Our regiment was loaded into open trucks, and rode in the bitter cold to Werbomont, Belgium. We were expected to help stop the German penetration in what later was called the ‘Battle of the Bulge.’
The ‘Bulge’ was in the allied lines. It encompassed hundreds of miles, and reflected a determined German total commitment. Needless to say the allied forces situation was exceedingly perilous.
We fought the Germans during a bitter cold European winter of sunless days, and heavy snows. We did help stop and destroy the German incursion, at a great cost in lives and suffering.
In January 1945, we participated in a furious counterattack. We fought through the densely forested Ardennes and the heavily fortified Siegfried Line to the Roer River. By February 1945, the ‘Bulge’ was history, and we moved back to Sissonne into theatre reserve.
In Sissonne, we moved into tents - our comfortable caserne had been occupied by a hospital. We received extra rations to compensate for all of the meals we missed fighting in Belgium.
We absorbed replacements for our extensive losses in the Ardennes, held memorial services for our lost comrades, and started a vigorous training program that included a practice parachute jump.
In April 1945, we moved to an airfield outside of Paris prepared to parachute into Germany to rescue allied prisoners of war. However, the miss-ion was canceled when the allied forces overran the camps and liberated the prisoners. In May 1945 the Germans surrendered, the war in Europe was over.
We returned to Sissonne, packed our belongings, and moved by train to Frankfurt, Germany. We moved into Heddernheim a suburb of Frankfurt and served in the occupation forces as the elite honor guard and security force for General Eisenhower's headquarters.
In the fall of 1945, I returned to the United States and was discharged from the Army.”
Bill Frickel was an outstanding courageous soldier, a competent leader, and a cherished friend. He earned:
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Bronze Star Medal w/oak leaf cluster
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Purple Heart
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Combat Infantry Badge
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