T-Patchers Vs. Tiger Tanks, Rutabaga Diet
World War II, A Corporal's Diary
by
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LEADING A SECTION OF HEAVY MACHINE GUNS, CO "M" , PLUS A RIFLE COMPANY FROM THE 141 st INFANTRY REGIMENT, 36 th DIVISION & A RIFLE PLATOON OF ANOTHER CO. OF THE SAME REGIMENT ESTABLISHED ITSELF IN A POSITION NEAR HILL 623, EAST OF BELMONT -SUR- BUTTANT , FRANCE, OCT. 24,1944, FOR THE PURPOSE OF COVERING THE FLANK OF AN ATTACKING BATTALION OF THE 141st REGIMENT. AMONG THE MEN OF COMPANY "M" MACHINE GUN SQUAD , WERE TECH. SGT. C. H COOLIDGE, BUCK SGT. ALAN WARD , P.F.C .BILL WHITE , P.F.C. RAY GOODWIN , P.F.C. DAVID P. GEE, PVT. TED JOHNSON, PVT. NED LUCAS , PVT. JERRY ELLEDGE . WE HAD DUG IN , IN THE WOODS FACING TO THE WEST & WERE IN THIS POSITION FOR TWO DAYS .ON OCT .26, LATE IN THE EVENING SGT. COOLIDGE CRAWLED TO OUR POSITIONS & SAID HE WAS MOVING THE GUN & THE SQUAD ABOUT 50 YARDS TO THE REAR OF OUR ORIGINAL POSITION & PLACING THE GUN IN A HOLE FACING SOUTH. THE GUN WAS DUG INTO A 4 FT EMBANKMENT , POINTING TOWARDS A VERY NARROW LANE. THE SGT. SAID IT MAY BE POSSIBLE THE GERMANS COULD GET A TANK DOWN THIS LANE, HE WAS RIGHT, THEY GOT TWO TIGER TANKS , PLUS 80 INF ANTRY MEN OR MORE, MOST WITH AUTOMATIC WEAPONS , DOWN THE LANE BETWEEN 5:00& 5:30 A.M. OCT. 271944, MY BUDDY TED JOHNSON WOKE ME , SHAKING ME & SAID THE SGT. IS KNELLING DOWN ON THE SLOPE WAVING FOR US TO COME TOWARDS HIM, TED SAID ALL HELL HAS BROKE LOSE, THE GERMANS ARE APPROACHING FROM THE SOUTH WITH TWO TANKS & BOQUE ( MANY) INFANTRY WITH AUTOMATIC WEAPONS. THE SGT. MOTIONED FOR ALL THE MEN TO FOLLOW HIM DOWN THE SLOPE. WE WERE IN THE FOOT HILLS OF THE VOSGES MOUNTAINS. THE SGT & THE MEN THAT WERE ABLE TO FOLLOW THE SGT. DOWN THE SLOPE, TOOK UP POSITIONS IN A WOODED AREA. WHEN THE SGT. & ANOTHER MAN WENT FORWARD TO RECONNOITER THEY RAN INTO A GERMAN INFANTRY COMPANY CONCEALED IN THE WOODS, BACKED UP BY 2 TANKS. THE SGT. CALLED OUT FOR THE GERMANS TO SURRENDER , BUT INSTEAD THEY OPEN FIRED ON HIM , THE SGT. RETURNED THE FIRE WITH HIS CARBINE, WOUNDING 2 OF THE GERMANS. THERE WERE NO COMMISSIONED OFFICERS PRESENT WITH OUR GROUP .SGT COOLIDGE ASSUMED COMMAND , CALMLY DIRECTING THE FIRE OF HIS COMRADES . MANY WHO WERE UNDER FIRE FOR THE FIRST TIME. THE INITIAL ASSAULT OF THE ENEMY WAS THROWN BACK ON THE SECOND DAY , ON THE THIRD DAY THE GERMANS ATTACKED REPEATEDLY& EACH TIME THE GERMANS WERE REPULSED. ON THE FORTH DAY SUPPORTED BY THE TWO TANKS .THEY MADE A DETERMINED ATTEMPT TO TAKE THE POSITION .SGT. COOLIDGE ARMED HIMSELF WITH A BAZOOKA & WALKED TO WITHIN 75 FEET OF THE TANKS , BUT WHEN THE WEAPON FAILED TO function , HE THREW IT AWAY & STARTED GATHER HAND GRENADES. CRAWLING FORWARD, HE INFLICTED HEAVY CASUALTY, S ON THE ADVANCING GERMANS, THE SGT. THROWING ACCORDING TO ONE OF HIS COMPANIONS AS MANY AS 70 GRENADES .FINALLY , WHEN IT BECAME APPARENT THAT THE GERMANS WERE SUPERIOR IN NUMBERS & ABOUT TO OVERRUN THE POSITION, SGT. COOLIDGE ORDERED A WITHDRAWAL . HE WAS THE LAST OF THE AMERICANS TO LEAVE THE POSITION .FOR HIS GALLANT FOUR DAY FIGHT WITH THE ENEMY , SGT. COOLIDGE WAS AWARDED THE MEDAL OF HONOR. HE HAD WON THE SILVER STAR FOR COURAGEOUS ACTION IN ITALY.
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About the Book
1. United states was attacked dec. 7 1941, at Pearl Harbor, this was the beginning of a very hard long struggle lasting almost four years, lasting until Sept. 2 1945 2. World war ii was the most costly in lives, money, wounds & destruction since the world started! 3. My book is a very small part of the fight against evil, as Many other young, mid aged & mature men & women came to The aid of their country at the darkest hours of the Darkest hours of the history of the united states, god Bless all the victims who paid the supreme price & all the Veterans in hospitals who are still paying the price for the very hard earned victory.
About the Author
(A) MY STORY STARTS NOV. 1943 WHEN INDUCTED INTO THE ARMY. (B) I WAS 18 YEARS LIKE MANY YOUNG PEOPLE WERE STILL IN HIGH SCHOOL & SOME AS YOUNG 16 YEARS OLD FALSIFIED THEIR AGES TO JOIN A BRANCH OF SERVICE. (C ) FT. BEN. HARRISON, INDIANAPOLIS 1213/43 , INDUCTION (D) CAMP SHELBY, HATTISBURG, MISS 1/12/44 ,BASIC TRAINING 6/15/44 (E) NORFOLK VA BOARD SHIPS , TO NAPLES ITALY, REPO - DEPO (F) INVASION OF SOUTHERN FRANCE AUG. 14, 1944, BECAME A MEMBER OF THE 36TH INFANTRY ( T- PATCHERS) 141ST BEG. MACHINE GUN SQUAD CO." M" AS AN AMMUNITION BEARER. (G) WE DROVE THE GERMANS OUT OF EAST FRANCE ALONG THE SWISS ALPS CLOSE 700 MILES IN 67 DAYS! (H) CAPTURED IN THE VOSGES MTS. WITHIN 20 MILES OF THE RHINE RIVER, NORTH SIDE OF THE RIVER GERMAN BOARDER. (I) WOUNDED IN FRENCH FARM HOUSE BY AMERICAN ARTILLERY TRYING TO KNOCK OUT THE 2 TIGER TANK THAT CAPTURED ME. I HATE TO SAY THIS BUT, THEY MISSED THE TANKS & HIT ME! (J) WALKED 25 KILOMETERS (16 MILES ) TO COLMAR (K) RODE OLD WORN- OUT TRUCK TO STRASBOURG, WOW! (L) FRENCH DOCTOR REMOVED SHRAPNEL FROM MY SHOULDER. (M ) MY 1ST RIDE IN A 40 OR 8 FRENCH BOX CAR, TO STUTTGART, GERM. (N) PASSED OUT IN STABLE AT LAZARETTE 5 -A, SHOULDER INFECTED. (0) SPENT 3 MONTHS WITH INFECTED WOUND, FLAT ON MY BACK ON WOODEN SLAT BED (P) RECEIVED 1ST REDCROSS BOX (4-MENONABOX), X-MAS 1944. (Q) 2ND X-MAS PRESENT DEC. 27,44, P.O. W. DOCTOR FROM FINLAND, TREATED MY INFECTED SHOULDER WITHIN 2 WEEKS , HE HAD ME OUT OF BED & WALKING TO THE CLINIC BY MY SELF! (R) 2ND BOX CAR 40 OR 8 RIDE ACROSS GERMANY TO STALAG 11-B 3 DAYS IN BOX CAR WITH ALLIED AIRPLANES STRAFING US, 3 MONTHS STALAG 11-B , ESCAPED & RE- ENTERED P. 0 W. CAMP, NEVER AGAIN, WOW! AN EXCITING & DANGEROUS NIGHT & DAY. (S) LIBERATED LATER THAT DAY BY BRITISH ARMOR ,THE DAY WE RE -ENTERED THE STALAG. (T) EXCITEMENT & ROMANCE BRUSSELS , BELGIUM (U) BOARD SHIP HEAD FOR U.S.A & HOME , BEST PART OF MY STORY (V) 67 DAY FURLOUGH, FUN, ROMANCE & LOTS OF FRIENDS! (W) MIAMI FLA., REASSIGNED TO WASHINGTON D.C., PROMOTED TO CPL. , M. D. W. MILITARY POLICE COMPANY, FUN, ROMANCE & EXCITEMENT. (X) BEST PART OF MY STORY, I WAS OFFERED STAFF SGT. RANK TO RE -UP, WITH THE HELP FROM MY 4 CLOSE BUDDIES , I TOOK THE DISCHARGE