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F Company Officers
Lt. Irvin Bloom, Lt. Joe Gault, Lt. Harold Hahn
"Irvin Bloom came to F Co. in Africa. Seemed to be a favorite college man and was a good officer. He knew how to
handle his men and told a good Jewish joke. He commanded F Co. while I was in the hospital in Africa with jaundice. The men
loved him (not much discipline). He went to G Co. right before Normandy. He was killed in the first couple of days. G Co.
was down to 3 men at one time and went back to England with 13 men. E and F Co. did most of the front line and I always think
that F Co. got the most duty. We went back to England with 48 men...."
"Harold Hahn, a mystery man. Reported to have
come from Hollywood. Knew Latin and could understand Spanish. We talked to Italian girls through him. He was a good officer.
Kept a low profile. He maybe remained in England. I'd like to know what happened to him."
~ Joe Gault, 28 May 2002
Joe Gault, Company F
I came to the
Army through college ROTC at Texas A&M. I took advanced Bull for the $25.00 per month, I got $25.00 as a janitor in the
library, so I was rich with $50.00. In June 1941 I went to Camp Wolters as an Infantry training officer and asked for combat
duty, so I was assigned to the 82nd in February 1942.
"F" Company was destined for great things upon the arrival of
Captain Bennie A. Zinn. Captain Zinn, a school teacher from Temple, Texas, was a reserve officer out of Texas A&M College
who, except for his reserve, would have sat out the war in Central Texas.
On March 25, 1942, a great number of these
reserve officers, regular army officers, and regular army cadre of non-commission officers assembled according to their orders
at Camp Claiborne, Louisiana, to form the famous 82nd Division upon its reactivation for World War II duty. The 82nd was a
great Division in World War I, whose biggest claim to fame was Sergeant Alvin York and General Jonathan Wainwright.
In
due time, the All American Division (whose men came from everywhere in 1917) received its recruits who came mostly from the
coal region of the United States; West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Ohio. They were hard working men who came to fight. Approximately
200 were assigned to "F" Company.
The Company was a standard infantry company with a set T.O.E. Company Commander,
Captain Bennie A. Zinn; Company Executive Officer, 1st Lt. Choice R. Rucher; 2nd Lt. George Greene, 3rd Platoon; and 1st Lt.
Jack Gray, 4th Platoon. All were reserve officers and had very little active duty experience. As time went on, some of these
officers left on cadre, and some new reserve officers, who had been out of school for some time, had beguin their families,
and were fairly established in their jobs, came in (for duty called). "F" Company received 1st Lt. H. C. "Tom" Slaughter (no
duty and a 1st Lt.). I had nine months of Basic Training Instructions at Camp Wolters, Texas, and as a 2nd Lt. stayed with
the 1st Platoon. 2nd Lt. Greene stayed with "F" Company as the 2nd Platoon leader.
The leadership of Captain Zinn began,
and let me tell you, never has there been a greater instructor to both officers and men. I watched him set 200 men down in
the midday heat of Louisiana and hold them spellbound. I remember the period on latrine. He used Lt. Greene and Gault to demonstrate.
The men went wild and needed no further instruction on the use of a latrine.
The non-commissioned officers also began
to come in from the ranks as the regular cadre moved on to other cadres. 1st Sgt. Arno Welch, Platoon Sgts. Regan, Heyduck
and Milton Kosen, who later won a battle field promotion to 2nd Lt. Sgt. Regan had previous peace time duty. Sgt. Heyduck
was a born leader, and Sgt. Kosen was one of a kind, who used various methods to achieve the end. An example - firing the
light machine gun from the hip. John Wayne, eat your heart out! The squad leaders also began to develop... Sgts. Colmer, Schultz,
Bojack, Dichuccio, Bennett, Kost, Misorowski, Nipple, Mason, and others.
"F" Company was also developing into a good,
solid infantry company. When we became airborne, most of us had no idea what an airborne infantry division was. But nevertheless,
we became on on August 15, 1942.
The 82nd was to become a great division. Look at these: Division Commander, Major
General Omar Bradley; Assistant Division Commander, Brigadier General Matthew Ridgeway; Artillery Commander, Brig. General
Jonathan Swift; 505th PIR Commander, Col. James A. Gavin, and others.
The new division called for a change in the Table
of Organization. Five officers and approximately 150 men - more shuffle. On a blanket order as of February 1, 1942, I became
a 1st Lt. and now I ranked Tom Slaughter. October 1, 1942, we moved to Ft. Bragg, N.C., for Airborne Training. Tom Slaughter
was transferred to Battalion Headquarters Company as the Heavy Mortar Platoon Leader. And lo and behold, sometime later I
was transferred to the same company as Heavy Machine Gun Platoon Leader. Capt. Bennie Zinn went to Division Headquarters,
and Capt. Irvin Porter, from Raleigh, N.C., became "F" Company Commander. "F" Company was again blessed. Irvin Porter was
liked by his fellow officers, and more important, was liked by all the enlisted men. He knew his job and performed it with
total efficiency until his untimely death.
General Bradley was transferred to a new division, and General Ridgeway
whipped us into a fighting airborne unit, and we glidermen went along. Most of the training was Old Army Infantry Tactics,
and ever so often we marked off an 8 X 12 area and designated a door. We glidermen loaded through this "door" and squatted
opposite each other, then unloaded and fanned out into simulated combat. But no worry, we had stick bayonets and wooden machine
guns. The men took it with a wry grin and went on training. We did see a glider flight at Pope Field and later did get a glider
ride. An ocean away from hostile forces, it's a nice experience.
I want to squeeze in my personal involvement with
General Ridgeway. I had my car at Camp Claiborne and needed to get it home before the transfer to Ft. Bragg. I went to Captain
Zinn, who said I needed to get higher permission; to Battalion, same answer; to regiment, same; and they told me that only
Division could help me and I, being an ignorant 1st Lieutenant, got permission to speak to Division. It turned out to be General
Ridgeway, and I think that it surprised him so that I got my leave. From then on General Ridgeway called me by name when we
met. In Normandy, we were pinned down by small arms fire. I looked down to my left and here came General Ridgeway and his
aide - standing tall. His words were, "Captain Gault, this is not a voluntary proposition. Move your men out." And to our
amazement, we could and made no contact the rest of the day.
Tom Slaughter took command of Battalion Headquarters Company
and was promoted to Captain. He ranked me again! I never caught up with him again. I was transferred to "F" Company - No better
gift! I was Company Executive Officer to Captain Porter. No better job in the Division. The men were ready - top physical
and mental shape. About this time, due to transfers and officers reporting in, we became our combat organization. Captain
Porter was transferred to Battalion. Lt. Greene was also transferred to Battalion. I took command of "F" Company. 1st Lt.
Bloom came in as Executive Officer; 2nd Lt. Junior R. Woodruff as 1st Platoon Leader; Lt. City, 2nd Platoon; and 2nd Lt. Harold
Hahn, Weapons Platoon.
On April 29, 1943, we boarded ship in New York and sailed for
Africa. At Casa Blanca, "F" Company took 40 & 8 boxcars and trudged to Marinia in French Morocco. 2nd Battalion had acquired
Major Swenson, a tough West Pointer from the class of 1938 whose previous services was Calvary. Major Swenson, with the pointed
Cavalry overseas cap and swagger stick, bugled us off train by "Dismount" and on with "Mount". The train was so heavily loaded
that there were lots of bugle calls, and we actually helped push the train.
Here in Marinia, "F"
Company endured "C" Rations, French cigarettes, dust, wind, and heat. We did make a couple of glider rides, but mostly it
was Ol' Army Infantry Tactics. And also here, we encountered the worst epidemic of dysentary you can ever imagine. Regular
accommodations were soon over run and Lt. Greene's and Lt. Gault's latrine demonstrations were completely abandoned. This
was the one and only time I can remember that Lt. Woodruff lost his cool. Hands down he had the worst case of dysentary in
the regiment and no one dared go near him. I promised to write a book after the war and call it "Woody in the Wadii" - wadii
being the name for a draw many feet wide and long in Africa. The training was more than hot, and I am sorry to say that at
times we posted sentries to warn of approaching brass and then rested in the shade of a wadii. I think to this day no harm
was done.
On June 16, 1943, we moved closer to the war front at Kairouan, Tunisia. We had missed combat so far in Africa
as the front continued ever east. In Kairouan I contracted jaundice that was to dog me for several more years. At first I
couldn't stand the smell of food in the chow line, and then one night I was found on my hands and knees crawling down the
company street. After one hell of a ride by army ambulance, and all the way my thinking I was dying, I arrived at the Army
Field Hospital. I stayed there for the next six weeks - until the yellow in my eyes disappeared. So 1st Lt. Irvin Bloom took
over "F" Company and ably led them on to Italy. "F" Company, along with the rest of the Regiment, pushed the Germans from
the commanding mountain top of Mt. San Angela and held defensive positions until the Regiment, with the rest of the Division,
moved into Naples. At San Angela, the Company lost Lt. City during a shelling attack. Lt. City was from San Antonio, Texas,
and in civilian life was a liquor salesman. He was a 90-Day Wonder who had a hard time doing left and right face, but the
men liked him and he gave the supreme sacrifice.
On October 1, 1943, the 82nd Airborne occupied Naples, Italy. To the
conqueror goes the spoils, and the 82nd was given the mission of policing Naples - a pleasant assignment. Here I returned
to the Regiment from the hospital which is a story in itself, not meant for here, but vouched for my love of "F" Company.
Lt. Bloom, a wonderful Jew, had won the hearts of many an "F" Company man, and when I took back command and he reverted to
executive officer, the private war of Lt. Gault, the only man in the company who had not been in combat, began. It was to
be a rough road. My daily orders and methods were not too popular, but discipline became excellent again. To make a long story
short, my worst adversary came to me during Normandy and asked if he could shake my hand.
"F" Company occupied an apartment
complex. It was fancy and the men really enjoyed it. The apartment building was probably 10 or 12 floors high, and each platoon
had its own floor. The officers occupied the top floor, each with his own private rooms. The company mess was in the garage,
and one day during a German air attack, a false wall blew out and there, stacked to the ceiling, was furniture by the truck
loads. The air attacks were the only nuisances. We had our own area to patrol and each unit on schedule sent out squad or
platoon patrols. We did take our time to enjoy some Italian girls and visit with them in their homes. Of course, we didn't
understand a word they said, but Lt. Hahn had some Spanish and Latin in school and we could say hello and goodbye. Naples
was no place for Good Ol' Infantry Tactics, but we did close order drill and inspection of arms. Each week or so, someone
would accidentally let his hand slip and fire his rifle, but to make matters worse, Lt. Hahn fired his pistol by accident
and so all was forgiven. We went to some Italian gatherings and stage shows. All Italians want to sing and do a pretty good job.
All good things must come to an end and we bid Italy adieu in the latter pert of November 1943. We left by ship and
spent Thanksgiving Day in Oran, Africa. When we left Italy we were issued 6 sniper rifles. They were old Springfield 03's
equipped with a scope, but we did not land with them. The last rumor that I heard was that sniper riflemen were the first
to go into combat.
Just around Christmas we landed in Ireland, after nine months overseas already.
Our guides told us that we would only get one Coke a week (none for nine months) and only a ration of cigarettes (we had been
smoking Chelsa and other off brands - some French). The 2nd Battalion was scattered all over North Ireland. "E" and "F" Companies
were bivouaced on an old farm. There was an immense two-story farm house with quonset huts around. The mess hall was on the
bottom floor and officer's quarters were on the upper floor. These were our dark cold days. There was very little fuel as
is the Englishman's plight. We used bag coal very sparingly. Because of the short day, we took marches on Ireland roads until
daybreak and then had some good Ol' Army Infantry Tactics. Captain Bob Dickerson was camp commander, he being the senior.
He posted sentries and upon the approach of Major Swenson by jeep, he took off and I had to go on inspections with the Major.
"F" Company had their Irishmen, and on pass a goodly portion of Irish beer and whiskey was consumed. Irishman Sergeant Robert
C. McCarthy, from Burlington, Wisconsin, consumed his share, and several of the other boy's shares, and was not quite fit
for duty a few Monday's. His only vice - the rest of the time he was an excellent sergeant squad leader. On this occasion,
he was in bed during duty hours when Major Swenson and I made our inspection. About the time we got to him he groaned and
fell out of bed. The Major asked me what was wrong, and I said he was sick. "He's drunk!" shouted the Major, "Court Martial
that man!" To be brief, they forced me to bring court martial proceedings against McCarthy. The Regimental Executive Officer
- a Lieutenant Colonel - was selected to try a lowly sergeant for intoxication!!! I asked that one member (which was legal)
be excused - the Regimental Executive!!! Regimental Headquarters company commander became President and I understand that
the Regimental Executive advised him to reduce the sergeant in rank. That occured and McCarthy became a private. I issued
a company order that McCarthy have the company rank and privileges of a sergeant with private's pay. Sergeant Robert McCarthy
led a squad, went to Normandy, and was shot in the head (later recovered)... all as a private!
In Ireland, "F" Company
received a fresh new 2nd Lieutenant, and he took Lt. City's platoon. Now, this nameless 2nd Lt. was the first of the 18 year
old type. Probably a good kid, but we needed a seasoned Lieutenant for the platoon. The Lt. never did get the attention of
his men, and the platoon morale was low. One day, he came running in and said that Squad Leader Sgt. Edward Bojack from Cleveland,
Ohio, was chewing tobacco in the ranks. I told him that if Bojack spit in ranks, to bring him in and I would discipline him.
He never came back on that line. The Lt. flunked out early in combat and Sgt. George Heyduck took over and commanded the 2nd
Platoon the rest of Normandy.
"F" Company was ever moving toward that day in combat, and so the 325 Glider
Regiment moved from Ireland to Leicester, England. To be more exact, it was a cow pasture in the little town of Scraptoft.
We all made nightly excursions into Leicester. The men got irons and pressed their shirts and trousers to a sharp edge. Then
daily we performed some good Ol' Army Infantry Tactics. The men had plenty of time to write home and we officers had to censor
the mail. All were content and ready for what was to come. Lt. Herlihy read us aloud in baby talk his wife's letters about
a new son he never saw.
At this time, after nine months as company commander of "F" Company as a 1st Lieutenant, I became a brand new Captain.
This is one of the highlights of my life.
Around the 1st of June, we were moved into a staging area in South England. Not a man in the 82nd Airborne Division had
to second guess the purpose of the move. Each man was involved with his own thoughts as "F" Company's combat time only served
to give them the fears of combat, and we had a very vague idea as to our future. Tomorrow was the beginning of an existence
that no man can explain to others, and that in a flash can be recalled to reveal all its horrors. It is, and was, an experience
that lasts a lifetime. Tomorrow was D-Day... the 6th of June.
D-Day, the 6th of June. After fourty-four years it still sends chills down my spine. I have been a flag-waver all my
life, and no man in "F" Company ever thought of burning his draft card. The magnitude was overwhelming and the thrill affected
us to the last man. "F" Company was meeting its destiny. All the months of training came down to this landing zone. We were
in combat. Our landing was the early morning hours of June 7th.
The gliders we used were Horsa (British), carrying around 29 men and 2 pilots and CG4A (American), carrying approximately
13 men and 2 pilots. "F" Company was in about four Horsa gliders. The Weapons platoon and my company headquarters were in
the lead glider. Upon landing, we had too much speed and went through the hedgerow into the next field. However, we went between
two large trees on the hedgerow and the wings folded back into the fuselage, cracking the whole glider. My runner was sitting
on the floor with his head on my lap. He was instantly killed, as were the next four men sitting down from me - the mortar
section leader, Sgt. Joe Dichuccio from Beckley, W. Va., and three of his section. We had a total of ten killed and nine badly
injured. We attended to the wounded and turned them over to the medics. A great introduction to what was to follow.
I gathered what was left of our glider load and headed for St. Mere Eglise, where upon arrival we were put into an orchard
where the Battalion assembled. In a matter of an hour or so, we were called to put our men on the road and proceed toward
Granville. The Battalion was sent to various hot spots and put into action. "F" Company was put in a perimeter defense and
sent out on numerous patrols. Lt. Herlihy, who was our Company Executive Officer after Lt. Bloom went to command "G" Company,
was killed on one of these patrols. On about June 8 the 2nd Battalion attacked as a whole battalion for the first time, with
"E" and "F" Companies abreast. We soon hit heavy hostile forces. the first words of casualties reached us with the death of
Captain Irvin Bloom and the severe wounding of Captain Bob Dickerson. Our losses in this operation were devastating. The 2nd
Platoon Lt. left with a light wound. We reorganized the company into 3 rifle squads with Lt. Woodruff commanding and the weapons
platoon under Lt. Hahn. We combined to attack with "E" and "F" Companies abreast with "G" in reserve with just a few men.
I took a phone wire section from Battalion and runners from "E", "F", and "G" Companies and put myself between the two companies,
coordinating the attack with phone contact back to Battalion. The radios were of no value.
We were still advancing toward Granville. We were called to halt the advance, and I was advised that the 4th Division
was to pass through us. While we were waiting for the artillery to begin its barrage, a lone German soldier decided to join
his unit over the crest of the hill. Up the hill he ran next to a fence, and as the men began to notice his plight, they began
to take "pot shots" at him as he ran up the slope. No one hit him as he progressed, I began to smell a mouse. They were giving
him a severe scare. I was right, for as he went over the crest, a loud cheer went up from our men. It was a gentleman's affair
in some sense. The 4th Division passed through us, and to everyone's shock, we realized that our own artillery was falling
on them. So severe was it that they could not advance and pulled back through us. I called back to Battalion and told them
to suspend all artillery fire. They did, and the 4th Division passed through us again and disappeared over the ridge - mission
accomplished at the cost of many men under our own fire. The 4th had months and months of combat training and still confusion
haunted them. A soldier asked me how we were winning the war with so much confusion on our part. I told him that the Germans
were just more confused.
"F" Company moved on toward its destiny. The 2nd Battalion, on about June 9th, was given the mission to move on to Le
Ham. On H-Hour, Colonel Swenson came into our area, and at dawn we moved out and advanced down a slight incline to a small
brook. The fire was spasmodic to the brook, but accurate, and upon entering the brook all types of enemy fire broke out and
the brook was also mined with anti-personnel mines. Sgt. Forest Nipple, a squad leader from the 2nd Platoon, was hit by such
a mine and died on the spot. I advanced up the slope and noticed Sgt. Robert C. McCarty had been hit in the head. He was staggering
around, firing his rifle up in the sky. Colonel Swenson had been hit in the stomach, and was trying to get up and move on.
He was a man of guts and his war was over. The fire became so severe that we had to move forward by crawling (Good Ol' Army
Infantry Tactics). We advanced on a machine gun that was giving us immense problems. Grenades knocked out the gun and its
gunners, and one gunner was set afire by a phosphorous grenade. After knocking out the machine gun, we advanced on toward
our objective. At a farm barn we captured several Germans, and before I could stop him, an unnamed Sergeant dropped to his
knees and killed two of the Germans. I knocked the Sergeant's gun up and ordered him to cease fire. I want to tell you now
about this Sergeant. He came to us in Ireland as a replacement. Being a sergeant, we were compelled to give him a sergeant's
job - a squad leader. He became a thorn in my side. He was surly, unclean, and always needing a shave - anything but a squad
leader. I looked for something to reduce him in rank, but he stayed just on the border. We were ready for combat and I had
a bad sergeant whom I should have busted, but I didn't and was I ever glad. This Sergeant, who shall remain unnamed, was a
combat holy terror. They brought him by me on a stretcher and he said, "Captain Gault, I'll be back." But he never came back,
because in a few hours he was dead - a real combat soldier in the image of the late Captain Woody Woodruff. A real garrison
soldier and a fine combat soldier can be the same, but often one is one and not the other. I love both and they are both necessary.
It would be nice if all soldier's could be both.
We regrouped and jumped off again, not far from Le Ham. "F" Company was on
the right of the road leading into Le Ham. Because we had been ruffled up and had lost a good many men, as we advanced the
men began to run and yell. In the only charge I ever saw or participated in, we moved into Le Ham. Sergeant Fred A Mason of
Ridgeville, Indiana, led down a hedgerow. I was second, and behind me was Sergeant Albert Kost from Weirton, West Virginia.
All of "F" Company came rushing behind us and as we were just through town, an artillery shell landed very, very near us.
Sergeant Mason was hit in the foot. Sergeant Kost behind me, was mortally hit and died screaming as I administered morphine
to him. Again, I was not hit - hard to explain. We took up defensive position and came up under the heaviest 88 fire of the
Normandy offensive. We were passed through and relieved to the rear to lick our wounds.
On about June 15th we were
placed into the combat line again with an attack on Ste. Saveur Le Vicomte. In this next action, Major Roscoe Roy and our
beloved Captain Porter were killed. Major Osmund Leahy, a West Pointer who later became a Major General, took command of the
Battalion, and shortly was transferred to the 3rd Battalion. Major Majors took command of the 2nd Battalion for the rest of
Normandy. All the action was piecemeal and after short series of fire fights we would be pulled back.
We were withdrawn
back to a rest area, our first out of the line since D-Day. Before we could dig in, I was called to Battalion Headquarters
and told of a new mission that night to cross a river and come in behind the Germans at the crossing. Today, I have no idea
what river this was (I have been advised that this was the Douve River and this was about June 18-19th). The crossing was
by small boat, companies in file. The attack was made with "E" and "G" abreast, with "F" Company in reserve, and the 1st and
3rd Battalions were in a frontal attack. The front companies were on each side of the road. When the Germans discovered that
we were attacking in their rear, they came pell mell down the road on foot and a good many bicycles. The firing was terrific,
and as they drew abreast of "E" and "G" Companies, firing was ceased for fear of firing into each company across the road.
The Germans completely withdrew from the crossing. One of our men was night blind, and I discovered that he was tied to the
man in front of him. Each takes care of his own. That man did not have to be in combat, but he was.
Around the end
of June, we again went into the line with the 82nd Division mission to take Le Haye Du Piuts. Bad weather closed in on Normandy,
and we went into defensive positions. We spent several days here and although we didn't know it, no supplies could come for
our advance. We continued to have artillery casualties. On Sundays a printed sermon would come down from headquarters. Everyone
read it, and I say that there were no Athiests in fox holes. Right after July 1st, I was called to the rear and headed a Battalion
contingent to return to England and prepare for the Battalion's return to England. Happy Day. Our combat in Normandy was over.
"F" Company had myself, Lt. Woodruff, Lt. Hahn, and fourty-eight men, out of 5 officers and approximately 150 men. "E" and
"G" Companies had less. In Normandy, "F" Company was a fighting company - good Lieutenants and good Sergeants to lead good
men.
Scraptoft was heaven on Earth for the 325 Glider Airborne Infantry regiment. We now knew what an airborne unit
was and how it operated. We refitted and received replacements. I cannot name a one of them. We did more Good Ol' Infantry
Tactics, and I don't remember a word being said about the tactics of an Airborne unit. The highest ranking squad leader I
saw in Normandy was General James Gavin in or near St. Mere Eglise. He rounded the corner, M1 rifle and all, hollering "Let's
Go!" and away he and his squad went. We missed the boat on not having more Normandy tactics.
During this period I was
awarded the Silver Star, and to this day I am proud of it. Some of it belongs to Sergeants Kost and Mason and the rest of
the Company. I was supercharged that day, and it was relayed to my "F" Company in the attack on Le Ham. I am grateful to those
40 or so men.
When we left France and returned to England, I was in a state of deep depression, and I couldn't shake
it. I changed my friends in Leicester and kept to myself. The talk began about future missions. Regiment called us several
times to give us a new mission, but General Patton kept overrunning our missions. We cheered him on. The Generals were anxious
to get us back into combat. That was their world. Us ol' front line infantry men would just as soon let John Doe do it. Well,
finally we received it - a mission that patton couldn't beat us to - Holland.
We left for a staging area about the
middle of September, and on September 17th, the paratroopers of the 82nd and 101st Airborne Division jumped into Holland.
Due to bad weather, the gliders went in about one week later. Our flight was in a CG4A, an American glider, and it was very
treachorous because of the flak. A lot of men sat on their entrenching tool for vital protection. Gliders and tow planes were
shot down. My friend, Shelby White, a member of the Division Staff, was hit in the rear. He's well and alive today, however.
The landing was good as far as glider landings goes. My conditions were bad and the night after landing, Captain Tom Slaughter,
who was for some reason unknown to me, commading the Battalion, told me to report to the Field Hospital. After around one
week, it was decided that I not return to combat. The war and "F" Company was over for me, but "F" Company was in the good
hands of Lt. Woddy Woodruff, who went on to be a hero of the Battle of the Bulge. General Custer is accused of saying, "Men
may die, but the Regiment lives on. It has an immortal soul of its own." "F" Company went on to great Glory under "Woody of
the Wadii".
The deaths of Captain Irvin Porter, Lieutenant George Greene and Captain Irvin Bloom were great losses
to "F" Company and deeply felt by all of us. In the last year, we have lost Woody of the Wadii - a True Warrior.
I
don't recall having been in Regimental Headquarters during combat, and often only knew where Battalion Headquarters was because
I had phone contact. We hit here and there and push until some Battalion or Regiment passed through us. Defense was something
that we knew little about and weren't too good at. It seemed foolish to have men die just lying there, but someone had to
be on defense and I'm glad that it was the Germans who were on the defense in Normandy.
This account has been written
almost entirely by memory, and it has been forty-some odd years. I had a copy of Chaplain Henry Wall's company roster, he
was a hero in his own right, to help identify the enlisted men.
It was my privilege to have served with the men of
"F" Company.
Copyright © 1988 by Joe Gault
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