I'm curious about the Hitdorf operation. How come A Co. and I Co. were involved, even though they were from two separate Battalions? Was this operation run directly under the HQ of the 504th or was one one of the companies in question attached to the other one's battalion for the operation.

Thanks,

Stuart Kohn

Stuay,

The idea of the bridgehead at Hitdorf was Col. Ruben Tuckers. The Rhine River was swift flowing and 504th patrols were vulnerable and casualties costly. A Company was sent to establish a bridgehead across the Rhine on April 5th. From what I know they owned the town for a period of time. However it drew the attention of the Germans in the Rose Pocket. The German 3rd Parachute Infantry Regiment attacked A Company. (Source "On to Berlin" Gen. Gavin)

In the book "Strike and Hold", T. Moffatt Burriss writes that I Company was sent across the river to help A Company maintain the Bridgehead. They did so admirably helping A Company withdraw across the beachhead and inflicting heavy casualties on the Germans. He stated in his book it was, “A Little Dunkirk".

The main reason for the withdraw is somewhat pointed out in "On to Berlin". Gen. Gavin notes that the 504th was in that sector for occupation duty and that it was not to incur any casualties since it was still an airborne assault in the works for the Regiment (The Berlin Jump), which never materialized. I think Col. Tucker always an aggressive Commander pressed the attack and got involved in the wrong place on the map at the wrong time for HQ.


I hope to include one of my dads stories about Hitdorf on the page in MP3 form in a month or so.

Jim

Thanks for the info. What I curious about was why did a 3rd bn company support the 1st bn company? Thanks, Stu

Stu,

I can't answer that. Hopefully someone else will be able to. Perhaps because the 3rd had been involved in a successful crossing of the Waal and this was another river assault.

In 504th History it seems that the 3rd Bn. is always doing something a little different from 1st and 2nd Bn. In Sicily the 3rd jumped with the 505th. In Salerno they came in on landing craft and backed the attack at Altavilla of 1st and 2nd Bn.

Lets hope we get an answer.

Jim

Know that you mention it you are absolutely right! Also, in Anzio was the 3rd bn stationed on the left flank of the Anzio beachhead while the remainder of the battalion was stationed on the right along the Mussolini canal. Also, in the Bulge the Regiment hit Chernauex from the front while the 3rd Bn swung around to the rear. Do you think there was a reason for this, or just coincidence?

Stuay,

I can only guess that each engagement depending on transport air and otherwise as well as lay of the land would require different use of manpower. However, it is interesting that the 1st and 2nd Bn. was often used together and the 3rd in a different way.
Hitdorf Story from Division History

Hitdorf Story Page 2

The Article that's attached looks interesting, but the text is too small to read. Could you perhaps e-mail it to me? I'm at stuay@comcast.net. Thanks, Stuart

Stuay,

I emailed article and also fixed it so others could read the article.

The print does not translate well to Jpg.

Jim

Hello everyone,

You can read about Hitdorf in the book "Saga of the All American", written W. Forrest Dawson, printed in I believe 1946, but I am not sure. It was reprinted b Nashville Battery Press in 1976.

Frank.

Stuay,

I had the chance to speak with T. Moffatt Burriss about this over the weekend. He was in charge of I Company that went in for the rescue of A Company. He told me that the 1st and 3rd were on line and the 2nd was in reserve. It was just chance that I Company was in the right postion to support A Company. He did not make it across the river his boat was shot out from under him.

Jim

I had a nice conversation with Lt. Reneau Breard A Company 1st Platoon,504th. He was at Hitdorf and was kind enough to call me tonight after he received the Ryan papers that I sent him. He will be writing a short history of what happened and will be mailing it in the new year. I hope to be able to share it with you all then.

Jim

Can't wait to read about it.

Happy New Year,

Stu

Happy New Year, to you also! Thanks for stopping in. I am looking forward to his letter also.

Jim

What I like about the Berlin Drop was that the DZ for the 82nd was Tempelhof Airfield. It's in "The Last Battle" by Cornelius Ryan.

One regiment of the 82nd was assigned to move north from Tempelhof and take the Zitadelle -- the major government buildings, including the Reichstag and the Reichchancellery.

It would have been interesting to see how the Germans would have fought to hold Berlin against the 82nd and 101st Airborne, who were assigned to Gatow.

I am kind of glad they missed out on that one! I would probably not be here as my dad was a refugee from the law of averages. "The Last Battle" is the only one out of the WWII Ryan books I have not read. Any good?

Absolutely tremendous.

A great accounting of what it was like to go through the fall of Berlin, from good points of view: Berliners, Communists, Jews in hiding, Allied spies, Russian generals, German generals, die-hard Nazis, American invaders. You have a Mother Superior worrying about her nuns facing gang rape, a die-hard Nazi accountant who goes off to work every day doing the Hitler salute, General Jodl's wife fretting over the "Eclipse" plans, General Gotthard Heinrici planning the futile defense of Berlin, the zookeepers trying to protect their animals, and even Dutch Schultz and his buddies in the 82nd planning the last drop on Berlin.

It's a little weak on what went on inside the Fuhrer Bunker, but it has good stuff from Hitler's dentists.

You really get the sense of seeing a city die.

Kiwi,

You sold me! It's on my to read list!

Any time!

Jim,

You should certainly read "The Last Battle by Cornelius Ryan. But you must also read "Top Secret" by Ralph Ingersoll, written in 1946.

I have read many books that Ryan has used for his books (take a look at the bibliography in the back of Ryan's books.

A few weeks ago one of Hitlers Secretaries that was mentioned in "The Last Battle" died. Her name was Mrs. Traudl Junge.

Charles Whiting wrote a book about the Battle of the Ruhrpocket and described the crossings of A and I Companies of the 504th at Hitdorf, Germany.

Anthony Read and David Fisher also have a great book "The Fall of Berlin" and Antony Beevor's new "Fall of Berlin" are both highly recommended.

The first book functions well as a history of Berlin during the entire war, as a matter of fact.

David,

I have read those books as well. They are indeed well researched. "The Fall of Berlin" gives a good view on the number and quality of the German defence forces in Berlin.

Who commanded A Company during the Hitdorf action?

I think it was a Captain Pease. I am not 100% about that.

Jim,

Did Pease also command A Company during Operation Market Garden?

Frank

I think Fred could answer that or Dave.

Jim

John I. Kaslikowski, 11019641, Staff Sergeant, 504th Parachute Infantry. For heroic conduct in action on 6-7 April 1945 near Hitdorf GERMANY. Staff Sergeant Kaslikowski and his section were cut off during savage enemy counter attacks and surrounded by overwhelming forces of German tanks and infantry. He collected his men and the elements of disorganized forces, and withdrew through ambushes and fire fights to a building in the middle of enemy troops. He inspired his men by his own heroic actions to throw back numerous enemy attacks. At 0300 he led his men through enemy held positions to a beach where he personally attended to wounded and directed evacuation across the river. His heroic devotion to duty, intelligent and fearless leadership are in keeping with the highest tradition of the Airborne Forces . Entered military service from NEW Haven, Connecticut.


*My dad was with this trooper during Hitdorf. This if from his Bronze Star Citation.


Albert F. Hill, 19204156, Private Frist Class, 504th Parachute Infantry. For Heroic concuct

The 3rd Platoon of A Company was cut off on the morning of the 7th April, 1945 when the Germans counterattacked the bridgehead of a Company across the Rhine River at Hitdorf am Rhein, north of Cologne. The platoon was overrun and the rest of the company was forced back towards the riverbank.

Colonel Tucker then sent I Company across to help A Company. Does anybody know why there were also men from RHQ Company attached, and whether they were specially selected for this mission or not?

Jim,

Did he serve in A Company?

Frank

Did Kaslikowski command a machine gun squad? If so, I have an idea where he exactly was during the battle in Hitdorf.

Frank

Frank, he was a machine gun Sgt.. I know he was with my dad in a factory for part of the battle. I think they were probably together for most of it.

Frank the wounded trooper might be the one that my dad reported not being able ot save:
John I. Kaslikowski, 11019641, Staff Sergeant, 504th Parachute Infantry. For heroic conduct in action on 6-7 April 1945 near Hitdorf GERMANY. Staff Sergeant Kaslikowski and his section were cut off during savage enemy counter attacks and surrounded by overwhelming forces of German tanks and infantry. He collected his men and the elements of disorganized forces, and withdrew through ambushes and fire fights to a building in the middle of enemy troops. He inspired his men by his own heroic actions to throw back numerous enemy attacks. At 0300 he led his men through enemy held positions to a beach where he personally attended to wounded and directed evacuation across the river. His heroic devotion to duty, intelligent and fearless leadership are in keeping with the highest tradition of the Airborne Forces . Entered military service from NEW Haven, Connecticut.

Guys, if you have any questions about the battle (or anything else for that matter) I could ask my grandfather. He was telling me about this just a few months ago.

Jozef Kaslikowski, grandson of John I.

Glad you found us I remember your grandfather from reunions and my dad Pfc. James McNamara was friendly with him. As I recall a Ted Kowalski was also friendly with your grandfather

Here are some photos from HQ1 he might enjoy and recognize some guys.

http://www.military.com/HomePage/UserCreat...,713855,00.html

I would love to send him a letter and talk to you. I will send my cell phone in the PM function here on this board.

Regards,

Jim McNamara

Does anybody know why 2LT Bernard Karnap take command of I company after Captain Burriss' boat had been sunk and not 1LT Robert Blankenship?

I agree, when the 82nd occupied Berlin after the war it was discovered that Templehof was ringed with an unusal number of 88mm AAA. The reception that would have greeted any airborne assault would have been disasterous.

I recently learned that the German 5th Panzer Army of General Josef Harpe sent their XII SS Panzer Corps, commanded by Afrika Korps veteran Generalleutnant Eduard Crasemann, to Hitdorf to destroy the American bridgehead. They overestimated the strength of A Company immensely. In the secret war diaries of the German High Command they mention "a battalion strength attack." The crossing of I Company was again regarded as a battalion strong crossing. On April 7, as soon as A & I Companies had been withdrawn, XII SS Corps was deprived from all their divisions except the 3rd Fallschirmjaeger Division. The other divisions were then directed to more seriously sectors of their surrounded part of the Ruhr area. Ten days later the 5th Panzer Army capitulated.

There were about 90 men trying to get floats ready to shove off. The first float sank because there were too many men on it, and the second got shot up by an 88mm round. One man who couldn't swim started yelling and drawing fire. There was a machine gun to the east that sprayed the river and searchlights about a thousand yards away. Time fire from the 412th was described as 'beautiful and right where we wanted it'. The remaining men on the beach dug in, and most were able to cross by daybreak. Captain Johnson, whose last fire mission was received at 1818 was assumed to be killed or missing in action. The infantry was 'sore as hell' as it was the first time they'd lost any ground. They felt that more anti-tank weapons would have made the difference.
Presidential Unit Citation paperwork for this 82nd Airborne group stated, "The troopers of Company A doggedly stood their ground, fought at close quarters, and at point blank range and inflicted terrible casualties on the masses of the enemy. Fighting with relentless ferocity throughout the afternoon and night, this gallant company held its ground and carried out its mission until it was finally ordered to withdraw to the west bank of the Rhine on the night of 6-7 April. Fighting was bitter and at close quarters. The German armor committed was destroyed with hand weapons, most of the troopers using captured German panzerfausts. The company fought its way back step by step during the hours of darkness to their boats. The courageous and skillful efforts of the officers and men of this brave group, although outnumbered numerically at least eight to one, is reflected in the total number of casualties inflicted on the German forces during the day's fighting. Eighty prisoners were taken and evacuated and conservative estimates indicate that 150 of the enemy were killed and 250 wounded. The conduct of Company A reflects great credit on the Airborne Forces of the United States Army."
To observers on the west side of the river, the situation in Hitdorf looked as rough as anything they'd seen, even in the movies. From OP 702, directly across the river from the town, Hitdorf was almost completely obscured by shell bursts around 1700. The OP itself was shelled three times from 1700 to 1730, and wire communications were knocked out during the first shelling. 'Gentleman Jim' Gavin, commanding general of the 82nd, came to the OP between the second and third shellings to ask for additional fire, if possible. The third shelling resulted in the battalion's only complete vehicular loss when Lieutenant James A. Wyatt's 'C' Battery halftrack was struck in the courtyard behind the OP. In a lucky twist of fate, Lieutenant Lester G. Delafield (East Norwich, New York) was spared when he realized he couldn't fit under the halftrack that was later hit and decided to seek shelter elsewhere. Private First Class John Gunnarson and T-5 James C. Heaton (North Scituate, Rhode Island) of the 412th's 'A' Battery were sitting in another halftrack only five feet from the one that was struck, and calmly started the engine and drove out of the courtyard and behind a brick wall, continuing to operate in safety. Gunnarson earned his Bronze Star that day by a wonderful job of relaying Captain Johnson's fire missions to the Fire Direction Center, including one period where he carried on three missions simultaneously. Private First Class Elmer Wessels (Wayne, Illinois) of 'A' Battery also qualified for a Bronze Star when he dashed across the open courtyard past the blazing and exploding track to secure first aid equipment. For the next hour or so the R.O. sections from the 412th's 'A' and 'C' batteries and Lt. Eschler, Lt. Green, and Private First Class Claude R. Hall from HQ, who had come down to "just to see the show" huddled in the OP with the rockets, mines grenades, and machine gun ammunition going off in the halftrack behind the building, and mortar and 88mm fire bursting in the front. The excitement continued throughout the night, with mortar shells quickly discouraging anyone who attempted to approach the halftrack. Two enemy searchlights that were turned on the OP were followed by 20 minutes worth of 88mm fire. Meanwhile, Lt. William R. Smaker (Crookett, California), the Charley Battery R.O., was having his initiation at OP 703 in Fuhlingen, which was shelled with white phosphorus. Although somewhat nervous, he stayed at the post until he turned to say something and discovered everyone else had left for the basement. He didn't take long to join them.
The crossing stirred up a real hornet's nest, and the Germans were increasingly active thereafter. After registration and firing harassing and interdictory mission for two days before, the artillery positions were shelled by a 280 mm railroad gun. This fire eventually forced the 414th Armored Field Artillery to abandon its position entirely and head for the village of Esch. The battalion found itself being pounded by the railway gun on the night of April 6th and German use of searchlights - 18 were counted - kept flashes from the huge piece from being observed during the night so it was impossible for fire direction to plot the piece and return fire. In all about 44 rounds landed in the 414th gun positions, which were in defilade and well dug in. When shell report teams got to work on the shell craters the following morning, the railway gun was plotted and found to be out of range of the 414th's 105's. However, there was plenty of shooting to be done, in delivering support fires to the 376th Parachute Artillery Battalion of the 82nd Airborne Division, which had patrols across the Rhine. Lieutenant William B. Harvey, who accompanied a patrol across the river with his FO section, was knocked out of action when hit by mortar fire on the return trip. Taking up new positions at the village of Esch, following the first firing at the town of Weiler, the battalion had good effect against German installations across the river, although visibility was poor, due to the cloudy atmosphere. Infantry from the 82nd reported that the 414th fires knocked out the 88 position which was responsible for the fire at 414th and other units OP's and also got a mortar position, in addition to setting fire to German ammunition dumps. Explosions at the dumps were visible and heard from the West bank of the Rhine.
The work at the Rhine of three 414th men, Lieutenant Charles W. Haubrich (Kenosha, Wisconsin) and Cpl. Lawrence E. Nortrum (Johnsonville, Pennsylvania) of Baker battery and Sgt. Robert C. King (Minneapolis, Minnesota) of Headquarters Battery brought them Bronze Star awards. Lt. Haubrich observed and sent fire missions although his OP at the river was under continuous attack from 88's and Nortrum laid and maintained wire communication to the OP and fire direction throughout the night when the railway gun shells were playing hob with his lines and the entire area his lines covered. King took over the FO section, which accompanied the 82nd Infantrymen on their sortie across the river and continued to send fire missions after Lt. Harvey was knocked out of action.





Data later sent to Corps and fired on by larger artillery later put an end to the operations of the railway gun. The battalion could hardly believe its luck the following day when in counted up the damage from the huge shells, whose deep-voiced "ka-room" was heard throughout the night. The only damage done was to transmissions, windshields and equipment strapped on the side of half-tracks and M-7's and a mess truck. Every slit trench was a foot deeper and had better overhead cover by morning. The next night the Germans brought up more searchlights to shine into the clouds and reflect over the river, and the first nebelwerfers started into action, their rockets 'whushing' off and landing with the most terrifying roar of any weapon faced.
In daytime, due to heavy mist over the river, it was practically impossible to observe, even from planes, until after 1000. During this time, the liaison planes, with Lieutenant Peter J. Hanicq and Lieutenant Eric W. Searle flying and Captain John R. Harvey (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) and Lieutenant Clifford S. Farmer (Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio) observing, began to draw intense fire both from 88 mm guns and 20mm and smaller automatic weapons when they ventured too close to the Rhine. The battery executives asked that they be ordered not to fly over their positions, lest the cannoneers be injured by falling shell fragments.


Corporal George Kobylka and T-5 Emmett D. Brooks (Asheboro, North Carolina) of HQ earned their Bronze Stars during this period when they went out to repair a telephone line that had been cut by enemy fire, were forced by mortar fire to take cover, and then continued their mission despite interruptions by the fire. Corporal Harold W. 'Charlie' Weir of HQ earned his Bronze Star under similar circumstances at OP 702.









Corporal George Kobylka





The night of April 7th, the 412th was alerted that a German patrol had crossed the Rhine and was believed to be in their area. Sergeant Terrel A. Weimer (Anajuac, Texas) of 'C' Battery spent the entire night warning the outposts, reaching the last one just as dawn was breaking. Captain Gordon H. B. Bretschneider (Shoreham, Vermont) of 'A' battery went from outpost to outpost, carrying his .45 in his hand, and after thoroughly alerting all the men, he decided it wouldn't be safe to try to re-enter the area. He went to the assault gun position and called the fire direction center to ask for advice. "Just remember, Captain," Staff Sergeant John J. Stapp soothingly replied, "Stonewall Jackson was shot by his own men, too." First Sergeant Evan K. Rowe and Captain Heard also toured the area. The 412th's liaison half track had been running maps and messages to and from the 82nd's HQ on the west bank of the river, and this night they were traveling on a now-familiar road with a rush message for their battalion CP at about 2400. The night was black and foggy, and they were in black-out conditions. As they paralleled a drainage ditch, shapes materialized through the fog. They were going slow enough to begin with, but slowed even more. Sergeant Adolph Walter III, (Anna, Illinois) told the driver, T/5 Tom Bowman (Chicago, Illinois), to button up the halftrack - dropping the front armor and closing the side ports. The machine gunner and radio operator had been kept at headquarters for other duties, so Walter took the main gun. As the distance closed, it became clear that there were at least five Germans in the patrol, 'potato masher' grenades in their belts and weapons in their hands. Bowman kept driving and passed a few feet from the enemy, while Walter kept the gun on them. Each side apparently preferred to remain to themselves, and the maps and orders carried by the halftrack were delivered intact.








Sgt. Adolph Walter III. The angle iron on the front of the Jeep was intended to cut decapitating wires strung across roads by the enemy.


Re-supply of all types to the battery positions was restricted to night hours and any movement in the daytime was held to a minimum. OP's were manned in 24 hour details, even though they were not always required, for the purpose of training for observer sections. Forward observers, reconnaissance officers, motor officers, and even 'make-up' sections from HQ batteries rotated at these posts. Some OP's complained of high-ranking visitors exposing themselves and thereby drawing fire.


During the remaining period on the Rhine, a good many harassing missions were fired at targets ranging from a German calisthenics class to an enemy OP in the Hitdorf church steeple - one round went through the window and exploded: observer and window no longer observed. The incident with the calisthenics class was particularly distasteful to say the least. Apparently believing they were in a safe position, the Germans were exposed in a field that was spotted by forward observers. High explosive air burst shells were fired at them and the shrapnel had devastating results. These shells were actually equipped with radar and detonated at a pre-set height above the ground. The distance from the ground was adjusted by turning a ring on the nose of the shell and the shells were so top secret that even the officers were unclear as to how they worked. When the enemy troops found cover in their foxholes, the guns switched to white phosphorus that burst into flame on contact. The beleaguered infantry leapt from their holes with uniforms on fire, and ran down to the waters edge. At this point, the guns were leveled and fired practically point-blank.






Terrain within range on the German side of the river was flat, and the M54 fuze round fired as "time" was effective and easy to adjust. The M48 delay round was used to punch holes in houses. White phosphorus, M54, M48 quick, and M48 delay rounds were mixed, and fire for effect was sometimes delayed for a few minutes after adjustment to permit a number of Germans to gather in a single dugout or building before it was fired upon. The infantry assault guns proved somewhat inaccurate and were used largely on area missions.
About 1710 on April 8th, an infantryman who had been left behind in Hitdorf jumped into the river to swim back. Lt. Jacob M. Eschler at OP 702 covered him with the fire of one howitzer, chasing some German troops into a house with its shells, and a stroke-by-stroke account was sent our to the batteries from the FDC. The entire battalion knew within a few minutes after he was pulled from the water on the allied side of the river, that he had made it safely. The Germans seemed to have many well dug-in and camouflaged positions along the river, which they occupied each night. It would have been almost impossible to pick them up if they had not betrayed their positions by walking across open ground into them, carrying their machine guns, before it was completely dark. One crew of two men carrying a machine gun was fired on by Lt. Eshler and never reached their position; a 105 mm round landed between them. On the morning of April 8th, observation was further hampered by artificial fog created by American troops to the north.
Also on April 8th, Troop 'C' of the 33rd was ordered from Bardenburg up to Krefeld to perform a recon mission for Combat Command 'R'. They arrived in the afternoon and spent the next few hours checking zones on the west bank of the Rhine in the area held by the 94th Infantry Division. They made contact with the enemy and drew some fire from the strong enemy positions across the river, but sustained no casualties.


On April 9th came the 'march order' that would take the artillery battalions through Bonn, Cologne, and on to Bad Godesburg. At 1800 on April 9th, the 412th ceased firing, and at 2030 it withdrew from the position without casualties. During the six days on the Rhine it had fired a total of 1,936 rounds and suffered the loss of one man, Captain Johnson, who was missing in action. The 413th had pulled out of Delhoven on the 9th .







Tankers and Infantrymen Get Ready


While the artillery battalions and Recon troops were busy on the Rhine, the other units of the 20th Armored Division were on the move. The 27th Tank Battalion departed from the Blainville-Crevon area on March 30th and passed through Amiens and stopped in Cambrai. On April 1st they reached Tirlemont, Belgium, after passing through Charleroi. From there it was through Maastricht in Holland to Bardenburg and Sardenburg, Germany to reach a strategic reserve location. The 20th Tank Battalion pulled out of the St. Andre area on March 31st, and bivouacked near Comprai. Then it was on to Titiement, Belgium on April 1st, and Baesweiler, Germany, on the 2nd. On the 3rd, the divison was attached to First Army.
The 8th Armored Infantry Battalion left their billeting areas near Croisy Sur-Andelle (about 20 miles east of Rouen) and St. Denis Le Thiboult, the 9th Tank battalion left Renneville, and the 70th Armored Infantry Battalion left the Seine Inferieur area on Easter Sunday, April 1st, 1945. It was a day of intermittent rain and sunshine. They rolled through French cities and towns - Ry, Vascoeul, the I.P at Buchy, Neufchatel, Amiens - and stopped at about 1530 just outside the city of Cambrai. Most of the men received passes and went into the city, spending their time at a Red Cross club, cafes, and a small carnival with rides for kids. They awoke early the next day, stowed their equipment and moved out again through Valenciennes, Tienen, Neerlander, and Charleroi. They hit Belgium late that morning and bivouacked in a field near Charleroi and Neerlander on the Dutch border. On April 3rd they were up and moving early again, and proceeded through the Netherlands - Namur, Tongres, Maastricht - and past the warning signs into Germany. The Dutch towns were clean and neat, and the German ones were demolished. There seemed to be signal corps wire everywhere. They proceeded through Aachen, which was destroyed and where civilians were homeless and wandering aimlessly. At noon the 70th AIB took up billets in the town of Merkstein, and the 8th AIB and 9th Tank Battalion near Alsdorf. They stayed for several days in German homes that had been emptied of their occupants at the 'suggestion' of billeting parties.




Also on April 1st, The 65th Armored Infantry Battalion left their staging area near St. Andre-Sur-Cailly in Normandie, France, and moved to Cambria, France, arriving at about 1550. The next day it was on to Belgium, and the on the 3rd they arrived in Baesweiler, Germany, about 15 miles from Aachen, at 1255. Although warned against fraternization, many an officer and enlisted man found a fraulein to sleep with. They stayed for 9 days and then on April 10th, they started a very long, 22 hour trip across the Rhine at Bad Godesburg and down the autobahn. The Germans had demolished every bridge on the autobahn, but combat engineers worked fast to keep the traffic flowing. The four-lane highway had only two detours in 73 miles. They stopped at a village called Friedewald, and stayed for several days at a castle.
Moving up through liberated or captured territory was not without its risks. The German populace attempted to slow the advance by blocking roads with anything they had - carts, wagons, etc. In addition, the beleaguered populace, most notably Gypsies, abandoned their carts and wagons on the roadways. The tank of driver Corporal Isaac B. Lanier (Kissimmee, Florida) of HQ and HQ Company was ordered ahead to run over a collection of obstacles just like these. When he ran over a wagon designed to be pulled by two horses, the tongue flipped up and struck him in the head, killing him instantly. The men had been warned of saboteurs who were mere children attaching magnetic mines to the side of parked tanks, and soon after, a boy was apprehended with a bag full of the black discs near a 20th Tank Battalion Sherman. He received a beating and was taken away.





http://www.20tharmoreddivision.com/page81.html



German children going through the garbage.

Here is the order of battle of A Company at the time of the Hitdorf crossing:


Company HQ
Captain John N, Pease
1st LT Reneau G. Breard
1SGT Norman G. Tesch
Communicationssergeant Homer Henry

1st Platoon
1st LT James A. Kiernan (WIA + DSC)
1st LT John T. Spooner (KIA)

2nd Platoon
1st LT George A. Johnson (POW)
1st LT Larkin S. Tully (WIA + POW)

3rd Platoon
1st LT Richard R. Hallock (POW)
2nd LT Robert K. Miars (POW)

Frank,

I might be heading to Germany Next year. Perhaps we can finally meet at Hitdorf?

Regards,

Jim

Jim,

I am looking forward to meet you. If you stay in Nijmegen or near Cologne we could visit the battlefields of the 504th together.

Frank

Part of the reason, in my humble opinion was the TO&E's of outdated tactics comprising of 2 Battalions to a Regiment. Some of the glider outfits never got a 3rd Battalion. Plus, I think in the Blair book on Ridgeway the commanders in the 3rd battalion are described as being of questionable quality.

Hallo Frank

When you visitet Hitdorf , sent me a mail .

Bye Bye

Dietmar from Leverkusen