Addendum to 87th History

In 1945 a history of the 87th Armored Field Artillery Battalion was printed in Germany after hostilities ended. George Barber, the commanding officer of the battalion during training prior to combat and also during the five campaigns in which the battalion participated, had the foresight to have this history written, published, and made available to the members of the unit. I must add that George Barber was not always the commanding officer because at one time he was wounded and evacuated and George Aubrey assumed command. But George Barber returned, obviously.

Considering the circumstances at the time, the history is a great record and souvenir. Several members of the battalion prepared the maps, art work, organized the production, and wrote the narrative which makes the book interesting. George Barber wrote the "Preface" which recounts the accomplishments of the 87th. He describes the missions and assignments of our battalion which was involved in many of the crucial battles in history. The invasion itself was probably the most ambitious military action ever undertaken...and we were in the middle of it.

In preparing the history, the Morning Reports were used as the framework for the narrative. The Morning Report is a record of each unit in the army listing the vital details of the unit; number of personnel present, sick, on leave, and the like. It also contains a "Record of Events" section which serves like a log on a ship which the Captain signs.

When the history was prepared, the "Record of Events" of the Morning Reports provided the bare bones for the story. There were days at a time when there were "no changes" on the reports and during this period some interesting and exciting events not involving the record was perhaps occurring. In writing the history, the writers put some meat on the bones by adding episodes or observations; however, some interesting events took place which I wanted to record for whoever was interested, hence this addition.

You will find frequent misspellings, grammatical errors, and inaccuracies. Please feel free to make corrections or to differ. These events took place many years ago and our minds play strange tricks. And I must add that the material is unedited and I just sat down and wrote what I felt was the rest of our awesome story.

Chaos best describes our lives, the country, and the world during the World War II years. And the training of the 87th was chaotic as well. The people that joined her were from all walks of life, from all over the country, and for the most part were youngsters. To amalgamate sich a diverse group of people into a fighting unit seemed to be, and was, an awesome task. But it happened and it wasn't easy.

It is interesting that the experience of the people in the 87th was not unique. With the expansion of the services, every unit went through similar growing pains. My friend down the street tells about joining his ship, a destroyer, in the Brooklyn Naval Yards. In the crew were perhaps a half dozen of the members that had been to sea. Only one or two officers knew fore and aft.

This gang sailed this destroyer down the east coast to Panama, through the locks, then up to San Francisco. A week or so later, they continued their journey to Hawaii. Most of them were seasick, everyone on board was trying to find out what he was supposed to be doing. Not too much later they are out protecting a convoy.

And so it was with the 87th. Fortunately, we had some old hands who could guide the rest of us; however, there were some days when even the most optimistic of us wondered if it would all come together. Training exercises on the ranges at Fort Knox were the first tests of the people that would finally be with the battalion when we would go into combat. Key equipment was hard to come by. The long and exhausting days and nights brought short tempers. Many of us were concerned about morale and the possibility of poor cooperation when it was imperative that we act as a team.

In order for a separate battalion of artillery to be certified ready to go overseas, battalion tests were to be passed. There were two self-propelled battalions at Ft. Knox, the 400th and the 87th. One unit was to be sent to the Port of Embarcation first and that unit was the one having the highest grade on the battalion test. The 87th gave the test to the 400th first, and then the 400th was to test the 87th. I was the survey officer for the 87th and tested the survey section of the 400th when the time came and they did pretty well as I remember. However, when the 400th sent their survey officer to test our survey and recon section, they gave us tremendous grades and the same went for all the other units in the battalion. I thought that our survey section, and me in particular, failed miserably. No one else that I could observe, did any better. We won hands down!

So before you could wink an eye, we were on our way to Camp Shanks, New York in November of 1943 to get our last processing before going to England to prepare for the invasion. Camp Shanks was a dismal place, cold and unpleasant, we all had colds and flu which always happened when troops that had been training out-of-doors were billeted in barracks. We did not have our artillery equipment with us, as i remember, but our training was mostly forced marches, lectures, combat courses, and small arms range firing for qualification. Many of the soldiers in the battalion lived on the east coast and with the holidays imminent, and the prospect of going into combat soon a distinct possibility, we began to have a rash of AWOLs. And one of the assignments of the 87th was to help guard hundreds of soldiers who had gone absent-without-leave and who had been courtmartialed, or were waiting for courtmartial to convene. Some of the guards from the battalion assigned to the duty of guarding the prisoners went AWOL themselves.

While none of us were anxious to leave the USA, there was some relief when we were ordered to board the Ile de France on Christmas Eve 1943. Morale was at low ebb. We boarded her bringing everything but the kitchen sink on our backs. That was a tough night. We no sooner settled in on Christmas Eve and had a meal or two furnished by the British galley, when a fire broke out which was serious enough that it was decided that the troops would disembark and we returned to Camp Shanks again toting all of our worldly possessions. You can imagine the grumbling. However, passes were issued and another rash of AWOLs occurred. Another problem occurred which the army had a subtle way of treating and that was VD. The scourge had become so serious that the army decided that the troops going on pass from Camp Shanks (and I suppose all of the other camps around NYC) were required to be treated for VD when checking back after their leave or pass. The soldiers that went home to their wives, sweethearts, or families were not enchanted with this development, so many of them did not bother to get a pass, and just jumped the fence and took their chances.

The orders were issued to get ready to move and of course we again departed on New Years Eve this time loading on the Queen Elizabeth, the giant liner now converted into a troopship. As I remember, the Army not the British Navy did the cooking and the change in mess crews was a blessing.

In looking back at the scheduling of the 87th to depart on Christmas Eve and when that fell through to reschedule us to leave Camp Shanks on New Years Day, I cannot help but think that whoever was responsible must have been insensitive and devoid of feeling for the troops, many of them young and soon to be subjected to the terrible trials of fighting for their lives. In those days one could not blame the computer.

After loading on the huge Queen Elizabeth, without fanfare, we slipped out of New Your harbor. Passing the Statue of Liberty brought some tears and misgivings about the future. Through the north Atlantic the great ship ploughed unescorted since she could outrun any submarine or surface ship. But we thought many times during the voyage that it would have been a great coup to hang the scalp of the Queen in the tepee of some German submarine captain.

The trip across the Atlantic was for the most part uneventful. Every spare foot of the hold was rigged to accommodate the troops. Bunk beds were erected in the cabins and some of the passengers spent most of their trip hoping that they would feel better or die...mostly the latter. Those that got out on deck and stayed away from big meals fared a bit better.

The compartment occupied by the junior officers was next door to a compartment assigned to army nurses. There was a locked door between the two compartments, and the nurses had thoughtfully filled the keyhole with a rag or piece of paper. Anyway, the guy that had his bunk by this door would talk to the nurse on the other side. He told her that he had some perfume that he wanted her to smell, suggesting that she put her nose up to the keyhole, whereupon he put his smelly big toe up for her to enjoy. There was some verbal exchange, and one of the stalwarts, Cal Cantwell, a 2nd Lt, asked a nurse "if her mother had any children?" The nurse responded by telling him that "the more I see of you, the more I am believe in birth control". The conversation definitely went downhill after that.

We arrived in Scotland, anchoring in the Firth of Forth, and disembarked to be loaded on a train in the middle of the night. Red Cross ladies were out to give us food and we were pleased to realize that they were serving meat pies. However, we soon learned that the meatpies were cold and made with kidneys and other "innards" of sheep, goats, and who knows what else and the food so graciously offered was not universally consumed. I remember riding through the night in the baggage compartment of one of the little rooms typical of the British railways trying to get some sleep.

The battalion was sent to Oxfordshire to the little towns of Banbury and Adderbury. Banbury is famous for its town square where there is a statue of a famous lady in English history. When she passed away, the funeral procession stopped in Banbury and they erected the Banbury Cross to commemorate the event. The nursery rhyme "Ride a cock horse to Banbury Cross to see a fine lady on a fine horse" is learned by most english speaking school children.

The headquarters was set up in Adderbury in a drafty, cold, and damp building undoubtedly at least two hundred years old. Down the road from Adderbury was George Washington's family home. Adderbury was just a little village with a few stores and a few pubs. Banbury was more of a trading center and boasted a picture show or two, a hotel, some little shops, and restaurants. "B" Battery quickly set up in Banbury and provided hot coffee and cold cuts in the evening for those that were invited. Many of the soldiers billeted in Adderbury headed for Banbury which was a few miles down the road for excitement when there was a lull in the training.

The weather was miserable. Rain every day in January, February, March, and into April. There was also snow and sleet and unbelievable fog. This was 1944 and the danger of air raids in the small towns had diminished; however, there was blackout and combining that with the fog made getting lost a common occurrence. In retrospect, it was good training since we were not to see anything but blackout lights until the war was over.

The Yanks took over the pubs, the dances, and the local girls who had been living the austere life of rationing and doing without. The GI's moved in lock, stock, and barrel and overwhelmed them with candy, gum, cigarettes, and chow from the mess hall. The parents of the girls must have gone through the agonies of perdition; however, they did welcome ground coffee and some canned goods when daughter would introduce them to their "Yank" friend and he would come up with the groceries. People were falling in love left and right and the local priests and clergymen beat a steady path to the battery commanders" offices with bizarre problems to solve.

One man of the cloth, Father Hunter, became a regular visitor to the mess in Adderbury. He was from the Church of England and could be counted on to arrive at meal time. Everyone liked him and he was a sort of morale builder. He took it upon himself to look out for the interests of the battalion with the local officials and later surprised everyone by showing up in France during the fighting to see "how we were getting on".

The training was not to our liking. The fields and roads were muddy our self-propelled howitzers tore up the landscape. There were no maneuver areas and except for service practice in Salisbury, our training was held indoors which is never satisfactory for filed troops who must become hardened to the rigors of living out-of-doors in all kinds of weather.

The people driving vehicles learned to use the left side of the road and going through the villages did a nice job of weaving through the narrow streets knocking off the corners of buildings. The poor property owners gathered in droves hoping to get some one to listen to their complaints and accept their claims for damages.

Many of the pedestrians drove bicycles using the highways riding against the traffic. Our armored vehicles were wide axled and to further add to their width, racks were welded to the sides to carry gas cans and the like. The bike riders must have been delighted to see a string of these monsters approaching on the narrow roads and it was quite a sight to see the poor riders scramble into the ditches, people flying---either that or be decapitated.

As the weather improved, the battalion was assigned time to fire on the artillery range at the Royal Artillery School in Salisbury. My section, recon and survey group, always preceded the rest of the battalion and arrived in time to get setup and try to run surveys in the fog. We became aware of thousands of rabbits in every crook and cranny. I never did understand why the crop was harvested. Obviously, no one wanted to go out on the range itself since the place was full of duds and, in retrospect, perhaps people did eat those that could be easily caught. Anyway, driving out on the range roads the passengers often sat on the hoods of the jeeps and 3/4 ton trucks and "golfed" rabbits with the butts of their carbines.

On the trip back to Adderbury from Salisbury, we came to Stonehenge, the great circle of stones which was, and still is, a sightseer's must. We stopped the section vehicles and walked around the strange site speculating about its significance and origin. Frankly, I didn't have the least inkling and neither did the other people. When we returned to Adderbury, we asked about this with no results. If we had questioned some school child, no doubt we would have received some explanation.

Anyway, when the 87th revisited Europe, our tour took us to Stonehenge. Now there is a fence around it and admission is charged, and there is the cook's tour. But it was most interesting to know that a few miles away is a cathedral, the Salisbury Cathedral, which is of world renown, and at the time, we didn't even know that magnificent building even existed.

In April, 1944, we participated in a training exercise on the southern coast of England which was set up to approximate the landing conditions in France. The battalion spent most of the time in convoy; however, we ended up on the side of a hill and the camouflage netting on one of M-7's caught fire at dusk. Since there was gasoline and ammunition on board, the fire quickly spread. There was a mad scramble to move the other vehicles in the column out of the way before the ammunition started to explode, and it wasn't long before we had a Fourth of July fireworks display. Local home guard troops that participated in the exercise thought that either the invasion of France had begun, or the Germans were invading England. Luckily no one from the 87th was injured; however, the following clip from Time Magazine dated November 23, 1987 indicates that 749 American troops weren't as lucky in that exercise:

Around midnight on April 28, 1944, a force of 25,000 U.S. troops was preparing to make an amphibious landing at Slapton Sands, on the southern coast of England. The operation known as Exercise Tiger, was a practice drill for the invasion of Normandy, just five weeks away. But things went badly. The night before, a British destroyer detailed to escort the convoy collided with another ship and was anchored at port, leaving the landing craft inadequately protected.

At about 1:30 AM, German torpedo boats slipped into Lyme Bay and launched their weapons against the convoy. The toll: 749 Americans dead, four times the number that perished on Utah Beach. Most were raw recruits who had never seen the enemy. For the sake of wartime secrecy, news of the tragedy was withheld. The dead were never honored with an official monument.

That neglect has long troubled Ken Small, a local inn-keeper. Small learned of the disaster in the early 1970s, after finding American coins and ammunition washed up on the beach, and he began lobbying the U.S. and British governments for a memorial. This week a simple but official plaque will be dedicated to the dead of Exercise Tiger. "I am not a religious man," says Small, "but I felt something driving me on to do this." --TIME, NOVEMBER 23, 1987

Part of the training relating to the exercise was a check of the security. The move to the coast was supposed to have been "Top Secret" and much to the dismay of all of us, the townspeople were lining the streets to see us move out. There was weeping and wailing from the local belles; however, many of the mothers must have been much relieved. A day or so later, the 87th returned from the exercise and Adderbury and Banbury was again invaded, for better or for worse depending upon your point of view. (Note By C. Harrod--About this time we became aware of a saying going around England about the U.S. troops which was, "The trouble with the GI's was that they were OVERPAID, OVERSEXED, and OVER HERE")

According to the battalion history, the month of May was one of much activity when information concerning the pending invasion was given to Colonel Barber, Capt. Don Allen, Intelligence Officer, and 1st Lt. Raymond Bidwell, Communications Officer.

Material was issued to waterproof the vehicles in the event they plunged into the sea and everyone was making plans as to how they were going to get their respective jobs accomplished and hopefully survive not only the invasion, but the days that were to follow.

On the 14th of May, 1944 the 87th left Adderbury and Banbury for the trip to Cardiff, Wales which was the staging area for the loading of the ships to take us to France. Again the streets were lined with people and we wondered if the news was being telegraphed to the enemy. In retrospect, it was all but impossible to hide the movement of the hundreds of convoys that were on all of the English roads and highways. And, as it turned out, the surprise was complete and our strategists had planned many diversions and feints to mislead the Germans and disguise our true intentions. Certainly most of us were completely in the dark and had no idea of the time, place, or means of accomplishing the invasion of the coast of France.

The battalion history reports that we checked into Camp 94 near Pont-LlanFraith, Wales. We went immediately to washing in the steel helmets, eating K Rations, and sitting in pyramidal tents watching the rain. The kitchens were part of the "Rear Echelon" that were not to be in the initial landings, and were to join us later. Air raids brought diversion at night as German planes raided Cardiff and the anti-aircraft fire would cross the sky with tracers and huge spot lights.

As a precaution, foxholes were dug outside the tents and when the air raid alert was sounded, the troops were instructed to go to their holes and wait out the "all clear". Since there had been rains, the holes were half full of water and the soldiers were most reluctant to leave their blankets in the dead of the night unless death was the alternative. It was reported that on one night only one man took his blankets and jumped into his foxhole and laid in the water. His name was Charles H. Wood, a Lieutenant who was to be killed along with Lieutenant Robert McAninch when their L-4 Liaison plane was shot down on June 27, 1944.

There was some respite from the restrictions of Camp 94 when some baseball games were set up in the nearby Welch village. Whenever Yanks appeared in other than their soldierly roles, the people flocked to gawk and wonder. The ball game attracted a crowd and someone remembered to bring candy along so the small fry had a big time. The battalion surgeon, Doc Paull, played center field for the officer's team and provided entertainment for spectators and players alike.

Then on June 2, 1944 it was down to Cardiff to load for the invasion. The 87th was split and loaded onto two ships. One carried the bulk of the personnel and equipment and the other, the SUSAN B. ANTHONY, had some twenty-seven officers and men who were to be available in the event the other ship or ships sank. As it turned out, the SUSAN B. ANTHONY, struck a mine and sank; however, all of our people were rescued by a British Destroyer.

The ships were loaded and the convoys were formed and the period of waiting and wondering began. The weather was stormy, the accommodations on board ship were tight, and there was much sea sickness. The maps and overlays came out and we were explained the mission of the 87th and the plan of maneuver and each man was given his instructions although many of them were too sick to care.

The convoy remained anchored in the Bristol Channel for the fourth and fifth of June. It was during this period that the Allied Commanders agonized about the weather and finally the orders were issued to proceed with the invasion when the skies cleared for a day or two. On "D" Day the convoy moved and anchored off the shore of Normandy. The sight of the thousands of ships, the shelling of the shore installations, the fighter planes strafing the beaches was a staggering and unforgettable experience. The 87th was scheduled to land on UTAH beach and we sat anchored off shore, the battleships and cruisers firing their broadsides, and the destroyers closer in, all firing on bunkers and targets of opportunity along the shore. The landing craft were busily forming up and taking the ground troops ashore and as it turned out, the opposition on UTAH beach had been softened up to the point that casualties in that sector were relatively light at that time. Omaha beach was something else!!

There we sat. On June 7, the SUSAN B. ANTHONY was sunk. The 87th liaison personnel who had made a glider landing along with personnel of the 82nd Airborne Division were busy in the Normandy hedgerows trying to make order out of confusion and wondering where the rest of the 87th battalion was. One M-7 from "B"Battery made it ashore that day with Capt. Charles Burke, Battery Commander, and Lt. Carroll Harrod, Battery Executive Officer, aboard. Upon landing the M-7 was moved slightly inland to a camaflouged hedgerow and Lt. Harrod and the gun crew spent the night under the M-7 although not much sleep was had by anyone. Capt. Burke returned to the beach to await the rest of Baker Battery's M-7s. The survivors from the sunken SUSAN B. ANTHONY were taken ashore and, with personnel of the 82nd Airborne Division were on the beach looking for the rest of the 87th battalion.

June 7th and June 8th was spent landing the rest of the battalions vehicles. The anxiety of sitting like targets with no means of protecting ourselves had not been a pleasant experience. The nights, although short at that time of year in France, attracted the Luftwaffe which would drop large flares and follow the flares with bombs. Most of the ships did not fire their anti-aircraft weapons so as to not disclose their positions and the crews and passengers prayed. There were some near misses, but it could have been disastrous.

The 87th fired the first mission in combat in support of the 101st Airborne Division. "B" Battery had the honor. The battalion history relates that George Barber, the CO of the 87th, was busy trying to get the outfit operating and functioning as a unit. We were maneuvering in heavy hedgerow country and the apple orchards were everywhere and in full bloom. The smell of the blossoms and the decaying of the bodies of the casualties and the animals was overpowering at times. The apple blossoms attracted swarms of bees and when there was a chance to grab something to eat, the bees would congregate on the food. The weather was mild and everyone was running on his nerve and reserves during this hectic period.

Except for the liaison planes, it was almost impossible for the forward observers to see anything because of the hedgerows. Even air observation was limited because of the thick ground foliage. One one occasion, our section had dug in next to the usual hedgerow. We had inspected the other side of the hedge and during the night there were noises coming from the other side, and in the confusion, we almost shot Col. Barber. The next morning we found two German uniforms on the other side of the hedge. It was hairy!

Our section was out reconnoitering and came to an opening in the hedgerow. As we walked through the gate, we saw a line of bicycles, perhaps twenty or thirty of them, hastily dropped since some of the front wheels were still turning. That could have been a quick end to our careers.

The 87th began to jell. We had not, up to this point, felt comfortable with each other and probably did not really have a grip on what to expect and what was required. Suddenly we realized how important communications was to our survival. Suddenly we became painfully aware that some people would not or could not stand the pressure. We realized that with our mixed bag of personalities, some would become strong and grow stronger as time went on.

The physical and mental demands placed on a soldier during battle and prolonged exposure to the enemy and the prospects of death or serious injury can be unnerving to say the least. The soldier that was on the go from before sunup until dark and then told to go on guard duty as a sentry that night had to have "True Grit". The truck driver that had to go to the depot to pick up gasoline or ammunition and haul it up to the front day after day had to be some kind of tiger. Every night brought some kind of shelling or bombing and then whoever was on the road had to find his way in the dark and run the gauntlet of guards and road blocks.

Consider the life of the telephone linemen that was sent out in the dead of night to find the break in the line when often there were many lines on the trees and bushes and trucks and tanks were constantly running over them.

Then there were the firing battery personnel that spent their time digging holes, hauling ammunition, staying awake most nights firing barrages and interdiction, manning the perimeter defenses; then the unit would be ordered to move out and go through the same routine again and again.

But the most hair-raising activity of all was the work done by the forward observation teams and almost as exciting and wearing, the liaison and reconnaissance people. These people were the representatives of the artillery unit with the infantry, armor, or cavalry, and they directed the fire attacks and counter attacks and were exposed to small arms fire and barrages of various kinds. And here was where the term "cannon fodder" became popular in some bygone war.

One of the requirements of the artillery is their ever ready role on the battlefield. The artillery does not go into reserve; even though the unit in the line is pulled out to regroup or given rest for one reason or another, the artillery stays in the line. It would be foolish not to keep them available to keep the enemy neutralized if possible. So the forward observer people had to stay in the line and hook up with the new units as they replaced those being relieved. Of course, every effort was made to give the observers relief; however, there was always a shortage of officers and observer people and they caught some long and tedious assignments. One of the results of the observer problem was the awarding of battlefield commissions to many of our great sargeants.

The excitement of the invasion and the initial experience of surviving the first few days of facing the war in earnest was now behind us. Somehow, we Americans are geared to expect quick results and we secretly thought that now with the invasion over we should be rewarded with a trip home and a hero's welcome when we got there.

But, of course, that was not to be. We were bogged down in the hedgerows, we heard rumors of heavy opposition and our forward elements did not seem to have the tenacity and drive to get going. We experienced heavy rains which slowed down all activity. We were supporting the 82nd Airborne Div. during this period up to the first week in July. The 82nd had the mission of securing a bridgehead across a flooded plain while the VII Corps troops had moved north to secure the Normandy peninsula and the port of Cherbourg. By the 7th of July, the battalion had fired over 21,000 rounds of 105mm ammunition.

A buildup now began to break out of Normandy and shatter the troops facing the allied armies. The history records light activity and little firing. Then on 26 July a saturation bombing took place and because of misidentification, bombs fell on our own troops. The 87th was broken down to support armored columns of the 3rd Armored Division. The attack was delayed and our positions were bombed and strafed with some casualties; however the columns began to move and on 30 and 31 July we were to see the devastation brought on by the bombing and shelling. The roads were lined with burned out vehicles and enemy casualties. There was carnage and equipment strewn everywhere.

The weather turned hot and the dust from the armored vehicles rose like a blanket of fog obscuring everyone's vision. The medics were busy treating eye problems as well as battle casualties caused by the violent activity and movement The breakout was a success and a huge pincer movement was attempted in which thousands of German troops were trapped in the Falaise area. It was an opportunity to capture the bulk of the troops facing the allies. The British were coming up from the south and the Americans moving down from the north and the area between the forces converging on one another was known as the Falaise Gap. The gap was never closed and the bulk of the German forces escaped.

The 87th was right in the middle of the fray. The task forces with the tank destroyers, anti-aircraft sections with their quad 50 caliber machine guns, and the elements from the 87th, probed and pushed. On the night of 1 August 1944, a night move was made through enemy lines by the forward elements of the 87th. German planes were flying over these convoys at tree top level but the pilots were unaware of our presence. The survey and recon people were sent along to establish positions for the battalion that was to move forward at daylight. A firefight developed and machine guns and small arms fired from about midnight on until dawn.

The positions were surveyed and the battalions (87th) moved forward. German tanks were active and several surprised our people bringing the battalion forward. In one particular skirmish, Capt John Omans was severely wounded, his driver Gilbert Mersch was killed, Capt. Allen was wounded and evacuated. On the day before, our liaison plane was shot down with Lieuts. Campbell and Maguire aboard. Both luckily were unhurt; however there were other casualties including Lt. McCarthy who was also evacuated on August 1st.

As August 2nd developed, it became obvious that the Germans were to make a determined effort to break out in the area we had finally occupied. We had established our installations in orchard and hedgerow country which made visibility and observation difficult. Our artillery pieces were lowered for direct fire and several missions were fired at tanks and personnel in front of the battery positions. The enemy fired a mortar barrage that caught many of our people in amongst the apple trees. "A" Battery was almost over run. Battery personnel were firing all of their weapons as the German infantry attacked. "B" Battery was also attacked as was "C" Battery which lost its Battery Commander, Capt. Lynn Frensley who was killed by a mortar shell. Before August 2nd was over, "A" Battery had three officers seriously wounded, one soldier killed, and 13 evacuated either wounded or suffering from battle fatigue.

"B" Battery had three men killed and seven seriously wounded. "C" Battery had one officer killed, two enlisted men killed, and nine wounded-- six of them seriously. In Headquarters Battery, there was one officer wounded and four soldiers slightly wounded. Service Battery lost the Battery commander, Captain Alderfer with a broken leg and Pfc. Ables sprained an ankle.

During all of the shelling, the batteries changed position and continued to fire. "B" Battery assumed a new position and was shelled again and had to displace. The medics were busy and fire was being directed from the Battalion Headquarters where the ambulance and aid station was located.

In all of the confusion, the ground troops and the armor of the task force had somehow been misdirected and the 87th found itself in the front line. It was not until later in the day that tanks and infantry were obtained from the Combat Command.

Almost two months of combat had been completed by most of the personnel in the 87th and there was much fatigue. To indicate the extent of the action in which the battalion was involved, the history tells us that over 36,000 rounds of 105mm howitzer ammunition had been fired by our eighteen howitzers since landing in Normandy. There was much talk of rest and respite; however, to have been realistic about the situation, there was only one course of action and that was to continue to attack while the enemy was reeling under the pressure of the allied drive. And, to be sure, everyone in the army was running on their nerve.

The 2nd of August became an infamous day for the 87th. There were many episodes of heroism and daring. The battalion had "seen the elephant" as they used to say in the Civil War when the enemy was finally met face to face.

The first two weeks of August was a period of light activity according to the battalion history. There was not much firing and it was an opportunity to get some maintenance done. There were streams nearby and baths were taken. The Red Cross sent a Clubmobile into the area and a movie was shown in an old barn. The rest period was short lived because on August 12th, the 87th was assigned to the 3rd Armored Division for what proved to be the great race across France. While there was hedgerow country still to the front, by the end of August we left the hedgerows and moved onto the plains as we approached the Seine River. As a matter of interest, the Falaise Gap was finally closed about August 21st. Also, it's of interest know that the town of Mortain, where a unit of the 30th Infantry Division was surrounded, was an action which received much publicity. We were nearby.

The French people, for the most part, stayed put during the push through France. As the columns, which now had the freedom of maneuver, moved through the towns and villages, the people would swarm over the vehicles bringing wine, apples, butter, fresh milk, and flowers. The mothers would raise their little ones to kiss us. The older sisters kissed us too! Many times, during the celebrations, a German roadblock would be set up to slow down the advance. The flags and signs would suddenly disappear, as would the people who would dive into the nearest basement or ditch. We all felt that it the Germans were to re-enter the town, the swastikas would have been dug out and replace the tri-color and the Stars and Stripes which had appeared so mysteriously as we entered the towns.

It is a mistake to think that all of the French were happy with the invasion of their country. On the contrary, it had not been many years before when France lost the cream of her manhood on the battlefields in WWI. The people knew that the return of war on their home soil would bring another terrible chapter to their history. Wherever the battles went, the countryside and villages were levelled. The cities were rubble and all semblance of order was gone. When the people returned to the streets after seeing the Germans leave and the conquering armies take charge, one can only imagine the feelings of helplessness which the French must have felt when they realized the magnitude of the chaos. Still, Churchill talked about war. He said that it was bad; however, he said that there was one thing worse than war, and that was slavery, and the occupied countries had tasted slavery. Often when we would talk about France and someone would mention some situation involving the guy on the street, the callousness of the people and their seemingly indifference to the sacrifice the Americans and British were making seemed to grate. The people living in the little towns out in the country, for the most part, were kind and, it seemed, grateful. Not so in the cities, however.

The Resistance began to come out of the woods. Civilians would approach us to tell us of collaborators and fascists. Often they paraded the women through the towns with their hair shaved to indicate that they had fraternized with the Germans. It is tough to be on the losing side in a war. And, as wars generally turn out, the winners lose as well. Before we move on in this narrative, we should talk about night in the combat zone where there are no open lights, and even a cigarette was lit and smoked under a poncho or blanket.

If at all possible, we tried to get settled in before darkness set in. If one was wise, he made a quick study of the location of the important installations, where the tent ropes were, where the trees and bushes were, and where the foxholes were located. Also in selecting a site for the bedroll, care had to be taken that a truck or tank did not roll over the sleeper in the darkness. This almost happened several times; however, no casualties resulted as far as we know. The vehicles, howitzers, instruments, and other equipment had blackout lights which were little hooded slits of light quite necessary to control a convoy or perform the gunnery at night. The night was a new world compared to the daylight hours and everyone learned quickly that in order to function and survive, one had to understand it and be able to work in the darkness.

As the summer progressed, we raced across France with the 3rd Armored Division. We were not always happy with the treatment and assignments that were given us by this organization. Being Corps troops, we were assigned to the 3rd and other division units to beef up their firepower. We depended upon them to provide basic services as made available to their organic units. Many times the supply would run out and we were usually last in line for whatever it was that we needed. The assignment of missions and providing of forward observer parties was the tough one. Colonel Barber spent many hours defending us with higher commanders in this regard. Left to their decision making, those that we were supporting would invariable give the most hazardous jobs to us if they could. In many respects, we were orphans and even more than the units that had their own homes, our people became scroungers and opportunists. This is particularly true of the supply people and the vehicle maintenance personnel who would bring lugers, binoculars, and booze back to the depots and repair shops and trade for much needed stuff and quick services. With the loss of officers and key non-commissioned officers during the great chase, there were many changes in assignments, and commissions in the field were given to several of our people during this period. Most of the people were reconnaissance and survey people and most of the remainder were from the forward observer sections. However, that was not always the case and in one instance, Joe Raklovitz from "C" Battery started out as a vehicle driver and later on was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant.

Reading the history we see that every day was visited with some new event. Accidents, the Medics delivering babies, M-7s turning over, fire fights, and the continual drive to disorganize and destroy the enemy. And, of course, the Germans were skilled and devastating in their retreat as we would later learn. On August 15, near Joue du Bois,shortly after dinner a German armored vehicle on a suicide run, dashed down the highway through the battalion position, spraying machine gun bullets. Lt. Carroll Harrod, Battery Executive Officer, and Cpl. John Shaw, Baker Battery were seriously wounded from the action and were evacuated to the hospital. Again, on August 28, on our way to Soissons, a German armored car blasted into "C" Battery position area. Everyone scrambled for a weapon or safety and there was a magnificent display of fireworks. There were casualties. The following day German planes appeared and strafed the 87th; we expected the worst since we were like sitting ducks in the open fields; however they did not return. By this time the battalion had fired 47,000 rounds of 105mm shells.

On 1 September 1944 we were given a new mission with the 4th Cavalry. They welcomed us with open arms and at last we had someone to call family. They needed and appreciated us and being orphans themselves, they could relate to us. The armored cavalry acted as a screen on the flank of the Corps or Army and were primarily defensive in their usual mission. The 4th, however, had a lot of firepower and would often attack with great success. The 4th Cavalry Group consisted of two Squadrons (similar to a battalion) the 4th and 24th. It had a long history in the army having fought the Indians in the Civil War, and also saw action in WWI. Elements of the 4th landed on an island off Normandy and secured it prior to the parachute landings on the mainland. But the most important attribute of the 4th, insofar as the 87th was concerned, was that they liked and appreciated us.

The 4th Cav, we might add, had been horse cavalry at Fort Riley and it was with much soul searching and butt kicking that they finally, with great reluctance, accepted scout cars and light tanks to replace the horses that went out with the Polish Army in 1939 when Hitler confronted them with the Stuka Dive Bomber, the Tiger Tank, and the 88mm all-purpose gun. We might further point out that the scout car and the light tank were not much more effective than the horse which the 4th was quick to point out when the subject came up. The 4th was a rough outfit and good to have on our side.

Attached to the 4th CAvalry Group were a battalion of 75mm Tank Destroyers and a battalion of light tanks. In the first days of the mission with the 4th, an Infantry battalion was also attached to beef up the strength of the team which had the job of screening a large area between the V and V VII Corps. On the 4th of September, we moved into the edge of the Ardennes Forest and entered Belgium. Also we heard the first "buzz bombs" roaring across the front.

Optimism was high and it was the general feeling that the Germans would certainly surrender before long. We had seen the devastation to their armies, the long lines of prisoners, and read the intelligence reports that indicated that the war could be over at any time. The Germans had no air power and the allied bombing of their cities went relentlessly on. Certainly they would soon pack it in. By the second week in September, the 4th Cav had moved into the Belgian border area along the Seigfried Line. The screening force had skirmishes with the Germans in and around Malmedy and Camp Elsenborn where, in December, the Germans started their drive to the Meuse and developed the Ardennes Battle and the Battle of the Bulge. This was not the exciting scene enjoyed in France and some areas in Belgium where the allies were cheered and welcomed. The bulk of the civilians were German and increased security was required. The area being screened was heavily wooded and the sector of responsibility of the Cavalry was such that the front was open and patrols moved back and forth to cover the area. It was spooky! The Cavalry would sometimes lose several men out on patrol. Our Lt. Maguire was involved in a firefight while out on Forward Observer duty and was captured.

The 87th established an artillery organization to provide support for the farflung outposts and patrols. By using survey, we tied in the batteries in the battalion (the 87th), the attached Tank Destroyers, and the 75mm Assault Guns which were organic to the two Cavalry Squadrons. A communications network was then established using wire and radio so that fire missions could be fired throughout the sector. The Battalion Fire Direction Center was the nerve center of our "mini-Division" artillery. It was most effective. During this operation which ended when several divisions were brought into the Ardennes, the 4th Cav Reinforced covered a large sector of the front. However we heard rumblings at night, and when we were finally relieved, most of us were happy to move out of that ominous place.

During September we had the kitchens with us which meant hot food and a respite from the "C" and "K" rations. Some USO shows were enjoyed, and the awarding of medals took place. The 87th had a bunch of them; there were fifteen Silver Stars, fifteen Bronze Stars, and while the record does not show it, there were many Purple Hearts awarded at the same time.

Units from the V Corps moved in to take over the 4th Cavalry's area and the artillery that replaced us was the 400th AFA Battalion, our old friends from Fort Knox. George Barber had been with the 400th prior to becoming CO of the 87th. The 4th Cavalry moved into new positions in Germany next to the 9th Infantry Division and the history tells us that we had as many as eleven forward observer teams out with the cavalry and the infantry when normally we were required to provide three. In addition, we had our air observers in the air whenever weather permitted.

On October 12th we found ourselves using the artillery, tank destroyer, and assault gun setup we were using in the Malmedy-Camp Elsenborn area. The weather began to get brisk and we were not moving much in the area around Roetgen. Overshoes, winter coats, and wool caps to wear under our helmets were issued. The sections dug in and made themselves comfortable wherever they could. Some built shacks and confiscated stoves from the demolished houses. Where there were generators, lights were rigged. Pancakes were popular and there was an opportunity for the cooks to endear themselves to the troops. No doubt they received mixed reviews.

On 25 October the battalion fired its 75,000th round of ammunition since "D" Day; about 543 rounds per day on average. During the remainder of October, and on into November, the battalion fired interdiction and harassing fire which was aimed at keeping the enemy awake and neutralizing their movements. It is doubtful if the shelling kept too many soldiers awake unless the shells were landing close by, since most people were so exhausted from the long hours and arduous labor that they could sleep standing up leaning against a tree. And that applied to both sides of the line.

Now came the rain, mud, sleet, and cold. There was some excitement on 2 November when four P-38's decided to drop bombs on the 87th thinking that they were attacking the enemy. Identification panels were produced but not before the planes had killed and wounded several men. One poor soldier from "A" Battery, T/5 Warren Query, had just that day returned to duty after being wounded and was seriously wounded by one of the P-38 bombs. This was not our first experience with misidentification by the Air Corps. It was understandable that areas appeared alike and mistakes were made. On the whole, we were delighted to have them on our side and we often wondered how much progress we would have enjoyed on the battlefield if the Luftwaffe had dominated the air.

Our two L-4's, the small liaison planes, did yeoman service from Normandy on to the armistice in 1945. The section operated separately from the battalion since some kind of field or airstrip was required for landing and taking off. They had a pyramidal tent for a hanger which they loaded on a 6 X 6 truck that carried all of their junk. When convenient they came over to the Battalion Command Post for food or mail, but most of the time they scrounged. The two pilots and the mechanics were outside the perimeter of defense of the battalion, but somehow managed to survive quite well on their own. Air observers were sent out with the pilots from the battalion and when the planes were in the air flying back of the front lines and usually in the vicinity of the firing batteries, the enemy kept a low profile.

The 87th went through a bunch of airplanes. As previously reported, early in Normandy one crashed with Lts. Wood and McAninch aboard killing both of them. However, crash landings occurred when a plane failed to clear a tree line or tumbled into a hidden hole. Then too, a passing Messerschmidt would shoot a burst of machine gun bullets at the plane and we lost a couple of planes, but not pilots or passengers, that way. Enemy planes were a steady worry. On one occasion, Lt. Campbell as pilot and Lt. Hartwig as observer had a round, which was probably a 105mm shell, go up through the fuselage behind the passenger seat missing all of the controls to the rear of the plane. They landed safely and it was reported that Lt. Hartwig had re-lit his cigar as the plane taxied to a stop. Air Medals were awarded for the missions flown in the combat zone. Our pilots and observers earned many of them, some with clusters.

Getting back to the medals that were awarded to the members of the 87th, each medal awarded had a story to tell. There were several hundred given, many for bravery and many posthumously. There were many Purple Hears awarded, and many more that could have legitimately awarded. There were many Bronze Star Medals awarded for Meritorious Service and some for heroism. The history shows that fourteen of our people were awarded the Silver Star, and one of our heroes, Lt. Robert Keeler was put in for the Congressional Medal of Honor, but finally received, we think, the Distinguished Service Medal. We felt that he was entitled to the Congressional Medal. The unit received several citations and Commendations from the countries where the battles took place, but it was the heroism and dedication to duty and to all of us that these individuals made that is more significant. Obviously with the involvement of the 87th in hundreds of skirmishes and engagements, there were many unsung heroes that should have been decorated that were not because they were not, either because they weren't interested or their feats were overlooked.

On Armistice Day, 1944 the 87th left the 4th Cav and was put in support of the 104th (Timberwolf) Division. The CO of this Division, General Terry Allen, was a great proponent of night attacks. We moved in south of Aachen, Germany in an industrial area and where there had been some mining operations. The 104th began their push toward the Rhine, but first the Roer River had to be crossed. There were attacks and counterattacks, and the German Air Force was out and resistance stiffened.

On Thanksgiving Day the mess sections outdid themselves even though there was continuous firing during the day. The history tells us that the division communications (the 104th's) was very poor and several attacks and counterattacks were supported by the 87th alone. Anyway, Thanksgiving dinner included all of the trimmings and the writer of the history commented that "certainly no other army in the world could have a meal like that; thousands of miles from the source of supply, and during an enemy counterattack".

The German army was determined to hold ground and heavy artillery bombarded our positions and any ground gained by the infantry was taken at great cost. Our gun positions were in muck and mud, there were dead animals everywhere, and it was cold and damp. The Germans attacked continuously; however, the artillery (according to the history) was successful in breaking up the attacks. There were fanatical people facing us; we were on their homeland; and any ideas that the war was going to end soon quickly went by the wayside. By this time we had fired over 110,000 rounds of 105mm ammunition.

On December 15th, the 87th moved to Brand, Germany for much needed maintenance. The tubes (barrels) of the howitzers were worn smooth. Tracks were removed and the M-7s were torn apart, the trucks and jeeps worked over, and small arms were cleaned and oiled and made ready for winter operations. While we were on the ground, we learned that the German Sixth Panzer Army had struck in the Ardennes area; the area we had screened with the 4th Cavalry and the Battle of the Bulge had begun.

The world could not comprehend how Germany could mount the attack that we were witnessing. After being on ringside all of the months of the offensive which tore up the armies in front of us, being cognizant of the annihilation of the German armies on the Russian front, realizing that the allies had almost complete control of the skies, and the fact that allied bombers were plastering German cities including Berlin at will, no one could seriously believe that Hitler could organize this new drive. All of our howitzers were dismantled and being worked on by the Ordnance. Paratroopers were being dropped behind our lines. There were rumors that General Eisenhower was a target for assassination. A buzz bomb or two dropped in the area; and across the road from the 87th was a black company from the Quartermaster Corps that began jangling their mess kits at four o'clock in the morning while waiting in line for chow.

On 22 December the reconnaissance began for positions back in Belgium, and on 23 December the 87th began their return to Belgium to support the 2nd Armored Division. Enroute to Belgium, we passed a steady stream of trucks, tanks, jeeps, and stragglers. Most of the soldiers had seen the enemy a few weeks after landing in Europe fresh from the U.S. They were a sad lot. They were heading back and we were heading up. Our convoys were interspersed with trucks carrying paratroopers that had been called up to help stop the hemorrhage. There were pockets of resistance in the bulge area and in most cases the troops involved had been seasoned through the previous campaigns and in the end, this resistance saved the day until help arrived.

Anyway, we headed back through the melee and passed through the Belgium town of Spa where General Eisenhower had established his forward headquarters. That installation was in the process of moving to the rear when we went through town. There were supply depots close by and as we were stalled most of the time, we had a chance to look around. At one depot we found a stack of frozen turkey....perhaps thirty feet high being guarded by two black soldiers. We learned that they were waiting for orders to pour gasoline on the birds and destroy them before the Panzers arrived. We loaded up our vehicles and passed them out when we finally went into position up on the line. Imagine trying to thaw out and cook a frozen turkey on a Coleman stove or a campfire. Christmas dinner 1944 was not much to write home about.

By this time we were in deep snow and zero temperatures. The roads were icy and the tanks and M-7s had difficulty negotiating the turns and hills. Christmas Eve found us in the vicinity of Ciney, Belgium and the woods were full of Germans in front of us. The Recon and Survey people worked in the fields in the moonlight preparing the positions for the firing batteries wondering if the enemy was watching their movements since, as far as we knew, an attack was to be launched in the morning on Christmas Day and there was no one in front of us. The attack by the 2nd Armored Division went on schedule and progress was made on 26 December. Late in the afternoon we noticed activity in the woods and while standing in a living room and looking out a big window facing the woods, the armored people and 87th observers watched as a convoy and column of vehicles, horse-drawn carts, and tanks moved into the woods. When it appeared that the movement had subsided, a large concentration of artillery was dropped into the woods.

The initial volley was a "TOT" (Time On Target), a technique of awesome power where all of the shells land on the target simultaneously. Anyone that has ever witnessed a TOT will never forget it. The barrage moved through the woods and broke up an attack which had been hastily organized when our barrages began. The next day we were able to examine the woods and it was an awesome sight. Dead horses, burned vehicles, paper everywhere (it must have been some kind of headquarters), and, of course, corpses and what was left of corpses. Everyone involved in starting a war should have been present. The history tells us that prisoners who survived the shelling reported that the 87th had broken up the attack.

The 87th's involvement in the Battle of the Bulge continued as the allied forces returned to the offensive. There were many small battles and skirmishes. We had observer parties surrounded and problems with supply due to the fluid front. Thousands of rounds of artillery ammunition were fired under the miserable winter conditions. We lost key people and the experience and skill of our organization was tested during this difficult time. The trying experiences of the 87th were nothing compared to the people we were supporting who pushed forward against a determined German Army despite the frozen ground where it was impossible to dig a fox hole. They were cold and wet, had no place to get away from the elements, and for the most part were exhausted. However, as in all great wars, it was a matter of kill or be killed.

On 19 January, 1945 we were relieved from supporting the 2nd Armored Division. Houffalize and Bastogne had been relieved by the 2nd and the Bulge had been erased. General Palmer, VII Corps Artillery Commander, had assigned us to VII Corps Artillery and ordered the 87th to bivouac in a blinding snow storm. As an aside, it was natural for people riding in vehicles to put up side curtains (if it was an open car or truck) to keep out the rain or snow. It was learned that not only did the riders lose much of their vision, but they were unable to get out of the vehicle in emergencies and save themselves in a panic situation. So it was decided to ban side curtains in the combat areas. Most people kept the windshields up on the jeeps; however, some commanders banned that practice as well since the reflection of the sun on the glass could be seen for miles under the right conditions. No doubt most men that went through the open car and truck routine during the war were not likely to get a convertible when it was time to buy a car after the war ended.

There was a respite from the fighting; however, the S-3 set up training requirements to keep everyone on their toes and out of mischief. And it probably was a relief to some of our people when our bivouac was over. We had taken over a farming community in Belgium during this period and asked the people to move over and just moved in with them. We brought in our food, which was appreciated, and slept on the floors of their houses. Some of the men took to the haylofts of the barns and in general made themselves comfortable. The snow was deep and the temperatures remained at and around the zero mark. The 87th had fired almost 130,000 rounds of 105mm ammunition up to 1 February 1945.

At this point in the narration, we are going to turn to the battalion history and extract portions of it verbatim. This portion of the history was more complete than other sections and after deleting some details concerning who came or went on leave, or to the hospital for minor repairs, we will resume the story. I could be wrong; however, I think that I was the writer originally.

1 February to 4 February 1945 promised to be a big month after a terrible winter war. The weather had turned warm and light rains melted the deep snow in a few days and turned the battery areas into seas of mud and water. The battalion remained in the Vieuxville rest area working on the vehicles and getting some well earned relaxation. Headquarters Battery was billeted in a large chateau owned by an old coot of doubtful allegiance where a few picture shows were shown and Baker Battery produced a popular variety spectacle...complete with Hill Billy music and cognac. The rest phase was shortlived. On 3 February orders came in and the battalion was placed on a twenty-four hour alert. "Here We Go Again" was the phrase on everyone's lips. because on the 4th, VII Corps sent movement orders, billeting parties, complete with chalk (to mark who was to go where), and dreams of classy Kraut homes, left for Dorff, Germany, the old stamping grounds.

On 5 February, 1945, the battalion moved out...the weather was cold and damp. The roads were muddy and full of large holes caused by the enormous amount of traffic that had carried the VII Corps into Germany initially, down to the Bulge in December, and then brought them back to the Aachen sector again. The march continued all night and (apparently one of the exceptions to the blackout regulations) headlights were used, which helped matters considerably.

6 to 8 February 1945. The battalion finally closed at 0300 and the homes occupied by the 87th in Dorff were occupied in typical 87th style as the frying pans clattered and the bedding that the Krauts had left was tested and tried. The Battalion Commander visited the 104th Infantry Division whom the battalion was to support during the coming operations when relieved from VII Corps control. Battery billeting and reconnaissance parties were called out on 7 February to visit the lovely little town of Echtz and to find suitable battery positions. Echtz, it was learned was noted for its manure piles, dead horses, beaten down buildings, and general run-down appearance. It was apparent that the Echtz Chamber of Commerce had a big job ahead for themselves. After darkness had settled over the Cologne plain, the M-7s and halftracks slipped down into position under the noses of the Germans who were dug in a few thousand yards away on the far side of the Roer River. We were ready for the attack.

10 to 22 February 1945. But the attack didn't come off as planned. Lt. Kubista had been assigned to act as FO with the 1st Bn, 415th Infantry Regiment, 104th Infantry Division, which was to make the assault across the Roer River, and he and his bloodthirsty crew spent many an hour planning and practicing for their part in the coming operation. Some thoughtful engineer had assigned them Boat 13 which, of course, thrilled them beyond the imagination. The attack which was planned to jump off on the 10th was postponed twenty-four hours. The river was rising, the Germans had blown the dams farther up the river in order to slow down the inevitable. The 10th passed as did the 11th and on through to the 20th.

Then on the 21st, Major Aubrey was called in to the 104th Infantry Division Command Post where General Terry Allen and his staff briefed him on the scheduled assault. During all this seemingly wasted time, the engineers practiced their crossings a few miles back from the front lines. It was so quiet that many played a little catch, or ran into Stolberg to see Marlene Dietrich, and some of the braver ones took off their shirts in order to absorb some sunshine--the first that had shone since Sunny France. The Germans knew it was coming; the big question was when. Lt. Kubista took his tank up on the banks of the Roer one night and at first dawn promptly scored several hits on an enemy pillbox. But not much else happened.

On February 13th, Col. Barber went on pass to England and Major Aubrey assumed command of the battalion. On 23 February the river had receded enough, and the attack was made under the most terrific barrage of the war. During the preparation, the 87th fired over 1,800 rounds before the day was over fired almost 5,000 rounds. The battalion was only one of a score of battalions which had been massed; the VII Corps Artillery, the best in the American First Army. Only Lt. Kubista and his section were out on FO at the time and communications went out between him and the battalion. Later it was learned that the section had been split up, and that Pvt. John Tasco had been wounded when he attempted to rescue two doughboys who had been caught in a minefield and stepped on a mine himself, and Cpl. Crocker was reported lost, but turned up later fighting with the infantry. But the main thing, the 104th was across the Roer as were the First and Ninth Army's leading elements.

On 24 February it was learned that we were again being assigned to support the 4th Cavalry Group. The history tells us that on 26 February three interesting events took place. First of all Capt. Holt went into the town of Esch on the tail of the Cavalry looking for a position. He selected one and had the survey section survey it for him. His battery, Charlie Battery, came into position finding a German machine gun manned by two German soldiers a few yards from the center of the position. The same day, Lt. Campbell and Lt. Berry, the pilot and observer of one of the battalion's cub planes spotted two German soldiers in a foxhole behind the German lines. They motioned to the soldiers to surrender. The soldiers dropped their rifles while Lt. Campbell flew over to the Cavalry outpost where a note was dropped to the troopers and they in turn went out and captured the krauts.

A bit later in the day, Major Holst and Capt. Olson were walking through Esch when a loud explosion rocked a building nearby. There was a loud wail and upon investigation they found a small boy had walked into a booby trap left by the retreating Germans. The boy was badly battered and as he was pulled from the house and carried to the aid station, the boy's mother screamed and beat the Major and Captain for wounding her boy. Needless to say, Doc Paull made her understand what had really happened.The crust of the resistance after the Roer crossing was broken and a mad rush began for the Rhine River.

1 March 1945. There is an old saying that if March comes in like a lamb, it will go out like a lion and vice versa; but for the 87th the lion was cutting loose all month. On 1 March Major Holst took reconnaissance parties into Glesch early in the morning. The town was swarming with 3rd Armored tanks and all were assured that Glesch was a nice place to be. Charlie Battery remained behind, firing the battalion missions, while the other firing batteries displaced. As Able Battery came into position, a tiger tank opened up on a half track four or five hundred yards to the battery front. The tank was on a ridge across the Erft Canal and clearly visible from the battery position, so Charlie Battery in position to the rear fired the mission against the tank and it withdrew. The OP was Able Battery's firing position. A mortar round lit in the door of the Battalion CP causing the FDC to retire to the cellar in short order, and wounding Lt. Yoffee. The wound was such that Lt. Yoffee's freshly pressed shirt (he had pressed it the night before putting the iron on a woodburning stove in a basement) had to be cut, which hurt the Lt. more than the wound pained. The Battalion Surgeon, Doc Paull, talked him out of remaining with the battalion so he retired to Paris for the rest of the war.

In the meantime, Lt. Col Rhode's 4th Cavalry left their tanks and scout cars, crossed the Erft Canal bridges on foot, and took the ridge, which was packed with German troops. A more rugged group of men were never before seen as the troopers trudged along the road armed with brass knuckles, long knives, machine pistols, Lugers, in fact, every conceivable weapon. The history tells us that they took everything in sight and then raced to the Rhine, and on March 4th fired "Battalion One Round" into the river which was now within range. Lt. Kubista and his crew located two barges on the Rhine transporting German troops, they thought to safety and sank them. All was quiet now on the west bank of the Rhine. The German Army is in complete disarray and the allied armies are trying to figure a way to pursue them by getting across the river and continuing the push.

This is probably a good time to point out some differences that we noted between the German and American soldiers. The United States was completely unprepared to go to war in 1939 when Hitler went into Poland. When the Japs bombed Pearl Harbor, we were just getting serious about waging a global war. that was, of course, at the end of 1941. The expansion of the army and the other services was dramatic and fortunately we had time and a couple of oceans that allowed the expansion.

In the 87th there were two West Point graduates; Major Aubrey and Capt. Omans. There was only a handful of enlisted men that were Regular Army. Among the officers were several ROTC graduates who had been called into service and eventually went through the service school for Artillery at Ft. Sill, Oklahoma; however, the bulk of the junior officers were graduates of the Officer's Candidate School at Ft. Sill and in many cases these people had little previous military training or education. Among the enlisted men were some volunteers, but the vast majority of the people were draftees from all walks of life. The 87th was a cross section of America. We had our share of slackers and some achievers. We had some intelligent people in all ranks and we had illiterates. Among the officers there were some leaders and we had some, in our opinion, who were officers only because the Government had commissioned them.

There were people that were anxious for the war to be over and were willing to give of themselves and take risks to achieve the victory. Then again, we had people that continually fought the problem and felt that they were put upon and unfortunate to be not only in the 87th , but in the war...period. Fortunately, the guys that wanted to win and get the job done were in the preponderance and the big guy was George Barber, the Eagle Scout, that carried the guidon. George was just a young man and his responsibilities were awesome when you think about it.

In war, leadership is the key to victory. When the 87th was firing in Normandy, we were against German troops that in many cases were untried in battle just as we were. During the breakout from Normandy, we "saw the elephant" and suffered casualties. However, the devastation heaped on the Germans was overwhelming. It was during this period that the leaders in the 87th began to emerge and they were privates, corporals, sergeants, and officers. The uncommitted, in my opinion, were forced to come along.

The Germans began a rear action fighting off the hordes of allies chasing them. All across France and Belgium, and into Germany they fought and retired. Obviously, they were beginning to fight for not only their lives but their homeland. And thousands of them allowed themselves to be captured. But still they fought their rear guard battles. Not only was the German soldier tough, but he was for the most part well led in the field. Everything was against them when in the past they had trampled Europe underfoot and retreat was not in their book.

We have often pondered how our democratic, highly individualistic American Soldiers, fighting on foreign soil, many of them not committed to the cause would have stood up in the beating that we gave to the Germans? Academic but interesting. We observed what happened in the Bulge when the "beaten enemy" emerged from the woods and quickly over ran many units newly arrived from the US. However, we can also say that the seasoned troops, for the most part, were physically and mentally up to the task of containing the attack. It was not without the help of fighting as units for many months. So the 87th became a machine and by the time that we reached the Rhine in the spring of 1945, many of the people that were not up to the rigors of war had been dropped for one reason or another. We wish no disparaging implication here.

Before we resume the narrative, we would like to use an illustration to point out an interesting reaction we observed. When a soldier went to the hospital and did not return to his battery for a while, a replacement was ordered. When the hospitalized man had recovered, he was sent to a place (a tent city, usually) called a Replacement Depot or Repple Depple. This Depot was the source of replacements for the 87th. Rather than wait for the hospitalized man to get into the Repple Depple, we would go to the hospital looking for him and arrange for him to get back to the 87th. Then we were sure he would not get lost in the system and we were getting back a valuable person and not an unknown quantity. The grapevine worked and often people would be waiting for us at the hospital asking for transportation back to their units in the 87th or asking to make arrangements for them to be released to the 87th from the hospital and not be assigned to the pool of replacements even though there was a possibility that they could be given non-combatant duties. A great comradery had developed between these people; they had gone through sticky times together and were sure of one another even though they might fight and argue like a bunch of minks at times.

While there were some hairy times and many crisis situations, there were also great experiences. There was always some kind of excitement. In the 87th there were 600 plus personnel assigned. Each of them carried a gun of some kind. Many of them drove vehicles; tanks, M-7s, jeeps, trucks of various kinds, airplanes, motorcycles, and when the opportunity arose, they patched up vehicles picked up along the road. Mix this combination in with alcohol and, when the situation settled down a bit, women; there was bound to be excitement.

There was always some kind of accident, shelling brought casualties, a road march that had to be executed in a matter of a couple of hours,costly mistakes were made often, and SNAFUS were commonplace. In addition, everyone was exhausted most of the time. Twenty hour days were commonplace. Fatigue itself resulted in many blunders. However, word that the Red Cross was bringing up coffee and doughnuts, or a bath unit was available to us, or that the kitchens which had been in the rear were joining us, all brought sunshine. But no one could say that it was dull----no way!

Sitting on the west side of the Rhine, the 87th fired in support of several units during the latter days in March before crossing the river. We were in position in the outskirts of Bonn. To get into position, we drove down the famous autobahn which was exposed to German observation resulting in some mad driving along the road. Bonn later became the seat of Government for the West Germans.

We took positions on the backside of some hills. On 24 March Corporal Barney Elrod came in with a black soldier and as the history reports "he announced that he had left his buddy and 6 X 6 truck down on the banks of the Rhine. They had taken the wrong road and found themselves looking down the barrel of a German AA gun. They both bailed out. Sgt. Doyle, Headquarters Battery, went down with one of the officers in an ambulance under the protection of a barrage from the battalion, and found the driver of the truck in a shell hole. "Who dat shootin at me?" was all the driver had to say as he was picked up and returned to the CP where some liquid refreshment brought color back to his face."

There were some movies shown in Bonn. Able Battery played softball in a stadium nearby, and a tank battalion had a shower setup and invited the 87th to use it. On 27 March the 87th crossed the Rhine at Bad Godesburg. The Remagen Bridge was seized and later collapsed. The engineers quickly built other bridges and the troops that had moved up and had secured the west bank of the River then moved over the newly built bridges. We were again in support of the 4th Cavalry and went into position on their screening mission while the 3rd Armored Division drove on to Paderborn and sealed off the "Rose" pocket. On the 27th there was some excitement when an artillery shell hit Lt. Cambell's liaison plane, destroying it. A new one was requisitioned and it was later learned that the Battery Commander, Lt. Jo Moody, had failed to write off the property records. As a matter of fact, when the war ended, there were only two planes on the ground and in existence, but practically a squadron showed on his property book

The history is quite complete for the period 28 March through the end of the 87th's combat in Europe. Rather than repeat it, we suggest that the reader refer to those last few pages of the book. During this period, the battalion was given administrative and control missions in addition to being involved in small skirmishes. German soldiers and refugees filled the roads; with the German soldiers fleeing the Russians or just going home, and the refugees, in many cases, just wandering aimlessly. The last combat mission was fired in the Harz Mountains on 19 April 1945.

The Allies had many problems and headaches as the war ground to a halt. Units were assigned areas of responsibility and as we recall, not much guidance except to secure the area, disarm the people, and try to control people coming into the area and leaving the area. So PW cages were set up and some assistance was given to the military government people who were attempting to get some semblance of order from chaos. The most important function of the Military Government was to attempt to get the local people back in position to provide the basic services for the people: utilities, water, movement of foodstuffs from the country to the markets, rebuilding roads, etc. It was going to be several years before the schools were functioning and making basic housing available to accommodate the homeless was an awesome challenge.

The leaders who finally straightened most situations out were Nazis, strange to say. The opposition to the party had long since been purged and the allies had no choice but to request help from many of these toadies of the party. However, as time went on, the democratic elements gained experience and when elections were held, the party members were displaced. Those of us who were trying to get some order from the disorder spent much of our time chasing down reported Nazi killers, SS Men, and guards from concentration camps which people reported to us. Many of these alarms were the result of neighbor conflicts and also revenge. The Nazis would have been able to handle much of the conflict with dispatch. We Americans attempting to be just and fair, had difficulty and we were relieved when orders were received to be disbanded as a battalion and we were to be sent to replacement depots in France.

The 87th was in an area at the end of the war in the Harz Mountains that had been used by the Germans to manufacture fuel for their rockets. The Allies and Russians were most interested and we were concerned when we learned that the Russians were to have these installations in their zone when the separation took place. While we were in charge of the area, many visitors arrived and the Army conducted them through the sites. As we now know, the missiles and missile technology developed by the Germans could have changed the course of the war. And it certainly changed the future of the world in many ways.

The town of Quedlinburg was occupied by the 87th in late April and May, 1945. The town was sealed off and the buildings and homes were searched for weapons and contraband. Regulations prohibited fraternization with the civilian population except for official business which resulted in some strange episodes. In one of the searches resulting from a tip that an SS soldier had slipped into town, the search team invaded the home and found the "SS" man in bed and found him clutching an M1 rifle. The interrogation revealed that the "SS" man was a GI visiting his girl friend. She had answered the door in her winter coat and added to the excitement by fainting and revealing that the coat and her shoes was her complete costume. Another tip involved the information that a woman had worked for the Gestapo and had concealed certain information in her apartment. The search team worked over the apartment finding nothing and then learned that they had ransacked the wrong apartment. I do not know if they returned to try to make amends.

A cave was discovered , quite by chance, which was a cache for art treasures, jewels, valuables of all kinds, which had been collected by the Nazis in their invasions and looting. It was their spoils of war depot. The 87th was given the job of guarding the collection and we later learned that where possible, the valuables were returned to their owners. When hostilities ended, the division of Germany which had been established at the conferences in Postsdam and Yalta was executed. When the fighting stopped and the occupation was being organized, the question arose in everyone's mind about the possibility of preparing to go into combat in the Far East, perhaps invade Japan. Rumors were flying.

However, there was much to do with administrative and military government assignments. One big hassle was the turning in of equipment when orders were issued to do so. The accountability and responsibility is a big thing in the services. Every soldier is responsible and accountable for the uniform and equipment issued to him. If he loses it or it is made unserviceable through his negligence, he must pay for it via a "Statement of Charges". If he sits too close to the fire and burns a hole in his shoe, it could be that he would have to pay for a pair of shoes. The same goes for the equipment, trucks, tanks, etc. The Battery or Company Commander signs for the property and is responsible and accountable for it. If the command changes, an inventory is taken, and the new CO signs the property book. It is the new CO's baby and God help him if he signed for equipment that did not exist.

With one of our batteries came hundreds of items of property; tool sets, radios, 1/4 Ton Trucks, 3/4 Ton Trucks, 6 X 6 Trucks, tanks, M-7s, tentage of all kinds, machine guns, watches, kitchen equipment, stoves...just to name a few items. Under war conditions, there was ample opportunity to write off lost items on a "Report of Survey", but even that required much work and documentation. Joe Moody, the CO of Headquarters Battery, at one time had a fleet of airplanes on the property book but only two planes existed at the air strip. So someone had to reconstruct the story and had to document what had happened to the missing planes.

In the old army, the story is told about the battery property that included anvils used by the horseshoers in pounding out horseshoes. One of these anvils would be missing and how would you explain the loss of one of them? You would have to wait for a big wind, of course. If it blew away tentage, it would blow away an anvil as well. With this background of responsibility where a soldier could be required to pay for a pair of shoes, we are instructed to turn in all of our ordnance equipment or engineer equipment, etc. We are to report with the property book and documentation to support any shortages. The area is designated and the date assigned to each battery.

I was the CO of "C" Battery at the time....if I remember correctly I was the third CO "C" Battery had had since leaving England. We got out the property book and schedules of stuff and found that many items were missing. We formed teams to scrounge for the missing items just as everyone else was doing. We put armed guards on our property to protect it from other scroungers. It was a mad scramble. We worked night and day preparing "Reports of Survey".

We approached the "turn-in" with intrepidation. The day arrived and we felt we were in much better shape than most. Following instructions, we arrived at the collecting area where some yik nik pointed to a big field and told us to park the stuff "over there" and he signed the book relieving me of several million dollars worth of equipment and that was the end of it. We often wondered over the years what happened to all of the guns and whether they were made into plow shares like the bible says.

A personal story. The battery was authorized maybe fifty watches with sweep hands. They were used by the firing battery people and very important to us as you can imagine. When the equipment was turned in, we collected the watches. We were quartered in a school house; the Supply Sgt, Sgt. Fink, had his supply room in one of the school rooms and when his back was turned, someone stole the watches. They were a hot item on the black market. I was upset and in checking with the Army learned that it was to cost me about $1,000. I felt that someone in the battery, a friend, would lead me to the culprit --or hoped they would. No inkling.

The battery is then split for rotation home. As the people are being loaded on the trucks, the First Sergeant came up to me and handed me a wad of bills and told me that my friends in the battery had taken up a collection and there was $1,000.00 which covered the loss, and which incidentally, I turned into the finance section. No wonder that I care for the 87th.

Somehow the civilians learned this somber news and before the battalion moved out we were bombarded with questions from the people who dreaded the occupation of the Russians. We moved out one day and the Russians moved in shortly thereafter. The instructions were that all of the Americans would leave prior to the entry of the Russians. Some of our people did watch the triumphant occupation and were astounded. The Russians that occupied the zone the 87th had occupied were peasants, completely undisciplined and crude. They arrived driving horse drawn carts, which they filled with loot, tearing the villages apart. They chased the women and rape was commonplace.

We had reason to visit this area a few weeks later to get something we had left behind and the people that made this trip, almost to the man, said that we should now take our army and attack the Red Bear. They were convinced that these animals would soon be unleashed against us. Perhaps our experience was an isolated one; however, it gave each of us much cause to reflect.

Out of sight, out of mind. The magnificent army suddenly became impotent. With the war over in Japan, the civilian soldier had one thought on his mind and that was to get home and in a hurry.

The 87th was scattered to the four winds and by the end of 1945 most, if not all, of the members that requested discharge were in their homes with their loved ones. What irony and pain must have been experienced by the families that watched the boys come home while their loved one either rested in a cemetery in Europe or was lying maimed in a hospital.

	*AN ADDENDUM TO THE HISTORY*
*of the*
*87th Armored Field Artillery Battalion*