Category: Battle of the Bulge

January 12, 1945

Post author By dan
Post date January 12, 1945

12Jan1945 Download

Friday Evening
Jan. 12, 1945
Dear Family,
I sure would like to write you a chatty letter once again. I am happy every time I get to write a V-mail but when something better can be done I’d like to do it. I hope you can feel that the little letters I do get written once in a while are at least a partial substitute. As you probably have guessed by this time even when we do get back for a little rest there is very little spare time. In the first place there wouldn’t be a rest period even now if we weren’t in desperate need of rest so every minute could be put to very profitable use just in resting. Then of course there are always a million other things to do like cleaning up etc. so there just can’t be too much time spent in letter writing. And while I’m on the subject of being busy, now that I’m pretty deep into the communications work, a good bit of my rest time is taken getting the equipment back into workable condition. If I should fall asleep in the middle of this & then not get it finished for two weeks I think you’ll see the reason. I suppose we must average about a couple days a week in at least partial rest but there is so little time during the rest of the days that this is really a necessity.

I want to tell you a little about what I have been doing. Under conditions like this the people doing different jobs change so fast that you are lucky to be doing one thing very long. If you are lucky enough to be in after a month of this it is very unlikely you are doing the same thing you started out doing. I thought I would be a rifle soldier but the first couple of engagements found me carrying one of the little radios I was trained in using. Then pretty soon it became necessary for me to begin operating a good bit bigger type of radio which I had to learn to use from first hand experience. It’s really a big job to fight carrying that 60lbs of radio on your back but it’s got to be done by someone. Now things have changed so that I’ve got to do a good bit towards looking after the wire and communications needed in the company. I’m getting experience and plenty of it even though it has to be the hard way.

You can see by my address that we jumped around a lot but we always go at night and never get to see much of the country except where we stop. I’ve seen lots of places now - U.S., Scotland, England, France, Germany, Luxemburg and Belgium. Belgium has some of the most beautiful scenery anyone could ever want to see but we are in no position to get much of a kick out of that.

We get mail every few days now so you can rest easy on that. It generally comes up to us with our food. I sure am thankful that my stationary & box of goodies got here when I have a little time to enjoy and use them.

I believe that there are only a couple more subjects now that I want to tell you about. One is that whenever it is possible we get the best food. We even get more candy and gum than we did before we hit combat.

The other important thing to us is our trust in the Lord. When we are in a tight spot there is no one that I’ve heard talking that doesn’t pray. And they aren’t ashamed to admit it either.
I sort of got wobbly on this page.
The main trouble, of course, a lot of the religion doesn’t go any further then the immediate need for help. They don’t comprehend any other side of it. Those of us who really are interested (no reflections on the rest) are really glad when we get back where the chaplain can hold services. I was hoping there would be one today but when I saw him this evening he promised one tomorrow (if we’re still here, of course). Scripture verses also give me a lot of encouragement. Give me any special ones you happen to run across.

I’ve got to turn in but I sure am glad that I have been able to write this one real letter. Bear with Vmails till I can do it again. God bless you and take care of yourselves.
Love, Your son and brother, Donald

Battle of the Bulge Belgium Letters

January 11, 1945

Post author By dan
Post date January 11, 1945

Date tentative based on that he mentions planning to write an airmail letter, and he wrote one on January 12

11Jan1945_maybe Download

From 346th Infantry:

On 10 January, Company I, supported by one platoon of Company L, took the town of Tillet. The Regiment was relieved and moved to an assembly area near Neuvillers, the same day the Commanding General made a number of awards to men of the Regiment in a formal ceremony.

                                                      Belgium
Hello Folks,
  Well I am sure glad to be able to write you again. I hope you’ll forgive the time that I got the last letter sent out but you’ll just have to blame it on conditions. I didn’t get it started till last night. I’d better tell you first that I am very thankful that I’ve been getting mail pretty regularly. I got two or three letters you wrote about Christmas time and quite a few back ones that had been held up for some reason or other. I got also your stationary, box of woolen clothes, Sunday School papers and a Christmas box from Uncle Floyds’ and Pauls. I’ll bet that there is nothing in this world I’d have appreciated more than something to keep me warm. They certainly can be put to immediate use. As usual I (we) also got quite a kick out of the things to eat in the other box. I am still getting along OK and depending for strength on the Lord. Today we are resting and between now and tomorrow if we are still here I am going to make an honest effort to write you an air mail. I hope you are glad to get these Vmails though.
Love, Donald

Background Battle of the Bulge Belgium

January 7, 1945: Tillet, Belgium

Post author By dan
Post date January 7, 1945

From: An Historical and Pictorial Record of the 87 Infantry Division in WWII:

All along the front the enemy was throwing everything he had into the fight- artillery, mortars, machine guns, tanks and self-propelled guns of all calibers. Tillet, situated on a barren hilltop between two larger hills, became the key town in the enemy’s scheme of reinforcement and supply. The Gerimont Station Hill was on the east. A forest covered ridge on the south which connected with the hill on the southwest was the attack problem that faced the doughboys.

On the afternoon of January 6 the attack on Tillet by the Third Battalion, 346th Regiment, started. As the fighting men of L and I companies came over the crest of the Gerimont Station Hill all hell broke loose. Company K coming out of the trees on the ridge to the south met the same resistance. The attack was held up and the battalion was pinned down.

From 346th Infantry:

(On 6 January) the new mission was to attack, capture and hold the town of Tillet. The Third Battalion moved to the high ground east of Tillet, and later in the day Tillet was reported burning. The Third Battalion attacked the town but were unable to capture it.

On 7 January the Third Battalion again attacked Tillet with no success. The enemy apparently were determined to hold the town at any cost. During the night German patrols were very active around our positions, and the outfit’s casualty toll was extremely high. … Attack after attack was repulsed by the stubborn enemy garrison… Digging in was necessarily slow and laborious due to frozen ground and heavy enemy artillery fire. Before the foxholes could be dug to an adequate depth, an enemy tank attack had been launched. Artillery support could not be used because of the lack of communication and observation, and the position was situated in such a way that no tank destroyers could be brought up in time. The result was a withdrawal of the two Battalions to their old positions from where they started the attack. Much equipment had to be abandoned and the resulting casualties for the day were very high.

From an email note received in August 2012, just before a visit to Belgium – from 93 year old Retired Lt. Col. Glenn Doman¹, who was Donald’s Platoon Leader at Tillet, and later Company Commander for K Company:

“Your father Donald was one of my boys in K (King) company, 346th INF Regiment, 87 Infantry Division (Golden Acorn) and it was a high honor to serve with a great hero like your dad. On January 7, 1945 around Tillet Belgium, one of our boys was seriously wounded in an open field. Your dad ran into the field under enemy fire and helped recover our wounded boy, most certainly saving his life. I was honored to recommend him for the Silver Star.”

SilverStarCitation Download

Clipping from the Alexandria Indiana Times-Tribune, April 1945

April1945_clipping Download

Fields near Tillet, Belgium photographed in 2012:

Background Battle of the Bulge Belgium Letters

January 4, 1945

Post author By dan
Post date January 4, 1945

From: An Historical and Pictorial Record of the 87 Infantry Division in WWII:

It was cold, bitterly cold, that morning of December 29 when the infantrymen, the artillerymen, the recons, the tankers, the tank destroyers, the triple-A’s and all the rest of the units of the 87th Division climbed aboard the open 6×6’s for the 100-mile motor march to Seviscourt and Bertrix, Belgium. The roads were frozen and the wind was icy as it whipped across the snow covered hills to torture the men who were moving up to meet the rampaging Germans who were on the loose again.

There was no bivouac nor rest period awaiting them. The 346th Infantry was detached, during the night of 29-30 December, and attacked at 0730 the next morning, advancing nine kilometers that day to positions where they could control the roads leading to Vesqueville and St. Hubert.

The enemy was fighting for the lifeline of his offensive. It was the Houffalize-St. Hubert highway, the loss of which would make him shuttle his men and supplies over secondary, unimproved mountain roads that were practically impassable due to the snow. Jenneville, Pironpre, Bonnerue and Tillet were all key towns on that road. And they were all objectives of the 87th Division.

From 346th Infantry:

THE ARDENNES FIRST PHASE – The next few days were spent in reorganizing the outfit, bringing the rifle companies up to strength, and inspection and repair of equipment, all in preparation for the next move, which came on December 29, to the vicinity of Glaumont, Belgium, to help stem Von Runstadt’s Ardennes breakthrough.

Once again the attack was on, as at 0730 hours the next morning the Second and Third Battalions moved out on a mission to capture and hold the objective, blow all bridges, and to establish road blocks in vicinity of St. Hubert and Vesqueville, Belgium. Things went well and the casualty rate was low, but snow was falling again, slowing things up. In the meantime the Regimental CP had set up at Recogne, Belgium.

New Year’s Day brought no hilarious celebrations or big “morning-after” heads but only snow and continued. cold. Patrols were sent into St. Hubert and VesquevilIe, Frozen feet were no novelty, and the enemy flushed with the immediate success of its salient, was more difficult than ever.

04Jan1945 Download

                                              January 4, 1945
Dear Family and all,
   Not that this isn’t meant for you at home but I, as usual, would like for it to let as many hear from me as possible. This is the first chance I’ve had to write for about a week now so don’t be worried about letters being missing if you hear once in a while. I was blessed with the first mail yesterday evening that I have received since Christmas day. It sure was good to hear from you. Your letters were dated Dec 7 and 20. I also got the first Tribune to reach me since the few in England. It was of Oct. 31 but even at that I enjoyed it. I guess this letter will have to contain my New Year’s greetings and good wishes. With God’s help 1945 will see us together again. May it be His will.

I believe it only fair now to tell you that I have been in combat for a few weeks now. I have always told you not to worry and it it even more so now. If you can put as much faith in God as I do you will have no trouble meeting the situation. I am not ashamed of the fact that all of my trust is in Him. Psalm 27;1. You may be pleased to know that I am finding a lot of real use for the work I spent in learning radio. Keep praying.
Love,  Donald