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| An intense, extremely difficult, and costly battle to gain control of the seaport in Brest. |
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| The 2nd Infantry Battalion including the 15th FAB takes a 220 mile trip to capture Brest. There were many other battalions involved with this battle. |
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15th FAB Yearbook |
The Diary of Staff Sergeant Hanford Maurice Rice
The
Germans had some big cannons they used at Brest
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
24, 1944 (Thursday): “K rations are sure getting old. (We have had)
no hot coffee for days. (Finally) the sun came out.”
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
26, 1944 (Saturday): “I turned in to the Aid Station. I can’t go
anymore. (I have had) no sleep for 3 days. I crawled one half of a
mile.”
August
27, 1944 (Sunday): “I am still at the Aid Station. I am sleeping
and eating. I saw a picture show. My knees are bothering me.”
August
28, 1944 (Monday): “(I am) still at the aid station. Pendergrass
was killed. (There are only) 5 men left in the 3rd platoon. (I) saw
another (picture) show.”
August
29, 1944 (Tuesday): “My knees are not any better. I saw the
dentist. (I am) getting plenty of sleep.”
August
30, 1944 (Wednesday): “I had my tooth x-ray and my knees (also).”
August
31, 1944 (Thursday): “The third platoon got wiped out. I am still
in the hospital.”
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