A NAZI Sniper But "He Was Just A Man".. kinda long
I just found this...written awhile back about my Dad, the edit was changing Dick Winters name from where I had by mistake called him Bill, duh. The Pearl post I wrote made me think about this so I looked it up...didnt think about the edit bringing this old thing back up, sorry, but dont like mistakes with important stuff..and getting Dick Winters name correct is important to me. He should have recieved the MOH in IMO
...Looking thru some things today, and found a box Ive not seen in awhile, and of course opened it. Inside were items of a truly all to common war time occurance, WWII to be exact.
...My dad was a simple man, born in Pickten, Texas on a farm, and enlisted with his best friend.
...My dad landed on Utah beach on D-Day. Dick Winters (Band Of Brothers) of the famous 101st had dropped in and paved the way for those who landed on Utah and knocked out the German 88's that had Utah targeted; which kept casulaties way down, maybe saving my Father.
...My Father was a sniper, 03 with a LONG scope. As the war dragged on and my Father fought his way thru several countries. He was shot, bayoneted, and recieved shrapnel and concussion wounds as he slogged his way forward from village to town. He recieved 3 Purple Hearts, two Bronze Stars (V) and a Silver Star, and as many medal recipients; "ahh, just doing my job, others did more".
...He ended up in the the Ardennes. When the unexspected massive German Offensive began, chaos reigned. My dad was assigned as a sniper to go "hunt and kill" a German sniper that was taking out Americans as they were trying to retreat in the initial German onslaught.
...Dad spent all night, and half a day working his way up to where he thought the sniper was. Dad said he finally caught a slight glint in a tree about 200 yards away; he thought to himself, "trees don't glint"...it was a split second reflection off the Germans scope lens.
Though dad could not see the german, he had been thru this similar situation all too often. He did his job, and out tumbled the German from the tree.
...Dad went over to make sure he was no longer a threat. The German was still alive when he got to him. To dad's surprise, the German spoke perfect english. Seems before the war, the German had attended Harvard, or maybe Yale, I forget now, one of the two.
The German told my dad that Hitler was a mad man and the war was lost. He asked my dad to take his wallet and after the war was over to try and get it to the proper authorities to get it back to his wife.
The German then said "we know you Americans are low on all materials, take from me what you need, I wont need it".
So my dad needed a cleaning chain, a bayonet, and these he took.
The German then said "please take the rosary from my neck and keep it". My dad said "why"? The German replied "because when the war is over and you are home again, if you ever get to thinking about killing me and it bothers you; take the rosary out and think about this". "If I had seen you first, I would have killed you, it is my job". The German then died.
...Dad, as any soldier that actual was in combat did not relate many stories to me, just a few. When he told me this one years ago, I ask him how he felt about killing this particular German soldier, being how it played out and the guy spoke perfect english; and died with my dad holding him. I asked if it bothered him much, he said "a little". At 14-15 years old at the time I said heck he was killing Americans and was a Nazi Sniper, he replied..."He was just a man"....
...Here is what was in the box I opened today that reminded me of this event. German K-98 bore cleaning barrel chain, J. Appel 1938.
K-98 bayonet, and a rosary...
...Battle Of The Bulge Facts:
BATTLE FACTS
? The coldest, snowiest weather "in memory" in the Ardennes Forest on the German/Belgium border.
? Over a million men, 500,000 Germans, 600,000 Americans (more than fought at Gettysburg) and 55,000 British.
? 3 German armies, 10 corps, the equivalent of 29 divisions.
? 3 American armies, 6 corps, the equivalent of 31 divisions.
? The equivalent of 3 British divisions as well as contingents of Belgian, Canadian and French troops.
? 100,000 German casualties, killed, wounded or captured.
? 81,000 American casualties, including 23,554 captured and 19,000 killed.
? 1,400 British casualties 200 killed.
? 800 tanks lost on each side, 1,000 German aircraft.
? The Malmedy Massacre, where 86 American soldiers were murdered, was the worst atrocity committed against American troops during the course of the war in Europe.
? My division, the 106th Infantry Division, average age of 22 years, suffered 564 killed in action, 1,246 wounded and 7,001 missing in action at the end of the offensive. Most of these casualties occurred within the first three days of battle, when two of the division's three regiments was forced to surrender.
? In it's entirety, the "Battle of the Bulge," was the worst battles- in terms of losses - to the American Forces in WWII.
...Looking thru some things today, and found a box Ive not seen in awhile, and of course opened it. Inside were items of a truly all to common war time occurance, WWII to be exact.
...My dad was a simple man, born in Pickten, Texas on a farm, and enlisted with his best friend.
...My dad landed on Utah beach on D-Day. Dick Winters (Band Of Brothers) of the famous 101st had dropped in and paved the way for those who landed on Utah and knocked out the German 88's that had Utah targeted; which kept casulaties way down, maybe saving my Father.
...My Father was a sniper, 03 with a LONG scope. As the war dragged on and my Father fought his way thru several countries. He was shot, bayoneted, and recieved shrapnel and concussion wounds as he slogged his way forward from village to town. He recieved 3 Purple Hearts, two Bronze Stars (V) and a Silver Star, and as many medal recipients; "ahh, just doing my job, others did more".
...He ended up in the the Ardennes. When the unexspected massive German Offensive began, chaos reigned. My dad was assigned as a sniper to go "hunt and kill" a German sniper that was taking out Americans as they were trying to retreat in the initial German onslaught.
...Dad spent all night, and half a day working his way up to where he thought the sniper was. Dad said he finally caught a slight glint in a tree about 200 yards away; he thought to himself, "trees don't glint"...it was a split second reflection off the Germans scope lens.
Though dad could not see the german, he had been thru this similar situation all too often. He did his job, and out tumbled the German from the tree.
...Dad went over to make sure he was no longer a threat. The German was still alive when he got to him. To dad's surprise, the German spoke perfect english. Seems before the war, the German had attended Harvard, or maybe Yale, I forget now, one of the two.
The German told my dad that Hitler was a mad man and the war was lost. He asked my dad to take his wallet and after the war was over to try and get it to the proper authorities to get it back to his wife.
The German then said "we know you Americans are low on all materials, take from me what you need, I wont need it".
So my dad needed a cleaning chain, a bayonet, and these he took.
The German then said "please take the rosary from my neck and keep it". My dad said "why"? The German replied "because when the war is over and you are home again, if you ever get to thinking about killing me and it bothers you; take the rosary out and think about this". "If I had seen you first, I would have killed you, it is my job". The German then died.
...Dad, as any soldier that actual was in combat did not relate many stories to me, just a few. When he told me this one years ago, I ask him how he felt about killing this particular German soldier, being how it played out and the guy spoke perfect english; and died with my dad holding him. I asked if it bothered him much, he said "a little". At 14-15 years old at the time I said heck he was killing Americans and was a Nazi Sniper, he replied..."He was just a man"....
...Here is what was in the box I opened today that reminded me of this event. German K-98 bore cleaning barrel chain, J. Appel 1938.
K-98 bayonet, and a rosary...
...Battle Of The Bulge Facts:
BATTLE FACTS
? The coldest, snowiest weather "in memory" in the Ardennes Forest on the German/Belgium border.
? Over a million men, 500,000 Germans, 600,000 Americans (more than fought at Gettysburg) and 55,000 British.
? 3 German armies, 10 corps, the equivalent of 29 divisions.
? 3 American armies, 6 corps, the equivalent of 31 divisions.
? The equivalent of 3 British divisions as well as contingents of Belgian, Canadian and French troops.
? 100,000 German casualties, killed, wounded or captured.
? 81,000 American casualties, including 23,554 captured and 19,000 killed.
? 1,400 British casualties 200 killed.
? 800 tanks lost on each side, 1,000 German aircraft.
? The Malmedy Massacre, where 86 American soldiers were murdered, was the worst atrocity committed against American troops during the course of the war in Europe.
? My division, the 106th Infantry Division, average age of 22 years, suffered 564 killed in action, 1,246 wounded and 7,001 missing in action at the end of the offensive. Most of these casualties occurred within the first three days of battle, when two of the division's three regiments was forced to surrender.
? In it's entirety, the "Battle of the Bulge," was the worst battles- in terms of losses - to the American Forces in WWII.
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Thanks for the story...Your father was a true American Hero. 0 -
Thanks for the story. Stirred some emotions here thinking about my dad.
We will never know what our fathers went through, or any other serviceman for that matter.
My dad was Co A , 146th Combat Engineers in WW2. He also made the Omaha landing and the Ardennes. He also got The Purple Heart and Bronze Star, and the 146th received 2 unit citations.
He would very rarely talk about his service time. I have found out more about him since he passed in 1987, than when he was living.
http://www.146thecbwwii.org/
Again Thanks...
Tomorrow is D-Day June 60 -
What your dad went through is something that most of us will never have to do. Your father has more balls then 99.9% of the folks on this board, myself included. Thank you!! 0 -
Brought back memories, an uncle I never had a chance to meet was killed at the Battle of the Bulge. 0 -
That is the tragedy of war - people kill or ar killed who would otherwise live out their lives not bothering another soul.
But sometimes it has to be done.
We all owe your father and men like him a debt of gratitude that can likely never be repaid.0 -
...Yeah, it got me thinking about my dad too, died in 87...and D-Day tomorrow which sadly MANY of the younger generation haven't a clue! Nor the unimaginable hell these guys went thru, very sad, and also makes me angry. Thanks ya'll...I always thought of him as a hero...[;)] 0 -
Great story. I wish my Mom's dad had lived long enough for me to really appreciate what he went through in WW2. I was 10 when he died. He was a 1LT. with the 69th Tank Battalion/6th Armored division. He was awarded the Silver Star and Purple Heart at St.Lo. He fought at the breakout of Normandy, the Brittany Campaign, and at the Bulge. I have a huge collection of old black and whites that he brought home. Most of them are of Buchenwald Concentration Camp (The 6th A.D. liberated it). I also have his service Remington Rand 1911, A 1915 Lugar, a P-38, his medals with accompening paperwork. After going thru his old papers I found that he enlisted nearly a year before Pearl Harbor and was commisioned an officer at Ft. Knox in 1943 (That's where he met my Grandma). His brother fought in North Africa, my dad's dad flew 2 tours with the 379th Bomb Group (I have his bomber jacket with the names of the targets they bombed), and his brother was a radio operator in C-47's and flew paratroopers in Sicliy, Normandy, and Holland. Makes me DANG proud of my heritage. 0 -
amazing story. really makes you think about life. 0 -
Yea, good story. My Dad didn't say what bothered him about 4 years in the Army in the Pacific during WW11 but would only say "I done some things that I'm not to proud of". Now he is gone so I guess I'll never know exactly what bothered him. 0 -
Thanks for sharing dad's story 0 -
quote:Originally posted by BT3
Yea, good story. My Dad didn't say what bothered him about 4 years in the Army in the Pacific during WW11 but would only say "I done some things that I'm not to proud of". Now he is gone so I guess I'll never know exactly what bothered him.
Don't think anything less of him...war is not pretty. I don't know what circumstances he's "not proud of", but combat can weigh heavy on the soul.0 -
Thanks for sharing that story, it shows the bitter sadness of war! Freedom isn't cheap, the cost is very high and many of us have avoided the cost due to the fact that our fathers, uncles and grandfathers fought so we could enjoy the fruits of freedom. 0 -
Very moving story, especially since tomorrow is the D-Day anniversery. Thanks for sharing. Your Dad has my heartfelt thanks. 0 -
thanks for the story 0 -
wrench...some very nice memrobillia, with a lot of sentmental value attached.I have quite a few pics too. A 1917 ( I think) Artillary (LONG barrel) luger that dad brought back. He got it from a Russian lady tank driver!
Most the rifleing is gone as he got ton of ammo with it and as him and his buddies hitched a ride on a tank (a treat!) they pot shotted anything and everthing as they rode. Said that when he laid it down in the snow that was covering the tank the barrel sizzled, hot hot...[:D]0 -
Neither one of my Grandpa's liked talking about their experiences. Mom's dad used to alway's have nightmares but would never tell us what they were about. We thought it was about what he saw during the war. My dad's dad usually changes the subject to his Air Force career after WW2. In my opinion that was the last GREAT generation. The baby boomer's and succeeding generations are spoiled and have never seen what hardship is. Our great country was a totaly different place prior to WW2. 0 -
...yeah my dad had nightmares all his life up until he died at 72...[V]
...He shared about a dozen stories with me was all. When I got classified 1A in 68, which meant you were prime meat, and as good as gone; he offered to pay my way to Canada, and set me up, and made sure I had what I needed to live there. Comming from him, THAT amazed me and it also told me how he felt about war and how much he did not want me to go. I told him no, that I could not live with myself if I did that, a "guy" thing I guess...[;)]0 -
Colt,
That is an incredible story. Thanks for sharing.0 -
When I decided to join the military in '87 my grandma tried talking me out of it. She tried bribing me and when that didn't work she just quit talking to me for awhile. She just equated all military service to what my grandpa had to go through. I didn't understand back then but I think I do now. 0 -
Thank you. 0 -
Thank you for sharing that story, Colt. 0 -
Damn it Colt you almost made me cry at work. Great story. Your father was a true American Hero. If you haven't already you should print out the story and keep it with the the other memorabilia so that the story is not lost. Thank you for sharing this memory. 0 -
Reminds me of a story I heard from a WWII vet. He was clearing a room and encountered a Nazi officer who was wounded, but still very conscious. When the Nazi saw the GI, he quickly reached inside his tunic with his right hand. Instinctively, the GI pumped four rounds from his Garand into the Nazi's chest, killing him instantly. As the Nazi died, his hand came out from under his tunic. Clutched in his hand was a picture of a woman and a little girl. 0 -
best post. ever. [^] 0 -
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Doug0 -
Excellent post.
People are people even if they're trying to kill you.
Anytime anything like this comes up I am reminded of that part of "Saving Private Ryan" where a journalist embedded with the unit convinces the others to let a German go only to see him a few days later shooting Americans again.
IIRC, the journalist ends up killing the German himself.
It ain't over until the bullets stop flying and you won't survive if you don't play it accordingly.0
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