 Traveling Stylish Though Not In Style
Ralph Smith (sporting sunglasses) squats center rear. He is flanked
by Herb Beattie (on left) and Neal Beaver. (right) who seem to have their legs
dangling from the box car's doorway. The man at far left may be Biagio
"Ben" Bennardi . The man standing at far right and drinking from a
canteen cup is unidentified..
 'Werbomont Express'
imagine riding while standing in trucks like these with inadequate
clothing in mid-December 1944!
 A
moment Of Peace
Chaplain (Captain) Joseph P. Kenney celebrates Mass
on January 6, 1945 for men of the regiment during a lull in the combat in the
Battle of The Bulge |
In January 1945, the 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment had been
assigned a mission to prevent the demolition of the Schwammanauel hydro-electric dam on the Roer River in
Germany. The regimental 3rd Battalion was to conduct the raid. H Company was
to be the lead company. And 2nd platoon was assigned to be a diversion by
running out of the willow trees and across the 200 yard wide and one foot deep
river just below the dam.
My Dad was the Platoon leader for that diversion. It
was considered a suicide mission. The photo at top left was taken on a railway car
in Belgium heading toward the dam which is near Schmidt, Germany. This type of
rail car was called a 40 and 8 because it could haul 40 hommes et 8 cheval ...
40 men and 8 horses.
Before the raid was to take place, it was fortunately cancelled as
the 78th Division had captured the dam. Otherwise, I probably would not be
writing this today. The men in this photo had survived the Normandy night
drop, the ill-fated attack on the "Bridge Too Far" in Nijmegen, Holland and
the frozen inferno of the Battle of the Bulge in the Ardennes Forest of
Belgium. My dad is the one smiling with the sunglasses ...to his left front is
Neal Beaver and to his right front is Herb Beattie. When I learn the identity
of the other men in the photo I will post them. They should never be
forgotten!
[Commentary by Ralph Smith's son]
|
 Heading
Straight For The Krauts
captioned "A remarkable picture of an Infantryman making a one-man
sortie into a German strong point protected by barbed wire. Another
solder in the background is covering his advance. Here is the type of
fighting that takes guts! (This soldier is a member of the 82nd
Airborne Division. The picture was made in Belgium on December 24th.)"
This clipping was kept by Mabel Goudy and she wrote her husband's
middle name, Brice (Hq 1st), on the newsprint. Whether she thought, or
knew, that it was him or that it just reminded her of him is unknown
However, on July 30, 2009, 508th veteran Sid Eells
reported the photo "is of Walter Hughes of the 504 in the Bulge. I know
Walter. Just talked to him in person this past week.
(Image courtesy of Lois Andrews) |
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