Contacting the Russians

 

 

    On Apr. 22., the third platoon of I Co. was sent on a patrol to try to contact the Russians. They crossed the Mulde river which was the line we were supposed to stop at, and went about 15 miles. I was held back because I was leaving to go to England and the CO didn't want me taking a chance on being killed or wouldn't and ruining my trip.

    All that day I was going up to the Co. CP to find out how the platoon was doing. they were in contact by radio. After 6 or 8 trips the CO said, why don't  you stay here on the radio instead of running back and forth. They returned late that afternoon without  finding any Russians. They did bring a number of German soldiers back to surrender to the Americans. Many of these ask to be able to join the Americans and fight the Russians. They were certain we would not allow the Russians to take over.

     They were also deathly afraid of what would happen to them if the Russians got them. This was typical all across our lines. We got strict orders not to let this occur. We had a 24 hour watch on the bridge to stop anyone from coming across. Early morning of the 24th. , another patrol was to be sent out. This time I said I was going with them. I guess the CO was so tired of me bothering him about where and how the platoon was making out the day before, he relented.

    This patrol was made up of the third platoon, two tanks a radio man and a machine gun squad. Our destination was Wittenberg, about 35 miles beyond the line and about the same distance from there to Berlin. We passed thousands of German soldiers heading toward the American side. We arrived at Wittenberg and looked for a place to set up our CP. I stopped at a large, very good looking home and knocked on the door. A well dressed man came to the door and said He was a doctor. I said I was looking for a place to set up the CP. He gave me directions to a place. When I got there , it was a concentration Camp. I t made me sick to see what was there.

    The whole very large 1st floor was completely filled up with double bunks with hardly a space to go between them. By then the Lt. had found a good place. He was driving an American Cadillac. He told me to get a car and we would split up the men and place them around the perimeter of the town in twos. I went back to the Doctors house and said give me the keys to that Ford. I started to complain, but gave me the keys .

    I then told him to get a few people and scrape together some water and any food he could find and take it to the concentration camp and help and give some food them. I would check later and if it wasn't being done I would have him hung. The people were coming in mass and asking questions, mostly if we were going to occupy the town. That would make them very happy.

    The Lt. said come with me, we went up to the city hall and the Lt went in and said to the Burgomaster, I'll give you 20 minutes to get these people off the streets. We left and did some searching. A half hour later we went back to city hall. The Burgomaster was sitting in his chair and people were still all over the place. The Lt. grabbed the Mayor by jacket and hauled him out of the chair. There was what I think was a clerk near by. He told the Mayor he was no longer the Burgomaster and said to the clerk, can you get these people off of the street in 20 minutes. The clerk said yes sir and saluted him.

    He then told him he was the new Burgomaster proceeded to kick him out of the office and I better not see you anywhere around here again. We went patrolling and about an hour later we came back to city hall. there was not one person on the street. It was about 6:00 o'clock when i got to our CP. I hadn't seen it before.

    The minute I walked in a very grand looking lady came toward me and introduced herself to me. She told me she was a  Correspondent for the London Office of the Chicago Tribune, and got caught up in Wittenberg and couldn't get out. I looked around and everything I saw was money. Expensive furniture, drapes ,paintings  and on the table there was a setup of unbelievable food. sandwiches, cake, fruit, scotch and other whiskey and wine.

    Two of the guys came up with two cases of beer and ask to go back with me. We left, and it certainly was much more comfortable than sitting on the tank. However, can you imagine me driving a Ford between two Sherman tanks. This was still war time so no lites. Just the cats eyes on the tanks. I had trouble seeing the tank in front of me, I wasn't worried about that one but I sure worried about the rumbling tank behind me.  He could have rolled over the top of me before he realized. We made it back OK and we would be off to England in the morning.