I was leading a squad of six men through a wooded glen, when we came across a building in a clearing. The structure was quite ornate. It looked like it might have some religious connection. We spread out and advanced. The whole area seemed deserted. I walked up the front steps and tried the door and it opened. I entered and the odors were unmistakable. It was a hospital. I was then approached by a woman who seemed to be wearing some sort of a religious habit.
She also had that commanding air about her that said, “I’m in charge”. “Me, Americanski”, pointing to myself. She didn’t seem impressed. I then tried to impress her with my limited Kraut lingo. “Haben deutsche soldaten here?” pointing to the floor. She nodded her head and beckoned me to follow. She then led me to a ward with six wounded soldiers. They all looked in a bad way. I figured there wasn’t much hope for them, because the German army just left them when they retreated. While the rest of the squad searched the hospital, I went outside for some fresh air. The smell of death in that ward was overpowering.
That night at the Command Post, a lot of lies were told about my actions at the hospital. It was bandied about that I ordered the wounded soldiers to get out of bed, raise their hands and march out of the hospital, and that they were prisoners of the Americanski, pointing to their chests.
What a crock……., but a laugh is a laugh, even if it was at my expense.
Another time, I was working with an infantry squad, and as I was a Corporal, I was put in charge of six men. We were in a small city and our mission was to clear out a bunch of buildings. We were looking for Kraut stragglers. We approached the first structure, and one of the infantry men pulled the safety pin out of a grenade. I asked him why and he said in his outfit they always threw a grenade in the cellar in case there were Germans hiding there. I told him to forget it, that I would check the basement. I opened the door and yelled down in my most commanding tone** “Commen rause mit der hande hoch!” I then snuck down and peeked. The cellar was empty.
Now, I wasn’t a very brave G.I., but the day before, I had found a woman and child in an old cellar and just couldn’t live with myself if a woman or child were hurt by my actions. You know, I just hated being in charge. After a while, you figure God was watching over you, and everything would be all right, and that you would survive. Well, I did, so I was right.
**Come out with your hands up