This uncle was also first wave at Normandy and managed to get into the Hurtgen fight, then was sent to a “quite” sector to recuperate in the Ardennes. I have read about the Hurtgen Forrest campaign, what a waste of men and effort. On a scale of the disaster of Peleliu in the Pacific which should have just been by-passed.
The other uncle in 3rd Army, would have been at D-Day but he got his ship torpedoed in Operation Tiger, one of the disastrous D-Day training exercises. He was ordered to stay silent about it. All he would say is his ship was torpedoed by a Uboat. He later fought in the Bulge as well when Patton’s turned his division north towards Bastogne. He said there was a crossroad and a lieutenant came up and told him to set up his AA gun in the middle of it, a panzer would be coming and he was to engage it. Yes sir he replied! The LT left and he promptly moved his gun back into cover near the crossroads and one of his buddies was like you heard the LT’s order! Yes I did and you see all those burning vehicles sitting out in the open don’t you? Yeah was the reply, well I don’t want to join them, but from here I can still engage with some cover and possible get off the first shot. He said the panzer never showed.
“...first wave at Normandy ...”
Good lord... Omaha was a debacle. Utah wasn’t as bad, because they actually landed at the wrong place. But Omaha beach was a slaughterhouse.
“Operation Tiger”
That was Slapton Sands, I believe, where the German torpedo boats (E-Boats) slipped into the coastal waters of Britain and torpedoed a transport ship loaded with troops.
“He said the panzer never showed.”
And was probably REALLY happy about that... :^)
I’ll tell you this - I go to a WWII Weekend show every year up in Reading PA. Two years ago, a Mark VI Tiger was there. This thing was an absolute Beast. Standing next to it, I can only imagine what my old man was thinking when he saw those in the Ardennes, but I can pretty much guarantee you it wasn’t “My oh my, Just Look At those German Engineering Skills on display!” Probably had a LOT of expletives in multiple languages...
There were two Shermans there as well, and the Tiger dwarfed them.
We come from a generation of magnificent Americans, Sarge...