Journal Of Company A, 702nd Tank Battalion "Red Devils"
By Multiple Authors, Painstakingly Transcribed By Lela And Howard Eitel
Edited/Converted To HTML By Terry D. Janes
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1 Nov 1944
France
Location-- ATTON (83.2-34.3) Tanks used for indirect firing. 129th Ord. checked all of the 75's today. Four tanks left at 0600 for 7th Ord. to have modification on grousers put on. C.O. and 1st Sgt. made recon up front.
2 Nov 1944
France
Location--ATTON (83.2-34.3) Tanks being used for indirect firing. Six tanks left at 0700 for 7th Ord. to have modification on grousers put on.
3 Nov 1944
France
Location--ATTON (83.2-34.3) Tanks used for indirect firing. Four tanks returned from 7th Ord. last night. C.O. heard speech by Gen. Patton. Four men went to Nancy on pass.
4 Nov 1944
France
Location--ATTON (83.2-34.3) Tanks doing indirect firing. Four tanks and Recovery vehicle to 7th Ord. for grouser modification. Lt. Adkins and ten men went to pick up five new tanks.
5 Nov 1944
France
Location-- ATTON (83.2-34.3) Tanks doing indirect firing. Men went to Church in Atton. Five new 42 ton Ford (V-8 engine) tanks were drawn today, T/5 John Manning-PFC John Maar-Pvt. George Le Breck-Acting Platoon Leader William E. Murray, all these men received the Bronze Star today.
6 Nov 1944
France
Location--ATTON (83.9-34.3) Tanks stopped firing indirect fire at 0800. T/5 Michael---Firman-Hospital to Duty C.O. discussed plans of attack with all tank Commanders today. Two 105's attached to Company "A" today, Pvt. Arthur Collins replaced PFC John Kinslow in Lamb's 105mm. today. Cpl. Arthur Van Fossen took over his new tank as tank Commander, today. C.O. attended a meeting at Bn. C.P. Band concert was a dry run.
7 Nov 1944
France
Location--ATTON (83.2-34.3) Tanks doing indirect firing. Officers received liquor ration today. Both C.O. and Lt. Croxton had a good time and were sober (?) after it was gone.
8 Nov 1944
France
Location--ATTON (83.2-34.3) Tanks left area at 0500 to establish a bridgehead. All tanks left area. Bridgehead established at 1430 and vehicles proceeded to assembly area. Lt. McNeal and T/4 Treasure and PFC Long were standing rear a truck when an enemy shell exploded near it. T/4 Treasure was killed, Lt. McNeal and PFC Long were wounded.
9 Nov 1944
France
Location-- On Attack near Moselle River--Tanks were replenished with gas and ammo and proceeded on attack. Results were excellent. There were no casualties. Many prisoners were taken. Tanks proceeded beyond Raucourt in attack. In order to get gas and ammo to tanks 1st. Sgt. Suglio made personal contact with Gen. Summers of 80th Div. and got priority over the 6th Armored Div. to cross bridge and was personally conveyed by Gen. Summers and later complimented by him.
10 Nov 1944
France
Location--RAUCOURT ( 88.3-37.2 )--Tanks left for Secourt at 0700. Trains arrived here at 1630. McGuire fell off tank and hurt his back. Duty to Hospital
11 Nov 1944
France, Alsace
Location--BECHY (100.8-44.3) Trains left Raucourt at 2200 on Nov 10th., arrived here at Secourt 0600 11 Nov, then left for Luppy and had to pull right out after arriving. Town was heavily shelled. Our tanks came back to Bechy from this side of the Saar River. Polin's tank stayed there until it was pulled out by the Recovery vehicle.
12 Nov 1944
France., Alsace
Location--BECHY (100.8-44.3) Tanks stayed here until trains arrived then pulled out. Three men to Hospital with colds. Polin's tank was recovered. Cusick shot through chest by 30 cal.
13 Nov 1944
France, Alsace
Location--HAM-SUR-NIED (105.8-44.4) Tanks stayed here all night. Pulled out at 0900 for attack. We waited here with Trains. Seven men to Hospital with colds and bad feet. Three "Huns" came up to our men and surrendered. Our men captured a German Half-track. We are now using it for a supply truck. New Maintenance Officer came in today and four replacements. Blew-Hospital to Duty
14 Nov 1944
France, Alsace
Location—HERNY (108.9-45.4) Tanks stayed in Many all night. Seven tanks then came to Herny. Five stayed at Many. Results of attack excellent. Trains stayed at Herny. 88mm shell fell in front of building. Two Service Co. men wounded by shrapnel and Dale was also wounded.
15 Nov 1944
France, Alsace
Location--HERNY (108.9-45.4) Tanks left for attack at 1000. 7 from here and 5 from Many. Sgt. Brown was sick so he didn't go with his tank. German H.T. running, waiting for paint now.
16 Nov i944
France, Alsace)
Location--HERNY (108.9-45.4) At 0900 Germans shelled the town again wounding a number of men and killing Tech. Sgt. Ault. Gas truck and trailer were lost to a direct hit by a mortar shell. We moved from there to the other end of town. Two men back from Hospital and one man to Hospital. Six tanks in Many and six here.
17 Nov 1944
France, Alsace
Location--HERNY (108-9-45-L) Six tanks came back from Many. Sgt. Starner- Ferry-one replacement-Sgt. Martin and Lt. Gifford all Duty from Hospital. Town still being shelled as usual.
18 Nov 1944
France, Alsace
Location--HERNY (108.9-45.4) Two "Jerry" planes came over area and one was shot down. Town still being shelled. All tanks in Herny now, ready to roll. Eight replacements arrived today. T/5 Jedzrewski transferred to Service Co. as cook, T/5 Palmer from Service Co. to "A" Co. cook. -Ferry- Hospital to Duty. Reported here with slip which put him in Class 2 Duty so he was sent back to Bn. medics.
19 Nov 1944
France, Alsace
Location--HERNY (108.9-45.4) Tanks ready to roll. S/Sgt. Bell to Service Co. for rest. Town not shelled today.
20 Nov 1944
France, Alsace
Location--HERNY (108.9-45.4) Tanks all ready to roll. Cpl. Krum Transferred from "C" Co. to "A" Co. Following men on detached service from HQ Co.; Aylesworth, Sintich, Brooks, Johnson, D'Aurora. 2nd Lt. McNeil from Hospital to Duty. T/4 Dale awarded Purple Heart. Tanks and trains left Herny for MANY at 1400, trains following. Arrived at Many at 1500.
21 Nov 1944
France, Alsace
Location--MANY (Q 11-45) Lt. Croxton and Platoon Sgt's. went on recon mission to Faulquemont, across River under Artillery fire. Sgt. Grattop took up prone position in manure pile. Tanks all ready to roll, at edge of town. S/Sgt. Bell, Sgt. Brown and Cpl. Connell back from resting at Service Co. Pvt. Nalley-Hospital to Duty.
22 Nov 1944
France, Alsace
Location--In the Field-- Tanks in Reserve with 317th. Combat Team. Trains with tanks, setting up to prepare Thanksgiving dinner.
23 Nov 1944
France, Alsace
Location--MANY (Q11-45) -Tanks in Div. Reserve with 317th C.T. Dining room set up for Thanksgiving dinner. Overhead ate dinner at 1500 and then relieved tank crews for their dinner. Menu--9 turkeys, fresh potatoes, canned fruit, turkey dressing, fresh bread, coffee and a cake baked by S/Sgt. Bell. T/5 Barr to T/4- Pvt. Hodson to T/5, Pvt. Sharp to PFC- Pvt. Zinn to PFC, all effective 21 Nov '44. After dinner tanks left Many and arrived at Faulquemont at 1730. All the trains left the next morning.
24 Nov 1944
France, Alsace
Location FALQUEMONT (Q 17- 49) -All the tanks arrived safely and the kitchen set up in one of the homes. The cooks put up a complete chicken dinner. Lt. McNeil went back to Service Co. to rest for a while. Cpl. Doyle and Pvt. Cornhaber-Hospital to Duty. Thornton-Duty to Hospital
25 Nov 1944
France
Location--FALQUEMONT ( Q 17-49 ) Tanks all left for the attack at 0700, but did not get anywhere. The first time they tried the fields were too soft and they started to bog down. They tried a different way but ran into mines. The third time they tried to get around they ran into an awfully big tank trap that ran for miles so they came back to Faulquemont at 1700. T/4 Barr-Duty to Hospital. Sgt. Deems to our Bn. Medics. All men upon returning, received a portion of liquor from the C.O.
26 Nov 1944
France
Location--FALQUEMONT (Q 17-49) -The tanks left for Teting at 1530; arrived at 1700. The trains arrived at 1800.
27 Nov 1944
France
Location--TETING (21-51 ) One Platoon of tanks left at 0630, for the attack.-The remaining Platoons left for the attack at 1030. All the tanks had to clear the woods by shelling it with 75rnm. H.E. and 30 cal. until they came to a large long tank trap at which they had to for the Engineers to Bridge the ditch before the attack, the whole company stayed at and slept in a German concentration camp. All had wonderful beds. The camp was really the finest in every respect. (Note: Obviously an Army Kasernes, not a concentration camp. This error was realized when we came to Buchenwald. M.S.). Sgt. Gerber received his tank from Bn. Maintenance.
28 Nov 1944
France
Location--MACHERN: (Q 30-56) Tanks left for attack at 0430. Met very stiff opposition- Four tanks were hit by enemy fire. First one was Croxton's, which was hit nine times. While abandoning the tank, T/4 Schuk twisted his knee. Sgt. Deem's tank was hit next. Preston, the Driver was killed instantly. While dismounting, the crew was fired on. Sgt. Deems-W.I.A. in the abdomen. Connell was able to walk back to the Medic with his wound. McKinney was K.I.A. when halfway out of the "bog" hatch. S/Sgt. Larkin's tank was hit twice by a direct fire weapon. He was hit in the forehead with shrapnel. Sgt. Gerber's tank didn't suffer any casualties from being hit. Lt. Croxton's tank was brought back by T/5 Winbrow when fog settled in low over the fields. 1st Sgt. Suglio went up to the high ground and brought back Sgt. Deem and PFC Kirtley to the Aid Station. Lt. Gifford was sent out at 2000 to stop a counterattack.
29 Nov 1944
France
Location--SENGBUSCH (Q 33-57) Lt. Gifford's Platoon attacked (code name: Fairhaven.) (French name not given) and encountered a German tank. Fired at it three times, point blank. The shells bounced off the enemy tank and it pulled away, out of sight. Lt. Gifford kept firing into the town. C.O. went out on several recon missions. The tank Recovery went to pull Sgt. Deem's tank out and was hit by an A.P., knocking it out. Standing were Lt. Britten and T/5 Wimbrow, both were hit by the enemy fire. All tanks pulled back to Machern at 1800, in Div. Reserve. Both Brittan and T/5 Wimbrow-Duty to Hospital.
30 Nov 1944
France
Location--MACHERN (Q 30-56) The whole Company is together, here in this town, in Div. Reserve with the 317th Combat Team. One Platoon of "D" Co. is back with us. |
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