Saturday, 25 November [1944] RamsburyWe spent today packing and getting ready to leave. Most of our excess personal equipment was discarded. We had last minute issues of clothing and equipment shortages. We worked hard but by dark our trucks were packed, our equipment in shape. We earned our night’s sleep today.  Sunday, 26 November [1944] RamsburyWe…

Wednesday, 29 November [1944] Camp HursleyCapt. Van Mameren, Lt. Durham, Leu and 69 men and all our equipment left at 0900.  Destination Rouen, France. Going in LST and Victory ships. The rest of us are to leave soon. Our destination is Le Havre where we are to meet the rest of the Battery. We are eating…

Monday, 4 December [1944] S.S. LongfordA really rough night. The boat pitched and tossed in the choppy channel waters. We had “C” rations for the trip. Many of the men were sick. Most of us had state rooms. This was a considerable improvement over the Highland Monarch. Sea Lanes to France very busy. Boats headed in…

Wednesday, 6 December [1944][Continued from previous page] moved North-East – 60 miles to Lotes – where Bn. is assembled. What a trip – we passed scenes of destruction which were horrible to look at. Whole blocks, sometimes whole cities, completely leveled. We are working on our equipment, getting ready to move to Metz at the…

Thursday, 7 December [1944] Lotes[Continued from previous page] At 11 o’clock, a runner came calling for Lt. Arenstein.  He received orders to move at 6 in the morning. We hadn’t actually gotten to bed yet so the separation of days is for chronological reasons only. Friday, 8 December [1944] LotesWe arose at 2400. Struck our…

Monday, 11 December [1944] MetzReveille at 0430. Pulled out at 0630. Battery protected first serial of combat team composed of 13 march units. Traveled 67 miles. Established C.P. in Oermingen. First platoon has two fire units protecting a bridge at Gros Réderching which was taken from the Germans this morning. Undergoing artillery fire. So far…

[Continued from previous page] And sporting a few more gray hairs. Huge concentrations of enemy vehicles were spotted across the Moselle & Sauer Rivers behind the Sigfried lines this morning by our air craft. They have attacked continuously today using machine guns, Rockets, and bombs.The score so far is:2700 trucks and other vehicles destroyed127 tanks…

Thursday, 14 December [1944] OermingenHad our first casualty around 0230 this morning. Reuber wounded by shrapnel. Not too serious. One M51 damaged by shrapnel.  Men subjected to artillery fire every night.  Second platoon moved to Woefling to protect 912 FA.   Btry. C.P. moving  tomorrow.Reuber is first casualty in 549th. Awarded the purple heart. I…

[Continued from previous page] German plane. They must have looked up our record. We do not lack for excitement now and it is very unusual when our sleep is not disturbed by 88’s, or other artillery pieces.  Monday, 18 December [1944] Gros Rederching2ND Platoon subjected to artillery fire all night long, but the boys were…

[Continued from previous page] Our 2ND Platoon still under constant fire. The 87 Division (we are with it) has pushed ahead further than our forces on the flanks thus making us a spear head. As a result we are being shelled from the flanks. One of the fire units got a deer the other day.…