Posted on 12/12/2004 8:58:43 AM PST by knighthawk
As big as an Ike fan as Ambrose was even he had a tough time defending the Market Garden decision.
Dad was there too, at the Bulge, with the IV. They were hardly untested in battle though, having been in Europe since D-Day.
Could you provide a link? I can't find it on Amazon--assuming it's a book.
Which do you recommend?
Oh, Lord..another tragic story of WW2..I find it painful to revisit ..but there is so much about the Italian campaign that was bogged down.
Today's commentators and libs seem to have started history lessons in Vietnam when they called the Tet offensive a loss..when history shows what a loss it was for the NVietnamese.
Although I think the green American soldiers the Germans attacked did the best they could...you could see what happened to the German attack when they ran into veteran American troops.
It's incredible. Short and sweet. That's why I want Allawi's reply to his men wanting to send the terrorists to hell -- "To Hell They Will Go!" to be a rallying cry for his country just as "Nuts!" became one for US.
Rent the DVD first. The beginning is excellent because it shows what a beaten force the Germans were in September of 1944.
My dad also rarely talked about his battle experiences in WWII. Only what he thought of as humorous incidents, like the guys puking in their helmets on the way ashore at Utah, then having to put them on when in range of fire.
I keep asking libs who point to the Tet offensive as an American defeat why the don't say the same thing about the Battle of the Bulge? Of course most libs I talk to don't have a clue about World War II.
But the scene only had the Germans singing, it didn't include the Americans singing Silent Night. HBO (or Hanks or Spielberg) had to be PC, I suppose
That quote was great for American propoganda as well. It literally drove the Germans "Nuts!".
Now that you mention it you're right. I don't know if Easy company actually sang "Silent Night" along with the Germans like other units did.
Gotcha. Will do that after finals.
My dad did recon (then referred to as scouting) for the battle. When I asked him what he remembers he says "cold."
My grandfather said most of the guys were going into barns to stuff hay into their boots.
Yes, that sounds about right.
With the great-grand kids around he told the story of how he got shot dragging his wounded Lt. to safety in France. Supposed papers submitted for two medals, but never happened.
He's bitter about the army. Says he always felt safest when he was scouting by himself and not around stupid officers.
He finally gave me his discharge paper so I could use it to have him buried in the veterans cemetary in Riverside CA. I looked up the 137th on the internet and there's practically a book there.
My dad claims he and six others were ordered out of Berlin so that the Soviets could have time to be "first."
I know he's got a lot of stories, but don't know if he'll ever tell them all.
One more, my dad, while he was still a Sgt., got a letter in England from his sister in New Jersey. She said his cousin from Sicily was a POW working on a farm in England. My dad went to the farm, talked to the Sgt in charge, checked his cousin out for the night and they went into town and partied. Returned him in the morning. We met my dad's 92 year old cousin on a trip to Sicily three years ago. He insisted we speak English.
A second question for you: I understand that the Germans feared Patton more than any other general. Is there a webpage that lists some quotes and reasons why they were so afraid of him? I've always been curious as to their opinions. I know Hitler called Patton "that crazy cowboy general," but nothing beyond that.
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