A SOLDIERS STORY, PART 2

                                                     By DELL ARTHUR

Now that the end of fall was at hand the weather was turning miserable. By the middle of December the Germans were preparing for a last ditch assault with everything on the line.  This battle would earn the famous name as “the Battle of the Bulge,” and Getts and his 17^th Division comrades would be exposed unimaginable horror and danger.

When the Germans invaded Holland the unprepared American forces were pushed back along the entire front and nearly collapsed. One town, Bastogne was a major target since it had seven roads leading out from it. Holding this town was of most importance—losing it to the enemy would give Hitler a vital victory.

Moving up on the line the paratroopers found streams of American soldiers in full retreat. All, including his outfit were completely unprepared to take up battle. They didn’t have sufficient clothing, weapons, ammunition or food. Yet they were expected to defend the town. But being paratroopers Gitts and his buddies didn’t hesitate. Once entrenched they quickly found themselves completely surrounded. Adding to the danger and misery was the weather. Temperatures usually fell well below zero. The fighting raged for eight days before the skies cleared and American transports were able to fly in much needed supplies. In addition General George Patton and his armored division were finally able to reach the embattled town and help drive the Germans out.

Once the town was secured Gitts and his outfit continued to push on taking one town after another. The bitter fighting took the lives of many of his friends but there was no letup to the advance.

In the wintertime he recalled, the dead froze quickly just as they died. Consequently there was no odor to foul the air. But when the weather started to warm it was a different situation. The stench was overwhelming and it was an odor that never left your nostrils he said.

And it was at this time Gitts nearly gave his own life.

He and a partner were dozing in their foxhole one night when a German soldier managed to sneak up. With a bayonet attached to his rifle he spotted Getts’ foxhole and as he raised his weapon he made a thrust at Gitts. Alarmed by his partner, Gitts started to roll out of the way but the bayonet pierced his side. The only thing that saved him was the blade was deflected by an ammunition clip attached to his belt. His partner quickly killed the German but the damage had been done.

Seriously wounded Gitts was taken to a field hospital where he received emergency treatment. Following this treatment he was transferred to a major military hospital at Brussels where he remained for four days. Following that brief stay he was moved to a hospital in Paris where he continued to recuperate from the wound. Finally after a few weeks rest he was sent to Cannes, France for a week of “rest and recuperation” and then back to England.

After Gitts returned from “R and R,” he was given an extraordinary opportunity. The colonel in charge of this facilitity called him to his office and told him he qualified for reclassification as a result of his disability. He was told that there was the possibility that he could receive a medical discharge or sent back to the United States for evaluation if he was fit for combat duty. Gitts said he preferred to remain with his outfit. But since his injury prohibited his “jumping” again because of the shock of a parachute opening and reinjuring his stab wound, he was assigned to the 17^th Glider Division.

In comparison to the battle of the Ardennes Gitts recalled that combat in the Huertgen forest was worse. He cited that the constant snow, aided by the cold damp air, accounted for the misery and depression. The goal he said was to keep the Germans from securing a stronghold. Fighting in the forest was hampered by the inability of the American’s to use their armored forces. The roads were too narrow for tanks to operate and in addition the Germans had trained their artillery to selected spots where they knew the paratroopers were dug in.

Following the battle corpses of American soldiers littered the area—frozen, mutilated by German cannons, lying in grotesque positions, many missing arms, legs or heads. There were also soldiers lying dead on stretchers who were left when the Germans over ran them. According to one General who surveyed the fight, the battle should have been fought around the forest rather than through it. The result was thousands of Americans died needlessly.

(To be continued)