of the

87th Armored Field Artillery Battalion

MY STORY By Colonel George A. Aubrey USA (Retired) INTRODUCTION For several years members of my family have urged me to write about my experiences, which, they think, are interesting. I do think that one interesting aspect is that I served in horse-drawn Field Artillery equipped with French 75MM, Model 1897, guns and about twenty years later, I served in an air defense unit with missiles having a 75 mile range and with 30 kiloton nuclear warheads. For Christmas 2006, my grandson, Blake Pritchard, ten years old, gave me a leather bound journal with many pages of blank paper. Inside the front cover he had written a note: “Dear Papa, I hope you have a Merry Christmas and have enough time to write some beautiful stories about your interesting life.” Signed, “With Love, Blake.” How could I do otherwise? I wish to thank Dave Olson of Wheaton, Illinois who volunteered to put this narrative in a more readable form. Dave and I served together in World War II. He was very much involved in the creation of our battalion association and keeping it active for more than forty years. He still informs our veterans through periodic newsletters. Colonel George A. Aubrey USA (Retired) THROUGH THE TEENS I was born May 12, 1917 in Annapolis, MD in my Mother’s sister’s house at the corner of Wagner and King George streets facing a wall of the US Naval Academy. Just across the street (King George) is St. John’s College-originally King William College, established in colonial days. This was old Annapolis. A large part had been taken over to build the Naval Academy. This was WW I time and my father, Norbert Eugene Aubrey, was a Navy Lieutenant and at sea. My mother, Martha Ethel (Crandell) met my father when, as an enlisted man, was stationed at Annapolis. He originally came from Massachusetts. After leaving the Navy when the war ended, my father worked 37 years at the Naval Experimental Station across the river from the academy. My Mother’s father, James Crandell, was night watchman at a local lumber company. My Grandmother managed the Carvel Hall Hotel laundry and my Grandfather often worked there. At that time I had one brother, Norbert E. Aubrey, three years younger than I. He and I often played in the laundry. Nearby was a fire station which had one very interesting piece of equipment, a “hook and ladder” engine, which was very long, was painted yellow, had hard rubber tires, and steered front and back. My Father’s parents lived in Massachusetts and I saw them only infrequently. Besides my birthplace I lived at two locations in Annapolis; first on Charles Street, which I really don’t remember, and then on Market Street. This house was owned by the Childs family who also owned a grocery, grain & feed store. One, Miss Childs, was also my 3rd grade teacher. Behind our house was a large two-story barn, which the Childs used for storage. One item was bales of hay, which we kids used to build cave like structures. The barn had stalls, but no horses. It did retain the smell of horses, however. The barn was also used for a garage for the Child’s Model T truck. One time the driver took me for a “thrilling ride” on a delivery route. I attended grammar school, eight grades, on Green Street about a block from my home on Market Street. My first year of high school was in a building next to it. I was a pretty good student in grammar school, but not so in high school. I won’t go into detail, but I did manage to graduate. For four or five years in school, I earned spending money working in food stores. My first job was in an “American Store.” I did various things: carried customer packages to their cars, bagged potatoes, sugar etc., and delivered groceries around town pulling a small wagon. The store manager, “Pop” Roos, improved my efficiency by having a larger wagon built. The butcher of the store referred me to his nephew, a butcher at the A & P Store who needed help. So I became a butcher. When I was about 12 years old, my Father built a new house about 3 miles from Annapolis. From then on I had to ride a bus to school. In May 1929, a new brother arrived – James Crandell Aubrey, named after my Mother’s Father. I remember very well, a small incident that happened near the end of my last year in high school. One day in math class, my teacher, Miss Smith, dropped a pamphlet on my desk. It was concerning the Naval Academy. This apparently had quite an effect on me. Shortly after, I told my Father that I wanted to enlist in the Naval Reserve (he was a lieutenant commander in the Reserve). He was really surprised when I told him that my purpose was to try for an appointment to the Naval Academy. The Naval Reserves were allocated 25 appointments to the Academy per year. To obtain one of those appointments one had to take the regular Academy entrance exam on a competitive basis. The exam included algebra, physics, geometry, English and history. It required 5 hours per day for 3 days. In November 1935, I started prep school to prepare for the exam. The school was the “Annapolis Preparatory School” which specialized in preparing for the Naval Academy exams. It was a small school with three instructors; Cmdr. Cochran, Lt. Cmdr. Bryan (both retired) and a civilian, Mr. Orange. Cmdr. Cochran who taught math and physics was the best teacher I ever had. I took the exam in March 1936. I did well, ranking 62. However, there were about 500 boys nationwide competing. I understood that number 57 was the last to get an appointment; some went in on congressional appointments and others could not pass the physical requirements. I obtained a list of members of Congress who had vacancies at the Academy from the Navy Department. I stayed a while with an Aunt and Uncle in Washington and visited some of those Congressmen hoping to obtain an appointment – no luck. At the same time my Mother was taking the “political route” with the Mayor of Annapolis who took me to see my Congressman, but he had no vacancies. (I understand my Mother was in the process of getting together a petition to get him to give me one). With nothing to do, I got a full-time job as a butcher at $14.00 per week. One day, when I was at lunch, my Mother located me and told me that I had to go with her to the postmaster’s office and “refuse an appointment to West Point”. (This was early June 1936. A cadet had failed at West Point giving my Congressman a vacancy at that academy). I, at first, turned it down, but the postmaster “talked me into it”. I had to go to West Point and take another entrance exam – a much easier one because I had passed the Naval Academy regular exam. I passed, had a little difficulty because of high blood pressure, but entered as a plebe on July 1st, 1936. PREPARATION FOR A MILITARY CAREER West Point is sometimes called “Hell on the Hudson” probably because of “Beast Barracks,” the first several weeks of training at the Academy. Actually the whole first year was pretty difficult with a heavy academic load, military training, and very strict discipline. Part of this discipline was harsh “hazing,” often physical. At the beginning of plebe year I did have trouble with French. Another cadet from Annapolis, in the class ahead of me, realized that I needed help and got permission to coach me in French. It worked and very soon I was doing well. We did not leave the campus during the first year and a half, except to go to football games. I did get home for Christmas, 1937, for 10 days. One of those days, my Mother had an “open house” for me to see friends and relatives. A cousin came from Washington accompanied by a young man and a girl. I must say I thought the girl was the most beautiful and charming I had ever seen. Her name was Joan LaVerne Willoughby – known by her middle name, “LaVerne”. I made sure that I saw her several times during my leave and made many suggestions that she should come to see me at West Point. This was the beginning of, really, my first romance. She did come to West Point in June of 1938. She was in college in Tennessee, one year ahead of me. Most of our courtship was by letter - many, many letters. At the end of my second year at the Academy, I had a very long summer leave. My Father had a new Buick. While I was home, the Buick accumulated 4000 miles, most of them from my daily trips to Washington for dates with LaVerne, who was at home with her parents for the summer. Sometime in the fall of 1939, LaVerne came to West Point for a weekend. One evening we attended a “hop” (dance). I had purchased a miniature class ring and even had it engraved. At “hops” we wore “full dress” uniforms and white cloth gloves. I had the ring on my left little finger concealed by the glove. During a break in the dancing, I removed the glove exposing the ring-she saw it, knew the meaning and accepted. (As a matter of interest, the setting was a synthetic sapphire, the same as in my class ring. Some years later, we had it reset with a diamond.) I graduated in June 1940 ranking in the exact middle of my class. Not brilliant but not bad considering about 1/3 of those who entered in July 1936 didn’t make it. I was supposed to have a 12 week summer leave after graduation. LaVerne and I had planned to get married in December, but there was a war in Europe, which changed everything. In early July, I was informed (ordered) that my leave would end July 31st and that I would proceed to Fort Sill, Oklahoma to attend a 4-month Field Artillery Basic course. We married July 27th and “honeymooned” traveling to Fort Sill. Travel to Fort Sill in my new Chevy took 5 days – no interstates. Lawton, the town closest to Fort Sill, was a typical small western town with wide streets, and shops that had roofs over the sidewalks. It was very hot and dry when we arrived and had been for some time. Their reservoir, Lake Lawtonka, was almost dried up – it was very dusty and very uncomfortable. We had a bit of difficulty finding a place to live. Finally through the church we attended, we rented half a duplex from a very nice lady who took us to the movies and brought us hot rolls on Sunday mornings. Apparently, the “Basic Course” was the “compression” of a 9-month course. The result was that we were at class long hours including at night. The course was designed to teach us basic field artillery tactics and techniques. (By the time we put these things in action, there had been many changes). At that time, the Army still had many horse units. Part of our instruction was to ride a horse every day-good exercise-but we had had plenty of riding in four years at West Point. (And only three of us from my class ended up in horse-drawn units.) My diploma from the Basic Course includes such subjects as: horseshoeing, animal management, and driving and draft. However, I did get some really worthwhile training. The course ended November 1940. FIRST UNIT ASSIGNMENT Near graduation at West Point, all “first classmen” (seniors) were assembled in an auditorium. There, in order of our class standing (I was 224); we were able to choose, from existing vacancies, our branch of service and the unit we desired. I was able to get my desired branch, Field Artillery, and my preferred unit – the 3rd Field Artillery at Fort Hoyle, MD, a post near Baltimore, MD. It was also as close as I could get to Washington D.C. which is where LaVerne, my fiancée, was living. Well, things did not work out that way. Before I finished the Basic Course, the 3rd Field Artillery (horse-drawn) was converted to “mule pack” and moved to Puerto Rico. So, when I finished the Basic Course, I was assigned to the 83rd Field Artillery Regiment (horse-drawn) at then Camp (now Fort) Jackson, SC. My first assignment was in Battery B, 1st Battalion as Assistant Executive Officer. I had specific extra duties as Mess Officer and Stable Officer. While in this position I had a very embarrassing experience. I was to lead the battery (four guns and caissons) on a road march, basically for exercise. When I mounted the horse provided for me, it refused to move even when pushed by soldiers. I mounted another horse, the stable Sergeant’s horse. Well – while on the march, the horse ran away with me. I was able to get control by putting him (or her) on gradually diminishing circles. Shortly thereafter I was given the job of Regimental Recruit Instructor. Actually, I did the scheduling, arranging for equipment and overseeing, but I had sergeants who did the actual training. Next, we had a re-organization. The regiment of three battalions was re-organized into three separate battalions – mine, the first, becoming the 83rd Field Artillery Battalion. So I became the Battalion Recruit Instructor. I actually got the recruits in civilian clothes, and took them to the Quartermaster to get their uniforms. They were the product of the last recruiting drives in the very poor South; some had never worn a necktie. Availability of uniforms was poor, so the men were in various combinations of WWI pieces and WWII pieces, some with boots, some with leggings, etc. Then came the “draft”, what a difference! Now I had young men with good educations (some college) and considering they were not volunteers, enthusiastic and eager to learn. This was not to last long. The 8th Division to which we belonged was to be “motorized”, so the three horse-drawn battalions were ordered, in spring 1941, to Fort Sill, Oklahoma to be “School Troops” for the Field Artillery School. Motorized portions of the battalions were to proceed as motor convoys. Horse elements were to be transported by rail. I was given the job of “Advanced Agent for the Motor Convoy” of my battalion. I was furnished a “command car” and a driver. We were to stay sufficiently ahead of the convoy to arrange for overnight stop sites and for refueling. Of course, I had to meet them at times to tell them the arrangements. Thank goodness, all went well. We arrived at Fort Sill in May, 1941. At Fort Sill I was assigned as Battery Executive Officer in Battery A. I was in charge of the four gun sections, which were equipped with French 75mm guns, Model 1897. Each gun section also had a caisson to carry ammunition. Three pairs of horses called “lead, swing, and wheel” drew each gun and each caisson and a rider controlled each pair of horses. Each battery had more than one hundred horses. Our mission was to fire the guns for the students who were learning “conduct of fire”, how to adjust the fire on targets. We did a lot of firing mornings, afternoons, and nights, so I got a lot of valuable experience. Much of our ammunition had been produced in 1918. Needless to say, there were many malfunctions. After a couple of months as “Exec”, I was given the job of Battery Commander. I was a Second Lieutenant doing the job of a Captain. Oddly, I had two First Lieutenants working in my battery who couldn’t be assigned because they would have had to assume command. One of these stayed on for only a short time. The other stayed longer and we became friends. (I still exchange Christmas cards with his widow.) In October 1941, all Second Lieutenants in the Army with one year or more of service were promoted to First Lieutenant. By law; however, because I was regular Army, I still drew the pay of a Second Lieutenant. This was true until war was declared in December. Sometime later, I moved to the Battalion Staff as S2 (Intelligence) and Survey Officer. My principle job was training and controlling the survey team responsible for locating gun battery and target positions. I also got to attend special courses in the new Fire Direction techniques, which would serve me well in WWII. My Battalion Commander, Major (later Lieutenant Colonel) Robert Pepper Clay wanted all survey positions and firing data determined by computation and not by plotting on a map and measuring. He told me to develop a set of tables with answers to one type of tedious survey operation (traversing). I was equipped with an adding machine, logarithmic tables, and long sheets of paper to record data. A member of the survey team assisted me. The computations were simple and there were many, many of them: too many. I finally convinced Col. Clay it was not practical so he told me to make a slide rule. The standard ten-inch slide rule, readily available, could not be read with sufficient accuracy. I determined that the slide rule scales would have to be fifty inches long for sufficient accuracy. One member of the survey team plotted about 4000 graduations on the scales for the “rule” which was four and a half feet long and one foot wide. Colonel Clay, now promoted, tried to get it adopted by the artillery school that called it “Colonel Clay’s Mess Table”. Later, by eliminating certain scales on the rule, it became the survey slide for an existing Graphical Firing Table, a slide rule for facilitating applying corrections to firing data. This rule was issued to all field artillery units in the Army. In the spring of 1942, we turned in our horses and were equipped with modified French 75mm guns pulled by trucks. And not too long after that, we were converted to an Armored Field Artillery Battalion equipped with self-propelled 105mm howitzers, M-7. This was the new standard howitzer mounted on a modified tank chassis. This was the weapon, which I would be associated with to the end of WWII. I was at Fort Sill until March 1943. While there we had four addresses in Lawton, OK the town near Fort Sill. In February we moved to nice new quarters on the post only to move out in less than a month. Also at Sill, in June 1942, I was promoted to Captain. MOST IMPORTANT ASSIGNMENT First I will describe the route to my most important assignment. When I left Fort Sill in March 1943, we had a very short stay at Fort Knox, Kentucky and then to Camp (now Fort) Campbell, Kentucky. I was assigned first to Division Artillery Headquarters, part of the 20th Armored Division. We were engaged in giving basic training graduates six weeks additional basic infantry training in preparation for shipment overseas. In my job, in June 1943, I was promoted to Major. For a short time I served as S-3 (Plans and Training) in an artillery battalion. In September, I was informed that I had been designated by “name and serial number” (no escaping), to be transferred to a battalion at Fort Knox, Kentucky as Executive Officer--a job which I did not want. Also, after having lived in a “tourist home” (share a bath) we had finally moved into a nicely furnished apartment. I didn’t like the idea of moving again after six months. Had to go. I received a call from the Battalion Commander, Major George F. Barber, urging me to move quickly. (He had been a Battalion S3 in the 20th Armored Division) Moving at that time required only loading the car and leaving. We arrived at Fort Knox in the early evening. Major Barber had arranged accommodations at the Officer’s Club. We were tired and went to bed early. Then I was informed that I had a telephone call downstairs-there was no phone in the room. Major Barber informed me that he was sending a jeep, now, to pick me up to officially sign in and that I was to meet him early morning to observe practice “readiness tests” for the gun batteries. This was quite an introduction to my new job, which was S3, Plans and Training Officer, my preferred position. My new unit, the 87th Armored Field Artillery Battalion, was in serious trouble. It had been in Panama and in March 1943 had been transferred to Fort Knox. Having been overseas, all men were authorized thirty days leave so there was a big lapse in the training. The gun batteries had taken and failed “readiness tests” and the battalion was scheduled for overseas shipment in December. The three senior officers had been relieved, Major Barber put in command, and he requested me to be his S3. A Captain in the battalion had been made temporary executive officer. More bad news: many men were absent without leave and a few were in confinement. This was the middle of September and all members of the battalion had to be qualified in individual and crew served weapons and had to pass battery and battalion tests. We also went through a major reorganization replacing several other officers. Perhaps I should describe the organization of an Armored Field Artillery Battalion. It consisted of five batteries: • One Headquarters and Headquarters Battery (command and control) • Three Firing Batteries, each equipped with six l05mm self-propelled howitzers • One Service Battery (supply and maintenance). The battalion had about five hundred men and officers. All told, the battalion has approximately one hundred vehicles. A Lt. Colonel commanded the battalion. The Executive Officer and the S3 (Plans and Training) were Majors. The Battery Commanders were Captains. The 87th was non-divisional; it was attached to other units requiring additional support as needed. While I was busy with my job, LaVerne had to find a place to live, very difficult. The only place she was able to find was a former liquor store, which had been converted into two apartments with one bath for the two! In addition, the water was hard, there was no trash collection, and the heating system and the fuel (soft coal) were terrible. However, we were there for a short time from mid-September to early December 1943. We had to accomplish a great deal of training in a very short period of time. It was hard on everyone. Somehow, we did well enough to fulfill all requirements for deployment overseas and in early December traveled from Fort Knox to Camp Shanks, New York, by train. Several days before Christmas, we loaded on to the former French Cruise Ship, Ile de France. She never sailed, apparently because of some mechanical problems. We unloaded and went back to Camp Shanks. Major Barber’s wife lived nearby and she arranged for LaVerne to come up for a Christmas Eve party. So we got to say “good bye” again. New Year’s Eve we loaded on the Queen Elizabeth, the largest ship in the world and after nine days arrived in Scotland and proceeded to Banbury (“Ride a Cock Horse to Banbury Cross”) England. At first we were billeted all over the place. Some of the officers were billeted with English families, some enlisted men in the “tithe barn.” Shortly however, we moved to an English Estate with a large Manor House for officers, outbuildings for offices and Nissen huts for the men-500 of them. The English people were great. We found a good friend in the local dairyman. His son, a fighter pilot, had been killed in the early Battle of Britain. Sometimes they had officers over for meals including fresh eggs and milk, which were not on our menus. Also a Catholic priest (a former British army officer) adopted us and really became a sort of chaplain. Our five months in England provided time for much needed training. Although we had fulfilled our readiness requirements in the states, we really needed much more training to be ready for combat. Also we went through a major reorganization, which reduced our strength by a hundred men, to five hundred, which allowed us to “clean house” so to speak. We were in a group with three other armored field artillery battalions. We had meetings with them to learn of their experiences in Africa and Sicily. The culmination of our training was a rehearsal, in southern England, for the Normandy invasion. We did not actually arrive by sea. When we arrived at a certain point in the maneuver area, we became part of the exercise. Before my Fire Direction unit arrived at that point, we were stopped and informed we were all casualties. I got out of the predicament by calling attention to the fact we were not yet part of the exercise. On the return from the exercise, an M7 (self-propelled howitzer) from C Battery was set on fire when exhaust sparks ignited a camouflage net carried above the engine compartment. The battery was on a sunken road. A second M7 also caught on fire and all other vehicles had to escape. The M7s were loaded with l05 and machine gun ammunition, hand grenades, etc. Needless to say, there was a real display of fireworks. On the 13th day of May 1943, the battalion moved to a camp in Wales where we were finally briefed on the coming invasion. On the 2nd of June the forward echelon (gun batteries and headquarters) loaded on two Liberty Ships and a converted ship named the SUSAN B. ANTHONY at Cardiff Wales. There was a short delay because of weather conditions, but on June 6th, 1944, D-Day; we were anchored off OMAHA BEACH, France, where we could watch the ordeal on that beach from a very safe distance. Our mission originally, was to land on UTAH BEACH on D plus l (June 7th), pick up troop mechanized cavalry and some other units and somehow march to St. Mere Eglise to support the 82nd Airborne Division which was supposed to be dropped by parachute in that area. Our orders were changed before we landed. Elements of our battalion landed on the 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th of June. We were to support the101st Airborne Division in an attack on the town of Carentan. In the meantime, one of our officers went in by glider with the 82 Airborne Division. He was to be our Liaison Officer with the 82nd. I landed on UTAH BEACH late at night on D plus 3, June 9th. We were loaded on a landing craft with a 2½ ton truck nearest the bow ramp followed by my Fire Direction Team’s two half tracks. The Germans were sporadically shelling the beach, which made everyone, including our Naval crew, somewhat nervous. When we got on the beach, the ramp went down and the 2½ ton truck, fully loaded with an extra “Jeep” on top of the load, slipped down in about six feet of water. It had to be abandoned but was recovered the next day. We moved to another point and unloaded without further mishap. Since the Germans were shelling the beach, we had to get off immediately and I ended up not knowing precisely where we were. It was not until the next morning that we arrived in the 101st Airborne Division area. To backtrack a little: I should have mentioned that our first two casualties were from enemy artillery firing from the beach. Also, even though we saw no Luftwaffe in the daytime, they did fly over us at night, drop “candelabra flares” lighting up very brightly and attempting to bomb the ships anchored off the beach – not very successfully. Very scary however. When the 101st secured Carentan, we moved to the 82nd Airborne Division area and supported them until the 8th Infantry Division relieved them on 8 July. We were then attached to the 3rd Armored Division near St. Lo. Fighting in Normandy was very difficult because of the small fields surrounded by hedgerows, high mounds of dirt made strong by trees and bushes growing on them. Movement was difficult and observation very limited. While in Normandy the 87th fired more than 33,000 rounds of 105mm ammunition. On 27 July the Normandy battle was over. We supported the 3rd Armored Division from the “Breakout” (27 July) to the Belgium border. This was, for the most part; a very fast moving operation. It was designated the Battle of Northern France. The worst day for the Battalion was 2 August 44. German infantry attacked our gun positions and we had to defend until relieving infantry arrived. We had one officer and seven enlisted men killed, four officers and twenty-six enlisted men wounded. On 1 September we were attached to the 4th Mechanized Cavalry Group. This group had the mission of screening the south flank of the First Army. The area for which it was responsible was actually large enough to employ a division, a much larger unit. Supporting the fast moving Cavalry was very different and difficult, but we learned quickly and we came to feel that we had a home with them. We were their only artillery support. We crossed Belgium and arrived at the Siegfried Line in the middle of September. We remained in that area in defense until 11 November. Most of our firing was unobserved harassing and interdiction. When we arrived at the line, we had stretched our supply lines to the limit, which was the reason for this long defensive period. At one time we actually had ammunition rationing. For a while in that position we had, under control of my fire direction center, our 18 105 Howitzers, 12 Cavalry 75mm assault guns, 2-4 gun batteries of anti-tank guns, and also our 3 medium tanks (75mm guns). We had to make a lot of noise. On 12 November we were attached to the 104th Infantry Division operating east of Aachen, Germany. This division was famous for small unit night attacks, which created some problems furnishing close-in artillery support. On 12 December the battalion was relieved from supporting the 104th and given a period of rest and maintenance of equipment. We had visions of a quiet Christmas with turkey and all of the trimmings. However, on 17 December the Ardennes Offensive (the Battle of the Bulge) began. The area in Belgium we had recently left was in German hands. On 21 December we took our first action to deploy for that battle and actually occupied firing positions in support of the 2nd Armored Division 25 December, Christmas. By 28 December the 2nd Armored Division had defeated the furthest advanced German units. Fighting in the “Bulge” was very difficult, cold weather and snow and ice. Many casualties were the result of weather particularly frozen feet. By 19 Jan 45 the German offensive had been defeated and the 87th had a well-earned rest period until 4 February. On 5 February we returned to Germany again attached to the 104th Infantry Division. We supported them to and across the Roer River. We were then reattached to the 4th cavalry and advanced to the Rhine River, where we were in defensive positions north of Cologne until 19 March. One day I had been away from the battalion very briefly and returned to find that Col. Barber was off to London having been awarded a pass for a short visit there by the 4th Cavalry. I was in command. I received an order to report with the battery commanders to VII Corp. headquarters in Bonn on 20 March. There we were told to select gun positions just north of Bonn near the Rhine River and to select positions on the river’s edge. Brigadier General Palmer, VII Corps Artillery Commander, was unaware that Col. Barber was in London and he wasn’t happy. I felt a little bit of the heat. Because of heavy troop movements there was only one road available to move the 87th. No one knew the conditions of the road, which ran parallel with the river and not far from it, and the Germans occupied the other side. So we had to check it out. We did so and drew a bit of enemy attention. At one point we found a bridge impassable requiring at that point detouring closer to the river. We were to be moving many vehicles in plain view of the enemy. Although the batteries were fired upon, we did make the move successfully without casualties. On 27 March we crossed the Rhine on a temporary bridge in support of the 4th Cavalry. This ended the Battle of the Rhineland and started the Battle of Central Europe. On 31 March Col. Barber was wounded. He came to me riding in the back of a jeep and merely said: “Take over” and was gone. Being the next senior officer I assumed command of the battalion. The remainder of combat was fast moving with sporadic German resistance. Our last day of combat was 21 April. The war finally ended on 8 May-VE Day. We were now the Army of Occupation in which I was to serve until October 1946. General Palmer visited the battalion to pin decorations on certain men. When he was leaving he told me that he had recommended me for promotion. In June I was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel. Promotions had been very fast during the war due to the great expansion of the Army. After, they were very slow and I was to be in the grade of Lieutenant Colonel for eleven years. Also I did receive two Bronze Star Medals, one for my duties as S3 and one for duty as Battalion Commander. So what did I do during the war? The job of Battalion Commander is fairly obvious; overall responsibility for the operations of the battalion. The S3’s job is much more limited in scope. My job was control of the firing batteries when they were in support positions. My “Fire Direction team” consisted of: a Captain, Assistant S3; a technical sergeant; horizontal control operator; a corporal, vertical control operator, and three other men of various grades called “computers”, obviously not the electronic types. When a request for artillery support was received by radio or telephone, I decided if adjustment was necessary and which battery would do the firing. I prescribed the type of ammunition—high explosive, smoke, white phosphorous; fuse (quick, delay, or time); the charge (amount of propellant); which batteries would “fire for effect” and the amount of ammunition to be expended. The HCO determined the direction and range for each battery, the VCO determined the vertical angle from the guns to the target, and the “computers” using specialized slide rules computed the “corrected” firing data for the guns. Guns fired using pure map data will not hit the target. The projectile is affected by several factors from the time it is loaded until it arrives at the target. These are: weight of the projectile, the “lot” of the propellant, temperature of the ammunition, amount of the propellant, the temperature and density of the air, and the speed and direction of the wind. Also to be taken into consideration is the fact that the projectile passes through various layers of air where these factors vary. In computing the correct settings for the firing of the guns, all these factors have to be considered. My team had to determine the corrections to map data required by these factors. I will not go into how these computations were made. I will say that the ordinance experts had to tailor all of their tables and various inputs of data to make it practical to compute in the field. Remember, we had no computers of any kind, no global positioning, not even electronic calculators. We only had firing tables and a specialized slide rule called a “Graphical Firing Table.” Very primitive. The 87th fired 161,716 rounds of 105mm ammunition in combat. The troubled 87th of Fort Knox evolved into an excellent artillery support unit. It was awarded the French Croix de Guerre with Silver Star and was cited in a Belgium Army Order of the Day. It received written commendations from units it supported. The battalion lost twenty members killed in action. Awards to individuals included: 1 Distinguished Service Cross, 1 Legion of Merit, 14 Silver Stars, 25 Bronze Stars (Heroic Action), 55 Bronze Stars (Meritorious Service), 27 Air Medals, 29 Purple Hearts (Wounds-All Killed In Action also received Purple Hearts). What was life like when we were engaged in combat? I must admit my memories of the necessities of life are vague. Eating? Our kitchen trucks often were not with us so we ate emergency rations. The principal one was the “C” Ration. The daily menu was always the same; meat and vegetable hash, meat and vegetable stew, and meat and beans. You ate them in any order you chose. We had Coleman stoves for heating them. When we had our kitchens, it was much the same except for bigger containers and more variety. I remember very little about bathing. At times there were “shower points” set up by the quartermaster, but they were often too far away to be practical for us due to the nature of our operations. In good weather one could bathe in a stream and sometimes there were facilities in houses. I guess we should have carried a lot of deodorant. When we went into Normandy, we slept in bedrolls, sometimes in a vehicle or under a vehicle for protection, or in a foxhole. A foxhole is no place to be when it rains, but helpful when shells or bombs might come in. We soon realized that we could get more protection and certainly more comfort in houses or other buildings both for command installations and for housing. During and shortly after combat, certain individuals were preparing a history of the 87th. In July 1945 the history was printed and assembled in hard cover in Germany. Personnel of the battalion contributed to a fund to cover the expense. The history was delivered later in the US to those interested. Over the years copies were supplied to libraries, schools, and museums. It can also be found on the battalion’s web site. After the war, the 87th Armored Field Artillery Battalion Association was formed. At first we had annual meetings, then for a while biannual meetings were held. Finally as we got along in years, we decided to go annual again. Individuals would volunteer to arrange the reunions and these were held in many locations. The Aubreys were hosts at a reunion in Washington D.C. After a meeting in 2005 it was decided reluctantly, due to the wide dispersion of the surviving members and their advanced ages, we would discontinue the meetings. Sad! THE ARMY OF OCCUPATION While with the 87th, I had a rather interesting encounter. I had my headquarters in a little country bank building in the town of Rossla. One day a German girl came in with a note for the ‘Commandant of Rossla.” Since I was in command of the troops in the area that had to be me. The note said that the Dowager Empress Hermine wished for the commandant of Rossla to see her or be permitted to see him to discuss personal matters. We decided that the Dowager Empress should be allowed to see him. I had no idea who the Dowager Empress could be. The Battalion Exec said: “Why that’s old Kaiser Bill’s wife.” She had married Kaiser Wilhelm while he was in exile after WWI. She came at the appointed time and had three requests: she needed a pedicure, some displaced persons had stolen her car, and she wanted to get a letter to Prince Bernhardt of the Netherlands requesting permission to visit her husband’s grave. I told her I couldn’t help her with the first two requests, but I would try to get her letter to Prince Bernhardt. I told her to give me a copy of the letter with an English translation. I delivered the letter to Corp Headquarters. Whether it was delivered to the Prince or not, I do not know. (I have a copy of the English translation of the letter.) She had come from East Prussia and was trying to keep ahead of the Russians. She did not succeed because in a short time the Russians moved into that area when we moved out. I later learned that she was killed in a robbery incident. In July 1945, I was transferred to the 980th Field Artillery Battalion (155mm guns) as Battalion Commander. This was a very short assignment because the 980th was ordered back to the states for demobilization when the war ended in the Pacific. Next I was assigned to the 17th(?) Field Artillery Group. Shortly thereafter it was transferred to Heidelberg, a very nice place to be. The Group, having three battalions attached, was responsible for security in the area. In November 1945, I was authorized forty-five days “rest and recuperation” leave. I crossed the Atlantic in a very slow “Victory” ship and spent a large part of the voyage seasick in bed. I arrived in Washington early in December and saw LaVerne for the first time in nearly two years. The only disturbing thing was that I was going to return to Germany in January. Since I was “Regular Army” I had to complete at least thirty months overseas. After I returned to Heidelberg, the Group was designated the “Heidelberg Area Command” and was given the additional mission of setting up the Heidelberg Military Community – this meant procuring residences for families joining soldiers there. A major had been assigned to the Group for that specific job. It soon became apparent to me that the job was not getting done and time was running out, so I volunteered to take over. We said in the Army “Don’t volunteer for anything”. Well I did. I describe this period as “my time in the real estate business”. It was not a pleasant task. We requisitioned houses and apartments from the Germans who had to find other quarters through a German agency. We even requisitioned the furniture and labeled it “Property of the U.S. Government”. The Germans were to be compensated by the German Government. These were not the proudest days of my life. I knew that I could get back to the States before I could get LaVerne to Germany so I elected not to bring her over. I was anxious to go home. I had a lot of free time in the evenings, so to busy myself I took piano lessons through an Army “Information and Education Program”. My teacher was a young concert pianist, Erwin Schmieder, and we actually became friends. Shortly before I left Germany, he married one of his pupils. It was difficult for them to find suitable housing; but being in the “housing business” and having contacts, I got an apartment for them, which they lived in for several years. I visited him and his wife and later they visited us in Washington. We kept in contact for many years until his death. BACK HOME I returned to the States in October 1946. MY FAMILY This narrative, to be complete, must include recognition of my family. • First, of course, my Father and my Mother who gave me life and guided me through my teens. • My Brother, Norbert – 1943 graduate of the Naval Academy. A submariner in the Pacific during WW II and after the war had two major surface ship commands. He retired as a Captain. • My Brother, James (Jimmy) – served more than twenty years in the Air Force and retired as a Senior Master Sergeant. After working in data processing and law enforcement, he died at age 70. For most men, being successful includes the role of father of a family. I’m grateful that I had that experience with: • My wife of more than thirty years, LaVerne, who was with me through my military career; endured many moves, many adjustments to new environments, and two long separations while I was overseas during and after WWII. • My daughter Martha Lee, who also had many of the same adventures as LaVerne and has been with me for fifty-seven years. • My daughter Susan, who unfortunately had a very short, tragic life. • My wife of nearly thirty years, Jean, of whom I have often said: “Meeting her was probably the best thing that ever happened to me.” Here I wish to make a general statement about Jean’s family. All of her children have treated me with respect and affection and made me feel that I had, indeed, the role of father to them. • Tracy Jennison who was still living with Jean when I married her-and is now a loving mom. • Andrea Pritchard who saw much of the world, but finally settled down-and is also now a loving mom. • Missy Willett, a super star in sales for a major corporation. • Greg Willett, a respected dealer in antiques and estates. Next the grandchildren: • Alec (Alexander) Jennison, Tracy’s son, a very gentlemanly boy with whom I have had a very close relationship since he was an infant. (Alexander is my middle name.) • Blake Pritchard, Andrea’s son whose achievements constantly amaze me. • Jack Alexander Pichosky, Susan’s son, now twenty-five years old, in school and doing well. • Richard Willett, Greg’s son, is now twenty-six-years old and in college. As a Marine he served a tour in Iraq. • David Willett, also Greg’s son, is now twenty-four and doing very well in trade school. Then there are our children’s spouses who have also made me feel comfortable in my role as father: • James Montague, Martha Lee’s husband, who has his own business in office installations. • Dick Jennison, Tracy’s husband, “Irishman” and CEO of an association. • Mark Pritchard, Andrea’s husband, a lawyer and engineer who handles legal problems for a large engineering management firm. • And David Pichosky, Susan’s husband, who has done a great job raising his son, Jack. He is successful in the design of computer data processing systems. I am deeply grateful to them all for making my life experiences complete. EPILOGUE By David E. Olson George Aubrey, the former butcher boy, has lived and enjoyed an interesting and varied career. He became a battle-hardened soldier as a young man. His early experiences honed during World War II enabled him to execute exciting assignments during the Cold War and on until his retirement from the Army. In preparing his hand writ journal for publication, it became apparent that we were getting but a quick look at a few of many colorful experiences and assignments. For example, having been with him during the training and five campaigns of the 87th Armored Field Artillery Battalion during the Great War, the treatment given in his story of that experience is but a tip of the iceberg. He made the plans, which resulted in the formation of an awesome machine and was able to observe and supervise the execution of its fearsome purpose. This assignment took up many months and honed important skills and training as a soldier and diplomat. This duty as the plans and training officer of our battalion, under the extreme pressure of preparation for combat, was the practical application of his military education at West Point. His successful career had a firm foundation. The remainder of the many accomplishments of his professional and personal life has resulted in a life with few regrets and much satisfaction. You have enjoyed an enviable journey, George Aubrey!