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 are acknowledged, affirmed and commemorated.
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Posted on 12/22/2002 12:03:28 AM PST by SAMWolf
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are acknowledged, affirmed and commemorated.
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| Our Mission: The FReeper Foxhole is dedicated to Veterans of our Nation's military forces and to others who are affected in their relationships with Veterans. We hope to provide an ongoing source of information about issues and problems that are specific to Veterans and resources that are available to Veterans and their families. In the FReeper Foxhole, Veterans or their family members should feel free to address their specific circumstances or whatever issues concern them in an atmosphere of peace, understanding, brotherhood and support.
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On December 16, 1944, the Germans launched their largest offensive of the war on the Western Front. The primary goals of the offensive were to capture the Belgian port of Antwerp and to drive a wedge between the British and American armies. This offensive is often referred to as the "Battle of the Bulge." It's failure was due largely to American resistance around St. Vith, on the northern shoulder of the Bulge, and by American forces holding Bastogne on the southern shoulder of the Bulge. The town of Bastogne is strategically located at the center of the road network of the Ardennes. The Germans referred to it as a "road octopus" since the majority of roads in that region of the Ardennes pass through the town. The town's strategic location made it vitally important to the outcome of the offensive. The Allies realized its importance and General Eisenhower dispatched the 101st Airborne Division to hold the town at all costs. This victory resulted in the first full Army Division Presidential Distinguished Unit Citation. This interview focuses on the story surrounding the German's request for the American forces at Bastogne to surrender and the American General's response as witnessed by Lt. General Harry Kinnard, at the time of the siege of Bastogne, a Lt. Col. and Division G-3. These are some of his personal recollections.  We got into Bastogne late on the night of 18 December, 1944. We were not well equipped, having just gotten out of combat in Holland. We were particularly short of winter clothing and footwear. On the 21st of December we became completely surrounded by Germans and our field hospital was overrun by a German attack. We had put the hospital in what would normally have been a safe place, but no place is safe when you are completely surrounded. At this time, we were not able to receive air resupply because the weather was absolutely frightful. It was very, very cold and snowy. Visibility was often measured in yards. Our lack of winter gear was partially offset by the citizens of Bastogne who gave us blankets and white linens that we used for camouflage. While we were still surrounded, on the morning of December 22, a German surrender party, consisting of two officers and two NCOs, and carrying a white flag, approached our perimeter in the area of our Glider Regiment, the 327th. The party was taken to a nearby platoon command post. While the enlisted men were detained the officers were blind folded and taken to the command post of the 327th where they presented their surrender ultimatum. The ultimatum in essence said the 101st's position was hopeless and that if we elected not to surrender a lot of bad things would happen.  The message was brought in to the Division Headquarters by Major Alvin Jones, the S-3, and Colonel Harper, the Regimental Commander. They brought the message to me, the G-3 and Paul Danahy, the G-2. My first reaction was that this was a German ruse, designed to get our men out of their fox holes. But be that as it might, we agreed that we needed to take the message up the line. We took it first to the acting Chief of Staff of the Division, Lt. Col. Ned Moore. With him, we took the message to the acting Division Commander General Tony McAuliffe. Moore told General McAuliffe that we had a German surrender ultimatum. The General's first reaction was that the Germans wanted to surrender to us. Col. Moore quickly disabused him of that notion and explained that the German's demanded our surrender. When McAuliffe heard that he laughed and said: "Us surrender? Aw, nuts!" the date was December 22nd, 1944 The fortune of war is changing. This time the U.S.A. forces in and near Bastogne have been encircled by strong German armored units. More German armored units have crossed the river Our near Ortheuville, have taken Marche and reached St. Hubert by passing through Hompre-Sibret-Tillet. Libramont is in German hands. There is only one possibility to save the encircled U.S.A. troops from total annihilation: that is the honorable surrender of the encircled town. In order to think it over a term of two hours will be granted beginning with the presentation of this note. If this proposal should be rejected one German Artillery Corps and six heavy A. A. Battalions are ready to annihilate the U.S.A. troops in and near Bastogne. The order for firing will be given immediately after this two hours' term. All the serious civilian losses caused by this artillery fire would not correspond with the well known American humanity. The German Commander. But then McAuliffe realized that some sort of reply was in order. He pondered for a few minutes and then told the staff, "Well I don't know what to tell them." He then asked the staff what they thought, and I spoke up, saying, "That first remark of yours would be hard to beat." McAuliffe said, "What do you mean?" I answered, "Sir, you said 'Nuts'." All members of the staff enthusiastically agreed, and McAuliffe decided to send that one word, "Nuts!" back to the Germans. McAuliffe then wrote down: "Nuts!" The American Commander." McAuliffe then asked Col. Harper to deliver the message to the Germans. Harper took the typed message back to the company command post where the two German officers were detained. Harper then told the Germans that he had the American commanders reply. The German captain then asked, "Is it written or verbal?" Harper responded that it was written and added, "I will place it in your hand." The German major then asked, "Is the reply negative or affirmative? If it is the latter I will negotiate further."  At this time the Germans were acting in an arrogant and patronizing manner and Harper, who was starting to lose his temper, responded, "The reply is decidedly not affirmative." He then added that, "If you continue your foolish attack your losses will be tremendous." Harper then put the German officers in a jeep and took them back to where the German enlisted men were detained. He then said to the German captain, "If you don't know what 'Nuts' means, in plain English it is the same as 'Go to Hell'. And I'll tell you something else, if you continue to attack we will kill every goddam German that tries to break into this city." The German major and captain saluted very stiffly. The captain said, "We will kill many Americans. This is war." Harper then responded, "On your way Bud," he then said, "and good luck to you." Harper later told me he always regretted wishing them good luck.
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It would have to be up to someone else to say anything about rising to the occasion. Not being a preachy or "Bible-bangin" kinda guy, though, he MIGHT tell you that the only reason he came home was because "someone was looking out for him", or some other understated words to the same effect.
To be on the safe side, find an exorcist.
;-)
Ah, well, nothing, I suppose, so long as there were no soiled diapers or rotten vegetables to hand in the pews. (What would Jesus throw?!?)
Brandenbourg (Lux)
- Memorial to the 28th Infantry Division.
Consthum (Lux)
Memorial to Lt. Col. Daniel B. Strickler and to the 110th Infantry Regiment (28th I.D.).
Diekirch (Lux)
Memorial to the 5th, 9th, 10th Armored Division - 28th, 80th, 5th, 4th Infantry Division, (September 44 - January 45).
Eschweiler (Lux)
Plaque, Painting, Stained Glass Windows and Memorial to George O. Mergenthaler (28th Infantry Division) killed on 18 December 1944.
Hoesdorf (Lux)
Memorial to the 109th Infantry Regiment, 28th Infantry Division
Hosingen (Lux)
- to the men of K Company, 110th Regiment, 28th Division and to the soldiers of B Company 103 Engineer Combat Bn who gallantly defended Hosingen
Marnach (Lux)
- Memorial in honor to the 28th Infantry Division, Liberator and Defender of Marnach.
- Dedicated to the officers and men of the 707th U.S. Tank Battalion.
- Clock close to the memorial to the 28th Infantry Division. (The clock is part of the memorial)
Osweiler (Lux)
- Stele to the 5th Armored Division, 28th, 83rd, 4th Infantry Division 9th Armored Division. 5th, 87th Infantry Division. T.D. - F.A. 76th Infantry Division.
Spineux (Be)
- Memorial to the 112th Infantry Regiment (28th Infantry Division)
Weiler (Lux)
- Plaaz Tom Myers Square GI of "I" Co. 110th Infantry Regiment 28th Infantry Division.
Memorial to the "I" Co. 110th Infantry Regiment 28th Infantry Division.
Wiltz (Castle) (Lux)
- Memorial to the 28th Infantry Division which liberated Wiltz.
The real heroes always say that. I thank your dad for his service and sacrifices.
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Tour of active duty --- 1 July 1943 to 2 February 1946 Rating - 2nd Lt. 1 July 1943 1st Lt. August 1944 Major Battles and Campaigns --- Normandy, Northern France, Rhineland, Ardennes, Central Europe. The 35th Evacuation Hospital was awarded the Meritarious Service Unit Plaque for superior performance of duty and outstanding devosion to duty, two bronze Star Awards of the Legion of Merit and 19 awards of the Bronze Star. On February 10, 1944 sailed from New-York city on the Queen Mary and landed in Scotland February 18 and then transported to Stone, England June 24, 1944 the 35th Evacuation Hospital landed in France and was attached to General Patton's 3rd Army. We were first to cross the Seine River - the first to cross the Meuse River - the first Unit to cross the Siegfried Line at Echternach, Luxembourg. We went through France, Luxembourg, Germany and Austria. Several times we were shelled with no serious injuries. We were alerted to go to the CBI (China-Burma-India) when peace was declared with Japan. During our tour of duty we treated 27.051 patients I returned home to Fort Wayne, IN, married and raised six children. I did Industrial Nursing until my retirement in 1982. We are now residence of Yuma, Arizona and enjoying retirement.
I Would like to acquaint the reader with an evacuation hospital since he no doubt is unfamiliar with the many diversified units comprising a modern army. An evacuation hospital is a Ground Force organization which is assigned to support a field army in combat. However, if seriously wounded, the man may be sent directly from the field to an evacuation hospital which is located from three to fifteen miles from the front. Here third echelon medical treatment is given. The first difinitive treatment is administered here and the problem up front is to evacuate the wounded so that he may be operated within the "four golden hours" thus increasing the success of surgical treatment. The fourth echelon is the numbered general hospitals of the communication zone and the fifth echelon is the named general hospitals in the zone of the interior, pedantically speaking. The evacuation hospital has a 400 bed capacity which can handle a 200 case overload. There are 38 officers, 1 warrant officer, 40 nurses and 217 enlisted men. There is enough equipment to handle and house the patients and personnel. During operations, a five day expendable supply for 25,000 men was carried.
 The transportation is 4 jeeps, 1 weapons carrier, 20 two and a half ton trucks and (1) 700 gallon water truck, all with appropriate trailers. This is enough vehicles to transport one half a functional hospital at a time. The hospital is completely independent functioning with its own tents, electricity, sterilizers, generators, telephones, and sanitary equipment amonunting to about fifty long tons. The organization of a hospital is suggested by the army, but usually follows a pattern that fits the situation. There are twenty wards, an operation room with eight operating tables, x-ray service, pharmacy, laboratory, dental clinic, dispensary, three messes, a chapel, registrar, detachment headquarters, transportaion section, and headquarters which make up the functional hospital that gives an unbelievable variety of medical, dental, and surgical service. In combat the equipment and personnel usually filled 75 trucks loads. The hospital could be set up and begin to function completely in six hours.
 This is by no means to be taken as a dogmatic way of running an evacuation hospital but the way our hospital functioned under the FIRST, SECOND, and THIRD UNITED STATES ARMIES. I am extremely loyal and proud of the achievements of the 35th Evacuation Hospital and if I have written too enthusiastically about the exploits, it is because of my sincere respect of my fellow officers, nurses, and soldiers.
The 35th Evacuation Hospital continued to operate under the XII Corps during the period of 22 September to 2 December 1944. During our stay in Nancy (France) there were sporadic buzz bombs and a railroad piece that went undetected for some time that proved to be a nuisance. General Patton mead several visits to the hospital to visit the soldiers of his Third Army. He was always interested in each soldier and asked how he was wounded, several times awarding medals to the more valiant. Nancy also had several other features, for here the men were able to take their free time on pass to visit the city or attend the G.I. movies. While the Third Army was storming the Moselle and capturing the fortress city of Metz the casualty rate was high and the work was beginning to wear down even the more vigorous. After the front and fighting had moved slowly forward the hospital moved on 2 December to Teting near St Avold into a dismal, filthy, wrecked group of former German Barracks situated right in the Maginot Line. With the aid of the Engineers, windows, doors, and electricity was readied for our occupancy. The 80th Infantry had just fought ovr the area and the demolition left by the Air Coprs left little to talk nice about. Hardly before the rubble was cleard away, the hospital began functioning with the III Corps. The morale of the unit was at its lowest ebb here as the combined discomforts and situation were at their worst. On cleaning up,many dead German soldiers were found and this with the cold bleak weather and long hard hours pulled heavy on mind. A, attempt to make Christmas cheery was completed with trees and decorations when the German breakthrough called for the assistance of the Third United States Army and its components. A mass movementforming a large hinging movment from the Saarland to the Ardennes was accomplished in short order.
On 22 December the hospital picked up and moved into Metz, the historic capital of Lorraine. The unit used the "L'Internat de l'Ecole Nationale Professionnelle de Metz which had been stripped by the Nazi when he left. This too, was a cold dismal place, without heat, water or electricity. Soon our ingenious soldiers put the Sibley stoves in place and wired the place and were to sit here for a sad Christmas. The Christmas Dinner was excellent and the soldiers tried to be gay but it was our most dispairing day of the war. In the meantime the Colonel was scouting for a building large enough to house a 400 bed hospital plus living quarters for an additional 400 personnel. None was to be found so the situation being urgent we moved into Luxembourg City on the 26th of December. By the 28th all equipment was moved into Ecole de Bonnevoie after removing all their furnishings to make room for the hospital. The hospital opened at 1500 in support of the XII Corps again. This lone building was hardly adequate but the situation demanded immediate operation. The men were billeted in tents and an empty school nearby. The officers and nurses used the old assortment of houses and apartments formerly occupied by Nazi sympathizers. The hospital literally bulged with "BULGE" patients as all available space from the basement to the attic, including the halls were used. Due to the cramped quarters most of the cases sent were surgical thus a turnover. There was no relief here as the long days passed. The off time was spent in Luxembourg City on pass and at the G.I. movies. The people of this small Duchy were very cordial and many friendships were established. When the Germans were driven back in the Bulge, a counter offensive was launched that gained momentum as it crossed the Rhine to the utter defeat of the Nazi Armies. Another first was performed by the 35th when it crossed the Siegfried Line at Echternach in Luxembourg, thereby being the first Third Army hospital established itself at Helenberg, between Bitburg and Trier, using school which was converted into a hospital. The usual evacuation is from the front to the rear, but at this spot the Clearing Companies were evacuating to the front to us. From our position we could watch the artillery shoot and score. Here the great number of patients was due to the large influx of prisoner of war who had a high ratio of severe wounds. Two sections of an ambulance platoon were kept busy evacuating the wounded which can be habdled normally with one section. The period of operation here was from the 6th to the 27th Marsh and was a comparatively short time compared to the two months spent at both Nancy and Luxembourg. |
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