Hurry for Huntz

[R T]

Captain Bertch huddled with his company to give the orders to start this dance and as he looked into the young men’s eyes he wondered how many would make it through their first live fire mission. They had landed the day before and now on D-Day plus 3 were given the task of securing this rail station, bridges and the overlook at the farm house for future movement of land forces. No disposition on enemy forces was known but not much resistance was expected

Capt. Bertch was from southern Iowa bordering Missouri and had been in the army since December 41. This was to be his first encounter with the enemy and although his men couldn’t visibly see it he was as nervous as a whore in the confessional box. His command style hid his insecurities by using bravado and his home-style folk sayings. The higher ups found his unorthodox style lacking in military bearing but couldn’t argue with the results. His company had met and exceeded all training objectives. And command recognized a leader when they saw one so he advanced in rank on time and was now in charge of this company. None the less, he was not considered a career candidate by the officer corp.

“Alright you guys I don’t want anyone to be a bullet sponge, so stay low and keep the noise to minimum. We’re unsure of the force we face so we’ll just move and react accordingly. First Platoon to the left flank in those trees, then send scouts to the ridge hill and survey the situation. Second and Third to the Rail Station, stay behind the buildings and keep out of site. See we have already achieved one objective, pretty easy ay? You Muzzle Monkeys set your tubes up just behind those warehouses”

“Remember men, the madness of war can extract a heavy toll. So please let’s have the exact change ready so we have minimum problems, let’s do it.”

 

[R T]

Cpt. Bertch could see that the crossing at the rail bridge was obstructed from the view of where movement told him the Jerries were taking up positions just behind the hedgerow opposite his temporary HQ. So he made a quick decision to move fast and hope Jerry was still setting up.

Crossing the bridge on the right was a piece of cake with only 3 casualties, 1 dead and 2 wounded.The problem to be addressed at this point was crossing the field on the right flank. Because he had not held back a reserve and committed the bulk of his forces to the right, the move to the opposite hedge would have to be quick and violent. On the plus side was the fact that the field had a dip that would provide some cover He would need the tubes to provide some distraction and hopefully some pain so the crossing would be obtained with minimal casualties.

The mortars had caused the suppressed fire of the enemy and enabled the relatively bloodless crossing, so now was the time for the troopers to skit and skiddaddle on over to greener pastures.

The good Captain had ignored the standard doctrine of a reserve because of the special situation of the terrain. His First platoon was assuring no one was crossing that bridge without a fight. We held the high ground and the advantage.
He would also need the two 30cal hogs set up across the bridge in the higher portion of the hedge to cover any open moving troops.

Everyone’s heard the tale of the toughened ole First Sargent who when asked what was the primary means to a successful encounter without hesitation responded,” superior firepower.” And in this encounter, in theory, the American army surpassed the German counterpart. The Garland could in the hands of a trained GI spit out far more lead slugs than the bolt action Kar of the Wehrmacht.

He sent a two man scout team out on the left to feel out the Krauts, slow and easy like. “ If ya don’t know a where you’sa goin, it’d be a good idea not to use yer spurs”. Wouldn’t be long before the answer would come and the scout team was barely at the ridgeline when the enemy fire came. Now that he knew where they were parked, it was the time for some persuasion from the tubes to get them to move. Damn what he wouldn’t give for some Armor of any size. A halftrack with a 37mm would be a game changer. Yea,……….. and if crickets carried 45’s birds wouldn’t fu&k with em would they?

On the left the platoon leader, one Lt. Wilson decided to get a personal looksee at situation. He was promptly welcomed by a MG42 which made him tuck his tail, drop any bravado and scoot on outta there. There was no going anywhere yet , that MG42 was making sure of that. He was hoping the advance on the right would pull some troops from that area to make easier the coming assault on the left bridge.

 

[R T]

Captain Bertch had been ordered into the service, they called it the draft, he called it either be here or behind concrete walls, easy choice. It’s not that he was against the war, he had despised what the Japs had done at Pearl and had considered volunteering. No, the problem was his plumbing business had just started turning a decent profit and he was loath to leave it until he could find a suitable caretaker. But alas and alack, here he was vacationing in Europe while his business faded to oblivion. Well no use crying over spilt milk, so he dug in and made the best of what was served up.

The men of his company called him Hieni behind his back. But what once was a derogatory term had now become one of endearment as the men respected his command style. When needed, a commander that demanded and received respect and when needed a man that could be an advisor and shoulder to lean on, which usually happened over lovers quarrels.

Captain John Henrich Bertch was of pure German stock, his grandfather emigrating in the 1870’s, his mothers parents the Norpels in the 1880’s. Somehow his nickname Hans had been perverted by the area people into Huntz, which is what the people of his hometown area and his friend and second in command !st Lieutenant William James Thatcher of Bangor,Maine called him. They had a close relationship and bantered back and forth with mental combat via verbal slams and one upsmanship being the hallmark .

Bill had asked him early on “You don’t feel any confusion or angst over the possibility however remote that you may actually be shooting at relatives at some point in time?”

Huntz looked directly at Jim saying “This is not a conflict with these people so much as it is a conflict of ideologies “ “In the same way that brothers could shoot each other over states rights and slavery, I too have some ideals that are worth fighting for or society as we cherish it, is finished as a whole.” “And besides I don’t know em, and it’s either them or me, easy choice.”

Huntz looked the area of the right flank over and with a soft prayer ordered the assault forward. The tubes belched fire and brimstone at the opposing hedge, may God have mercy on all our souls thought Huntz as the first “whuuump of the mortars and the resulting “boooom” of the hit reverberated through the countryside.

 

[R T]

After the breech teams opened the hedge up the men of the 2nd platoon ran like cats with their asses on fire and with the help of the suppressing mortars amazingly enough made it with no casualties. Although Huntz had to get on the radio and tell the leader of the second platoon Lt. Welsh to put his boot up 2 squads butts as they had gone 30 feet and fell to the ground for cover.

“Lieutenant , get those men moving, speed is the linchpin for this to work, they can’t be low-de-doing or they’ll be target practice for sure”

Huntz was relieved to see the men up and moving and he could have sworn he actually saw Lt. Welsh kick one G.I. in the butt. Hey, whatever it took, better a sore ass than a dead one.

 

[R T]

As he swung his gaze to the left the first rounds of the mortars were hitting the suspected area of where the entrenched Germans were. Then to his amazement the Germans actually started to come out of hiding and begin to cross the bridge. He quickly shouted retargeting instructions to the tubes via radio and with a little luck gave the bold move a salute they would not soon forget. Scratch one very brave but unlucky German squad.




As his attention returned to the right flank he saw that not only had they reached the far hedge unscathed but after the Pioneer team opened the door they had caught a squad fleeing the motars only to be cut down by American firepower in the form of G.I.s emptying their clips into them. All in all it was turning into a bad day for the opposing side




Hell thought Huntz, we may just get out of this one alive