Ed & Ray Hersman in WWII - Robert Marks.org

4.14. FREEZING IN LANGLIR Ed & Ray Hersman in WWII4.14.4 Night PatrolThat night we were to go on patrol.The patrol was to be a combined combat reconnaissance patrol consistingof about ten men commanded by a lieutenant. I was to be point man sinceI was most experienced. The lieutenant had never been on a patrol beforeand was all gung ho.We left the farmhouse after dark, went down the hill, waded a partiallyfrozen stream and climbed a long steep hill to the road which was abouthalfway up the hill, and which was our destination. I led, the lieutenantfollowed me and the rest of the men were behind him.I whispered to the officer that we should not walk on the road but shouldwalk in the woods beside the road even if the going was rougher. He said no,that we should walk in the road.We walked about a quarter of a mile down the road when suddenly myinstinct told me to hit the ground, which I did instantly. The men behind mealso hit the ground, that is everyone but the lieutenant. A German tank firedon us almost point blank. At night a white tank, in white snow is almostimpossible to see and since the Germans didn’t make any noise, we didn’tlocate it soon enough.I rolled into the woods and looked around just in time to see the menrunning up the road after the lieutenant. The tank did not fire again. Icaught those men only once going back to the C.P. That was at the foot ofthe hill, since we scooted down it on our tails I out-scooted them. They ranup the other hill to the C.P. I walked.The lieutenant was barely scratched, but when he ran the other menfollowed. The lieutenant was sent to the rear and I never saw him again. Iwas really down on the colonel. When I told him about the tank he said heknew one was there and forgot to tell us.74