Slaughter City by Len Levinson

Author:Len Levinson
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: world war ii, general patton, cj mahoney, gordon davies, len levinson, the sergeant, war adventure stories
Publisher: Piccadilly Publishing

Chapter Fifteen

Throughout the early hours of the morning, Patton and his generals stood at the map table as reports trickled in on the progress of his offensive. They moved pins around and were pleased with the amount of ground that had been taken. All units up and down the Third Army line had reached their assigned objectives and were pushing forward steadily. Now that they had gas and ammunition, it was like the old days except that the Germans had used the month of October to reorganize and were offering stiff resistance everywhere. Patton thought his casualties were heavier than they should have been, thanks to Ike and the jokers at Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Forces (SHAEF).

At eight o’clock, a call came in from General Omar Bradley at EAGLE TAC, and the phone was handed to Patton.

“What are your plans for today, George?” Bradley asked.

“I’m attacking,” Patton replied. “Can’t you hear my guns?”

“What!” Bradley replied. “You’re attacking without air support?”

“That’s right.”

There was a pause for a few moments. “I don’t know if that was a good idea, George.”

“We’re doing okay.”

“You are?”

“We’ve reached all our designated objectives so far.”

“What about Metz?”

“My Hammerhead Division is fighting inside the city limits.”

“Why that’s splendid, George!” Bradley said, his voice becoming enthusiastic. “I wouldn’t have thought it possible without air support!”

“The weather is hurting the Germans as much as it’s hurting us.”

“Hang on a moment, will you?”

“Yes, sir.”

Patton stood with a phone next to his ear, looking down at the map table. Even he was surprised at the progress his troops were making without air cover, but he saw no point in admitting it.

“George?” asked Bradley.

“I’m here,” Patton replied.

“Ike is here, George, and he wants to speak with you.”

“Ike!”

“That’s right. Here he is.”

Patton waited and a few seconds later heard the velvety voice of General Dwight D. Eisenhower.

“George, this is Ike, your supreme commander!” he said. “I’m thrilled by your offensive, boy! I expect a hell of a lot from you, so carry the ball all the way!”

“Thanks, general,” Patton said with a faint smile. “We’ll carry it, sir—we sure will!”

“I hear you’re doing real well, George!”

“As well as can be expected, sir, all things considered.”

“That’s fine. You just keep on doing what you’re doing. And give your men my best regards. Tell them I expect a lot from them in this campaign.”

“Yes, sir.”

Patton hung up the phone, his face expressing cynicism. Ike had held him back over a month, giving the Germans an opportunity to regroup opposite the Third Army, and now Ike wanted to give everybody his regards. Sometimes Patton thought that Ike wasn’t tied together very tightly.

“Everything all right, sir?” asked General Maddox.

“Nobody’s telling us to stop,” Patton replied, returning to the map table, “so I suppose everything’s okay. Has anything happened while I was on the phone? Where are we now?”

~*~

“My Fuehrer,” said General Jodl, “I’m afraid I have more bad news.”

Hitler looked up from his desk and the documents strewn upon it. Although it was morning in East Prussia, all the curtains in his office were drawn because sunlight hurt his eyes.

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