Warbird Information Exchange

birthday 64 year battle of the bugle

Thanks for the reminder! Lots and lots of brave men were figthing for their lives in that action in and around the ravines and towns of Belgium. Let us never forget them!

_________________
Ain't no sunshine when she's gone!

If anyone is looking for a good book about the Bulge and in particular the actions of the 28th Infantry Division read John McManus' book "Alamo in the Ardennes, the Untold Story of the American Soldiers who made the Defense of Bastogne Possible"

_________________
Ain't no sunshine when she's gone!

Some of my impressions of the Bulge:

44,000 trench foot cases.

2 blankets for each three men on the front line.

Medical Battalion cut off and their doctors captured.

Christmas Day dinner for the 101st Airborne- white beans.

Eisenhower's letter authorizing commands to request 'estimated' battle casualty replacements 48 hours in advance.

I've done some hard things and I've seen other people do hard things. But the success of the infantry and armor soldiers of the Bulge will, for me, always be the standard against which anybody should be measured. Of course there were desertions, and mistakes, and horror. But this was, I think, one of America's and Britain's finest hours. God bless all of them. The world is a better place because of them.

_________________
REMEMBER THE SERGEANT PILOTS!

I thought this was going to be about a middle agger going on a diet!

My (maternal) grandfather, a captain (in tank destroyers), was there with Patton, and told me it was by far his worst experience of the war, and he landed at Normandy and was also in North Africa. Said it was the coldest he had ever been in his entire life. Wouldn't say anything else about it.

I cant imagine what it would be like to fight a war in those conditions. We owe those soldiers alot.

_________________
Ain't no sunshine when she's gone!

My uncle Patrick Mansfield, made it through Late November, December and shortly into January 1945, KIA by a German mortar. Buried Arlington National Cemetary. My dad was flying CAP in the Pacific and got the news a week or so later. My dad's last letter from his brother was dated sometime in September 1944. he didn't get it until March or April 1945.

I must be mellowing lately, too bad too, would have loved to smash the smart-*ss remarks a few felt necessary for this thread ....

But seeing I am a very mellow and calm WIXer lately ... I'll laugh too.

Did Patton really have a Padre make a good weather prayer? What a genius General the US had and never used him to his fullest extent. "Give me that gas and I'll be in Berlin in one week"

That he did!!



Almighty and most merciful Father, we humbly beseech Thee, of Thy great goodness, to restrain these immoderate rains with which we have had to contend. Grant us fair weather for Battle. Graciously hearken to us as soldiers who call upon Thee that, armed with Thy power, we may advance from victory to victory, and crush the oppression and wickedness of our enemies and establish Thy justice among men and nations.

Gen. G. S. Patton

_________________
Long Live the N3N-3 "The Last US Military Bi-Plane" 1940-1959
Badmouthing Stearmans on WIX since 2005

We can not forget about the "malmedy massacre"

_________________
Long Live the N3N-3 "The Last US Military Bi-Plane" 1940-1959
Badmouthing Stearmans on WIX since 2005

Malmedy was tradgedy for sure.

_________________
Ain't no sunshine when she's gone!

My Uncle was there with the 106th Infantry. He was captured at St. Vith. He had been a football player at Notre Dame before he enlisted and he weighed over 200 Ilbs. When he was was liberated from POW camp in spring of 45 he weighed just 104 Ilbs. He rebuilt his body after he got back home by working on a Ohio Dept of transportation road crew and doing the manual labor involved. He went back to Notre Dame and played 2 more years and graduated. A successful life as a business man and family man followed.

He has been an inspiration to me all my life.

Several years ago I met a fellow in a grocery store who's demeanor and bearing just screamed that he'd been in the military. Asked him which branch he'd served in and where. He was quite surprised that I'd guessed (He couldn't figure out how it was so obvious to me) and told me that he'd served in an anti-aircraft outfit in Europe. I think from what I remember that they had 90mm AA cannons, but he said that they rarely if ever used them against aerial targets. He said that many times they were using them for direct fire against enemy troops at relatively close ranges. I'm pretty sure that they were part of the drive to get to Bastogne. Wish I'd had more time to talk to him.

Ryan

_________________
Aerial Photographer with Red Wing Aerial Photography currently based at KRBD and tailwheel CFI.
Websites: Texas Tailwheel Flight Training, DoolittleRaid.com and Lbirds.com.

The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of the LORD. - Prov. 21:31 - Train, Practice, Trust.