Vol. 33, No.2 70th Infantry Division Association November 1976

Germans From Sixth Mountain Division Attend Our Reunion

We And They Offer A Toast To Peace Jim Lassiter (left) and Virgil Bensman (right} raise mugs in a toast of peace with three German visitors: Kurt Schellenberg, Erich Meyer, and Wilhelm Gottenstroeter. Visit of the three veterans of the Sixth Mountain Division from World War II was a highlight of the 8th reunion of the 70th Infantry Division Association in Toledo in August.

A total of 161 persons, most of them veterans of the 70th Infantry Division in World War II, attended the 1976 Reunion of the 70th Association in Toledo, Ohio August 5 thru 8.

This eighth Association get·together was different than the other seven because it was attended by three veterans of the German Sixth Mountain Division which

faced us more than 30 years ago. And one of the three was a soldier who had mac­chine-gunned and thought he had killed one of the 70th Infantry's officers ... who also was present for the reunion!

"It was a spooky feeling," said Robert Davenport of Vienna, Va., now a retired colonel, concerning his face-to-face "re­union" with Erich Meyer. The Toledo

newspaper said that when "the two former enemies met for the first time, they shook hands, and clasped each other's shoulders. Then they raised their glasses in a toast to peace among nations."

Meyer, and his two fellow German vets, got to know about Davenport's survival following the machine gunning quite by

ConUnu•d on/

is published four times a year by the 70th Infantry Division Association, for members and friends of the Association.

Vol. 33- No.2 NOVEMBER 1976

Association officers:

President Orville F. Ellis 9255 Birch Tree Lane St. Louis, MO 63126

Vice President- East Fred J. Cassidy 17 813 Vinyard Lane Derwood, MD 20855

Vice President- West CharleSL~n----~---

6071 Hawkins Road St. Louis, MO 63129

Secretary-Treasurer Merritt Dick 2801 Osborn Road Topeka, Kansas 66614

Assistant Sect.-Treas. Karl S. Landstrom 510 N. Edison St. Arlington, VA 22203

Chaplain Alex C. Johnson 142 N. Olive St. Hoffman Estates, IL 60172

Historian Dr. Eugene J. Petersen 3325 Kensington Circle Napa, CA 94558

Editor: Frank J. Moran, Jr. 2447 Jefferson Blvd. Hagerstown, Md. 21740 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

"Reader Update" To assist us in getting the paper to you

as soon as possible, after it comes off the press, would you please send us: your name and wife's name, full address and zip code, Company Batallion or Regiment, Decora­tions or other information and mail to: Frank J. Moran, Jr., 2447 Jefferson Blvd., Hagerstown, Md. 21740.

NEW PRESIDENT OF OUR ASSOCIATION

Dear Members:

Orville F. Ellis St. Louis, Missouri

Ex- 276th Regiment

My sincere thanks and appreciation to those attending our Toledo Reunion, in that, your participation and assistance lent much to make my designation as Reunion Chairman a rather easy task. Too, my thanks to all for expressing your confidence by electing me your Association President for the ensuing two years.

I believe we can properly record that the Toledo Reunion was the largest in attendance and one of the better reunions to date. Certainly the participation of our German guests, representing the German 6th SS Mountain Division, added a real reunion flavor. Without any fear of contradiction, it can be said, our beautiful Sunday Memorial Service was the high point of the Reunion.

In the way of information, your officers have begun to take actions on some of the resolutions passed and suggestions presented at our reunion business meetings.

On behalf of the new officers and the entire membership, we extend to the retiring officers our hearty thanks for their untiring efforts in behalf of our Association.

Many hours of unceasing, behind the scenes time and work, was expended in operat­ing, organizing and furthering the Association over the past two years.

We solicit the continuing activity and participation in Association affairs by Messrs. Van Fredenberg, Cheves, Utterback and Hummer.

In closing, I, too, want it to be known how nice it was to have so many make compli­mentary comments about the reunion. These comments were very much appreciated and made whatever small efforts expended, all so rewarding.

Orville Ellis

CHAPLAIN'S CORNER At the August reunion at Toledo, the staff of new Association officers-was duly ected

and confirmed by D. Van Fredenberg, outgoing President, and Orville Ellis, our new Chief for the ensuing two years. Among other changes of staff, we reluctantly accepted the resignation of Jim Kyle, our longtime Chaplain, but were fortunate in appointing as his successor Mr. Alex Johnson.

As your Editor, I have failed to include a message from the Chaplain in my two pub­lished issues to date. Let us correct that omission without further ado. Most of you who attended at Toledo probably met Mr. Johnson. If you didn't, we will try to include his picture in a future edition - for present and future recognition.

And now- HEEEEEEER's ALEX!

"I would like to thank the officers of the 70th Division Association for their faith in appointing me to carry out the duties of Chaplain. It is my prayer that I will be able to serve as faithfully as Jim Kyle has done for so many years.

"As a reflection for our recent Reunion, I would like to feel that all of those present could see the wonderful guidance of a Supreme Being in allowing us to meet our former enemies in fellowship of sharing common hardships in our past conflict."

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'~Your friend & new Chaplain Al Johnson"

I A word (or two) from the Editor I A question from the Editor -

Who was the member from the Louis­ville, Ky. area who, on Sunday August 8, after the concluding ceremonies of the Reunion, was observed with the hood of his Ford up, unable to get started on the way home;

I had to crank him up with jumper cables. I've been wondering ever since, "did he make it?" Let's hear from you. Who was that?

Pay particular attention to the letter from Orville Ellis, on the topic of next year's Reunion of our former adversaries (SIXTH MOUNTAIN DIVISION). We have no firm information on this to date. Your Editor will put the heat on your Vice-Presidents, to keep you advised.

It was a real emotional charge, to meet our German guests at Toledo . .. (note letter from Herr Gottenstroter).

Several of those at Toledo are definite­ly interested in participating in a proposed return visit, of a 70th Delegation, to Deutschland!

For those of you who could not attend in August , you missed a unique experience. Don' t let it happen again! You never tasted barbequed chicken better than we had at one of the association dinners.

Dear Frank: Following is a listing of persons express­

ing interest in the German Sixth Mountain Division Reunion. I believe the timing to be September 1977.

Everett Austin 1809 Cole Street Birmingham, Mich. 48008

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GET A NEW MEMBER IN 1976 70TH DIVISION ASSOCIATION

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1 I f Milllto 1 70th Dl~won Auoctauon

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Steve Liptaic 1578 Larchmont N.E. Warren, Ohio 44483

Ted Heck 10 Haddon Place Ft. Washington,Pa. 19034

R. C. Seibert 2116 Eastview Ave. Louisville, Ky. 40205

Bob Longfield 8 Valley Ave., N.W. Grand Rapids, Mich. 49504

Dr. Wm. A. White 370th Med. Bn.

Edward A. Cloonan 100 Harland Road Waltham, Mass. 02154

Paul W. Parsons P. 0. Box 147 (16868) Pine Grove Mills, Pa.

Walter Poffenberger 123 W. Market Street Mt. Carroll, Ill. 61053

Clifford H. Reimer R. R. No.1 Schleswig, Iowa 51461

Edw. Kerwin 370th Med. Bn.

I would presume this list to be publish­ed in next Trailblazer, for the purpose of someone taking the lead to organize the group.

Sincerely yours,

Orville Ellis

TAPS John R. Kerwin Prairie Village, KS 370th Eng. Bn. Died Nov. 73- Advised July 76

Angelo A. Arcuir Johnstown, Pa. Died July 4, 1976 Former Vice President of the Association Ex-First Sgt., Co. M, 276th

George Spark Auburn, Wash. Died June 14,1975 Ex- C.O. of Service Co., 275th

Lee F. Mudd Died Sept. 7, 1971 Ex- I Co., 274th

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Letters, Notes, Etc. Mr. President, dear comrades;

It's my wish, and that of my comrades and our wives, to express our thanks and appreciation for the reception and friend­ship extended to us all at the 70th Divi­sion's recent reunion at Toledo, Ohio.

We all sincerely hope that this will be only the beginning of our fellowship . It was truly a great occurence in our lives. Please excuse my bad English - I am translating this with a dictionary.

Should any of your sons or grandsons come to Germany (in the army), please write and let me know! I would like to show them our fatherland, just as Mr. and Mrs. Jim Lassiter and others have shown us your beautiful country.

We came to Toledo to find comrades - and discovered many firm friends. When we meet again, I hop_e to be able to speak to you all in English - I am begin­ning to study the language now.

With best and hearty regards, Wilhelm Gottenstroter Oestrick-Winkel, W. Germany

EDITOR'S NOTE: The above letter was received Sept. 8.

I have paraphrased Wilhelm's construction from German to English, to be more readily understood. His knowledge of English is better than mine of German. Wilhelm was a 6th Mountain Div. radio operator - as was I in the 70th.

F.J.M.

Dear Sir: I have sent information and $5.00

check to Merrit Dick, Sec.-Treas. of 70th Division Association, and I look forward to receiving copies of Trailblazer.

In accordance to your "Reader Update" request, I am sending the information to you also.

Name: William H. Henderson (Major) Wife: Gladys T. Henderson Street Address: 3251 Hopkins Rd.,S. W.

Powder Springs, Ga. 30073

I was Regimental Chaplain of 274th- ' took 2nd Battalion Hold Bronze Star; eligible for Cluster; Certificate of Award for Meritorious Service to God and Country in World War II from General Commission on Army and Navy Chaplains. I am a Retired member of North Georgia's United Methodist Confer­ence; - now employed part time with Cobb County Bank here as Building Loan Inspector. I was closely associated with Col.

Cheves. Sincerely, WU/iamH. Hend/

SCENES FROM 70th's MEMORABLE 1976 Continued from Page 1 chance. James Lassiter of Woodbridge, Va. had gone to Europe to research the facts behind his older brother's being killed in action with the 70th Division at Wingen, France. His research led to a friendship with the three former German soldiers. When one of the three spoke at length of an American officer he had killed, Lassiter looked at Army records and was able to report that the critically wounded officer was alive ... 30 years later.

Frank Moran, editor of Trailblazer, reports that the atmosphere of the reunion with the former adversaries present was excellent, thanks to the passage of time. Another former member of the 70th, Russ Held, now a plumber in Oak Harbor, Ohio, said, "The way I look at it, we were drafted and so were they."

Wilhelm Gottenstrotter of Rudesheim­on-the-Rhine, one of the three Germans present, said "We were only doing our duty. Each man among us was doing for his Fatherland."

At memorial services at the conclusion of the 70th's reunion, the Germans pre­sented a wreath in memory of their former enemies who had died in action in Ger­many ... three decades earlier.

Many of the 70th's members brought their wives for the long weekend of reunion and everyone reported a great time ... perhaps the best reunion to date.

Publicity about the Reunion in the Toledo newspaper brought out six new association members living in Toledo ... men who did not know about the associa­tion until that time. They immediately signed up as association members.

Company G, 274th Regiment had the most attendees ... 12.

The youngest vet present was R. D. Kelly from Indiana. He was born in May of 1927.

The Reunion was held in the Toledo/ Perrysburg, Ohio Holi-day Inn.

New officers were elected, including Orville Ellis of St. Louis as president. For a full rundown of the new association leadership, turn to the listing on page 2 of this issue of The Trailblazer.

There is a movement afoot to put together a trip back to Germany next year, with members of the 70th attending a reunion of the Sixth Mountain Division. For beginning details, tum to page 3 and the Editor's Column.

Erich Meyer, German soldier, stands at left next to Robert Davenport, 70th Infantry officer whom Meyer machine gunned and left for dead in Germany 30 years ago.

Frank Moran wields pencil and paper during 70th Division reunion. At left is D. Van Fredenberg, outgoing president.

}~ ~

Jay Underwood, Fred Cassidy, Sisson, Bob Cheves, Robert Davenport.

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Nina and Merritt Dick with Gus Comuntzis.

REUNION AT TOLEDO

Color Guard from active 70th Training Division in Michigan came to Toledo and participated in memorial service on August 8th.

Orville Ellis, new president (left), and Bob Cheves, outgoing vice president.

German guests presented this floral piece during Memorial Serivce on August 8th.

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WERE YOU THERE? Mr. & Mrs. W. N. Bollinger . . Abilene, Tex. P. J. Schneblin . . . . . . .. High Ridge, Mo. John Mekshes . . . . . . Bettendorf, Iowa Mr. & Mrs. Orville Ellis . . . . . . St. Louis, Mo. Arthur Fortin . . . . . . . . . . . ... Gill, Mass. Mr. & Mrs. Merritt Dick . . . . . . Topeka, Kan. Mr. & Mrs. D. Van Fredenberg .. Seattle, Wash. Lloyd D. Cook . . . . . . . . . Denver, Colorado Mr. & Mrs. Marcel Baumgartner . . . .. LeMay, Mo. Mr. & Mrs. Paul W. Parsons . Pine Grove Mills, Pa. Mrs. & Mrs. Roy Keesee . . . . . . . . . . . . . Keystone, W.Va. Mrs. Anne Horn .. Lawton, Okla. Mr. & Mrs. James Kyle. . . .... Fenton, Mo. Mr. & Mrs. Neal Winfield . . . . . • . . Ponca City, Okla. Matthew Costeilo . . . . . . . . • . . . . East Chicago, IU. Mr. & Mrs. Eugene Hill . . . . . . .. Clarkesville, Ga. Mr. & Mrs. Richard Struthers . . . Poughkeepsie, N.Y. Mr. & Mrs. Elbert Feaster . . . . Oxford, Kan. Mr. & Mrs. M.G. Rawlings Toledo, Ohio John Skeen . Charleston, W.Va. James Kovarik . . . . . . . . . . Berwyn, Ill. Anthony . . . . . . . . . . . . Chicago, IU. Mr. & Mrs. Charles Cope . Ackermanville, Pa. Steve Liptak . . . . . . . . . . . Warren, Ohio Mr. & Mrs. Mike Peck . . Hendersonville, N.C. William R. Pierce . . . ... Chelsea, Mich. Mr. & Mrs. James House . . Vestral, N.Y. Jim & Steve Lassiter . . . . . . . . . . . Woodbridge, Va. Wilhelm Gottenstroeter & wife Hanni . Oestrich-Winkel, W. Germany Erich Meyer & wife Neily . . . . . Neuweid, W. Germany Kurt Scheilenberg . . . . . . . .... Freiburg, W. Germany Mrs. Minne Kuhnke . . . Baltimore, Md.

(Friend & interpreter of our German guests) Walter Poffenberger . . Mt. Carmel, IU. Mr. & Mrs. Jim Dunbar . . . Madison, Wise. Mr. & Mrs. George Fitler . . Philadelphia, Pa. Mr. & Mrs. Ed Cloonan . . . Waltham, Mass. Mr. & Mrs. Ernest LoPresti . Homer City, Pa. Mr. & Mrs. Alexander Vargo . . . • . • . . . . Detroit, Mich. Mr. & Mrs. Mark Everett . . . Conroe, Tex. Mr. & Mrs. Walter Limbacher . N. Canton, Ohio Mr. & Mrs. Stan Keck . . . . . . . Hannibal, Mo. Mr. & Mrs. Harold Kline . . Kannapolis, Kan. Mr. & Mrs. W. R. Cheves. . . . . .... Miami, Fla. Mr. & Mrs. Frank J. Moran, Jr. . Hagerstown, Md. Mr. & Mrs. A. E. Snedaker . . . . . . . . . UhrichsviUe, Ohio

_ ~r. & Mrs. Alex Johnson .... ..- lf.o W .. Hoffman Estates, Ill. I""" Mr. Neal C. Gibbs. Jr ... ft . ':f . ..... A/ ""'"'verland Park. Kan.

Mr. & Mrs. F. Berne Labar ....... W1';;l- · . E. Stroudsburg, Pa. Mr. 6. J<!rs. Wilbert Hahn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lake Mills, Wise. Mr. La Mar Pitton Gahanna, Ohio Mr. & Mrs. Fred Cassidy . . . Derwood, Md. Mr. & Mrs. Everett Austin . Birmingham, Mich. Mr. & Mrs. Charles Horton .. St. Louis, Mo. Mr. & Mrs. Karl Landstrom . . .. Arlington, Va. Mr. & Mrs. Lloyd Tangen . . Pine Island, Minn. Mr. & Mrs. Jay Underwood . . . Indiana, Pa. Mr. & Mrs. Alvin Thomas ...... Eureka, lil. Ed Mosher. . . Orange ViUage, Ohio Robert L. Sample . . .. Beardstown, Ill. Charles D. Eldridge . . . Warrensburg, Mo. John Bednar . . . . . . . . W. Mifflin, Pa. Mr. & Mrs. George Hummer . Topeka, Kan. Mr. & Mrs. Alvin Weigel . . . . . Pratt, Kan. Fred Dinkel . . . . Terre Haute, Ind. Bernard J. Morgan ...

1 /".t;!i W. Hartford, Conn.

R.D.Kelly . _, . z.:.,... . . Ft.Wayne,lnd. Walter P. Albright . . . . . . . W. Jefferson, Ohio Mr. & Mrs. Pete Oftedahl . JanesviUe, Minn. Edward H. Hamilton . Corsicana, Tex. A. G. Smith . . . . Toledo, Ohio Mr. & Mrs. R. Davenport . Vienna, Va. Edward J. Fischer . . . Salem, Oregon Alan P. Wood . . . . . Brigantine, N.J. Gerald K. Newton . . . Glens Fails, N.Y. Dean W. Sharritt Dayton, Ohio Virgil J. Bensman. Versailles, Ohio Mr. & Mrs. Fred Feurer Wyanet, Ill. Charles A. Stender . . . Toledo, Ohio Michael Tracz . . . . .. Harrisburg, Pa. Richard C. Seibert . . . .. Louisville, Ky. Mr. & Mrs. Gus Comuntzis . Morgantown, W.Va. Jake Ranson . . . . . . Grand Rapids, Mich. • Mr. & Mrs. Robert C. Longfield Grand Rapids, Mich. Mr. & Mrs. Leroy Rodgers. . . . . Rossiter, Pa. Dr. Ray Mienheartt . . Brazil, Ind. Frank G. HaU . . . . Pensacola, Fla. Mr. & Mrs. Charles Sanderson . . . Rockford, IU. RandaU Wright . . . . . Falmouth, Ky. Theodore G. Heck . . . ... Ft. Washington, Pa. Joseph Bucci . . . . . . . • . . • • . . Syracuse, N.Y. Willis Diece . . . . . . . . . • . . . • . . . Reedsburg, Wise. Kenneth Malmberg . . Rockford,lll. KendaU C. Dalton . . . Westbury, N.Y. John R. Stroupe, Jr. . . . . . Toledo, Ohio Charles B. Blackmar . . . . . St. Louis, Mo. Mr. & Mrs. Kenneth Flier! . . . • . . . . . . Kenmore, N.Y. Mr. & Mrs. James Preston . . . . . • • • . . .. Kanville, Ky. Mr. & Mrs. Eugene Sisson . . . . . Louisville, Ky. Mr. & Mrs. Walton L. Thibodeaux . . . Columbus, Ohio Milton Schachter . . . . . . . . St. Louis Mo. Harold Lovitsch . . . . . . . . . . . Broadview, IU. Walter Jahn . . . . . . . . Horsham, Pa. Harvey Weiler . . . . . . . . . . . . . Boyerstown, Pa. Mr. & Mrs. Ernest R. Polston .. ·..; """'\..; . '2. , ., .. Indianapolis, Ind. Mr. & Mrs. Eugene P. Regan .. ,_, . .).;iJ~) ... Shawnee, Kan. Fred H. Leisong . . . . . . . . . . .Birmingham, Mich. Ernest Werbeach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Painesville, Ohio

At the Hoerdt CP a couple of days before, Col. Pettee had announced that he would present a bottle of Bourbon to the first man in the Regiment to get a Kraut tank. It must have been on the..sec­ond of January when Sgt. Byerly (Anti­Tank Co.) arrived at the Niederbronn CP and claimed his prize. His 57 had stopped a light tank at the edge of Baerentl1al. A large German tank had come to the rescue, maneuvering in to position be tween the disabled tank and the Byerly gun. As it pushed the light tank toward cover, the big tank's 88 began slowly traversing around to bear on the 57's position. After bouncing one round harmlessly off the big tank's armor, Byerly's crew attempted to limber up the 57 and moved it to de­made. Too late. The tank gun put a shell through the whole length of the prime mover, wounding the driver, Corp. Zimon­ick, in the foot. Zimonick hobbled to cover exclaiming: "My poor truck! My poor truck!"

After dark on New Year's Day (how many of you fellows recall getting Christ­mas Dinner on New Year's Day - Ed.) Capt. Long, leading I Co. along a road out of Phillipsbourg, to the high ground to be secured by the Company, spotted an

Chapter Two ..... RECOLLECTIONS of PHILLIPS BOURG/ BAERENTHAL By Donald C. Pence

(Major, USA, Ret.)

m~ym~~~ninp~fun~fire down the length of the column. Long's casual "Off to the side of the road" order brought the effective dispersal of the column before the gun opened fire. The same night Long's jeep hit a mine, and Long, deafened by the blast himself, ran with his injured driver in his arms to the aid station. A couple of days later, a Kraut lieutenant was in a group of POWs brought to the regimental CP in Neider­bronn for interrogation. The prisoner des­cribed his observations of an American rifle platoon in action under fire. The platoon had been digging in on a hillside overlooking Phillipsbourg when hit by an artillery barrage. The German expressed respect for these troops, who had stuck to their position under heavy fire, com­pleted preparing them, and repelled a German Infantry attack when the barrage lifted. This must have been a platoon from one of the Third battalion rifle com­panies, 275th Reg't.

The first prisoners brought into the WRECKER CP were captured by Lt. Branford, leader of the I and R Platoon. Responding to the CO's and S-2's demand for prisoners, Branford had taken off in his jeep with one man, and these two

6

were back in a couple of hours with two disheveled Krauts sitting on the hood of Branford's jeep. After dismounting, one of the prisoners started off in the wrong direction only to be grabbed by the burly pro-footballer Branford, spun a­round, and shoved stumbling off in the proper course. Then at his interrogation a few minutes later, this chastened prisoner, unlike some of the POWs who followed him, did not hesitate to spill his guts. The S-2, Maj. Cahoon, strove mightily to bring some order to the confused picture of the enemy situation. Trying to compare notes , by double-talking with higher headquart­ers over the feeble-signaled field telephone, Cahoon could not make his correspondent understand that he wanted to refer to the "BITCHE" quadrangle of the tactical map. The normally soft-spoken, but at the time frustrated Cahoon burst out "Bitchee, Bitchee ... sonufa-Bitchee", and got his point across. About the same time, S-3 Major Dykes in a phone con­versation with the CP of the hard-pressed Third Battalion, blistered the wire with his rasping Alabama-drawled urgings that the Third do unprintable physical violence to the enemy.

On the third of January, the regimental

CP was moved back to the less-cramped quarters· in a hotel in the center of Neider­bronn. WRECKER's situation was not good. From the left flank, the Second Battalion sent back prisoners from the 6th SS Mountain Division. This was how WRECKER learned that the Trailblazers were up against a first-string Nazi division, fresh and just transferred from Scandinavia and committed to the NORDWIND offen­sive. The Second Battalion's left flank was in air, the nearest friendly troops (313th Infantry, 79th Div.) being several miles to the south. Enemy pressure on the Third Battalion defending Phillips­bourg was heavy; the Krauts were system­atically infiltrating around the battalion's positions defending the terrain features on the outskirts and attacking its support elements in the village. Col. Adams (Asst. Div. Cdr/45th Div, to which the 275th was attached) arrived at the regimental CP and, after reviewing the situation with Col. Pettee, directed that A and B com­panies (275th) be committed to move into the rugged terrain northeast of Phil­lipsbourg and secure positions covering the gap on the regiment's right and re­establishing contact near Dambach with !57th Inf/45th Division. Although he considered the plan too risky and said so, Pettee fmally ordered both companies out as directed, and they moved promptly. However, aggressive enemy inflltration around and behind their new positions soon made it extremely difficult to main­tain contact. Late the following day, con­tact with B Company was almost com­pletely lost. Subsequent efforts to reach B Co. on the ground were repelled, and only one small 4-man B Co. party was able to work its way back out. These four, the Company Mess and clerks, were all that remained.

Lt. Col. Willis, battalion commander, 1st Bn. 274th Infantry, reported to Col. Pettee in the predawn hours of Jan. 4th, 1945. His battalion had been attached to the 275th to help kick the Krauts out of Phillipsbourg and relieve the Third battal­ion there. The 1st Battalion 274th moved up along the Niederbronn-Phillipsbourg road and attaeked shortly after daybreak of the fourth. The main effort comprised a two-pronged attack, straddling Phillips­bourg, to take the high ground on three sides of the village. In addition, the 274th rifle squads were committed to support a tank attack into Phillipsbourg itself. This was to be coordinated with an assault by WRECKER troops still holding the south end of the village - parts of I, K, and C companies.

The 274th's main effort made steady progress, but with heavy casualties, against tough opposition and took its initial hill objectives during the course of the day. At the same time, although the tanks were

quickly neutralized by heavy artillery fire, the attack in the village moved from house to house and some small groups of doughboys penetrated into the north half of Phillipsbourg. However, these were ordered back to positions held at the be­ginning of the day, in order to facilitate the artillery preparation for and coordina­tion of the attack's continuation planned for the fifth.

Since New Year's Day, WRECKER regimental exec Malloy had been spending a good deal of time up forward with the Second and Third Battalions. Reflecting his liking for paperback westerns, Malloy several times referred to the deadly fight­ing in Phillipsbourg as "playing cowboys and Indians." His friendly presence and radiant confidence had given reassurance to many a WRECKER man over the previous several days. On the fifth of January, he was again in Phillipsbourg to coordinate the attack, which in the village was again to be beefed up with tanks. Following the jump-off German artillery fire drove the Trailblazer doughboys escorting the tanks to cover, and the attack bogged down. Malloy worked hard to get the attack moving again. Exposing himself to the murderous fire, he made his way to the tank platoon's leader in his buttoned­up tank, got his attention by hammering on the tank hull with the butt of his pis­tol, and "persuaded" the reluctant tanker to resume his attack, having assured him that riflemen would be provided to iden­tify targets and secure the tanks from Kraut "bazooka" men. Having gotten the tanks ready to go, Malloy next rounded up the doughboy escort, singly and in small groups. Once it got moving again, the attack jelled into a coordinated Infan­try-Tank effort which steadily cleared the town. In the course of this action, Malloy was hit several times with shell fragments, and finally gotten to cover by K Com­pany's Lt. Donahue and Sgt. Diece .

Meanwhile, the 274th's assault on the terrain features dominating Phillipsbourg and the roads into it, moved ahead to secure the final objective - the hill north of the village. "A" Co. 274th, in reaching the final objective, fought thru to reach the new position of "A" Co. 275th, a position to which the latter had side­slipped south and west (rather than with­draw directly to the rear, or due south) in anticipation of the Trailblazer attack of the fifth. By moving laterally, A Co. 275th evaded dug-in Kraut infantry direct­ly to its rear. There was no further word of B Company/275th.

The air war came to Phillipsbourg with two memorable episodes on the fifth. Prior to that date, black-pain ted, captured, P-4 7 "Thunderbolts" obviously flown by Germans had appeared over the area

7

operating in solo or in two or three-plane strafmg missions. Back at the Gasthaus CP in Neiderbronn, one P-47 had sent the WRECKER regimental staff diving for cover with a strafing and bombing run. Afterwards, Pence found himself in the dubious shelter of a wooden wardrobe, from which he stepped out looking as casual as he could - nobody seemed to notice. It was reported that the U.S.­built aircraft had been captured earlier in the course of German Bulge offensive. On the fifth, a larger number of the black P-4 Ts hit the American positions in Phil­lipsbourg with bombing/strafing runs. However, the Germans were unable to sustain their aerial attack. The black P-47 assault had negligible overall impact. American air support had much more telling effect later in the day. During the afternoon of the fifth, word came back to WRECKER's CP in Neiderbronn that a battalion of Krauts had just been spotted moving down the road from Bitche toward Phillipsbourg and was expected to add its weight to the fighing for that village, the outcome of which still hung in the balance. At the CP, it seemed to have been only a brief while after the enemy battalion's appearance when it was reported that American bombers had caught the threat­ening force still on the road, and com­pletely scattered it with a devastating bombing strike.

It is true that an unsuccessful German counterattack (possibly involving use of the above German battalion) did hit the 274th positions near Phillipsbourg early the next day, but, had not the American bombers taken a hand the previous after­noon, it seems that a battalion-sized attack then, might have affected the outcome of the fighting on the fifth quite dramatically. The American air strike was delivered so soon after the reported appearance of the German battalion, that the news of it was greeted at WRECKER CP as a stroke of good fortune. In retrospect, it seems un­likely that the American bomber forma­tion could have sighted the German battalion and attacked it as a target of opportunity. More probably, the attack was directed from higher headquarters, which doubtlessly was watching Phillips­bourg developments with utmost concern. Whatever the cause, the effect was gratify­ing. r------------1 I To be continued I 1

1

Major Pence's most interesting nar- 1

1 ra tive will be continued in the next I issue of the Trailblazer. This series I I has generated real interest ar11 ng I I the full membership o the 70th I 1 Association - I ~ __________ ....

VETERANS 20#>~

*REUNION* ·~

This parody on projected reunions of World War II vets was published in the final issue of YANK magazine, dated December 28, 1945.

Frank J. Moran, Jr. 2447 Jefferson Blvd. Hagerstown, Md. 21740

FIRST CLASS Address Correction Requested