Our Own Band of Brothers
Early in the morning on the 16th of December 1944 Hitler launched a vast counter-attacked against the Allies with more than 200,000 troops and nearly thousand tanks. The plan was to split the Allied forces positioned along a 75 mile front in the Ardennes Forest. The Germans were successful in breaking through the lines, surrounding the various Allied forces and established strong positions around them. This was the beginning of “The Battle of the Bulge.”
D-Day Landing – Utah Beach
The following are journal entries from the pages of the 465th Medical Collecting Company that records the unit activities during this initial attack as record to the end of the month:
15 December 1944 – we were in the town of Nieder Emmels, four kilometers north of St. Vith on the Malmedy road, German artillery fire all day and at night the sky was all lit up by search lights. On 16 December 1944 S/Sergeant Harold Smuckler from Albany, NY, was attached to VIII Corps field artillery told of German counter attack which had taken three towns. German shell landed in back of the hospital.
17 December 1944 – the breakthrough came and we are right in the middle of it. The 106th Infantry Division in the front of us was overrun. Guns louder than ever, reports of more shells landing near St. Vith. 7th Armored Division moving into Nieder Emmels. We were alerted to move out around noon. We packed in a hurry, and the convoy left at 1330 hours with the first section, but the second section had to leave by jumping on passing cavalry trucks, leaving much equipment behind. The roads were choked stopped at Goronne outside of Vielsalm.
18 December 1944 – we pulled out again at 1100 hours, went through La Roche and on to Marche-en-Famenne, then to Vecmont. Plane activity near La Roche. Lost two ambulances and didn’t hear from them for a week. Had very bad weather and not enough food. We set up our station here, but had to retreat further. VIII Corps field artillery units moved into our area during the night.
19 December 1944, we left Vecmont, Belgium, arrived at Bertrix, Belgium. Field artillery all over the place. Ammunition stacked for miles along the St Hubert road. Arrived at Libramont where Battalion was located. Moved to a field near Braux (???) temporarily. We saw trees prepared with dynamite for road blocks. We moved again and parked on the road for three hours, then into Bertrix after dark. We then set up our station here and worked all night handling casualties from the 101st Airborne Division. We treated more casualties here than at any other time.
The 429th Medical Collecting Company was attached to the 101st Airborne Division to replace the 326th Airborned Medical Company which had been captured. We evacuated and operated an ambulance relay point between the 429th Medical Collecting Company. During the night the 101st Airborne was completely cut off from all the outside reach and above arrangements ceased to function. Meanwhile, two men, S/Sergeant Morrison House of Ticonderoga, New York and Private Edward Kelleher from Brockton, Massachusetts were attached to a stragglers point, operated by the 818th Military Police’s and one officer Captain Fred Jameson and four men, Sergeant Orville Kramer, Sergeant Eddy Wydra, Pfc Matthew Burty and Private John Dance on detached service to VIII Corps, started out for Bastogne late in the day feeling comfortable in the company of many tanks. This protective assurance disappeared when the tanks left the road and moved into the woods. Darkness came and Military Police’s guided them under black-out toward Bastogne. A sentry halted them and wanted the password. Our officer’s response was black widow did not satisfy him but eventually he let them pass. Officers in Bastogne expressed that were able to get there. They were surrounded on three and a third sides and had to move.
Morrison House
They ended up in Sibret, roadblocks, German tanks in town – unable to get out of trap set up aid station in chateau. Eating nothing, we burned letter, papers, etc. Tank knocked out but five men all got out. Jeep hit and one man killed, others escaped. All medics stayed in Sibret.