Doris Davis, President of the Battle of the Bulge Association, Golden Gate Chapter, and Irving Locker, 116 AAA Gun Bn, 4th Div, VII Corp gave an excellent presentation about the Battle of the Bulge to the Northern California Chapter of the Belgian Club in January 2021.
Doris Davis
It was very well attended by Belgians who remember the stories they heard from their parents and grandparents as well as others who have an interest in the Bulge. James Treisler, Director of Education of the VA War Memorial, contributed maps of the Bulge.
Irving Locker
Irving Locker shared his experience as a Staff Sergeant in charge of four 90mm guns and 65 soldiers who managed the guns. It took that many men to operate the guns because they had to fire a shell every 2.5 minutes. Each shell was 3 feet tall and weighed 45 pounds.
When I received the call from John’s daughter Cheryl that her father had died, the tears began. John was feisty and fiercely independent – always a strong presence! I couldn’t conceive of his earthly fight being over.
It is with good reason that some years ago, John and his dear late wife, Mary Ann, were voted “Mr. & Mrs. VBOB.” They were passionate about upholding the legacy of all Battle of the Bulge veterans through the Battle of the Bulge Historical Society and the Veterans of the Battle of the Bulge (now Battle of the Bulge Association) – listening to stories, sharing stories and encouraging individual participation. John had assembled a vast collection of videos, books and maps, many of which he would haul by the crate load to our events – a conversation starter for attendees, always a learning experience for each of us. His presentations and the many articles he wrote provided unexpected insights, even for those quite knowledgeable. Over the years, John built an awesome network of international historians, curators, and other contacts. One of his favorite pursuits, time intensive but immensely rewarding, was assisting families to research their military history or help them find a good home for their items of historic interest.
For me, it was also deeply personal. My dad – a Battle of the Bulge veteran, historian, and an active VBOB member since its inception – often spoke of John’s extraordinary knowledge and of his kindness. In Dad’s later years, John picked him up for VBOB events. In fact, a few years ago when my driving was restricted, John picked me up for a chapter meeting!
My own involvement began in December 2003, after my dad died. I decided to attend the VBOB chapter Holiday Party at Ft. Meade – just to thank for how much that group had meant to Dad. I figured that would be the end of it – but John made sure it was really only the beginning of my now lifetime commitment to the VBOB/BOBA organization. He introduced me to Mike Levin, John & Lil Schaffner, Al & Dot Darago, J. David Bailey and many others who made me feel so welcome, like family. Soon, I was involved with chapter meetings and then suddenly I was on the national board, thanks to John nominating me. I began meeting wonderful veterans and their families at annual national reunions and commemorations. I made several memorable, eye-opening trips to Europe with VBOB. I owe John & Mary Ann a great deal for their support and encouragement in these, for me, life changing experiences.
My most recent memory of John is his participation on our cold 75th commemoration trip to Europe, December 2019, just before “the world shut down.” It was a physically exacting trip for him, but evenings in our hotel, he was in his element. He was teaching history, sharing stories, suggesting resources – all off-the-cuff and with a sense of humor.
Rest in peace, dear friend. You did more than anyone else I’ve met to keep alive the legacy of our service men and women who fought so valiantly in the Battle of the Bulge for the liberties and freedoms we hold dear today. Your own legacy lives on, John. And we are grateful!
John was editor of The Marcher, the official publication of the MD/DC Chapter of the Veterans of the Battle of the Bulge. Check out the archive here.
The Washington Post article about John – subscriberscan click here to read it.
John touring the shipyard at BOBA’s reunion in Norfolk (Oct 2019)
PVT James Hampton Coates – 285 FAOB BTRY B, US Army POW/KIA Malmédy Massacre 12/17/44
James was one of 86 servicemen who was killed in the Malmédy Massacre in Belgium during the Battle of the Bulge. He served in the 13 FAOB HQ from 1942-44. During that time he landed on Utah Beach D-Day+1 and was injured in July by a mine or dud, but stayed with the battalion under field medical care. In October 1944, he joined 285 FAOB BTRY B, and two months later he was killed in the massacre.
James left behind a wife and two children: a 2-year-old daughter and 7-month-old son. He was buried in Henri Chapelle Cemetery, Belgium and later reinterred in his hometown of Kilmarnock, Virginia.
Submitted by his daughter, Mary Ann Smith, Virginia Crater BOBA Chapter President
BOBA veteran member George Schneider passed last year, and his daughter Barbara-Ann shared his book, SURVIVOR: Memoirs of a WWII Vet, 30th Infantry “The Old Hickory.” The following is an excerpt regarding his unit’s involvement in the Battle of the Bulge and what they discovered in Malmédy:
By now, the weather was horrible even though the sky was clear. Snow was ankle to knee deep, and temperatures were well below freezing. We were now getting many casualties from frozen feet. We were poorly equipped with only our leather combat boots and thin socks. One of our generals rounded up all of the GI blankets he could find and sent them back to the Netherlands or Belgium where he had local women make booties from the blankets. We wore them inside a pair of overshoes and managed to keep our feet from freezing as we plodded on to the south.
Sometime around December 19th or 20th, we began to hear rumors of a massacre of Americans near Malmédy. Information was sketchy, but the word was spreading that the number of those slaughtered was significant, and most alarmingly, the Germans were not taking prisoners.
On the outskirts of Malmédy, we reached a small community called Géromont. There were only a few houses along the main road, and in these houses, our company established our headquarters for a couple of days.
One more mile south of Géromont, a distance of approximately 2 miles from Malmédy, we came to the intersection of five country roads which we named Five Points. Not more than two or three houses were in this area. There were no signs to indicate that the community had a name, and our maps didn’t identify the village, but today it is called Baugnez, and this small piece of geography is now well known to military historians as the site of the Malmédy Massacre.
The frigid winter air shrouded this site. We were now witnessing the site of the worst massacre of American troops by the Germans in WWII. In the snow-covered field adjacent to Five Points lay 86 frozen bodies, the only evidence of the atrocity manifested by humps in the snow and occasional exposed body parts and clothing. Each mound was a soldier. A man. Although I knew none of these men from the 285th, I felt a bonding with these fallen comrades, and we all felt a renewed hatred for the SS and elevated our resolve to pay back the perpetrators. The massacre had taken place during the initial German attack on December 16, 1944 when elements of the 285th Field Artillery Observation Battalion were captured on December 17th. More than one hundred men were herded into the open field near the intersection of five points and machine gunned in cold blood. It was not until our drive south of Malmédy on this day, January 14, 1945, that the massacre was confirmed when units of my 120th Regiment discovered the frozen, snow-shrouded bodies. Some survivors of the massacre had reported the tragic encounter with the advancing SS troops, but the reality was confirmed by us twenty-eight days after the massacre.
While I viewed this tragic scene, just a few yards away, a jeep load of media correspondents drove up and parked in the intersection of Five Points to document the massacre. We knew the Germans had an 88 zeroed in on the intersection, so we stayed clear of this target. I was close enough to observe a shoulder patch on one of the neatly dressed reporters that identified him as being from Brazil. Reporting of the massacre had apparently made news throughout the world. Shortly after the reporters dismounted the jeep, an 88 narrowly missed the jeep and exploded a few yards away. The artillery piece was probably along the road to Ligneville, our next objective. One round was all the reporters needed to hasten a retreat to Malmédy without any photographs for their archives.
I, along with my 30th Division, left the bodies as found, and the Graves Registration Battalion later identified the bodies and removed them from the field. Baugnez, a.k.a. Five Points, will always be remembered as the site of the infamous “Malmédy Massacre”.
Although it was initially reported that as many as 135 men had been executed, the final count now stands at 86. Most of the 86 were members of the 285th Field Artillery Observation Battalion. Many Americans living today claim to be survivors, but few truly are. I can vouch for two survivors, Robert “Sketch” Mearig and Harold Billow. Into the new millennium, both were still active members of our local chapter of the Veterans of the Battle of the Bulge, the South Central, PA Chapter. The following depicts the events of the massacre as told to me by my friends Harold and Sketch:
It is late afternoon and quickly getting dark. The Germans herd the Americans into an open field where an SS officer surveys his catch with pride. Suddenly he shoots the guy standing next to Harold in the head.
Then he shoots the guy on the other side. He shouts a command to the machine-gunners, and they open up. Sketch & Harold, although not yet hit, drop to the ground and play dead amongst the corpses of their buddies. After all the men have fallen, the officer calls a halt to the firing and inspects his trophies. Sketch & Harold stifle their breaths as they listen to the officer walking amidst the bodies, checking for signs of life. The SS officer, speaking perfect English, would ask if anyone was wounded, and if he gets a positive response, he has a target. He asks one soldier if he is wounded, and getting a moan in response, he shoots the soldier in the head. The officer continues his walk among the pile of bodies, and any movement or groan is terminated with a shot to the head. He kicks them in hopes of getting a reflexive response. When he comes across Harold, he kicks his boot. Harold doesn’t flinch. The officer moves on, arbitrarily choosing bodies to kick. A few flinch or moan. He shoots them. Now satisfied that they are all dead, he orders his men to move out. By this time, it is fairly dark, and with just a handful of Germans now still at the site, Sketch decides to make a break for it. He is near the far end of the field and believes he has a shot at it. He flees toward the woods and, while under fire, disappears. Harold and another guy decide to make their break. They dash towards a house on the corner and make their way inside. Realizing the Germans had probably seen them go in and would probably come after them, they race out the back door and high tail it toward Malmédy. Sketch spent three days wandering in the woods between Baugnez and Malmédy before finally being rescued by our regiment. Regimental Commander Col. Purdue took him back to his quarters and gave him his bed for the night.
In Summer 2020, the 30th Division was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation for their critical victory during the initial months of the Normandy invasion and extraordinary heroism at the Battle of Mortain, France, in 1944. George’s daughter wrote, “My dad passed having only one unresolved issue in his life—to see the Old Hickory finally awarded this citation. He contacted several people close to the president, but he did not live long enough to see it actually happen… I know this award means the world to all Old Hickory survivors.
If you’d like a copy of George’s book, his daughter Barbara-Ann is offering it “at cost” to BOBA members ($19 total with shipping for US only) which is less than the Amazon rate. To order, contact her at vbobgeorge@gmail.com.
Fort Eben-Emael, Belgium, captured by the 30 INFD. George Schneider is exiting the fort with a Nazi flag. 75 years later, the 30 INFD was awarded the Presidential Citation in 2020.
They became fast friends and were chosen to lay the wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier together (pictured below). The next month, Francis, who lived in Mahanoy City, PA, travelled to New Jersey to attend Lester’s 95th birthday party. They and their families kept in touch and looked forward to the next reunion.
Sadly, we lost them both within a few days of each other. Francis passed on November 24, 2020 at the age of 96 and Lester at the age of 95 on December 5, 2020.
Francis and Lester, two amazing men, who sacrificed their youth to preserve our freedom and our liberties. Their BOBA family is privileged to have known them and sends condolences to their families. We miss them so much!
December has always been a special time of year. And, like most other events in this unforgettable year of 2020, our observances may be unique. No doubt, we each have unusually long lists of losses and heart aches. Some people may even prefer holidays to pass unnoticed.
But celebrate we shall, we must!
In a time when darkness, real and metaphorical, settles heavily on us, we can find joy in celebrations of light, indeed of miracles: Hanukkah and Christmas. Light those candles for Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa – creatively honor your faith/family tradition(s).
The image of our soldiers doing their best to celebrate in the midst of battle always touches my heart. Gain strength from them. Whatever their internal dialog at the moment, no matter how far from loved ones, despite the danger, they touched each other’s lives as best able with warmth, caring, and faith – and they endured.
We celebrate them, even as we mourn those so dear to us who have recently died. Take a moment to reflect on their lives and their impact on us. Although we cannot gather formally this December 16 to commemorate the 76th anniversary of the beginning of the Battle of the Bulge, please pay tribute in your heart to these brave service men and women who fought to preserve our freedom and our liberties. Honor their families, too – and all who supported them.
And now in this blessed season, permit yourself a little perspective shift. Don’t focus on what you’re missing! Focus, with joy and gratitude, on what you have – “hold fast what is good.” Invite the peace of the Lord to reside in your heart. Joyfully, believe that God has a plan far greater than anything of which we can conceive. Humbly, acknowledge that God uses difficult times to strengthen, to teach, to guide. Continue your faith journey, even when you stumble. “Do not quench the Spirit” (in yourself or in anyone else)! Let your light shine – you will feel better and so will those around you.
Prayer: Lord, keep us mindful of how blessed we are – and joyfully share those blessings. Open us, especially in challenging times, to an awareness of, and gratitude for, the many silver linings. Grant us contentment. Give us strength to live out our faith, to constantly reach out to you and rejoice in you, knowing you are always with us and you keep your promises. AMEN.
A blessing for today and for the coming year:
“May the Lord bless you and protect you. May the Lord smile on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord show you His favor and give you His peace.” (Numbers 6:24-25)
Dale Cooksey (28th Division, 110th Inf Rgt, Co A) turned 100 on December 3rd and the local police and fire department helped him celebrate! He is a proud American – he raises his American flag on his flagpole every morning and retires it in the evening – rain or shine.
Dale was born in Trenton, MO in 1920 and lived in the midwest all his life. His first job (at age 16) was to sell shoes and he became store manager at age 18. He was drafted into the US Army at the age of 23. He trained at Camp Roberts, CA. When he left for Europe on the Queen Mary, he left behind his young bride who was carrying their first child. Dale recalls his experiences as well as some of the places he fought in – St. Vith, Clervaux, Wiltz and Cologne.
He was lucky to return home in January 1946 without injuries and he met his daughter for the first time. He worked in Chicago as a manufacturing representative selling brushes (for artists, hair stylists and painters) and eventually became a sales manager at a Sherwin Williams store for over 20 years.
After retiring, he worked as a volunteer at a Thrift Shop. He loves to tinker with clocks and he can fix anything that is broken. He has always been a generous man who believes in working hard and living honestly. He lives close to family and still manages his household – including doing his own housecleaning, laundry and even mowing his lawn!
He’s never met a stranger – he loves people. He was married to his sweetheart for 74 years and has 3 daughters, 4 grandchildren and 6 great grandchildren who adore him. I’m one of them – his grandson – who is extremely proud of him. He taught me more than he’ll ever know.
Submitted by BOBA member Jason Ryan, grandson of Dale Cooksey
Bulge Memory – Originally published in The Bulge Bugle® Winter 2020.
We were sent to Belgium after fighting many battles in France. We ended up in St. Vith which was supposed to be a “Rest Area” for our troops.
On the night of December 16 or 17th, we heard the huge buildup of armor across the valley. The following night, about three Sherman tanks attacked one or two tigers which were visible from our vantage point. The Sherman’s were running circles around them but were eventually knocked out by superior Tigers. It was like the 4th of July and we had a good seat. Little did we know what was about to come.
All of a sudden the barrage started and never seemed to let up, as their 88s poured into us. Many of our men were hit and were calling “Dick, I’m hit!” (not “Medic!”). I had trained with all of these men and was assigned to the 1st Platoon so they all knew me.
A man from New Bedford, MA was hit in the chest and was bleeding badly, so I crawled over to him and bandaged him up as best I could and they evacuated him. I didn’t give him much hope to make it. (Several years later after the war, I was walking down the streets of Boston with my sister when a man and a friend stopped us and introduced me to his friend as the guy that saved his life. I was speechless, I thought he was dead). Several others were KIA or WIA and I treated them to the best I could under the circumstances.
We were told to evacuate on the 21st of December, and we congregated on a hill about 20 miles behind the German lines with Col. Riggs. Riggs gave us three options: 1) fight out enforce, 2) break up into squads and try to work our way through the lines, or 3) retreat in the deep woods and wait for a counter attack. The vote was taken, and much to the dismay of Col. Riggs, #2 was elected. (Note: Most of the GIs had already destroyed their firearms so #1 would have been useless).
I was in the first squad to leave and eventually we were surrounded by Germans. My days as a POW began.
Many years later at the 168th reunion, our Battalion was awarded the Distinguished Unit Citation and the Belgian Croix de Guerre (war cross). Both awards recognize the 168th for their stubborn defense of St. Vith Belgium during the Battle of the Bulge. The 168th held the pivotal communication center against a larger German force for seven days before being ordered to retreat.
Richard Lewis survived 4 months of German POW camps and suffered from frozen feet which were saved with penicillin after liberation April 6, 1944. Later on he graduated from business college and was named Business Administrator for a private high school for girls. He later owned and operated a retail variety store for 15 years until his retirement. His first wife Virginia died in 1995, and he has since married Mary, with whom he lives in Florida.
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by Joanne Moss, niece of BOBA member Matthew A. Reluga, SSGT 90th Infantry Division
Recently, I was asked to write a brief story about the war history of Matthew A. Reluga. Overwhelmed was what I felt at the time, since Matt is now 101 years of age and he does not often recall what he had for breakfast, let alone what transpired well over seventy-five years ago. Several times, I broached the subject and asked what he particularly remembered about those trying and emotional times. Each time, I received the same answer. “It was long ago and I don’t want to talk about it.” This was indeed a mixed message, as he has often expressed the sentiment that we must all remember what went before and, especially, the Battle of the Bulge where he came off the boat only to fall face first into the icy waters. Fortunately, or unfortunately, a fellow soldier (unnamed) yanked him up by his pack and pushed him forward to meet untold chaos.
He told of troops dropping air markers from the planes to show where the landing was to happen but the wind drove the smoke the wrong way and the battle worsened. He also related to my family that he was sent as an intelligence scout into the line of fire where he was subjected to both American and German artillery. Despite this, he made it back to his troops with important information. He does not recall where this took place, other than he told his driver to stay with the vehicle and not to follow him under any circumstances. Matt related that he still sees the soldier’s face and that the fellow looked awfully scared!
None of this seemed like the meat of a “Battle of the Bulge” story and I was a bit disappointed that he could not remember more about battle lines, towns, people he met, etc. Then, about a week ago, while visiting and straightening his closet for him, I found a beautifully bound book on WWII and the various theatres. It was filled with maps showing battles, line of demarcation, towns, and arrows showing German, English and American movement through various battles. Finally, I thought I had found a memory jogger to get more information from this gallant soldier.
I brought the book to his chair and opened it up to his Division’s pages. He looked at me with watery eyes and said that it was quite a book but he was there because it was his duty to be there, not to remember or recognize any of the towns or people. When asked if he remembered any of the fellow soldiers he fought so closely with, he denied remembering any, with the exception of one. He has a picture hanging on his living room wall of that soldier. Matt related that they were good buddies and that they talked often about where they were (War), why they were there (fighting the Germans) and what they were doing in the field. He related also that both of them preferred to take on assignments alone.
Why, I asked?
“It was better to know that no one else was at risk and would die because of where we were,” was his response.
“I still see the faces.” He knew that at any given time, the young fellow next to him might be blown up or shot and, after seeing that happen so many times, he preferred to go it alone. At one battle, his Division of about 150 men went to fight. Only 7 returned, of which he was one. He wonders to this day why that is.
The times he does remember, with some accuracy, was riding on a train to either a boot camp or training camp. The train had broken windows and the soldiers were hanging out the windows looking at the people along the route. A trip to Mexico while on leave and a trip to Paris, France where he was lucky enough to spend some hours with his brother, Charles, an Intelligence Officer in charge of handling captured German soldiers, also stands out in his mind.
Again, none of this seemed like material for an article on war heroism. What it did provide me with was perhaps some insight into the fact that Uncle Matt never remembered our names, the names of his neighbors, or the names of relatives other than his immediate family. My husband was not usually called by name, my son is often addressed as his father, and I am “sweetheart” or “dear” unless he is pushed to say my name. It is then my last name followed by my first (military carry-over?). Neighbors are known as the lady on the corner, the one next door (who was his caretaker and remains a friend and supporter,) and the guy across the street even though they have lived there for many years and were, and are, an important part of his life. He can remember facts about my family that are relayed to him on visits. I believe that his lack of personal nametagging is more a direct result of his life history and most particularly, his war experience.
Being brought up after WWI, going to an orphanage as a young child and raised by strangers until his high school years, he may not have been able to develop close personal ties. Children whom he befriended came and went dependent on their family status. Going to war and having his friends and comrades taken from him on a daily basis, he developed a strategy to protect himself from losing the people he might become attached to. If they had no name, he could not be unduly affected should they be taken away for whatever reason. Unfortunately, while names can easily fade into oblivion, faces do not. Thus, he is still tormented with the faces of those that were left on the battlefield. Because of those faces, Matt refused the Purple Heart. He felt, and still feels, that those medals belong to those who gave their lives. Sadly, he does not realize that he too gave a large part of his life to those fighting years and the memories that he carries to this day.
Now when I visit, I no longer feel upset when he doesn’t call me by name. When I see the light in his eyes when we arrive to visit, I know that I am remembered and cared about. When I see his eyes as he looks at his fellow veterans in his new residence, the Veterans Home, I know that they, too, are important to him, even without names. I believe that all those unnamed soldiers of long ago are still remembered and cared about, name or not, when he asks that the Battle be remembered. No, names and places are really not important, because I can see his remembrance in his eyes.
Photos: Matthew A. Regula, honorable WWII Veteran and recipient of The Bronze Star, Silver Star and various Theatre Medals. Matt is a treasured member of the Delaware Valley Chapter.
In case you missed any of the sessions from Remembering the Battle of the Bulge, Virginia War Memorial has graciously provided the playback here. We had at least 6 countries represented in our day-long series of lectures on October 15th – Belgium, Luxembourg, France, Holland, Italy, and the United States!
BOBA would like to thank the Virginia War Memorial and the Lifelong Learning Institute in Chesterfield for making the event possible. Kudos to our host Jim Triesler, our organizers Morgan Guyer (VWM) and Rachel Rameriz (LLI) and to our presenters Chris Kolakowski, Heidi Sheldon, Leon Reed & Lois Lembo, Andrew Biggio and Dr. Andy Waskie! Special thanks to Ambassador of Belgium H.E. Jean-Arthur Régibeau, Deputy Chief of Mission Peggy Frantzen from Luxembourg, VWM Director Dr. Clay Mountcastle and BOBA President John Mohor for their participation.
And finally, sincere gratitude to our Bulge veterans George Merz, Francis Chesko and Fred Faulkner for sharing their experiences and for serving their country over 75 years ago at the Battle of the Bulge!
Saturday, November 7, 2020 | 2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. U.S. Eastern Time Virtual Meeting Via WEBEX |REGISTRATION REQUIRED
Attention ALL BOBA members!
You are cordially invited to attend our virtual Annual Membership WEBEX Meeting of Battle of the Bulge Association®, Inc. on Saturday, November 7, 2020 from 2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. U.S. Eastern Time –> Log on EARLY at 1:45 p.m. U.S. Eastern Time to view a special video presentation from Belgium created by BOBA member Joel Lamberty. Joel will also present a video within the program as well as a video from BOBA member Jean-Pierre Paviot from France and hear the Ardennes March composed by BOBA veteran member Fred Faulkner!
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER. PLEASE RSVP BY OCTOBER 30th.Registration is required. Dial-in info and the web link will be sent to you prior to the meeting date.
Also, be sure to review theMeeting Agendaandslate of nomineesor our 2021 BOBA Board of Directors. Voting will take place during the meeting.
All current BOBA members are welcome to attend and vote, including any family or friends whojoin our organization before the meeting day.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT!
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Frederick L. Faulkner of 3257 SIG SVC CO (pictured below), member of Chapters 23 & 32, has composed 3 pieces for concert band that recognize and honor the participants of Pearl Harbor, The Battle of the Bulge and Viet Nam. Having played piano and the reed instruments in concert and jazz bands over the years as a hobby, he decided to try and write something that would honor these wars that he had lived through and participated in. Having had no formal training in composition, he was helped immensely by his current concert band director Henry Fletcher, in New Port Richey, Florida. After the success of The Ardennes March, he was motivated to write the Pearl Harbor Memorial and the Viet Nam Tribute. The Viet Nam Tribute is unique in that there is live battle sound incorporated into the piece. These 3 works were received equally well by the audience and are played annually by the Richey Concert Band in new Port Richey, Florida. The band consists of 65-75 pieces and is a non-paid community band of 48 years standing.
Mission: The 12th Infantry Regiment of the 4th Infantry Division, from November 6, 1944 to December 7, 1944, participated in the Bloody Battle of the Hurtgen Forest in Germany. During the Battle of the Bulge, the 12th Infantry led the transfer to the country of Luxembourg for defense of the Luxembourg area along the Sauer River. All units were to receive replacements and upgrade the equipment. My job was a litter bearer, which was to remove seriously wounded soldiers from the battlefield. My most vivid memories of the Bulge were close calls! On the morning of December 21, 1944, there was a call for two litter teams to Company F in Berdorf. We had two jeeps with a litter team on each. The road from the woods outside Consdorf to Berdorf was about four miles without any shelter. Our jeep drivers stopped, at the edge of the woods, to decide what they would do. As the driver of the first jeep pulled out, at a high speed, we were right behind.
All of a sudden out of nowhere, two soldiers appeared, shouting to stop. They were the outpost. We were able to get the first jeep to stop and turn around. The outpost guards told us the company pulled back during the night, and if we kept going – we were in “No Man’s Land” heading into the German lines. We were taken to the two wounded soldiers, and we transported them to the 2nd Battalion Aid Station. We almost became prisoners or being killed.
The next morning, with a new line of defense holding, my commanding officer called me aside, and told me the Battalion Mail Sergeant was going to Luxembourg City to pick up mail at Regimental Headquarters. As part of “other duties” as assigned, my commander made arrangements for me to go to Regimental HQ with the Sergeant and his driver to deliver an envelope. On our travels via Highway 11, about a mile past Radio Luxembourg, we were stopped at a Division Checkpoint. We then continued to Regimental HQ. I was dropped off, they continued to service company. I took care of the commander’s business and waited for the sergeant and driver. A few minutes later, they pulled up with a trailer full of mail bags. We did not receive mail for more than a month; because of the heavy fighting in the Hurtgen Forest.
We traveled back over Highway 11 and were stopped at a new 1st Army Checkpoint that was setup. This checkpoint was to help capture the German paratroopers, who were dropped behind our lines. The MPs at Checkpoint were checking serial numbers, and our jeep’s serial numbers were ones they were looking for. We tried to explain that we just picked up the mail, but were sent back to Luxembourg City with a police escort. It turned out that the MPs located the orders that said they should be checking “Dog Tag” numbers instead, so we were let go. When we arrived back at Battalion, we were met with “Where were you? What happened? We called Regiment and they said you left over two hours ago.” We explained that we were stopped at a 1st Army Checkpoint. The serial number on our jeep matched one of the numbers the MPs were looking for. We were taken to the 1st Army Provos Marshal Office, as possible “German paratroopers and spies.” The Battalion staff said they were glad we got back safe!
The Battle of the Bulge turned out to be a bigger and more important attack than any commander realized on the first day. The attack was on a 75-mile front at the same time. This battle turned out to be the largest land battle the US Army ever fought, since it was found on June 14, 1775 to the present.
Awards: Combat Medical Badge, Bronze Star Medal with “V” device (valor), 2 Oak Leaf Clusters to Bronze Medal, Purple Heart Medal, Good Conduct Medal, American Campaign Medal, Europe-Africa-Middle East Medal with 5 Campaign Stars (Battle Stars), WWII Victory Medal, Presidential Unit Citation, The Chevalier-French Legion of Honor Medal, Normandy Jubilee of Liberty Medal, Belgian Fourragère.
Picture of Jacob at the 75th Anniversary Commemoration of the End of the Battle of the Bulge 1/25/20, Washington, DC. Photo courtesy: Hylton Phillips-Page
CANCELLED– Battle of the Bulge Association® 39th Annual Reunion
Under much consideration and due to the coronavirus pandemic, the BOBA Board of Directors voted to cancel our 2020 reunion which was scheduled for October 15-20 in Charleston, SC. Several factors impacted the decision including: the ability to plan activities we wanted around strict restrictions, city ordinances and social distancing has been difficult; many members, especially our veterans, are part of the “at risk” group; and also many members expressed they do not intend to come due to the pandemic.
We’re looking into having a “virtual” membership meeting this Fall so please check back here often for updates!
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