11 October 1944

V-MAIL

438^th AAA AW BN

APO 230 % Postmaster, N.Y.

Germany

11 October, 1944         1900

Hello Sweetheart –

The close of another day and my first opportunity to write you a few lines. Excuse the V-mail, dear, but if not this, I wouldn’t have the chance to write you anything today.

I spent most of the a.m. getting my radio fixed, darling, and at last I struck a signal company that had the time to look my set over. It now works fine again. I hope it stays so for awhile. After the war, darling, I’ll just throw away any radio we have that goes bad. No fooling around with them.

We’re in a new spot again – and that took up the rest of the day. It’s not as good a set-up as before – but indoors nonetheless. We have no electricity but I managed to dig up a kerosene lantern and I’m writing by that, now. When I finish this I must go out and check on my men. They are in a house, too, but I have to see if they’re settled – etc. And then to bed. Evenings come early here, sweetheart and I have lots of time to dwell upon my love for you, dear. It does make the time bearable though. I always come to the same conclusion: I’m lucky I met you. I love you deeply and I’ll marry you pronto when I get home. So long, dear.

All my deepest love,

Greg.

Route of the Question Mark


[CLICK ON MAP TO ENLARGE]

(A) Raeren to (B) Hahn, Germany (5 miles)
28 September to 11 October 1944

October 11... Hahn, Germany. Here we stayed for seven weeks, with a Nazi gun shelling us continually, and a shell landed among all the trailers in our motor pool and started a fire that lit the entire sky. We lived in tiny houses in this backward village and were completely comfortable. Mud everywhere, little steep hills, and the natives seemed to spend all their time milking sheep. We had our terrific Thanksgiving dinner here, even had printed menus. We got our first quota of Paris passes, and passes to the Jayhawk Rest Camp at Verviers. We had too many inspections and we used to watch the planes drop thousands of tons of bombs on Aachen.

* TIDBIT *

about The Huertgen Forest in Early October
and The First Attack on Schmidt (continued)

[CLICK ON MAP TO ENLARGE]

The following was excerpted from the "U.S. 9th Infantry Division in WWII" website.

October 11 brought success and failure for both sides. American attempts to exploit success at Raffelsbrand produced nothing but longer casualty lists. A German counterattack struck Chatfield's men before daylight, and though beaten back, Chatfield reported that "the enemy maintained pressure here for the rest of the day and crowned it before dark with a bayonet charge." When the Americans tried to bring up reinforcements, they were pinned down by several pillboxes along the Reichelskaul-Raffelsbrand road that they had bypassed the previous day.

Lieutenant Colonel Oscar H. Thompson's 1st Battalion, 39th Infantry, was finally able to enter Germeter but found that its defenders had abandoned their positions during the night. Hoping to seize more ground, A Company, supported by the 1st Platoon of C/746th Tank Battalion, probed eastward toward Vossenack. The column had only covered 500 or so yards when a Panzerschreck knocked out the lead tank, and the remaining American armor and infantry withdrew. A subsequent advance by A Company under cover of smoke ended with the destruction of two more Shermans.

The Americans had some success to the north and west of Germeter. Leaving I Company behind to protect the northern approaches to the town, K and L companies encountered little resistance as they moved eastward from Wittscheidt. By late afternoon, Lt. Col. Richard H. Stumpf's 3rd Battalion had advanced nearly a mile and was preparing to attack Vossenack from a ridge northeast of the village. Major Lawrence Decker's 2nd Battalion was also able to advance.

Maj. Gen. Louis A. Craig's 9th Infantry Division men had at least been gradually moving forward, but ominous events had occurred during the night that would soon threaten what little progress they had made. Accompanied by the German LXXIV Corps commander, Lt. Gen. Erich Straube, Seventh Army commander Lt. Gen. Erich Brandenburger visited Schmidt's command post. After hearing a candid assessment of the situation, Brandenburger promised to send a unit composed of well-trained and well-equipped troops to the front. Numbering 161 officers and 1,639 enlisted/officer cadets, the force was organized with three battalions of three companies each and a regimental heavy-weapons company. Its commander, Colonel Helmuth Wegelein, was an experienced leader. Schmidt and Wegelein quickly agreed that a counterattack against the northern flank of the Americans had the best chance of producing favorable results. Wegelein would launch his assault from an assembly area near Hürtgen, advancing southwest until he isolated the American battalions near Germeter.

Following a brief but concentrated artillery preparation, Wegelein's men advanced from their positions just before dawn, moving purposefully along the wooded plateau paralleling the Germeter-Hürtgen road. An American platoon of dismounted armor crewmen from 746th Tank Battalion, securing a roadblock along the left flank of 2nd Battalion, 39th Infantry, was the first to encounter this new threat and was quickly scattered. By 0700 hours, Wegelein had succeeded in isolating several of 1st Battalion's rifle companies. As testament to the isolation caused by the densely wooded terrain, the 39th's 3rd Battalion was completely unaware that the nearby 1st Battalion was being cut to pieces.

Lacking reserves to blunt the enemy thrust, Lieutenant Colonel Van H. Bond, commander of the 39th Infantry Regiment, requested help from General Craig, who directed elements of the divisional reconnaissance troop — augmented by a platoon of light tanks — to assist the embattled 39th. As the situation grew more serious, Craig ordered the 47th Infantry at Schevenhütte to dispatch two rifle companies and a company of medium tanks from the 3rd Armored Division to reinforce Bond. Rushed to the point of greatest crisis, these reinforcements were finally able to halt the German advance when it reached the road leading west out of Germeter.

The abortive counterattack cost the Germans nearly 500 casualties, with little to show in return. The failed operation, however, produced at least one positive result for the Germans: Surprised by the strength and intensity of their assault, Bond ordered Stumpf's battalion to abandon its plans to attack Vossenack in order to reduce the salient Wegelein had created.

10 October 1944

438^th AAA AW BN

APO 230 % Postmaster, N.Y.

Germany

10 October, 1944          1800

Dearest darling –

I’ve been away most of today running around trying to get my second radio fixed. I seemed to be jinxed with radios now – after having had such good luck with my first one which lasted for 2 years and which took a good deal of punishment. The present one is of course second hand and it’s starting to break down. I’ve had several parts replaced already and it should play, but damn it to hell – a fellow worked on it all day today and the blanged thing just wouldn’t manufacture any music. Well tomorrow is another day and I’ll try another signal outfit.

I came back, darling, to find no mail again. I guess mail will be slow from here in – what with Christmas packages coming through soon. I hope my mail to you is beginning to come through better, dear.

Tonight – if they can get the movie projector working – we may have a show – Spencer Tracy in “A Guy Named Joe”. I remember reading something about it some time ago, but I can’t recall whether it had a good reports or not.

I finally won part of a baseball pool when the Cards scored one run in the 1stto the 8th – day before yesterday. I won 90 marks – $9.00 which gave me a net profit of $3.00 – since it cost us $1.00 per game. So you see, dear, I can win sometimes!

In one of your recent letters you mentioned Nat Stone’s sister. Gosh – she really had it tough all her life. I guess she’s better off, but it does seem as if some people get it and others don’t. That’s why we must be very thankful and not complain too much. It’s very easy to be thankful, too, over here – when you see people maimed – and not very far from you. I’m speaking now in terms of yards, dear, without trying to alarm you. The fact is I do believe in a God and I can’t help but feel that He has a good deal to do with who gets hurt and who doesn’t. Needless to say, I’m looking out for myself, too, darling – so don’t worry. I want to come back home – well – just as much as you want me to.

Well – if you want a dog we’ll have one – but not because you’ll be afraid to stay at home, dear. I’d like one too – I think they’re nice around a house. Incidentally – that clock has been carefully boxed and could be shipped around the world, I believe. Now I have only to wait for the opportune time. At present – it wouldn’t pass the first censor. Oh – and before I forget – the package I have ready to send – will go out in a day or two. It will get by O.K. – but I must tell you one thing. I’ve heard from one source that the US Customs occasionally opens a package in N.Y. and notifies the recipient they can have the package if they’ll pay the duty. If this occurs – you’re stuck, darling – but it doesn’t happen often.

Sweetheart – I’d better stop now and get over to battalion if I expect to see that picture. It should be going on very shortly and I need a little relaxation after tearing around today. I do hope dear that I hear from you tomorrow because I end up just as blue and frustrated as you do, I believe. Oh happy day when we no longer have to resort to letters to express our love for each other! That will really be Utopia for us, dear. Solong for now, then, love to the folks – and

My everlasting love, Sweetheart

Greg

* TIDBIT *

about the Sonderkommando Revolt
Auschwitz – Birkenau

CLICK ON IMAGE TO ENLARGE

Sonderkommandos
burning corpses at Birkenau

This has been taken directly from the website of "The Holocaust Research Project". A more complete version, giving names of participants, can be found there.

The Sonderkommando or ("Special Command Units') were Jewish prisoners who were forced to work in the death camps at the grisly task of burning of the corpses of those already murdered by the Nazi's. For periods lasting from two to four months these units worked under hellish conditions until they themselves were liquidated by the Germans. The first task of their replacements was to dispose of the bodies of the previous group. Since a Sonderkommando usually comprised men from incoming transports, their second task often consisted of disposing of the bodies of their own families. At Birkenau their duties included guiding the new arrivals into the gas chambers, removing the bodies afterwards, shaving hair, removing teeth, sorting through possessions, cremating the bodies, in the crematoria or open air pits and disposing of the ashes.

At the end of June 1944 the Sonderkommandos were moved from barracks to live in the attics of Crematoria Nos II, III and IV. Among them were nineteen Soviet Prisoners of War who incited members of the Sonderkommando to revolt. A group of leaders was formed. One of the Sonderkommando leaders kept a written record in a small notebook which was buried in a jar under the earth and found after the war.

The resistance leaders made contact with some Jewish girls who worked in the munitions factory located near the Auschwitz main camp, and two of them began to receive small quantities of explosives, hidden in a false bottom of a food tray. On the 7 October 1944 the camp underground military leaders sent an urgent warning to the resistance cadre at the crematoria that they had learned the SS were going to liquidate the Sonderkommando shortly. On that fateful morning the Senior Sonderkommando man at Crematorium IV was ordered to draw up lists for evacuation of 300 men on the same day, out of the total complement of 874 men.

Filip Muller, a member of the Sonderkommando, described what happened next:

Towards mid-day Scharfuhrer Busch, Unterscharfuhrer Gorges and several other SS men and guards arrived in the yard in front of crematorium IV. All prisoners were ordered to line up, with the exception of fourteen who were away on their various jobs and who, in any case, were not affected by the selection. Then Busch began calling out the first few numbers on the list, starting with the highest and working his way down to the lowest. Those selected for transfer were made to stand on the opposite side of the yard, those not concerned, once they had been called, were allowed to return to Crematorium V. Then a member of the Sonderkommando since 1942 approached SS Staff Sergeant Busch and after a brief exchange, yelled the password “Hurrah” and struck the SS man with a hammer.

Salmen Lewental recalled their courage:

They showed an immense courage refusing to budge from the spot. They set up a loud shout, hurled themselves upon the guards with hammers and axes, wounded some of them, the rest they beat with what they could get at, they pelted them with stones without further ado. It is easy to imagine what was the upshot of this. Few moments had passed when a whole detachment of SS men drove in, armed with machine guns and grenades. There were so many of them that each had two machine guns for one prisoner. Even such an army was mobilized against them.

Members of the Sonderkommando at Crematorium IV attacked the SS and several SS men were wounded, whilst other SS sought cover behind the barbed-wire fence, shooting at the prisoners with their machine pistols. The men in Kommando 59-B using the explosives in hand-made grenades blew up the crematorium, which burst into flames. After cutting the barbed-wire fence, the prisoners got away into the nearby wood. At the sound of explosions and fighting the members of Kommando 57-B at Crematorium Number II started to revolt. The Reichsdeutsche Oberkapo and one SS-man were thrown into the burning furnace alive, another SS–man was beaten to death. After hastily grabbing some weapons they cut the barbed-wire fence, but instead of turning north-east in the direction of the Vistula River, they turned south-west in the direction of the sub-camp at Rajsko. The prisoners of squads 58B in Crematorium III and 60B in Crematorium V did not revolt as they were not informed of the plan to take up arms and SS reinforcements quickly stifle any further resistance. But they did manage to pour the explosives down the latrine, before the SS discovered them.

In Rajsko the SS blocked the escape routes of the Sonderkommando members, and the escapees sought refuge in a barn and prepared to defend themselves. The SS set fire to the barn and the prisoners were shot to death as they fled the burning barn. Within minutes of the break-out from Crematorium II, the alarm sounded and almost immediately SS men drove up in trucks and surrounded the whole area of the revolt. Most of the escapees were shot down mercilessly. Two hundred and fifty prisoners died in this exchange, among them the organizers of the uprising.

A fire-fighting squad was sent from Auschwitz main camp to put out the fire in Crematorium IV and witness the shooting to death of the members of Squad 59B. The fire-fighting squad is then sent to Rajsko to put out the burning barn. An air-raid prevented the SS men from pursuing the other escapees. In the evening, all the prisoners who were killed were brought to the grounds of Crematorium IV and the remaining members of the Sonderkommando were also brought to Crematorium IV. Another two hundred prisoners from the Sonderkommando who took part in the revolt were shot and killed. Following a short speech by the SS full of threats, the ghastly work resumed as normal in Crematoriums II, IIII and V.

Also in the evening when the all clear had sounded, SS patrols with dogs set off in search of the 12 members of the Sonderkommando at Crematorium II who were still missing. These twelve men had managed to cross the Vistula River, but exhausted they had hidden in an empty building. The SS tracked them down, killed them and brought their bodies back to the camp.

On 10 October 1944 three female Jewish prisoners employed in the Weichsel-Union – Metallwerke were arrested in the women’s camp of Auschwitz 1. They were charged with stealing explosives from the depot of the plant and giving them to the prisoners of the Sonderkommando, who had fashioned primitive grenades which they used during the uprising. On the same day fourteen prisoners of the Sonderkommando were arrested and locked in the bunker of Block 11 in the Auschwitz main camp. Two more female prisoners were arrested in the women’s camp of Auschwitz II on the charge of having contact with the Sonderkommando and transporting explosives there.

On the 6 January 1945 in the evening four female prisoners were hanged in the women’s camp of Auschwitz. The execution took place in two stages, two female prisoners are hanged during the evening roll call, in the presence of the male and female prisoners who worked the night shift at the Weichsel–Union munitions plant. The other two female prisoners were hanged after the return of the squad that worked the day shift. SS- Obersturmfuhrer Hossler read out the sentence, and screamed that all traitors would be destroyed in this manner.

09 October 1944

438^th AAA AW BN

APO 230 % Postmaster, N.Y.

Germany

9 October, 1944            1730

My dearest sweetheart –

Well – this is the first time in a day and a half that I’ve had to sit me down quietly and write you a letter. I’ve been “on-the-go” ever since yesterday a.m., the chief reason being that I went up into Holland yesterday. It was a quasi-official trip, but not really. The real purpose I suppose was that I wanted to see something of the Netherlands – so I did. And darling – the land is really low – and flat; and the canals and waterways are amazing. There are different levels of waters and one canal runs into another from side channels and you could swear the highest one would soon run dry, but apparently that does not occur.

And the people are blond to a great extent. The children are – about 100%, it seemed. The language – although spelled differently, sounds a great deal like a slovenly German. I was able to make myself understood fairly well – better than I was able to understand. I got a couple of snapshots of a few places, dear. I’m getting to see a bit of Europe – all in all – what with France, Belgium, Germany and Holland. Now I’m ready to come back, darling.

I didn’t find any mail from you, dear, only 1 letter from Barney Weinstein who is expecting a 30 Leave back to the States from Pearl Harbor. He’s been away for a long time and certainly has it coming to him. That reminds me – thanks for mailing the cigars from the folks. I’ll thank them myself, dear, later. I’ll say this, darling, – after all I’ve got to be as gallant as you –– if I could see you dear, I wouldn’t smoke the damn things! I’ll never forget the Sunday at Holyoke when I wanted to smoke a cigar and you didn’t want me to; and I made you stop smoking cigarettes as long as you wouldn’t let me smoke what I wanted. Finally you gave in – wanting to smoke very badly, – but I was stubborn. You wouldn’t have to work so hard on me now, dear. I don’t see how I’d have time to smoke one anyway. But – meanwhile, thanks!

What’s this about planning our children carefully? No children of ours are going to have fiances or fiancées laughing at them – don’t worry about that, but hell, dear, let’s have a couple at random – shall I say, and a couple planned. And that would be something – your being able to pack yourself up and shipping yourself over here. That’s one package I wouldn’t have to share!

It does seem odd to write we’ve known each other 14 mos. and that we’ve been apart for 10 of them. It’s sort of paradoxical and yet I do feel that I know you all of the 14 months and not just a fraction of them. I certainly know you well enough to reveal myself to you in all my moods – and you apparently do likewise; we’re engaged, we love each other, I’ve met and known your folks and you – mine; I think of you and you alone as the most important part of my future and an hour of a day doesn’t go by but what I associate something with you. I don’t go to bed of a night without thinking my last thoughts – of you. Darling that all adds up to our knowing each other and loving each other for 14 months – and that’s sound. That is why, too, I don’t ever have the slightest qualms about our being strange to each other. I don’t believe we’ll have to get to know each other. We’re getting to know a lot about one another every day – and sweetheart – the more I get to know you – the more I love you. Yes – I’m sure it will go something like this “Here I am again, darling, when do we get married?” and you’d better plan an early wedding, that’s all I say.

Must stop now, dear, dash a note off to Mother A and then do a couple of records. Hope to hear from you tomorrow. My love to the folks and so long for now, darling.

My sincerest love –

Greg

* TIDBIT *

about Some Articles from Time Magazine

The 9 October 1944 issue of Time Magazine had the following articles...

The First 2,000,000
Russia tried to buy 2,000,000 artificial legs on the American market last week. The small U.S. factories, already far behind on domestic orders, could not help out — none of them produces more than 5,000 artificial limbs a year. The Soviets, who must step up their own small output, are already studying American methods. For 2,000,000 false legs was only a starting estimate; after three and a half years of continuous fighting, the number of war cripples in Russia is unknown.

Down to the Minimum
The U.S. is down to the last thin line of motorcars essential to the maintenance of its civilian economy. At the rate of 4,000 a day, the nation's much-enduring cars (average age 6.3 years) are rolling off the roads into the junk piles. By year's end, the Office of Defense Transportation predicts, only 23,750,000 privately owned passenger cars will be operating versus 29,507,000 in 1941.

In reserve are only some 650,000 used cars held by dealers or in storage, and less than 20,000 new 1942 models not yet released. The margin of safety in the U.S. car supply is as thin as the tires on many of the cars still rolling.

Passenger tire production for this year will be between 15,000,000 and 18,000,000 — far short of the scheduled 22,000,000, the estimated minimum tire requirements for civilian cars. Mechanics available to keep cars in repair have fallen some 44,000 short of the needed 250,000.

Gloomiest note: even with the best of luck, next year the attrition rate will rise to 2,000,000 cars.

Racket on the Alleys
A new black market burgeoned in Chicago. The commodity: bowling-alley pin boys, who are the key cog in the industry, and are at a premium because of the manpower shortage. To beat this bottleneck, some alley proprietors are hijacking the "pin boys" (usually older men) working for other alleys.

Hijackers lure experienced pin boys away from alleys by offering them 9¢ or 10¢ a scorecard line instead of the ceiling wage of 8¢. The teen-agers still available can be bought by the mere offer of a hamburger or a hot dog, and will then work in a new alley for the ceiling wage. But proprietors are reluctant even to waste a hamburger on the young boys, because they are undependable. One desperate proprietor offered a group of high-school boys 15¢ a line so he could hold a tournament—then had to call the tournament off when they all walked out at the last minute.

Army & Navy - Persistent Poles
Someone in the Army Service Forces, which thinks of everything, thought that U.S. invasion troops would need a lot of telephone poles. Two years ago troops had scarcely landed on North Africa when ships and trucks arrived laden with poles from the U.S., poles from Argentina, native poles — 8,000 in assorted sizes from 20 to 40 feet.

Signal Corps Lieut. John Johnson, of Atlanta, Ga., and others took a baffled look at what A.S.F. had sent, and hurried on. Combat units merely unroll their telephone wires along the ground or string them through handy trees. They have no time to put up poles.

But Service Forces officers had their orders and they carried them out in the old Army way. As the invasion moved across Algeria, they moved the poles. Trucks carried the supply (which included crossarms, insulators, copper wiring) some 400 miles over the mountains to Constantine, on to Mateur, on to Bizerte.

That winter was cold, and soldiers finally found a use for the poles. By the time the Army began jumping into Sicily and up through Italy, some 5,000 poles had disappeared into G.I. bonfires and cookstoves. But last week Lieut. Johnson groaned again. Onto his beach in southern France a ship was unloading the remaining 2,800 poles. "I'm afraid when the war is over and I am back with my family," Johnson declared, "someone is going to deliver those things to my backyard."

Art from Paris
For four years the art circles of three continents have wondered what was happening to the artists in occupied Paris. What had become of the famed Paris School of modern painting branded "decadent" by the Nazis? Was there a new, underground art movement? Were there many new paintings by such modern masters as Pablo Picasso and Henri Matisse? Last week the curtain was beginning to lift. French-made color reproductions of new work by Matisse, Picasso, Bonard and some younger men had been flown across the Atlantic. The portfolios (called Editions du Chene) established two points: 1) the older artists had done considerable work, had not changed markedly in style; 2) the younger painters had followed modern traditions.

Matisse had been painting tanned, voluptuous young girls such as his Dancer in Blue Dress. His Woman in Veil was top-form and more familiar in subject: bold, exuberant painting in sensuous flesh pink decorated with gay scrolls and dots.

Picasso still experimented with his own brand of cubism, and distorted figure painting. Woman in Blue Waist showed a seated figureagainst soft green. Woman in Armchair added to Picasso's cubism a pinwheel-and-tinsel fantasy.

Producer of the portfolios is 25-year-old Maurice Girodias, son of an Englishman who published advance-guard writers in between-wars Paris. Girodias got most of his paper from the black market, foiled German authorities by simply leaving town when his work appeared.

08 October 1944

V-MAIL

438^th AAA AW BN

APO 230 % Postmaster, N.Y.

Germany

8 October, 1944         

Dearest sweetheart –

Excuse the V-mail, but I have to make a quick get-a-way this morning and I have a couple of things to do first. I’m going on a little trip and will tell you about it when I get back.

Spent the greatest part of last night playing poker with the boys – and lost. Darling if being unlucky in cards means being lucky in love – you are going to be very much loved, because I just don’t win at cards. I guess you won’t have to worry too much about my gambling. I’ve never liked it and have played cards in the Army merely to kill time. Gosh how I’d love to spend a Sunday with you again! Saw Pete yesterday for a short time and we reminisced about last year this time when we used to head for Holyoke and a swell week-end. Gee – it was wonderful – as I think back to it. We’ll have to go back up there someday, darling, and spend a week-end at the Hotel. What say? Pete, by the way, sends his best regards to you and Mary. All for now, sweetheart, except to tell you I love you – oh – so very much!! Love to the folks and so long for now.

My deepest love,

Greg

* TIDBIT *

about Greg's Orders
and the 4th Convalescent Hospital

On 8 October 1944, Greg received orders to pick up a patient at the 4th Convalescent Hospital in Maastricht, Holland.

CLICK ON IMAGE TO ENLARGE

The following partial history of the 4th Convalescent Hospital was excerpted from the WWII US Medical Research Centre's web site.

The originally-planned guiding principle was that the 4th Convalescent Hospital would operate as a “Detention Section” for treating all sulfonamide-resistant cases of Gonorrhea with Penicillin, and also all primary, secondary, or latent Syphillis with the most recent Penicillin treatment rather than arsenicals. Upon arrival in France the unit was immediately faced with an addition in its mission, namely the hospitalization of patients with Self-Inflicted-Wounds (SIW), while they awaited findings of an Investigation Officer as to their LOD (Line of Duty) status, i.e. the question of intent to avoid hazardous duty, etc. Since most wounds involved the feet and hands and were rather severe (with compound fractures), the patient was not ambulant or just slightly so, depending on weather, terrain, and circumstances.

A LOD investigation is generally conducted whenever a soldier acquires a disease, incurs a significant injury or is injured under unusual circumstances. There is a presumption that all diseases, injuries or deaths occur "in the line of duty - not due to own misconduct." A LOD investigation helps determine a soldier's entitlement to pay and allowances, accrual of service and leave time and, in some cases, disability retirement. A soldier receives these benefits only if the final determination is "in line of duty - not due to own misconduct." Because the number of patients reached over 700 prior to establishment of LOD status, a most difficult problem arose and many personnel, Officer and Enlisted, worked daily for 16 to 18 hours throughout the month of July and even part of August. Furthermore, certain Evacuation Hospitals were prone to transfer bed patients with measles, mumps, meningitis, scarlet fever, and suffering from severe wounds to the Convalescent Hospital. With time and change in policy, the 4th Convalescent Hospital arrived at the prescribed mission: “10-day cases” (patients to be fit within 10 days), ambulant, and requiring minimum definitive care. In general, the 4th Convalescent Hospital did not intend to see severe battle casualties. Such policy was a must in view of the limited Commissioned and Enlisted personnel, and the lack of Nurses.

In August of 1944 the unit received instructions to relocate in the vicinity of St. Lô, France, in order to establish a Convalescent Hospital of 1,500 beds. Since the Hospital had at this time approximately 1,400 patients, it was decided to split it into 2 echelons. The forward echelon (Detachment “A”) would open near St. Lô, while the rear echelon (Detachment “B”) remaining at La Cambe would be closed for reception of patients. This plan was followed throughout the Normandy and Northern France campaigns whenever necessary, and the system of “leap frogging” was found to be very satisfactory. Thus, Detachment “A” set up 1,500 beds and began to receive patients. During this period, it became more and more difficult to return patients to duty. Higher headquarters instructed units and Replacement Depots to send vehicles to the hospital for members of their command, but due to the rapidly moving tactical situation the plan did not function and the 4th was forced to send out daily trucks to Divisions and Corps with soldiers ready for duty. Many men were lost to their proper Army units during their stay at some Replacement Depots.

On 15 August 1944, a 500-bed Convalescent Hospital was set up in the vicinity of Gathemo, France. On 18 August, Detachment “A” jumped Detachment “B”, and six days later, the two units were again preparing for another leap frog. Per instructions, the Detachment operating at St. Lô was closed and the equipment moved to Gathemo. Final disposition of patients resulted in the transfer of approximately 300 patients from the rear to the forward echelon.

On 26 August 1944, orders were received to send a convoy with all necessary equipment and personnel to set up a 500-bed section of the Hospital in the vicinity of La Ville aux Nonains, near Senonches, France. The convoy consisted of 25 Officers and 120 Enlisted Men. It opened for patients on 29 August. No actual difficulty in the evacuation of patients to other hospital installations occurred. However, it was apparent that the type of patient being sent to the 4th Convalescent Hospital was not the kind that should have been received. A Convalescent Hospital’s primary mission was to return patients to duty, but only 27% were the return-to-duty-type patient. A careful triage of cases did not take place. During July and August 1944, the organization received double amputations, serious injuries, severe battle casualties, self inflicted wounds, meningitis, scarlet fever, malaria, mumps, and other contagious diseases. Although every patient in the hospital was supposed to be ambulatory, at one time 574 litter cases were present. With approximately 73% of all patients received at this hospital being evacuated to other medical installations, it was apparent that unnecessary use of ambulances and other transportation occurred.

The most difficult problem was the return of patients to duty. Until the latter part of August 1944, no organized method for disposition was available. Lack of a place to send fit men, transportation difficulties and the absence of coordinated plans by the Replacement system resulted in the following situations: at one time 1,100 men were ready for duty, but no place existed to send them to, and no transportation to a distant Replacement Depot was available. Many patients therefore went AWOL. The morale of troops dropped greatly when they could not return to duty to their unit. Hospital beds were filled with men ready to be returned to duty with combat units. Many men were re-hospitalized for injuries sustained while waiting to be returned to duty. Thus it was that Greg was sent to pick up Jim Copleston, a man he had gone with to the Hippodrome in Ipswich, England on the 2nd of February, 1944.

After closure of the installation at Senonches, France, First United States Army instructed Detachment “A” (forward eschelon) of the 4th Convalescent Hospital to move to Eupen, in the eastern part of Belgium. On 19 September 1944 the unit supplies and personnel were moved by train and motor convoy. There was however a change in location, and after locating a Jesuit Seminary School building in Maastricht, Holland, the 1,500-bed Hospital set up in the available building, opening on 2 October 1944 for patients.

The Jesuit Seminary which served as the 4th Convalescent Hospital, is now The School of Business and Economics
at Maastricht University, The Netherlands

The rear echelon (Detachment “B”) joined the forward echelon at the same location on 16 October. Civilian personnel (about 20 people) were employed at Maastricht for general housekeeping. Civilian personnel were allocated in the fall of 1944, when the organization occupied buildings (in lieu of tents) for the first time in the campaign. Such personnel were used for manual and non-medical tasks, including cleaners, janitors, plumbers, and electricians when available, with skilled positions usually remaining unfilled.

The former Seminary and what is now
The University of Maastricht, The Netherlands

07 October 1944

438^th AAA AW BN

APO 230 % Postmaster, N.Y.

Germany

7 October, 1944        1135

Hello sweetheart!

It’s almost time for lunch but this is the first opportunity I’ve had this morning to sit down for a few minutes of relaxation. I’ll get started on writing this and finish after lunch.

Yesterday nothing much happened – just another Friday. The evenings have been a little bit enlivened the past few days due to the World Series. The house we’re living in has a swell radio and it picks up short wave stations well. I got the broadcast night before last and didn’t know what station I had. I felt kind of homesick, darling, when I heard the announcer say that the broadcast was coming thru over WBOS, Boston. I had never heard of that station.

We’ve run a baseball pool every day – high scorer in any half inning – wins 18 bucks – or I should say 180 marks; we contribute 10 marks each. I’ve had the 1st of the 4th, 1st of the 3rd and last of the 4th – but haven’t even come close so far, dear. Sorry, darling, have to run along now; See you later ––

CLICK ON IMAGES TO ENLARGE

Well darling, later is now 1545 and it wasn’t because I was so busy. After lunch there was an announcement made that the Engineers near here were putting on “Cover Girl” at 1300 and there was room enough for us – so several of us went down. It was light and entertaining and that’s about all we want these days.

   

I got some mail last nite, dear, but none from you. I received the 18 Sept. edition of Time and a letter from Phil Blumberg of Salem. He was in Quebec on vacation and dropped a note to say “hello”.

You know, dear, you tell me often how much you miss me and love me and then you add that you do ‘sound desperate”. Gosh sweetheart I don’t remember ever using that word in respect to you although I’ll admit I got that way myself. I miss you so darned much – your loving and your kissing – I hardly know what to do when I get to thinking about it – but what the heck – we’ll just wait it out, that’s all.

I didn’t know that Dr. Berman you mentioned, dear, but that was an unnecessary death if I ever heard of one. Of course – he may have been sicker than you were led to believe, because it is or was not routine to give blood transfusions following a simple uncomplicated appendectomy. But if he died because of faulty typing or cross-matching and because of that alone – that is really tragic.

Before I forget it – thank Lois, Rita and Cyn for their regards. I look forward to meeting and knowing all of them when I get back. As for Lois’s husband – at present time at least there seems to be little chance of my running into him if he’s in the Third Army – although I do get around a bit sometimes and may meet him. Tell Lois – if I can arrange it – I’ll send him home for a prolonged rest rather than do an appendectomy – and then she won’t have to wait until his scar heals.

Dearest – all for now – I’m meeting two of my aid men in back of our aid station. We’re going to decide what to do with our German car. We’re having trouble with it and yet hate to discard it. I’ll let you know the results of the ‘conference’. So – so long for now, darling, and send my love to the folks – and to you –

My sincerest love –

Greg

* TIDBIT *

about The Huertgen Forest in Early October
and The First Attack on Schmidt (continued)

About 10 miles from Greg's location, the battle continued.

With movement restricted to small trails and firebreaks - none of which to be found on a map - the soldiers made only slow progress and deployment of heavy weapons posed extreme difficulties. Moreover, likely passages were heavily mined and key positions were under constant observation, each movement retaliated by mortar, artillery or sniper fire. Armored support was for the largest part completely out of the question.

The Americans had not made any pre-attack reconnaissance and the troops got their first impression of enemy positions only when the Germans started to fire. With the advance guard pinned down, the usual approach was to form a maneuvering unit and send it around a flank. Naturally, these units suffered from the same lack of reconnaissance and more often than not, the maneuvering elements were also pinned down and the process was repeated all over. All in all, progress was slow and painful for the American infantry.

After the first day had brought nothing but frustration to the Americans, two minor successes could be achieved on the second day. A Company of the 39th managed to slip through the German lines and deployed in the woods overlooking Germeter, while suffering 29 casualties and killing or capturing 30 men. The rest of the battalion followed. However, without armored support, the battalion commander dared no attack across the open ground. Almost the same situation occurred in the sector of 60th regiment. A full battalion was dug in in the woods overlooking Richelskaul but dared not attack without armored support, after 130 officers and men had become casualties.

During the night of October 7-8, Colonel Schmitz sent reinforcements to the aid of GR 253. Fortress Infantry Battalion 1412 and Luftwaffe Fortress Battalion 5 were also dispatched by LXXIV Army Corps to reinforce the 275th. In addition Schmidt received two companies of civilian police from Düren, hurriedly issued with army uniforms and rifles. He combined the police into an ad hoc formation named Battalion Hennecke (after its commander). Several howitzer batteries from the 89th Infantry Division, an anti-aircraft artillery regiment and elements of an artillery corps were ordered to occupy positions where they could augment the fire of Major Sturm's Artillery Regiment 275.

06 October 1944

438^th AAA AW BN

APO 230 % Postmaster, N.Y.

Germany

6 October, 1944         1030

Dearest sweetheart –

Another day another dollar and a day nearer my return. I got 2 more letters from you – the latest written the 24th. I also heard from Lieutenant Alexander. I get a kick out of that – knowing I have a brother who is an officer in this man’s army. He wrote his letter before graduation – so I don’t know yet how that came off. He knew his orders, however, and as far as they went – they’re not bad. I’m anxious for him to remain on the East coast and away from the Pacific. He’ll be able to get home of a week-end now and then and that will make Mother A feel a little it better.

So you were a stay-out late, huh! I don’t blame Mother B for waiting up for you. Hell – I can’t remember staying up so late since I don’t know when – oh yes; just the other night, dear, when we had a brawl. Other than that – only when enemy planes keep us up. Anyway – I’m glad you had a good time at Verna’s I don’t know Harold Shapiro – although I had heard him mentioned at Irv’s.

I’m interested at your reference to the conversation about Stan and Betty. The thing that interests me most is the fact that all of Stan’s closest and best friends seem to have discovered his bad points – all in the same period. I don’t quite understand it – because in all the time I’ve known Stan, I’ve never heard anything bad about him. And here is Irv mentioning his bad points. I’m confused also about their feeling badly about the match – I though Betty and Verna were such good friends. Oh well – it’s human nature I guess and that’s that. I do hope for Stan’s sake that it all turns out well. He’s had a pretty tough time of it all in all – and to his credit – he made the most of his opportunities. I think he’ll probably make a faithful husband – if his wife turns out decent. If not – I think he’ll wander, and that won’t be good.

I had never heard of the book ”Generations of Vipers” – and I don’t know Phillip Wylie. He sounds as if he had had some tough break or other with doctors and has sought vengeance thru the medium of a book. But thanks, darling, for defending the profession. People, professions, business – on the whole – have quite a mixture of good and bad points. I sincerely believe that there is less of the ‘bad’ in the medical profession than in any other. Willingly or not – there’s a good deal of sacrifice, free work, free counsel – and there isn’t a doctor I know who doesn’t get a thrill out of doing something constructive for a patient.

Say – I wish you wouldn’t smoke so much, dear. Now – your Mother isn’t around – so I can speak freely. The fact is – too much of it doesn’t do your lungs any good – and it definitely cuts down on your wind. I don’t want you gasping for breath after one of my special 12-15 minute kisses, Sweetheart. On the other hand – maybe I do!

Thanks again – for your effort in trying to get me a radio, darling. I had no idea it would be so difficult. Now I’m really glad I managed to get one in Liege – even if I did have to pay $80 for it. The one I have plays well.

It is again almost noon – dear – and I’ll stop here. I love you, darling – so very much and miss you terribly. I feel terrible about the delay in mail to you – but you know anyway – that I’m continuing to write constantly – come hell or high water. Love to the folks –

And my everlasting love –

Greg

* TIDBIT *

about The Hürtgen (Huertgen) Forest in Early October
and The First Attack on Schmidt

CLICK ON MAP TO ENLARGE

Most of what follows was published as "The Battle of Hürtgen Forest" at historynet.com.

Hürtgen. If a single word can cause a U.S. Army veteran of the European theater to shudder, it would be "Hürtgen". The foreboding image of dark forests, steep hills, voracious mud, pillboxes, constant rain and shells bursting in treetops immediately comes to mind. It was the sort of battlefield where soldiers walked a few feet from their foxholes and were never seen again.  What little has been written about Huertgen has often focused on the November 1944 battles involving the 28th Infantry Division and has ignored the horrible prelude to the "Bloody Bucket's" mauling, which occurred over 10 days in October.

The struggle for the 50 square miles of heavily wooded and hilly terrain south of Aachen actually began in mid-September. With their supply line stretched to the breaking point, the Allies' rapid advance through France had finally slowed down at the Siegfried Line, the formidable defensive belt that blocked Germany's western border and guarded the entrance to the Ruhr Valley. Hoping to seize Aachen and establish a firm breach in the Siegfried Line before winter's onset, Maj. Gen. J. Lawton Collins, commanding VII Corps, ordered Maj. Gen. Louis A. Craig's 9th Infantry Division to seize the villages of Hürtgen and Kleinhau. After some initial progress, the American drive stalled when two of Craig's regiments were diverted north to assist the 3rd Armored Division, which was embroiled in a brutal battle at the Aachen suburb of Stolberg.

In early October, Craig was ordered to resume his attack in the Huertgen Forest. Now, however, he would have to do so minus his 47th Infantry Regiment, which remained in support of the 3rd Armored, and with understrength units sent from the fighting around Aachen. To further complicate matters, Collins made it clear that the 9th Division's effort was regarded only as secondary — supporting the Allies' main attack at Aachen. That meant Craig would be at the bottom of the list for reinforcements, artillery or air support, though the general took some comfort knowing he was not expected to begin his assault until three days after VII Corps began its renewed push toward Aachen.

The villages of Germeter and Vossenack, as well as the crossroads settlement of Reichelskaul, were designated as the 9th Division's initial objectives. Lieutenant Colonel Van H. Bond's 39th Infantry Regiment would attack on the left. Once it had occupied Germeter, the 39th would seize Vossenack while guarding against an enemy counterattack from the north. Meanwhile, after capturing Reichelskaul, Colonel John G. Van Houten's 60th Infantry Regiment would reorient itself to the south to guard against a German counterthrust from the direction of Monschau. The division would then push on against the town of Schmidt. Jump-off time was originally set for October 5 but was later postponed for 24 hours.

What the Americans did not know was that hidden in the woods were thousands of German soldiers eager for an opportunity to administer a strong counterblow that would blunt the Allied drive into the Third Reich.

On October 1, Germany's LXXIV Army Corps directed Maj. Gen. Hans Schmidt to take over the entire Huertgen sector. Schmidt deployed Col. Schmitz's GR 983 (Grenadierregiment, or infantry regiment) in reserve while assigning the northern sector to Col. Heintz's GR 984. The center was allocated to Lt. Col. Tröster's GR 942, while the southern sector was the responsibility of Colonel Feind's 1,000-man Battalion 253, which was placed along the weakest portion of the line.

Each Grenadierregiment was almost a miniature division allowing its Oberst or Colonel considerable freedom of action in achieving their objectives. It had the usual three infantry battalions plus an infantry gun company, an anti-tank company, a pioneer platoon, and a reconnaissance platoon. The infantry gun company had three platoons each: two light 7.5cm infantry guns and one platoon of heavy 15cm infantry guns. These weapons gave the regimental commander his own artillery, even when the divisional weapons were unavailable. Because they operated well forward with the infantry, the infantry guns were also useful for direct fire at fortified positions. The anti-tank company started the war with four platoons of three 3.7cm guns apiece. Experience in France had already revealed the limitations of this small gun, so by 1942 most regiments were supposed to have one platoon equipped with heavier guns. Although these were supposed to be the 5cm anti-tank gun, there was a serious shortage of these weapons so many divisions found themselves issued the 7.5cm instead.

German Guns

CLICK ON IMAGES TO ENLARGE

7.5cm Infantry Gun


15cm Infantry Gun


7.5cm Anti-Tank Gun


3.7cm Anti-Tank Gun

The Americans knew few of these details when they began their attack at 1000 hours on October 6. Craig opened with P-47's dive-bombing at otherwise invisible targets that U.S. artillery units had marked with columns of red smoke. Once the planes departed, there was a five-minute preparatory heavy artillery barrage. At 1130 the U.S. foot soldiers began surging forward.

05 October 1944

438^th AAA AW BN

APO 230 % Postmaster, N.Y.

Germany

5 October, 1944          0915

Good Morning, Sweetheart!

I can remember when writing you at 0900 was almost routine i.e. the time – and now that hour is an unusual one for me. I’d rather write you, dear, in the a.m. than later on because usually I’m less confused and haven’t been tearing around. I should have kept quiet – 2 patients just walked in and I have just returned to this after a 20 minutes lapse; and here I go again – 3 more –

Well, darling, it is now 1015 and I didn’t get very far. Nothing very important – just a lot of dressings. One case is a little more interesting than the others – a fellow who fell on his ear a couple of days ago and tore it almost in half. I repaired it but I’m watching him closely because cartilage heals very poorly and his laceration went right thru the cartilage. They’re all gone now and all I have to contend with now, I hope, is the office ‘help’ – which consists at present of 2 other officers and 7 enlisted men.

Last night, darling, I tried to break up the more or less persistent little blue streak I’ve had recently. Six of us apparently felt the same way because we dug up an old liquor supply and really tied one on by ourselves. We stayed up until all hours – singing, yelling etc. – and I’m glad to report – that in that respect, anyway – dear, I am not aging. Also – the next morning I am apparently unaffected – because although a couple of the boys couldn’t eat their breakfast – I have no after effects that I’m aware of.

Boy! You really got my mouth watering in your description of those Christmas Packages – topped off by brownies. And I don’t see why you won’t tell me what else is coming. After all – well never mind. I’ll “sweat it out”. I sure hope they come in good shape – most of them do, too, from what I’ve seen. I’ll thank you now, sweetheart, for your thoughtfulness.

It used to be so easy to send things to the States from England and in the early days – from Normandy – but now things are all fouled up. We hear all kinds of contradictory stories – that this or that may or may not be sent, that you can’t buy things to send home, that you can send one sort of souvenir and not another, and that some articles are kept by the censor and never returned. Anyway – I’ve got a couple of things I’m going to take a chance on, sweetheart, and I hope the package gets to you – and aaah – I won’t tell you what I’m sending.

Incidentally, dear, I had a ‘conference’ with my official packer and shipper in re the clock and I think we’re going to try to send it out. I might as well take a chance because I don’t see how I can get it home any other way, dear.

Your letter telling me about your being able to wait if I can – was sweet, dear; I guess you know how it is with me. I love you, sweetheart, more than anything else in the world, I want you to be my wife – that is, my first and most important goal when I return. I was thinking about it the other day – and it occurred to me that I will be a mighty busy fellow when I get back. These are the things I’ll want to do – and all at about the same time: 1. Marry you dear 2. Buy a car 3. Decide where my office will be located and probably refinish my furniture 4. Decide with your advice and help where we’ll live 5. Furnish the place where we’re going to live 6. – and not in the right order – Have a honeymoon. Sounds like fun – darling, doesn’t it? For after all – you will be an integral part of it all.

In case you don’t know it – darling, it is now 1115 – which gives you an idea of how hard it is to write sometimes without interruption. I guess you find it the same when you write from your office. I’m so glad you are working dear – because it must be making your time go much better.

Before I close – the enclosed ‘bracelet’ was made by the same fellow in my medical detachment, but this time I got hold of the coins from various sources – and you have a chunk of Europe there. Unfortunately these coins don’t hold a polish – and we can’t get any silver plating done – although that would be the thing to do. Anyway – do with it what you wish, dear.

Coin Bracelet Top and Bottom

CLICK ON IMAGES TO ENLARGE

Top, Clockwise from clasp: 1939 Soviet 10 Kon, 1911 German 5 Pfennig,
1925 Polish 20 Groszy,1942 Netherlands 10 cents, 1941 Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia (Czech Republic today) 1 Koruna, 1938 French 1 Franc, 1933 Belgian 1 Franc, 1941 Romanian 2 Lei, 19? German 1 Pfennig

All for now, sweetheart. Must close now – with love to the folks and

All my deepest love to you.

Greg.

* TIDBIT *

about The Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia

One of the coins on the bracelet Greg sent to Wilma was from the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia. Most of the following information on that land comes from Wikipedia.

The Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia (German: ; Czech: Protektorát Čechy a Morava) was the majority ethnic-Czech protectorate which Nazi Germany established in the central parts of Bohemia, Moravia and Czech Silesia in what is today the Czech Republic.

CLICK ON MAP TO ENLARGE

It was established on 15 March 1939 by proclamation of Adolf Hitler from Prague Castle following the declaration of the establishment of the independent Slovak Republic on 14 March 1939. Bohemia and Moravia were autonomous Nazi-administered territories which the German government considered part of the Greater German Reich. The Gestapo assumed police authority. Jews were dismissed from the civil service and placed in an extralegal position. Political parties were banned, and many Communist Party leaders fled to the Soviet Union. The population of the protectorate was mobilized for labor that would aid the German war effort, and special offices were organized to supervise the management of industries important to that effort. Czechs were drafted to work in coal mines, the iron and steel industry, and armaments production; some young people were sent to Germany. Consumer goods production, much diminished, was largely directed toward supplying the German armed forces. The protectorate's population was subjected to strict rationing.

German rule was moderate during the first months of the occupation. The Czech government and political system continued in formal existence. Gestapo activities were directed mainly against Czech politicians and the intelligentsia. The eventual goal of the German state under Nazi leadership was to eradicate Czech nationality through assimilation, deportation, and extermination of the Czech intelligentsia, not just here but throughout all of Europe. The intellectual elites and middle class made up a considerable number of the 200,000 Protectorate people who passed through concentration camps and the 250,000 who died during German occupation. It was assumed that around 50% of the Czechs would be fit for Germanization.

On 27 September 1941, the Reich adopted a more radical policy in the Protectorate. The Czech government was reorganized, and all Czech cultural organizations were closed. The Gestapo indulged in arrests and executions. The deportation of Jews to concentration camps was organized, and the fortress town of Terezín was made into a ghetto way-station for Jewish families. Of the Czech Jews who were taken to Terezin, 15,000 were children. Only 132 of those children were known to have survived.

SS hardliner Reinhard Heydrich was appointed Deputy Reichsprotektor of Bohemia and Moravia. He died on 4 June 1942, after being wounded by an assassin. Following directives issued by Heinrich Himmler, Heydrich's successor, mass arrests, executions and the destruction of the villages of Lidice and Ležáky were ordered. In 1943 the German war effort was accelerated, and some 350,000 Czech laborers were dispatched to the Reich from Bohemia and Moravia. Within the Protectorate, all non-war-related industry was prohibited. Most of the Czech population obeyed quiescently up until the final months preceding the end of the war, while some thousands were involved in a resistance movement.

Non-Jewish Czech losses resulting from political persecution and deaths in concentration camps totaled between 36,000 and 55,000. The Jewish population of Bohemia and Moravia (118,000 according to the 1930 census) was virtually annihilated. Many Jews emigrated after 1939 but more than 70,000 were killed. 8,000 survived at Terezín and several thousand Jews managed to live in freedom or in hiding throughout the occupation.

The extermination of the Romani population was so thorough that the Bohemian Romani language became totally extinct. Romani internees were sent to the Lety and Hodonín concentration camps before being transferred to Auschwitz-Birkenau for gassing. The vast majority of Romani in the Czech Republic today are actually descended from migrants from Slovakia who moved there during the post-war years in Czechoslovakia.

The existence of the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia came to an end in 1945 with the surrender of Germany to the Allies of World War II and the reconstitution of Czechoslovakia. In 1993, the Republic of Czechoslovakia was divided into the Czech Republic and Slovakia.