A full de-brief of the B/502nd Annual Meeting will be out in a few days but here is a run down of the events the platoon elected to attend in 2015.
26 FEB - 1 MAR - Operation Nordwind
(Ft. Indiantown Gap, Annville, PA)
6 JUN - Knox County Airport D-Day Weekend
(Mt. Vernon, OH)
17-19 JUL - Ride Through History
(Alliance, OH)
21-23 AUG - D-Day Conneaut
(Conneaut, OH)
12 SEP - Kent Aviation Heritage Fair
(Stow/Kent, OH)
9-12 OCT - Camp Tuscazoar WWII Tactical
(Dover, OH) DATE TO BE CONFIRMED
DEC - Wreaths for Western Reserve Cemetery
(Rittman, OH) DATE TO BE CONFIRMED
Members of the unit also elected to attend the following as "support" events.
17 MAY - Armed Forces Day Military Show
(Findlay, OH)
1 AUG - Bridge at Remagen Reenactment
(Tidioute, PA)
19-20 SEP - Eisenhower Farm Living History
(Gettysburg, PA)
November 23, 2014
After Action Report: 2014 Camp Tuscazoar WWII Tactical
Camp Tuscazoar - Dover, OH
10-12 OCT, 2014
www.facebook.com/tuscazoar
It was sunny when we arrived at the event this year. It was a slight Indian summer with mild days and chilly nights, perfect German killing weather. The platoon was billeted in the same house as years past, with the downstairs open to us this time. I, along with the rest of the command was on the lower floor with second squad. First being the larger of the two was on the other floor. The officer and NCO brief was at 2100, and we briefed the men immediately after. The plan was simple, kill Germans. The objective was the town of Zoarhoven, nestled in the scenic hills south of the larger town of Zoar. We would march to a pre determined point and fight our way back to the town.
We were rousted from our slumbers at 0600 and headed to the mess hall for morning chow, morning formation being at 0800 we had some time for camaraderie and coffee. Once the food was nestled in our gullets we all made our way back to the barracks to get ready for the days festivities. I formed the platoon up on the road leading into the town. We marched to the marshaling area and stood by to stand by. Timing wise we were to depart the marshaling area at 0900. We found that we were all ready and assembled at 0830 so decided to step off at 0845. The plan was to exit the camp and take the hardball road to another marshaling area one mile away and begin the scenario. The area we chose to have the event is not only surrounded by hills, but is made up of hills…a lot of hills. The hills have hills. So, the first half-mile of our journey was befitting because it was up a large hill. I led the way and wanted to get to the top as soon as possible, much to the dismay of my men who I could hear grumbling some ways back. Once at the top of the hill we regrouped and began our tactical column down the road. It was quite the scene to behold and we startled the locals and a few cows as we marched. The bridge was still covered in dew when we crossed it about half an hour after setting off. The red bridge was to be our first objective and we would have to take it from those schnitzel-eating bastards in short time. Judging by the Germans we had passed on the way down, I knew taking the bridge would be like taking brats from a young frau.
The towpath took us about 100 yards beyond the bridge, around a bend and opened into a field. The company formed a perimeter and we waited for the scenario to begin. At 1000 we began. First squad entered into the brush along the east side of the towpath and second went up the middle with cover from the other platoon on the west and our machinegun team. Smoke was thrown and the Germans put up a good fight but they weren’t any match for the men of Baker. We rushed over the bridge taking very few casualties and secured the far side. We immediately began a tactical sweep of the area to look for hiding krauts and police up our men. The terrain dictated all of our movements and we could only follow the single-track road that traced the shoreline of the river we had just crossed. We took the path slowly, always looking for any movement in the shrubbery. It wasn’t long before we became engaged again by a small contingent of Germans. A little firefight ensued and the Germans retreated farther back in the woods. We hadn’t made it another two hundred yards when we were attacked by a larger contingent of Germans. This firefight became a bit more involved and part of our company moved to the higher ground in order to envelop them and crush them. This would be the last time we would see them for some time. Our first squad moved up and tried to flank but could not move up the steep terrain to flank. We got back out on the road and were ordered to move to another road cut 100 yards south. We did and it was then that we realized we had lost comm with the rest of the company. We knew the general plan and decided to push towards the culvert objective. The second squad was on the lower tier near the river with the vehicles, the other squad in our company too the higher ground which left us in the middle. We pushed down the road looking in all directions for contact. We heard our second squad become engaged and ran towards the firing. When we arrived onsite we could not find our men but were instead ambushed by a group of Germans. They got the drop on all of us and we were all done for. We took off our helmets and began to walk in the direction from which we came. We noticed the Allied command group on the lower road and slid down the hill to join them. After, a short discussion we turned to find the rest of Baker. We found them about fifty yards down the road climbing up the same hill that we had slid down five minutes before. Once we all climbed back up the hill we sat down and took a rest. The rest was short and we were ordered to go back up yet another hill and stand by.
We all got into position and realized that we were behind the chow hall and preparing to attack the town. We moved into the attack and pushed the Germans back through the town and out the south end. The attack could not have gone off better and seeing that it was not coordinated in any way, went off without a hitch. Everyone was good on ammo and once the town was seized we put out a security perimeter and waited for the counter attack. It came about 20 minutes later and they pushed us from the town with a very good effort employing machine guns and enfilading fields of fire. Our platoon fell back to where we had initiated the initial attack and were ordered to make another counter attack, which we did in fine form and fashion. We ran back behind the Germans and pushed up en masse towards the village. We startled a few Germans and cut them down. Our while command element was taken out and the attack didn’t have the momentum to take the town again. The Germans held the town of Zoarhoven, despite our best efforts.
Submitted,
Chris Bauer
SSgt/B Co. 502nd PIR
10-12 OCT, 2014
www.facebook.com/tuscazoar
It was sunny when we arrived at the event this year. It was a slight Indian summer with mild days and chilly nights, perfect German killing weather. The platoon was billeted in the same house as years past, with the downstairs open to us this time. I, along with the rest of the command was on the lower floor with second squad. First being the larger of the two was on the other floor. The officer and NCO brief was at 2100, and we briefed the men immediately after. The plan was simple, kill Germans. The objective was the town of Zoarhoven, nestled in the scenic hills south of the larger town of Zoar. We would march to a pre determined point and fight our way back to the town.
We were rousted from our slumbers at 0600 and headed to the mess hall for morning chow, morning formation being at 0800 we had some time for camaraderie and coffee. Once the food was nestled in our gullets we all made our way back to the barracks to get ready for the days festivities. I formed the platoon up on the road leading into the town. We marched to the marshaling area and stood by to stand by. Timing wise we were to depart the marshaling area at 0900. We found that we were all ready and assembled at 0830 so decided to step off at 0845. The plan was to exit the camp and take the hardball road to another marshaling area one mile away and begin the scenario. The area we chose to have the event is not only surrounded by hills, but is made up of hills…a lot of hills. The hills have hills. So, the first half-mile of our journey was befitting because it was up a large hill. I led the way and wanted to get to the top as soon as possible, much to the dismay of my men who I could hear grumbling some ways back. Once at the top of the hill we regrouped and began our tactical column down the road. It was quite the scene to behold and we startled the locals and a few cows as we marched. The bridge was still covered in dew when we crossed it about half an hour after setting off. The red bridge was to be our first objective and we would have to take it from those schnitzel-eating bastards in short time. Judging by the Germans we had passed on the way down, I knew taking the bridge would be like taking brats from a young frau.
The towpath took us about 100 yards beyond the bridge, around a bend and opened into a field. The company formed a perimeter and we waited for the scenario to begin. At 1000 we began. First squad entered into the brush along the east side of the towpath and second went up the middle with cover from the other platoon on the west and our machinegun team. Smoke was thrown and the Germans put up a good fight but they weren’t any match for the men of Baker. We rushed over the bridge taking very few casualties and secured the far side. We immediately began a tactical sweep of the area to look for hiding krauts and police up our men. The terrain dictated all of our movements and we could only follow the single-track road that traced the shoreline of the river we had just crossed. We took the path slowly, always looking for any movement in the shrubbery. It wasn’t long before we became engaged again by a small contingent of Germans. A little firefight ensued and the Germans retreated farther back in the woods. We hadn’t made it another two hundred yards when we were attacked by a larger contingent of Germans. This firefight became a bit more involved and part of our company moved to the higher ground in order to envelop them and crush them. This would be the last time we would see them for some time. Our first squad moved up and tried to flank but could not move up the steep terrain to flank. We got back out on the road and were ordered to move to another road cut 100 yards south. We did and it was then that we realized we had lost comm with the rest of the company. We knew the general plan and decided to push towards the culvert objective. The second squad was on the lower tier near the river with the vehicles, the other squad in our company too the higher ground which left us in the middle. We pushed down the road looking in all directions for contact. We heard our second squad become engaged and ran towards the firing. When we arrived onsite we could not find our men but were instead ambushed by a group of Germans. They got the drop on all of us and we were all done for. We took off our helmets and began to walk in the direction from which we came. We noticed the Allied command group on the lower road and slid down the hill to join them. After, a short discussion we turned to find the rest of Baker. We found them about fifty yards down the road climbing up the same hill that we had slid down five minutes before. Once we all climbed back up the hill we sat down and took a rest. The rest was short and we were ordered to go back up yet another hill and stand by.
We all got into position and realized that we were behind the chow hall and preparing to attack the town. We moved into the attack and pushed the Germans back through the town and out the south end. The attack could not have gone off better and seeing that it was not coordinated in any way, went off without a hitch. Everyone was good on ammo and once the town was seized we put out a security perimeter and waited for the counter attack. It came about 20 minutes later and they pushed us from the town with a very good effort employing machine guns and enfilading fields of fire. Our platoon fell back to where we had initiated the initial attack and were ordered to make another counter attack, which we did in fine form and fashion. We ran back behind the Germans and pushed up en masse towards the village. We startled a few Germans and cut them down. Our while command element was taken out and the attack didn’t have the momentum to take the town again. The Germans held the town of Zoarhoven, despite our best efforts.
Submitted,
Chris Bauer
SSgt/B Co. 502nd PIR
November 10, 2014
2015 WWII reenactments and events
A full de-brief of the B/502nd Annual Meeting will be out in a few days but here is a run down of the events the platoon elected to attend in 2015.
6-8 MAR - Spring Tactics and Weapons Training
(Camp Workman, Ravenna, OH)
26-29 MAR - Operation Nordwind
(Ft. Indiantown Gap, Annville, PA)
6 JUN - Knox County Airport D-Day Weekend
(Mt. Vernon, OH)
17-19 JUL - Ride Through History
(Alliance, OH)
21-23 AUG - D-Day Conneaut
(Conneaut, OH)
12 SEP - Kent Aviation Heritage Fair
(Stow/Kent, OH)
9-12 OCT - Camp Tuscazoar WWII Tactical
(Dover, OH) DATE TO BE CONFIRMED
DEC - Wreaths for Western Reserve Cemetery
(Rittman, OH) DATE TO BE CONFIRMED
Members of the unit also elected to attend the following as "support" events.
17 MAY - Armed Forces Day Military Show
(Findlay, OH)
1 AUG - Bridge at Remagen Reenactment
(Tidioute, PA)
SEP - Eisenhower Farm Living History
(Gettysburg, PA) DATE TO BE CONFIRMED
6-8 MAR - Spring Tactics and Weapons Training
(Camp Workman, Ravenna, OH)
26-29 MAR - Operation Nordwind
(Ft. Indiantown Gap, Annville, PA)
6 JUN - Knox County Airport D-Day Weekend
(Mt. Vernon, OH)
17-19 JUL - Ride Through History
(Alliance, OH)
21-23 AUG - D-Day Conneaut
(Conneaut, OH)
12 SEP - Kent Aviation Heritage Fair
(Stow/Kent, OH)
9-12 OCT - Camp Tuscazoar WWII Tactical
(Dover, OH) DATE TO BE CONFIRMED
DEC - Wreaths for Western Reserve Cemetery
(Rittman, OH) DATE TO BE CONFIRMED
Members of the unit also elected to attend the following as "support" events.
17 MAY - Armed Forces Day Military Show
(Findlay, OH)
1 AUG - Bridge at Remagen Reenactment
(Tidioute, PA)
SEP - Eisenhower Farm Living History
(Gettysburg, PA) DATE TO BE CONFIRMED
August 29, 2014
Get registered for Tuscazoar!
Now that D-Day is over, it is time to move on to Market-Garden! Time is running short before it is upon us. The Camp Tuscazoar WWII Tactical will once again be held on October 11-12, 2014 in Dover, OH. Those of you who were with us last year know great of an event it was. Now is the time to get your folks registered so we can finish the logistical details and be ready for another fantastic time.
For more information and to register, go to www.airbornereenactors.org/camp-tuscazoar-tactical. Registration includes billeting and meals. Remember, this is a non-spectator event. Just us reenactors doing what we do best. WWII military vehicles of all kinds are HIGHLY encouraged. There is a lot of room to play at this facility!
To keep up on the latest news, don’t forget to go to www.facebook.com/tuscazoar. If you have any questions, please email Mark or Chris through the registration page.
For more information and to register, go to www.airbornereenactors.org/camp-tuscazoar-tactical. Registration includes billeting and meals. Remember, this is a non-spectator event. Just us reenactors doing what we do best. WWII military vehicles of all kinds are HIGHLY encouraged. There is a lot of room to play at this facility!
To keep up on the latest news, don’t forget to go to www.facebook.com/tuscazoar. If you have any questions, please email Mark or Chris through the registration page.
June 12, 2014
AAR - Operation Nordwind 2014
After Action Report – Operation Nordwind
1st Plt, Baker Company 502nd PIR 101st ABN
Ft. Indiantown GAP, PA
27-29 MAR 2014
Arrival to FIG was sporadic but everyone made it in by the early evening. After a rousing dinner at Funk’s we returned to base to prepare for the operation to occur over the next two days. In years past we had been used as a reconnaissance element but as our numbers have grown we were tasked for a different mission this time.
We were under the command of Capt. Felmlee, in the aptly named “Task Force Felmlee.” We worked in concert with other units in the task force, mainly a squad of men from the 8th ID under the command of Sgt. Carter Bertone. The Lt’s and myself were briefed by the Captain as to the plan for the following day, immediately following our briefing we briefed the rest of the platoon. Reveille was set at 0600 and we were to be in formation by 0830 for transportation to the training area.
Reveille came early but every man sprang from his rack with youthful exuberance in anticipation of the fight to come. Racks were made with hospital corners and the men were allowed to scrounge breakfast at a nearby building. The food wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t good either. There were croissants and nasty pound cake washed down by some water with coffee in it. Once all were fed we slimed our way back to the barracks put on our gear and fell out to draw ammo. After drawing ammo we were no longer allowed back into the barracks and that is when it began to rain. We stood in the rain like a bunch of tough bastards for a few minutes before realizing that we weren’t tough, but were in fact stupid. We sought shelter under the eaves of a nearby building which sufficed for another few minutes until the slope of the ground became too much to bear. We finally settled for another building with larger eaves and more shelter. The transportation was supposed to arrive at 0830 so when they did arrive at 0915 we were not only wet, but also a little angry (the best kind of paratrooper).
The ride to the area took 15 minutes and the rain was not letting up. Our DZ was Estroy and we disembarked, joining the rest of our forces. Our first task was to recon the intersection in area B10-5 and B10-2. We made our way from Estroy via route Jambes in combat formation for about ¼ mi before crossing a field and skirting a tree line until we reached our objective. The platoon was broken into two squads and a HQ section. First squad moved into position at the intersection and spaced the men north along the road tying into the men from the 8th ID. Second squad was positioned with over watch on the intersection east of first squad and the HQ element consisting of the Lt’s and the RTO were behind the line to perform direction in case contact was made. We were only to stay in this position for an hour before moving back to Estroy. After sitting for fifteen minutes I took Pvt’s Strichko and Boham on a scouting movement beyond the intersection to look for the enemy. None was found and after reporting this to the Lt. we began our movement back to Estroy.
Upon arrival at Estroy we were told to take a break and grab a bite to eat. The boys broke out rations and ate like the good soldiers they are and after forty-five minutes we were given the word to move south on Estroy to the area due south of route Plante and Ault. We were to become the left flank of our forces and make a push west to route Oster and destroy any German forces that we might come into contact with. We formed up and hadn’t walked 100 yards before two Germans lying in wait in a stand of trees ambushed us. We quickly returned fire and pushed through the thicket destroying the enemy force but not finding any others. Once back on task the push was made post haste to get us into position on route Ault.
On the extreme left of the Allied line we were spread out on a north to south line on Ault. We observed a German scout vehicle on the far ridge some 8-900 yards away. It was easy to spot them because all the ground cover had been burned away. The area looked as though it had recently been on fire and smelled like scorched earth. Every man that took a knee or brushed against a tree became marked with soot. We were ordered to push across the expanse into contact. We pushed through trees and across open fields until finally we came into a stand of trees, which we could see Germans moving. We pushed them through the trees and back to their lines at which time we discovered that they had a half-track hidden and it began to fire on us. We returned fire and lost a few men before beating a hasty retreat back across the expanse to our former positions on Ault. It was at this time that we realized that the German half-track was moving towards our position. We sought refuge in the woods east of Ault and found good fighting positions to make our stand. I was ordered to take my squad down the hill farther east and attempt to flank the half-track. We made our way through the woods, sneaky peat style, and found a position to lie in and waited. We could hear the half-track moving up and down the road. We got up to move again and made it 50 feet before we were ambushed by Germans that had disembarked from the half-track with the same idea we had. The Germans surprised us and we began to make our way back to the other squad. Found the other squad already engaged and was ordered to make another attempt at flanking the track. I did as I was ordered and we encountered the Germans once again and managed to kill all of them and take one prisoner, which I returned for interrogation by our XO, Lt. Smith. Upon returning I saw that a good portion of our platoon had been KIA from the half-track but that the track had not breeched our position. Pvt. Romestan and T-5 Penix met a similar doom when they stumbled upon a skunk, the sight of which forced them to move into the line of fire. With the enemy repulsed and our numbers back to strength we moved back to our position along the road and met up with Capt. Felmlee. He informed us that we were in a stand down for the time being and that we could relax. We all huddled around the jeep and did not hear that events had begun again. It was at this time that we saw the all too familiar German half-track, supported by infantry and a tank, moving toward our position. We made a hasty defense and returned fire but it was not enough. Our forces were overrun and we were all slaughtered like cattle. Sgt. Bertone and his men flanked the half track and German infantry to redeem our loses. Once our Lazarus moments had passed we made our way back to back to Estroy to await transport back to the rear and a nice hot shower. On the ride back we were regaled by men who had seen the bridge at Remagan blown up “like fuckin fireworks”. They were good storytellers…
After the buses dropped us off to our barracks, we hanged our soggy wet jackets, scraped our muddy boots, and cleaned our rifles. A few of the new recruits needed help taking apart their rifles and had some valuable lessons learned that the up-rod spring has to come out first before you can take out the pin assembly of an M1 Garand.
It wasn't long before we had to get ready for our award ceremony before going out to dinner. So we put on dry, clean uniforms and awarded 5 new recruits the "Parachute Infantry Badge". Normally a symbol of completion of "Jump School", we as Living historian and Airborne Reenactor, use it as a symbol of honor and the culmination of the same training, demeanor and tactics that our WWII Airborne veterans employed in midst of battle during the war.
The next morning came quickly as most of us had stayed up to near midnight regaling each other with stories from the day just past. We ate chow, which consisted of the same menu, and the same food as the day before, and geared up to await transportation to the training area. The weather proved to be more of the same although the rain did not start until we had been in the field for some thirty minutes. Our initial task was rear security, which was not our idea. We formed a line of defense on a hill in a 180-degree semi circle area, covering an area around 200 yards wide. From this vantage point we had command over the entire valley and could easily see any movement to our immediate front, right, and limited left. We maintained this position until 1100, at which time we were tasked to move down the hill at our front towards the enemy that could be seen moving through the trees and underbrush. We moved twenty yards and began to fire, which sent the German raiding party retreating into the trees. We could see them moving to and fro but they refrained from attacking us. As we sat midway up the hill Bertone’s men moved into a perfect ambush site on our extreme left to await the enemy. We received word to pull back to our original positions before the Germans made any moves. I sent Pvt’s Shiele and Barto to inform Sgt. Bertone of the movement and we began the march back up the hill. Once we reached our original positing we were told to move back down the hill via the road this time, push past Rt. Plante where we were to from a skirmish line and push towards Rt. Ault. We formed up on Jambes and moved southeast towards Plante with Sgt. Bertone leading the way. We reached the bottom of the hill, which was at the top of a ravine. We moved into the ravine at which time a German recon party ambushed us. They were completely camouflaged and took out near 60% of our force. I was at the bottom of the ravine when I was taken out. Luckily the men’s training kicked in and the men of second squad dispatched the remaining Germans. We pushed forward towards Ault in the soggy ground, which was next to a small creek. Upon reaching Rt. Ault we were ordered back into the same positions, which we occupied the day before. Battle lines were formed and we were told to push forward through the woods towards Rt. Oster. I ended up on the extreme left of our line and for a time lost sight of our men. I did come upon a lone soldier in the middle of the woods and wasn’t sure of he was a German sniper until I got closer and realized that he was in fact taking care of “number two business.” Once the awkward conversation was over I moved forward, watching where I stepped, towards Oster. Emerging from the woods we were met by men from another task force involved in fighting the pesky half-track. I did not see any of our men, which worried me but not too bad because they are well trained. I continued to push forward until I saw that my men were held up in a section of woods that the Germans were being stubborn about. We pushed as best we could and almost made it to the German stronghold at Jambes, but were eventually thrown back and ordered to the roadside. I reminded the men about what had happened the day before and not to let their guard down. They held the vigilance and made some coffee. We were all soaked to the bone by now, low on ammo, and ready to head back but I knew we still had some fight left in us. The coffee proved to be magic elixir for the men over the age of 30 and they all had a renewed sense of fight in them. It had been about 45 minutes before we were ordered to move into the woods between Oster and Jambes. This was to be the final attack on the Germans and take their strongpoint. The rain picked up as we began to move out. Drops were hitting us from above and from the side when the wind would pick up but it wasn’t cold. The Kraut bastards were spotted but they had not spotted us yet. Bertone’s men pushed towards their position but were cut down upon reaching the outer most defenses of the objective. We followed, making sure not to take the some route and were met with fierce resistance. It was at this time they dropped the hammer on us and began firing with everything they had including the half-track. Lt. Smith and T-4 Krause were in front of it when it began to fire but were miraculously spared. T-4 Krause pulled the pin on his last grenade and with a laser like accuracy put it right in to the back of the halftrack. With the half-track taken out and their resistance faltering we swarmed over the embankments and took out the rest of those schnitzel-eating pricks. The day had been won, and the 502nd was again on the victorious side. The day being over I was given directions to the rendezvous point and out of every unit present we were the only one to march to the point under cadence, thanks to T-5 Penix. It was a proud moment for all of us!!
Again, Baker Company has shown it tactical prowess and ability to conform to any mission it is given. The effectiveness of a leader is due to the performance of the men under his command. The men of this platoon have repeatedly made the CO, XO, and my job easy. For that I would like to thank each and everyone for the privilege of serving you as the Platoon Sergeant of Baker Company.
Submitted,
Christopher Bauer
SSgt./502nd PIR, 101st ABN
www.airbornereenactors.org
1st Plt, Baker Company 502nd PIR 101st ABN
Ft. Indiantown GAP, PA
27-29 MAR 2014
Arrival to FIG was sporadic but everyone made it in by the early evening. After a rousing dinner at Funk’s we returned to base to prepare for the operation to occur over the next two days. In years past we had been used as a reconnaissance element but as our numbers have grown we were tasked for a different mission this time.
We were under the command of Capt. Felmlee, in the aptly named “Task Force Felmlee.” We worked in concert with other units in the task force, mainly a squad of men from the 8th ID under the command of Sgt. Carter Bertone. The Lt’s and myself were briefed by the Captain as to the plan for the following day, immediately following our briefing we briefed the rest of the platoon. Reveille was set at 0600 and we were to be in formation by 0830 for transportation to the training area.
Reveille came early but every man sprang from his rack with youthful exuberance in anticipation of the fight to come. Racks were made with hospital corners and the men were allowed to scrounge breakfast at a nearby building. The food wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t good either. There were croissants and nasty pound cake washed down by some water with coffee in it. Once all were fed we slimed our way back to the barracks put on our gear and fell out to draw ammo. After drawing ammo we were no longer allowed back into the barracks and that is when it began to rain. We stood in the rain like a bunch of tough bastards for a few minutes before realizing that we weren’t tough, but were in fact stupid. We sought shelter under the eaves of a nearby building which sufficed for another few minutes until the slope of the ground became too much to bear. We finally settled for another building with larger eaves and more shelter. The transportation was supposed to arrive at 0830 so when they did arrive at 0915 we were not only wet, but also a little angry (the best kind of paratrooper).
The ride to the area took 15 minutes and the rain was not letting up. Our DZ was Estroy and we disembarked, joining the rest of our forces. Our first task was to recon the intersection in area B10-5 and B10-2. We made our way from Estroy via route Jambes in combat formation for about ¼ mi before crossing a field and skirting a tree line until we reached our objective. The platoon was broken into two squads and a HQ section. First squad moved into position at the intersection and spaced the men north along the road tying into the men from the 8th ID. Second squad was positioned with over watch on the intersection east of first squad and the HQ element consisting of the Lt’s and the RTO were behind the line to perform direction in case contact was made. We were only to stay in this position for an hour before moving back to Estroy. After sitting for fifteen minutes I took Pvt’s Strichko and Boham on a scouting movement beyond the intersection to look for the enemy. None was found and after reporting this to the Lt. we began our movement back to Estroy.
Upon arrival at Estroy we were told to take a break and grab a bite to eat. The boys broke out rations and ate like the good soldiers they are and after forty-five minutes we were given the word to move south on Estroy to the area due south of route Plante and Ault. We were to become the left flank of our forces and make a push west to route Oster and destroy any German forces that we might come into contact with. We formed up and hadn’t walked 100 yards before two Germans lying in wait in a stand of trees ambushed us. We quickly returned fire and pushed through the thicket destroying the enemy force but not finding any others. Once back on task the push was made post haste to get us into position on route Ault.
On the extreme left of the Allied line we were spread out on a north to south line on Ault. We observed a German scout vehicle on the far ridge some 8-900 yards away. It was easy to spot them because all the ground cover had been burned away. The area looked as though it had recently been on fire and smelled like scorched earth. Every man that took a knee or brushed against a tree became marked with soot. We were ordered to push across the expanse into contact. We pushed through trees and across open fields until finally we came into a stand of trees, which we could see Germans moving. We pushed them through the trees and back to their lines at which time we discovered that they had a half-track hidden and it began to fire on us. We returned fire and lost a few men before beating a hasty retreat back across the expanse to our former positions on Ault. It was at this time that we realized that the German half-track was moving towards our position. We sought refuge in the woods east of Ault and found good fighting positions to make our stand. I was ordered to take my squad down the hill farther east and attempt to flank the half-track. We made our way through the woods, sneaky peat style, and found a position to lie in and waited. We could hear the half-track moving up and down the road. We got up to move again and made it 50 feet before we were ambushed by Germans that had disembarked from the half-track with the same idea we had. The Germans surprised us and we began to make our way back to the other squad. Found the other squad already engaged and was ordered to make another attempt at flanking the track. I did as I was ordered and we encountered the Germans once again and managed to kill all of them and take one prisoner, which I returned for interrogation by our XO, Lt. Smith. Upon returning I saw that a good portion of our platoon had been KIA from the half-track but that the track had not breeched our position. Pvt. Romestan and T-5 Penix met a similar doom when they stumbled upon a skunk, the sight of which forced them to move into the line of fire. With the enemy repulsed and our numbers back to strength we moved back to our position along the road and met up with Capt. Felmlee. He informed us that we were in a stand down for the time being and that we could relax. We all huddled around the jeep and did not hear that events had begun again. It was at this time that we saw the all too familiar German half-track, supported by infantry and a tank, moving toward our position. We made a hasty defense and returned fire but it was not enough. Our forces were overrun and we were all slaughtered like cattle. Sgt. Bertone and his men flanked the half track and German infantry to redeem our loses. Once our Lazarus moments had passed we made our way back to back to Estroy to await transport back to the rear and a nice hot shower. On the ride back we were regaled by men who had seen the bridge at Remagan blown up “like fuckin fireworks”. They were good storytellers…
After the buses dropped us off to our barracks, we hanged our soggy wet jackets, scraped our muddy boots, and cleaned our rifles. A few of the new recruits needed help taking apart their rifles and had some valuable lessons learned that the up-rod spring has to come out first before you can take out the pin assembly of an M1 Garand.
It wasn't long before we had to get ready for our award ceremony before going out to dinner. So we put on dry, clean uniforms and awarded 5 new recruits the "Parachute Infantry Badge". Normally a symbol of completion of "Jump School", we as Living historian and Airborne Reenactor, use it as a symbol of honor and the culmination of the same training, demeanor and tactics that our WWII Airborne veterans employed in midst of battle during the war.
The next morning came quickly as most of us had stayed up to near midnight regaling each other with stories from the day just past. We ate chow, which consisted of the same menu, and the same food as the day before, and geared up to await transportation to the training area. The weather proved to be more of the same although the rain did not start until we had been in the field for some thirty minutes. Our initial task was rear security, which was not our idea. We formed a line of defense on a hill in a 180-degree semi circle area, covering an area around 200 yards wide. From this vantage point we had command over the entire valley and could easily see any movement to our immediate front, right, and limited left. We maintained this position until 1100, at which time we were tasked to move down the hill at our front towards the enemy that could be seen moving through the trees and underbrush. We moved twenty yards and began to fire, which sent the German raiding party retreating into the trees. We could see them moving to and fro but they refrained from attacking us. As we sat midway up the hill Bertone’s men moved into a perfect ambush site on our extreme left to await the enemy. We received word to pull back to our original positions before the Germans made any moves. I sent Pvt’s Shiele and Barto to inform Sgt. Bertone of the movement and we began the march back up the hill. Once we reached our original positing we were told to move back down the hill via the road this time, push past Rt. Plante where we were to from a skirmish line and push towards Rt. Ault. We formed up on Jambes and moved southeast towards Plante with Sgt. Bertone leading the way. We reached the bottom of the hill, which was at the top of a ravine. We moved into the ravine at which time a German recon party ambushed us. They were completely camouflaged and took out near 60% of our force. I was at the bottom of the ravine when I was taken out. Luckily the men’s training kicked in and the men of second squad dispatched the remaining Germans. We pushed forward towards Ault in the soggy ground, which was next to a small creek. Upon reaching Rt. Ault we were ordered back into the same positions, which we occupied the day before. Battle lines were formed and we were told to push forward through the woods towards Rt. Oster. I ended up on the extreme left of our line and for a time lost sight of our men. I did come upon a lone soldier in the middle of the woods and wasn’t sure of he was a German sniper until I got closer and realized that he was in fact taking care of “number two business.” Once the awkward conversation was over I moved forward, watching where I stepped, towards Oster. Emerging from the woods we were met by men from another task force involved in fighting the pesky half-track. I did not see any of our men, which worried me but not too bad because they are well trained. I continued to push forward until I saw that my men were held up in a section of woods that the Germans were being stubborn about. We pushed as best we could and almost made it to the German stronghold at Jambes, but were eventually thrown back and ordered to the roadside. I reminded the men about what had happened the day before and not to let their guard down. They held the vigilance and made some coffee. We were all soaked to the bone by now, low on ammo, and ready to head back but I knew we still had some fight left in us. The coffee proved to be magic elixir for the men over the age of 30 and they all had a renewed sense of fight in them. It had been about 45 minutes before we were ordered to move into the woods between Oster and Jambes. This was to be the final attack on the Germans and take their strongpoint. The rain picked up as we began to move out. Drops were hitting us from above and from the side when the wind would pick up but it wasn’t cold. The Kraut bastards were spotted but they had not spotted us yet. Bertone’s men pushed towards their position but were cut down upon reaching the outer most defenses of the objective. We followed, making sure not to take the some route and were met with fierce resistance. It was at this time they dropped the hammer on us and began firing with everything they had including the half-track. Lt. Smith and T-4 Krause were in front of it when it began to fire but were miraculously spared. T-4 Krause pulled the pin on his last grenade and with a laser like accuracy put it right in to the back of the halftrack. With the half-track taken out and their resistance faltering we swarmed over the embankments and took out the rest of those schnitzel-eating pricks. The day had been won, and the 502nd was again on the victorious side. The day being over I was given directions to the rendezvous point and out of every unit present we were the only one to march to the point under cadence, thanks to T-5 Penix. It was a proud moment for all of us!!
Again, Baker Company has shown it tactical prowess and ability to conform to any mission it is given. The effectiveness of a leader is due to the performance of the men under his command. The men of this platoon have repeatedly made the CO, XO, and my job easy. For that I would like to thank each and everyone for the privilege of serving you as the Platoon Sergeant of Baker Company.
Submitted,
Christopher Bauer
SSgt./502nd PIR, 101st ABN
www.airbornereenactors.org
June 8, 2014
Good job all
Thanks to all of the members of the 502nd, Co. B that turned out for our first event at the Knox County Airport D-Day weekend. It looks like there are a number of ways to grow this event. A special thanks to Robb Walters from Atlantic Wall Blanks for pulling this together.
February 20, 2014
History Day in Cleveland needs judges
Western Reserve Historical Society is recruiting new members for their Board of Judges for this year’s District 3 History Day Contest, scheduled to take place in Cleveland’s University Circle on Saturday, March 15th. This year’s contest will center on the theme of “Rights and Responsibilities.”
For those of you new to judging for History Day, it is a valuable experience year-long experience that engages students from area public, private and parochial schools with the study of history in a “science fair” type of atmosphere. The student who goes on to win the National History Day Contest receives a 4-year scholarship to Case Western Reserve University. Please go to www.nhd.org for more information about National History Day.
Volunteering as a History Day judge will entail your presence at the District 3 contest on Saturday, March 15th. Following a brief orientation, teams of three judges will disperse to evaluate student papers, student-constructed websites, performances, documentaries and exhibits at various sites in the Western Reserve Historical Society History Center or on the campus of Case Western Reserve University.
Lunch is provided for judges, during or after which judges finalize their evaluation forms and confer with other teams in their category to select finalists for the state competition. Judges are invited, but not required, to attend the awards program at 2:30 p.m.
If you are interested in participating as a History Day Judge, please complete the form at the following link:
http://www.wrhs.org/explore/Want_Participate_History_Day#for_judges_and_volunteers
Email it to historyday@wrhs.org - Subject Line-HD Judge as soon as possible, preferably by February 28th. We appreciate your consideration in performing this service in the cause of history education.
For those of you new to judging for History Day, it is a valuable experience year-long experience that engages students from area public, private and parochial schools with the study of history in a “science fair” type of atmosphere. The student who goes on to win the National History Day Contest receives a 4-year scholarship to Case Western Reserve University. Please go to www.nhd.org for more information about National History Day.
Volunteering as a History Day judge will entail your presence at the District 3 contest on Saturday, March 15th. Following a brief orientation, teams of three judges will disperse to evaluate student papers, student-constructed websites, performances, documentaries and exhibits at various sites in the Western Reserve Historical Society History Center or on the campus of Case Western Reserve University.
Lunch is provided for judges, during or after which judges finalize their evaluation forms and confer with other teams in their category to select finalists for the state competition. Judges are invited, but not required, to attend the awards program at 2:30 p.m.
If you are interested in participating as a History Day Judge, please complete the form at the following link:
http://www.wrhs.org/explore/Want_Participate_History_Day#for_judges_and_volunteers
Email it to historyday@wrhs.org - Subject Line-HD Judge as soon as possible, preferably by February 28th. We appreciate your consideration in performing this service in the cause of history education.
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