***I have made every attempt to be accurate on the dates. Please let me know if there are errors.
July 20, 1944: Assassination attempt on Hitler Fails
It took a while for the news to reach us but it finally got through. Someone tried to kill Hitler. He sure needs to be stopped and whoever did this sure had a lot of guts. Der Fueher who thinks Germany will take over the world has got to be stopped. He can’t be allowed to be the supreme commander of the whole world. He’s already devastated the Jews and murdered them by the thousands. Who knows which group of people he will target next?
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
OPERATION COBRA
July 24, 1944: Operation COBRA begins; waves of GI’s land at Normandy and move throughout the countries of France, England, Luxembourg, Belgium, and Holland.
Several landing barges with determined GI’s had already landed on June 6, 1944 and successfully entered the northern coast of France. Other GI’s would land later on and move into other areas. As we reached the coast we knew that the hard part, the action and fighting, would begin. Everyone had to be cautious and each man was to keep an eye open for signs of danger. Timing was everything and all the details had been worked out by the “brass” with President Eisenhower signing into order the “go-ahead” and the assigned areas where the troops were to land.
THE STORY
Darkness covered the land along the beach and shore. We had talked of nothing for the past few days but there was no more time left. We were told to prepare for the landing and all the bravery of the past few days seemed to slip away. Would this be the time that sniper bullets would pellet the ground and stop our advance?
No one chanced to talk of the risk until one soldier quietly said to the soldier immediately next to him, “I’m scared”. Little by little the soldiers began to admit that they were afraid and that they had no idea what to expect. They were young, eighteen to twenty years old.
The war was a reality.
All the preparation and instruction were ready to be tested. One by one the soldiers moved onto the landing barges that would take them to shore. Silent prayers went up from those who believed that God was with them. It was quiet, almost too quiet. Without any warning the barges became stuck in the muddy waters. There was no way to go ahead without wading through the water and cautiously approaching the shore. Hearts pounding in their chest, the soldiers waited for the start of gunfire that would bring each of them to their knees and challenge their military training. For some miraculous reason the gunfire never came. The soldiers relaxed a little and gave a quiet sigh of relief.. The men no longer seemed quite as terrified and afraid. So far, so good.
In other areas paratroopers were dotting the black skies laden with food and supplies. Heavy artillery was getting into position for the troops Military planes were scanning the air to get coordinates for the assault teams. Coordinating everything was crucial to the success of the mission. Now was the time to put into practice all that the men had studied and drilled over the past few months. Okay, men, come on, let’s get this party on the roll.
Several landing barges with determined GI’s had already landed on June 6, 1944 and successfully entered the northern coast of France. Other GI’s would land later on and move into other areas. As we reached the coast we knew that the hard part, the action and fighting, would begin. Everyone had to be cautious and each man was to keep an eye open for signs of danger. Timing was everything and all the details had been worked out by the “brass” with President Eisenhower signing into order the “go-ahead” and the assigned areas where the troops were to land.
THE STORY
Darkness covered the land along the beach and shore. We had talked of nothing for the past few days but there was no more time left. We were told to prepare for the landing and all the bravery of the past few days seemed to slip away. Would this be the time that sniper bullets would pellet the ground and stop our advance?
No one chanced to talk of the risk until one soldier quietly said to the soldier immediately next to him, “I’m scared”. Little by little the soldiers began to admit that they were afraid and that they had no idea what to expect. They were young, eighteen to twenty years old.
The war was a reality.
All the preparation and instruction were ready to be tested. One by one the soldiers moved onto the landing barges that would take them to shore. Silent prayers went up from those who believed that God was with them. It was quiet, almost too quiet. Without any warning the barges became stuck in the muddy waters. There was no way to go ahead without wading through the water and cautiously approaching the shore. Hearts pounding in their chest, the soldiers waited for the start of gunfire that would bring each of them to their knees and challenge their military training. For some miraculous reason the gunfire never came. The soldiers relaxed a little and gave a quiet sigh of relief.. The men no longer seemed quite as terrified and afraid. So far, so good.
In other areas paratroopers were dotting the black skies laden with food and supplies. Heavy artillery was getting into position for the troops Military planes were scanning the air to get coordinates for the assault teams. Coordinating everything was crucial to the success of the mission. Now was the time to put into practice all that the men had studied and drilled over the past few months. Okay, men, come on, let’s get this party on the roll.
ANNE FRANK
August 4, 1944: Anne Frank & family arrested in Amsterdam
The capture of Anne Frank and her family was a real blow to everyone. People suspected that they may be hiding Jews somewhere in the home but no one could ever locate the exact place. To know that Anne and her family will be taken to a concentration camp seems horrifying. Another way that Hitler and his cronies are trying to control everything. So much anguish and so much fighting! I’m gonna be so glad to get a chance to stop these Germans once and for all.
The capture of Anne Frank and her family was a real blow to everyone. People suspected that they may be hiding Jews somewhere in the home but no one could ever locate the exact place. To know that Anne and her family will be taken to a concentration camp seems horrifying. Another way that Hitler and his cronies are trying to control everything. So much anguish and so much fighting! I’m gonna be so glad to get a chance to stop these Germans once and for all.
BELGUIM, FRANCE & LUXEMBOURG
September 3, 1944: Troops move out of France into Belgium and Luxembourg
September 13, 1944: Siegfried Line; five months of heavy fighting begins
September 17, 1944: Assault on Holland called Operations Market Garden Air Assault
AACHEN: SIGNIFICANCE
October 24, 1944: Aachen located in the triangular area on the border of Luxembourg, Netherlands, and Germany was the area where the main part of the fighting occurred. Five long months of fighting ensued and the Allied forces worked hard to achieve the goal of moving through southern Belgium and Luxembourg. Once that goal was accomplished the next part of the mission was to move into German land near the Rhine. Aachen fell into the Allied hands and the Germans had to retreat,
September 13, 1944: Siegfried Line; five months of heavy fighting begins
September 17, 1944: Assault on Holland called Operations Market Garden Air Assault
AACHEN: SIGNIFICANCE
October 24, 1944: Aachen located in the triangular area on the border of Luxembourg, Netherlands, and Germany was the area where the main part of the fighting occurred. Five long months of fighting ensued and the Allied forces worked hard to achieve the goal of moving through southern Belgium and Luxembourg. Once that goal was accomplished the next part of the mission was to move into German land near the Rhine. Aachen fell into the Allied hands and the Germans had to retreat,
SEARCHING FOR GERMANS
The Germans had overtaken much of Europe by 1944 that the most methodical way to overcome them was to slowly move over the terrain and search for remnants of Germans who may still be inside the country of France. The soldiers had landed on the border of France just a few days before November 24th and their task was important. They were to move further and further into the depths of the country and verify that each town and countryside area was no longer occupied by Germans.
France was almost completely deserted since the civilians had left quickly to avoid German advancement. Those who were not able to move or any towns where unsuspecting people went about their own business were quickly captured and taken to prison or to work camps. Their time would be spent at the mercy of the Germans where they would repair railroads and bridges or work on farms. General Patton and his troops had gone ahead of the platoon that was just coming into town. The strategy was for General Patton to go in one direction and the infantry to go in a separate direction making the path safe for the tanks that were rolling slowly through each town. The soldiers were at the front of the march while the tanks rumbled forward with clouds of dust following in their aftermath. It was critical to ascertain that the Germans had completely left the area and to assist any French who may have been left behind.
The littered debris on the ground indicated that the French had been hastily captured and taken by the Germans. As the Allies entered each town they noticed the items scattered over the soil. A soldier could easily find a good a variety of items to pick up and keep. Jackets, cameras, and pieces of jewelry were in plain sight. Bottles of cognac and fine wine had been carefully confiscated from the homes. Basically if it had been left behind it was there for taking.
Caution was the key word while scouting out the area. Germans were well known for placing thin wires on the cupboard doors with a detonation device so that when the door was opened the bomb would go off. More than one innocent soldier met his fate that way.
France was almost completely deserted since the civilians had left quickly to avoid German advancement. Those who were not able to move or any towns where unsuspecting people went about their own business were quickly captured and taken to prison or to work camps. Their time would be spent at the mercy of the Germans where they would repair railroads and bridges or work on farms. General Patton and his troops had gone ahead of the platoon that was just coming into town. The strategy was for General Patton to go in one direction and the infantry to go in a separate direction making the path safe for the tanks that were rolling slowly through each town. The soldiers were at the front of the march while the tanks rumbled forward with clouds of dust following in their aftermath. It was critical to ascertain that the Germans had completely left the area and to assist any French who may have been left behind.
The littered debris on the ground indicated that the French had been hastily captured and taken by the Germans. As the Allies entered each town they noticed the items scattered over the soil. A soldier could easily find a good a variety of items to pick up and keep. Jackets, cameras, and pieces of jewelry were in plain sight. Bottles of cognac and fine wine had been carefully confiscated from the homes. Basically if it had been left behind it was there for taking.
Caution was the key word while scouting out the area. Germans were well known for placing thin wires on the cupboard doors with a detonation device so that when the door was opened the bomb would go off. More than one innocent soldier met his fate that way.
EVENING HOURS
In the evening the soldiers celebrated their success by talking about the events of the day and trying to relax. Some men tried to write letters in the evening to their wives and girlfriends but it wasn’t as easy as it sounded. Any vital piece of information that could compromise the location of the troop had to be avoided and no one was to give away their identity. [My dad signed his letters “Guck” which I never understood until recently when I started working on this article.] The evening was often spent by discussing the events of the day, having “chow” and consuming an occasional drink, compliments of the French. Town by town the soldiers scoured the countryside. It appeared that the Germans had left the area but it was crucial to verify that the Germans were no longer in France. Once France was completely cleared of the Germans the action could move forward to fighting along the German border.
A GERMAN ADVANTAGE
Maneuvers went rather quietly for the next few missions. Five or six soldiers were sent ahead now to scout out the area. The extra soldiers gave a greater advantage over the original plan of sending in two soldiers. Germans were beginning to confiscate Allied tanks and a Canadian sergeant went along with the group. He could speak German and warn the other soldiers of any possible threat. On this particular day, the soldiers worked their way around the buildings next to the marketplace. The Germans had been in enough towns that they were able to “borrow” Allied jackets. Replacing the German jackets with the Allied jackets gave the Germans another advantage. The Germans could get very close to the Allies before being discovered. By that time it was too late.
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