Corporal Joe Negri (32905647) wrote many stories after the war describing life on the frontline. His daughter Karen analyses and cross-refers them with other records and her latest breakthrough is described here.
Joe's stories are entertaining but their real significance is as primary narrative material for the squadron’s history. We can trust them as genuine because they match known events from the original record. No one captured better the reality of the reconnaissance role in WW2, with all its confusion, fear, tragedy and occasional absurdity, than Joseph Negri.
In this story, which Joe titled 'Lost', he describes his patrol coming under fire and the wounding of his Troop A comrade Corporal Thomas Masi (15324867).
Note: In this account, Joe Negri refers to the incident as having taken place in Germany. The After Action Report places these events around Rocroi and Charleville in the French Ardennes, on September 3 1944. As this recollection was written many years after the war, some mixing of locations is understandable and the events themselves correspond closely with the official record. Joe also recalls his comrade's name as 'Maisie' and his rank as Pfc. We preserve Joe's account exactly as written, including the inevitable blurring of memories finally recorded long after the war.
With thanks to Karen Farrell for piecing this story together. It begins with Joe's post-war telling of the story.
LOST
I remember the time our squad of three jeeps and nine men got lost in Germany. We were descending a small mountain in convoy, when suddenly we realized there was nobody in front, or behind us. Oops!
Now you know why I never made Sergeant. The next step up was Point Sergeant, and we all know what point means. He’s the Canary pulling the wet noodle and leading the forward progress. Yes, I was asked, and I said to give it to Gung Ho. I prefer playing follow the leader. Now our leader was uncertain as to what to do. We had come down from the mountain and were driving along the side of a river when a burst of machine gunfire convinced him to change directions. Why? Because somebody across the river didn’t like us.
In battle, there is nothing more disheartening than to encounter the unexpected. So, the Sarge decided that a retreat was in our best interest. The order was given and our driver, Pfc. Maisie, started to turn the jeep around while making a u-turn. The back of our jeep momentarily faced the enemy, and they gave us a burst of machine gunfire. One bullet punctured a 5-gallon metal water tank that was up against Pfc. Maisie’s car seat. It went through the tank and into his back, splashing water all over us. The driver figured he’d had enough and left to take cover. That was OK, but he left the jeep in neutral, and it started to roll into the river. The GI in the back seat and I jumped out and grabbed the jeep by the bumper and tried to hold it back, but alas, the law of gravity prevailed. I have never done my best work under machine gunfire.
You know, I hated losing that jeep. I had a pair of French pistols worth about 20 bucks apiece, and a .22 automatic in the glove compartment. I was going to sell them to rear echelon troops for some poker playing money. What? You thought all we did was fight? Now the whole squad took cover behind a concrete wall. Pfc. Maisie included. The water tank had muted the force of the bullet, and the point did not penetrate very far into his back. It was painful, but he survived, and I looked like I had just peed myself.
The wall was not the best defensive cover. It was too good a target, but it was the only cover available. It would protect us from small arms fire, but not against artillery. We were then trapped with our two remaining jeeps being pelted with machine gunfire at the river’s edge. What to do? What to do? Pfc. Gerschbach* was our radio operator. His jeep was parallel with the wall. He decided to crawl around the wall on his stomach, using the side of the jeep as cover, got to the radio and called for help. Within 20 minutes, it was the Cavalry to the rescue. The rest of the troops arrived with guns ablazing. 30 and 50 caliber ammo plus 37-millimeter shells saturated the enemy area across the river, where the gunfire was coming from. “Viola”! Another gallant rescue and heroic retreat. Well, as it turned out, our driver, Pfc. Maisie, got a Purple Heart, and I wet my pants.
But did you notice that my drivers always seemed to be leaving me in the lurch? Why?
#1. Bender
#2. Sergeant Greenie
#3. Pfc. Maisie.
It couldn’t be B.O., we all stank!
Germany
*Editor's note: 'Gerschbach' seems likely to be Tec 5 Robert F. Gerspach (16150044)
After Action Report describing the squadron’s work that day
The hospital admission record for Corporal Masi
Like Joe, Thomas Masi would survive the war and we hope to feature him in the Troop A gallery of men in due course.
Unconnected with this incident, Joe is pictured standing beside a Panzerwerfer 42 rocket launcher, commonly known as the Nebelwerfer. Date and location unknown.