A Veteran's Journey

Q – Who said, “Some people cause happiness wherever they go; others whenever they go.”?
Q – In what movie did we hear, “May the odds be ever in your favor.”?
Q – Who sang (and what song) the following:
A trailer for sale or rent
Rooms to let fifty cents
No phone, no pool, no pets
I got no cigarettes

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Like many of my friends, classmates, and veterans, my father fought in World War II in Europe. He was an officer in the 80th Infantry Division and landed on Utah Beach on August 5, 1944. He was a “mortar man,” in charge of a “section” of .81mm mortars.

He was wounded in October near Sivry, France. An enemy artillery shell hit the house where he was directing fire as a forward observer for his mortar teams. The roof caved in, knocking him out, and pinned him down. It also tore up his knee. He was sent back down the line and ended up in England for two months of rehab after knee surgery.

He returned to his unit on December 14, 1944—two days before the Battle of the Ardennes (aka, Battle of the Bulge) began—75 years ago.

This blog article is dedicated to my dad and the thousands of courageous men who fought and endured that long, cold & bitter winter under the worst possible conditions one could imagine.

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My first Christmas in Guam (1973) was my first Christmas away from home. I was in a beautiful island paradise… warm breezes… and three square meals a day. I had just turned 19 years old.

My dad’s first Christmas away from home was spent in Luxembourg… in sub-zero temperatures… out in the open… getting shot at and shelled by German artillery. My dad was 23 years old.

The following are excerpts from my WWII book, You Can’t Get Much Closer Than This: Combat with the 80th ‘Blue Ridge’ Division in World War II Europe.

I returned to my unit after two months in England in a hospital recovering from a wound. After I had been back a couple of days, German Field Marshall von Rundstedt launched his big counteroffensive, now known as the Battle of the Bulge.

The weather was bad—snow, freezing cold, and fog. Under this cover, the Germans moved three field armies and surprised the Allies, overran them, and headed for Antwerp to cut off our supply port and supply lines. German infantry and tanks attacked along a 90-mile front in an effort to split Allied armies on the Western Front. This caused a “bulge” in our lines, and the battle to flatten out this bulge by Allied troops for the next month was to become known as the Battle of the Bulge.

One of von Rundstedt’s spearheads was headed for Luxembourg City with the objective of taking the city and the famous radio station known as Radio Luxembourg. The 80th Infantry Division was given the mission of holding Luxembourg City at all costs. I believe Patton said, ‘Hold to the last man.’

My father’s unit, the 80th Division, loaded onto trucks and within twenty-four hours, traveled 150 miles.

We rode in open vehicles. It was freezing cold and there was no way to keep warm. We had a few blankets and huddled close together to try to keep warm. There were no rest stops and no delays of any kind. When men had to relieve themselves, they did so off the back end of the truck, while trying to hang on at the same time.

We dug in near Junglinster, Luxembourg, just north of Luxembourg City, about eight miles from the front line. There, we found remnants of every outfit imaginable–a dozen from a rifle company, a few quartermaster trucks with their drivers, kitchen personnel, wiremen, artillerymen–all of them who had been separated from their outfits when the Germans launched their attack.

Over the next few days, the 80th moved every day to a different location (Steinsel – Beringen – Bourscheid), traveling by truck and marching by foot, up and down steep, slippery hills. The 80th attacked the Germans multiple times, pushing them back, but losing men from wounds as well as frostbite. At this point, the regimental battalions began to split up, each with a different mission.

Sleep was impossible because of the cold. I lay down beside a tank with Lt Bill Mounts and Kad (Lt Saul Kadison). It was about 3:00 a.m.. It was still too cold to sleep. After a while, I tried to get up, but my coat was frozen to the ground. I had to wake Kad to help me get up. When daylight came on Christmas Eve Day, the cold was unbearable beyond description.

After a little while, a Kraut automatic rifleman opened up on the boys who were desperately trying to dig in between us and a nearby farm house. It was suicide for them to move. Some of them tried to come back to where we were behind a little knoll, but only a few of them reached us. Several were killed.

The Krauts started throwing mortars at us. That was rough, because we were close together in the open and had little cover. We couldn’t see who was shooting at us, but we threw lead into the woods to try to keep the Krauts quiet while our boys out in the open worked their way back behind the knoll.

Our rations had run out the day before and we were getting hungry. It was cold and the wind kept blowing snow all over the place, making it difficult to see.

At first light, we got orders to saddle up and move back. We were to dig in on the high ground about a mile north of Niederfeulen, Luxembourg.

What a way to start Christmas Day.

The head of our column moved slowly and, as a result, the men began to bunch up. The Krauts noticed this opportunity and opened up on us with artillery as we moved up the side of a hill. They were firing “screaming meemies”—large-caliber rounds fired in clusters. We heard the rockets coming, but there was little we could do other than spread out and run like hell. There was no cover around.

Several men were hit. Some of the men hit the ground and wanted to stay there. That would have been suicide, but it was tough to get them up and keep them moving. When we got over the top of the hill and out of sight, the Krauts stopped shooting at us.

It was Christmas Day. Kad and I were determined to get our men warm. We went to investigate a nearby house and found that an antiaircraft outfit had been there before the breakthrough and, from the equipment and supplies left behind, it was easy to see that they had moved out in a hurry.

My feet were swollen and hurt like hell, but so did everybody else’s, so I couldn’t complain. We were to sit tight and wait for orders. We were also told that the kitchen was going to bring us up a real Christmas dinner with all the trimmings.

The men were tired and gloomy, their spirits were low, and their feet hurt. When I told them about the Christmas dinner, they all brightened up a little.

About 1:00 p.m., one of our cooks brought us our Christmas dinner. We had turkey and cranberry sauce with all the trimmings, and all you could eat, too. I thought about the 1st and 3rd Battalions. They had moved out to attack Kehmen at daylight. I hoped they might get some relief and warm food this Christmas Day.

My dad wrote the following letter to his parents the next day, Tuesday, December 26, 1944.

Dearest Mom & Dad,

Thought about you yesterday & was in hopes that Hazel & Lois (Dad’s sisters) were able to spend Christmas with you. My Christmas was very enjoyable under the circumstances. My men & I spent our time indoors in a nice big Chateau where we had fires. We had turkey with all the trimmings for dinner. Our kitchen fixed it for us. My men got lots of packages & letters. I still haven’t received any mail but eventually it will catch up with me.

Am enclosing a few clippings you can put them away for me.

The scenery here is beautiful. Very hilly & the ground covered with snow. I’m taking some pictures. The people are very friendly and do all they can do to help us.I’m feeling swell & am happy.

Devotedly,
Andy

Like so many men of “The Greatest Generation,” my dad didn’t want his parents to worry about him. You can certainly see the difference between what he (and many others) faced during that Christmastime in 1944 and what he wrote to his parents.

My dad was—and still is—my hero.

Never Forget the sacrifices our brave men and women the world over made (and continue to make) in order for us to enjoy our freedoms.

I wish you & your families a Merry Christmas and a wonderful holiday season. And, as I write this from my Florida home, may your Christmas be warm, cozy, and full of love and good cheer.

Until we meet again,
Andy

Andy Adkins is a US Navy veteran (’73-77) and the author of several books. His newest novel, NEVER FORGET, is the story of A Vietnam Veteran’s Journey for Redemption & Forgiveness. NEVER FORGET is FREE (eBook, PDF) for all veterans. Download your FREE copy HERE.

Answers:

1. Oscar Wilde
2. The Hunger Games
3. Roger Miller, King of the Road