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SSGT RAYMOND J . HUMMEL - HELL'S HALF ACRE

1st. Sgt. Hummel
     Did Brilliant Work
              Early In Invasion

   Mrs. .Alice Hummel of Cedar avenue received a letter from her husband, 1st Sgt..  Raymond J..  Hummel, who is with the 508 Parachute Infantry somewhere in England, with the following article in it..  It was written by one of his Buddies who was in the invasion with Sgt .Hummel on D-Day,
   1st Sgt. (then Staff Sgt.) Hummel gathered together a group of 6 parachutists on the north bank
of the Douve river at Beuzeville-la-Bastille at dawn on 6 June 1944..  As Battalion Sgt..  Major and senior non-com, he led the group through intense fire from enemy machine gun nests covering the bridge approach, knocking out one pillbox.
   Shortly thereafter, four enemy tanks came up heading north from the causeway.  Sgt..  Hummel personally attacked them with E..  Gammon Grenades, knocking out one Mark III and killing its entire crew.
   Sgt..  Hummel's group was pinned down by heavy fire from approximately one company of enemy infantry.
 
He then organized a defensive position from which fire could be placed on the approaches to both Beuzeville bridge over the Douve river and the Causeway, leading to the island in and bridge over the Merederet [sic] river,.
   Due to the resultant dislocation of German traffic over these important highways, the enemy made persistent heavy attacks on Sgt, Hummel's position for the following five days.

  His group broke up all attacks with rifles and TSMG fire and Grenades, causing heavy casualties to the enemy..  Regardless of resulting attacks Sgt..  Hummel's men continued to fire on all enemy traffic forcing the Germans to restrict their road movements to darkness.
   By his determination and heroic example Sgt..  Hummel held his group intact as a lighting unit and upheld their morale through .the most adverse circumstances..  They fought on without food, without adequate medical attention for wounded, and with no heavy fire support or heavy weapons..  They were at all times heavily outnumbered and for five days were under constant fire from small arms, mortars, artillery and a group of tanks, operating in the vicinity..  Due to his leadership they defied all enemy attacks and continued to inflict casualties on the enemy through out the five days until joined by seaborne forces on 11 June 1944.

Jumpmaster notes:
a - Hummel's surname was misspelled in the headline.
b - The article was written by George D..  De Carvalho..  The phrasing sounds much like a medal award recommendation but Sgt Hummel is not listed as having received one.]

[source: unknown newspaper]

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