Subject: This day in 1944: Hunger, frostbite, gangrene
From: Joe Osman
Date: 12/22/03 11:31 AM Pacific Standard Time
Message-id:

"Bjørnar Bolsøy" wrote:

(ArtKramr) wrote in
:
Subject: This day in 1944: Hunger, frostbite, gangrene
From: "James Linn"
Date: 12/22/03 7:24 AM Pacific Standard Time
Message-id:

I watched a documentary recently on the 1st Canadian Paras. They
had trained with the 101st in the US(and with the British as
well).

They were plugged into the north side of the line at Bastogne,
and one of the interviewed vets complained that they wanted to
stage a breakthrough to Bastogne as they were about 15 miles
north, but were told that Patton would have the honours. As
brave as that desire was to help their friends, it was possibly
much wiser to let an amoured division breakthrough than to push
a lightly armed para division in, one that didn't have proper
winter equipment, armour or sufficient arty(gee that sounds like
the Canadian armed forces of today).

James Linn



Sound like if the 1st Paras had broken through they would just
be trapped in Bastogne with the 101st. The better part of valor.
(sigh)

Regards,

What kind of temperature were those guys facing, and what type
of winter clothing did they have?

Regards...


+
The winter of 1944 was the worst in 50 years in Europe.

Joe


Exactly. Iwas never so cold in my life and shiver when I just think of it.

Arthur Kramer
344th BG 494th BS
England, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany
Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer