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"Argentan was just another name to us at first, but before this whole affair ended, it became our byword, and our first 'baptism affair'.  Being attached to the 319th Infantry Regiment meant reserve for our company and not until the last phases of the battle did our tanks participate.  We did have the honor of first joining up with the British forces.  It was an affair indeed with the press present.  None of our tanks were knocked out in their debut of battle.  It was a successful affair and prisoners poured into the PW camp by companies.  All along the road, German tanks and half-tracks presented a great spectacle of defeat, something to remember." 

The "A" Co. diary for the eighteenth read:

"Moved into an area outside of Juvigny sur Orne and listened part of the day to artillery observers giving orders to the batteries. It was a field day for them.”

Clearing Out The Town

The 80th Division G-3 report for the eighteenth stated:

"The attack of the 318th Infantry jumped off at 8:00 A.M. in column of battalions, 1st, 2nd and 3rd.  By 9:05 A.M., elements of the 1st Battalion were fighting in Bordeaux against stiffening resistance which finally halted its forward movement in that vicinity.  2nd Battalion moved  west along the Argentan-Le Bourg Leonard Hury road until held down by fire from Argentan and the high ground northeast of its position.  3rd Battalion moved to clean out enemy resistance in the vicinity of Sai, occupying that locality at 3:30 P.M.  3rd Battalion then moved to occupy Bordeaux and continued attack at 5:00 relieving elements of 1st Battalion which reorganized. 

After the attack was stopped, the 318th Infantry adjusted positions as follows:  1st Battalion, after reorganization, relieved 3rd Battalion in Bordeaux and the right of 2nd Battalion, which was facing Argentan.  Plans were made for 318th Infantry to continue the attack early on 19 August to seize the Division Objective.  317th Infantry moved to a forward assembly area in Corps Reserve.  One Battalion of 317th Infantry started moving into Division Reserve at 9:00 P.M."     

The entry for the 18th of August in the Hendricks diary states:

"St. Gemmes - We are all awake under this clear French sky, it is 6:30 A.M.  We eat 'K' rations for breakfast.  Lt. Miller's 3rd Platoon is preparing to move into the attack.  At 8:00 A.M. the platoon leaves the bivouac area in support of the 318th Infantry Regiment.  Upon reaching their objective near the outskirts of Argentan, the platoon ran into well placed anti-tank guns and enemy tanks.  The platoon fought well, but under these conditions the odds were against them.  Four of the five tanks were knocked out.  After the battle was over, we found our casualties were unusually heavy.  They included:  Pletcher, C.; Koch, James; Marriotti, Lahr, Werkheiser, Bauer, Kellet, DeRuvo, Thomas and Baltz.  Uriel Jones was killed in this battle.  Merle Pletcher and Chester Teel were reported Missing in Action. 

Later in the afternoon, the remaining two platoons moved out to revenge our losses.  They were greeted at the crossroads by their first artillery barrage.  The Germans had been shelling this road for five days.  Along this road marched the infantry men scattered everywhere.  Some were hit and a few killed.  The two platoons deployed to the right of the road, and moved into the attack.  The attack netted a lot of prisoners and plenty of German dead.  Lt. Hansen's tanks spotted three fleeing German tanks and opened fire only to see their hits bounce off. 

Later, all the remaining tanks returned to the bivouac area after the enemy withdrew.  Sgt. Royce pulled his driver, Sam Kellet out of his burning tank.  Royce was recommended for the Bronze Star.  Our Company Commander Captain Richard E. Stover was relieved of his command, by order of General McBride.  Lt. Wilfred Hansen assumed command, by order of Col. Ralph Talbot, Battalion Commander."

The loss of four of the five tanks of Third Platoon, Company "B", is something that warrants a close inspection by this History.  "The platoon was ordered by Brig. Gen. Horace (called 'Hairless Horace' by many of his men.) McBride of the 80th Infantry Division, to go across a road into a hedgerow and counter the light machine-gun fire that men from the 318th Infantry Regiment were receiving from Argentan.  This order proved to be disaster for Lt. Miller, his platoon and Capt. Stover, the Company Commander.  Four out of five tanks were knocked out.  The fifth one probably would have been knocked out and destroyed had it not got stuck and had not crossed the road to come behind the hedgerow.  Four tanks were completely destroyed and burned and was not a very enjoyable sight in view of the battle for Southeast Argentan for infantry or armor."