The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1944-01-14
Heroes And
Heroism
CONTINUED from Page y

rolled forward. The men were right
behind it, clearing out still more
Germans"
I'VE started the fight for the
town itself during the night and had
1t under control by p. m. Then
We cleaned 1t up"
The Germans counter attacked
with tanks and salf-propelled guns,
but the Americans - fighting with
out rest after their all-night bat
tie - "smeared the counter-at-
tack" Power said.
All about us were the signs Of
that bloody conflict. the blasted
stones and timbers OF what had once
been homes and stores OF this vii
lage Of 5000 hillfolk, the unburied
dead, the broken weapons.
Then our men began bringing
back prisoners taken in the coun-
ter-attack, young, arrogant Nazls
from the Hermann Goering divi-
sion and all boiling mad because
they were captured.
Pvt. Donald Gdnther, Milwaukee,
Wis, came down the street Shep-
herding q couple OF surly young
Nazis. lie was grinning and he
kept his bayonet close ~ their
backs as 10 told them:
Get uloig, you supermen, ard
remember you're Just a couple OF
krauts to me-"
Men back from the fighting said
the Germans sent eight companies
from three different regiments,
mostly Hermann Goering Division
men, into the counter attack. They
went about, using hand grenades,
machine guns and rifles as we'll
as heavy mechanical stuff.
But our troops stood up to 1t
and then sent the Germans Keeling
back to Casino after bloody
tussle. One Of the heroes OF the
counter attack was former Iowa
bellhop, acting LIST Sgt. William ].
owen, who suddenly found him
self in command OF q company af-
ter all the officers had been killed
or wounded.
I'VE snapped to in the dark just
before dawn to find the enemy
lobbing hand grenades into the
house we were occupying and en-
envy armor firing pointblank at U.S."
owen said.
Owen wouldn't talk about himself
or give additional details OF the
battle-"I see no reason for giving
anyone any publicity" he said. But
one of his men, Pvt. william Young
Of New York, said:
at was owens personality and
his ability TO keep on fighting that
enabled us 70 stick 1t out through
the counter attack. Boy, he was
good, and we are proud OF him."
Bell Hop
Owen is from Centerville, Ia, and
was a bellhop at Storm Lake, Ia,
before joining the army.
Three men who kept two ma
chine guns hot throughout the
counter attack - usually Job for
five men TO q gun - also won hte
praise Of their comrades They
were Cpl. Donald Meyer, Troy, O.,
Opt. william Archer. who comes
from Mystic, near owens home
ISwn OF Centerville, Ia, Pvt. George
Cardinale, New York.
Under enemy tank fire, they vol
unteered to carry the two guns out
to an exposed position and set up Q
firing nest to blast the Germans"
ut was q job one soldier said,
"for one OF them oriental statues
with all the arms sticking out on
each side"
The Germans were banging away
with mortar and artillery fire as !
entered the town and ran into the
house where sgt. Owen was direct
ing operations.
Just then O shell went right
through the upper story Of the
house, killing soldier In a doorway.
Another soldier stopped over the
body, found that the heart no longer
was beating and then drew O hand
kerchief over the face.
Sniper bullets pinged against the
house and screaming mirnies"
whammed into nearby houses from
the German mortars. Jerry had
the range all right.
I ran into 1t. John Sheehy, New
York, who commanded q company,
and he told me his highest moment
wa swhen his company charged
down o street chasing the Germans
and ran straight into tank, firing
ct O range Of only 800 yards.
Sheehy, in peacetime q clerk for
American Airlines, said the feature
o. the battle was the close co0rdl-
nation between infantry and artil-
iery.
"our shells were landing Just 80