Winsor War Notes-Luther Snow Winsor's WW II experiences

Dec 31, Traverse Recognizance   to Bras-Haut near St. Hubert (German Held) Cold, snowing-working around 87th Division ? 105's, 75's, Cameron led us to Libramont Staying in school House on tile floor.

New Year's Eve and we were geographically in almost the same place we had been on December 20. The difference was that we were advancing, not retreating. The VIII Corps offensive was progressing. Rochefort, at the tip of the German salient, was recaptured by American Third Army troops. A day of survey took us from the Recogne road junction to within five kilometers of St. Hubert. That night we moved into a schoolhouse in Libramont. There was a stove but as usual, no lights. Libramont had been bombed often in the past week or so. The old year ended, not with a bang but a whimper in my diary: "My feet are finally beginning to feel the effects of prolonged cold. My toes hurt whenever my feet warm up. Quite a New Year's Eve. Dead tired and no cognac. I should think of something more worthwhile to say, but am too exhausted to do much more than stare stupidly into the gasoline lamp on the table before me." Our battalion was luckier than most. Since landing in France in mid

The VIII Corps opened an offensive along a line between St. Hubert and Bastogne and made good progress during the first day. The enemy counteroffensive apparently had stopped at all points. we surveyed on the main highway from Neufchateau to the Recogne road junction and from there down the highway to Bouillon and Sedan, and we stayed all night in Petitvoir again. Our family treated us to cocoa. Interactive Map

Dec 30 Cold, overcast-Long traverse on Hwy near Neuvillers. Knocked out Nazi personnel carrier by tree road block. Hit shortly after we left the place on Dec. 21st. Brought record player to house in Petitvoir-  'Praise the Lord & Pass the Ammunition' The ink spots in "Every night about this time" Had some hot chocolate.  Emile-18, Jon-o-5, Nellie 16 1/2 Marilu -this last probably a reference to the children of the house where they were staying who likely enjoyed the hot chocolate and music, a respite from the tensions of the war.  To hear "Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition" With WWII still photos   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHUFiG1YBwc To hear the Ink Spots 'Every Night About This Time"    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1taGXi8bJ4

Neufchateau at the bottom of the solid red bulge Dec 29 Just started Triangulation when C.S.M.O. came up-convoy with SIL to Petivoir. Sun AZ ( azimuth ) & traverse connection-cold as the north pole. Took star AZ. at 20:00- Slept in home in Petitvoir near Neufchateau- 109th Infantry. od 28th's "bucket of blood" division here Azimuth Wickipedia: In land navigation,  azimuth  is usually denoted alpha, α, and defined as a horizontal angle measured clockwise from a north base line or meridian.  Azimuth  has also been more generally defined as a horizontal angle measured clockwise from any fixed reference plane or easily established base direction line. Wickipedia: The  28th Infantry Division  ("Keystone") [1]  is a unit of the  Army National Guard  and is the oldest division-sized unit in the  armed forces  of the United States. [2] [3]  Some of the units of the division can trace their lineage to Benjamin Franklin's battal

Dec. 28th Couldn't work, too foggy. Cleaned up, etc. Fried Chicken for supper Nice warm room. Got package from mom-fruit cake, salami, peanut brittle, deviled meat, tuna, soap, toothpaste, socks, picture of Pat & Jannie. Best night's sleep since the big retreat.

Cliff Hope: Friday, 29 December We moved west to Petitvoir, a village west of Neufchateau. The III Corps had begun to consolidate its gains along the Belgium-Luxembourg border, and the VIII Corps was preparing an offensive to retake St. Hubert and the area to the northeast. Our battalion was switched from the III Corps and returned to VIII. Survey parties went out for triangulation west of the Bastogne highway in the morning but soon were called back. In the afternoon we went through Fauvillers to Neufchateau, doing Triangulation near Tourney and returning to Petitvoir for the night. I was rodman for "shooting Polaris" in the evening. I never did understand why we "shot Polaris" with the transit periodically. All I knew was it seemed to happen on clear and very cold nights. After an hour on guard duty, I joined five others to spend the night in the living room of a house occupied by a nice family with three children.

The enemy advance was being contained along the entire front. The Americans recaptured Echternach and surrounded a Nazi Panzer column near Calles. The Germans were seriously hampered by a lack of gasoline. Our survey parties went out in the morning to continue work in the general direction of Bastogne, but we came in before long because of the dense fog. B Battery managed to survey in four microphones on their new sound base. Our survey group moved into a house in which Bruno and I shared a beautiful bed in a very cold room. Reading the most current copies of Stars and Stripes, I learned that all the places to which we had retreated up to Matton in France were now in German hands. I ended the day by writing to my parents and Irene. There wasn't a lot I could write about, but I let them know "my hatred toward the Germans increases hourly." I had trouble writing as my ink was half-frozen. "Those Kiplinger predictions on the end of the war certainly were wacky; I

Dec. 27th - Survey continues. Two jeep loads of prisoners came by-several were girls in regular German clothes. Turkey dinner last night gave me a slight dose of G.I.'s. Btry of 105's mounted on tank chassis fired below us- Town on east in flames. C-47 sky train wheeling over Bastogne in distance. (Did yesterday) 30 planes. Slept in attic above C.P. Had two stoves up there. Had crazy dream--- Thought I was married to Jerry Hill. Marilu- The Hill's were cousins, so maybe Jerry is a cousin? There was an air drop of supplies to the surrounded troops at Bastogne mentioned and described in Cliff Hope's account of this day. 

Cliff Hope Wednesday, December 27th The official word on this date had the Allied air forces continuing to inglic heavy losses on the enemy forces. The Germans were making very little headway in pressing toward Liege. The 4thArmored Division finally broke into Bastogne to relieve the isolated 101st Airborne Division. Watching supplies dropped to Bastogne and taking a sponge bath were the highlights of the day for me. One hundred and thirty C47s, in three formations, dropped supplies over a period of a half-hour. It was something to see. Our survey parties went out late in the morning after taking a tour of the slate works building. In the basement we discovered two Mercedes Benzes and a Packard with red leather seats. We continued to survey on the road to Bastogne then moved off to the west beyond Warnach for triangulation. triangulation. "I don't mind saying," I confided to the diary, "that I was a little uneasy on the hilltops as P47s were overhead again and a

Dec 26 Survey on Arlon Bastogne Highway North of Martelange- 4th armored tanks, t-ds & half tracks ot clustered on hillside-eight P 47's & liaison plane came over. Two peeled off and bombed and strafed the area. Hope was on hill top as one let go with 4 bombs 100 yards below him. Three stations on further they were taking the remains of one GI from the wreckage of a direct hit on a trailer. He was blackened-another boy had an arm blown off. The 2 P 47's were manned by Germans & they sneaked into our formation- I ducked behind road bank while machine guns opened up. They came back later while we were at last station. Old man gave Peltz R.A. by cutting communications wire- Slept in general offices of a big slate mill in Ober-Martelange- Martelange is visible on the lower curve of the small dotted line as it intersects the boundary line of Luxembourg.

Cliff Hope: Tuesday, December 26th The deepest German penetration into Belgium was stopped four miles from the Meuse River opposite Dinant. The counteroffensive of the American III Corps on the southern flank of the German salient progressed excellently. It appeared that relief was in sight for the beleaguered American garrison at Bastogne. We left the magnificence of our chateau for the cold, crisp outdoors. A light snow covered the ground. We began survey at Martelange on the road to Arlon until we met Be Battery survey parties, and then took off on the road to Bastogne. I was set up with the front rod on a hilltop with anti-aircraft half-tracks below me when two Jerry-manned P-47s began a bombing and strafing attack. A bomb dropped on a hilltop about four hundred yards away, throwing earth two hundred feet in the air. It wrecked a trailer, killed one man, and wounded several others. I was sure the Jerry would be over on our hill next and was damned sure I'd be a goner. But b

Dec. 25th Traverse to Many bombers etc. overhead- Several shot down by enemy flack. Moved to magnificent mansion in Redange (Redingen) Paintings, china, pottery, cabinet work, etc. worth over half a million. Acres and acres of grounds Thirty bags of packages & mail . Swell Christmas present-officers brought around liquor rations-took a shot of Lt. Tyler's "White Horse". Washed, shaved & sponge bath in kitchen- Sat in front of fireplace writing letters & eating fruit cake. Marilu : Half a million in 1944 would equal 7,304,594.00 in today's dollars.  As to Lu's Christmas shot of Scotch whiskey, I'm inclined to be generous with him on that one. He was 24 years old in the middle of the biggest battle of the war with a wife and baby back home. Around the fire in this mansion on Christmas Day he joined his buddies in their celebration. I only know of one other occasion he might have had a drink, and both times it was in a social si

Christmas Day 1944 My Dear son, Luther, Yesterday evening I was greatly relieved to receive your letter of December 6 postmarked December 9. It was written before the big push really began. I have been terribly anxious because you are somewhere in the area where the enemy struck back with such power. Your letters have been coming through so regularly and in such short time it seems strange that mine should require so much time to reach you. I haven't had much heart for this Christmas especially when I was forced to think of you in your present situation. Today it is reported that they have bypassed at least a portion of the first Army. Just what that means we can only guess-we who are so far removed from the actual scene of action. The enemy seems to have plenty of punch left in him yet. Of course we have realized that it would be plenty tough as our boys have pushed further into enemy territory. All I can do is wait and pray for your success and safety. I'm

Interactive Timeline and Maps Interactive Map for 12/25/44 This vintage postcard posted on a German site for sale may well be the Villa/Chateau Lu and his buddies stayed in on Christmas. If not, it is from the same area.  Dec 25th 1944 Dearest Mom, Just a note to let you know I'm safe well and happy. I'll write again soon but right now my eyelids are drooping. Leona can tell you about the beautiful mansion I'm staying in for the night. I just finished another V-Mail to her. Christmas turned out pretty nice after all. A beautiful home to sleep in, a chance to wash and shave and to top it off, thirty bags of mail-mostly Christmas packages came in so we're all eating fruit cake, candy, etc. and toasting our chins in front of a roaring fire in the fireplace. I got a letter from Leona (Dec. 1) but I guess any packages etc. will come soon. Mom, I certainly wish you could see this place. The paintings themselves would make you love the place. A

Dec. 24 '44 Triangulation to B.M. about 12 German Messcherschmitts strafed area around 561st. AAA half tracks fired on them several hits-not vital- Warmed up in Belgian home- Back to Operpallen to sleep in nice home-pretty gal there too. The Messerschmitt Bf 109 is a German World War II fighter aircraft that was, along with the Focke-Wulf Fw 190, the backbone of the Luftwaffe's fighter force.

German Messerschmidt From Lu's Scrapbook Cliff Hope: The Third Army counteroffensive continued to make good progress north and occupied several towns. On the northern flank of the German drive, however, St. Vith fell to the Nazis. Morning in Oberpallen found us out on triangulation survey near Ospern to the benchmark beyond. A German patrol of six men was brought in from the woods near the benchmark soon after we got there. Two Messerschmidts strafed the 561st Field Artillery battalion on the west edge of Ospern near us, but no casualties or damage were caused. There was plenty of machine gun fire around us. At some point during the day, we went into a house and took over the dining room for awhile to get warm, then seven of us went back to the house where Bruno and I had washed the night before. All of us got to wash with hot water, quite a treat for Christmas Eve. Okie's rejoining us was another cause for rejoicing. He had been on KP at VIII rest camp at

Interactive map 12/23/44 Dec 23 Surveyed loop North of Rodange past 561st Long Toms placed with trails right by Hwy. All kinds of Bombers & fighters passing overhead. Weather clear & crystal cold-snow on ground-Planes left weird vapor trails in sky. P47s roared close to us. P-51 looked us over (close to front lines with no identification panel) Talked with boys from 288th FOB-their first mission overseas today. 4th armored & YD (26th) strong in this sector- First time we've been advancing since the 16th of Dec. Back for chow & sleep in hay loft in Oberpallen 5 KM from Arlon. General Patton in Arlon today- 4th armored boys say picher is on. (??) The 155 mm Gun M1 was a 155 millimeter caliber field gun developed and used by the United States military. Nicknamed "Long Tom", it was produced in M1 and M2 variants, later known as the M59.   George Patton

Interactive timeline and maps Interactive map 12/23/44 Battalion History:  "The unit again was committed to combat." That entry was made on the 23rd, and everyone who has read it wonders what in Hell we were doing from the 16th on, if it wasn't combat! Five survey parties carried corps artillery control in the Nagem, Luxembourg, area during the day, and the battalion moved, in the late afternoon, to Oberpallen, Luxembourg. The battalion stayed at Oberpallen on Christmas Eve. Able also was in Oberpallen, and Baker was in Ouirsch, Belgium, where they took over an immense chateau. St Vith Fell ( to the enemy) . On a cheerless Christmas day, A Battery moved to Hostert-les-Folschette Luxembourg, and B Battery moved to Rambrouche, Belgium. Battalion moved to Rodanges Attert. Cliff Hope from his book: Rehabilitated, the battalion was once again committed to combat. Five battalion survey parties, two from Headquarters, two from B and one from A, went out to s

Dec 22  -Hot "Cs" for breakfast. Raining. Shaved out in rain. Made Hot cocoa from "D" ration. Convoyed out late in afternoon-Freezing cold- snow on ground further on- Went through west end of Arlon lat in evening- Arrived Selange at 9:30 PM. Slept in bowling alley by caffe Gross & boys sang & raised hell til 2:30 AM on beer & cognac. Robinson pissed on floor by Anfuso- Walker (1st Sgt.) too drunk to walk his guard-

Friday, 22 December Retreating into France wasn't as dramatic as it sounded. Matton was barely across the border, southwest of Florenville. It was raining when we awoke in Matton. Captain Carter gave us an orientation lecture on all available reports on the situation. The enemy was still unchecked, although the flanks of the line still held firm. St. Vith was still held. Bastogne was cut off. Units of the III Corps under General Patton's third army had started a counteroffensive to reache the isolated units still holding Bastogne. It was still hoped that the 101st Airborne Division there could manage to fight its way out. Three fourths of southern Luxembourg was overrun. The battalion spent the day taking equipment inventory and preparing lists of shortages. All vehicles were checked and repaired. Out outfit moved at dusk in convoy through Florenville east on the main road to Arlon and then turned off on a side road to Selange, nine kilometers south of Arlon. We arrived

Interactive map 12/21/44 Dec. 21 Slept till 07:30-All the sleep I've had in 2 1/2 days. Out to survey at 01:45-No soap ( means the same as no luck)- Just got in 6 stations NW out of Libermont when C.S.M.O. rejoined H. Q. Btry Convoy through gas dump thence to Manton- T.D. Col. reported to have pulled all his rank to keep outfits fighting for Libermont- Slept in Monton City Hall in attic. Guard 0200 to 03:30 Lu, in Ray Hight's book: On December 21, after we were out of the bulge and had gone down into France to regroup, our mail caught up with us. It had been three weeks, and it was a wonderful Christmas Present!Letters from home, including those from my mother and Leona, boosted my morale, and I was especially pleased to read about Lynne. My dad, still in Iran, could send his mail out of the American embassy in Teheran, as well as the APO, so we could exchange letters faster than those going to and coming from the States.