Descending from the Clouds by Wurst Spencer F.; Wurst Gayle;

Author:Wurst, Spencer F.; Wurst, Gayle;
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Open Road Distribution

Chapter 18

Long Days in Normandy: The Battle of St. Sauveur-le-Vicomte, the Bois de Limors, and Hill 131

On June 16, we took up the attack toward St. Sauveur-le-Vicomte at 7:00 A.M. As we got closer to town we encountered increased resistance and had to push the Germans back again, hedgerow by hedgerow. We also encountered fields of Rommel’s asparagus, poles twenty or thirty feet high, planted in pastures and other open spaces, strung together, and wired with Teller mines rigged to detonate when gliders or parachute troops hit them. The poles would also sheer off a glider’s wings.

As we approached the town, the 505 was on the right and the 325 was on the left. The ground dropped off to the Douve, which was more like a good-sized creek in the northeastern United States. In addition to our little 75s, we finally started picking up artillery support from the infantry divisions, including corps artillery. The 505’s mission was to hold a defensive line at the Douve on the heights across from St. Sauveur-le-Vicomte, but not to seize the bridge or take the town.

Although there was no way for us to realize it down at my level, Colonel Vandervoort had been surveying the entire scene with a forward artillery observer as we moved into positions overlooking St. Sauveur. From his elevated vantage point on the southeast bluff of the river, the colonel had an excellent view of the major highway—and he discovered it was crammed with withdrawing German troops. He contacted Major Norton, the regimental S-3, who in turn called Colonel Ekman, who communicated this news to General Ridgway. Ridgway came up to Vandervoort’s position with the First Army commander, General Omar Bradley, who seized the occasion in the absence of General Collins and gave the 82d permission to cross the Douve.

And so the mission of the 505 changed again: we were now to attack down the slope and across the river, secure the bridge, and clean out St. Sauveur-le-Vicomte. The artillery fire we heard as we moved toward the bridge was a TOT, a huge barrage timed on target and well aimed at the withdrawing Germans, that also blew up half the town. This was a spectacular, devastating, and highly demoralizing attack for the enemy as the shells from every gun in every artillery battalion landed at the same instant.

As the barrage lifted, the 2d Battalion started down the slope in column formation, with Company F leading. The 3d Platoon was in front, and my 1st Squad was in the lead. The 1st Battalion was close behind the 2d. There were houses in the valley two hundred or two hundred fifty yards to our right and left, and brushy terrain to both sides of our front on the opposite side of the river. We moved along the edge of the road, attempting to use a ditch as cover. We were taking considerable small arms fire, which was particularly deadly in our situation. The Germans had us in sight and were firing rifles and machine guns directly on us.

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