Posted on 11/11/2012 9:01:07 AM PST by george76
In early January 1943, the United States Third Army was assembled on the large terrace in front of Peover Hall near Knutsford, England. Before them stood a man in a tailored, brass-buttoned battle jacket with four rows of battle ribbons and decorations.
On his legs were riding breeches and polished, high-topped boots with spurs. Around his waist was an old-fashioned leather belt with a large, shiny brass buckle, and he carried a long riding crop with a hidden sword in it. Fifteen stars in total were placed on his shirt collar, helmet and shoulders.
"I've been given command of the Third Army for reasons which will become clear later on," he said. The reason he spoke of was called Operation Overlord, through which the Allies would sweep through Europe and defeat Nazi Germany. His name was General George S. Patton.
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Patton insisted that the 35th had to move every couple of days to avoid being spotted and targeted by Nazi bombers. For that reason, all medical equipment for the regiment had to be collapsible and portable.
Eddie's brother, Earl, was also serving in the Third Army, but not with the medical corps.
"What Uncle Earl did in the war was remarkable," Marple said. "He was a wire man."
During World War II, a wire man's job was to go ahead of the army as it moved and lay down wire for radio communications. He often had to go out to the edge of the front lines with wire, usually while under fire.
The Third Army was not a defensive one. Patton did not believe in defensive tactics. He often told his soldiers, "When in doubt, attack."
(Excerpt) Read more at theintelligencer.net ...
The purpose of laying wire was to avoid dependance on radio, and vulnerability to interception and direction finding, not to enable radio.
Yes, oddly, the forward elements of major attacks were occasionally Signal Corps laying wire, Military Police posting route control signs, and engineers improving roads or clearing obstacles. That was after reconnaissance units, who often bypassed resistance.
After Normandy he got sodden drunk, he was the First Sleeve in an Infantry Company. He got picked up by a couple of Patton Aides and was hauled up before Patton.
Patton threatened to have him tied to a tree and shot for dereliction, good story, He retired as First Sergent in 1970, his son was a Recon Marine, great guy.
Dad was “D-Day +45”, and in with Patton’s 3rd, in Army Corps of Engineers, 101st, 26th Infantry, “Yankee Division”, combat engineer on the tip of the spear, thru Battle of The Bulge, and was shot by Nazi sniper while rescuing fellow wounded Engineers under fire. He was evac’d to UK and US; Silver & Bronze Stars, Purple Heart. He still hates the cold to this day. He’s 88 and could probably kick my butt, at 62. Heh.
http://www.26yd.com/p3
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http://yd-info.net/index.html
THANK YOU, ALL VETERANS!
L’Audace,L’Audace,Toujour L’Audace!”We’re Going To Hold Him By The Nose And Kick Him In Tha A**”!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The”Big Red One”!They got mauled at Omaha along with The 29th.There are a lot of them buried on top of the hill(overlooking”Omaha.It’s a beutifully maintained US Cemetery.It’s ver near a place called St.Marie DuMont.When you look down at the beach,there is a ravine and then higher ground.This was where the 352nd Panzer-Grenadier divison commanded the beach.Almost all of the naval gunfire went right over their heads.Our guys were “sitting ducks”!GOD BLESS them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
My step fathers brother was on New Guinea with the 34th Div, if I remember correctly. He was Ninety at the time reminded me of VN.
My great-uncle served in the 443rd AAA AW Battalion (SP).
My uncle drove a tank in B Company, 47th Tank Battalion, 14th Armored Division, Third Army. He was 187 days on the line.
Patton was in North Africa in early January 1943. Third Army was still stateside, I believe.
The ‘journalist’ should have written January 1944, but I’m sure he is a public skewl graduate who went to a prestigious college.
Same with my Vater, who's also 88. He was wounded outside of Leningrad, killing T34s. Winter months are still tough for old frostbitten areas of his feet.
Survived the war & the Eastern front!
Not sarcasm
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