks were issued early in March, and preparations made for their use. Through the remainder of March and the first half of April, a training program was instituted to maintain the high state of training, particularly the physical strengthening of the men's bodies, after several weeks of inactivity. New maps of the surrounding countryside were issued and the British system of map coordinates had to be learned. This proved to be a very simple and efficient system.
Preparing for the Invasion
Each company loaded what impediments it needed for housekeeping, along with some of its personnel, on trucks borrowed from Service Company and the movement started. As the trucks were unable to carry all of the personel, the remaining men rode a train to Truro, with the exception of a small detachment left at the camp. By the 16th of April CWO Isadore Napoliello and a few maintenance men from each company were the only members of the Battalion left at the Ogborne camp. They still had a very big job ahead of them to get the vehicles completely checked and serviceable.
In Cornwall it was to be the mission of the entire division, and many other troops, to set up small well camouflaged and dispersed camps to house the invasion troops just prior to their loading on vessels to cross the English Channel. Although it was a little warmer along the Cornish coast, the weather was still chilly. Pyramidal tents had been set up before the arrival of the tankers, but they had to be repitched. The tents were pitched along hedgerows, stone fences, and tree rows. Pierced planks had to be laid so that paths would not be worn in the fields to give evidence of occupancy. Slit trenches were dug for use in case of enemy air attacks. The earth that was removed had to be painted to match the rest of the scenery.
Colonel Anderson was placed in command of two "sausages" - a series of fourteen camps each, built along two main roads. Major McNamara commanded "C" sausage and Major Lord commanded "F". Each camp was built to accomodate about 200 transient troops in addition to the static personnel. Each company operated five of the camps, except "D" and Service companies. They each had four, as they had less men than the other companies. Food was prepared at each camp for the personnel within the camp. The tankers soon became very good cooks, as well as general housekeepers.
The days became warmer, so that life in the open became very pleasant. The housekeeping duties were fairly light with the camps empty. In the evenings passes were available to Truro and Redruth. The people of Chacewater opened their small clubroom so that the soldiers off duty in the evenings might have a place to go and get a "snack".
D-Day Arrives
When the radio announced 6 June 1944 as D-Day, the sausages were empty again, as they had been when the Battalion arrived. Within less than a week the camps were closed down and the Battalion, with a feeling of regret, moved overland by motor convoy to Tilshead in Wiltshire. By leaving Cornwall at 0400 on the 12th of June, the trip of 175 miles was made in one day. At 1550 the Battalion arrived at the West Downs camp at Tilshead. The few buildings that were available to the division were used by Division service troops, so that the artillery, infantry and tank battalions bivouaced in their shelter-halves in the field. A constant wind blew across the Salisbury Plains, where the Battalion camped, and at times it was most uncomfortable.
The maintenance detachment that had remained at Ogbourne St. George packed up their equipment and rejoined the Battalion. Several large tents were erected for the use of the Battalion maintenance platoon and the modifications on the vehicles continued. Every vehicle had extra racks for gasoline and water cans that had to be welded on, peeps needed machine gun mounts fastened, the tanks had to have their fenders removed, ration boxes were fastened on the half-tracks, radios were installed, tuned and tested. The equipment that had been waterproofed and packeaged had to be cleaned and properly stowed, and many other details attended to.
Ready for Combat
Through a system of rotation of battalions at the ranges, the 81st Battalion did not clear the Minehead area until 3 July. Back at the Tilshead camp, practice for combat continued. The men knew that they would be headed for France soon and were eager to be on their way. The Secretary of War, Mr. Henry D. Stimson, visited and addressed the Division on the evening of the 13th, and the knowledge that the Division would soon be on its way was confirmed.
Unit identification code words for use over the telephone and unit road signs were assigned. The 81st Tank Battalion was to be known as Voo Doo. This code word was used for the remainder of the stay in Europe, except on official documents and mail. The 15th A.I.B. was known as Von, C.C.B. as Votive and Division as Volvano.
General Oliver desired that his division should be composed of three fairly identical Combat Commands, and that each Combat Command be a complete self contained fighting force, each with its own artillery, infantry, tanks, and service personnel. The General also instituted a tactic called "married formation". In this formation the tanks and infantry would be integrated into a task force with a tanks crew and an infantry squad fighting side by side, each performing the function for which he had been trained.
A tactical exercise was planned, to be studied and then to be practiced in the field at the end of the month. Before the exercise could be held, however, the Division recieved its orders to proceed to the Dorchester Marshalling Area, and prepare for overseas shipment.
Embarkation
Loading proceeded very slowly and most of the afternoon was spent waiting in the assembly yards. As evening drew near, however, the vehicles were loading and by 1700 the Battalion was completely loaded on its ships. That night, the 24th of July, the voyage to the Continent started. The following day was spent on the decks of the ships, with no sight of land, until 2130 when the ships were 3 miles off Utah Beach, France. Landing operations were held of till daylight.
Chapter IV
Invasion
Peeps, trucks, half-tracks and tanks poured out of the ships, moved across the beaches littered with boats, vehicles, equipment and supplies, and onto the narrow, winding country roads of Normandy, France. Through this war-torn, battle scared area the Battalion drove; through St. Mere-Eglise, northwest on route N-13 through the destroyed towns of Montebourge and Valognes, southwest on route D-2 through the ruins of St. Saveur-le-Vicomte and bicouaced in the little hedge-bound fields just a few kilometers to the west of the village.
Scenes of Recent Fighting
From observations of other units which had been committed in combat, it was estimatd that the Battalion would see action against the enemy within the next four to six days. Therefore these few days were to be spent with the maximum emphasis on the final stages of training and preparation for combat. the tank-infantry teams that had been so hastily organized in England devoted considerable time to developing and practicing tactics to be used in routing the enemy from this hedgerow country.
The tanks were to lead the attack, with very close infantry support, spraying the hedges with machine gun fire and firing their tank cannons into the fence corners and other likely anti-tank or mortar positions. The infantry was then to move in and mop up the area, while the tanks secured the front and exposed flanks. It was believed that, using this plan of attack, the enemy would be either killed or forced to withdraw, with the least possible loss of friendly troops.
The Hedgerows of Normandy
A reconnaissance of the country revealed that nearly all of the fiels were surrounded with these hedges, which served the purposes of fences and were solid enough in most cases to stop a tank. In order to overcome these obstacles, hedgerow cutters, which the Ordnance fastened from German beach barricades, were fastened to the front of one tank of each platoon. The cutters were constructed to resemble large saw-teeth and proved to serve their purpose very well.
At this time very bitter fighting was in progress in the St. Lo area but, with the aid of large fleets of Allied bombers and fighter plaanes, the American troops were gradually forcing the collapse of the enemy defenses in this sector. The strategy called for an expoiting mission, led by armor, as soon as a break-through could be accomplished. The Third United States Army commanded by "Blood and Guts" Patton, which had until this time not become operational, was given the mission. Now that the Fifth Armored Division was on the European Continent, assigned to the Third Army and was ready and eager for a combat mission, it bacame the logical choice to do this exploiting job.
The Division was alerted on 1 August for movement on short notice, duffle bags and other unnecessary equipment and impediments were collected and stored under canvas in a field and guarded by members of the Division Band. Ten-in-one rations were issued for the first time and the company kitchens became non-operational. Fuel and ammunition trucks were double loaded, extra ammunition was stowed in the tanks, surplus personnel of the tank companies were put in a pool in Service Company and the Battalion was declared ready to take off on any mission that might be assigned.
Starting the Long March
The Allied forces had advanced so rapidly in the past few days that many German soldiers had not been captured, so the companies sent out patrols and soon began to bring in prisoners. The first German soldier to be taken prisoner by this Battalion came from the 177th Grenadier Regiment of the 91st Infantry Division. Other prisoners were taken from the 5th Parachute Division and the 243rd Infantry Division.
During the afternoon and evening of 5 August a section of the I & R Platoon of Headquarters Company was sent out to locate Service Company and guide it to the Battalion area. Late in the afternoon the section was ambushed by a small German outpost. Sergeant Schwartz, behind the machine gun on Lieutenant J.C. Bearden's peep, immediately opened fire and killed seven of the eight German soldiers. This was the first action on the part of the Battalion and one of the first of the Division. The recon section was then able to withdraw without suffering any casualties. Meanwhile, Service Company reached the bivouac area unaided.
That night the Luftwaffe bombed American positions several miles to the north of the Battalion area. It was a thrilling sight to watch the hostile planes drop their flares and see the long streams of tracer bullets fired at the planes, and then hear the sound of the bombs exploding as they hit the ground. A low flying plane strafed the road through the Battalion area and one round hit Corporal John K. Nunn of "C" Company, injuring him so that he had to be evacuated to the hospital. He was the first casualty of the Battalion.
Combat Commands
In order to make this Combat Command a more effective fighting force it was divided into two separate Task Forces, one under the command of the Tank Battalion Commander and the other under the command of the Infantry Battalion Commander. The Infantry Battalion gave two rifle companies to the Tank Battalion and the Tank Battalion gave one medium tank company to the Infantry Battalion. The components of each of the Task Forces, as they were to function throughout the combat operations, are shown in table form below.
Task Force Anderson Task Force Wintermute (Named for its C.O.) (Named for its C.O.) Hq. and Hq. Co., 81st Tank Bn. Hq. and Hq. Co., 15th A.I.Bn. "B" Co. 81st Tank Bn.} "A" Co. 81st Tank Bn.} "B" Co. 15th A.I.Bn. } "A" Co. 15th A.I. Bn.} married married "C" Co. 81st Tank Bn.} Service Co. 15th A.I.B. "C" Co. 15th A.I.Bn. } married Service Co. 81st Tank Bn."D" Company was retained under the direct control of Comat Command "B". The 105mm howitzer tanks were taken from the tank companies and attaached to the assault gun platoon in Headquarters Company to form a six-gun firing battery.
As can be seen from this table, TFA was about double the strength of TFW.
An infantry company and a tank company working in close support of each other were called "married companies". In this Combat Command it was the rule to have married formations whenever action was in the offing. Each tank had one squad, or a part of a squad, of infantry with it. Sometimes the infantrymen actually rode on the tanks, but more frequently traveled in their own half-tracks, a half-track following each tank. The infantry quite frequently had to dismount in order to clean out small pockets of enemy infantry and bazooka men that might have caused a serious problem to the tankers. The tankers and doughboys lived and worked together so that the smoothest of operating teams might be developed. This combination had been conceived by General Oliver but due to the short training time available in the United Kingdom was not properly tested in the field prior to combat operation.
On the Road to LeMans
"A" Company left its assembly area on 6 August with the initial mission of blocking the roads southwest of Laval, and TFA, with "B" Company leading, proceeded toward the same town with the mission of blocking the roads to the southeast. Both task forces were to move abreast on parallel routes, TFA on the left flank and TFW on the right flank, The road was such that both forces were required to use the same road on several occassions.
"A" Company, while driving through the town of Cosse-le-Vivian, received its first hostile fire. The platoon was leading, and halted the column. Lieutenant Robert Lant sent the second section of his platoon into the town, with the married infantry going in on foot. With the second section inside the town, the sounds of small arms fire could still be heard, so Lieutenant Lant brought in the remainder of the platoon. Since this was the first engagement for the platoon a great deal of ammunition was fired. At the beginning of the fight Pfc. Leroy Titsworth shot and killed the first of many German soldiers to be killed by "A" company.
The fight was soon over, with the German soldiers being either killed or forced into hiding. It was not possible to mop up the remnants of the enemy force, as the mission of cutting off Laval was not yet completed, but the remaining Germans were left disorganized and could easily be picked up by troops coming up behind. During the action the remainder of the Company by-passed the town and continued toward the east. The first platoon soon caught up with the Company, and when darkness fell the Task Force bivouaced for the night at Villers Charlemagne.
TFA advanced through the day without meeting any hostile troops, until late in the afternoon. Just as Lieutenant Leonard Keene, who was at the point for "B" Company approached a bridge across the Mayenne River, south of Laval, he saw two German cars driving along the road just ahead of him. His tank immediately opened fire and knocked out the cars. Close examination a litlle later showed that the vehicles were loaded with demolition to be used in blowing up the bridge that had just been crossed.
In a short time a group of French civilians gathered and were given the rifles, food and clothing that were found in the German cars. This soon became accepted policy in France. Most of the civilians were only too glad to join the FFI in hunting down scttered German soldiers and turning them over to the liberating forces. Then, too, they hadn't had any new shoes or clothing for several years, and were happy to get the Wehrmacht equipment.
When dusk came TFA bivouaced at an airport near Meslay-du-Maine. The third platoon of "B" Company spotted an enemy armored tank reconnaissance car at the crossroads on N-159 and N-23, and immediately took it under fire and destroyed it. While the Company road-blocks were still being put in place, a small enemy force tried to run through the positions going southeast from Laval.
Sergeant Krafka saw the force coming and got ready to shoot. He waited until he could clearly see the enemy vehicles by the light of the burning recon car, and the he ordered his gunner to open fire. Sergeant Minturn opened fire, too, and notified the rest of the Company that the hostile force was trying to get through. 1st Sergeant Wenberg organized the dismounted men and rounded up the German soldiers as they fled from their destroyed and burning vehicles.
One tank managed to slip by this platoon of Lieutenant John Jonasch's and ran down the road. Meanwhile, Lieutenant Robert McNab's first platoon further down the road was shooting up a motorcycle and a Volkswagen, which came from the opposite direction, when the German tank approached. The platoon took care of the fleeing tank, along with the motorcycle and Volkswagen.
When the shooting ended and the road-blocks reorganized, the Company commander, Captain Weldon W. Wilson, saw that none of his men had been hurt and that none of the Company's equipment had been lost. It was a different story for the Germans, though. They lost four Mark IV tanks, two Volkswagens, one motorcycle, had eleven men captured and more than twenty killed.
"D" Company also was kept busy during the day. A platoon of light tanks was attached to each task force, and the remaining platoon provided train defense for all of the CCB trains. The light tanks were used principally for "bird-dogging" down side roads that might be used as an enemy approach lane. Lieutenant Jacob Werner's third platoon had its first fight in Poille, while operating with TFW. The first tank went all of the way through the town without a shot being fired, but when the rest of the task force came up to the town the Germans cut loose. It was a fast battle and soon over. The tankers fired at all likely hostile positions in the town and, with their armored protection, easily dealt with the situation. At the end of the action Captain Kraft, who commanded the infantry in TFW, credited Sergeant Mario Rotti and his tank crew with killing twenty-seven Germans and blowing up a German ammunition truck.
The next morning, 7 August, found the tanks on the move again. It was another clear, warm day, after a starless night. The two task forces converged at Meslay-du-Maine and then "A" Company led the way southeast to Sable. There this mighty spearhead turned to the east and pushed on toward LeMans.
Welcome to "Liberators"
At the small town of Maigne a force of German fanatics armed with rifles and machine guns fired at the column from the doorways and windows of the buildings. The town was deserted by the civilians, most of whom were out in the fields or hidden in their cellars. Orders were radioed from colonel Cole to Captain William A. Boyson in the Battalion Command half-track to have the Battalion push on, assuming all reasonable losses. Lieutenant Colonel Anderson then gave his company commanders the order to run through the town with all guns firing.
Capt. Donal Hearl ordered his "A" Company tanks forward. As the column wound its way through the town the Germans started sniping, so the tanks, with their cannons and machine guns, and the half-tracks, with their machine guns and rifles, returned a very heavy volume of fire. In a few minutes the town was blazing furiously.
"A" Company passed through the town without loss and the remainder of the Battalion probed its way through the mounting debris, still firing into all likely hiding places. When an enemy machine gun was spotted in a church steeple, "C" Company's gunners immediately blew the steeple apart. At dusk, when Service Company entered the town, only smouldering ruins remained to indicate another French town touched by the finger of war. The task forces of CCB had completely destroyed it.
During the fight Private Al Sherbing, who kept a watchful eye on the radios in the Battalion Headquarters was wounded. The medical peep, while evacuating Sherbing, was hit by sniper fire and the driver killed, the first death of the Battalion. Although the peep displayed a large Red Cross flag, the sniper kept firing. Sherbing was hit again and died shortly thereafter.
Later in the night Lieutenant Benjamin Potts from "D" Company drove through Maigne in a peep. As he turned a corner in the town a German soldier fired at him from the doorway of a burned out house. Immediately another shot rang out across the street. The sniper's quick shot missed Lieutenant Potts, but the FFI soldier, who had fired from across the street, didn't miss the German. France's underground movement still maintained a careful watch. General Eisenhower in an announcement shortly before D Day had ordered the FFI to wear Tricolor brassards on the left arm and declared that the FFI was a military organization under his command. Many times in the drive across France the speed was maintained through the patriotic efforts of the FFI.
A short refueling stop was made two miles west of Noyen at 0300. Fuel trucks from Service Company made the rounds of all of the combat vehicles, dropping off the neccessary number of five-gallon gasoline cans. Vehicles were quickly refueled and checked. The empty cans were picked up by Service Company and at 0600 the march continued. On this day, the 8th of August, "C" Company took the lead, pushing on through La Suze and Arnage.
At Arnage CCA crossed in front of the column from CCB's right flank to the left flank, in order to cut off the approaches to Le Mans from the west and north. For three hours CCA went by. When the road was clear again, Lieutenant Colonel Anderson left his C.P. at Arnage and ordered "C" Company into Le Mans, while "B" company blocked the roads to the southeast. "A" Company, which had followed TFA, passed through "B" and "C" Companies and established roadblocks east of the city on highway N-157. At 1800 Lieutenant Howard Miller led his platoon of "C" Company tankers up N-23 into the city.
At the Gnome-Rhone aircraft factory and airfield located at the southern edge of this important rail termanal city, a few Germans tried to hold off the column, but Lieutenant Paul Dreisbach's mortar men knew how to deal with them. Huge bomb craters provided covered firing positions for the enemy. Infantry would not have a chance if it tried to dig out the Germans, and the big craters made it too difficult to try to use the tanks. This was the time to use the mortars from Headquarters Company. A heavy barrage was laid down using a mixture of WP and Heavy HE ammo. When the Germans tried to run the tankers machine gunned them and the infantry picked them off with their rifles.
Thirty minutes after the fight started the column was on the move again. By 2000 the city had been liberated. The 79th Infantry Division mopped up the city, but the southern suburbs yielded about 200 PW's to "C" Company. By midnight Service Company had evacuated the prisoners to the rear. All of the roadblocks were well established. At noon the following day, after a quiet but very dark night, the task forces assembled east of the city and prepared to continue the drive to Paris.
Chapter V
Pocketing the German 7th Army
At 2200 Lieutenant Colonel Anderson gathered his staff and company commanders in the blacked-out dining room of a French home and issued his orders. CCB was in division reserve and would drive north on a separate route. By midnight everything was set and the head of the column moved out. Progress was slow. The darkness made it difficult to even see the road, and following the correct route was a slow tedious task. By daybreak only a few miles had been traveled.
Artillery Unit Smashed
A few quick rounds from Corporal Louis Cannata's tank gun quieted the German gun. Lieutenant Miller's third platoon then moved out and overran the German column, killing fifty men of the Wehrmacht, and destoying nine horses, seven 105mm howitzers, two caisons, one motorcycle half-track, and one truck. Lieutenant Victor Anderson led his first platoon around to the right of the third platoon, and caught the remainder of the German artillery battalion on another road. First his platoon hit the front of the column, then the rear, and then the middle. After that it was just a matter of time before every bit of German equipment was smashed.
Colonel Escapes Capture
Lieutenant Colonel Wintermut and his S-3, Major Hurley, did not fare so well. In response to the urgent call they took off in a peep, but a German tank saw them driving down the road and fired at them. Both the officers were wounded and the peep destoyed. The German tankers stopped and gave first aid to the officers, and left them at a French farm house to be picked up by the advancing American forces.
The column continued on its way north, and as "B" Company came up to the scene of "C" Company's action, two German Mark IV tanks came into view. The first tank was duck soup for Lieutenant Jonasch. A few rounds from his .75 and the Germans deserted their tank. The second German tank, having heard the sound of firing was a little more wary. It fired at Lieutenant Jonasch, but did no damage. A few more quick rounds soon put this second tank out of commission.
At the outskirts of Bonnetable the Combat Command reassembled and everyone took this opportunity to get a bite to eat, and quickly check over the vehicles. A German truck with a big white flag drove up to one of "B" Company's road-blocks and surrendered with seven men. Other German soldiers were rounded up and sent to the division PW cage.
Sabotaging the Enemy
As the 11th of August dawned, a three-ton German truck was seen trying to travel along the same road as the task force, but in an opposite direction. Word was radioed down the column and an alert soldier threw a hand grenade through the windshield, killing the driver and stopping the truck. The column kept up the march and headed for Le Mesle.
At one "Y" road junction a peep of the I&R platoon stopped to direct the column to take the right fork. As the column went by a small German convoy came down the other branch of the "Y" and drove right up to PFC Jobe, who was standing in the road as a traffic guide. A German officer in the first car, a small sedan, stood up through the sunshine roof and threw his map case at Jobe. Jobe spun around, firing his rifle. Sergeant Romich, in the peep, brought his machine gun into action and shot up the first three sedans and a motorcycle. Then he fired at an armored half-track. Although the bullets just bounce off this vehicle, the Germans jumped out and ran away. Thirty minutes later, though, three FFI men carrying big clubs brought in eleven Germans that had escaped and turned them over to WO/JG Carl Schwab, who was inspecting the German battered equipment. In that attempt to escape from the closing trap the Germans lost one dead, three wounded and eleven others captured.
Just before reaching Le Mesle the column halted, giving the troops an opportunity to check the vehicles, eat and get washed up a bit, and then moved forward a little further to Vidai before stopping for the night. Early the next morning it continued on to Sees, where for the next three days CCB rested. part of the time at Sees was spent checking reports of civilians about the movements of German troops. Of all of the reports of German soldiers hiding around the countryside only one was found to be true, and six prisoner were taken. Later nineteen more were picked up by "C" Company road-block. The other two Combat Commands of the Division pushed onto Argantan, and the famous Argantan-Falaise gap was formed.
Strafed by Rockets
Although the Germans were pounded day and night while they tried to break out of the big pocket that had been created, some did manage to escape. In order to catch as many as possible on the south side of the Seine River, the Division again moved to the east, preparing another pocket. It was a non-stop march for ninety-five miles on back country roads paralleling N-24 to the junction of N-12, and then parallel to N-12 to stop just south of Dreux. It was a long, dusty trip. Faces burned from sun and dust, the latter containing an irritant that affected the skin.
The march was the first jump in a drive to the Seine. An infantry battle to liberate Dreux was launched, with the tankers waiting south of the city, prepared to lend fire support if it was needed. "D" Company's light tanks moved in with the infantry, providing marching machine gun and cannon fire, and secured the city while the infantry mopped up the rest of the enemy fighting in a cemetary just at the edge of the city. Dreux was liberated on the 16th of August by the 15th A.I.B. fighting as a battalion instead of the usual married formation.
Germans Driven from Seine
While striking north "B" Troop of the 85th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron (Mecz) worked on the right of the tanks, providing essential flank protection. Near Le Mesnel Simon they had over a hundred prisoners that they were not able to handle, so Colonel Anderson's tank was sent over to pick up the Germans and escort them to the PW enclosure. While the C.O.'s tank was thus engaged the head of the column spotted a small group of German vehicles driving toward the Seine River. Four small sedans and two trucks were all marked with Red Crosses and would have been permitted to pass if they had not fired at the column. The leading vehicles immediately shot them up, and captured five of the occupants -- SS soldiers, well armed with rifles and sub-machine guns.
The force continued on and bivouaced for the night at the outskirts of the little village of Champanard. The usual security measure were taken, and road-blocks were established. About 2300 that evening, the 18th of August, Lieutenant Coakly's road-block for "C" Company heard the sounds of a strange tank approaching from what would be the inside of the new big pocket. It was too dark for the approaching tank to be seen. Lieutenant Coakley jumped out of his tank and, standing in the middle of the roadway with a Verey pistol, fired flares in the air to give the block enough light to see what was coming.
Destroying Panthers
The German tank was destroyed, one of its crew was killed, two wounded, another taken prisoner, but the last one got away. None of the "C" Company men was hurt. When the scene was surveyed the next morning the only damage found on Lieutenant Coakley's Sherman was a jammed turret which had been hit by the gun barrel of the Panther tank, although the latter had pushed it back several feet and had burned right in front of it all night.
Later in the day five more tanks tried to get by the road-blocks of "B" Company. The Germans were feeling the pinch of the pocket they had been caught in. This time the enemy moved out in the open country with most of the firing at a range of over 1,500 yards. After the fighting had raged for an hour, all but one of the German tanks were beaten back into the pocket. This one, a Mark V had received a direct hit in the suspension system but had kept on going until put out of commission by a 75mm APC from Lieutenant McNab's platoon. As in the case of the Panther destroyed the night before, the shell had hit the gun mantle and ricocheted into the top of the tank. When the German tank was searched after the battle it was found to be from the 2nd SS Panzer Division. Three of the infantry men with the road-block were wounded by machine gun fire, the only loss in "B" Company.
Even the water point that was put out on the Seine River had its share of fighting. The equipment was hardly set up when a German tank came along the river road and drove the crew away. As soon as the tank left the water point was set up again, but was continually harried by German parties coming along the same road. In one of the fights the water crew was forced to retire and abandon their dismounted machine gun to the enemy. Tec 5 Pemberton was stopped on the way to where the water point had been by French civilians, who told him that the Germans were waiting for him around the curve of the road two hundred yards away. He turned about just in time. The Germans had tired of waiting and started shooting, but Pemberton managed to get away without even having any of the water cans punctured.
Alert for Marauders
On the morning of 22 August the force received orders to move farther up the corridor between the two rivers and cut highways N-13 and N-181. CCB was on the right flank of this drive and CCA on the left. TFA took the right flank of the Combat Command with TFW the opposite. Since the right would be the exposed flank, "D" Company was given the mission of covering it along with "B" Troop of the 85th Rcn. Word was received from CCA that two German tanks had infiltrated the bivouac area the previous night and had destroyed three of the Sherman tanks. Colonel Anderson's troops were informed of this incident to encourage sleeplessness at night, lest the same or worse befall them. This policy of alertness, particularly at night, was continued through all of the combat days.
Just prior to reaching Chaufour, a German SS prisoner was taken who stated that there were 200 SS troops dug-in in front of TFA, with orders to hold off the American advance at any and all costs. By now this was a common report from prisoners. If it had been true in half the cases reported the task forces would never have reached Le Mans.
Near the small town of Villez-sous-Bailleul, a couple of miles from the small city of Vernon, the force stopped to install road-blocks on the first of the highways that had to be cut. While the remainder of the troops took this moment to cook a quick meal, seven German planes appeared in the sky but were not immediately recognized as hostile aircraft. Since airplanes were a very interesting subject, most of the troops were staring at the sky when the first plane, then the second, and then the rest in their turn peeled off and came in for a strafing run. Everyone ducked for cover under vehicles but, quickly recovering from their surprise at the unexpected attack, started firing machine guns and rifles at the enemy planes, driving them off after only a few bombs had been dropped. One of the planes was hit in a vital spot, crashing beyond the tail of the column. Fortunately only five men were hit in this attack and no equipment was destroyed.
Attacked from Hiding
The column promptly opened fire at all suspected targets. The assault guns fired into the general area where the German soldiers had been seen, and where the AT fire came from. It soon became obvious that enemny soldiers were hiding under the grain shocks in the next field and that there were two German tanks in a defiladed position, shelling the column. The artillery fire soon caused the Germans to withdraw and the hastily summoned air support caught the enemy tanks on the road and destroyed them by strafing.
Colonel Anderson ordered "C" Company to go through the fields and clean out the Germans. First the town of Villez-sous-baileul was destroyed by tank fire, then "C" Company went around the right of the town, firing cannons and machine guns at the wheat shocks. Tank commanders dropped grenades at the sides of their tanks into the enemy's fox-holes. The infantry with their mounted machine guns sprayed the wheat shocks under which the Germans had dug their holes, and off those that tried to run. One German soldier stood up with a pistol in his hand and tried to stop a Sherman. He fired at the tank as it kept rolling toward him and didn't move until it ran over him.
When TFA reassembled on the other side of the town night had fallen and Colonel Anderson decided to bivouac in a tight formation, after considering that there might be other enemy fanatics in the area. Going on might mean running into a serious ambush. It had been a bad day for the tankers. First Sergeant Wenberg of "B" Company was killed, as was S/Sgt. Cole of the same company and several other of the tanker's comrades. The Germans had suffered, too, as during the next two days French civilians counted more than 200 dead SS men under the grain shocks.
About 0200 six rockets fell in the area but otherwise the night was quiet and on the morning of 23 August the force moved forward again to complete its mission. The next road was cut, road- blocks were put out and for the rest of the day the forces rested as best they could in the rain that had started to fall. A section of the I&R platoon drove down to the Seine River to check a report of two German tanks in the area and got into a scrap with hostile troops defending a dam. An enemy mortar round made a direct hit on one of the peeps and destroyed it, but the section did not suffer any casualities. The German force was too large for the section to handle and after killing several of the enemy the section was forced to withdraw. The German tanks were not located.
Mission Completed
While the Battalion was in this area, only 30 miles from Paris, the city was liberated. Even though the men had not been in the action in liberating the capital of France, there was a possibility that CCB would parade through the city and plans were made for this welcome detail. Instead of parading, however, orders were received to proceed to Paris and then without delay strike out for the Belgian border near Conde. These new orders involved a change in assignment from the Third Army to the First Army. In mid-morning on 30 August the tanks rolled forward again under the command of the First Army on the next step in the liberation of France.
Chapter VI
On to Germany
Word had been received from reconnaissance aircraft that a small flak gun was located near the Chantilly race track. Just as Captain Wilson's leading tanks approached the race track, they caught the self-propelled AA gun moving out. A few quick bursts with the tank machine guns destroyed the SP, 4-gun 20mm AAA, plus a small ammo truck and a staff car. Three Germans were killed but the rest got away.
Over sixty miles had been covered during the day and, as a light drizzle fell, the vehicles pulled into the race track and bivouaced. After a dark, damp night, the tanks moved forward toward Creil, the following morning. Lieutenant Miller, leading TFA, was fired upon by a 20mm gun near the large airport at the edge of Creil. His tank soon dealt with the German gun and then a small German tank.
Seeking a Crossing
When daylight approached the next morning, 1 September, the tankers heard a loud explosion from inside the city of Compeigne and even though they were able to push on past the German 88, they knew that it was too late now, The bridge here had been destroyed, too. Troops from the 28th Infantry Division had tried to capture the bridge under cover of darkness, but just as they neared the bridge the Germans blew it. That morning Sergeant Lewis went over to see the effectiveness of his markmanship of the previous night, and looked among the papers that the motocyclist had carried. There in a dispatch case he found German orders to the troops at Compeigne -- directing that the bridge be left intact, and not to be destroyed under any circumstances. Sergeant Lewis' only comment was "C'est la guerre".
Bridgehead Secured
The advance continued but once again the bridges across the Somme River west of Ham were destroyed. A crossing was made over the one remaining bridge at Ham, then the race continued through Roisel. Air reconnaissance reported a large concentraion of tanks southwest of Cambrai and it looked as though there would be a battle in a few hours. The tactical air force took over this threat, though, and completely destroyed this tank concentration. Cambrai was by-passed thirty miles to the east through the town of Carnieres. "A" Company, driving on the right flank, caught a German hourse drawn artillery battalion from the road and completely destroyed it. Lieutenant Hitchcock had his hands full for a few minutes when bedlam broke loose. German soldiers tried to run instead of surrendering and his platoon kept picking them off. The march continued around the west of Valenciennes and, still on secondary roads, around the west of Conde to the Belgian border at Peruwelz.
Into Belgium
Having cleard a way to Belgium, the Division was then directed to drive to Givron, ninety miles away to the southeast. Service Company refueled the vehicles in the force and since the 95th F. A. was short of gasoline refueled them, too. It was going to be a long trip for the amount of gas on hand. Early in the morning of the 4th of September the tanks rolled on their way again, through Conde, Valenciennes, southeast to le-Cateau, then Guise, Vervins, to Givron, a small town near Chaumont. Some of the tanks fell out of the column a few miles before they reached the new bivouac area. There hadn't been enough gasoline to make the trip. Service Company located a gasoline dump 125 miles away and brought up more fuel, and once again the tanks were ready to roll.
After one night was spent at Givron, completing preparations, Combat Command "B" continued the drive toward Germany. The Meuse River was crossed near Sedan, a town of World War I fame, and as night fell the tankers bivouaced at Douzy, The march continued across the southeastern tip of Belgium, then across the Grand Dutchy of Luxembourg, to the German border. While CCA liberated the city of Luxembourg and escorted the Prince of Luxembourt to his home, CCB drove to the north of the city and at 1815 on 11 September, Lieutenant Hank Plass led his light tank platoon into Germany. The platoon drove several miles into the Seigfried Line, around the pill-boxes, and found them all empty. Then with a part of Troop "B" of the 85th Rcn, the platoon returned to the CP near Michelau, Luxembourg.
At the Seigried Line
After two days of harrassing the Germans there was a very noticeable force in the enemy line. The pill-boxes were no longer empty. At night the hostile soldiers would infiltrate into Luxembourg and terrorize some of the small towns near the border. At Stalzemburg the married "B" Companies had to dig out a company of infiltrating Germans. This was accomplished without loss to the force, while the Germans suffered about fifty dead and four captured. These were not very good troops, being from a Fortress Battalion and part limited service forces of the Wehrmacht.
On the evening of the 15th of September CCB was directed to enter Germany from Diekirch, through the German town of Wallendorf, and continue on to Bitburg behind CCR. CCR had run into trouble as they neared Bitburg, so the 81st tankers, after driving through the destroyed town of Wallendorf on 16 September, stopped at Hommerdingen for the night. As part of the defenses of the Siegfried Lined consisted of mobile troops capable of being moved to the scene of a threat in a hurry, it was not long before the Wehrmacht troops started to infiltrate. Artillery fire fell lightly in the area. The next morning TFA Headqaurters and Headquarters Company, moved to the side of Hill 375 between Neidersgegen and Ammeldingen.
From this point it was possible to see the towns of Neidersgegen, Hommerdingen, Crutchen, and Biesdorf. "C" Company worked over the area to the northwest of Hommerdingen, with the assault gun platoon giving fire support. The first and second platoons of "B" Company stayed at Hommerdingen to protect the rear of CCR and the supporing artillery battalions. Lieutenant Keene's third platoon drove to the east of Wallendorf and started to destroy the pill-boxes that had been captured. During the afternoon five pill-boxes were destroyed and the platoon bivouaced for the night near Wallendorf.
New "Secret Weapon"
The assault gun platoon, as well as the mortar platoon, continued to lend fire support to "C" Company and the attached tank destroyer platoon. By 1700 forty prosoners were taken but the operation had to be halted as the air became very foggy, and visibility was cut down. "D" Company returned from its mission of clearing the small woods southeast of Huttingen, where they destroyed three machine guns and captured a prisoner. TFA settled down for the night on the edge of this hill, except for "B" Company, which stayed out where they had been fighting during the day.
Destroying Pill-Boxes
TFW, which had initially held Neidersgegen, moved northward about two kilometers toward Huttingen. German soldiers kept infiltrating through the woods and there was an almost constant sound of small arms firing. About 1500 in the afternoon a bit of artillery fire fell in the area occupied by the headquarters but did no damage. One platoon of "D" Company was sent down to guard the Wallendorf bridge, as it was the only route into Germany for running supplies. another platoon stayed with Service company to protect it from any infiltrating Germans. The last platoon was retained by CCB Headquarters for headquarters protection. When night came "A" Company remained out near Huttingen, "B" Company remained at Biesdorf and the rest of the force reassembled on the side of Hill 375.
The task of destoying pill-boxes continued next morning. "C" Company went out to the northwest again but found that the Germans had infiltrated and were now hiding around the destoyed fortifications. The enemy had brought up a few tanks and forced "C" Company to discontinue its task. Artillery fell in the old bivouac area and became more intense. Several vehicles were hit and destroyed. The Battalion was forced to look for another area.
The S-3, Major Francis A. McNamara, sent one platoon of "B" Company, 628th TD, back into Luxembourg to face into Germany and cover the approach lane from the north of Hill 375, being sure of a good field of fire across the Our River. "A" Company, withdrawing back to Neidersgegen, had found the town occupied by German soldiers. One TD was driven up on top of Hill 375 and poured direct fire into the town of Niedersgegen, giving support to TFW. Lieutenant Jack Dennis set up his forward observer's post on top of the same hill and turned his platoon's guns on infantry and a German artillery battery that was observed in action.
Headquarters Moved
This new position gave a commanding view of the area all around the hill and out toward the German forces to the east in particular. The mortars were able to give fire support in any direction at a moment's notice. A platoon of infantry from the married "C" Companies established a road-block at Ammeldingen. Another platoon of the same companies outposted the new bivouac area, while the third continued to assault fortifications. "A" Company, with orders to keep Neidersgegen clear, fought a determined enemy that apparently had the same orders. The battle raged intermittently for the remainder of the day. "B" Company fought to clear Biesdorf again and were counter-attacked after a platoon had cleared the town, losing three tanks. Captain Wilson having been wounded and evacuated, Lieutenant Jonasch assembled the company at a new area just southeast of Neidersgegen.
CCR had repulsed several strong counter-attacks and were constantly under heavy artillery fire. The enemy kept pushing more and more men and materiel into the battle, although he was sustaining unreasonable losses. Even though the enemy was not making any progress, CCR was taking a terrifc pounding, so they were ordered to recross the Our River back into Luxembourg under the cover of darkness on the night of 19 September. For the move out, TFW and "B" Company were to cover the route of march so that CCR would be able to leave the area without suffering from a flank attack. The withdrawal to Luxembourg was completed successfully and after CCR had cleared both "A" and "B" Companies re-assembled southwest of Neidersgegen. Artillery fire had lifted for about a half an hour late in the afternoon, when several P-47 planes were in the area giving direct support to CCR, but as soon as the planes left the artillery fire resumed and continued to pour into the area all night.
Enemy Fire Increases
Neidersgegen was lost to the enemy and when "B" Company tried to recapture the town they were thrown back with the loss of two tanks. On this day there were approximately seven battalions of artillery shelling TFA and the Wallendorf bridge. Even though the surrounding terrain was under continual observation and many of the enemy positions were spotted and taken under counter-battery fire, the Germans had enough artillery fire to still keep up their intense fire into the area. In order to preserve the unarmored vehicles, Service Company was sent back to Luxembourg early in the morning. they bivouaced west of Mostroff. "C" Company's road-block at Ammeldingen was surrounded by enemy troops, and a section of "B" Company's tanks ran down to the town to relieve it. After over forty Germans had been killed by the tankers, the block was reorganized to hold the town. A medical soldier, PFC Fink, driving to Ammeldingen to pick up a wounded man was captured by German soldiers before he had gone three hundred yards. His captors forced him to pick up their own casualties and them turned him loose to bring the wounded Germans back to the Task Force aid station.
Gradually the ring around the hill became tighter. "A" Company cleared the road to Luxembourg and then came back into Germany, taking up a position near the outskirts of Wallendorf to prevent any attack on the bridge. It was necessary to be on the alert continually to keep the Germans from walking right into the bivouac area.
Pounded by Artillery
"D" Company, which kept watch on the southeastern edge of the area, received its share of the artillery pounding. Several times each day the company would sally forth and clear up the thousand yards of open country to its front, digging the Germans out of the destroyed pill-boxes that they had started to use for shelter.
Finally night fell and the entire TFA assembled in its little saucer-shaped holow on Hill 375 in a tight formation, prepared to spend another night under the constant pounding of the enemy. The artillery fire lifted slightly, but a heavy fog rolled in, making it impossible to see anything. During the night a German platoon managed to infiltrate through a battalion of infantry from the 28th Infantry Division and blew up the bridge at Wallendorf.
Service Company, which was forced to use half-tracks borrowed from the married infantry companies to haul in ammunition, fuel and rations, carried this supply function under the cover of darkness. It was not possible to evacuate casualties until the situation at Wallendorf was cleared, so the wounded remained at the Combat Command collecting point at the western base of Hill 375, near Hosdorf.
Here They Come
As the day grew older the hostile artillery fire grew in intensity. The fire was being felt. Headqaurters company lost seven men killed and ten more wounded. "D" Company continued to make short sallies forward to keep the Germans from getting close and destroyed four machine guns and captured twenty prisones. They, too, were receiving heavy fire at the CCB CP, and the men continued to be killed and wounded. TFA, in its tight defensive postion, drove off repeated and determined enemy attacks. At last the Germans brought up fifteen tanks, preparing to launch another attack from Neidersgegen.
Morale continued at its high level, although everyone wanted to move. The force felt that it could still press the attack forward if ordered to do so, but a move in any direction would be welcome in order to escape from the heavy artillery fire. By now the Germans had moved an Air Force infantry division into Biesdorf, along with elements of five other divisions, a regiment of medium field artillery and five battalions of assorted artillery. A tank brigade had been badly beaten by CCR but the remnants were still thrown into the fight to hurl the Americans from the German soil.
The weather gradually got better and by mid-afternoon of this 21st day of September the P-38s and P-47s were able to fly. The pilots reported more targets than they could possibly handle but they went to work strafing infantry and artillery positions in woods, pounding the German CP at Biesdorf and hitting the railroad that was bringing in more men and guns. An urgent call to the planes put them on the hostile tanks that had just started the attack from Neidersgegen. Before the Germans could close in, the fighter pilots were able to completely destroy one of the tanks and disable the other fourteen, so that the attack was broken just as it started.
As the afternoon passed the planes had to return to their bases and the German artillery again opened up on the Battalion area. "B" Company killed a German forward observer from one of the batteries on top of Hill 375 and captured his maps. From a quick look at the German's map it was possible to find the locations of several of the German batteries. They were immediately given the attention by the 71st FA. Once more the Germans closed in but hastily called artillery fire again stopped the attack--only fifty yards in front of task force positions.
Withdrawal into Luxembourg
At last the time came. "B" Company led the way and the usual formation followed, with the Task Force commander, Colonel anderson, in his tank, the last vehicle to leave. As the column wound its way toward the border the Germans fired several green signal flares. A captured document had stated that green was to be the German signal for another attack, but in this case the Germans did not attack.
The engineer vehicles in CCB had been spread out through the column in order that they might have the protection of the tanks. As the first large bridge truck reached the river at Wallendorf, and started across, it got stuck in a hole. The ford was effectively blocked and the large truck had to be worked out. "B" Company had gotten over all right, but for an hour the rest of the column was lined up on the road waiting to move out.
Fortunately the Germans did not continue to shell the area to any extent. A lone 88 was set up by the Germans on the top of the hill overlooking the ford at Wallendorf but its fire was not very accurate, as was true of most night firing. This also was a very dark night. One round did hit one of the mortar platoon half-tracks and the vehicle had to be abandoned. An artillery shell landed near one of "B" Company's peeps, flattening the tires. After the crew had loaded their equipment into another vehicle, a tank ran over the peep so the Germans could not get it in servicable condition.
Finally the column moved forward again, crossed into Luxembourg with a sigh of relief, and then drove to the new assembly area at Stegen, ten kilometers inside the border. "A" Company received its instructions to leave Germany at 0230 on the 22nd and shortly thereafter drove down the Wallendorf hill, crossed the ford and, after picking up the last remaining American troops, headed for Stegen.
Chapter VII
A War of Attrition
Outpost on the Border
Several eays earlier, while still inside Germany, the tankers had several opportuinites to accept the surrender of platoon-size German units, except that they were not able to give instructions to the Germans in how to surrender. On at least two occassions when the German troops tried to surrender they were fired upon by their own men. Then, too, they would try to walk in carrying their guns and not have a white flag. Instead of being taken prisoner they would be fired upon by the tankers and would then run into the woods. In order to take advantage of the occasions when the Germans wanted to surrender, a public address system was requested. Unfortunately the system didn't arrive until the night the tankers left "the hill". The Psychological Warfare team that brought the system were ready to go to work but now there was no longer a need for it.
The headquarters of the division wanted the P.A. system used anyway, so Captain Charles DeBevoise took the trailer-load of equipment to the outpost line and set it up between a couple of posts. Captain Ralph Power fired six big propaganda shells into Germany and then the psychological warfare team followed up with a nice little talk on why and how to surrender. This would have got results if the Germans were surrounded, and under heavy fire, but in the present situation they had no desire to surrender.
There was no doubt that the Germans heard the broadcast, as the equipment had a range of two miles. Moreover, the Germans answered it by immediately firing their artillery in the direction of the P.A. system. The psychological warfare team finished their talk, loaded up the equipment and moved out. Artillery fire continued to fall in that area for the rest of the day. (No members of the Wehrmacht surrendered in response to this call).
The month of October was an inactive one for the tankers. On the second day the 8th Infantry Division moved up after having cleaned up the Brittany peninsular and took over the repsonsibility of gaurding the border. CCB assembled its troops on 4 October, near Beringen in Luxembourg, and prepared for a long move to the north. All of the vehicle markings were obliterated, while a security organization painted CCB markings on their vehicles and ran them around in the open. They also used the CCB radio frequencies and call signs to maintain radio traffic. Early on the morning of the 6th the tanks and infantry slipped away and made a fast orderly march of seventy miles to Faymonville, Belgium.
For nine days the maintenance sections were kept busy. Sommerfeldt matting was welded on some of the tanks. This matting was nothing more than heavy chicken-wire but it was very convenient in helping to camouflage the tanks. Branches could be fastened on the matting and if the tanks moved the branches would stay in place. This was thought to be particularly desirable in wooded and semi- open country. Meahwhile, a large tent was put up and it was possible to have movies in the field. This was a very welcome diversion from the day's work of preparing the vehicles for further combat.
Mud and Snow
For almost two weeks the 81st stayed in the same mud and the wather was very noticeably cooler. Then on the 27th movement was ordered again, back to the vicinity of Faymonville. Although the area in Faymonville was partly wooded. It too was very soft, and again the tankers had great difficulty in getting the vehicles into the woods and comouflaged. In a few days snow fell. This was not the first time the troops had lived in shelter-halves in cold weather and everyone soon settled down to the cold and snow. For the rest of the month the Battalion remained near Faymonville.
Since the 2nd of the month there had been radio silence. On the 1st of November the radio silence was lifted and the Battalion moved north again on its way to accomplish a new mission. CCR was to be relieved from its positions at Kalterherberg and the 81st Tank Battalion would take over the positions vacated by the 10th Tank Battalion. The initial change-over was to be accomplished so that there would be no noticeable change of units. The Battalion was to take over the same places and installations that the 10th vacated.
The particular mission was to hold a portion of the front inside Germany and fire the tank cannons, using indirect fire under the technical supervision of the 400th F.A., into hostile positions. For this mission the infantry and tankers were divorced. The 15th A.I.B. took over the front line positions, forming the American front in this sector. The front had been heavily mined and booby-trapped, by both sides, and would be very hard to penetreate without detonating some of the mines and warning the outposts. The mortar platoon was attached to the 15th for close-in support and set up their mortars in dismounted positions in Hoffen, with orders to shoot only in case of emergency. The assault gun platoon set up their position at the edge fo Kalterherberg but, unlike the mortar platoon, fired inderdiction fire every few hours, day and night.
Holding Mission
The holding mission settled down to routine work. On the afternoon of November 5th "B" Company took over "A" Company's positions, and the "B" Company maintained the indirect firing for the following two days. This system of rotation of the firing companies continued until early on the morning of 11 November, when the positions were turned over to the 99th Infantry Division, and once again the tankers pulled out of the bivouac area, heading for greener pastures.
The weather had taken a cold turn during the past few days and, although the ground was not frozen very hard, a heavy snowfall made it