The globe-independent. (Hagerstown, Md.) 1943-19??, 1945-12-06


far forward as possible. Then the
mules would get stuck in the mud
and we'd have to shoot them-we
shot hundreds-and hand carry sup
plies from there on"
Much of the drenched, cold misery
of that campaign was caught by the
cameras in the recent film "The
Story of CT Joe" based on the late
Ernie Pyle's dispatches and in which
Major Triesler recognized many ac-
tual combat shots. Slipping, sliding,
killing and dying, the 337th, fighting
side by side with the 34th Division
Ito which Ernie Pyle was attached),
reached a hill overlooking the val
ley in which Bologna lies. In fact,
that city could be plainly seen some
ten miles away. The rain stopped,
or rather it turned to snow, and
battalion after battalion was sent
out to what Major Triesler reports
as certain slaughter Too exhausted
to continue the running fight, our
troops, along with the equally worn
men of the British Eighth, dug in
for the winter. The lull was "as
rough" as battle had been, the Major
said, what with the snow and the
extreme cold.
1t was "a merry Christmas" for the
boys above Bologna last year with
Major Triesler's regiment, which had
spearheaded the Smelling of the city
and Highway No. 9 from their po-
sition on the point of the hill. To-
ward the last of December they were
pulled out of the line and rushed to
Serchio River Valley to back up the
American 92nd Infantry, in retreat
before German breakthrough
They were relieved in this sector by
a British Indian Division sent down
by the Eighth and so Major Triesler
and his men returned to their posi-
ton before Bologna. Even to the
same old fox holes" sighed the
Major in recollection.
After a brief interlude out of the
lines in the early Spring, spent at
Marina di Pisa in river training for
the eventual Pc crossing, Major
Triesler's regiment, with the 10th
Mountain Division, of which Bill
McDaniels, son of Mr.. and Mrs.
Aubrey Mcdaniel, Oak Hill avenue,
was a member, started the offensive
down Highway As to Bologna and
west of it, after spirited encounter
with paratroops of the German 1st
and 4th Para regiments-both crack
outfits.
There was very trough
fighting" and there were many cas-
ualties in the hills before the Pc
valley, from which the 10th Noun
tain and the 85th Infantry broke out
the same day.
From then on it became evident
that the German armies in Italy
were washed up. They started fall
ing back and the daily bag of prIs-
oners ranged from 1000 to one fam
Gus day when 1000 Germans threw
in the towel. So many men had to
be pulled out of the fighting lines
to escort prisoners to the rear that
they finally stopped guarding the
Germans on their progress rearward.
They were disarmed and sent back
under their own steam.
The Americans were moving at
fast clip at this point. In Major
Triesler's regiment the command
Communicated tank destroyers and
captured German trucks (Which
broke down with great regularity
and thus motorized two battalions
which they rushed along parallel
roads, leaving the Germans far be-
hind. At this point, Major Triesler
reports, valuable help came from the
AIclIoAA al tlodllS, Oil llSC Will 1Ai1lCL-
lean and British equipment dropped
by the USAAF Troop Carrier Com
mand.
So discouraged were the Germans
by this time that our delighted
troops took German kitchens, with
bread still baking in the ovens, one
complete field hospital, with 400
enemy wounded, a staff of 100 nurses
and doctors, ambulances, amphibious
equipment = everything except the
director who had taken French
leave.
German M.P.'s on the highways
were constantly mistaking our tanks
for their own and coming to find
themselves looking down the bust
ness ends of American gun barrels.
The long prepared for crossing of
the Pc, looked forward to as what
Major Triesler describes as a "big
DEAL" came about at last Our artil-
1erys laid down a terrific barrage
under which our troops crossed the