No Silent Night
Page 27
Already Swanson could tell he had lost part of the town to the Germans, but he was not ready to desert Champs just yet. He continued to hear American rifle fire, and knew that many of his men were holding their own just in front of his position, past the schoolyard and the church. In the cold night distance, he could also hear Fowler’s machine gun firing away in burst after reassuring burst.
Maybe he remembered his encounter with D’Angelo the previous day, when the two men had spotted the buildup and been shot at. Swanson recalled how the tank destroyer sergeant had moved his Hellcat up and shot back. Or perhaps there was something else that came into play; regardless, he quickly grabbed the radio from one of his men.
True, a TD was not quite a tank, but what they needed now was any sort of heavy firepower, and Swannie remembered right where to find it—about four hundred yards behind him.31
0400–0415 hours, Monday, 25 December 1944
2nd Platoon, Reconnaissance Company, 705th Tank Destroyer Battalion
East of Champs, Belgium
The paratroopers of Able Company were not the only ones feeling the pressure of the German attack. First Lieutenant Claude W. Duvall and his 2nd Platoon, Reconnaissance Company, had dug in a line of defense behind Champs three days prior. He had dismounted his four .30-caliber machine guns to provide covering fire while his own M8 Greyhound occupied a position on the northwest side of town. Duvall had established his command post in a house on the southwest side of town. To protect it, he had his men set up their lone .50-caliber heavy machine gun in the yard. From this position, the machine gun could lay down suppressive fire over most of the western side of Champs. In addition to his own platoon, Charlie Company had allocated a section of tank destroyers to strengthen Duvall’s platoon, which spent most of Christmas Eve rotating between roadblocks around the town.
When the attack started, the machine gun teams opened up on the enemy infantry while Duvall’s M8 fired round after round of 37mm canisters into the German ranks. It didn’t take long for Duvall to realize that he might need the two tank destroyers from Charlie Company. Swanson had been thinking the same thing. Sometime around 0400 hours, Swanson called up Duvall and ordered the Hellcats into the fray.
Tony D’Angelo gave up on sleeping. He heard the bombardment and then rifle gunfire in Champs, and figured wisely that he would soon be needed. The usual morning routine was for the four TDs in his 3rd Platoon to move into Champs, turn left, and take the road down to Rolle. From there, one section (two TDs) would set up near the woods or at the château’s “Lane of Trees” (Dreve de Mande), which gave them a good position from which to cover both Rolle and Champs.
Today, however, the action was clearly in Champs. Leaving the warmth of the farmhouse in the early morning dark, D’Angelo and his chilly crew posted aboard “No Love, No Nothing” and, using the cold-weather engine turnover crank on the back, fired the M18 to life.
As soon as both Hellcats were warmed up, the section rumbled off down the short hill and toward Champs. They had not gone far when a radio call came in, confirming D’Angelo’s suspicions. Swanson was asking for tank support in the town to help root out the attacking Germans.
“We stayed out waiting if they needed us. TDs are not supposed to do that job for a tank, but we had to make do,” D’Angelo recalled in an interview.
First Sergeant Don “Moe” Williams agreed that one TD should stay just out of town for backup. D’Angelo and his crew stood in reserve at the first intersection. For now, Vallitta’s TD went into town, loaded for bear. D’Angelo felt nervous for his fellow tank commander and friend. Although the little M18s could negotiate the narrow streets well enough, a heavily built-up town was not the ideal environment for a Hellcat. One or two shots from a Panzerfaust and Vallitta and his crew would be cooked.
Clanking through the main road in Champs, Vallitta’s M18 was quickly put to work. Using the tank destroyer to fire on buildings, Swanson’s men quickly attempted to retake the town. Ted Beishline, A Company’s first sergeant, hopped on and off of Vallitta’s Hellcat to point out enemy positions in the houses ahead. Vallitta was also instructed to fire several rounds up the ridge above town to scare the German vehicles that Fowler had been watching since earlier that morning. Although in the twilight and fog no one was sure whether Vallitta’s TD hit anything, amazingly, it seemed to have worked.
Several of the paratroopers pointed out another position ahead. A machine gun nest in the basement of a house on the right side of the road was playing hell with the paratroopers. Vallitta had his gunner, Corporal Lewis Clark, fired point-blank into the house’s windows and doors. The structure collapsed, and the machine gun was heard from no more.
Moving down the main street toward the schoolyard and church, the counterattacking Americans stayed close to the walls of the houses, and when gunfire or movement was seen in a house, the paratroopers would back up have Vallitta’s TD fire point-blank into it.
The force of the 76mm gun on the German positions was having a telling effect, as Vallitta’s driver, Corporal Paul “the Greek” Stoling, vividly remembered: “We blew up a house [with one shot],” Stoling recalled. The paratroopers recorded later that some thirty Volksgrenadiers were eliminated with one round.
From time to time that morning, Vallitta’s crew and the other two TDs would rev their engines and gear down the road, eliminating German position after German position until the German return fire was silenced.
The A Company troopers noticed that some of the Germans, typically older ones, would run from the houses or attempt to surrender. Some of the younger, perhaps more fanatical Volksgrenadiers, however, stood their ground and died at their positions. Vallitta would destroy his fourth house at around 0530 hours. By that point, the battle for Champs was beginning to swing back in the Americans’ favor.32
0350–0420 hours, Monday, 25 December 1944
Gun line, 377th Parachute Field Artillery Battalion
Savy, Belgium
Several kilometers east of Champs, the cannon cockers of the 377th cussed and grumbled as they prepared their tubes for battle. Leave it to the Germans to spoil Christmas morning, many thought as they adjusted the elevation cranks and traversing wheels on their Pack howitzers. The Fire Direction Center had alerted the crews around 0330 hours that there was a major attack on Champs, and now the men were poised to put the guns back into action. Within minutes, the FDC relayed the first fire missions of the morning:
“Target… Infantry… Grid coordinates… 530… Break… 652.” It didn’t take long for the crews to respond, and by 0350 the first few guns began to blast away, sending deadly Christmas presents toward the German lines.
After the first fire mission, the next one was not long in coming. The target was the Les Bresses. The crews quickly adjusted their tubes and fired round after round into it. The forest suddenly ripped apart in bright flashes as high-explosive shells detonated with lethal effect, scattering deadly metal shards and splinters of wood everywhere. By 0420 hours, the crews had hurled more than 120 rounds from their howitzers at the Germans. For Schriefer’s men of the 77th on the receiving end, the 75mm rounds were having a deadly effect.33
0350–0420 hours, Monday, 25 December 1944
Area of operations, 1st Battalion, 77th Volksgrenadier Regiment
Northern Section of Champs, Belgium
Now the tide was starting to turn. In the northern section of Champs, the Germans were discovering they had penetrated too far into town, and there was no support from any reinforcements. For the Germans hiding in the cover of the houses, the American artillery came on pretty thick. They could do nothing other than cower with the civilians and hope that a shell didn’t explode on top of them. One of the Volksgrenadier companies, under the command of Leutnant J. Hüsken that morning, was trying to consolidate their gains under the incessant barrage. Their initial attack had met with some success, but Hüsken noted that the American shelling and gunfire were increasing in intensity and becoming more accurate, prob
ably due to day starting to break. Certainly his men had occupied several homes on the northern end of Champs, but now, as each Ami shell thundered down, the homes could quickly become their mausoleums.
Hüsken recalled the bitter combat in a letter written a month after the battle: “The company had to endure very heavy fighting after the enemy, repeatedly, dug in and fought a stubborn defense. Often the enemy strongholds had to be taken by storm. During an attack against Champs, the company managed to first enter the village, but was then forced to withdraw back to the start-point, after hitting stiff enemy resistance. The most heavy artillery and mortar fire struck the block of homes occupied by our company.”
When the bombardment began, many of the Germans had no choice but to fall back to their start positions. As Hüsken counted up the survivors, he quickly realized that some of his men were missing, including one of his NCOs, Sergeant Anton Adorf. At first he thought Adorf had simply become separated, and perhaps the absent NCO had linked up with another company. After several days, Hüsken knew deep down in his gut that this was not the case, and Adorf was either dead or a prisoner of war. Toward the end of January, Hüsken figured Adorf was likely dead. The Americans were good about notifying the Red Cross about POWs, and he had received no notice from them. That January 25, weeks after the battle, Hüsken wrote the dreaded letter to Adorf’s wife. The last words of the emotional missive were:
Following the severity of the fighting, the company presumed that your beloved husband was picked up either as a straggler with another unit, or he was wounded and admitted to a field hospital. However, considering that a significant amount of time has already passed, the above-mentioned possibilities are highly unlikely. The company regrets very much the terrible loss, considering that your beloved husband proved himself to be a brave and exemplary soldier. On behalf of his comrades, I wish to extend our warmest sympathies to your most difficult sorrow, by which this travesty has afflicted you. With my most sincere condolences, I greet you Heil Hitler!
Sadly, this Christmas Hüsken would not be the only German officer writing letters of condolence to distraught widows and mothers. For the Germans, the stubborn Americans would provide many opportunities to practice their writing skills after Christmas morning.34
0400–0500 hours, Monday, 25 December 1944
Command post, Able Company, 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment
Champs, Belgium
Forward observer Lieutenant Jim Robinson of the 377th PFAB was on attached duty to Swanson’s A Company in Champs. He had spent much of the morning near Swanson’s headquarters watching the battle unfold. Now, with a brief lull in the fight, he was desperately trying to get to his observation post on the hill above Champs. He knew that if he could get back to this vantage point, he could direct artillery fire down on the attacking Germans. From this point over the previous days, Robinson had determined that he had one of the best views of the entire sector. He could see unobstructed for miles in an almost 180-degree arc around the area. Starting north, he could watch German movement in the village of Fays, and, turning to his left, he could keep an eye on the German base at Givry. He could even see all the way to his left, heading almost due east, where he could just make out the snow-covered rooftops of Flamizoulle and the lines of the 1/401st. Such a post could be vital to winning the battle.
The trick was getting to it.
Robinson crunched through the snow, M1 in his hands, heading down a cart path about a hundred yards to the left of Fowler’s machine gun position. Nervous, he could see his breath in the cold air. Sure, it might seem suicidal to try, but he also felt responsible for the four men he had left up there, and wanted to know their fate.
As he climbed the slope, he came upon a short hill. On the other side, there were bushes on each side of the path. From the opposite side he heard German voices.
A squad of German soldiers, half-asleep and awaiting orders to continue the fight, was behind the shrubs. Before they could react, Robinson stood up and fired on them repeatedly. Hit by the big .30-06 rounds, the soldiers fell to the ground, screaming in pain.
Reloading another clip after his M1 ejected the last, he slapped the bolt forward with the palm of his hand and pumped eight more rounds into the figures. “Where there was movement, I fired until they stopped moving or screaming,” Robinson recounted.
After a third and final clip, Robinson wheeled around, boots crunching through the snow, and ran back toward Champs. When he got to town, he found one of his enlisted men. Tossing him a carbine, he told the soldier to follow him. The two found the spot later that morning, with the bodies of the dead Germans lying about, blood soaking into the muddy cart path. The young soldier, sickened by the sight, vomited. Robinson, going through the bodies, found a backpack full of cookies on the body of one of the dead Germans. He was so hungry he remembered eating some of the cookies right then and there.
“I learned something about myself that day.”
Later that morning, as the fighting tapered off near Champs, Robinson was able to make it back to his OP. Robinson knew now that he could call down some fire from the 377th’s 75mm Pack howitzers, positioned near Rolle, and do some real damage to the pausing Germans.35
0400–0500 hours, Monday, 25 December 1944
2nd Platoon, Able Company, 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment
Champs, Belgium
Back at the hedge behind his burning post in Champs, Al Wise and the survivors huddled in the dark. Lieutenant Harrison returned, having organized a few stragglers from both 2nd and 1st platoons. Wise and the medic had not forgotten about the wounded Private Snyder left back on the ridge. Now that the German gunfire seemed to abate, Wise recruited a few others, including Hodge, the trooper who had originally told them about Snyder. Moving quietly and at a crouch, the rescue group trotted past the burning command post. Scattered gunfire erupted in the darkness as they sneaked back up the ridge.
The medic was able to pinpoint the location of Snyder, lying in the snow and half-dead. Carrying him over his shoulder, the medic started back for the hedge. The others followed cautiously, rifles and carbines at the ready. Wise and his patrol carefully skirted the former command post, hearing the voices of Germans nearby. The group safely returned to Harrison’s position in the hedge. In the end, Snyder survived.36
0440 hours, Monday, 25 December 1944
Headquarters, 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment
Rolle Château, Belgium
Chappuis could hear the gunfire not far from his headquarters. Sutliffe soon called in on the radio. He reported that the Germans had infiltrated past his 2nd Battalion and were now east of Champs. He added that to seal this group off, he was shifting some of his units to cover his southern flank. In response, Chappuis looked back at the map and tried to figure out how he could best help Sutliffe. The answer was a lone platoon from Baker Company that was already manning a roadblock behind the fighting. The platoon was anchored on the zigzag woodlot that crossed the Champs–Hemroulle road just immediately northwest of Rolle and the Dreve de Mande. Here the road climbed as it leveled out on the plain near the château grounds. A single platoon wasn’t much, but Chappuis knew every little bit could make the difference for Sutliffe’s perforated line. He could easily move that platoon to cover down on the skimpy seam between Swanson’s Able Company and 2nd Battalion. Chappuis gave the order and let Sutliffe know help would soon be approaching his southern flank.37
0500–0530 hours, Monday, 25 December 1944
Command post, Able Company, 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment
Champs, Belgium
After speaking with Colonel Chappuis, Hanlon left Rolle, driving quickly in his jeep past the many headquarters types hustling about in the château courtyard. The jeep sped away down the Lane of Trees and hooked a right, heading for Champs.
When Hanlon arrived at the wooded zigzag ridge on the road between Rolle and Champs, he was able to see into the embattled village. His paratroopers were shooting at everything, a
nd he could see fires burning and smoke rising from the farthest parts of town. In the dark, “Long John” definitely was concerned that B Company might be mistaken for Germans and shot by their own men as they entered Champs from the rear. He found Swanson’s CP and walked in to find his company commander in control of the situation. Swanson agreed that it would be dicey to send new troops into Champs right now. He admitted that after this morning, his men were jittery and prone to shoot at anything moving through town in the dark.
Hanlon got the handy-talky from the jeep and contacted Chappuis again. Telling Chappuis that he hesitated to send in his men, and also commit a valuable reserve to what appeared to be a stabilized situation, Hanlon was able to convince “Silent Steve” that sending Baker Company into Champs would be a costly mistake. “Silent Steve” agreed with his subordinate commanders. Besides, Chappuis had by now decided that the main attack, complete with armor, must be coming someplace else. It didn’t make sense for the Germans to send it down the extended Champs road and through the tight confines of the village, some three miles or more from Bastogne proper. He also knew that Swanson was feeling confident once again, now that he had some infantry and artillery backup and rolling firepower in his hands in the form of the tank destroyers.
For now, Chappuis ordered Hanlon to have B Company dig in at the roadblock at the midway point in the zigzag of the woods. From here he could fortify Swanson’s men in Champs just in case something broke through. They could also quickly join his fighters in the town if need be. In addition, Chappuis still wanted C Company moved up closer to Champs in case they were needed. “Long John” acknowledged the order and got into his jeep for Hemroulle to find Captain Cody and Charlie Company.38