Aug. 30,1944 Letter "The Battle for Brest" Part 2 (Post #68)

FLASH BACK ~ BEGINNINGS OF THE BATTLE OF BREST ~ 

Only the US VIII Corps advanced into the Brittany peninsula with the important port city of Brest as the main objective of the advance. 

At first the advance on Brest was a race, with the US 6th Armored Division leading the way. The going was so easy that on 6 August General Patton reported to a skeptical General Omar Bradley that Brest had been captured. General Bradley stated later that he was not surprised to find out the next day that Brest had not been taken as Patton insisted.  
US forces began their final move on Brest on 7 August 1944 and encountered heavy resistance from a very well organized defense.
The commander of VIII Corps, General Middleton, reported that the defense network was the original French works that had been improved upon by the German defenders. The Allies encountered a complex series of fortifications that blocked all the approaches to the city. The German defenders also had a huge store of artillery ammunition for the coastal batteries that had been modified so they could fire inland. (https://www.flamesofwar.com/hobby.aspx?art_id=780)
We need to remember the 2nd Infantry Division did not arrive near Brest until 20 August 1944. Thirteen days after the battle began.  We read from Glynn Raby Jr. some of those first days for the "Indianheads." 

Glynn Raby Jr 2^nd Division 9^th Infantry Regiment

     While the main thrusts were to the east and south, our armored units also went west into BRITTANY, and the German troops withdrew into the larger towns and cities – mostly seaports. In mid-August the 2nd Division moved west and joined with the 8th and 29th Divisions to capture the seaport of BREST. Outside the city, we found hedgerow country similar to NORMANDY. Progress was again slow. I held the rank of Corporal and was assigned to assist our company communications sergeant. We laid telephone lines between our units and operated radios. When not moving forward, we always “dug in” – holes in the ground to get into for some protection from shrapnel. One unforgettable day we were being shelled and were in our holes. A direct hit from a mortar shell landed on Sgt. Thomas, perhaps 15 feet from me. He died, almost instantly.
     A day or two later, I had just completed a radio transmission to our Battalion HQ, when someone called our code name. He had what I thought was a German accent. My first thought was about “triangulation” - locating a radio by using three receivers and plotting on a map beams to the transmitter. Afraid that I might get a mortar shell on me, I quickly turned the radio off, and moved to another spot. I later learned that triangulation was not that effective and that mortars were not that accurate. The caller could have been an American with German ancestors, but I took no chances. 

Somewhere in France
Aug 30, 1944

Dear Mother,
     I'm still o.k. and in good health. I started you a letter a few days ago but never finished it. You see I spent some time digging myself a hole under a bank, mostly through rock, so when I had it completed I went down to a little creek to wash up by that time it was dark and after dark there are no lights not even a match. A couple of day later I intended writing again but been up all day and night and such a headache couldn't see straight. Guess it was from the steady pounding of the guns. Took quite a few aspirin all day but it did no good so along toward night I took five and after a little sleep felt better. 
     It was some time ago but as I remember when writing my last letter I wrote it looked like rain and sure enough it did rain that night. Gee, what a rain - it came down in buckets full. I stood guard and got soaked then when I crawled in my hole the water was running in. I fixed it the best I could then went to sleep - maybe. I don't believe this life will help anyone in years to come. We have had some good weather but now we are having lots of rain.
     For some time we didn't receive any mail but now it's coming again. The news looks good but don't be surprised if this thing lasts longer than you expect. It looks to me as if some people back in the states figure this fight is going so fast it's just a push over but they're far mistaken. If they could see and go through some of the things the boys over here are they'd change their mind. One day you eat and talk with a swell fellow - the next day he's gone. 
     Here's a joke, the other day I got a haircut and the fellow had never cut hair before in his life but who cares ha ha. You see we never stop in any town as we have been in contact with the enemy most of the time, only a few days we haven't been in the fight. Some day I'll tell you just where I was and saw when writing each letter. As I write this letter only ten or fifteen feet from my gun the other boys are firing like mad. I also can hear a few of the Jerries whistle over.
     Received a letter from Waneta and a picture of Jr. [His sister sent a picture of her 8 month old son. My older brother.] Sure like to get mail. 
     If Archie Chambers wants to do any shooting he should be over here. All I can say - Damn fool.
     I'm afraid Claude [local potato farmer in his town just down the hill from his parents] has made a mistake having those Negros around. (Notice how the blast of the gun makes my pen jump.)
     Received the picture of James Allen, his father was the postmaster as I remember. Also read in a clipping that Walter Zinchurch was home after two years overseas. 
     Glad you got the money I sent. If you ever need any just go to Westbrook. I see we don't get paid this month but who wants money. I'm going to save all I can. 
     By this time, I hope sister is alright and now I'm waiting for the news.
     Say hello to Grammy and tell her even though I can't write often I still think of her.
     Guess I'll close for this time. I'm okay so try not to worry. Say hello to all. This mess will be over someday.
                                        Love
                                          Charles

Diary from Staff Sergeant Hanford Maurice Rice 
In Charlie Co. (1st Battalion) of the U.S. 9th Inf. Reg. of the 2nd Inf. Div. 

August 21, 1944 (Monday): “Still raining. We are holding and moving our positions. Rough weather. We are 2 miles from Brest.”

August 22, 1944 (Tuesday): “Our patrol went out. Magnes was killed, Curran was wounded. Then I took a patrol out and made it back okay.”

August 23, 1944 (Wednesday): “We went on line and still holding. Enemy artillery and mortar fire pretty heavy.”

August 25, 1944 (Friday): “We attacked pill boxes all day. We had 20 casualties. 3 of our tanks were knocked out. I took over the platoon.”

August 28, 1944 (Monday): “Pendergrass was killed. There are only 5 men left in the 3rd platoon.”

August 31, 1944 (Thursday): “The third platoon got wiped out.”

  Foot Soldier by Fred Felder (Printed by Bill Wise Printers, Orangeburg, South Carolina)

Fred Felder was a combat mortar crew soldier in the 2nd Battalion of the U.S. 9th Infantry Regiment of the U.S. 2nd Infantry Division during World War Two. In chapter 3, "Attacking in Brittany; Capture of Brest" he shares his memories. Heavily edited by me.

August 25th (Replacements for the 2nd Inf. Div.)                                                                "Thirty of us boarded an olive-green Army truck on the morning of August 25th 1944, and were off to the front to join the (9th) division. Our unit turned out to be Company G of the 9th U.S. Infantry Regiment. Our commander was Col. Chester Hirschfelder, to become the most decorated officer in the division. When finally faced the 2nd Battalion commander, Lt. Col. Walter M. Higgins, we were close behind the lines, just twenty miles from the city of Brest. The battalion commander looked us over and asked how many of us had seen combat. No one replied. He then said: "By nightfall all of you will have seen combat. We’re attacking at one o’clock this afternoon." That statement sent a ripple of fear through us all. I was put in a 60mm Mortar Section, carrying a bag of mortar ammunition. Our artillery barrage began at 12:40 and we "jumped off" at 1 pm., advancing slowly but steadily, and heard and saw our first enemy fire. The Germans had machine guns in the earthen walls (hedgerows), which were hard to hit with our own mortar or artillery fire. These machine guns had to be silenced before we could advance and they had been taking a heavy toll of American lives. My adopted foxhole buddy, Melvin Farris, and I, watched and learned that first day. We saw our first dead GI, lying peacefully along a hedgerow, and silently passed him by. That first afternoon our advance came to a standstill when we encountered the main German line. Here the fighting was hard and by nightfall the 9th Infantry had gained only yards.
                                                                                                                                                   
August 26th 
The sergeant ordered "Fellows, the artillery barrage will start at Zero Eight Hundred Hours. We jump off at 8:30." Farris and I stood outside the foxhole and chatted nervously, waiting for our own artillery to start blasting the enemy lines out front. The barrage began on schedule. When it let up at 8:30 our infantrymen would advance along the safest side of the 12 to 15-foot-high hedgerows. We set up our 60 mm mortar time after time when there was a call for fire. It was the most powerful weapon Company G had. Shells which our six-man squad carried were three inches in diameter and 14 inches long. Our range was about two thousand yards. That morning a soldier ahead who yelled over the walkie-talkie: "For God’s sake, put a few rounds on R-2- have you got a map?" On my third round I put a shell dead on target. That day the advance was again slow, and fighting heavy. We suffered more casualties. Just before dark we were told to dig in for the night. We had learned to dig them at the bottom of a hedgerow, on the side away from the enemy. If an artillery shell came your way, it couldn’t hit you. A mortar shell would have to be a direct shot.

August 28th
On the fourth day of our attack we advanced only twenty yards. During that day one of our lieutenants ordered two men to crawl forward to the next hedgerow and silence a German machine gun holding up the battalion. Both were killed. So when it was dark, two GI’s crawled slowly and quietly forward on their bellies. They were armed with lightweight carbines, wore no helmets (only a knit cap), and had faces blackened. (Reached where the Germans were) and actually reached up and pulled the gun out of the hedgerow. That startled the German crew, which surrendered. That cleared the way for a resumption of our advance.